Black plate (180,1)
Recommendations for shifting (U.S.A.
and Canada)
Upshifting
For normal acceleration and cruising, we
recommend these shift points.
Gear Vehicle speed*1
M1 to M2 24 km/h (15 mph)
M2 to M3 40 km/h (25 mph)
M3 to M4 65 km/h (40 mph)
M4 to M5 73 km/h (45 mph)
M5 to M6 81 km/h (50 mph)
*1: Always observe local speed limit regulations.
Downshifting
When you must slow down in heavy
traffic or on a steepupgrade, downshift
before the engine starts to overwork. This
gives better acceleration when you need
more speed.
On a steepdowngrade, downshifting
helps maintain safe speed and prolongs
brake life.
qDirect Mode
Direct mode can be used for temporarily
switching gears by operating the steering
shift switch while the vehicle is being
driven with the selector lever in the D
range.
While in direct mode, the D and M
indicator lights illuminate and the gear
position in use is illuminated.
Direct mode is canceled (released) under
the following conditions.
lThe UP switch (/OFF) is pulled
rearward for a certain amount of time
or longer.
lThe vehicle is driven for a certain
amount of time or longer (time differs
depending on the driving conditions
while operating).
lThe vehicle is stopped or moving at a
slow speed.
Gear position indicator
Direct mode indicator
NOTE
Shifting up and down while in direct mode may
not be possible depending on the vehicle
speed. In addition, because direct mode is
canceled (released) depending on the rate of
acceleration or if the accelerator is fully
depressed, use of the manual shift mode is
recommended if you need to drive the vehicle
in a particular gear for long periods.
qDriving Tips
WARNING
Do not allow the vehicle to move in
reverse on an up-slope while the
selector lever is in a forward gear
position, or move forward on a down-
slope while the selector lever is in the
reverse position:
Otherwise, the engine will stop,
causing the loss of the power brake
and power steering functions, and
make it difficult to control the vehicle
which could result in an accident.
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Transaxle
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Lighting Control
qHeadlights
lTurn the headlight switch to turn the headlights, other exterior lights and dashboard
illumination on or off.
lFor vehicles with the type A instrument cluster, check the vehicle condition or have the
vehicle inspected at an Authorized Mazda Dealer according to the indication.
lA system malfunction or operation conditions are indicated by a warning.
Refer to Warning/Indicator Lights on page 4-22.
NOTE
lIf the light switch is left on, the lights will automatically switch off approximately 30 seconds after
switching the ignition off.
The time setting can be changed.
Refer to Personalization Features on page 9-9.
lTo prevent discharging the battery, do not leave the lights on while the engine is off unless safety
requires them.
Without auto-light control
Switch Position
Ignition Position ONACC or
OFFONACC or
OFFONACC or
OFF
Headlights Off Off Off Off On Off
Daytime running lights On
*1Off On*1Off Off Off
Taillights
Parking lights
License lights
Side-marker lights
Dashboard illuminationOff Off On On On Off/On
*2
*1 It turns on while driving the vehicle.
*2 While the lights are turned on, they will remain on even if the ignition is switched to a position other than ON.
If the driver's door is opened or 30 s have elapsed with the lights turned on, the lights turn off.
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Switches and Controls
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qLeaving Home Light System
The leaving home light system turns on
the lights when the key unlock button is
pressed while away from the vehicle.
To turn on the system
When the ignition switch and the
headlight switch are as indicated below,
the lights will illuminate when the
transmitter unlock button is pressed and
the vehicle receives the transmitter signal.
The lights turn off after a certain period of
time has elapsed (30 seconds).
lIgnition switch: offlHeadlight switch:or
The following lights turn on when the
leaving home light system is operated.
Low beams, Parking lights, Taillights,
License lights
Unlock button
Lock button
NOTElOperation of the leaving home light system
can be turned on or off.
Refer to Personalization Features on page
9-9.
lWhen the transmitter lock button is pressed
and the vehicle receives the transmitter
signal, the lights turn off.
lWhen the headlight switch is in a position
other than
or, the lights turn off.
qHeadlight Levelingí
The number of passengers and weight of
cargo in the luggage compartment change
the angle of the headlights.
The angle of the headlights will be
automatically adjusted when turning on
the headlights.
A system malfunction or operation
conditions are indicated by a warning.
Refer to Warning/Indicator Lights on page
4-22.
qDaytime Running Lightsí
Some countries require moving vehicles
to have their lights on (daytime running
lights) during the daytime.
The daytime running lights turn on
automatically when the vehicle starts
moving.
They turn off when the parking brake is
operated or the shift lever is shifted to the
P position (automatic transaxle vehicle).
NOTE
(Except Canada)
The daytime running lights can be deactivated.
Refer to Personalization Features on page 9-9.
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When Driving
íSome models.
Switches and Controls
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Hazard Warning Flasher
The hazard warning lights should always
be used when you stop on or near a
roadway in an emergency.
The hazard warning lights warn other
drivers that your vehicle is a traffic hazard
and that they must take extreme caution
when near it.
Depress the hazard warning flasher switch
and all the turn signals will flash. The
hazard warning indicator lights in the
instrument cluster flash simultaneously.
NOTE
lThe turn signals do not work when the
hazard warning lights are on.
lCheck local regulations about the use of
hazard warning lights while the vehicle is
being towed to verify that it is not in
violation of the law.
HomeLink Wireless
Control System
í
NOTE
HomeLink and HomeLink house icon are
registered trademarks of Gentex Corporation.
The HomeLink system replaces up to 3
hand-held transmitters with a single built-
in component in the auto-dimming mirror.
Pressing the HomeLink button on the
auto-dimming mirror activates garage
doors, gates and other devices
surrounding your home.
HomeLink button
Indicator light
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When Driving
íSome models.
Switches and Controls
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WARNING
Do not use the HomeLink system with
any garage door opener that lacks the
safety stop and reverse feature:
Using the HomeLink system with any
garage door opener that lacks the
safety stop and reverse feature as
required by federal safety standards
is dangerous. (This includes garage
doors manufactured before April 1,
1982.)
Using these garage door openers can
increase the risk of serious injury or
death. For further information,
contact HomeLink at 1-800-355-3515
or www.homelink.com or your
Authorized Mazda Dealer.
Always check the areas surrounding
garage doors and gates for people or
obstructions before programming or
during operation of the HomeLink
system:
Programming or operating the
HomeLink system without verifying
the safety of areas surrounding
garage doors and gates is dangerous
and could result in an unexpected
accident and serious injury if
someone were to be hit.
NOTE
The programming will not be erased even if
the battery is disconnected.
qPre-programming the HomeLink
System
NOTE
It is recommended that a new battery be
placed in the hand-held transmitter of the
device being programmed to HomeLink for
quicker training and accurate transmission of
the radio-frequency signal.
lVerify that there is a remote control
transmitter available for the device you
would like to program.
lDisconnect the power to the device.
qProgramming the HomeLink System
CAUTION
When programming a garage door
opener or a gate, disconnect the
power to these devices before
performing programming, as
continuous operation of the devices
could damage the motor.
The HomeLink system provides 3 buttons
which can be individually selected and
programmed using the transmitters for
current, on-market devices as follows:
1. Position the end of your hand-held
transmitter 2.5―7.5 cm (1―3 inches)
away from the HomeLink button you
wish to program while keeping the
indicator light in view.
2. Simultaneously press and hold both the
chosen HomeLink and hand-held
transmitter buttons.Do not release the
buttons until step 3 has been
completed.
NOTE
Some gate operators and garage door openers
may require you to replace this Programming
Step 2 with procedures noted in the“Gate
Operator/Canadian Programming”section.
3. After the HomeLink indicator light
changes from a slow to a rapidly
blinking light, release both the
HomeLink and hand-held transmitter
buttons.
When Driving
Switches and Controls
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Brake System
qFoot Brake
Your Mazda has power-assisted brakes
that adjust automatically through normal
use.
Should power-assist fail, you can stop by
applying greater force than normal to the
brake pedal. But the distance required to
stop will be greater than usual.
WARNING
Do not coast with the engine stalled or
turned off, find a safe place to stop:
Coasting with the engine stalled or
turned off is dangerous. Braking will
require more effort, and the brake's
power-assist could be depleted if you
pump the brake. This will cause
longer stopping distances or even an
accident.
Shift to a lower gear when going down
steep hills:
Driving with your foot continuously
on the brake pedal or steadily
applying the brakes for long
distances is dangerous. This causes
overheated brakes, resulting in
longer stopping distances or even
total brake failure. This could cause
loss of vehicle control and a serious
accident. Avoid continuous
application of the brakes.
Dry off brakes that have become wet
by driving slowly, releasing the
accelerator pedal and lightly applying
the brakes several times until the brake
performance returns to normal:
Driving with wet brakes is
dangerous. Increased stopping
distance or the vehicle pulling to one
side when braking could result in a
serious accident. Light braking will
indicate whether the brakes have
been affected.
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CAUTION
ØDo not drive with your foot held
on the clutch pedal or brake pedal,
or hold the clutch pedal depressed
halfway unnecessarily. Doing so
could result in the following:
ØThe clutch and brake parts will
wear out more quickly.
ØThe brakes can overheat and
adversely affect brake
performance.
ØAlways depress the brake pedal
with the right foot. Applying the
brakes with the unaccustomed left
foot could slow your reaction time
to an emergency situation
resulting in insufficient braking
operation.
ØWear shoes appropriate for driving
in order to avoid your shoe
contacting the brake pedal when
depressing the accelerator pedal.
qElectric Parking Brake
The electric parking brake equipment
applies the parking brake using an electric
motor. The indicator light on the electric
parking brake switch turns on when the
switch is turned on.
Indicator light
WARNING
Do not drive the vehicle with the
electric parking brake applied:
If the vehicle is driven with the
parking brake applied, the brake
parts may generate heat and the
brake system may not operate,
leading to an accident.
Before driving, release the electric
parking brake and verify that the
brake system warning light is turned
off.
When Driving
Brake
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NOTElThe electric parking brake cannot be
applied or released while the vehicle
battery is dead.
lAn operation sound occurs when applying
or releasing the electric parking brake,
however, this does not indicate a
malfunction.
lIf the electric parking brake is not used for
long periods, an automatic inspection of the
system is performed while the vehicle is
parked. An operation sound can be heard,
however, this does not indicate a problem.
lWhen the electric parking brake is applied
and the ignition is switched OFF, an
operation sound can be heard, however,
this does not indicate a problem.
lThe brake pedal may move while the
electric parking brake is being applied or
released, however, this does not indicate a
problem.
lIf the electric parking brake switch is
continually pulled while driving the vehicle,
the electric parking brake will be applied
and the electric parking brake warning
beep will be activated. When the switch is
released, the electric parking brake is
released and the beep stops.
lIf the electric parking brake is applied with
the ignition switched off or in ACC, the
brake system warning light in the
instrument cluster and the indicator light in
the switch may turn on for 15 seconds.
lWhen running the vehicle through an
automatic car wash, it may be necessary to
switch the ignition off with the parking
brake released depending on the type of
automatic car wash.
When applying the electric parking
brake
The electric parking brake can be applied
regardless of the ignition switch position.
Securely depress the brake pedal and pull
up the electric parking brake switch.
The electric parking brake is applied and
the brake system warning light and the
electric parking brake switch indicator
light turn on.
Refer to Warning/Indicator Lights on page
4-22.
When releasing the electric parking
brake
The electric parking brake can be released
while the ignition is switched ON or the
engine is running. When the electric
parking brake is released, the brake
system warning light and the electric
parking brake switch indicator light turn
off.
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