Page 122 of 526

4–18
When Driving
Instrument Cluster and Display
*Some models.
SignalWarning LightsPage
(Amber)
*High Beam Control System (HBC) Warning Light*17-33
LED Headlight Warning Light7-33
*1 The light turns on when the ignition is switched on for an operation che\
ck, and turns off a few seconds later or when the engine is started. If the light does not turn on or remains tur\
ned on, have the vehicle inspected at an Authorized Mazda Dealer.*2 The light turns on continuously when the parking brake is applied.
Indicator Lights
These lights turn on or flash to notify the user of the system operation status or a system
malfunction.
SignalIndicator LightsPage
*Blind Spot Monitoring (BSM) OFF Indicator Light*14-79
*Lane Departure Warning System (LDWS) OFF Indicator Light*14-72
(Green)
KEY Indicator Light3-8
(Green)
*High Beam Control System (HBC) Indicator Light4-68
*Wrench Indicator Light*14-20
TCS/DSC Indicator Light*14-56, 4-57
DSC OFF Indicator Light*14-58
(Blue)Low Engine Coolant Temperature Indicator Light4-20
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4–21
When Driving
Transmission
Manual Transmission
Operation
Manual Transmission Shift Pattern
Neutral position
The shift pattern of the transmission is
conventional, as shown.
Depress the clutch pedal all the way down
while shifting; then release it slowly.
Your vehicle is equipped with a device to
prevent shifting to R (reverse) by mistake.
Push the shift lever downward and shift
to R.
WARNING
Do not use sudden engine braking on
slippery road surfaces or at high speeds:
Shifting down while driving on wet,
snowy, or frozen roads, or while driving
at high speeds causes sudden engine
braking, which is dangerous. The
sudden change in tire speed could
cause the tires to skid. This could
lead to loss of vehicle control and an
accident.
Always leave the shift lever in 1 or R
position and set the parking brake when
leaving the vehicle unattended:
Otherwise the vehicle could move and
cause an accident.
CAUTION
Keep your foot off the clutch pedal
except when shifting gears. Also, do not
use the clutch to hold the vehicle on an
upgrade. Riding the clutch will cause
needless clutch wear and damage. Do not apply any excessive lateral
force to the shift lever when changing
from 5th to 4th gear. This could lead to
the accidental selection of 2nd gear,
which could result in damage to the
transmission. Make sure the vehicle comes to a
complete stop before shifting to R.
Shifting to R while the vehicle is still
moving may damage the transmission.
NOTE
If shifting to R is difficult, shift back into
neutral, release the clutch pedal, and try
again.
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4–23
When Driving
Transmission
Downshifting
When you must slow down in heavy traffic
or on a steep upgrade, downshift before
the engine starts to overwork. This reduces
the chance of stalling and gives better
acceleration when you need more speed.
On a steep downgrade, downshifting
helps maintain safe speed and prolongs
brake life.
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4–24
When Driving
Transmission
Automatic Transmission Controls
Lock-release button
Indicates the selector le ver can be shifted freely into an y position.
Indicates that you must hold in the lock-release b utton to shift.
Indicates that you must depress the brake pedal and hold in the lock-rel\
ease
b
utton to shift (The ignition must be switched ON).
Various Loc kouts:
NOTE
The Sport AT has an option that is not included in the traditional automatic transmi\
ssion
that gives the driver the option of selecting each gear instead of leavi\
ng it to the
transmission to shift gears. Even if you intend to use the automatic tra\
nsmission functions
as a traditional automatic, you should also be aware that you can inadvertently shift
into manual shift mode and an inappropriate gear may be retained as the vehicle speed
increases. If you notice the engine speed going higher or hear the engine racing, confirm
you have not accidentally slipped into manual shift mode (page 4-27).
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4–25
When Driving
Transmission
Shift Position Indication
The selector position is indicated when the
ignition is switched ON.
Gear position indication
In manual shift mode, the “M” of the shift
position indication illuminates and the
numeral for the selected gear is displayed.
Warning Light
The warning light turns on when the
system has a malfunction.
Refer to Warning Lights on page 4-16.
Transmission Ranges
The shift position indicator light in the
instrument cluster illuminates. Refer to
Warning/Indicator Lights on page
4-16. The selector lever must be in P or N to
operate the starter.
P (Park)
P locks the transmission and prevents the
rear wheels from rotating.
WARNING
Always set the selector lever to P and set
the parking brake:
Only setting the selector lever to the
P position without using the parking
brake to hold the vehicle is dangerous.
If P fails to hold, the vehicle could move
and cause an accident.
CAUTION
Shifting into P, N or R while the vehicle is
moving can damage your transmission. Shifting into a driving gear or reverse
when the engine is running faster than
idle can damage the transmission.
R (Reverse)
In position R, the vehicle moves only
backward. You must be at a complete
stop before shifting to or from R, except
under rare circumstances as explained in
Rocking the Vehicle (page 3-45).
N (Neutral)
In N, the wheels and transmission are not
locked. The vehicle will roll freely even
on the slightest incline unless the parking
brake or brakes are on.
WARNING
If the engine is running faster than idle,
do not shift from N or P into a driving
gear:
It's dangerous to shift from N or P
into a driving gear when the engine
is running faster than idle. If this is
done, the vehicle could move suddenly,
causing an accident or serious injury.
Do not shift into N when driving the
vehicle:
Shifting into N while driving is
dangerous. Engine braking cannot
be applied when decelerating which
could lead to an accident or serious
injury.
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4–26
When Driving
Transmission
CAUTION
Do not shift into N when driving the
vehicle. Doing so can cause transaxle
damage.
NOTE
Apply the parking brake or depress the
brake pedal before moving the selector
lever from N to prevent the vehicle from
moving unexpectedly.
D (Drive)
D is the normal driving position. From a
stop, the transmission will automatically
shift through a 6-gear sequence.
M (Manual)
M is the manual shift mode position. Gears
can be shifted up or down by operating the
selector lever. Refer to Manual Shift Mode
on page 4-27.
Active Adaptive Shift (AAS)
Active Adaptive Shift (AAS)
automatically controls the transmission
shift points to best suit the road conditions
and driver input. This improves driving
feel. The transmission may switch to AAS
mode when driving up and down slopes,
cornering, driving at high elevations,
or depressing the accelerator pedal
quickly while the selector lever is in the
D position. Depending on the road and
driving conditions/vehicle operations, gear
shifting could be delayed or not occur,
however, this does not indicate a problem
because the AAS mode will maintain the
optimum gear position.
Shift-Lock System
The shift-lock system prevents shifting out
of P unless the brake pedal is depressed.
To shift from P:
1. Depress and hold the brake pedal.
2. Start the engine.
3. Press and hold the lock-release button.
4. Move the selector lever.
NOTE
When the ignition is switched to ACC or
the ignition is switched off, the selector
lever cannot be shifted from P. The ignition cannot be switched to OFF
if the selector lever is not in P.
Shift-Lock Override
If the selector lever will not move from P
using the proper shift procedure, continue
to hold down the brake pedal.
1. Remove the shift-lock override cover
using a cloth-wrapped flat head
screwdriver.
2. Insert a screwdriver and push it down.
Cove r
3. Press and hold the lock-release button.
4. Move the selector lever.
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4–32
When Driving
Transmission
Recommendations for shifting
Upshifting
For normal acceleration and cruising, Mazda recommends these shift point\
s:
GearVehicle speed*1
M1 to M224 km/h (15 mph)
M2 to M340 km/h (25 mph)
M3 to M465 km/h (40 mph)
M4 to M573 km/h (45 mph)
M5 to M681 km/h (50 mph)
*1 Always observe local speed limit regulations.
Downshifting
When you must slow down in heavy traffic or on a steep upgrade, downshift before the
engine starts to overwork. This gives better acceleration when you need more speed.
On a steep downgrade, downshifting helps maintain safe speed and prolong\
s brake life.
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4–33
When Driving
Transmission
*Some models.
Direct 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
indication illuminate and the gear position
in use is illuminated.
Direct mode is canceled (released) under
the following conditions.
The UP switch () is pulled
rearward for a certain amount of time or
longer. The vehicle is driven for a certain
amount of time or longer (time differs
depending on the driving conditions
while operating). The vehicle is stopped or moving at a
slow speed.
Gear position indication
Direct mode indication
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.
Driving Tips
WARNING
Do not let the vehicle move in a
direction opposite to the direction
selected by the selector lever:
Do not let the vehicle move backward
with the selector lever in a forward
position, or do not let the vehicle
move forward with the selector lever
in the reverse position. Otherwise, the
engine may 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.
Passing
For extra power when passing another
vehicle or climbing steep grades, depress
the accelerator fully. The transmission will
shift to a lower gear, depending on vehicle
speed.
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