Page 188 of 711

4–46
When Driving
Manual Transaxle Operation
Manual Transaxle Shift
Pattern
5-speed transaxle
6-speed transaxle Neutral position
Neutral position
The vehicle is equipped with either a
5-speed or 6-speed transaxle. The shift
pattern for each is shown above.
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 tyre speed could
cause the tyres 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 transaxle.
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 transaxle.
Page 191 of 711
4–49
When Driving
Automatic Transaxle
Automatic Transaxle Controls
Lock-release button
Indicates the selector lever can be shifted freely into any position.
Indicates that you must hold in the lock-release button to shift.
Indicates that you must depress the brake pedal and hold in the lock-release
button to shift (The ignition must be switched ON).
Various Lockouts:
NOTE
The Sport AT has an option that is not included in the traditional automatic transaxle that
gives the driver the option of selecting each gear instead of leaving it to the transaxle to
shift gears. Even if you intend to use the automatic transaxle 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, con ¿ rm you have not
accidentally slipped into manual shift mode (page 4-53 ).
Page 192 of 711

4–50
When Driving
Automatic Transaxle
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.
Ty p e A
1. Remove the shift-lock override cover
using a cloth-wrapped À at head
screwdriver.
2. Insert a screwdriver and push it down.
Cover
3. Press and hold the lock-release button.
4. Move the selector lever.
Take the vehicle to an expert repairer, we
recommend an Authorised Mazda Repairer
to have the system checked.
Ty p e B
1. Press the lock-release button with the
button pressed.
Lock-release button
button
2. Move the selector lever.
Take the vehicle to an expert repairer, we
recommend an Authorised Mazda Repairer
to have the system checked.
Page 193 of 711