2017 MAZDA MODEL CX-9 Owners Manual (in English)

4–37
When Driving
Instrument Cluster and Display
*Some models.
Wrench Indicator Light *

When the ignition is switched ON, the
wrench indicator light turns on and then
turns off after a few seconds.

The wrench indicator light turns on under
the following conditions:
 


 When the preset maintenance period has
arrived.
  When it’s time to replace the engine oil.

Refer to Maintenance Monitor on page
6-19 .
Low Engine Coolant Temperature
Indicator Light (Blue) *

The light illuminates continuously when
the engine coolant temperature is low and
turns off after the engine is warm.

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4–38
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, confi rm you have not accidentally
slipped into manual shift mode (page 4-42 ).

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4–39
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.

1. Remove the shift-lock override cover
using a cloth-wrapped fl 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 Authorized Mazda
Dealer to have the system checked.
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4–40
When Driving
Automatic Transaxle
Transaxle Ranges
 












 The shift position indicator light in the
instrument cluster illuminates. Refer
to Warning/Indicator Lights on page
4-31 .
 


 The selector lever must be in P or N to
operate the starter.

P (Park)
P locks the transaxle and prevents the front
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 transaxle.
 


 Shifting into a driving gear or reverse
when the engine is running faster than
idle can damage the transaxle.

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 3-51 ).
NOTE
(With parking sensor system)
When the selector lever is shifted to the R
position with the ignition switched ON, the
parking sensor system is activated and a
beep sound is heard.
Refer to Parking Sensor System on page
4-163 .

N (Neutral)
In N, the wheels and transaxle 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.

CAUTION
Do not shift into N when driving the
vehicle. Doing so can cause transaxle
damage.

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4–41
When Driving
Automatic Transaxle
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 transaxle 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 4-42 .
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.
Active Adaptive Shift (AAS)
Active Adaptive Shift (AAS)
automatically controls the transaxle shift
points to best suit the road conditions
and driver input. This improves driving
feel. The transaxle 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.
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4–42
When Driving
Automatic Transaxle
Manual Shift Mode
The manual shift mode gives you the feel
of driving a manual transaxle vehicle by
allowing you to operate the selector lever
manually. This allows you to control
engine rpm and torque to the drive wheels
much like a manual transaxle when more
control is desired.
To change to manual shift mode, shift the
lever from D to M.



NOTE
Changing to manual shift mode while
driving will not damage the transaxle.

To return to automatic shift mode, shift the
lever from M to D.
NOTE
 


 If you change to manual shift mode
when the vehicle is stopped, the gear
will shift to M1.
 


 If you change to manual shift mode
without depressing the accelerator
pedal when driving in D range, 5th
gear/6th gear, the gear will shift to M4/
M5.

Indicators
Manual shift mode indication
In manual shift mode, the “M” of the shift
position indication in the instrument panel
illuminates.
Gear position indication
The numeral for the selected gear
illuminates.


Manual shift mode indicator
Gear position indicator

NOTE
 


 If the gears cannot be shifted down
when driving at higher speeds, the gear
position indication will fl ash twice to
signal that the gears cannot be shifted
down (to protect the transaxle).
 


 If the automatic transaxle fl uid (ATF)
temperature becomes too high, there
is the possibility that the transaxle
will switch to automatic shift mode,
canceling manual shift mode and
turning off the gear position indication
illumination. This is a normal function
to protect the AT. After the ATF
temperature has decreased, the gear
position indication illumination turns
back on and driving in manual shift
mode is restored.

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4–43
When Driving
Automatic Transaxle
Manually Shifting Up
You can shift gears up by operating the
selector lever.
M1 → M2 → M3 → M4 → M5 → M6
To shift up to a higher gear, tap the
selector lever back
once.



NOTE
 


 When driving slowly, the gears may not
shift up.
  Do not drive the vehicle with the
tachometer needle in the RED ZONE
while in manual shift mode. In
addition, manual shift mode switches
to automatic shift mode while the
accelerator pedal is completely
depressed.
 This function is canceled while the TCS
is turned off. However, if the vehicle
is continuously driven at a high rpm,
the gears may automatically shift up to
protect the engine.

Manually Shifting Down
You can shift gears down by operating the
selector lever.
M6 → M5 → M4 → M3 → M2→ M1
To shift down to a lower gear, tap the
selector lever forward
once.



WARNING
Do not use 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.

NOTE
 


 When driving at high speeds, the gear
may not shift down.
 


 During deceleration, the gear may
automatically shift down depending on
vehicle speed.
  When depressing the accelerator fully,
the transaxle will shift to a lower gear,
depending on vehicle speed. However,
the gears do not kickdown while the
TCS is turned off.

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4–44
When Driving
Automatic Transaxle
Second Gear Fixed Mode
When the selector lever is moved back
while the vehicle speed is about 10 km/h
(6.2 mph) or less, the transaxle is set in the
second gear fi xed mode. The gear is fi xed
in second while in this mode for easier
acceleration from a stop and driving on
slippery roads such as snow-covered
roads.
If the selector lever is moved back
or
forward
while in the second gear fi xed
mode, the mode will be canceled.
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