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Break-In Period
No special break-in is necessary, but a few
precautions in the first 1,000 km (600
miles) may add to the performance,
economy, and life of the vehicle.
Do not race the engine.
Do not maintain one constant speed,
either slow or fast, for a long period of
time.
Do not drive constantly at full-throttle or
high engine rpm for extended periods of
time.
Avoid unnecessary hard stops.
Avoid full-throttle starts.
Saving Fuel and Protection of the Environment
How you operate your Mazda determines
how far it will travel on a tank of fuel. Use
these suggestions to help save fuel and
reduce CO
2.
Avoid long warm-ups. Once the engine
runs smoothly, begin driving.
Avoid fast starts.
Drive at lower speeds.
Anticipate when to apply the brakes
(avoid sudden braking).
Follow the maintenance schedule (page
6-4) and have an Authorized Mazda
Dealer perform inspections and
servicing.
Use the air conditioner only when
necessary.
Slow down on rough roads.
Keep the tires properly inflated.
Do not carry unnecessary weight.
Do not rest your foot on the brake pedal
while driving.
Keep the wheels in correct alignment.
Keep windows closed at high speeds.
Slow down when driving in crosswinds
and headwinds.
WA R N I N G
Never stop the engine when going down a
hill:
Stopping the engine when going down a
hill is dangerous. This causes the loss of
power steering and power brake control,
and may cause damage to the drivetrain.
Any loss of steering or braking control
could cause an accident.
Before Driving
Driving Tips
3-45
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NOTE
If the gears cannot be shifted down
when driving at higher speeds, the gear
position indication will flash twice to
signal that the gears cannot be shifted
down (to protect the transaxle).
If the automatic transaxle fluid (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.
▼Manually Shifting Up
You can shift gears up by operating the
selector lever or
the steering shift
switches
*.
M1 → M2 → M3 → M4 → M5 → M6
Using selector lever
To shift up to a higher gear, tap the
selector lever back
once.
Using steering shift switch*
To shift up to a higher gear with the
steering shift switches, pull the UP switch
(
) toward you once with your
fingers.
UP switch
WA R N I N G
Keep your hands on the steering wheel rim
when using fingers on the steering shift
switches:
Putting your hands inside the rim of the
steering wheel when using the steering
shift switches is dangerous. If the driver's air
bag were to deploy in a collision, your
hands could be impacted causing injury.
When Driving
Automatic Transaxle
4-36*Some models.
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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 DSC
is turned off. However, if the vehicle is
continuously driven at a high rpm, the
gears may automatically shift up to
protect the engine.
The steering shift switch can be used
temporarily even if the selector lever is
in the D position while driving. In
addition, it returns to automatic shift
mode when the UP switch (
) is
pulled rearward for a sufficient amount
of time.
▼ Manually Shifting Down
You can shift gears down by operating the
selector lever or the steering shift
switches
*.
M6 → M5 → M4 → M3 → M2→ M1
Using selector lever
To shift down to a lower gear, tap the
selector lever forward
once.
Using steering shift switch*
To shift down to a l ower gear with the
steering shift switches, pull the DOWN
switch
toward you once with your
fingers.
DOWN switch
WA R N I N G
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.
Keep your hands on the steering wheel rim
when using fingers on the steering shift
switches:
Putting your hands inside the rim of the
steering wheel when using the steering
shift switches is dangerous. If the driver's air
bag were to deploy in a collision, your
hands could be impacted causing injury.
When Driving
Automatic Transaxle
*Some models.4-37
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Dual-Zone Automatic Climate Control
Indicator light
Horn
To sound the horn, press the mark on
the steering wheel.
When Driving
Switches and Controls
4-55
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Flashing
If the engine is started after the vehicle has
not been driven for a long period of time,
the i-ELOOP indicator light may flash.
Leave the engine idling and wait until the
indicator light turns off.
NOTE
The beep will sound if the vehicle is
driven while the i-ELOOP indicator
light is flashing. In addition, if you turn
the steering wheel while the light is
flashing, it will feel heavier than
normal, but this does not indicate an
abnormality. Stop the vehicle in a safe
location with the engine running and do
not attempt to turn the steering wheel.
The steering operation will return to
normal after the i-ELOOP indicator
light stops flashing.
(Vehicles with type B audio)
A notification is displayed in the center
display and the i-ELOOP indicator light
flashes at the same time.
Refer to Warning Message Indicated on
Display on page 7-36.
Control status display (vehicles with
type B audio)
The i-ELOOP power generating status is
displayed in the center display.
Refer to Control Sta tus Display on page
4-73.
When Driving
i-ELOOP
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Drive Selection*
Drive selection is a system to switch the vehicle's drive mode. When the sport mode is
selected, vehicle's response against accelerator operation is e nhanced. This provides
additional quick acceleration which may be needed to safely mak e maneuvers such as lane
changes, merging onto freeways, or passing other vehicles.
CAUTION
Do not use the sport mode when driving on sli ppery roads such as wet or snow-covered roads.
It may cause tire slipping.
NOTE
When the sport mode is selected, driving at higher engine speeds increases and it may
increase fuel consumption. Mazda recommends that you cancel the sport mode on normal
driving.
Drive mode cannot be switched in the following conditions:
ABS/TCS/DSC is operating
The Mazda Radar Cruise Control (MRCC) system/cruise control is operating.
Steering wheel is being operated abruptly
▼ Drive Selection Switch
Press the drive sele
ction switch forward
(“
”) to select the sport mode.
Pull the drive selection switch back
(“
”) to cancel the sport mode.
With Electric Parking Brake (EPB)
Without Electric Parking Brake (EPB)
NOTE
When the ignition is switched off, the
sport mode is canceled.
Depending on the driving conditions
when sport mode is selected, the vehicle
may perform shift-down or slightly
accelerate.
When Driving
Drive Selection
4-74*Some models.
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Power Steering
Power steering is only operable when
the engine is running. If the engine is off
or if the power steering system is
inoperable, you can still steer, but it
requires more physical effort.
If the steering feels stiffer than usual
during normal driving or the steering
vibrates, consult an Authorized Mazda
Dealer.
The warning light not ifies the driver of
system abnormalities and operation
conditions.
In addition, the buzzer may also activate
depending on the system abnormality or
operation condition.
Refer to Warning Lights on page 4-24.
Refer to Power Steering Warning
Buzzer on page 7-41.
CAUTION
Never hold the steering wheel to the
extreme left or right for more than 5
seconds with the engine running. This
could damage the power steering system.
When Driving
Power Steering
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Adaptive Front LightingSystem (AFS)
*
The adaptive front lighting system (AFS)
automatically adjusts the headlight beams
to the left or right i n conjunction with the
operation of the steering wheel after the
headlights have been turned on.
When Driving
i-ACTIVSENSE
4-80*Some models.
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