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 transaxle will
shift to a lower gear, depending on vehicle
speed.
NOTE
The accelerator pedal may initially feel
heavy as it is being depressed, then feel
lighter as it is depressed further. This
change in pedal force aids the engine
control system in determining how much
the accelerator pedal has been
depressed for performing kickdown, and
functions to control whether or not
kickdown should be performed.
While the selector lever is in the M
position and the DSC is turned off,
manual shift mode does not switch to
automatic shift mode even if the
accelerator pedal is completely
depressed. Operate the selector lever.
Climbing steep grades from a stop
To climb a steep grade from a stopped
position:
1. Depress the brake pedal.
2. Shift to D or M1, depending on the load weight and grade steepness.
3. Release the brake pedal while gradually accelerating.
Descending steep grades
When descending a steep grade, shift to
lower gears, depending on load weight and
grade steepness. Desce nd slowly, using the
brakes only occasionally to prevent them
from overheating.
When Driving
Automatic Transaxle
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Lighting Control
▼Headlights
Turn the headlight switch to tur
n the headlights and other exterior lights on or off.
When the lights are turned on, the lights-on indicator light in the instrument cluster turns on.
NOTE
If 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 the Settings section in the Mazda Connect Owner's Manual.
To prevent discharging the battery, do not leave the lights on while th e engine is off unless
safety requires them.
Without auto-light control
Switch Position OFF
Ignition PositionONACC or
OFF ONACC or
OFF ONACC or
OFF
Headlights Off Off Off Off On
On
*2
Daytime running lightsOn*1OffOn*1Off Off Off
Taillights
Parking lights
License plate lights
Side-marker lights Off Off On
On
*2OnOn*2
*1 The lights are turned on wh ile the vehicle is driven.*2 The lights are turned on for th e specified period by the auto headlight off function.
When Driving
Switches and Controls
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CAUTION
Do not shade the light sensor by adhering a st icker or a label on the windshield. Otherwise
the light sensor will not operate correctly.
The light sensor also works as a rain sensor for the auto-wiper control. Keep hands and
scrapers clear of the windshield when the wi per lever is in the AUTO position and the
ignition is switched ON as fingers could be pinched or the wipers and wiper blades could be
damaged when the wipers activa te automatically. If you are going to clean the windshield,
be sure the wipers are turned off completely wh en it is particularly tempting to leave the
engine running. This is particularly important when clearing ice and snow.
NOTE
The headlights and other exterior lights may not turn off immediately even if the
surrounding area becomes well-lit because the light sensor determines that it is night time
if the surrounding area is continuously dark for several minute s such as inside long
tunnels, traffic jams inside tunn els, or in indoor parking lots.
In this case, the ligh ts turn off if the light switch is turned to the OFF position.
If the headlight switch and the windshield wiper switch are in AUTO, and the wipers are
operated at low or high speed by the auto wi per control for several seconds, bad weather
conditions are determined and the headlights may be turned on.
The sensitivity of the auto-light control may be changed.
Refer to the Settings section in the Mazda Connect Owner's Manual.
When Driving
Switches and Controls
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Brake System
▼Foot Brake
This vehicle 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 d
istance required to
stop will be greater than usual.
WA R N I N G
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.
CAUTION
Do not drive with your foot held on the
brake pedal. Doing so could result in the
following:
The brake parts will wear out more
quickly.
The brakes can overheat and adversely
affect brake performance.
Always 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.
Wear shoes appropriate for driving in
order to avoid your shoe contacting the
brake pedal when depressing the
accelerator pedal.
When Driving
Brake
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When applying the parking brake
The parking brake can be applied
regardless of the ignition switch position.
Securely depress the brake pedal and pull
up the EPB switch.
The parking brake is applied and the EPB
indicator light and the EPB switch
indicator light turn on.
Refer to If a Warnin g Light Turns On or
Flashes on page 7-25.
When releasing the parking brake
The parking brake can be released while
the ignition is swit ched ON or the engine
is running. When the parking brake is
released, the EPB indicator light and the
EPB switch indicato r light turn off.
Parking brake manual release
Firmly depress the brake pedal and press
the EPB switch.
If the EPB switch is pressed without
depressing the brake pedal, the display in
the instrument cluster notifies the driver
that the brake is not depressed.
(Type A/B instrument cluster)
A message is displayed on the
multi-information display in the
instrument cluster.
Refer to Message Indicated in
Multi-information Display on page 7-41.
(Type C instrument cluster)
The brake pedal operation demand
indicator light (green) in the instrument
cluster turns on.
(Green)
When Driving
Brake
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Parking brake automatic release
If the accelerator pedal is depressed with
the parking brake applied and all of the
following conditions met, the parking
brake is released automatically.
The engine is running.
The driver's door is closed.
The driver's seat belt is fastened.
Selector lever is in the D, M, or R
position
NOTE
If something such as the driver's foot
contacts the accelerator pedal with the
engine running and the parking brake
applied, the parking brake may be
released automatically. If you do not
intend to drive immediately, shift the
selector lever to the P or N position.
▼ Warning Light
The warning light turns on when the
system has a malfunction.
Refer to Contact Authorized Mazda
Dealer and Have Vehicle Inspected on
page 7-28.
▼Brake Pad Wear Indicator
When the disc brake pads become worn,
the built-in wear indicators contact the
disc plates. This caus
es a screeching noise
to warn that the pads should be replaced.
When you hear this noise, consult an
Authorized Mazda Dealer as soon as
possible.
WA R N I N G
Do not drive with worn disc pads:
Driving with worn disc pads is dangerous.
The brakes could fail and cause a serious
accident. As soon as you hear a screeching
noise consult an Authorized Mazda Dealer.
NOTE
In high humidity weather conditions,
brake noises, such as brake squeak or
brake squeal can be heard. It does not
indicate a malfunction.
When Driving
Brake
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▼To Turn On AUTOHOLD System
Press the AUTOHOLD
switch and when
the AUTOHOLD standby indicator light
turns on, the AUTOHOLD function turns
on.
AUTOHOLD standby
indicator light
NOTE
When all of the following conditions are
met, the AUTOHOLD standby indicator
light turns on when the AUTOHOLD
switch is pressed and the AUTOHOLD
function turns on.
The ignition is switched ON (engine is
running).
The driver's seat belt is fastened.
The driver's door is closed.
There is no problem with the
AUTOHOLD function.
To operate AUTOHOLD and hold the
brakes
1. Depress the brake pedal and bring the vehicle to a complete stop.
2. The AUTOHOLD active indicator
light in the instrume nt cluster turns on
and the brakes are held.
3. The vehicle is held in its stopped
position even with the brake pedal
released.
NOTE
When all of the following conditions are
met, the AUTOHOLD operates and the
brakes are held.
The ignition is swit ched ON (engine is
running).
The vehicle is stopped.
The brake pedal is being depressed.
The AUTOHOLD active indicator light
turns on.
The accelerator pedal is not depressed.
The driver's seat belt is fastened.
The driver's door is closed.
There is no problem with the
AUTOHOLD function.
The parking brake is released.
There is no problem with the Electric
Parking Brake (EPB) function.
The selector lever is in a position other
than R position or the vehicle tilts
forward with the selector lever in the R
position.
When Driving
Brake
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Antilock Brake System(ABS)
The ABS control unit continuously
monitors the speed of each wheel. If one
wheel is about to lock up, the ABS
responds by automatically releasing and
reapplying that wheel's brake.
The driver will feel a slight vibration in
the brake pedal and may hear a chattering
noise from the brake system. This is
normal ABS system operation. Continue
to depress the brake pedal without
pumping the brakes.
The warning light turns on when the
system has a malfunction.
Refer to Contact Authorized Mazda
Dealer and Have Vehicle Inspected on
page 7-28.
WARNING
Do not rely on ABS as a substitute for safe
driving:
The ABS cannot compensate for unsafe
and reckless driving, excessive speed,
tailgating (following another vehicle too
closely), driving on ice and snow, and
hydroplaning (reduced tire friction and
road contact because of water on the road
surface). You can still have an accident.
NOTE
Braking distances may be longer on
loose surfaces (snow or gravel, for
example) which usually have a hard
foundation. A vehicle with a normal
braking system may require less
distance to stop under these conditions
because the tires will build up a wedge
of surface layer when the wheels skid.
The sound of the ABS operating may be
heard when starting the engine or
immediately after starting the vehicle,
however, it does not indicate a
malfunction.
When Driving
ABS/TCS/DSC
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