MAZDA MODEL 626 2001 Owners Manual

Form No. 8P95-EA-00G
Driving Your Mazda
5-7
044-1AE
Manual Transaxle Operation
J94A4005N
 Manual Transaxle Shift Pattern
The shift pattern of the transaxle is
conventional, as shown.
Press the clutch pedal all the way
down while shifting; then release it
slowly. A safety feature prevents accidental
shifting from 5 to R. The shift lever
must be put in neutral before being
shifted to R.
044-2A1E
NOTE•
Make sure the vehicle is
stopped before shifting to R.
• If shifting into reverse is
difficult, shift into neutral,
release the clutch pedal, and try
again.
CAUTION
!
Keep your foot off the clutch pedal
except when shifting gears. Also,
don’ t use the clutch to hold the
vehicle on an upgrade. This will
avoid needless clutch wear and
damage.

Form No. 8P95-EA-00G
Driving Your Mazda5-8
044-3AE
 Recommendations for Shifting
 Upshifting
For normal acceleration, we
recommend these shift points.
2.0-liter engine
2.5-liter engine
1 to 2
26 km/h
(16 mph)
27 km/h
(17 mph)
2 to 3
45 km/h
(28 mph)
48 km/h
(30 mph)
3 to 4
53 km/h
(33 mph)
56 km/h
(35 mph)
4 to 5
63 km/h
(39 mph)
63 km/h
(39 mph)
For cruising, we recommend these
shift points.
2.0-liter engine
2.5-liter engine
1 to 2
13 km/h
( 8 mph)
13 km/h
( 8 mph)
2 to 3
32 km/h
(20 mph)
34 km/h
(21 mph)
3 to 4
50 km/h
(31 mph)
52 km/h
(32 mph)
4 to 5
68 km/h
(42 mph)
66 km/h
(41 mph)
 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.

Form No. 8P95-EA-00G
Driving Your Mazda
5-9
045-1AE
Automatic TransaxleAutomatic Transaxle Controls
Various Lockouts:
Indicates that you must depress the brake pedal
and, hold in the lock-release button to shift
(The ignition switch must be in the ACC or ON position.)The shift lever can be shifted freely into any position
indicated by the arrow. Lock-release button
To prevent unsafe shifting
Shift pattern indicator
Shows shift lever position
Shift lever
Overdrive button
For selecting either a three-speed or four-speed transaxle
Overdrive (O/D) OFF
indicator
This indicator comes on
when the overdrive has
been turned off.
J94A4007
J94A4006_a
Indicates that you must hold in the lock-release button to shift.
J94S.J94A4006_a+7

Form No. 8P95-EA-00G
Driving Your Mazda5-10

045-2AE
 Transaxle Ranges
The shift lever must be at P or N to
operate the starter.

Q045-3A4E
 P (Park)
P locks the transaxle and prevents the
front wheels from rotating.
WARNING
!
Holding the Vehicle with P:Setting the shift lever at the P
position without using the parking
brake to hold the vehicle could be
dangerous. If P fails to hold, the
vehicle could move and cause an
accident. To hold the vehicle, set
the shift lever at P AND set the
parking brake.
CAUTION
!
• Shifting into P 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.

Form No. 8P95-EA-00G
Driving Your Mazda
5-11

045-4AE
 R (Reverse)
In position R, the vehicle moves only
backward. You must be at a complete
stop before shifting from R, except as
explained under Rocking the Vehicle
(page 4-11).
Q045-5AE
 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
!
Shifting from N or P: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. If the
engine is running faster than idle,
don’ t shift from N or P into a
driving gear. D (Drive)
D is the normal driving position. From
a stop, the transaxle will automatically
shift through a 4-gear sequence.

045-14A1E
 2 (Second)
The 2 position is helpful when driving
in heavy, slow-moving traffic and
climbing hills; for braking assist when
going down hills; or for starting on
slick surfaces and other situations
where gentle acceleration may be
necessary. Do not exceed 116 km/h
(72 mph)
*1 or 104 km/h (65 mph)
*2 in
the 2 position.
*1
2.0-liter engine
*2
2.5-liter engine

Form No. 8P95-EA-00G
Driving Your Mazda5-121 (Low)
Use the 1 position for maximum
power in hard-pulling situations, or for
climbing and descending very steep
grades. Do not exceed 63 km/h (39
mph)
*1 or 60 km/h (38 mph)
*2 in the 1
position.
*1
2.0-liter engine
*2
2.5-liter engine

045-15BE
 Driving Tips
 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.
 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 1 depending on the
load weight and grade steepness.
3. Release all brakes while gradually accelerating.
 Descending steep grades
When descending a steep grade, shift
to 2 or 1, depending on load weight
and grade steepness. Descend slowly,
using the brakes only occasionally to
prevent them from overheating.

Form No. 8P95-EA-00G
Driving Your Mazda
5-13

045-16B1E
Overdrive-off
buttonJ94A4007 Overdrive
 Overdrive operation
In D, the transaxle automatically shifts
to overdrive, which improves fuel
economy and reduces noise. But to increase engine braking, don’
t
use overdrive when going down a
steep grade.
And for a smoother ride with less
shifting, don’ t use it when
• Going up a steep grade;
• Driving in stop-and-go traffic;
• Pulling heavy loads. To turn off the overdrive, push the
button.
The transaxle will then shift through a
three-gear sequence in D.
Shift patterns without overdrive:
D = 1st, 2nd, 3rd
2 = 2nd (1st, 2nd)
*
1 = 1st
*
(2.5-liter engine only)
With Traction Control System
(TCS)

Form No. 8P95-EA-00G
Driving Your Mazda5-14
J94A4006
Overdrive-off indicator
This indicator comes on when the
overdrive has been turned off.
CAUTION
!
If the overdrive-off indicator light
flashes, the transaxle has an
electrical problem. Continuing to
drive your Mazda in this
coondition could cause damage to
your transaxle. Consult an
Authorized Mazda Dealer as soon
as possible.
To turn it on, push the button again.
Shift patterns with overdrive: D = 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th
2 = 2nd (1st, 2nd)
*
1 = 1st
*
(2.5-liter engine only)
With Traction Control System
(TCS)

Form No. 8P95-EA-00G
Driving Your Mazda
5-15

045-11JE
 Shift-Lock System
For your safety, the automatic
transaxle has a shift-lock, which
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. Push and hold the lock-release button.
4. Move the shift lever.
NOTE• When the ignition switch is in
the LOCK position, the
transaxle cannot be shifted
from P.
• To be sure the vehicle is in
park, the ignition key cannot
be removed unless the shift is
in P.

Form No. 8P95-EA-00G
*Some models.
Driving Your Mazda5-16
114-1A1E
Traction Control System
(TCS)*The Traction Control System (TCS)
enhances traction and safety by
regulating engine torque. When the
TCS detects driving wheel slippage, it
lowers engine torque to prevent loss of
traction.
This means that on a slick surface, the
engine adjusts automatically to
provide optimum power to the drive
wheels without causing them to spin
and lose traction.
WARNING
!
TCS and Unsafe Driving:The traction control system (TCS)
cannot compensate for unsafe
and reckless driving, excessive
speed, tailgating (following
another vehicle too closely), and
hydroplaning (reduced tire
friction and road contact because
of water on the road surface). You
can still have an accident. So
don’t rely on the traction control
system as a substitute for safe
driving.
WARNING
!
TCS and Snow and Ice:Driving without proper traction
devices on snow- and ice-covered
roads is dangerous. The traction
control system (TCS) alone
cannot provide adequate traction
and you could still have an
accident. Use snow tires or tires
chains and drive at reduced
speeds when roads are covered
with ice and snow.