transmission MAZDA MAZDA 2021 User Guide

Have your vehicle inspected at an
Authorized Mazda Dealer as soon
as possible.
NOTE
Under the following conditions,
the KEY warning indication (red)
is displayed after the push button
start is pressed. This informs the
driver that the push button start
will not switch to ACC, even if it
is pressed from off (page 7-33).
The key battery is dead.The key is out of operational
range.
The key is placed in areas where
it is difficult for the system to
detect the signal (page 3-7).
A key from another
manufacturer similar to the key
is in the operational range.
(Forced engine starting method)
If the KEY warning indication
(red) is displayed, or the push
button start indicator light
(amber)
flashes, this could
indicate that the engine may not
start using the usual starting
method (page 7-33). Have your
vehicle inspected at an
Authorized Mazda Dealer as
soon as possible. If this occurs,
the engine can be force-started.
Press and hold the push button
start until the engine starts. Other
procedures necessary for starting
the engine, such as having the key
in the cabin, and depressing the
clutch pedal (manual
transmission) or the brake pedal
(automatic transmission) are
required.
When the engine is force-started,
the KEY warning indication (red)
remains displayed and the push
button start indicator light
(amber) remains flashing.
(Automatic transmission)
When the selector lever is in the
neutral (N) position, the push
button start indicator light (green)
does not turn on.
7. Press the push button start after the push button start indicator light
(green) turns on.
NOTE
After starting the engine, the push
button start indicator light
(amber) turns off and the ignition
switches to the ON position.
After pressing the push button
start and before the engine starts,
the operation sound of the fuel
pump motor from near the fuel
tank can be heard, however, this
does not indicate a malfunction.
8. After starting the engine, let it idle for about 10 seconds.
NOTE
Do not use high engine speeds
until reaching the operating
temperature.
Whether the engine is cold or
warm, it should be started
without the use of the
accelerator.
If the engine does not start the
first time, refer to Starting a
Flooded Engine under Emergency
Starting. If the engine still does
not start, have your vehicle
inspected by an Authorized
Mazda Dealer (page 7-20).
When Driving
Start/Stop Engine
4-7
Mazda3_8JM2-EA-20H_Edition2_new 2020-8-19 13:13:07

▼Engine Start Function When Key
Battery is Dead
CAUTION
When starting the engine by holding
the transmitter over the push button
start due to a dead key battery or a
malfunctioning key, be careful not to
allow the following, otherwise the
signal from the key will not be received
correctly and the engine may not start.

Metal parts of other keys or metal
objects touch the key.
Spare keys or keys for other vehicles
equipped with an immobilizer
system touch or come near the key.
Devices for electronic purchases, or
security passage touch or come near
the key.
If the engine cannot be started due to
a dead key battery, the engine can be
started using the following procedure:
1. Continue to depress the brake
pedal firmly until the engine has
completely started.
2. (Manual transmission)
Continue to depress the clutch
pedal firmly until the engine has
completely started.
(Automatic transmission)
Put the vehicle in park (P). If you
must restart the engine while the
vehicle is moving, shift into neutral
(N).
3. Make sure that the push button start indication light (green) flashes.
4. Align the center area of the emblem on the transmitter with the
center area of the push button start
while the push button start
indicator light (green) flashes.

1. Indicator light
2. Push button start
3. Transmitter
4. Emblem

5. Make sure that the push button start indicator light (green) turns
on.
6. Press the push button start to start the engine.
When Driving
Start/Stop Engine
4-8
Mazda3_8JM2-EA-20H_Edition2_new 2020-8-19 13:13:07

NOTE
The engine cannot be started
unless the clutch pedal is fully
depressed (manual transmission)
or the brake pedal is fully
depressed (automatic
transmission).
If there is a malfunction with the
push button start function, the
push button start indicator light
(amber) flashes. In this case, the
engine may start, however, have
the vehicle checked at an
Authorized Mazda Dealer as
soon as possible.
If the push button start indicator
light (green) does not illuminate,
perform the operation from the
beginning again. If it does not
illuminate, have the vehicle
checked at an Authorized Mazda
Dealer.
To switch the ignition position
without starting the engine,
perform the following operations
after the push button start
indicator light (green) turns on.
1. Release the clutch pedal (manual transmission) or
brake pedal (automatic
transmission).
2. Press the push button start to switch the ignition position.
The ignition switches in the
order of ACC, ON, and off
each time the push button
start is pressed. To switch the
ignition position again,
perform the operation from
the beginning.
▼ Emergency Operation for Starting
the Engine
If the KEY warning indication (red) is
displayed, or the push button start
indicator light (amber) flashes, this
could indicate that the engine may not
start using the usual starting method.
Have your vehicle inspected at an
Authorized Mazda Dealer as soon as
possible. If this occurs, the engine can
be force-started. Press and hold the
push button start until the engine
starts. Other procedures necessary for
starting the engine such as having the
key in the cabin, and depressing the
clutch pedal (manual transmission) or
the brake pedal (automatic
transmission) are required.
When Driving
Start/Stop Engine
4-9
Mazda3_8JM2-EA-20H_Edition2_new
2020-8-19 13:13:07

Turning the Engine Off
▼Turning the Engine
Off
WARNING
Do not stop the engine while the
vehicle is moving:
Stopping the engine while the vehicle
is moving for any reason other than in
an emergency is dangerous. Stopping
the engine while the vehicle is moving
will result in reduced braking ability
due to the loss of power braking ,
which could cause an accident and
serious injury.
1. Stop the vehicle completely.
2.(Manual transmission)
Shift into neutral and set the
parking brake.
(Automatic transmission)
Shift the selector lever to the P
position and set the parking brake.
3. Press the push button start to turn
off the engine. The ignition position
is off.
CAUTION
 When leaving the vehicle, make sure
the push button start is off.
NOTE
(SKYACTIV-G 2.0, SKYACTIV-G 2.5)
The cooling fan in the engine
compartment could turn on for a few
minutes after the ignition is switched
from ON to OFF, whether or not the
A/C is on or off, to cool the engine
compartment quickly.
If the system detects that the
remaining battery power of the key is
low when the ignition is switched
from ON to ACC or OFF, the
following is indicated.
Replace with a new battery before
the key becomes unusable.
Refer to Key Battery Replacement on
page 6-31.
A message is indicated in the display
of the instrument cluster.
Refer to KEY Warning Indication/
Warning Light (Red) on page 7-33.
(Automatic transmission)
If the engine is turned off while the
selector lever is in a position other
than P, the ignition switches to ACC.
▼ Emergency Engine Stop
Continuously pressing the push button
start or quickly pressing it any number
of times while the engine is running or
the vehicle is being driven will turn the
engine
off immediately. The ignition
switches to ACC.
When Driving
Start/Stop Engine
4-10
Mazda3_8JM2-EA-20H_Edition2_new 2020-8-19 13:13:07

Cylinder Deact ivat ion
▼Cylinder Deact ivat ion
The cylinder deactivation is a function
designed to reduce fuel consumption
and improve fuel economy by
deactivating 2 out of the 4 cylinders
while driving. The function constantly
determines which is better for driving;
4 cylinders or 2 cylinders, regardless of
the driver's operations, and it performs
the switching automatically.
When the cylinder deactivation
function does not operate
The cylinder deactivation function
does not operate under the following
conditions.
The selector lever is in the P, N, or R
position (automatic transmission), or
1st gear (manual transmission).
The engine oil temperature or engine
coolant temperature is low.
After disconnecting the battery
terminals for some reason, such as
for battery replacement.
When Driving
Start/Stop Engine
4-11
Mazda3_8JM2-EA-20H_Edition2_new
2020-8-19 13:13:07

▼Warning Indication/Warning Lights
These lights turn on or flash to notify th
e user of the system operation status or a
system malfunction.
Signal Warning Refer to
Brake System Warning Indication/Warning Light*17-27
ABS Warning Indication/Warning Light*1
Electronic
Brake Force
Distribution
System Warn- ing
7-28
ABS warning 7-30
Charging System Warning Indication/Warning Light*17-28
Engine Oil Warning Indication/Warning Light*17-28
High Engine Coolant Temperature Warning Indication 7-29
Power Steering Malfunction Indication/Indicator Light*17-29
Master Warning Indication7-30
Brake Control System Warning Indication/Warning Light*17-30
Brake Override Warning Indication7-31
Check Engine Indication/Light*17-31
*Automatic Transmission Warning Indication/Warning Light*17-31
*AWD Warning Indication/Warning Light*17-31
When Driving
Instrument Cluster and Display
*Some models.4-23
Mazda3_8JM2-EA-20H_Edition2_new 2020-8-19 13:13:07

Manual TransmissionShift Pattern
▼Manual Transmission Shift Pattern
1. Neutral position

The shift pattern of the transmission is
conventional, as shown.

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 tire speed could
cause the tires 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 transmission.
 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
transmission.
NOTE
If shifting to R is
difficult, shift back
into neutral, release the clutch pedal,
and try again.
When Driving
Manual Transmission Operation
4-33
Mazda3_8JM2-EA-20H_Edition2_new 2020-8-19 13:13:07

▼Gear Shift Indicator (GSI)
The GSI supports you to obtain
optimum fuel economy and smooth
driving. It displays the selected gear
position in the instrument cluster as
well as notifies the driver to change to
the most suitable gear position
corresponding to the actual driving
condition.

1. Selected gear position
2. Suitable gear position
Indication
Condition
Numeral The selected gear position is
displayed.
and numer-
al Shift up or down to the indi-
cated gear position is recom-
mended.
CAUTION
Do not rely solely on the shift-up/
shift-down recommendations by
indications. The actual driving situation
might require shift operations
different
from indication. To avoid the risk of
accidents, the road and traffic
conditions have to be judged correctly
by the driver before shifting.
NOTE
The GSI turns off when the following
operations are performed.
The vehicle is stopped.The vehicle is put in neutral.The vehicle is driven in reverse.
The clutch is not fully engaged when
accelerating from a stop.
The clutch pedal remains depressed
for 2 seconds or longer while driving.
▼ Recommendations for Shifting
Upshifting
For normal acceleration, Mazda
recommends these shift points:
(U.S.A. and Canada)
Gear
Vehicle speed
1 to 2 24 km/h (15 mph)
2 to 3 42 km/h (26 mph)
3 to 4 60 km/h (37 mph)
4 to 5 75 km/h (46 mph)
5 to 6 79 km/h (49 mph)
For cruising, Mazda recommends these
shift points:
(U.S.A. and Canada)
Gear Vehicle speed
1 to 2 13 km/h (8 mph)
2 to 3 29 km/h (18 mph)
3 to 4 49 km/h (30 mph)
4 to 5 63 km/h (39 mph)
5 to 6 70 km/h (43 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.
When Driving
Manual Transmission Operation
4-34
Mazda3_8JM2-EA-20H_Edition2_new 2020-8-19 13:13:07

Automatic TransmissionControls
▼Automatic Transmission Controls
1. Lock-release button
2. Selector lever

Indication Various Lockouts
Indicates that you must depress
the brake pedal and hold in the
lock-release button to shift (The ig-
nition must be switched ON).
Indicates the selector lever can be
shifted freely into any position.
Indicates that you must hold in the
lock-release button to shift.
NOTE
The Sport AT has an option that is not
included in the traditional automatic
transmission that gives the driver the
option of selecting each gear instead of
leaving it to the tr ansmission to shift
gears. Even if you intend to use the
automatic transmission 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, confirm you
have not accidentally slipped into
manual shift mode (page 4-38).
When Driving
Automatic Transmission
4-35
Mazda3_8JM2-EA-20H_Edition2_new 2020-8-19 13:13:07

Shift-Lock System
▼Shift-Lock System
The shift-lock system prevents shifting
out of P unless the brake pedal is
depressed.

To s h i f t f r o m
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 position.
The ignition cannot be switched to
OFF if the selector lever is not in P
position.
▼ Shift-Lock Override
If the selector lever will not move from
P position using the proper shift
procedure, continue to hold down the
brake pedal.
1. Remove the shift-lock override
cover using a cloth-wrapped flat
head screwdriver.
2. Insert a flat screwdriver and push it down.

1. 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.
When Driving
Automatic Transmission
4-36
Mazda3_8JM2-EA-20H_Edition2_new 2020-8-19 13:13:07