engine MAZDA MODEL 3 HATCHBACK 2004 (in English) Owner's Guide

5-4
Driving Your Mazda
Starting and Driving
Form No. 8S18-EA-03I
5. Turn the ignition switch to the START
position and hold (up to 10 seconds at a
time) until the engine starts.
6. After starting the engine, let it idle for
about 10 seconds.

Foot Brake
Your Mazda 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 distance required to
stop will be greater than usual. Don’t try the starter for more than 10
seconds at a time. If the engine stalls or
fails to start, wait 10 seconds before
trying again. Otherwise, you may
damage the starter and drain the
battery.
NOTE
•In extremely cold weather, below
–18
°C (0
°F), or after the vehicle has
not been driven in several days, let
the engine warm up without
operating the accelerator.
•Whether the engine is cold or warm,
it should be started without use of
the accelerator.
CAUTION
Brake System
Coasting with the Engine Off:
Continuing to coast when the engine
is 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. Don’t continue
coasting when the engine is stalled or
turned off, find a safe place to stop.
Riding the Brakes:
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.
Shift to a lower gear when going
down steep hills.
WARNING
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5-6
Driving Your Mazda
Starting and Driving
Form No. 8S18-EA-03I

Brake System Warning Light
This warning has the following functions:
Parking brake warning
The light comes on when the parking
brake is applied with the ignition switch
in the START or ON position. It goes off
when the parking brake is fully released.
Low brake fluid level warning/
Electronic brake force distribution
system warning
If the light stays on after the parking brake
is fully released, you may have a brake
problem.
Drive to the side of the road and park off
the right-of-way.
Low brake fluid level warning
You may notice that the pedal is harder to
push or that it may go closer to the floor.
In either case, it will take longer to stop
the vehicle.
1. With the engine stopped, check the
brake fluid level immediately and add
fluid as required (page 8-18).
2. After adding fluid, check the light
again.If the warning light remains on, or if the
brakes do not operate properly, do not
drive the vehicle. Have it towed to an
Authorized Mazda Dealer.
Even if the light goes off, have your brake
system inspected as soon as possible.
Electronic brake force distribution
system warning
If the electronic brake force distribution
control unit determines that some
components are operating incorrectly, the
control unit may turn the brake system
warning light on.
In this case, the ABS warning light comes
on at the same time (page 5-35).Brake Warning Light:
Driving with the brake system
warning light on is dangerous. It
indicates that your brakes may not
work at all or that they could
completely fail at any time. If this
light remains on, after checking that
the parking brake is fully released,
have the brakes inspected
immediately. Don’t drive with this
light on, and contact an Authorized
Mazda Dealer to have the brakes
inspected as soon as possible.
WARNING
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5-8
Driving Your Mazda
Starting and Driving
Form No. 8S18-EA-03I

ABS Warning Light*
The warning light stays on for a few
seconds when the ignition switch is turned
to the ON position.
If the ABS warning light stays on while
you’re driving, the ABS control unit has
detected a system malfunction. If this
occurs, your brakes will function
normally as if the vehicle had no ABS.
Should this happen, consult an Authorized
Mazda Dealer as soon as possible.
Brake Assist*
During emergency braking situations
when it is necessary to depress the brake
pedal with greater force, the brake assist
system provides braking assistance, thus
enhancing braking performance.
When the brake pedal is depressed hard or
depressed more quickly, the brakes apply
more firmly.
ABS Warning Light and Brake
Warning Light on at the Same Time:
Driving when the brake system
warning light and ABS warning light
are on at the same time is dangerous.
When both lights are on, the rear
wheels could lock more quickly in an
emergency stop than under normal
circumstances.
Don’t drive with both lights on, and
contact an Authorized Mazda Dealer
to have the brakes inspected as soon
as possible.
WARNING
NOTE
When the engine is jump-started to
charge the battery, uneven rpm occurs
and the ABS warning light comes on.
This is due to a weak battery, not a
malfunction.
Recharge the battery.
NOTE
•When the brake pedal is depressed
hard or depressed more quickly, the
pedal will feel softer but the brakes
will apply more firmly. This is a
normal effect of the brake assist
operation and does not indicate an
abnormality.
•When the brake pedal is depressed
hard or depressed more quickly, a
clicking noise from the brake
booster may be heard. This is a
normal effect of the brake assist and
does not indicate an abnormality.
•The brake assist equipment does not
supersede the functionality of the
vehicle’s main braking system.
*Some models.
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5-9
Driving Your Mazda
Starting and Driving
Form No. 8S18-EA-03I

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 (reverse). The shift
lever must be put in neutral before being
shifted to R.
Manual Transaxle
Operation
Sudden Engine-Braking:
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. Do not use sudden
engine braking on slippery road
surfaces or at high speeds.
Neutral position
WARNING
•Keep your foot off the clutch pedal
except when shifting gears. Also,
don’t use the clutch to hold the
vehicle on an upgrade. Riding the
clutch will cause needless clutch
wear and damage.
•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
transaxle.
NOTE
If shifting to R is difficult, shift back
into neutral, release the clutch pedal,
and try again.
CAUTION
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5-10
Driving Your Mazda
Starting and Driving
Form No. 8S18-EA-03I

Recommendations for Shifting
Upshifting
For normal acceleration, we recommend
these shift points.
For cruising
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.
Various Lockouts:
1 to 2 26 km/h (16 mph)
2 to 3 45 km/h (28 mph)
3 to 4 56 km/h (35 mph)
4 to 5 73 km/h (45 mph)
1 to 2 16 km/h (10 mph)
2 to 3 31 km/h (19 mph)
3 to 4 48 km/h (30 mph)
4 to 5 66 km/h (41 mph)
Automatic Transaxle
Controls
Indicates that you must depress
the brake pedal to shift (The
ignition switch must be in the
ON position).
Indicates the shift lever can be
shifted freely into any position.
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5-11
Driving Your Mazda
Starting and Driving
Form No. 8S18-EA-03I

Transaxle Ranges
The shift lever must be in P or N to
operate the starter.
P (Park)
P locks the transaxle and prevents the
front wheels from rotating.
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 4-9).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.
D (Drive)
D is the normal driving position. From a
stop, the transaxle will automatically shift
through a 4-gear sequence.
Holding the Vehicle with P:
Only setting the shift 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. To hold the vehicle, set the
shift lever to P AND set the parking
brake.
•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.
WARNING
CAUTION
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.
Shifting into N while Driving:
Shifting into N while driving is
dangerous. Engine braking cannot be
applied when decelerating which
could lead to an accident or serious
injury. Do not shift into N when
driving the vehicle.
Do not shift into N when driving the
vehicle. Doing so can cause transaxle
damage.
WARNING
CAUTION
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5-12
Driving Your Mazda
Starting and Driving
Form No. 8S18-EA-03I
M (Manual)
M is the manual shift mode position.
Gears can be shifted up or down by
operating the shift lever.
Refer to Manual Shift Mode (page 5-13).

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. Move the shift lever.

Shift-Lock Override
If the shift lever won’t move from P using
the proper shift procedure, continue to
hold down the pedal.
1. Remove the shift-lock override cover
with a screwdriver.
2. Insert a screwdriver and push it down.
3. Move the shift lever.
4. Take the vehicle to an Authorized
Mazda Dealer to have the system
checked.
NOTE
•When the ignition switch is in the
ACC or LOCK position, the shift
lever cannot be shifted from P.
•To be sure the vehicle is in park,
the ignition key cannot be
removed unless the shift lever is in
P.
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5-13
Driving Your Mazda
Starting and Driving
Form No. 8S18-EA-03I

Manual Shift Mode
This mode gives you the feel of driving a
manual transaxle vehicle by operating the
shift lever and allows you to control
engine rpm and torque to the front wheels
much like a manual transaxle when more
control is desired.
To change to manual shift mode, shift the
lever from D to M.
To return to automatic shift mode, shift
the lever from M to D.IndicatorsShift position indicator
In manual shift mode, the "M" of the shift
position indicator in the instrument panel
illuminates.
Gear position indicator
The numeral for the selected gear
illuminates.
NOTE
•If you change to manual shift mode
when the vehicle is stopped, the
gear will shift to M1.
•If you shift up once when the
vehicle is stopped and the gear is at
M1, the gear will shift to M2. M2 is
helpful for starting on slippery
surfaces.
NOTE
If the gears cannot be shifted down
when driving at higher speeds, the gear
position indicator will flash twice to
signal that the gears cannot be shifted
down.
Shift position
indicator
Gear position indicator
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5-14
Driving Your Mazda
Starting and Driving
Form No. 8S18-EA-03I
Shifting
Manually Shifting up
(M1
→M2
→M3
→M4)

To shift up to a higher gear, tap the shift
lever back ( ) once.Manually Shifting down
(M4
→M3
→M2
→M1)

To shift down to a lower gear, tap the shift
lever forward ( ) once.
NOTE
•When driving slowly, the gears may
not shift up depending on vehicle
speed.
•In manual shift mode, gears do not
shift up automatically. Don’t run the
engine with the tachometer needle
in the RED ZONE. If the
tachometer needle enters the RED
ZONE, you may feel engine-
braking because the fuel delivery
will be stopped to protect the
engine. However, this does not
indicate an abnormality.
•When depressing the accelerator
fully, the transaxle will shift to a
lower gear, depending on vehicle
speed.Sudden Engine-Braking:
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. Do not use sudden
engine braking on slippery road
surfaces or at high speeds.
WARNING
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5-15
Driving Your Mazda
Starting and Driving
Form No. 8S18-EA-03I
Shifting specification (2.0-liter engine
model)
Shifting up
If the vehicle speed is lower than the
speed specified for each gear, the gear
cannot be shifted up to a higher gear.
Shifting down
If the vehicle speed is higher than the
speed specified for each gear, the gear
cannot be shifted down to a lower gear.
During deceleration, the gears shift down
automatically when speed is reduced to
the following:If the vehicle is kicked down at the
following speeds or lower, the gears shift
down automatically:
Shifting specification (2.3-liter engine
model)
Shifting up
If the vehicle speed is lower than the
speed specified for each gear, the gear
cannot be shifted up to a higher gear.
Shifting down
If the vehicle speed is higher than the
speed specified for each gear, the gear
cannot be shifted down to a lower gear.
During deceleration, the gears shift down
automatically when speed is reduced to
the following:
NOTE
•When driving at high speeds, the
gear may not shift down depending
on vehicle speed.
•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.
Gear Vehicle speed
M1→
M2You can shift up to M2
whether the vehicle is
stopped or moving.
M2→
M3 20 km/h (12 mph)
M3→
M4 43 km/h (27 mph)
Gear Vehicle speed
M4→
M3 180 km/h (112 mph)
M3→
M2 119 km/h (74 mph)
M2→
M1 47 km/h (17 mph)
Gear Vehicle speed
M4→
M3 41 km/h (25 mph)
M3 or M2→
M1 8 km/h (5 mph)
NOTE
If the vehicle is driven at a low speed
from a standing start while in M2, the
gear may not shift down to M1
automatically.
Gear Vehicle speed
M4→
M3 170 km/h (106 mph)
M3→
M2 72 km/h (45 mph)
Gear Vehicle speed
M1→
M2You can shift up to M2
whether the vehicle is
stopped or moving.
M2→
M3 20 km/h (12 mph)
M3→
M4 40 km/h (25 mph)
Gear Vehicle speed
M4→
M3 142 km/h (88 mph)
M3→
M2 100 km/h (62 mph)
M2→
M1 40 km/h (25 mph)
Gear Vehicle speed
M4→
M3 31 km/h (19 mph)
M3 or M2→
M1 8 km/h (5 mph)
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