MAZDA MODEL 3 SEDAN 2019 Owners Manual

▼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 dis‐
played.
and numeral Shift up or down to the indicated
gear position is recommended.
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
4-31
Mazda3_8HE9-EA-18K_Edition3 2018-11-21 14:31:58

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-re‐
lease button to shi ft (The ignition
must be switched ON).
Indicates the selector lever can be
shifted freely in to 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 tr aditional automatic
transmission that gives the driver the
option of selecting each gear instead of
leaving it to the transmission 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 4-35).
When Driving
Automatic Transmission
4-32
Mazda3_8HE9-EA-18K_Edition3 2018-11-21 14:31:58

Shift-Lock System
▼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. Press and hold the lock-release button.
4. Move the selector lever.
NOTE
When the ignition is
switched to ACC or
the ignition is switch ed 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
4-33
Mazda3_8HE9-EA-18K_Edition3 2018-11-21 14:31:58

Transmission Ranges
▼Transmission Ranges
The shift position indication in the
instrument cluster illuminates.
Refer to Shift Position Indication on
page 4-35.
Shift the selector lever to the P or N
position to start the engine.
P (Park)
P locks the transmission and prevents the
front wheels from rotating.
WA R N I N G
Always set the selector lever to P position
and set the parking brake:
Only setting the selector 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.
CAUTION
 Shifting into P, N or R while the vehicle is
moving can damage your transmission.
 Shifting into a driving gear or reverse
when the engine is running faster than
idle can damage the transmission.
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 3-45).
N (Neutral)
In N, the wheels and transmission are not
locked. The vehicle will roll freely even
on the slightest inclin e unless the parking
brake or brakes are on.
WA R N I N G
If the engine is running faster than idle, do
not shift from N or P into a driving gear:
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.
Do not shift into N when driving the
vehicle:
Shifting into N while driving is dangerous.
Engine braking cannot be applied when
decelerating which could lead to an
accident or se rious injury.
CAUTION
Do not shift into N when driving the
vehicle. Doing so can cause transmission
damage.
NOTE
Apply the parking brake or depress the
brake pedal before moving the selector
lever from N position to prevent the
vehicle from moving unexpectedly.
D (Drive)
D is the normal driv ing position. From a
stop, the transmission will automatically
shift through a 6-gear sequence.
When Driving
Automatic Transmission
4-34
Mazda3_8HE9-EA-18K_Edition3 2018-11-21 14:31:58

M (Manual)
M is the manual shift mode position.
Gears can be shifted up or down by
operating the selector lever.
Refer to Manual Shift Mode on page
4-35.
▼Shift Position Indication
1. Shift position indication

The selector position is indicated when the
ignition is switched ON.
Gear position indication
In manual shift mode, the “M” of the shift
position indication illuminates and the
numeral for the select ed gear is displayed.
▼Active Adaptive Shift (AAS)
Active Adaptive
Shift (AAS)
automatically controls the transmission
shift points to best suit the road conditions
and driver input. This improves driving
feel. The transmission may switch to AAS
mode when driving up and down slopes,
cornering, driving at high elevations, or
depressing the accelerator pedal quickly
while the selector lever is in the D
position. Depending on the road and
driving conditions/vehicle operations, gear
shifting could be delayed or not occur,
however, this does not indicate a problem
because the AAS mode will maintain the
optimum gear position.
Manual Shift Mode
▼ Manual Shift Mode
The manual shift mode gives you the feel
of driving a manual transmission vehicle
by allowing you to operate the selector
lever manually. This allows you to control
engine rpm and torque to the drive wheels
much like a manual transmission when
more control is desired.
To change to manual shift mode, shift the
lever from D to M.

NOTE
Changing to manual shift mode while
driving will not damage the
transmission.
If you change to manual shift mode
when the vehicle is stopped, the gear
will shift to M1.
If you change to manual shift mode
without depressing the accelerator pedal
when driving in D range, 5th gear/6th
gear, the gear will shift to M4/M5.
To return to automatic shift mode, shift the
lever from M to D.
When Driving
Automatic Transmission
4-35
Mazda3_8HE9-EA-18K_Edition3 2018-11-21 14:31:58

▼Indications
1. Manual shift mode indication
2. Gear position indication
Manual shift mode indication
In manual shift mode, the “M” of the shift
position indication in
the instrument panel
illuminates.
Gear position indication
The numeral for the selected gear
illuminates.

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 transmission).
If the automatic transmission fluid
(ATF) temperature becomes too high,
there is the possibility that the
transmission 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 h igher 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
(+/OFF) toward you once with your
fingers.

1. UP switch (+/OFF)
When Driving
Automatic Transmission
4-36*Some models.
Mazda3_8HE9-EA-18K_Edition3 2018-11-21 14:31:58

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.
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 (+/OFF) 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.

1. DOWN switch (–)
When Driving
Automatic Transmission
*Some models.4-37
Mazda3_8HE9-EA-18K_Edition3 2018-11-21 14:31:58

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.
NOTE
When driving at high speeds, the gear
may not shift down.
During deceleration, the gear may
automatically shift down depending on
vehicle speed.
When depressing the accelerator fully,
the transmission will shift to a lower
gear, depending on vehicle speed.
However, the gears do not kickdown
while the DSC is turned off.
▼Second Gear Fixed Mode
When the selector lever is moved back +
while the vehicle speed is about 10 km/h
(6.2 mph) or less, the
transmission is set in
the second gear fixed mode. The gear is
fixed in second while in this mode for
easier acceleration from a stop and driving
on slippery roads such as snow-covered
roads.
If the selector lever is moved back + or
forward – while in the second gear fixed
mode, the mode will be canceled.
When Driving
Automatic Transmission
4-38
Mazda3_8HE9-EA-18K_Edition3 2018-11-21 14:31:58

▼Shift Gear (Shifting) Speed Limit
For each gear position while in the manual mode, the speed limi
t is set as follows: When the
selector lever is operated within the range of the speed limit, the gear is shifted.

1. 1st
2. 2nd
3. 3rd
4. 4th
5. 5th
6. 6th
Shift up
The gear does not shift up while the vehicle speed is lower tha n the speed limit.
Shift down
The gear does not shift down while the vehicle speed exceeds th e speed limit.
If the vehicle speed exceeds the speed limit and the gear does not shift down, the gear
position indication flashes 2 tim es to notify the driver that the gear cannot be shifted.
Kickdown
When the accelerator pedal is de pressed fully while driving, the gear shifts down.
However, the gears do not kickdown while the DSC is turned off.
NOTE
The gear also shifts down using kickdown while in the second gear fixed mode.
Auto-shift down
The gear shifts down automatically depending on the vehicle spe ed during deceleration.
NOTE
If the vehicle comes to a stop while in the second gear fixed mode, the gear remains in
second.
When Driving
Automatic Transmission
4-39
Mazda3_8HE9-EA-18K_Edition3 2018-11-21 14:31:58

▼Recommendations for Shifting
Upshifting
For normal acceleration and cruising, Mazda recommends these sh
ift points:
(U.S.A. and Canada)
Gear Vehicle speed*1
M1 to M224 km/h (15 mph)
M2 to M3 40 km/h (25 mph)
M3 to M4 65 km/h (40 mph)
M4 to M5 73 km/h (45 mph)
M5 to M6 81 km/h (50 mph)
*1 Always observe local speed limit regulations.
Downshifting
When you must slow down in heavy traffic or on a steep upgrade, downshift before the
engine starts to overwork. This gives better acceleration when you need more speed.

On a steep downgrade, downshifting helps maintain safe speed an d prolongs brake life.
When Driving
Automatic Transmission
4-40
Mazda3_8HE9-EA-18K_Edition3 2018-11-21 14:31:58