engine MAZDA MODEL RX 8 2004 (in English) Owner's Manual

5-3
Driving Your Mazda
Starting and Driving
Form No. 8R65-EA-03C
ACC (Accessory)
The steering wheel unlocks and some
electrical accessories will operate.
ON
This is the normal running position after
the engine is started. The warning lights
(except brakes) should be inspected
before the engine is started (page 5-35).
START
The engine is started in this position. It
will crank until you release the key; then
it returns to the ON position. The brake
warning light can be checked after the
engine is started (page 5-35).

Ignition Key Reminder
If the ignition switch is in the LOCK or
ACC position, a beep will sound when the
driver’s door is opened.1. Occupants should fasten their seat
belts.
2. Make sure the parking brake is on.
3. Depress the brake pedal.
4.(Manual transmission)

Depress the clutch pedal all the way
and shift into neutral.
Keep the pedal depressed while
cranking the engine.
(Automatic transmission)

Put the vehicle in park (P). If you must
restart the engine while the vehicle is
moving, shift into neutral (N).
NOTE
If turning the key is difficult, jiggle the
steering wheel from side to side.
NOTE
(Xenon fusion headlight models)

When the ignition switch is turned to
the ON position, the sound of the
headlight leveling motors operating at
the front of the engine compartment
can be heard. This does not indicate an
abnormality.
Starting the Engine
NOTE
Engine-starting is controlled by the
spark ignition system.
This system meets all Canadian
Interference-Causing Equipment
Standard requirements regulating the
impulse electrical field strength of
radio noise.
NOTE
The starter will not operate if the
clutch pedal is not
pushed down all the
way.
NOTE
The starter will not operate if the shift
lever is not
in P or N.
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5-4
Driving Your Mazda
Starting and Driving
Form No. 8R65-EA-03C
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
stood idle several days, let the
engine warm up without operating
the accelerator.
•Whether cold or warm, the engine
should be started without use of the
accelerator.
•To protect the engine, when the
engine coolant temperature is low,
the engine does not run at high
speeds. The fuel supply will be cut
at an rpm lower than the red zone.
CAUTION
Brake System
Driving with the Engine Off:
Continuing to drive 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
driving 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. 8R65-EA-03C
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 8-14).
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 5-40).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 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.
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
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5-8
Driving Your Mazda
Starting and Driving
Form No. 8R65-EA-03C

Brake Pad Wear Indicator
When the disc brake pads become worn,
the built-in wear indicators contact the
disc plates. This causes 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.

Manual Transmission Shift
Pattern
The shift pattern of the transmission is
conventional, as shown.
Press 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.
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.
Driving 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.
WARNING
Manual Transmission
Operation
Neutral position
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5-9
Driving Your Mazda
Starting and Driving
Form No. 8R65-EA-03C

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.
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.
•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
transmission.
NOTE
If shifting to R is difficult, shift into
neutral, release the clutch pedal, and
try again.
WARNING
CAUTION
1 to 2 23 km/h (14 mph)
2 to 3 35 km/h (22 mph)
3 to 4 47 km/h (29 mph)
4 to 5 58 km/h (36 mph)
5 to 6 74 km/h (46 mph)
1 to 2 23 km/h (14 mph)
2 to 3 34 km/h (21 mph)
3 to 4 45 km/h (28 mph)
4 to 5 56 km/h (35 mph)
5 to 6 68 km/h (42 mph)
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5-10
Driving Your Mazda
Starting and Driving
Form No. 8R65-EA-03C
Various Lockouts:

Transmission Ranges
The shift lever must be in P or N to
operate the starter.
P (Park)
P locks the transmission and prevents the
rear 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 4-8).
N (Neutral)
In N, the wheels and transmission are not
locked. The vehicle will roll freely even
on the slightest incline unless the parking
brake or brakes are on.
Automatic Transmission
Controls
Indicates that you must depress the
brake pedal to shift (The ignition
switch must be in the ACC or ON
position).
Indicates the shift lever can be
shifted freely into any position.
Holding the Vehicle with P:
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
transmission.
•Shifting into a driving gear or
reverse when the engine is running
faster than idle can damage the
transmission.
WARNING
CAUTION
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5-11
Driving Your Mazda
Starting and Driving
Form No. 8R65-EA-03C
D (Drive)
D is the normal driving position. From a
stop, the transmission will automatically
shift through a 4-gear sequence.
M (Manual)
M is the manual shift mode position.
Gears can be shifted up or down by
operating the shift lever or steering shift
switches.
Refer to Manual Shift Mode (page 5-11).

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.

Manual Shift Mode
This mode gives you the feel of driving a
manual transmission vehicle by operating
the shift lever or steering shift switches
and allows you to control engine rpm and
torque to the rear wheels much like a
manual transmission 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.
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
transmission damage.
WARNING
CAUTION
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 lever is in
P.
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5-13
Driving Your Mazda
Starting and Driving
Form No. 8R65-EA-03C
Manually shifting up
(M1
→M2
→M3
→M4)
To shift up to a higher gear with the shift
lever, tap the shift lever back (+) once.To shift up to a higher gear with the
steering shift switches, tap either of the
UP switches toward you once with your
fingers.
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.
•Gears may not be shifted from M1
to M2 right after shifting the lever
from D to M. Wait a few seconds
and then shift up to M2.
•When depressing the accelerator
fully, the transmission will shift to a
lower gear, depending on vehicle
speed.
Hand Position When Using Steering
Shift Switches:
Putting your hands inside the rim of
the steering wheel when using the
steering shift switches is dangerous.
If the driver air bag were to deploy in
a collision, your hands could be
impacted causing injury. Keep your
hands on the steering wheel rim when
using fingers or thumbs on the
steering shift switches.
UP switches
WARNING
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5-14
Driving Your Mazda
Starting and Driving
Form No. 8R65-EA-03C
Manually shifting down
(M4
→M3
→M2
→M1)
To shift down to a lower gear with the
shift lever, tap the shift lever forward (-)
once.To shift down to a lower gear with the
steering shift switches, press either of the
DOWN switches away from you once
with your thumb.
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.
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 transmission will shift to a
lower gear, depending on vehicle
speed.
WARNING
Hand Position When Using Steering
Shift Switches:
Putting your hands inside the rim of
the steering wheel when using the
steering shift switches is dangerous.
If the driver air bag were to deploy in
a collision, your hands could be
impacted causing injury. Keep your
hands on the steering wheel rim when
using fingers or thumbs on the
steering shift switches.
DOWN switches
WARNING
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5-15
Driving Your Mazda
Starting and Driving
Form No. 8R65-EA-03C
Shifting specification
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:Recommendations for shiftingUpshifting
For normal acceleration and cruising, we
recommend these shift points.
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 and prolongs
brake life.

Driving Tips
Passing
For extra power when passing another
vehicle or climbing steep grades, depress
the accelerator fully. The transmission
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 M1, 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
lower gears, depending on load weight
and grade steepness. Descend slowly,
using the brakes only occasionally to
prevent them from overheating.
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 20 km/h (12 mph)
Gear Vehicle speed
M4→
M3 163 km/h (101 mph)
M3→
M2 112 km/h (70 mph)
M2→
M1 45 km/h (28 mph)
Gear Vehicle speed
M4→
M3 31 km/h (19 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 149 km/h (93 mph)
M4→
M2 56 km/h (35 mph)
M3→
M2 56 km/h (35 mph)
M1 to M2 24 km/h (15 mph)
M2 to M3 40 km/h (25 mph)
M3 to M4 65 km/h (40 mph)
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