Get When Driving -> Transaxle Guide for Mazda 3 4 Door Third Generation (2014-2018)

When Driving

Transaxle

Manual Transaxle

Operation

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.

Manual Transaxle Shift Pattern

Neutral position

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.

The shift pattern of the transaxle is

conventional, as shown.

CAUTION

Depress the clutch pedal all the way down

while shifting; then release it slowly.

ꢀ¾ꢀ

Keep your foot oꢀ 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.

Your vehicle is equipped with a device to

prevent shifting to R (reverse) by mistake.

Push the shift lever downward and shift

to R.

ꢀ¾ꢀ

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 transaxle.

ꢀ¾ꢀ

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.

4

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When Driving

Transaxle

NOTE

CAUTION

^ꢀyꢀ(For vehicles with type C instrument

cluster^*1)

^ꢀIf the engine speed is about to exceed

the permissible engine speed, the buzzer

sounds.

Do not rely solely on the shift-up/

shift-down recommendations by

indications. The actual driving

situation might require shift operations

diꢀerent from indication. To avoid the

risk of accidents, the road and traꢁc

conditions have to be judged correctly

by the driver before shifting.

^ꢀRefer to Over Rev. Buzzer on page 7-38.

*1 To determine which instrument

cluster is equipped on your Mazda,

Refer to Meters and Gauges on page

4-11.

NOTE

^ꢀyꢀIf shifting to R is difﬁcult, shift back into

neutral, release the clutch pedal, and try

again.

The gear shift indicator turns off when the

following operations are performed.

^ꢀyꢀThe vehicle is stopped.

^ꢀyꢀThe vehicle is put in neutral.

^ꢀyꢀThe vehicle is driven in reverse.

^ꢀyꢀThe clutch is not fully engaged when

accelerating from a stop.

^ꢀyꢀThe clutch pedal remains depressed for

2 seconds or longer while driving.

Gear Shift Indicator^*

The gear shift indicator 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.

Selected gear position Suitable gear position

Indication

Condition

The selected gear position is

displayed.

Numeral

Shift up or down to the indicated

gear position is recommended.

and numeral

*Some models.

4

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When Driving

Transaxle

Recommendations for Shifting (for

Vehicles without Gear Shift

Indication)

Upshifting

For normal acceleration, Mazda

recommends these shift points:

(U.S.A. and Canada)

Gear

1 to 2

Vehicle speed

24 km/h (15 mph)

2 to 3

3 to 4

4 to 5

5 to 6

42 km/h (26 mph)

60 km/h (37 mph)

75 km/h (46 mph)

79 km/h (49 mph)

For cruising, Mazda recommends these

shift points:

(U.S.A. and Canada)

Gear

1 to 2

Vehicle speed

13 km/h (8 mph)

2 to 3

3 to 4

4 to 5

5 to 6

29 km/h (18 mph)

49 km/h (30 mph)

63 km/h (39 mph)

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.

4

–28

When Driving

Transaxle

Automatic Transaxle Controls

Lock-release button

Various Lockouts:

Indicates that you must depress the brake pedal and hold in the lock-release

button to shift (The ignition must be switched ON).

Indicates the shift 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 transaxle that

gives the driver the option of selecting each gear instead of leaving it to the transaxle to

shift gears. Even if you intend to use the automatic transaxle 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 4-32).

4

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When Driving

Transaxle

Shift Position Indication

CAUTION

ꢀ¾ꢀ

Shifting into P, N or R while the vehicle is

moving can damage your transaxle.

ꢀ¾ꢀ

Shifting into a driving gear or reverse

when the engine is running faster than

idle can damage the transaxle.

The selector position is indicated when the

ignition is switched ON.

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 3-47).

Gear position indication

In manual shift mode, the “M” of the shift

position indication illuminates and the

numeral for the selected gear is displayed.

Warning Light

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.

The warning light turns on when the

system has a malfunction.

Refer to Warning Lights on page 4-21.

Transaxle Ranges

WARNING

ꢀyꢀ

The shift position indicator light in the

instrument cluster illuminates. Refer to

Warning/Indicator Lights on page 4-20.

ꢀyꢀ

The selector lever must be in P or N to

If the engine is running faster than idle,

do not shift from N or P into a driving

gear:

operate the starter.

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.

P (Park)

P locks the transaxle and prevents the front

wheels from rotating.

Do not shift into N when driving the

vehicle:

WARNING

Always set the selector lever to P and set

the parking brake:

Shifting into N while driving is

dangerous. Engine braking cannot

be applied when decelerating which

could lead to an accident or serious

injury.

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.

4

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When Driving

Transaxle

Shift-Lock System

CAUTION

The shift-lock system prevents shifting out

of P unless the brake pedal is depressed.

Do not shift into N when driving the

vehicle. Doing so can cause transaxle

damage.

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

Apply the parking brake or depress the

brake pedal before moving the selector

lever from N to prevent the vehicle from

moving unexpectedly.

NOTE

^ꢀyꢀWhen the ignition is switched to ACC or

the ignition is switched off, the selector

lever cannot be shifted from P.

^ꢀyꢀThe ignition cannot be switched to OFF

if the selector lever is not in P.

D (Drive)

D is the normal driving position. From a

stop, the transaxle will automatically shift

through a 6-gearsequence.

M (Manual)

Shift-Lock Override

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 4-32.

If the selector lever will not move from P

using the proper shift procedure, continue

to hold down the brake pedal.

Active Adaptive Shift (AAS)

1. Remove the shift-lock override cover

using a cloth-wrapped ﬂat head

screwdriver.

Active Adaptive Shift (AAS)

automatically controls the transaxle shift

points to best suit the road conditions

and driver input. This improves driving

feel. The transaxle 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.

2. Insert a screwdriver and push it down.

Cover

3. Press and hold the lock-release button.

4. Move the selector lever.

4

–31

When Driving

Transaxle

NOTE

5. Take the vehicle to an Authorized

Mazda Dealer to have the system

checked.

^ꢀyꢀIf you change to manual shift mode

when the vehicle is stopped, the gear

will shift to M1.

^ꢀyꢀIf 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.

Manual Shift Mode

The manual shift mode gives you the feel

of driving a manual transaxle 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 transaxle when more

control is desired.

Indicators

Manual shift mode indication

To change to manual shift mode, shift the

lever from D to M.

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.

Type A

NOTE

^ꢀyꢀ(For vehicles with type C instrument

cluster^*1)

^ꢀIf the engine speed is about to exceed

the permissible engine speed, the buzzer

sounds.

Gear position indication

^ꢀRefer to Over Rev. Buzzer on page 7-38.

Manual shift mode indication

*1 To determine which instrument

cluster is equipped on your Mazda,

Refer to Meters and Gauges on page

4-11.

^ꢀyꢀChanging to manual shift mode while

driving will not damage the transaxle.

To return to automatic shift mode, shift the

lever from M to D.

4

–32

When Driving

Transaxle

NOTE

Type B

^ꢀyꢀIf 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 transaxle).

^ꢀyꢀIf the automatic transaxle ﬂuid (ATF)

temperature becomes too high, there

is the possibility that the transaxle

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 automatic transaxle. After

the ATF temperature has decreased, the

gear position indication illumination

turns back on and driving in manual

shift mode is restored.

Gear position indication

Manual shift mode indication

Type C

Shifting

You can shift gears up and down by

operating the selector lever or the steering

shift switches^*.

Manually Shifting up

Gear position indication

Manual shift mode indication

(M1 ĺ M2 ĺ M3 ĺ M4 ĺ M5 ĺ M6)

To shift up to a higher gear, move the

selector lever back once.

*Some models.

4

–33

When Driving

Transaxle

NOTE

To shift up to a higher gear with the

steering shift switches, pull the UP switch

^ꢀyꢀWhen driving slowly, the gears may not

shift up.

(

ﬁngers.

) toward you once with your

^ꢀyꢀIn manual shift mode, do not run the

engine with the tachometer needle in

the RED ZONE. When the engine rpm is

high, a gear may shift up automatically

to protect the engine.

UP switch

^ꢀyꢀWhen depressing the accelerator fully,

the transaxle will shift to a lower gear,

depending on vehicle speed.

^ꢀyꢀThe 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 (

) is

pulled rearward for a sufﬁcient amount

of time.

WARNING

Keep your hands on the steering wheel

rim when using ꢀngers on the steering

shift switches:

Manually Shifting down

(M6 ĺ M5 ĺ M4 ĺ M3 ĺ M2 ĺ M1)

To shift down to a lower gear, move the

selector lever forward once.

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.

4

–34

When Driving

Transaxle

NOTE

To shift down to a lower gear with the

steering shift switches, pull the DOWN

switch toward you once with your

ﬁngers.

^ꢀyꢀWhen driving at high speeds, the gear

may not shift down.

^ꢀyꢀDuring deceleration, the gear may

automatically shift down depending on

vehicle speed.

^ꢀyꢀWhen depressing the accelerator fully,

the transaxle will shift to a lower gear,

depending on vehicle speed.

DOWN switch

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 transaxle 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.

WARNING

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.

If the selector lever is moved back or

forward while in the second gear ﬁxed

mode, the mode will be canceled.

Keep your hands on the steering wheel

rim when using ꢀngers 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.

4

–35

When Driving

Transaxle

Shift gear (shifting) speed limit

For each gear position while in the manual mode, the speed limit is set as follows: When the

selector lever is operated within the range of the speed limit, the gear is shifted.

Shift up

The gear does not shift up while the vehicle speed is lower than the speed limit.

Shift down

The gear does not shift down while the vehicle speed exceeds the speed limit.

If the vehicle speed exceeds the speed limit and the gear does not shift down, the gear

position indication ﬂashes 2 times to notify the driver that the gear cannot be shifted.

Kickdown

When the accelerator pedal is depressed fully while driving, the gear shifts down.

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 speed during deceleration.

NOTE

If the vehicle comes to a stop while in the second gear ﬁxed mode, the gear remains in

second.

4

–36

When Driving

Transaxle

Recommendations for shifting

Upshifting

For normal acceleration and cruising, Mazda recommends these shift points:

(U.S.A. and Canada)

Gear

Vehicle speed^*1

M1 to M2

M2 to M3

M3 to M4

M4 to M5

M5 to M6

24 km/h (15 mph)

40 km/h (25 mph)

65 km/h (40 mph)

73 km/h (45 mph)

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 and prolongs brake life.

4

–37

When Driving

Transaxle

Direct Mode^*

Type B

Direct mode can be used for temporarily

switching gears by operating the steering

shift switch while the vehicle is being

driven with the selector lever in the D

range.

While in direct mode, the D and M

indication illuminate and the gear position

in use is illuminated.

Direct mode is canceled (released) under

the following conditions.

Gear position indication

ꢀyꢀ

The UP switch (

rearward for a certain amount of time or

) is pulled

Direct mode indication

Type C

longer.

ꢀyꢀ

The vehicle is driven for a certain

amount of time or longer (time differs

depending on the driving conditions

while operating).

ꢀyꢀ

The vehicle is stopped or moving at a

slow speed.

Type A

Gear position indication

Direct mode indication

NOTE

Shifting up and down while in direct mode

may not be possible depending on the

vehicle speed. In addition, because direct

mode is canceled (released) depending

on the rate of acceleration or if the

accelerator is fully depressed, use of the

manual shift mode is recommended if you

need to drive the vehicle in a particular

gear for long periods.

Gear position indication

Direct mode indication

*Some models.

4

–38

When Driving

Transaxle

Climbing steep grades from a stop

Driving Tips

To climb a steep grade from a stopped

position:

WARNING

1. Depress the brake pedal.

Do not let the vehicle move in a

direction opposite to the direction

selected by the selector lever:

Do not let the vehicle move backward

with the selector lever in a forward

position, or do not let the vehicle

move forward with the selector lever

in the reverse position. Otherwise, the

engine may stop, causing the loss of

the power brake and power steering

functions, and make it diꢁcult to

control the vehicle which could result

in an accident.

2. Shift to D or M1, depending on the

load weight and grade steepness.

3. Release the brake pedal 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.

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.

NOTE

(Some models)

The accelerator pedal may initially feel

heavy as it is being depressed, then feel

lighter as it is depressed further. This

change in pedal force aids the engine

control system in determining how much

the accelerator pedal has been depressed

for performing kickdown, and functions to

control whether or not kickdown should be

performed.

4

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When Driving -> Transaxle for Your Mazda 3 4 Door Third Generation (2014-2018)

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