Mazda MX-5 (2018 year). Instruction

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.

WARNING

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 serious 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 to prevent the vehicle from
moving unexpectedly.

D (Drive)

D is the normal driving position. From a
stop, the transmission will automatically
shift through a 6-gear sequence.

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 4-37.

▼ 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 selected 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.

When Driving

Automatic Transmission

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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.

To return to automatic shift mode, shift the
lever from M to D.

NOTE



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.

▼ Indicators

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.

Manual shift mode indication

Gear position indication

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).

▼ 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 higher gear, tap the
selector lever back once.

When Driving

Automatic Transmission

*Some models.

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Using steering shift switch

To shift up to a higher gear with the
steering shift switches, pull the UP switch
(

) toward you once with your

fingers.

UP switch (+/OFF)

WARNING

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 (

) 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.

When Driving

Automatic Transmission

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Using steering shift switch

To shift down to a lower gear with the
steering shift switches, pull the DOWN
switch toward you once with your
fingers.

DOWN switch (-)

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.

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

*Some models.

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▼ 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.
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 speed 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

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▼ Recommendations for Shifting

Upshifting

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

Gear

Vehicle speed

M1 to M2

24 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 and prolongs brake life.

When Driving

Automatic Transmission

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Direct Mode

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.



The UP switch (

) is pulled

rearward for a certain amount of time or
longer.



The vehicle is driven for a certain
amount of time or longer (time differs
depending on the driving conditions
while operating).



The vehicle is stopped or moving at a
slow speed.

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.

When Driving

Automatic Transmission

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Driving Tips

WARNING

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 difficult to
control the vehicle which could result in an
accident.

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.

NOTE



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.



While the selector lever is in the M
position and the DSC is turned off,
manual shift mode does not switch to
automatic shift mode even if the
accelerator pedal is completely
depressed. Operate the selector lever.

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 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.

When Driving

Automatic Transmission

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Lighting Control

▼ Headlights

Turn the headlight switch to turn the headlights, other exterior lights and dashboard
illumination on or off.
When the lights are turned on, the lights-on indicator light in the instrument cluster turns on.

NOTE



If the light switch is left on, the lights will automatically switch off approximately 30
seconds after switching the ignition off.
The time setting can be changed.
Refer to Personalization Features on page 9-9.



To prevent discharging the battery, do not leave the lights on while the engine is off unless
safety requires them.

Without auto-light control

Switch Position

Ignition Position

ACC or

OFF

ACC or

OFF

ACC or

OFF

Headlights

Off

Daytime running lights

Off

Taillights
Parking lights
License plate lights
Side-marker lights

Off

1 The lights are turned on while the vehicle is driven.

2 The lights are turned on for the specified period by the auto headlight off function.

When Driving

Switches and Controls

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With auto-light control

Switch Position

Ignition Position

ACC or

OFF

ACC or

OFF

ACC or

OFF

ACC or

OFF

Headlights

Off

Auto

Off

Daytime running lights

Off

Taillights
Parking lights
License plate lights
Side-marker lights

Off

Auto

1 The lights are turned on while the vehicle is driven.

2 The lights are turned on by the auto light function.

3 The lights are turned on continuously if the ignition is switched from ON to any other position with the lights

turned on. The lights are turned on for the specified period by the auto headlight off function.

4 The lights are turned on while the vehicle is driven, and turned off when the headlights are turned on by the

auto light function.

5 The lights are turned on for the specified period by the auto headlight off function.

Auto-light control

When the headlight switch is in the

position and the ignition is switched ON, the light

sensor senses the surrounding lightness or darkness and automatically turns the headlights
and other exterior lights on or off.

When Driving

Switches and Controls

*Some models.

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CAUTION

Do not shade the light sensor by adhering a sticker or a label on the windshield. Otherwise

the light sensor will not operate correctly.

The light sensor also works as a rain sensor for the auto-wiper control. Keep hands and

scrapers clear of the windshield when the wiper lever is in the

position and the ignition

is switched ON as fingers could be pinched or the wipers and wiper blades could be
damaged when the wipers activate automatically. If you are going to clean the windshield,
be sure the wipers are turned off completely when it is particularly tempting to leave the
engine running. This is particularly important when clearing ice and snow.

NOTE



The headlights, other exterior lights and dashboard illumination may not turn off
immediately even if the surrounding area becomes well-lit because the light sensor
determines that it is night time if the surrounding area is continuously dark for several
minutes such as inside long tunnels, traffic jams inside tunnels, or in indoor parking lots.
In this case, the lights turn off if the light switch is turned to the

position.



If the headlight switch and the windshield wiper switch are in

, and the wipers are

operated at low or high speed by the auto wiper control for several seconds, bad weather
conditions are determined and the headlights may be turned on.



The sensitivity of the auto-light control may be changed.
Refer to Personalization Features on page 9-9.

When Driving

Switches and Controls

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▼ Headlight High-Low Beam

The headlights switch between high and
low beams by moving the lever forward or
backward.

High beam

Low beam

When the headlight high-beams are on, the
headlight high-beam indicator light is
turned on.

▼ Flashing the Headlights

Can be used when the ignition is switched
ON.
To flash the headlights, pull the lever fully
towards you (the headlight switch does not
need to be on).

OFF

Headlight
flashing

The headlight high-beam indicator light in
the instrument cluster illuminates
simultaneously. The lever will return to
the normal position when released.

▼ Coming Home Light

The coming home light turns on the
headlights (low beams) when the lever is
operated.

To turn on the lights

When the lever is pulled with the ignition
switched to ACC or OFF, the low beam
headlights turn on.
The headlights turn off after a certain
period of time has elapsed after the doors
are closed.

NOTE



The time until the headlights turn off
after all of the doors are closed can be
changed.
Refer to Personalization Features on
page 9-9.



If no operations are done for 3 minutes
after the lever is pulled, the headlights
turn off.

When Driving

Switches and Controls

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

The headlights turn off if the lever is
pulled again while the headlights are
illuminated.

▼ Leaving Home Light

The leaving home light turns on the lights
when the transmitter unlock button is
pressed while away from the vehicle.
The following lights turn on when the
leaving home light is operated.
Low beams, Parking lights, Taillights,
License plate lights.

To turn on the lights

When the ignition switch and the headlight
switch are in the following conditions, the
headlights will illuminate when the
transmitter unlock button is pressed and
the vehicle receives the transmitter signal.
The headlights turn off after a certain
period of time has elapsed (30 seconds).



Ignition switch: off



Headlight switch:

, or

Lock button

Unlock
button

NOTE



Operation of the leaving home light can
be turned on or off.
Refer to Personalization Features on
page 9-9.



When the transmitter lock button is
pressed and the vehicle receives the
transmitter signal, the headlights turn
off.



When the headlight switch is turned to
the

position, the headlights turn off.

▼ Headlight Leveling

The number of passengers and weight of
cargo in the luggage compartment change
the angle of the headlights.

The angle of the headlights will be
automatically adjusted when turning on
the headlights.

▼ Daytime Running Lights

Some countries require moving vehicles to
have their lights on (daytime running
lights) during the daytime.

The daytime running lights turn on
automatically when the vehicle starts
moving.
They turn off when the parking brake is
operated or the shift lever is shifted to the
P position (automatic transmission
vehicle).

NOTE
(Except Canada)
The daytime running lights can be
deactivated.
Refer to Personalization Features on page
9-9.

When Driving

Switches and Controls

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Turn and Lane-Change

Signals

The ignition must be switched ON to use
the turn and lane-change signals.

▼ Turn Signals

Move the signal lever down (for a left
turn) or up (for a right turn) to the stop
position. The signal will self-cancel after
the turn is completed.

If the indicator light continues to flash
after a turn, manually return the lever to its
original position.

Right turn

Left turn

Right lane change

Left lane change

OFF

The turn signal indicators in the
instrument cluster flash according to the
operation of the turn signal lever to show
which signal is working.

NOTE



If an indicator light stays on without
flashing or if it flashes abnormally, one
of the turn signal bulbs may be burned
out.



A personalized function is available to
change the turn indicator sound volume.
(page 9-9)

▼ Lane-Change Signals

Move the lever halfway toward the
direction of the lane change―until the
indicator flashes― and hold it there. It
will return to the off position when
released.

▼ Three-Flash Turn Signal

After releasing the turn signal lever, the
turn signal indicator flashes three times.
The operation can be cancelled by moving
the lever in the direction opposite to which
it was operated.

NOTE
The three-flash turn signal function can be
switched to operable/inoperable using the
personalization function.
Refer to Personalization Features on page
9-9.

When Driving

Switches and Controls

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Windshield Wipers and

Washer

The ignition must be switched ON to use
the wipers.

WARNING

Use only windshield washer fluid or plain
water in the reservoir:
Using radiator antifreeze as washer fluid is
dangerous. If sprayed on the windshield, it
will dirty the windshield, affect your
visibility, and could result in an accident.

Only use windshield washer fluid mixed
with anti-freeze protection in freezing
weather conditions:
Using windshield washer fluid without
anti-freeze protection in freezing weather
conditions is dangerous as it could freeze
on the windshield and block your vision
which could cause an accident. In addition,
make sure the windshield is sufficiently
warmed using the defroster before
spraying the washer fluid.

NOTE
If the windshield wipers are operated
under cold weather conditions or during
snowfall, they could stop due to
accumulated snow on the windshield. If
the windshield wipers stop due to
accumulated snow on the windshield, park
the vehicle in a safe place, turn the wiper
switch off, and then remove the
accumulated snow. If the wiper switch is
turned to another position other than OFF,
the wipers will operate. If the wipers do
not operate even though the wiper switch
is turned to a position other than OFF,
consult an Authorized Mazda Dealer as
soon as possible.

▼ Windshield Wipers

Turn the wipers on by pressing the lever
up or down.
With intermittent wiper

Switch Posi-

tion

Wiper operation

Operation while pulling up lever
Stop
Intermittent
Low speed
High speed

When Driving

Switches and Controls

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Variable-speed intermittent wipers

Set the lever to the intermittent position
and choose the interval timing by rotating
the ring.

INT ring

Fast

Slow

With auto-wiper control

Switch Posi-

tion

Wiper operation

Operation while pulling up lever
Stop
Auto control
Low speed
High speed

Auto-wiper control

When the wiper lever is in the
position, the rain sensor senses the amount
of rainfall on the windshield and turns the
wipers on or off automatically
(off―intermittent―low speed―high
speed).

The sensitivity of the rain sensor can be
adjusted by turning the switch on the
wiper lever.
From the center position (normal), rotate
the switch upward for higher sensitivity
(faster response) or rotate it downward for
less sensitivity (slower response).

Higher sensitivity

Less sensitivity

Switch

Center
position

CAUTION

Do not shade the rain sensor by adhering

a sticker or a label on the windshield.
Otherwise the rain sensor will not
operate correctly.

When Driving

Switches and Controls

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Mazda MX-5 (2018 year). Instruction - part 10