Driving Your Mazda; Transmission Ranges; Automatic Transmission - Page 92

5-10

Driving Your Mazda

Starting and Driving

Form No. 8R09-EA-02G

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 as 
explained under Rocking the Vehicle 
(page 4-7).

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 and hold in the lock-
release button to shift (The ignition 
switch must be in the ON position).

Indicates the shift lever can be 
shifted freely into any position.

Indicates that you must hold in the 
lock-release button to shift.

Lock-release button

To prevent unsafe 
shifting

Shift pattern 
indicator

Shows shift lever 
position

Overdrive button 

For turning the 
overdrive off or on

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

J07R_8R09_EA_02G_Edition4.book  Page 10  Monday, February 3, 2003  1:16 PM