Instant Mobility System; Traction Control; Always check the Owner’s Manual for more operating information and safety features - Page 3

G E T T I N G S T A R T E D

Always check the Owner’s Manual for more operating information and safety features 

Getting
Started

Getting
Started

Quick Tips

2005 Mazda

Mazda RX-8

page 4

page 5

Rear doors

For a rear occupant to exit with 

a front passenger:

1. Front occupant must release 

seatbelt

2. Front occupant must open door
3. Open rear door

For a rear occupant to exit without

a front occupant:

1. Release front seat to forward 

position

2. Unlock and open front door
3. Open rear door

Tips: Close rear door first, 
then front door; damage 
may occur otherwise

Starting tips

To keep engine in top condition,
engine coolant temperature 
gauge needle should reach the
middle normal operating range
between C and H before turning
engine off, do not turn OFF a 
cold engine if possible
In the unlikely event that the 
engine does not start, try the 
following procedure:
1. Depress and hold the accelerator

pedal to floor and rotate 
engine for 7-8 seconds

2. Release ignition switch
3. Start the engine, releasing 

accelerator pedal

If the engine starts while in 
step 1, the engine will rev up, 
in that case, release your 
hand immediately from the 
ignition key and your foot 
from accelerator pedal

To prevent alarm arming with
passenger inside vehicle, driver
must manually lock door by
pressing lock knob

Instant Mobility System
emergency flat tire 
repair kit (IMS) 

Temporary spare tire is not
equipped with your Mazda, if 
tire repair is required, repair tire
with emergency flat tire repair 
kit, see Owner’s Manual
If a temporary spare tire is
required, consult your 
Authorized Mazda Dealer

Tire pressure 

monitoring system 

Warning light illuminates for a
few seconds when ignition is on
If tire pressure is too high or low, 
or tire temperature is too high
warning light will illuminate

3. Warm engine for 5-minutes at idle
4. Raise engine speed to 3000 

RPM for 10-seconds

5. Return to idle
6. Turn off engine

Tip: Warming up engine
improves engine life

Instrument panel lighting

With headlights on: 

To brighten/

dim turn thumbwheel up/down

Maximum illumination:

Rotate thumbwheel upward until
click is heard; instrument cluster
and information display illumination
color goes from red to white

Headlights/parking lights OFF:

Instrument panel lighting defaults
to maximum brightness

Headlights/parking lights ON:

Illumination changes 
brightness with dimmer 
switch adjustment

Traction Control

System (TCS)*/Dynamic
Stability Control (DSC)*

DSC light may occasionally flash
while driving, this indicates 
that the DSC was performing a
correction to help maintain your
best vehicle control, if DSC light
remains on, see your Mazda Dealer
If DSC light remains on after 
disconnecting battery or jump-
starting, you will need to perform
a Steering Angle Sensor calibration
procedure, after battery power is
restored: Ignition ON; turn steering
wheel to full left lock position;
then full right lock position; turn
ignition OFF, then ON

If the engine still fails to start, have
your vehicle inspected at the dealer
• Do not keep holding ignition 

switch in START position for more
than ten seconds, if the engine
does not start, it may result in 
a weakened or dead battery

• Please avoid racing engine 

or sudden take off right after 
starting the engine

• If these starting tips are not 

followed, engine may be 
DAMAGED as a result

Short trip driving procedure

For any trip that is too short for the
engine to reach normal operating
temperature, (needle in middle of
temperature gauge indicates normal
temperature), the following 
procedure should be followed**:
1. Start engine
2. Move vehicle

*Denotes optional equipment

**Moving vehicle at a car wash or moving

vehicle to access another vehicle would
be considered a short distance