
WRECKER TOWING
If you need to have your vehicle towed, contact a professional towing
service or, if you are a member, your roadside assistance center.
It is recommended that your vehicle be towed with a wheel lift and
dollies or flatbed equipment. Do not tow with a slingbelt. Mazda has not
approved a slingbelt towing procedure.
If your vehicle is to be towed from the rear using wheel lift equipment, it
is recommended that the front wheels (drive wheels) be placed on a
dolly to prevent damage to the transaxle.
Roadside emergencies
153

On 4x4 vehicles, it is recommended that your vehicle be towed with a
wheel lift and dollies or flatbed equipment with all the wheels off the
ground.
If the vehicle is towed by other means or incorrectly, vehicle
damage may occur.
In case of a roadside emergency with a disabled vehicle (without access
to wheel dollies, car hauling trailer or flatbed transport vehicle) your
vehicle (regardless of powertrain configuration) can be flat towed (all
wheels on the ground) under the following conditions:
²Place the transmission in N (Neutral).
² Maximum speed is 56 km/h (35 mph).
² Maximum distance is 80 km (50 miles).
Mazda provides a towing manual for all authorized tow truck operators.
Have your tow truck operator refer to this manual for proper hook-up
and towing procedures for your vehicle.
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154

INTRODUCTION
Be extremely careful to prevent injury to yourself and others and
damage to your vehicle when using this manual for inspection and
maintenance.
If you're unsure about any procedure it describes, we strongly urge you
to have a reliable and qualified service shop perform the work, preferably
an Authorized Mazda Dealer.
Factory-trained Mazda technicians and genuine Mazda parts are best for
your vehicle. Without this expertise and the parts that have been
designed and made especially for your Mazda, inadequate, incomplete,
and insufficient servicing may result in problems. This could lead to
vehicle damage or an accident and injuries.
For expert advice and quality service, consult an Authorized Mazda Dealer.
The owner should retain evidence that proper maintenance has been
performed as prescribed.
A claim against a warranty will not qualify if it results from lack of
maintenance and not from defective material or authorized Mazda
workmanship.
Any auto repair shop using parts equivalent to your Mazda's original
equipment may perform maintenance.But we recommend that it
always be done by an Authorized Mazda Dealer using genuine
Mazda parts.
SCHEDULED MAINTENANCE
Follow Schedule 1 if the vehicle is operated mainly where none of the
following conditions apply. If any do apply, follow Schedule 2.
² Repeated short trips of less than 16 kilometers (10 miles)
² Driving in dusty, sandy or wet conditions
² Driving with an extended use of brakes
² Driving in areas where salt or other corrosive materials are being used
² Driving on rough or muddy roads
² Extended periods of idling or low-speed operation
² Driving for long periods in cold temperatures or extremely humid
climates
² Towing a trailer or using a car-top carrier
NOTE:After the described period, continue to follow the described
maintenance at the recommended intervals.
Maintenance and care
155

²Combine errands and minimize stop-and-go driving.
Maintenance
²Keep tires properly inflated and use only recommended size.
² Operating a vehicle with the wheels out of alignment will reduce fuel
economy.
² Perform all regularly scheduled maintenance items. Follow the
recommended maintenance schedule and owner maintenance checks
found in your vehicle service maintenance section.
Conditions
²Heavily loading a vehicle or towing a trailer may reduce fuel economy
at any speed.
² Carrying unnecessary weight may reduce fuel economy (approximately
0.4 km/L [1 mpg] is lost for every 180 kg [400 lb] of weight carried).
² Adding certain accessories to your vehicle (for example bug
deflectors, rollbars/light bars, running boards, ski/luggage racks) may
reduce fuel economy.
² Using fuel blended with alcohol may lower fuel economy.
² Fuel economy may decrease with lower temperatures during the first
12±16 km (8±10 miles) of driving.
² Driving on flat terrain offers improved fuel economy as compared to
driving on hilly terrain.
² Transmissions give their best fuel economy when operated in the top
cruise gear and with steady pressure on the gas pedal.
² Close windows for high speed driving.
EPA window sticker
Every new vehicle should have the EPA window sticker. Contact your
dealer if the window sticker is not supplied with your vehicle. The EPA
window sticker should be your guide for the fuel economy comparisons
with other vehicles.
It is important to note the box in the lower left corner of the window
sticker. These numbers represent the Range of L/100 km (MPG)
expected on the vehicle under optimum conditions. Your fuel economy
may vary depending upon the method of operation and conditions.
Maintenance and care
197

Instrument panelcleaning ...................................210
cluster ..........................................8
lighting up panel and
interior .......................................18
location of components ..............8
J
Jack ............................................142 positioning ...............................142
storage .....................................142
Jump-starting your vehicle ......147
K
Keys .......................................61±63 key in ignition chime ...............14
positions of the ignition ...........39
L
Lamps bulb replacement
specifications chart ................204
cargo lamps ...............................18
daytime running light ...............49
fog lamps ...................................50
headlamps .................................49
headlamps, flash to pass ..........50
instrument panel, dimming .....18
interior lamps ...................48, 204
replacing bulbs .......200, 202±204
Lane change indicator
(see Turn signal) ........................50
Liftgate ........................................56
Lights, warning and indicator ......8 air bag ........................................10
anti-lock brakes (ABS) ....10, 108
anti-theft ...................................11 brake ..........................................10
charging system ........................12
cruise indicator .........................11
door ajar ....................................12
fuel cap light .............................14
high beam .................................11
low coolant ................................13
low fuel ........................................9
oil pressure ...............................12
overdrive off ..............................13
safety belt .................................10
service engine soon ....................8
turn signal indicator .................11
Load limits .................................124 GAWR ......................................124
GVWR ......................................124
trailer towing ..........................124
Loading instructions .................126
Locks childproof ..................................53
doors ..........................................52
Lubricant specifications ...........214
M
Manual transaxle .......................116 fluid, checking and adding ....179
reverse .....................................118
Manual transmission fluid capacities ........................212
Mirrors cleaning ...................................211
fold away ...................................19
side view mirrors (power) .......18
Moon roof ....................................47
Motorcraft parts ........................194
Index
228

T
Tachometer .................................16
Tires ...........................142, 184±186changing ..........................142±143
checking the pressure ............186
replacing ..................................188
rotating ....................................186
snow tires and chains ............188
tire grades ...............................185
treadwear ................................185
Towing .......................................127 recreational towing .................131
trailer towing ..........................127
wrecker ....................................153
Transaxle automatic operation ...............111
fluid, checking and adding
(manual) .................................179
manual operation ....................116
Transmission fluid, checking and adding
(automatic) .............................177
fluid, refill capacities ..............212
Turn signal ............................11, 50
V
Vehicle dimensions ...................214
Vehicle Identification Number
(VIN) ..........................................216 Vehicle loading ..........................124
Ventilating your vehicle ...........106
W
Warning chimes ...........................14
Warning lights (see Lights) .........8
Washer fluid ..............................170
Water, Driving through .............126
Windows
power .........................................51
rear wiper/washer .....................45
Windshield washer fluid and
wipers checking and adding fluid .....170
checking and cleaning ....183±184
liftgate reservoir .....................171
operation ...................................44
replacing wiper blades ...........184
Wrecker towing .........................153
Index
230