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Trailer towing tips
•Practice turning, stopping and backing up before starting on a trip to
get the feel of the vehicle trailer combination. When turning, make
wider turns so the trailer wheels will clear curbs and other obstacles.
• Allow more distance for stopping with a trailer attached.
• The trailer tongue weight should be 10–15% of the loaded trailer
weight.
• After you have traveled 80 km (50 miles), thoroughly check your
hitch, electrical connections and trailer wheel lug nuts.
• To aid in engine/transmission cooling and A/C efficiency during hot
weather while stopped in traffic, place the gearshift lever in P (Park)
(automatic transmission) or N (Neutral) (manual transmissions).
• Vehicles with trailers should not be parked on a grade. If you must
park on a grade, place wheel chocks under the trailer’s wheels.
Launching or retrieving a boat
Disconnect the wiring to the trailer before backing the trailer
into the water. Reconnect the wiring to the trailer after the
trailer is removed from the water.
When backing down a ramp during boat launching or retrieval:
• do not allow the static water level to rise above the bottom edge of
the rear bumper.
• do not allow waves to break higher than 15 cm (6 inches) above the
bottom edge of the rear bumper.
Exceeding these limits may allow water to enter vehicle components:
• causing internal damage to the components.
• affecting driveability, emissions and reliability.
Replace the rear axle lubricant any time the axle has been submerged in
water. Rear axle lubricant quantities are not to be checked or changed
unless a leak is suspected or repair required.
RECREATIONAL TOWING
Follow these guidelines if you have a need for recreational towing. An
example of recreational towing would be towing your vehicle behind a
motorhome. These guidelines are designed to ensure that your
transmission is not damaged.
Driving
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•Revving the engine before turning it off may reduce fuel economy.
• Using the air conditioner or defroster may reduce fuel economy.
• You may want to turn off the speed control in hilly terrain if
unnecessary shifting between third and fourth gear occurs.
Unnecessary shifting of this type could result in reduced fuel
economy.
• Warming up a vehicle on cold mornings is not required and may
reduce fuel economy.
• Resting your foot on the brake pedal while driving may reduce fuel
economy.
• Combine errands and minimize stop-and-go driving.
Maintenance
• Keep tires properly inflated and use only recommended size.
• Operating a vehicle with the wheels out of alignment will reduce fuel
economy.
• Use recommended engine oil. Refer to Lubricant specificationsin
this chapter.
• Perform all regularly scheduled maintenance items. Follow the
recommended maintenance schedule and owner maintenance checks
found in your vehicle service maintenance section.
Conditions
• Heavily loading a vehicle or towing a trailer may reduce fuel economy
at any speed.
• 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).
• Adding certain accessories to your vehicle (for example bug
deflectors, rollbars/light bars, running boards, ski/luggage racks) may
reduce fuel economy.
• Using fuel blended with alcohol may lower fuel economy.
• Fuel economy may decrease with lower temperatures during the first
12–16 km (8–10 miles) of driving.
• Driving on flat terrain offers improved fuel economy as compared to
driving on hilly terrain.
• Transmissions give their best fuel economy when operated in the top
cruise gear and with steady pressure on the gas pedal.
2003 Mazda B Series (mbs)
New Owners Guide own2002 (own2002)
USA English (fus)
Maintenance and Specifications
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recommendations ...................200
refill capacities ........................231
specifications ..................235–236
Exhaust fumes ..........................114
F
Flexible Fuel Vehicle (FFV) ....208
Fluid capacities .........................231
Foglamps .....................................38
Four-Wheel Drive vehicles .......124 driving off road .......................126
electronic shift ........................125
indicator light .........................124
preparing to drive your
vehicle .....................................118
Fuel ............................................208 calculating fuel economy .......215
cap ...........................................211
capacity ...................................231
choosing the right fuel ...........212
comparisons with EPA fuel
economy estimates .................218
detergent in fuel .....................214
filling your vehicle
with fuel ..................208, 211, 215
filter, specifications ................214
fuel pump shut-off switch .....139
improving fuel economy ........215
octane rating ...................213, 236
quality ......................................213
running out of fuel .................214
safety information relating
to automotive fuels ................208
Fuel - flex fuel vehicle
(FFV) .........................208, 212–213
Fuel pump shut-off switch .......139
Fuses ..................................140–141
G
Gas cap (see Fuel cap) ............211 Gas mileage
(see Fuel economy) .................215
Gauges .........................................16
GAWR (Gross Axle
Weight Rating) ..........................129
calculating ...............................130
definition .................................129
driving with a heavy load ......129
location ....................................129
GVWR (Gross Vehicle
Weight Rating) ..........................129 calculating .......................129–130
definition .................................129
driving with a heavy load ......129
location ....................................129
H
Hazard flashers .........................139
Headlamps ...................................38 aiming ........................................39
bulb specifications ....................40
daytime running lights .............38
flash to pass ..............................39
high beam .................................39
replacing bulbs .........................41
turning on and off ....................38
Heating heating and air
conditioning system ...........35–36
Hood ..........................................191
I
Ignition ...............................110, 236
Infant seats (see Safety seats) ..97
Inspection/maintenance
(I/M) testing ..............................219
2003 Mazda B Series (mbs)
New Owners Guide own2002 (own2002)
USA English (fus)
Index
242