2006 MAZDA MODEL RX 8 towing

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4Before Driving Your Mazda
Important information about driving your Mazda.
Fuel and Engine Exhaust Precautions ........................................ 4-2
Fuel Requirements .................................................................... 4-2
Emission Control System .......................................................... 4-3
Engine Exhaust (Carbon Monoxide) ......................................... 4-5
Before Starting the Engine ........................................................... 4-6
Before Getting In ...................................................................... 4-6
After Getting In ......................................................................... 4-6
Driving Tips ................................................................................... 4-7
Break-In Period ......................................................................... 4-7
Money-Saving Suggestions ...................................................... 4-7
Hazardous Driving .................................................................... 4-8
Rocking the Vehicle .................................................................. 4-9
Winter Driving .......................................................................... 4-9
Driving In Flooded Area ......................................................... 4-11
Overloading ............................................................................ 4-12
Towing ......................................................................................... 4-13
Trailer Towing ......................................................................... 4-13
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Trailer Towing
The Mazda RX-8 is not designed for
towing. Never tow a trailer with your
Mazda RX-8.
Before Driving Your Mazda
Towing
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Form No.8U58-EA-05J

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7In Case of an Emergency
Helpful information on what to do in an emergency.
Parking in an Emergency ............................................................. 7-2
Parking in an Emergency .......................................................... 7-2
Flat Tire ......................................................................................... 7-3
Spare Tire and Tool Storage ...................................................... 7-3
Instant Mobility System (IMS) Emergency Flat Tire Repair
Kit ............................................................................................. 7-5
Changing the Tire .................................................................... 7-12
Overheating ................................................................................. 7-18
Overheating ............................................................................. 7-18
Emergency Starting .................................................................... 7-20
Starting a Flooded Engine ....................................................... 7-20
Jump-Starting .......................................................................... 7-21
Push-Starting ........................................................................... 7-24
Emergency Towing ..................................................................... 7-25
Towing Description ................................................................. 7-25
Tiedown Hooks ....................................................................... 7-26
Recreational Towing ............................................................... 7-27
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8. When finished, carefully disconnect the
cables in the reverse order described in
Step 6.
NOTE
Verify that the engine cover is securely
installed.
Push-Starting
WARNING
Towing a Vehicle to Start It:
Towing a vehicle to start it is
dangerous. The vehicle being towed
could surge forward when its engine
starts, causing the two vehicles to
collide. The occupants could be
injured. Never tow a vehicle to start it.
You can't start a vehicle with an automatic
transmission by pushing it.
CAUTION
Do not push-start a vehicle that has a
manual transmission. It can damage the
emission control system.
7-24
In Case of an Emergency
Emergency Starting
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Towing Description
We recommend that towing be done only
by an Authorized Mazda Dealer or a
commercial tow-truck service.
Proper lifting and towing are necessary to
prevent damage to the vehicle.
Government and local laws must be
followed.
A towed vehicle usually should have its
rear wheels off the ground. If excessive
damage or other conditions prevent this,
use wheel dollies.
Wheel dollies
CAUTION
Don't tow the vehicle pointed forward
with driving wheels on the ground. This
may cause internal damage to the
transmission.
CAUTION
Don't tow with sling-type equipment.
This could damage your vehicle. Use
wheel-lift or flatbed equipment.
In Case of an Emergency
Emergency Towing
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Tiedown Hooks
CAUTION
Don't use the tiedown hooks under the
front and rear for towing.
They are designed ONLY for tying
down the vehicle when it's being
transported. Using them for towing will
damage the bumper.
qTiedown Hooks
1. Remove the tiedown eyelet and the lug
wrench from the trunk (page 7-3).
2. Wrap the lug wrench with a soft cloth
to prevent damage to the bumper and
open the cap located on the front and
rear bumper.
Front
Rear
CAUTION
The cap cannot be completely removed.
Do not use excessive force as it may
damage the cap or scratch the painted
bumper surface.
3. Securely install the tiedown eyelet
using the lug wrench.
Front
Rear
7-26
In Case of an Emergency
Emergency Towing
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4. Hook the tying rope to the tiedown
eyelet.
Front
Rear
CAUTION
If the tiedown eyelet is not securely
tightened, it may loosen or disengage
from the bumper when tying down the
vehicle. Make sure that the tiedown
eyelet is securely tightened to the
bumper.
Recreational Towing
An example of“recreational towing”is
towing your vehicle behind a motorhome.
The transmission is not designed for
towing this vehicle on all 4 wheels.
When doing recreational towing refer to
“Towing Description”(page 7-25) and
“Tiedown Hooks”(page 7-26) and
carefully follow the instructions.
In Case of an Emergency
Emergency Towing
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SAMPLE
CARGO
Cargo Weightincludes all weight added to the Base Curb Weight, including cargo and
optional equipment. When towing, trailer tongue load or king pin weight is also part of
cargo weight.
The cargo weight limit decreases depending on the number of vehicle occupants. The cargo
weight limit can be calculated by subtracting the total weight of the vehicle occupants from
the“combined weight of occupants and cargo should never exceed”value on the tire label.
9-32
Customer Information and Reporting Safety Defects
Tire Information (U.S.A.)
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Form No.8U58-EA-05J