Black plate (145,1)
WARNING
Use only the same size and type tires
(snow, radial, or non-radial) on all
four wheels:
Using tires different in size or type is
dangerous. Your vehicle's handling
could be greatly affected and result in
an accident.
CAUTION
Check local regulations before using
studded tires.
NOTE
If your vehicle is equipped with the tire
pressure monitoring system, the system
may not function correctly when using
tires with steel wire reinforcement in
the sidewalls (page 5-28).
qTire Chains
Check local regulations before using tire
chains.
CAUTION
lChains may scratch or chip
aluminum wheels. Install tire chains
on steel wheels only.
lChains may affect handling.
lDon't go faster than 50 km/h (30
mph) or the chain manufacturer's
recommended limit, whichever is
lower.
lDrive carefully and avoid bumps,
holes, and sharp turns.
lAvoid locked-wheel braking.
lDon't use chains on a temporary
spare tire; it may result in damage to
the vehicle and to the tire.
lDon't use chains on roads that are
free of snow or ice. The tires and
chains could be damaged.
NOTE
If your vehicle is equipped with the tire
pressure monitoring system, the system
may not function correctly when using
tire chains.
Install the chains on the front tires.
Don't use chains on the rear tires.
Use only genuine Mazda tire chains.
Please consult an Authorized Mazda
Dealer.
Before Driving Your Mazda
Driving Tips
4-9
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Form No.8V28-EA-06B
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WARNING
Always make sure the trailer hitch is securely attached before departure:
An unsecured trailer hitch is dangerous as it causes greater trailer sway from
crosswinds, rough roads or other causes, resulting in loss of control and a serious
accident.
Examine all trailer-hitch mounting bolts regularly and tighten any that are loose. If
the hitch is removed, seal any open mounting holes to prevent exhaust, dust, water,
dirt and other foreign elements from filtering in, possibly endangering personal safety
and damaging your vehicle.
Do not install a hitch that stiffens the bumper as it will reduce the bumper's
performance.
Make sure there are no exhaust gas leaks into the passenger compartment if any
mounting bolts are connected to the body:
Modifying your vehicle exhaust system is dangerous. Exhaust gas entering the vehicle
could cause loss of consciousness or even death.
When mounting the trailer hitch, make no modifications to the vehicle exhaust system.
CAUTION
lMake all hitch adjustments with actual loads. Don't load and unload vehicle while
adjusting hitch. This action will change the vehicle height.
lDon't use an axle-mounted hitch. This may damage the axle and related parts.
qTires
When towing a trailer, make sure all tires are inflated to the recommended cold-tire
pressure, as indicated on the tire pressure chart on the driver's door frame. Trailer tire size,
load rating, and inflation pressures should conform to tire manufacturer specifications.
WARNING
Never use the temporary spare tire when towing:
Using the temporary spare tire on your vehicle when towing a trailer is dangerous as it
could result in tire failure, loss of control, and injury to vehicle occupants.
4-16
Before Driving Your Mazda
Towing
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Form No.8V28-EA-06B
Black plate (173,1)
qAWD Warning Light
This warning light stays on for a few
seconds when the ignition switch is turned
to the ON position.
Thereafter, the warning light will
illuminate or flash under the following
conditions:
lIlluminates when there is an
abnormality with the AWD system.
lFlashes when the differential oil
temperature is abnormally high.
lFlashes when there are continually
large differences between front and rear
wheel rotation, such as when trying to
pull away from an icy surface.
If the AWD warning light illuminates:
If the AWD warning light illuminates,
contact an Authorized Mazda Dealer.
If the AWD warning light flashes:
Park the vehicle in a safe place. After a
few moments; if the warning light stops
flashing, you can resume driving. If the
light does not stop flashing, contact an
Authorized Mazda Dealer.
WARNING
Never spin a wheel that is off the
ground:
Spinning a wheel that is off the
ground as a result of the vehicle being
stuck or in a ditch is dangerous. The
drive assembly could be seriously
damaged which could lead to an
accident or could even lead to
overheating, oil leakage, and a fire.
qTires and Tire Chains
The condition of the tires plays a large
role in the performance of the vehicle.
Moreover, to prevent adverse effects to
the drive assembly, please note the
following:
Tires
lWhen replacing tires, always replace
all front and rear tires at the same time.
lAll tires must be of the same size,
manufacture, brand and tread pattern.
Pay particular attention when
equipping snow or other types of
winter tires.
lDo not mix tread-worn tires with
normal tires.
lInspect tire inflation pressures at the
specified periods and adjust to the
specified pressures.
NOTE
Check the tire inflation pressure label
attached to driver's door frame for the
correct tire inflation pressure.
Driving Your Mazda
Starting and Driving
5-17
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Form No.8V28-EA-06B
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lMake sure to equip the vehicle with
genuine wheels of the specified size,
on all wheels. With AWD, the system
is calibrated for all four wheels being
of the same dimensions.
Tire chains
lInstall tire chains to the front tires.
lDo not drive the vehicle faster than 30
km/h (19 mph) with the tire chains
installed.
lDo not drive the vehicle with tire
chains on road conditions other than
snow or ice.
qTowing
If the vehicle requires towing, have it
towed with all four wheels completely off
the ground(page 7-19).
Cruise Control
With cruise control, you can set and
automatically maintain any speed of more
than about 30 km/h (19 mph).
WARNING
Do not use the cruise control under
the following conditions:
Using the cruise control under the
following conditions is dangerous and
could result in loss of vehicle control.
lHilly terrainlSteep inclineslHeavy or unsteady trafficlSlippery or winding roadslSimilar restrictions that require
inconsistent speed
qCruise Main Indicator Light
(Amber)/Cruise Set Indicator
Light (Green)
The indicator light has two colors.
Cruise Main Indicator Light (Amber)
The indicator light illuminates amber
when the ON/OFF switch is pressed and
the cruise control system is activated.
Cruise Set Indicator Light (Green)
The indicator light illuminates green when
a cruising speed has been set.
5-18
Driving Your Mazda
Starting and Driving
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Form No.8V28-EA-06B
Black plate (181,1)
Dynamic Stability Control
(DSC)
The Dynamic Stability Control (DSC)
automatically controls braking and engine
torque in conjunction with systems such
as ABS and TCS to help control side slip
when driving on slippery surfaces, or
during sudden or evasive maneuvering,
enhancing vehicle safety.
Refer to ABS (page 5-7) and TCS (page
5-22).
DSC operation is possible at speeds
greater than 20 km/h (12 mph).
WARNING
Do not rely on the dynamic stability
control as a substitute for safe driving:
The dynamic stability control (DSC)
cannot compensate for unsafe and
reckless driving, excessive speed,
tailgating (following another vehicle
too closely), and hydroplaning
(reduced tire friction and road contact
because of water on the road surface).
You can still have an accident.
CAUTION
lThe DSC may not operate correctly
unless the following are observed:
lUse tires of the correct size
specified for your Mazda on all
four wheels.
lUse tires of the same
manufacturer, brand and tread
pattern on all four wheels.
lDo not mix worn tires.
lThe DSC may not operate correctly
when tire chains are used or a
temporary spare tire is installed
because the tire diameter changes.
qTCS/DSC Indicator Light
This indicator light stays on for a few
seconds when the ignition switch is turned
to the ON position. If the TCS or DSC is
operating, the indicator light flashes.
If the light stays on, the TCS or DSC may
have a malfunction and they may not
operate correctly. Take your vehicle to an
Authorized Mazda Dealer.
Driving Your Mazda
Starting and Driving
5-25
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Form No.8V28-EA-06B
Black plate (182,1)
Tire Pressure Monitoring
System
í
The tire pressure monitoring system
(TPMS) monitors the pressure for each
tire.
If tire pressure is too low in one or more
tires, the system will inform the driver via
the warning light in the instrument panel
and by the warning beep sound.
The tire pressure sensors installed on each
wheel send tire pressure data by radio
signal to the receiver unit in the vehicle.
Tire pressure sensors
NOTE
When the ambient temperature is low
due to seasonal changes, tire
temperatures are also lower. If the tire
temperature lowers, the air pressure
lowers as well, and the TPMS warning
light illuminates more frequently.
Inspect the tire pressure dailybefore
driving, and check the tire pressures
monthly with a tire pressure gauge.
When checking the tire pressures, use
of a digital tire pressure gauge is
recommended.TPMS does not alleviate your need to
check the pressure and condition of all
four tires before you drive each day.
CAUTION
lEach tire, including the spare (if
provided), should be checked
monthly when cold and inflated to
the inflation pressure recommended
by the vehicle manufacturer on the
vehicle placard or tire inflation
pressure label. (If your vehicle has
tires of a different size than the size
indicated on the vehicle placard or
tire inflation pressure label, you
should determine the proper tire
inflation pressure for those tires.)
As an added safety feature, your
vehicle has been equipped with a tire
pressure monitoring system (TPMS)
that illuminates a low tire pressure
telltale when one or more of your
tires is significantly under-inflated.
Accordingly, when the low tire
pressure telltale illuminates, you
should stop and check your tires as
soon as possible, and inflate them to
the proper pressure. Driving on a
significantly under-inflated tire
causes the tire to overheat and can
lead to tire failure. Under-inflation
also reduces fuel efficiency and tire
tread life, and may affect the
vehicle's handling and stopping
ability.
Please note that the TPMS is not a
substitute for proper tire
maintenance, and it is the driver's
responsibility to maintain correct tire
pressure, even if under-inflation has
not reached the level to trigger
illumination of the TPMS low tire
pressure telltale.
5-26
Driving Your Mazda
íSome models.
Starting and Driving
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Form No.8V28-EA-06B
Black plate (279,1)
CAUTION
lWhen using the temporary spare tire,
driving stability may decrease
compared to when using only the
conventional tire.
Drive carefully.
lTo avoid damage to the temporary
spare or to the vehicle, observe the
following precautions:
lDon't exceed 80 km/h (50 mph).lAvoid driving over obstacles.
Also, don't drive through an
automatic car wash. This tire's
diameter is smaller than a
conventional tire's, so the ground
clearance is reduced about 25 mm
(1 in).
lDon't use a tire chain on this tire
because it won't fit properly.
lDon't use your temporary spare
on any other vehicle; it has been
designed only for your Mazda.
lUse only one temporary spare tire
on your vehicle at the same time.
(With limited slip differential)
When using the temporary spare tire on
the front axle, replace it with a standard
tire as soon as possible. The size
difference between the spare and the
standard tire will cause the limited slip
differential to malfunction.
NOTE
(With Tire Pressure Monitoring
System)
A tire pressure sensor is not installed to
the temporary spare tire. The warning
light will flash continuously while the
temporary spare tire is being used (page
5-27).
To remove the spare tire
1. Remove the trunk board and spare tire
cover.
Trunk board
Spare tire cover
2. Turn the tire hold-down bolt
counterclockwise with the lug wrench.
In Case of an Emergency
Flat Tire
7-5
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Form No.8V28-EA-06B
Black plate (281,1)
6. Block the wheel diagonally opposite
the flat tire. When blocking a wheel,
place a tire block both in front and
behind the tire.
NOTE
When blocking a tire, use rocks or
wood blocks of sufficient size to hold
the tire in place.
qRemoving a Flat Tire
1. Loosen the lug nuts by turning them
counterclockwise one turn each, but
don't remove any lug nuts until the tire
has been raised off the ground.
2. Place the jack under the jacking
position closest to the tire being
changed.
Jacking position
WARNING
Incorrect Jacking Position:
Attempting to jack the vehicle in
positions other than those
recommended in this manual is
dangerous. The vehicle could slip off
the jack and seriously injure or even
kill someone. Use only the front and
rear jacking positions recommended
in this manual.
Improper Jack:
Using a jack that isn't designed for
your Mazda is dangerous. The vehicle
could slip off the jack and seriously
injure someone. Use only the jack
provided with your Mazda.
Placing Objects Under the Jack:
Jacking the vehicle with an object
under the jack is dangerous. The jack
could slip and someone could be
seriously injured by the jack or the
falling vehicle. Never place objects
under the jack.
In Case of an Emergency
Flat Tire
7-7
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Form No.8V28-EA-06B