2008 MAZDA MODEL RX 8 emergency towing

Black plate (245,1)
7In Case of an Emergency
Helpful information on what to do in an emergency.
Parking in an Emergency ............................................................. 7-2Parking 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 .................................................................... 7-11
Overheating ................................................................................. 7-16 Overheating ............................................................................. 7-16
Emergency Starting .................................................................... 7-18 Starting a Flooded Engine ....................................................... 7-18
Jump-Starting .......................................................................... 7-19
Push-Starting ........................................................................... 7-22
Emergency Towing ..................................................................... 7-23 Towing Description ................................................................. 7-23
Tiedown Hooks ....................................................................... 7-24
Recreational Towing ............................................................... 7-25
7-1
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Form No.8X44-EA-07G

Black plate (266,1)
Push-Starting
Do not push-start your Mazda.
WARNING
Never tow 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.
CAUTION
Do not push-start a vehicle that has
a manual transmission. It can
damage the emission control system.
NOTE
You can't start a vehicle with an automatic
transmission by pushing it.
7-22
In Case of an Emergency
Emergency Starting
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Form No.8X44-EA-07G

Black plate (267,1)
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
drive wheels (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
7-23
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Form No.8X44-EA-07G

Black plate (268,1)
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
7-24
In Case of an Emergency
Emergency Towing
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Form No.8X44-EA-07G

Black plate (269,1)
4. Hook the tying rope to the tiedowneyelet.
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 7-23) and
“ Tiedown Hooks ”(page 7-24) and
carefully follow the instructions.
In Case of an Emergency
Emergency Towing
7-25
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Form No.8X44-EA-07G

Black plate (369,1)
C
Child RestraintChild restraint precautions ......... 2-20
Installing child-restraint
systems ....................................... 2-24
LATCH child-restraint
systems ....................................... 2-30
Cigarette Lighter ............................... 6-47
Climate Control System ...................... 6-2
Gas specifications ...................... 10-5
Clock ................................................. 6-46
Coin Box ........................................... 6-50
Courtesy Lights ................................. 6-44
Cruise Control ................................... 5-20
Cup Holder ........................................ 6-49
Customer Assistance ........................... 9-2
D
Dashboard Illumination .................... 5-37
Daytime Running Lights ................... 5-56
Defroster Rear window .............................. 5-60
Dimensions ....................................... 10-5
Door Locks ....................................... 3-26
Driving In Flooded Area ..................... 4-9
Driving Tips ........................................ 4-6 Automatic transmission .............. 5-18
Break-in period ............................ 4-6
Driving in flooded area ................ 4-9
Hazardous driving ........................ 4-7
Money-saving suggestions ........... 4-6
Rocking the vehicle ...................... 4-7
Winter driving .............................. 4-8
Dynamic Stability Control (DSC) ..... 5-24 DSC OFF indicator light ............ 5-25
DSC OFF switch ........................ 5-26
TCS/DSC Indicator light ............ 5-25
E
Emergency Starting ........................... 7-18Jump-starting .............................. 7-19
Push-starting .............................. 7-22
Emergency Towing ........................... 7-23
Emission Control System .................... 4-3
Engine Coolant ....................................... 8-13
Exhaust gas .................................. 4-4
Hood release .............................. 3-38
Oil .............................................. 8-11
Overheating ................................ 7-16
Starting ......................................... 5-4
Engine Compartment Overview ........ 8-10
Engine Coolant Overheating ................................ 7-16
Engine Coolant Temperature
Gauge ................................................ 5-36
Exhaust Gas ........................................ 4-4
Exterior Care ..................................... 8-41
F
Flasher Hazard warning .......................... 5-61
Headlights .................................. 5-55
Flat Tire ............................................... 7-3 Changing .................................... 7-11
Instant Mobility System
(IMS) Emergency Flat Tire Repair
Kit ................................................ 7-5
Spare tire and tool storage ............ 7-3
Fluids Classification .............................. 10-4
Owner maintenance ..................... 8-8
Fog Lights ......................................... 5-57
Foot Brake .......................................... 5-5
Front Seats
(Electrically Operated Seats) ............... 2-5
Index
11-3
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Black plate (371,1)
L
Lane-Change Signals ........................ 5-57
Light BulbsReplacement ............................... 8-27
Specifications ............................. 10-6
Lighter ............................................... 6-47
Lighting Control ............................... 5-55
Lubricant Quality .............................. 10-4
M
Maintenance Introduction .................................. 8-2
Owner maintenance precautions ... 8-9
Owner maintenance schedule ....... 8-8
Scheduled ..................................... 8-3
Manual Transmission Operation ....... 5-10 Recommendations for shifting .... 5-11
Map Lights ........................................ 6-44
Meters and Gauges ........................... 5-33
Mirrors Outside mirrors .......................... 3-48
Rearview mirror ......................... 3-49
Money-Saving Suggestions ................ 4-6
Moonroof .......................................... 3-39
O
Odometer and Trip Meter .................. 5-34
Outside Mirrors ................................. 3-48
Overhead Console ............................. 6-50
Overhead Lights ................................ 6-44
Overheating ....................................... 7-16
Overloading ...................................... 4-10
P
Paint Damage .................................... 8-39
Parking Brake ..................................... 5-6
P
Parking in an Emergency .................... 7-2
Power Door Locks ............................ 3-28
Power Steering .................................. 5-19 Power steering malfunction indicator
light ............................................ 5-19
Power Windows ................................ 3-34
Push-Starting ..................................... 7-22
R
Rear Quarter Windows ..................... 3-36
Rear Seat ............................................. 2-8
Rear Window Defroster .................... 5-60
Rearview Mirror ................................ 3-49
Recreational Towing ......................... 7-25
Registering Your Vehicle in A Foreign
Country ............................................. 9-12
Rocking the Vehicle ............................ 4-7
S
Safety Defects, Reporting ................. 9-38
Seat Belt System 3-point type ................................ 2-13
Automatic locking ...................... 2-11
Belt minder ................................. 2-18
Emergency locking .................... 2-11
Extender ..................................... 2-17
Location of seat belt ................... 2-12
Pregnant women ......................... 2-11
Pretensioner and load limiting .... 2-14
Seat belt precautions .................... 2-9
Warning light/beep ..................... 2-18
Index
11-5
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Form No.8X44-EA-07G

Black plate (372,1)
S
SeatsFront seat
(Electrically operated seats) ......... 2-5
Front seat
(Manually operated seats) ............ 2-2
Rear seat ....................................... 2-8
Seat warmer .................................. 2-8
Security System Immobilizer system
(with advanced key) ................... 3-41
Immobilizer system
(without advanced key) .............. 3-43
Service Publications .......................... 9-40
Spare Tire and Tool Storage ................ 7-3
Specifications .................................... 10-4
Speed Unit Selector ........................... 5-34
Speedometer ...................................... 5-34
SRS Air Bags How the Air Bags Work ............. 2-40
Supplemental restraint systems
precautions ................................. 2-33
Starting the Engine .............................. 5-4
Steering Wheel .................................. 3-48 Horn ........................................... 5-60
Storage Box ...................................... 6-51
Storage Compartments ...................... 6-50 Center console ............................ 6-51
Coin box ..................................... 6-50
Glove box ................................... 6-50
Overhead console ....................... 6-50
Storage box ................................ 6-51
Sunshade ........................................... 3-40
Sunvisors .......................................... 6-43
T
Tachometer ........................................ 5-35
Temporary Spare Tire ....................... 8-25
T
Theft-Deterrent System ..................... 3-46
Tiedown Hook .......................................... 7-24
Tire Information ................................ 9-18
Tire Pressure Monitoring System ...... 5-27 System error activation .............. 5-30
Tire pressure monitoring system
warning light .............................. 5-28
Tires and wheels ......................... 5-31
Tires Flat tire ......................................... 7-3
Inflation pressure ........................ 8-22
Replacement ............................... 8-24
Rotation ...................................... 8-23
Snow tires .................................... 4-8
Spare tire and tool storage ............ 7-3
Specifications ............................. 10-6
Tire chains .................................... 4-9
Uniform tire quality grading system
(UTQGS) ................................... 9-16
Tool ..................................................... 7-3
Towing Description ................................. 7-23
Emergency towing ..................... 7-23
Recreational towing ................... 7-25
Trailer towing ............................. 4-11
Traction Control System (TCS) ........ 5-23 TCS/DSC indicator light ............ 5-24
Trailer Towing ................................... 4-11
Trip Meter ......................................... 5-34
Trunk Lid .......................................... 3-31 Inside trunk release lever ............ 3-33
Trunk Light ....................................... 3-33
Turn and Lane-Change Signals ......... 5-57
V
Vanity Mirrors ................................... 6-43
11-6
Index
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Form No.8X44-EA-07G