WARNING:To reduce the risk of electrical shock, do not use
your heater with ungrounded electrical systems or two-pronged
(cheater) adapters.
Prior to using the engine block heater, follow these recommendations for
proper and safe operation:
• For your safety, use an outdoor extension cord that is product
certified by Underwriter’s Laboratory (UL) or Canadian Standards
Association (CSA). Use only an extension cord that can be used
outdoors, in cold temperatures, and is clearly marked Suitable for Use
with Outdoor Appliances. Never use an indoor extension cord
outdoors; it could result in an electric shock or fire hazard.
• Use a 16 gauge outdoor extension cord, minimum.
• Use as short an extension cord as possible.
• Do not use multiple extension cords. Instead, use one extension cord
which is long enough to reach from the engine block heater cord to
the outlet without stretching.
• Make certain that the extension cord is in excellent condition (not
patched or spliced). Store your extension cord indoors at
temperatures above 32°F (0°C). Outdoor conditions can deteriorate
extension cords over a period of time.
• To reduce the risk of electrical shock, do not use your heater with
ungrounded electrical systems or two pronged (cheater) adapters.
Also ensure that the block heater, especially the cord, is in good
condition before use.
• Make sure that when in operation, the extension cord plug /engine
block heater cord plug connection is free and clear of water in order
to prevent possible shock or fire.
• Be sure that areas where the vehicle is parked are clean and clear of
all combustibles such as petroleum products, dust, rags, paper and
similar items.
• Be sure that the engine block heater, heater cord and extension cord
are solidly connected. A poor connection can cause the cord to
become very hot and may result in an electrical shock or fire. Be sure
to check for heat anywhere in the electrical hookup once the system
has been operating for approximately a half hour.
• Finally, have the engine block heater system checked during your fall
tune-up to be sure it’s in good working order.
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How to use the engine block heater
Ensure the receptacle terminals are clean and dry prior to use. To clean
them, use a dry cloth.
Depending on the type of factory installed equipment, your engine block
heater system may consume anywhere between 400 watts or 1000 watts
of energy per hour. Your factory installed block heater system does not
have a thermostat; however, maximum temperature is attained after
approximately three hours of operation. Block heater operation longer
than three hours will not improve system performance and will
unnecessarily use additional electricity.
Make sure system is unplugged and properly stowed before driving the
vehicle. While not in use, make sure the protective cover seals the
prongs of the engine block heater cord plug.
BRAKES
Occasional brake noise is normal. If a metal-to-metal, continuous grinding
or continuous squeal sound is present, the brake linings may be worn-out
and should be inspected by an authorized dealer. If the vehicle has
continuous vibration or shudder in the steering wheel while braking, the
vehicle should be inspected by an authorized dealer.
Refer toBrake system warning
light in the Instrument Cluster
chapter for information on the brake
system warning light.
Four-wheel anti-lock brake system (ABS)
Since your vehicle is equipped with an Anti-lock Braking System (ABS),
a noise from the hydraulic pump motor and pulsation in the pedal may
be observed during ABS braking events. Pedal pulsation coupled with
noise while braking under panic conditions or on loose gravel, bumps,
wet or snowy roads is normal and indicates proper functioning of the
vehicle’s anti-lock brake system.
NOTE: The ABS performs a self-check after you start the engine and
begin to drive away.
A brief mechanical noise may be heard during this test. This is normal. If
a malfunction is found, the ABS warning light will come on. If the vehicle
has continuous vibration or shudder in the steering wheel while braking,
the vehicle should be inspected by an authorized dealer.
P!
BRAKE
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The Electronic Stability Control system provides the following stability
enhancement features for certain driving situations:
•Traction Control (TCS), which functions to help avoid drive-wheel
spin and loss of traction.
• Dynamic Stability Control (DSC), which functions to help avoid skids
or lateral slides
• Roll Stability Control™ (RSC ), which functions to help avoid a
vehicle roll-over.
The Electronic Stability Control system automatically enables each time
the engine is started. All features of the Electronic Stability Control
system (TCS, DSC, and RSC ) are active and monitor the vehicle from
start-up. However, the system will only intervene if the driving situation
requires it.
The Electronic Stability Control
system includes an Electronic
Stability Control Offbuttononthe
center of the instrument panel, and
a “sliding car” icon
in the
instrument cluster. The “sliding car”
icon
in the instrument cluster will illuminate temporarily during
start-up as part of a normal system self-check, or during driving if a
driving situation causes the Electronic Stability Control system to
operate. If the “sliding car” icon
illuminates steadily, verify that the
Electronic Stability Control system is not manually disabled by pressing
the Electronic Stability Control Offbutton located on the center stack
of the instrument panel. If the “sliding car” icon
remains steadily
illuminated, have the system serviced by an authorized dealer
immediately.
When Electronic Stability Control performs a normal system self-check,
some drivers may notice a slight movement of the brake, and/or a
rumble, grunting, or grinding noise after startup and when driving off.
When an event occurs that activates Electronic Stability Control you may
experience the following:
• A slight deceleration of the vehicle
• The “sliding car”
indicator light will flash.
• A vibration in the pedal when your foot is on the brake pedal
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Stability Control system can be restored by pressing the Electronic
Stability ControlOffbutton again or by turning off and restarting the
engine.
If you switch off the Electronic Stability Control system, the sliding car
icon
will illuminate steadily. Pressing the Electronic Stability Control
Off button again will turn off the sliding caricon
.
In R (Reverse), ABS and the Engine and Brake Traction Control features
will continue to function; however, DSC and RSC are disabled.
Electronic Stability Control Features
Button
functions “Sliding
car”
icon
RSC DSCTraction
Control
Default at
start-up Illuminated
during bulb check Enabled Enabled Enabled
Button pressed
momentarily Illuminated
solid Enabled Enabled Disabled
Button pressed
again after
deactivation Not
illuminated Enabled Enabled Enabled
Trailer Sway Control (if equipped)
Your vehicle may be equipped with Trailer Sway Control (TSC). When
properly equipped, trailer sway control will use the sensors of the
vehicle’s Electronic Stability Control system to detect and attempt to
mitigate trailer sway by applying brake force at individual wheels and, if
necessary, by reducing engine power. No driver action is required.
WARNING: Trailer sway control does not prevent a trailer from
swaying, it mitigates the sway from increasing once it has
occurred. TSC cannot stop all trailers from swaying. If you are
experiencing trailer sway, it is likely that the trailer is improperly
loaded for the correct tongue weight or the speed of the vehicle and
trailer is too high. Pull the vehicle-trailer over to a safe location to
check the trailer weight distribution and tongue load and reduce speed
to a safe level while towing. If trailer sway is experienced, SLOW
DOWN. Always use caution when towing a trailer and follow the
tongue weight recommendations. Refer to the Trailer towingsection
in the Tires Wheels and Loading chapter of this owner’s manual
for more information on towing a trailer with your vehicle.
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Driving through deep water may damage the transmission.
If the rear axle is submerged in water, the axle lubricant should be
checked and changed, if necessary. The rear axle is filled with a lubricant
that does not normally require a lubricant change for the life of the
vehicle. Rear axle lubricant quantities should not need to be checked
unless a leak is suspected.
“Tread Lightly” is an educational
program designed to increase public
awareness of land-use regulations
and responsibilities in our nations
wilderness areas. Mazda Motor
Corporation joins the U.S. Forest Service and the Bureau of Land
Management in encouraging you to help preserve our national forest and
other public and private lands by “treading lightly.”
Driving on hilly or sloping terrain
Although natural obstacles may make it necessary to travel diagonally up
or down a hill or steep incline, you should always try to drive straight up
or straight down.Avoid driving crosswise or turning on steep
slopes or hills. A danger lies in losing traction, slipping sideways and
possibly rolling over. Whenever driving on a hill, determine beforehand
the route you will use. Do not drive over the crest of a hill without
seeing what conditions are on the other side. Do not drive in reverse
over a hill without the aid of an observer.
When climbing a steep slope or hill,
start in a lower gear rather than
downshifting to a lower gear from a
higher gear once the ascent has
started. This reduces strain on the
engine and the possibility of stalling.
If you do stall out, Do not try to
turnaround because you might roll
over. It is better to back down to a
safe location.
Apply just enough power to the wheels to climb the hill. Too much
power will cause the tires to slip, spin or lose traction, resulting in loss of
vehicle control.
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Note:Inspect the wheel pilot hole
prior to installation. If there is
visible corrosion in wheel pilot hole,
remove loose particles by wiping
with clean rag and apply grease.
Apply grease only to the wheel pilot
hole surface by smearing a “dime”
(1 square cm) sized glob of grease
around the wheel pilot surface (1)
with end of finger. DO NOT apply
grease to lugnut/stud holes or
wheel-to-brake surfaces.
OVERHEATING
If the temperature gauge indicates overheating and you experience
power loss, you hear a loud knocking or pinging noise, the engine is
probably too hot.
If this happens:
1. Drive safely to the side of the road and park off the right-of-way.
2. Shift the automatic transmission into P (Park) or the manual transmission into the neutral position, and apply the parking brake.
3. Turn off the air conditioner.
WARNING: Steam from an overheated engine is dangerous. The
escaping steam could seriously burn you. Open the hood ONLY
after steam is no longer escaping from the engine.
4. Check whether coolant or steam is escaping from under the hood or from the engine compartment.
• If steam is coming from the engine compartment: do not go near
the front of the vehicle. Stop the engine, then turn the ignition switch
to the ON position without starting the engine. The radiator cooling
fans will start to cool the engine.
• If neither coolant nor steam is escaping: open the hood and idle
the engine until it cools. If this does not lower the temperature, stop
the engine and let it cool.
5. Check the coolant level. If it is low, look for leaks in the radiator hoses and connections, heater hoses and connections, radiator and
water pump.
If you find a leak or other damage, or if coolant is still leaking, stop the
engine and call an authorized dealer.
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Preparing your vehicle
When the battery is disconnected or a new battery is installed, the
automatic transmission must relearn its shift strategy. As a result, the
transmission may have firm and/or soft shifts. This operation is
considered normal and will not affect function or durability of the
transmission. Over time, the adaptive learning process will fully update
transmission operation.1. Use only a 12–volt supply to start your vehicle.
2. Do not disconnect the battery of the disabled vehicle as this could damage the vehicle’s electrical system.
3. Park the booster vehicle close to the hood of the disabled vehicle making sure the two vehicles do nottouch. Set the parking brake on
both vehicles and stay clear of the engine cooling fan and other
moving parts.
4. Check all battery terminals and remove any excessive corrosion before you attach the battery cables. Ensure that vent caps are tight
and level.
5. Turn the heater fan on in both vehicles to protect from any electrical surges. Turn all other accessories off.
Connecting the jumper cables
1. Connect the positive (+) jumper cable to the positive (+) terminal of the discharged battery.
Note: In the illustrations, lightning boltsare used to designate the
assisting (boosting) battery.
+–+–
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Maintenance ItemMaintenance Interval (Number of months or km (miles),
whichever comes first)
Months 4 8 12 16 20 24 28 32 36 40 44 48
x 1000 miles 5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40 45 50 55 60
(x 1000 Km) (8) (16) (24) (32) (40) (48) (56) (64) (72) (80) (88) (96)
COOLING SYSTEM
Cooling system and hoses I I
Engine coolant (yellow) Replace at first 100,000 miles (160,000 km) or 72 months; after that, every 50,000 miles(80,000 km) or 36 months
Engine coolant level IIIIIIIIIIII
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
Function of all lights IIIIIIIIIIII
CHASSIS and BODY
Brake lines, hoses and connections II
Brake fluid level IIIIIIIIIIII
Disc brakes IIII
Drum brakes II
Tire (rotation), check wheel lug
nut torque *4 Rotate every 5,000 miles (8,000 km)
Tire inflation pressure and tire
wear IIIIIIIIIII I
Steering operation and linkages II
Power steering fluid level IIIIIIIIIIII
Manual transmission oil Replace every 100,000 miles (160,000 km)
Automatic transmission fluid Replace every 30,000 miles (48,000 km)
Rear differential
fluid (4WD only) *3 Replace every 100,000 miles (160,000 km)
Transfer case fluid
(4WD only) *3 Replace every 30,000 miles (48,000 km)
Front and rear suspension ball
joints II
Driveshaft dust boots II
Bolts and nuts on chassis and body IIII
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