Black plate (50,1)
Do not allow a child or anyone to lean
over or against the side window of a
vehicle with side and curtain air bags:
It is dangerous to allow anyone to
lean over or against the side window,
the area of the front passenger seat,
the front and rear window pillars and
the roof edge along both sides from
which the side and curtain air bags
deploy, even if a child-restraint
system is used. The impact of
inflation from a side or curtain air
bag could cause serious injury or
death to an out of position child.
Furthermore, leaning over or against
the front door could block the side
and curtain air bags and eliminate
the advantages of supplemental
protection. With the front air bag and
the additional side air bag that
comes out of the front seat, the rear
seat is always a better location for
children. Take special care not to
allow a child to lean over or against
the side window, even if the child is
seated in a child-restraint system.
qFront Passenger's Seat Child-
Restraint System Installation
1. Slide the seat as far back as possible.
2. Secure the child-restraint system with
the lap portion of the lap/shoulder belt.
See the manufacturer's instructions on
the child-restraint system for belt
routing instructions.
3. To get the retractor into the automatic
locking mode, pull the shoulder belt
portion of the seat belt until the entire
length of the belt is out of the retractor.
4. Push the child-restraint system firmly
into the vehicle seat. Be sure the belt
retracts as snugly as possible. A
clicking noise from the retractor will be
heard during retraction if the system is
in automatic locking mode. If the belt
does not lock the seat down tight,
repeat the previous step and also this
one.
NOTE
lInspect this function before each use of the
child-restraint system. You should not be
able to pull the shoulder belt out of the
retractor while the system is in the
automatic locking mode. When you remove
the child-restraint system, be sure the belt
fully retracts to return the system to
emergency locking mode before occupants
use the seat belts.
lFollow the child-restraint system
manufacturer's instructions carefully.
Depending on the type of child-restraint
system, it may not employ seat belts which
are in automatic locking mode.
2-38
Essential Safety Equipment
Child Restraint
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Form No.8AS7-EA-09E
Black plate (59,1)
Do not touch the components of the supplemental restraint system after the air bags
have inflated:
Touching the components of the supplemental restraint system after the air bags
have inflated is dangerous. Immediately after inflation, they are very hot. You could
get burned.
Never install any front-end equipment to your vehicle:
Installation of front-end equipment, such as frontal protection bar (kangaroo bar,
bull bar, push bar, or other similar devices), snowplow, or winches, is dangerous. The
air bag crash sensor system could be affected. This could cause air bags to inflate
unexpectedly, or it could prevent the air bags from inflating during an accident.
Front occupants could be seriously injured.
Do not modify the suspension:
Modifying the vehicle suspension is dangerous. If the vehicle's height or the
suspension is modified, the vehicle will be unable to accurately detect a collision or
roll-over accident resulting in incorrect or unexpected air bag deployment and the
possibility of serious injuries.
Do not use tires or wheels other than those specified for your Mazda:
Use of any tire or wheel other than those specified for your Mazda (page 10-7) is
dangerous. Use of such wheels will prevent the vehicle's accident detections system
from accurately detecting a collision or roll-over accident resulting in incorrect or
unexpected air bag deployment and the possibility of serious injuries.
Do not overload your vehicle:
Overloading your vehicle is dangerous as is could prevent the air bag crash sensor
system from accurately detecting a collision or roll-over accident resulting in
incorrect or unexpected air bag deployment and the possibility of serious injuries.
The gross axle weight rating (GAWR) and the gross vehicle weight rating (GVWR) for
your vehicle are on the Motor Vehicle Safety Standard Label on the driver door
frame. Do not exceed these ratings.
Do not drive the vehicle off-road:
Driving your Mazda off-road is dangerous because the vehicle has not been designed
to do such. Driving the vehicle off-road could prevent the air bag crash sensor system
from accurately detecting a collision or roll-over accident resulting in incorrect or
unexpected air bag deployment and the possibility of serious injuries.
Essential Safety Equipment
SRS Air Bags
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Form No.8AS7-EA-09E
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Before Getting In
lBe sure the windows, outside mirrors,
and outside lights are clean.
lInspect inflation pressures and
condition of tires.
lLook under the vehicle for any sign of
fluid leaks.
lIf you plan to back up, make sure
nothing is in your way.
NOTE
Engine oil, engine coolant, brake fluid, washer
fluid, and other fluid levels should be
inspected. See Maintenance, Section 8.
After Getting In
lAre all doors closed and locked?lIs the seat adjusted properly?lAre the inside and outside mirrors
adjusted?
lIs the steering wheel adjusted properly?lIs everyone's seat belt fastened?lCheck all gauges.lCheck all warning lights when the
ignition switch is turned to the ON
position.
lRelease the parking brake and make
sure the brake warning light goes off.
Always be thoroughly familiar with your
Mazda.
4-6
Before Driving Your Mazda
Before Starting the Engine
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Form No.8AS7-EA-09E
Black plate (149,1)
Break-In Period
No special break-in is necessary, but a few
precautions in the first 1,000 km (600
miles) may add to the performance,
economy, and life of your Mazda.
lDo not race the engine.lDo not maintain one constant speed,
either slow or fast, for a long period of
time.
lDo not drive constantly at full-throttle
or high engine rpm for extended
periods of time.
lAvoid unnecessary hard stops.lAvoid full-throttle starts.lDo not tow a trailer.
Money-Saving Suggestions
How you operate your Mazda determines
how far it will travel on a tank of fuel. Use
these suggestions to help save money on
fuel and repairs.
lAvoid long warm-ups. Once the engine
runs smoothly, begin driving.
lAvoid fast starts.lKeep the engine tuned. Follow the
maintenance schedule (page 8-3) and
have an Authorized Mazda Dealer
perform inspections and servicing.
lUse the air conditioner only when
necessary.
lSlow down on rough roads.lKeep the tires properly inflated.lDo not carry unnecessary weight.lDo not rest your foot on the brake
pedal while driving.
lKeep the wheels in correct alignment.lKeep windows closed at high speeds.lSlow down when driving in crosswinds
and headwinds.
WARNING
Never stop the engine when going
down a hill:
Stopping the engine when going
down a hill is dangerous. This causes
the loss of power steering and power
brake control, and may cause
damage to the drivetrain. Any loss of
steering or braking control could
cause an accident.
Before Driving Your Mazda
Driving Tips
4-7
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Form No.8AS7-EA-09E
Black plate (152,1)
Winter Driving
lCarry emergency gear, including tire
chains, window scraper, flares, a small
shovel, jumper cables, and a small bag
of sand or salt.
Ask an Authorized Mazda Dealer to
perform the following precautions:
lHave the proper ratio of antifreeze in
the radiator.
Refer to Engine Coolant on page 8-22.
lInspect the battery and its cables. Cold
reduces battery capacity.
lUse only cold-weather engine oil (page
8-19).
lInspect the ignition system for damage
and loose connections.
lUse washer fluid made with
antifreeze―but do not use engine
coolant antifreeze for washer fluid
(page 8-28).
lDo not use the parking brake in
freezing weather as it may freeze.
Instead, shift to P and block the rear
wheels.
lDo not apply excessive force to a
window scraper when removing ice or
frozen snow on the mirror glass and
windshield.
lNever use warm or hot water for
removing snow or ice from windows
and mirrors as it could result in the
glass cracking.
qSnow Tires
Use snow tires on all four wheels
Do not go faster than 120 km/h (75 mph)
while driving with snow tires. Inflate
snow tires 30 kPa (0.3 kgf/cm
2, 4.3 psi)
more than recommended on the tire
pressure label (driver's door frame), but
never more than the maximum cold-tire
pressure shown on the tires.
Your vehicle is originally equipped with
all season radials designed to be used all
year around. In some extreme climates
you may find it necessary to replace them
with snow tires during the winter months
to further improve traction on snow and
ice covered roads.
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
5-31).
4-10
Before Driving Your Mazda
Driving Tips
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Form No.8AS7-EA-09E
Black plate (160,1)
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
ØMake all hitch adjustments with actual loads. Do not load and unload vehicle
while adjusting hitch. This action will change the vehicle height.
ØDo not 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.
4-18
Before Driving Your Mazda
Towing
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Form No.8AS7-EA-09E
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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, or when
trying to extricate the vehicle from
mud, sand or similar conditions.
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.
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.
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Driving Your Mazda
Starting and Driving
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Form No.8AS7-EA-09E
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CAUTION
ØEach 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.
ØYour vehicle has also been equipped with a TPMS malfunction indicator to
indicate when the system is not operating properly.
The TPMS malfunction indicator is combined with the low tire pressure telltale.
When the system detects a malfunction, the telltale will flash for approximately
one minute and then remain continuously illuminated. This sequence will
continue upon subsequent vehicle start-ups as long as the malfunction exists.
When the malfunction indicator is illuminated, the system may not be able to
detect or signal low tire pressure as intended. TPMS malfunctions may occur for a
variety of reasons, including the installation of replacement or alternate tires or
wheels on the vehicle that prevent the TPMS from functioning properly. Always
check the TPMS malfunction telltale after replacing one or more tires or wheels on
your vehicle to ensure that the replacement or alternate tires and wheels allow
the TPMS to continue to function properly.
ØTo avoid false readings, the system samples for a little while before indicating a
problem. As a result it will not instantaneously register a rapid tire deflation or
blow out.
NOTE
This device complies with part 15 of the FCC Rules. Operation is subject to the following two
conditions: (1) This device may not cause harmful interference, and (2) this device must accept any
interference received, including interference that may cause undesired operation.
5-28
Driving Your Mazda
Starting and Driving
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Form No.8AS7-EA-09E