2011 MAZDA MODEL RX 8 tow

Black plate (414,1)
NOTE
Tires degrade over time, even when they are not being used on the road. It is recommended that tires
generally be replaced when they are 6 years or older. Heat caused by hot climates or frequent high
loading conditions can accelerate the aging process. You should replace the spare tire when you
replace the other road tires due to the aging of the spare tire. The period in which the tire was
manufactured (both week and year) is indicated by a 4-digit number.
Refer to The tire labeling on page 9-21.
qSafety Practices
The way you drive has a great deal to do with your tire mileage and safety. So cultivate
good driving habits for your own benefit.
lObserve posted speed limitslAvoid fast starts, stops and turnslAvoid potholes and objects on the roadlDo not run over curbs or hit the tire against the curb when parking
CAUTION
If you feel a sudden vibration or ride disturbance while driving or you suspect your
tire or vehicle has been damaged, immediately reduce your speed. Drive with caution
until you can safely pull off the road. Stop and inspect the tire for damage. If the tire
is under-inflated or damaged, deflate it, remove the tire and rim and replace it with
your spare tire. If you cannot detect a cause, have the vehicle towed to the nearest
vehicle or tire dealer to have the vehicle inspected.
9-32
Customer Information and Reporting Safety Defects
Tire Information (U.S.A.)
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Form No.8BQ7-EA-10H

Black plate (415,1)
Vehicle Loading
WARNING
Do not tow a trailer with this vehicle:
Towing a trailer with this vehicle is dangerous because it has not been designed to
tow a trailer and doing so will affect the drive system which could result in vehicle
damage.
This section will guide you in the proper loading of your vehicle, to keep your loaded
vehicle weight within its design rating capability. Properly loading your vehicle will
provide maximum return of vehicle design performance. Before loading your vehicle,
familiarize yourself with the following terms for determining your vehicle's weight ratings,
from the vehicle's Safety Certification Label and Tire and Load Information Label:
WARNING
Overloaded Vehicle:
Overloading a vehicle is dangerous. The results of overloading can have serious
consequences in terms of passenger safety. Too much weight on a vehicle's
suspension system can cause spring or shock absorber failure, brake failure,
handling or steering problems, irregular tire wear, tire failure or other damage.
Overloading makes a vehicle harder to drive and control. It also increases the
distance required for stopping. In cases of serious overloading, brakes can fail
completely, particularly on steep grades. The load a tire will carry safely is a
combination of the size of the tire, its load range, and corresponding inflation
pressure.
Never overload the vehicle and always observe the vehicle's weight ratings from the
vehicle's Safety Certification and Tire and Load Information labels.
Customer Information and Reporting Safety Defects
Tire Information (U.S.A.)
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Form No.8BQ7-EA-10H

Black plate (419,1)
SAMPLE
WARNING
Exceeding Axle Weight Rating Limits:
Exceeding the Safety Certification Label axle weight rating limits is dangerous and
could result in death or serious injury as a result of substandard vehicle handling,
performance, engine, transmission and/or structural damage, serious damage to the
vehicle, or loss of control.
Always keep the vehicle within the axle weight rating limits.
Do not tow a trailer with this vehicle:
Towing a trailer with this vehicle is dangerous because it has not been designed to
tow a trailer and doing so will affect the drive system which could result in vehicle
damage.
Customer Information and Reporting Safety Defects
Tire Information (U.S.A.)
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Steps for Determining the Correct Load Limit:
Steps for Determining Correct Load Limit:
(1) Locate the statement“The combined weight of occupants and cargo should
never exceed XXX kg or XXX lbs”on your vehicle's placard.
(2) Determine the combined weight of the driver and passengers that will be
riding in your vehicle.
(3) Subtract the combined weight of the driver and passengers from XXX kg
or XXX lbs.
(4) The resulting figure equals the available amount of cargo and luggage load
capacity. For example, if the“XXX”amount equals 1400 lbs. and there
will be five 150 lb passengers in your vehicle, the amount of available
cargo and luggage load capacity is 650 lbs. (1400_
750 (5 × 150) = 650
lbs.)
(5) Determine the combined weight of luggage and cargo being loaded on the
vehicle. That weight may not safely exceed the available cargo and luggage
load capacity calculated in Step 4.
(6) If your vehicle will be towing a trailer, the load from your trailer will be
transferred to your vehicle. Consult this manual to determine how this
reduces the available cargo and luggage load capacity of your vehicle.
Customer Information and Reporting Safety Defects
Tire Information (U.S.A.)
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Form No.8BQ7-EA-10H

Black plate (423,1)
Reporting Safety Defects (Canada)
Canadian customers who wish to report a safety-related defect to Transport Canada, Defect
Investigations and Recalls, may telephone the toll free hotline 1-800-333-0510, or contact
Transport Canada by mail at: Transport Canada, ASFAD, Place de Ville Tower C, 330
Sparks Street, Ottawa ON K1A 0N5.
For additional road safety information, please visit the Road Safety website at:
http://www.tc.gc.ca/roadsafety/menu.htm
Customer Information and Reporting Safety Defects
Reporting Safety Defects
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Form No.8BQ7-EA-10H

Black plate (437,1)
C
Capacities .......................................... 10-5
Carbon Monoxide ............................... 4-4
Catalytic Converter ............................. 4-3
Cell Phones ....................................... 9-16
Center Console .................................. 6-86
Child Restraint
Child-restraint system installation
position ...................................... 2-30
Installing child-restraint
systems ....................................... 2-31
LATCH child-restraint
systems ....................................... 2-37
Cigarette Lighter ............................... 6-82
Climate Control System ...................... 6-2
Gas specifications ...................... 10-5
Clock ................................................. 6-81
Coin Box ........................................... 6-85
Courtesy Lights ................................. 6-79
Cruise Control ................................... 5-23
Cup Holder ........................................ 6-84
Customer Assistance ........................... 9-2
D
Dashboard Illumination .................... 5-39
Daytime Running Lights ................... 5-62
Defroster
Mirror ......................................... 5-69
Rear window .............................. 5-68
Dimensions ....................................... 10-5
Door Locks ....................................... 3-26
Driving In Flooded Area ................... 4-11
Driving on Uneven Road .................. 4-12
D
Driving Tips ........................................ 4-6
Automatic transmission .............. 5-21
Break-in period ............................ 4-6
Driving in flooded area .............. 4-11
Driving on uneven road ............. 4-12
Hazardous driving ........................ 4-7
Money-saving suggestions ........... 4-6
Rocking the vehicle ...................... 4-8
Winter driving .............................. 4-9
Dynamic Stability Control (DSC) ..... 5-27
DSC OFF indicator light ............ 5-28
DSC OFF switch ........................ 5-29
TCS/DSC Indicator light ............ 5-28
E
Emergency Starting ........................... 7-19
Jump-starting .............................. 7-20
Push-starting .............................. 7-23
Emergency Towing ........................... 7-24
Emission Control System .................... 4-3
Engine
Coolant ....................................... 8-14
Exhaust gas .................................. 4-4
Hood release .............................. 3-43
Oil .............................................. 8-12
Overheating ................................ 7-17
Starting ......................................... 5-4
Engine Compartment Overview ........ 8-11
Engine Coolant
Overheating ................................ 7-17
Engine Coolant Temperature
Gauge ................................................ 5-39
Exhaust Gas ........................................ 4-4
Exterior Care ..................................... 8-44
Index
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R
Rear Window Defroster .................... 5-68
Rearview Mirror ................................ 3-55
Recreational Towing ......................... 7-27
Registering Your Vehicle in A Foreign
Country ............................................. 9-14
Rocking the Vehicle ............................ 4-8
S
Safety Defects, Reporting ................. 9-40
Seat Belt System
3-point type ................................ 2-19
Automatic locking ...................... 2-17
Belt reminder .............................. 2-24
Emergency locking .................... 2-17
Extender ..................................... 2-22
Location of seat belt ................... 2-18
Pregnant women ........................ 2-17
Pretensioner and load limiting .... 2-20
Seat belt precautions .................. 2-15
Warning light/beep ..................... 2-24
Seats
Front seat
(Electrically operated seats) ......... 2-6
Front seat
(Manually operated seats) ............ 2-2
Rear seat ..................................... 2-12
Seat warmer ................................ 2-13
Security System
Immobilizer system
(with advanced key) ................... 3-46
Immobilizer system
(without advanced key) .............. 3-49
Service Publications .......................... 9-42
Spare Tire and Tool Storage ................ 7-3
Specifications .................................... 10-4
Speed Unit Selector ........................... 5-37
Speedometer ...................................... 5-37
S
SRS Air Bags
How the Air Bags Work ............. 2-46
Supplemental restraint systems
precautions ................................. 2-40
Starting the Engine .............................. 5-4
Steering Wheel .................................. 3-54
Horn ........................................... 5-69
Storage Box ...................................... 6-86
Storage Compartments ...................... 6-85
Center console ............................ 6-86
Coin box ..................................... 6-85
Glove compartment .................... 6-85
Overhead console ....................... 6-85
Storage box ................................ 6-86
Sunshade ........................................... 3-45
Sunvisors .......................................... 6-78
T
Tachometer ........................................ 5-38
Temporary Spare Tire ....................... 8-26
Theft-Deterrent System ..................... 3-51
Tiedown
Hook .......................................... 7-25
Tire Information ................................ 9-21
Tire Pressure Monitoring System ...... 5-30
System error activation .............. 5-34
Tire pressure monitoring system
warning light .............................. 5-32
Tires and wheels ......................... 5-34
11-6
Index
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T
Tires
Flat tire ......................................... 7-3
Inflation pressure ........................ 8-24
Replacement ............................... 8-25
Rotation ...................................... 8-25
Snow tires .................................... 4-9
Spare tire and tool storage ............ 7-3
Specifications ............................. 10-6
Tire chains .................................. 4-10
Uniform tire quality grading system
(UTQGS) ................................... 9-19
Tool ..................................................... 7-3
Towing
Description ................................. 7-24
Emergency towing ..................... 7-24
Recreational towing ................... 7-27
Trailer towing ............................. 4-13
Traction Control System (TCS) ........ 5-26
TCS/DSC indicator light ............ 5-27
Trailer Towing .................................. 4-13
Trip Meter ......................................... 5-37
Trunk Lid .......................................... 3-31
Inside trunk release lever ............ 3-33
Trunk Light ....................................... 3-32
Turn and Lane-Change Signals ......... 5-63
V
Vanity Mirrors ................................... 6-78
Vehicle Information Labels ............... 10-2
W
Warning Lights ................................. 5-41
ABS ............................................ 5-44
Air bag system ........................... 5-47
Automatic transmission .............. 5-49
Brake system .............................. 5-43
Charging system ......................... 5-45
Check engine .............................. 5-46
Door-ajar .................................... 5-49
Engine coolant level ................... 5-46
Engine oil level .......................... 5-45
Front seat belt pretensioner
system ........................................ 5-47
KEY ............................................ 5-52
Low fuel ..................................... 5-47
Low washer fluid level ............... 5-49
Seat belt ...................................... 5-47
Tire pressure monitoring
system ........................................ 5-50
Warranty ............................................ 9-11
Washer Fluid ..................................... 8-17
Weights ............................................. 10-5
Wheel Replacement .......................... 8-27
Windows
Power windows .......................... 3-34
Rear quarter windows ................ 3-41
Windshield Washer ........................... 5-67
Windshield Wipers ............................ 5-64
Blades replacement .................... 8-19
Winter Driving .................................... 4-9
Index
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