2012 MAZDA MODEL 3 4-DOOR height

Black plate (18,1)
CAUTION
When returning a rear-reclined
seatback to its upright position,
make sure you hold onto the
seatback with your other hand while
operating the lever. If the seatback is
not supported, it will flip forward
suddenly and could cause injury.
qHeight Adjustment (Driver's Seat)
To adjust the seat height, move the lever
up or down.
DownUp
Front Seats (Electrically
Operated Seats)
The power operated seat is available only
on the driver's seat. The front passenger
seat is manually operated.
Refer to Front Seats (Manually Operated
Seats) (page 2-2) for adjustment
instructions.
2-4
Essential Safety Equipment
Seats
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Form No.8BY6-EA-11F

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qSeat Recline
WARNING
Do not drive with either front seat
reclined:
Sitting in a reclined position while the
vehicle is moving is dangerous
because you do not get the full
protection from seat belts. During
sudden braking or a collision, you
can slide under the lap belt and
suffer serious internal injuries. For
maximum protection, sit well back
and upright.
To change the seatback angle, press the
front or rear side of the reclining switch.
Release the switch at the desired position.
q Height Adjustment
To adjust the seat height, move the switch
up or down.
2-6
Essential Safety Equipment
Seats
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Form No.8BY6-EA-11F

Black plate (24,1)
Head Restraints
Your vehicle is equipped with head
restraints on all outboard seats. The head
restraints are intended to help protect you
and the passengers from neck injury.
WARNING
Always drive with the head restraints
installed when seats are being used
and make sure they are properly
adjusted:Driving with the head restraints
adjusted too low or removed is
dangerous. With no support behind
your head, your neck could be
seriously injured in a collision.
qNormal Head Restraints
Height adjustment
To raise a head restraint, pull it up to the
desired position.
To lower the head restraint, press the stop-
catch release, then push the head restraint
down.
Adjust the head restraint so that the center
is even with the top of the passenger's
ears.
Front outboard seat
Rear outboard seat
Removal/Installation
To remove the head restraint, pull it up
while pressing the stop-catch.
To install the head restraint, press the
uprights into the holes while pressing the
stop-catch.
WARNING
Always drive with the head restraints
set up when seats are being used and
make sure they are properly set up:
Driving with the head restraints not
set up is dangerous. With no support
behind your head, your neck could be
seriously injured in a collision.
2-10
Essential Safety Equipment
Seats
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Form No.8BY6-EA-11F

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qUnfastening the Seat Belt
Depress the button on the seat belt buckle.
If the belt does not fully retract, pull it out
and check for kinks or twists. Then make
sure it remains untwisted as it retracts.
Button
NOTE
If a belt does not fully retract, inspect it for
kinks and twists. If it is still not retracting
properly, have it inspected at an Authorized
Mazda Dealer.
qFront Shoulder Belt Adjuster
Adjust the height of the shoulder belt if
the seat belt touches your neck, or if it
crosses your arm instead of your shoulder.
To raise the shoulder belt adjuster, push
the adjuster up. To lower the shoulder belt
adjuster, pull the adjuster and slide it
down. Make sure the adjuster is locked.
To raise To lower
WARNING
Positioning the Shoulder Portion of the
Seat Belt:
Improper positioning of the shoulder
portion of the seat belt is dangerous.
Always make sure the shoulder
portion of the seat belt is positioned
across your shoulder and near your
neck, but never under your arm, on
your neck, or on your upper arm.
Essential Safety Equipment
Seat Belt Systems
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Form No.8BY6-EA-11F

Black plate (62,1)
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
resulting in incorrect or unexpected air bag deployment and the possibility of serious
injuries.
Do not modify a front door or leave any damage unrepaired. Always have an
Authorized Mazda Dealer inspect a damaged front door: Modifying a front door or leaving any damage unrepaired is dangerous. Each front
door has a side crash sensor as a component of the supplemental restraint system. If
holes are drilled in a front door, a door speaker is left removed, or a damaged door is
left unrepaired, the sensor could be adversely affected causing it to not detect the
pressure of an impact correctly during a side collision. If a sensor does not detect a
side impact correctly, the side and curtain air bags and the front seat belt
pretensioner may not operate normally which could result in serious injury to
occupants.
Do not modify the supplemental restraint system: Modifying the components or wiring of the supplemental restraint system is
dangerous. You could accidentally activate it or make it inoperable. Do not make
any modifications to the supplemental restraint system. This includes installing trim,
badges, or anything else over the air bag modules. It also includes installing extra
electrical equipment on or near system components or wiring. An Authorized Mazda
Dealer can provide the special care needed in the removal and installation of front
seats. It is important to protect the air bag wiring and connections to assure that the
bags do not accidentally deploy, the driver seat slide position sensor and front
passenger seat weight sensors are not damaged and that the seats retain an
undamaged air bag connection.
NOTE
lWhen an air bag deploys, a loud inflation noise can be heard and some smoke will be released.
Neither is likely to cause injury, however, the texture of the air bags may cause light skin injuries
on body parts not covered with clothing through friction.
lShould you sell your Mazda, we urge you to tell the new owner of its air bag systems and that
familiarization with all instructions about them, from the Owner's Manual, is important.
lOn some models, a highly-visible label is displayed which warns against the use of rear-facing
child-restraint systems on the front passenger seat.
2-48
Essential Safety Equipment
SRS Air Bags
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Form No.8BY6-EA-11F

Black plate (202,1)
lThe detectability of the radar sensors has its limitations. The BSM system may not operate
properly under the following conditions:
lIce, snow, or soil adheres to the rear bumper surface around the radar sensors.lDuring adverse weather conditions such as rain or snow, or under conditions where water is
sprayed.
lThe rear bumper area around the radar sensors is blocked by foreign material (such as
stickers or a bicycle carrier).
lThe radar sensors may not detect all types of vehicles around your vehicle, especially the
following types of vehicles:
lMotorcycleslVehicles with body shapes that radar may not reflect such as a flatbed trailer with no cargo.lVehicles with lower body height such as sports cars.lHave the radar sensors inspected at an Authorized Mazda Dealer if any shock is applied to the
rear bumper, even in a minor accident. If the vehicle is driven with a damaged radar sensor, the
system may not operate properly resulting in an accident.
lFor repairs or paintwork around the radar sensors, or replacement of the bumper, consult an
Authorized Mazda Dealer.
lThe radar sensors of the BSM system may be regulated under the radio wave related laws of the
country where the vehicle is driven. The sensors in this system are approved for use in the U.S.A.
(including territories), Canada, and Mexico. If a vehicle with a BSM system is driven in a country
other than the U.S.A., Canada, or Mexico, the system has to be turned off using the BSM OFF
switch.
lThe detection area of the system has been determined based on the lane width of general
freeways. Therefore on a road with a narrower lane width, the system may detect vehicles on a
lane next to the adjacent lane and operate the warning light/beep. On a road with wider lane
width, the system may not detect vehicles on the adjacent lane and may not operate the warning
light/beep.
lOperation of the warning light/beep may be delayed or the system may not operate the warning
light/beep under the following conditions:
lThe vehicle accelerates from a standing-start with a vehicle alongside.lA vehicle moves from a lane two lanes over to the adjacent lane.lThe difference in vehicle speed between your vehicle and another vehicle is larger when
passing or being passed, and the vehicle passes the detection area within a short period of
time.
lOn a steep incline, or when there is a difference in height between lanes.lImmediately after the system has been activated by pressing the BSM OFF switch again after it
has been turned off (BSM OFF indicator light in instrument panel illuminates) by pressing the
switch.
lAlthough the system may detect objects on the road side such as parked vehicles or guardrails and
operate the warning light/beep, it does not indicate a malfunction.
lIf the vehicle is driven on a road with less traffic and few vehicles that the radar sensors can
detect, the system may pause (The BSM OFF indicator light in the instrument panel flashes).
However, it does not indicate a malfunction.
5-38
Driving Your Mazda
Starting and Driving
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Form No.8BY6-EA-11F

Black plate (370,1)
WARNING
Use only the front and rear jacking
positions recommended in this manual: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.
Do not jack up the vehicle in a position
other than the designated jack-up
position or place any objects on or
under the jack: Jacking up the vehicle in a position
other than the designated jack-up
position or placing objects on or
under the jack is dangerous as it
could deform the vehicle body or the
vehicle could fall off the jack
resulting in an accident.
Use only the jack provided with your
Mazda: Using a jack that is not designed for
your Mazda is dangerous. The vehicle
could slip off the jack and seriously
injure someone.
Never place 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. NOTEIf it is difficult to set the jack due to a lowered
vehicle height for reasons such as a tire
puncture, insert the jack from the middle of the
vehicle and slide it to the designated jack-up
point.
7. Insert the jack handle into the jack.
8. Turn the jack handle clockwise and
raise the vehicle high enough so that
the spare tire can be installed. Before
removing the lug nuts, make sure your
Mazda is firmly in position and that it
cannot slip or move.
7-12
In Case of an Emergency
Flat Tire
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Form No.8BY6-EA-11F

Black plate (428,1)
CAUTION
ØA wrong-sized wheel may
adversely affect:
ØTire fit
ØWheel and bearing life
ØGround clearance
ØSnow-chain clearance
ØSpeedometer calibration
ØHeadlight aim
ØBumper height
ØTire Pressure Monitoring
System
ØLimited-Slip Differential System
Ø (With Tire Pressure Monitoring
System)
ØWhen replacing/repairing the
tires or wheels or both, have the
work done by an Authorized
Mazda Dealer, or the tire
pressure sensors may be
damaged.
ØThe wheels equipped on your
Mazda are specially designed
for installation of the tire
pressure sensors. Do not use
non-genuine wheels, otherwise
it may not be possible to install
the tire pressure sensors.
NOTE
Be sure to install the tire pressure sensors
whenever tires or wheels are replaced. Refer to
Tires and Wheels on page 5-35.
When replacing a wheel, make sure the
new one is the same as the original factory
wheel in diameter, rim width, and offset
(inset/outset). Proper tire balancing provides the best
riding comfort and helps reduce tread
wear. Out-of-balance tires can cause
vibration and uneven wear, such as
cupping and flat spots.
8-42
Maintenance and Care
Owner Maintenance
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Form No.8BY6-EA-11F