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Do not increase the total seated weight on the front passenger seat:When an infant or small child sits on the front passenger seat, increasing the total
seated weight on the front passenger seat is dangerous. The front passenger seat
weight sensors will detect the increased total seated weight, which could result in the
unexpected deployment of the front passenger front and side air bags and seat belt
pretensioner system in an accident and may cause serious injury. Increasing the total
seated weight on the front passenger seat could result in the front passenger front
and side air bags and seat belt pretensioner system deployment in an accident under
the following conditions, for example:
ØLuggage or other items are placed on the seat with the child in the child-restraint
system.
Ø A rear passenger or luggage push or pull down on the front passenger seatback.
Ø A rear passenger steps on the front passenger seat rails with their feet.
Ø Luggage or other items are placed on the seatback or hung on the head restraint
or armrest.
Ø Heavy items are placed in the seatback map pocket.
Ø The seat is washed.
Ø Liquids are spilled on the seat.
Ø The front passenger seat is moved backward, pushing into luggage or other items
placed behind it.
Ø The front passenger seatback contacts the second-row seat.
Ø Luggage or other items are placed between the front passenger seat and driver
seat.
Ø Any accessories which might increase the total seated weight on the front
passenger seat are attached to the front passenger seat.
The front passenger front and side air bags and seat belt pretensioner systems will
deactivate if the front passenger air bag deactivation indicator light illuminates.
CAUTION
Ø To assure proper deployment of the front air bag and to prevent damage to the
sensors in the front seat bottoms:
ØDo not place sharp objects on the front seat bottoms or leave heavy luggage on
them.
ØDo not spill any liquids on the front seats or under the front seats.
Ø To allow the sensors to function properly, always perform the following:
ØAdjust the front seats as far back as possible and always sit upright against the
seatbacks with seat belts worn properly.
ØIf you place your child on the front passenger seat, secure the child-restraint
system properly and slide the front passenger seat as far back as possible (page
2-40).
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Essential Safety Equipment
SRS Air Bags
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NOTElThe system requires about 10 seconds to alternate between turning the front passenger front and
side air bags and seat belt pretensioner system on or off.
lThe front passenger air bag deactivation indicator light may illuminate repeatedly if luggage or
other items are put on the front passenger seat, or if the temperature of the vehicle's interior
changes suddenly.
lThe front passenger air bag deactivation indicator light may illuminate for 10 seconds if the total
seated weight on the front passenger seat changes.
lThe air bag/front seat belt pretensioner system warning light might illuminate if the front
passenger seat receives a severe impact.
lIf the front passenger air bag deactivation indicator light does not illuminate after installing a
child-restraint system on the front passenger seat, first, re-install your child-restraint system
according to the procedure in this owner's manual. Then, if the front passenger air bag
deactivation indicator light still does not illuminate, install the child-restraint system on the rear
seat and consult an Authorized Mazda Dealer as soon as possible.
lIf the front passenger air bag deactivation indicator light illuminates when an adult is seated in
the front passenger seat, have the passenger re-adjust their posture by sitting with their feet on the
floor, and then re-fastening the seat belt. If the front passenger air bag deactivation indicator light
still illuminates, move the passenger to the rear seat. If sitting in the rear seat is not possible, slide
the front passenger seat as far back as possible.
qDriver and Front Passenger Buckle Switches
The buckle switches on the front seat belts detect whether or not the front seat belts are
securely fastened and further control the deployment of the air bags.
Essential Safety Equipment
SRS Air Bags
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Monitoring and Maintenance
qConstant Monitoring
The following components of the air bag systems are monitored by a diagnostic system:
lCrash sensors, and diagnostic module (SAS unit)lFront air bag sensorlAir bag moduleslSide crash sensorslAir bag/Front seat belt pretensioner system warning lightlFront seat belt pretensionerslRelated wiring
(With Driver and Front Passenger Occupant Classification System)
lFront passenger air bag deactivation indicator lightlDriver seat slide position sensorlFront passenger seat weight sensorslFront passenger seat weight sensor control module
The diagnostic module continuously monitors the system's readiness. This begins when the
ignition is switched ON and continues while the vehicle is being driven.
q Maintenance
The air bag systems do not require regular maintenance. But if any of the following occurs,
take your vehicle to an Authorized Mazda Dealer as soon as possible:
lThe air bag system warning light flashes.lThe air bag system warning light remains illuminated.lThe air bag system warning light does not illuminate when the ignition is switched ON.lThe air bag system warning beep sound is heard.lThe air bags have deployed.l(With Driver and Front Passenger Occupant Classification System)
Front passenger air bag deactivation indicator light does not illuminate when the ignition
is switched ON or does not illuminate as indicated in the chart. For more details about
this indicator light and this chart, refer to “Front passenger seat weight sensors ”(page
2-59).
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Essential Safety Equipment
SRS Air Bags
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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.
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.
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Before Driving Your Mazda
Driving Tips
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Driving In Flooded Area
WARNING
Dry wet brakes by driving very slowly
and applying the brakes lightly until
brake performance returns to normal:Driving with wet brakes is
dangerous. Increased stopping
distance or the vehicle pulling to one
side when braking could result in a
serious accident. Light braking will
indicate whether the brakes have
been affected.
CAUTION
Do not drive the vehicle on flooded
roads as it could cause short
circuiting of electrical/electronic
parts, or engine damage or stalling
from water absorption. If the vehicle
has been immersed in water, consult
an Authorized Mazda Dealer.
Overloading
WARNING
Be careful not to overload your vehicle:The gross axle weight rating (GAWR)
and the gross vehicle weight rating
(GVWR) of your vehicle are on the
Motor Vehicle Safety Standard Label
on the driver's door frame. Exceeding
these ratings can cause an accident
or vehicle damage. You can estimate
the weight of your load by weighing
the items (or people) before putting
them in the vehicle.
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Before Driving Your Mazda
Driving Tips
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qDriving Tips
WARNING
Do not allow the vehicle to move in
reverse on an up-slope while the
selector lever is in a forward gear
position, or move forward on a down-
slope while the selector lever is in the
reverse position.
Otherwise, the engine will stop,
causing the loss of the power brake
and power steering functions, and
make it difficult to control the vehicle
which could result in an accident.
Passing
For extra power when passing another
vehicle or climbing steep grades, depress
the accelerator fully. The transaxle will
shift to a lower gear, depending on vehicle
speed.
Climbing steep grades from a stop
To climb a steep grade from a stopped
position:
1. Depress the brake pedal.
2. Shift to D or M1, depending on theload weight and grade steepness.
3. Release the brake pedal while gradually accelerating.
Descending steep grades
When descending a steep grade, shift to
lower gears, depending on load weight
and grade steepness. Descend slowly,
using the brakes only occasionally to
prevent them from overheating.
Power Steering
Power steering is only operable when the
engine is running. If the engine is off or if
the power steering system is inoperable,
you can still steer, but it requires more
physical effort.
If the steering feels stiffer than usual
during normal driving, consult an
Authorized Mazda Dealer.
CAUTION
Never hold the steering wheel to the
extreme left or right for more than 5
seconds with the engine running.
This could damage the power
steering system.
qPower Steering Malfunction
Indicator Light
This indicator light illuminates when the
ignition is switched ON, and turns off
when the engine is started.
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Driving Your Mazda
Starting and Driving
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qLights-On Reminder
If lights are on and the key is removed
from the ignition switch, a continuous
beep sound will be heard when the
driver's door is opened.
NOTE
A personalized function is available to change
the sound volume for the lights-on reminder.
Refer to Personalization Features on page
10-8.
qHeadlight High-Low Beam
Press the lever forward to turn on the high
beams.
Pull the lever back to its original position
for the low beams.
High beam
Low beam
qFlashing the Headlights
To flash the headlights, pull the lever fully
towards you (the headlight switch does
not need to be on). The lever will return to
the normal position when released.
OFF
Flashing
q Headlight Levelingí
The number of passengers and weight of
cargo in the luggage compartment change
the angle of the headlights.
The headlight leveling switch is used to
adjust the angle of the headlights
manually.
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Driving Your Mazda
íSome models.
Switches and Controls
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qInspecting Electrolyte Level
A low level of electrolyte fluid will cause
the battery to discharge quickly.
Upper level
Lower level
Inspect the electrolyte level at least once a
week. If it's low, remove the caps and add
enough distilled water to bring the level
between the upper and lower level
(illustration).
Don't overfill.
Examine the specific gravity of the
electrolyte with a hydrometer, especially
during cold weather. If it's low, recharge
the battery.
Tires
For reasons of proper performance, safety,
and better fuel economy, always maintain
recommended tire inflation pressures and
stay within the recommended load limits
and weight distribution.
WARNING
Using Different Tire Types: Driving your vehicle with different
types of tires is dangerous. It could
cause poor handling and poor
braking; leading to loss of control.
Except for the limited use of the
temporary spare tire, use only the
same type tires (radial, bias-belted,
bias-type) on all four wheels.
Using Wrong-Sized Tires: Using any other tire size than what is
specified for your Mazda (page 10-6)
is dangerous. It could seriously affect
ride, handling, ground clearance, tire
clearance, and speedometer
calibration. This could cause you to
have an accident. Use only tires that
are the correct size specified for your
Mazda.
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Maintenance and Care
Owner Maintenance
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