2016 MAZDA MODEL 3 4-DOOR brakes

3–44
Before Driving
Driving Tips
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 the vehicle.
 Do not race the engine. Do not maintain one constant speed,
either slow or fast, for a long period of
time.
 Do not drive constantly at full-throttle or
high engine rpm for extended periods of
time.
 Avoid unnecessary hard stops. Avoid full-throttle starts.
Saving Fuel and
Protection of the
Environment
How you operate your Mazda determines
how far it will travel on a tank of fuel. Use
these suggestions to help save fuel and
reduce CO2.
 Avoid long warm-ups. Once the engine
runs smoothly, begin driving. Avoid fast starts. Drive at lower speeds. Anticipate when to apply the brakes
(avoid sudden braking). Follow the maintenance schedule
(page 6-4) and have an Authorized
Mazda Dealer perform inspections and
servicing.
 Use the air conditioner only when
necessary. Slow down on rough roads. Keep the tires properly inflated. Do not carry unnecessary weight. Do not rest your foot on the brake pedal
while driving. Keep the wheels in correct alignment. Keep windows closed at high speeds. Slow 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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3–45
Before Driving
Driving Tips
Hazardous Driving
WARNING
Be extremely careful if it is necessary to
downshift on slippery surfaces:Downshifting into lower gear
while driving on slippery surfaces is
dangerous. The sudden change in tire
speed could cause the tires to skid. This
could lead to loss of vehicle control
and an accident.
When driving on ice or in water, snow,
mud, sand, or similar hazards:
 Be cautious and allow extra distance for
braking. Avoid sudden braking and sudden
maneuvering. Do not pump the brakes. Continue to
press down on the brake pedal.
Refer to Antilock Brake System (ABS)
on page 4-62. If you get stuck, select a lower gear and
accelerate slowly. Do not spin the front
wheels.
 For more traction in starting on slippery
surfaces such as ice or packed snow,
use sand, rock salt, chains, carpeting, or
other nonslip material under the front
wheels.
NOTE
Use snow chains only on the front wheels.
Floor Mat
WARNING
Make sure the floor mats are hooked on
the retention pins to prevent them from
bunching up under the foot pedals: Using a floor mat that is not secured is
dangerous as it will interfere with the
accelerator and brake pedal operation,
which could result in an accident.
Do not install two floor mats, one on top
of the other, on the driver's side: Installing two floor mats, one on top
of the other, on the driver's side is
dangerous as the retention pins can
only keep one floor mat from sliding
forward.
If using a heavy duty floor mat for
winter use always remove the original
floor mat.
Loose floor mat(s) will interfere with
the foot pedal and could result in an
accident.
When setting a floor mat, position the floor
mat so that its grommets are inserted over
the pointed end of the retention posts.
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3–47
Before Driving
Driving Tips
 Never use warm or hot water for
removing snow or ice from windows and
mirrors as it could result in the glass
cracking.
 Drive slowly. Braking performance
can be adversely affected if snow or
ice adheres to the brake components. If
this situation occurs, drive the vehicle
slowly, releasing the accelerator pedal
and lightly applying the brakes several
times until the brake performance
returns to normal.
Snow 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.
Except Mexico
The 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.
Mexico
The vehicle is originally equipped with
summer tires designed for optimum
traction on wet and dry roads. If your
vehicle is to be used on snow and ice
covered roads, Mazda recommends that
you replace the tires originally equipped
on your vehicle with snow tires during the
winter months.
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.
Tire Chains
Check local regulations before using tire
chains.
CAUTION
 Chains may a ffect handling. Do not go faster than 50 km/h (30
mph) or the chain manufacturer's
recommended limit, whichever is lower.
 Drive carefully and avoid bumps, holes,
and sharp turns. Avoid locked-wheel braking. Do not use chains on a temporary spare
tire; it may result in damage to the
vehicle and to the tire.
 Do not use chains on roads that are free
of snow or ice. The tires and chains could
be damaged.
 Chains may scr atch or chip aluminum
wheels.
NOTE
The tire pressure monitoring system may
not function correctly when using tire
chains.
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3–48
Before Driving
Driving Tips
Install the chains on the front tires only.
Do not use chains on the rear tires.
Please consult an Authorized Mazda
Dealer.
Installing the chains
1. If your vehicle is equipped with wheel
covers remove them, otherwise the
chain bands will scratch them.
2. Secure the chains on the front tires as
tightly as possible.
Always follow the chain manufacturer's
instructions.
3. Retighten the chains after driving
1/2—1 km (1/4—1/2 mile).
Driving In Flooded Area
WARNING
Dry off brakes that have become
wet by driving slowly, releasing the
accelerator pedal and lightly applying
the brakes several times until the 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.
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4–30
When Driving
Transaxle
Shift Position Indication
The selector position is indicated when the
ignition is switched ON.
Gear position indication
In manual shift mode, the “M” of the shift
position indication illuminates and the
numeral for the selected gear is displayed.
Warning Light
The warning light turns on when the
system has a malfunction.
Refer to Warning Lights on page 4-21.
Transaxle Ranges
 The shift position indicator light in the
instrument cluster illuminates. Refer to
Warning/Indicator Lights on page
4-20.
 The selector lever must be in P or N to
operate the starter.
P (Park)
P locks the transaxle and prevents the front
wheels from rotating.
WARNING
Always set the selector lever to P and set
the parking brake: Only setting the selector lever to the
P position without using the parking
brake to hold the vehicle is dangerous.
If P fails to hold, the vehicle could move
and cause an accident.
CAUTION
 Shifting into P, N or R while the vehicle is
moving can damage your transaxle. Shifting into a driving gear or reverse
when the engine is running faster than
idle can damage the transaxle.
R (Reverse)
In position R, the vehicle moves only
backward. You must be at a complete
stop before shifting to or from R, except
under rare circumstances as explained in
Rocking the Vehicle (page 3-46).
N (Neutral)
In N, the wheels and transaxle are not
locked. The vehicle will roll freely even
on the slightest incline unless the parking
brake or brakes are on.
WARNING
If the engine is running faster than idle,
do not shift from N or P into a driving
gear: It's dangerous to shift from N or P
into a driving gear when the engine
is running faster than idle. If this is
done, the vehicle could move suddenly,
causing an accident or serious injury.
Do not shift into N when driving the
vehicle: Shifting into N while driving is
dangerous. Engine braking cannot
be applied when decelerating which
could lead to an accident or serious
injury.
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4–39
When Driving
Transaxle
Driving Tips
WARNING
Do not let the vehicle move in a
direction opposite to the direction
selected by the selector lever:Do not let the vehicle move backward
with the selector lever in a forward
position, or do not let the vehicle
move forward with the selector lever
in the reverse position. Otherwise, the
engine may 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.
NOTE
(Some models)
The accelerator pedal may initially feel
heavy as it is being depressed, then feel
lighter as it is depressed further. This
change in pedal force aids the engine
control system in determining how much
the accelerator pedal has been depressed
for performing kickdown, and functions to
control whether or not kickdown should be
performed.
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 the
load 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.
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4–58
When Driving
Brake
Brake System
Foot Brake
This vehicle has power-assisted brakes
that adjust automatically through normal
use.
Should power-assist fail, you can stop by
applying greater force than normal to the
brake pedal. But the distance required to
stop will be greater than usual.
WARNING
Do not coast with the engine stalled or
turned off, find a safe place to stop:Coasting with the engine stalled or
turned off is dangerous. Braking will
require more effort, and the brake's
power-assist could be depleted if
you pump the brake. This will cause
longer stopping distances or even an
accident.
Shift to a lower gear when going down
steep hills: Driving with your foot continuously on
the brake pedal or steadily applying
the brakes for long distances is
dangerous. This causes overheated
brakes, resulting in longer stopping
distances or even total brake failure.
This could cause loss of vehicle
control and a serious accident. Avoid
continuous application of the brakes. Dry off brakes that have become
wet by driving slowly, releasing the
accelerator pedal and lightly applying
the brakes several times until the 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 with your foot held on the
clutch pedal or brake pedal, or hold
the clutch pedal depressed halfway
unnecessarily. Doing so could result in
the following:
 The clutch and brake parts will wear
out more quickly. The brakes can overheat and
adversely affect brake performance.
 Always depress the brake pedal with
the right foot. Applying the brakes with
the unaccustomed left foot could slow
your reaction time to an emergency
situation resulting in insufficient braking
operation.

 Wear shoes appropriate for driving in
order to avoid your shoe contacting
the brake pedal when depressing the
accelerator pedal.
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4–60
When Driving
Brake
WARNING
Do not drive with worn disc pads:
Driving with worn disc pads is
dangerous. The brakes could fail and
cause a serious accident. As soon as
you hear a screeching noise consult an
Authorized Mazda Dealer.
Brake Assist
During emergency braking situations
when it is necessary to depress the brake
pedal with greater force, the brake assist
system provides braking assistance, thus
enhancing braking performance.
When the brake pedal is depressed hard or
depressed more quickly, the brakes apply
more firmly.
NOTE
 When the brake pedal is depressed hard
or depressed more quickly, the pedal
will feel softer but the brakes will apply
more firmly. This is a normal effect of
the brake assist operation and does not
indicate a malfunction.
 When the brake pedal is depressed
hard or depressed more quickly, a
motor/pump operation noise may be
heard. This is a normal effect of the
brake assist and does not indicate a
malfunction.
 The brake assist equipment does not
supersede the functionality of the
vehicle's main braking system.
Hill Launch Assist (HLA)
Hill Launch Assist (HLA) is a function
which assists the driver in accelerating
from a stop while on a slope. When
the driver releases the brake pedal and
depresses the accelerator pedal while
on a slope, the function prevents the
vehicle from rolling. The braking force is
maintained automatically after the brake
pedal is released on a steep grade.
For vehicles with a manual transaxle,
Hill Launch Assist (HLA) operates on a
downward slope when the shift lever is in
the reverse (R) position, and on an upward
slope when the shift lever is in a position
other than the reverse (R) position.
For vehicles with an automatic transaxle,
Hill Launch Assist (HLA) operates on a
downward slope when the selector lever
is in the reverse (R) position, and on an
upward slope when the selector lever is in
a forward gear.
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