2017 MAZDA MODEL CX-5 wheel

3–35
Before Driving
Steering Wheel
*Some models.
Steering Wheel
WARNING
Never adjust the steering wheel while
the vehicle is moving: Adjusting the steering wheel while
the vehicle is moving is dangerous.
Moving it can very easily cause the
driver to abruptly turn to the left or
right. This can lead to loss of control or
an accident.

Steering Wheel Adjustment
To change the angle or length of the
steering wheel:

1. Stop the vehicle, and then pull down the lock release lever under the steering
column.


Lock release lever
2. Tilt the steering wheel and/or adjust the steering column length to the desired
positions, then push the lever up to lock
the column.
3. Attempt to push the steering wheel up and down to make sure it's locked
before driving.

Heated Steering Wheel *
The grips on the left and right of the
steering wheel can be warmed up.

Heated steering
wheel switchHeating area

The ignition must be switched ON.

Press the switch to turn on the heated
steering wheel. The heated steering wheel
operates for about 30 minutes and then
turns off automatically.
The indicator light illuminates when the
heater is operating.

To turn off the heated steering wheel
before the 30 minutes has elapsed, press
the switch again.
CAUTION
The following types of persons should
be careful not to touch the steering
wheel. Otherwise, it could cause a low-
temperature burn.
 Infants, small children, elderly people, and physically challenged
people
 People with delicate skin People who are excessively fatigued People who are intoxicated People who have taken sleep-inducing medicine such as sleeping
pills or cold medicine

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3–49
Before Driving
Driving Tips
Break-In Period
No special break-in is necessary, but a
few precautions in the fi rst 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.  Do not tow a trailer.
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 CO
2 .   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 in fl ated.   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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3–50
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.

Avoid sharp turns, excessive speed and
abrupt maneuvers when driving this
vehicle: Sharp turns, excessive speed and
abrupt maneuvering of this vehicle
are dangerous as it could result in the
increased risk of loss of vehicle control,
vehicle roll-over, personal injury or
death.
This vehicle has a higher center of
gravity. Vehicles with a higher center of
gravity such as utility vehicles handle
diff erently than vehicles with a lower
center of gravity.
Utility vehicles are not designed for
cornering at high speeds any more
than low profi le sports cars are
designed to perform satisfactorily
under off -road conditions.
In addition, utility vehicles have a
signifi cantly higher rollover rate than
other types of vehicles.
In a rollover crash, an unbelted person
is signifi cantly more likely to die than a
person wearing a seat belt.

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 4-82 .
  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.
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3–51
Before Driving
Driving Tips
Floor Mat
We recommend the use of Genuine
Mazda fl oor mats.
WARNING
Make sure the fl oor mats are hooked on
the retention pins to prevent them from
bunching up under the foot pedals: Using a fl oor 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 fl oor mats, one on top
of the other, on the driver's side: Installing two fl oor mats, one on top
of the other, on the driver's side is
dangerous as the retention pins can
only keep one fl oor mat from sliding
forward.
Loose fl oor mat(s) will interfere with
the foot pedal and could result in an
accident.
If using an all-weather mat for winter
use always remove the original fl oor
mat.


When setting a fl oor mat, position the fl oor
mat so that its grommets are inserted over
the pointed end of the retention posts.
Rocking the Vehicle
WARNING
Do not spin the wheels at more than
56 km/h (35 mph), and do not allow
anyone to stand behind a wheel when
pushing the vehicle: When the vehicle is stuck, spinning the
wheels at high speed is dangerous.
The spinning tire could overheat and
explode. This could cause serious
injuries.

CAUTION
Too much rocking may cause engine
overheating, transaxle failure, and tire
damage.

If you must rock the vehicle to free it from
snow, sand or mud, depress the accelerator
slightly and slowly move the shift lever
from 1 (D) to R.
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3–52
Before Driving
Driving Tips
Winter Driving
Carry emergency gear, including tire
chains, window scraper, fl ares, a small
shovel, jumper cables, and a small bag of
sand or salt.
Ask an Authorized Mazda Dealer to check
the following:
   Have the proper ratio of antifreeze in the
radiator.
 Refer to Engine Coolant on page 6-25 .
  Inspect the battery and its cables. Cold
reduces battery capacity.
   Use an engine oil appropriate for the
lowest ambient temperatures that the
vehicle will be driven in (page 6-23 ).
  Inspect the ignition system for damage
and loose connections.
   Use washer fl uid made with antifreeze—
but do not use engine coolant antifreeze
for washer fl uid (page 6-27 ).

NOTE
  Remove snow before driving. Snow left
on the windshield is dangerous as it
could obstruct vision.
  Do not apply excessive force to a
window scraper when removing ice or
frozen snow on the mirror glass and
windshield.
  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. In fl ate 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 fi nd 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 diff erent in size or type is
dangerous. Your vehicle's handling
could be greatly aff ected and result in
an accident.

CAUTION
Check local regulations before using
studded tires.

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3–53
Before Driving
Driving Tips
Tire Chains
Check local regulations before using tire
chains.
CAUTION
 Chains may aff ect 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 scratch or chip aluminum wheels.

NOTE
If your vehicle is equipped with the tire
pressure monitoring system, the system
may not function correctly when using tire
chains.

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. Secure the chains on the front tires as tightly as possible.
Always follow the chain manufacturer's instructions.
2. 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 aff ected.

CAUTION
Do not drive the vehicle on fl ooded
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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3–56
Before Driving
Towing
Trailer Towing (U.S.A. and Canada)
Your Mazda was designed and built primarily to carry passengers and cargo.
If you tow a trailer, follow these instructions because driver and passenger safety depends \
on proper equipment and safe driving habits. Towing a trailer will affect handling, braking,
durability, performance, and fuel economy.
Never overload your vehicle or trailer. Consult an Authorized Mazda Dealer if you need
further details.
CAUTION
Do not tow a trailer during the fi rst 1,000 km (600 miles) of your new Mazda. If you do,
you may damage the engine, transaxle, diff erential, wheel bearings, and other power-
train components.

Weight Limits
TTW and GCWR
The total trailer weight (TTW), gross combination weight rating (GCWR), gross
axle weight rating (GAWR), trailer load, and trailer tongue load must be within the
prescribed limits.
  The total trailer weight (TTW) is the sum of the weights of the trailer load (trailer
weight plus cargo), trailer hitch, 2 passengers, and vehicle load (baggage, food, camp
gear, etc.). Never allow the total trailer weight (TTW) to exceed speci fi cations in the
Trailer Towing-Load Table.
  The maximum GCWR is the combination weight of the trailer and load plus the
towing vehicle (including trailer hitch, vehicle passengers, and load). It must not
exceed the speci fi cations in the load table.

GAWR and GVWR
Do not exceed front and rear GAWR (gross axle weight rating) and GVWR (gross vehicle
weight rating). If you do, vehicle handling, braking, and performance w\
ill be affected. These
values are also on the Motor Vehicle Safety Certi fi cation Label posted on the driver's door
frame.
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3–62
Before Driving
Towing
Passing
Plan well ahead to pass other vehicles, and provide plenty of room befor\
e changing lanes.
Crosswinds from passing vehicles, especially larger ones, and the effects of rough roads will
affect handling.
If swaying occurs, fi rmly grip the steering wheel and reduce speed immediately, but
gradually.
Steer straight ahead. If no extreme correction of steering or braking is\
made, the
combination of less speed and fi rm steering will result in stability.
Backing up
Backing a vehicle with a trailer requires practice and patience. Back sl\
owly, and have a
helper outside at the rear of the trailer to reduce the risk of an accid\
ent.
To turn the trailer, place your hand at the bottom of the steering wheel and turn it in the\

direction you want the trailer to go. Make only slight movements to prev\
ent sharp or
prolonged turning.
Ascending a hill
Shift into a lower gear to reduce the possibility of overloading or over\
heating the engine, or
both.
Descending a hill
Shift into a lower gear and use engine compression as a braking effect.
WARNING
Always use lower gears to reduce speed: Holding the brake pedal down too long or too frequently is dangerous as it could cause
the brakes to overheat and lose power, resulting in loss of control and a serious accident.
Use lower gears to help reduce speed. Pull off the road and allow brakes to cool down
whenever braking performance feels reduced.

Overheated engine
The extra weight of the trailer may strain the engine on hot days and on\
long or steep
upgrades.
If the temperature gauge indicates overheating, turn off the air conditioner, drive safely
to the side of the road, park off the right-of-way and wait for engine to cool. Refer to
Overheating on page 7-18 .
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