Seat Belt Precautions
Seat belts help to decrease the possibility of severe injury during accidents and sudden
stops. Mazda recommends that the driver and all passengers always wear seat belts.
(Except Mexico)
All of the seat belt retractors are designed to keep the lap/sh oulder belts out of the way when
not in use.
The driver's seat belt has no provisions for child-restraint sy stems and has only an
emergency locking mode. The driver may wear it comfortably, and it will lock during a
collision.
However, the front passenger's seat and all rear lap/shoulder b elt retractors operate in two
modes: emergency locking mode, and for child-restraint systems, automatic locking mode.
While we recommend you put all chi ldren in the rear seats, if you must use the front
passenger seat for a child, slide the front passenger seat as f ar back as possible and make
sure any child-restraint sy stem is secured properly.
(Mexico)
All the seats have lap/shoulder belts. These belts have retract ors with inertia locks that keep
them out of the way when not in use. The locks allow the belts to remain comfortable on
users, but they will lock in position during a collision.
WA R N I N G
Always wear your seat belt and make sure all occupants are properly restrained:
Not wearing a seat belt is extremely dangerous . During a collision, occupants not wearing
seat belts could hit someone or things inside th e vehicle or even be thrown out of the vehicle.
They could be seriously injured or even killed. In the same collision, occupants wearing seat
belts would be much safer.
Do not wear twisted seat belts:
Twisted seat belts are dangerous. In a collision, the full width of the belt is not available to
absorb the impact. This puts more force on the bones beneath the belt, which could cause
serious injury or death. So, if your seat belt is twisted, you must straighten the seat belt to
remove any twists and to allow the full width of the belt to be used.
Never use one seat belt on more than one person at a time:
Using one seat belt for more than one person at a time is dangerous. A seat belt used in this
way cannot spread the impact forces properly and the two passengers could be crushed
together and seriously injured or even killed. Never use one belt for more than one person at a
time and always operate the vehicle with each occupant properly restrained.
Essential Safety Equipment
Seat Belt Systems
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Hazardous Driving
WA R N I N G
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 4-105.
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
We recommend the use of Genuine
Mazda floor mats.
WA R N I N G
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.
Loose floor mat(s) will interfere with the
foot pedals and could result in an accident.
If using an all-weather mat for winter use
always remove the original floor mat.
When setting a floor mat, position the
floor mat so that its grommets are inserted
over the pointed end of the retention posts.
Before Driving
Driving Tips
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Chains may scratch or chip aluminum
wheels.
NOTE
The tire pressure monitoring 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 ch ains after driving
1/2―1 km (1/4―1/2 mile).
Driving In Flooded Area
WA R N I N G
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.
Before Driving
Driving Tips
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4When Driving
Information concerning safe driving and stopping.
Start/Stop Engine.............................. 4-4 Ignition Switch........ ..................... 4-4
Starting the Engine....................... 4-5
Turning the Engine Off...............4-10
Cylinder Deactivation
*............... 4-11
Instrument Cluster and Display ............
........................................................... 4-12 Instrument Cluster and
Display........................................4-12
Instrument Cluster (Type A)....... 4-13
Instrument Cluster (Type B)....... 4-30
Instrument Cluster (Type C)....... 4-46
Active Driving Display
*............. 4-59
Manual Transaxle Operation......... 4-62 Manual Transaxle Shift
Pattern......................................... 4-62
Automatic Transaxle....................... 4-64 Automatic Transaxle
Controls...................................... 4-64
Shift-Lock System...................... 4-65
Transaxle Ranges........................4-65
Manual Shift Mode..................... 4-67
Direct Mode
*.............................. 4-72
Driving Tips................................4-72
Switches and Controls..................... 4-74
Lighting Control......................... 4-74
Turn and Lane-Change
Signals........................................ 4-79
Windshield Wipers and
Washer........................................ 4-80
Rear Window Defogg er.............. 4-83
Horn............................................ 4-85
Hazard Warning Flasher............. 4-85
HomeLink Wireless Control System
(Type A)
*.................................... 4-86
HomeLink Wireless Control System
(Type B)
*.................................... 4-89
Brake................................................ 4-94 Brake System.............................. 4-94
AUTOHOLD.............................. 4-99
Hill Launch Assist (HLA)........ 4-103
ABS/TCS/DSC............................... 4-105 Antilock Brake System
(ABS)........................................4-105
Traction Control System
(TCS)........................................ 4-106
Dynamic Stability Control
(DSC)........................................4-107
Fuel Economy Monitor................. 4-109 Fuel Economy Monitor............ 4-109
Drive Selection............................... 4-112 Drive Selection
*........................4-112
*Some models.4-1
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▼Warning/Indicator Lights
Instrument Cluster varies depending on model and specifications
.
Front Center of Headliner
Warning lights will appear in any of the highlighted areas
Instrument Cluster
▼
Warning Indication/Warning Lights
These lights turn on or flash to notify the user of the system
operation status or a system
malfunction.
Signal Warning Page
Brake System Warning Indication/Warning Light*1*27-23
ABS Warning Light*1
Electronic Brake
Force Distribu‐ tion System
Wa r n i n g
7-23
ABS warning 7-26
Charging System Warning Indication/Warning Light*17-23
Engine Oil Warning Light*17-23
High Engine Coolant Temperat ure Warning Indication 7-23
Power Steering Malfunction Indication 7-23
When Driving
Instrument Cluster and Display
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▼Warning/Indicator Lights
Instrument Cluster varies depending on model and specifications
.
Front Center of Headliner
Warning lights will appear in any of the highlighted areas
Instrument Cluster
▼
Warning Indication/Warning Lights
These lights turn on or flash to notify the user of the system
operation status or a system
malfunction.
Signal Warning Page
Brake System Warning Indication/Warning Light*1*27-23
ABS Warning Light*1
Electronic Brake
Force Distribu‐ tion System
Wa r n i n g
7-23
ABS warning 7-26
Charging System Warning Indication/Warning Light*17-23
Engine Oil Warning Light*17-23
(Red) High Engine Coolant Temperature Warning Light
*17-23
When Driving
Instrument Cluster and Display
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▼Warning/Indicator Lights
Instrument Cluster varies depending on model and specifications
.
Front Center of Headliner
Warning lights will appear in any of the highlighted areas
Instrument Cluster
▼
Warning Indication/Warning Lights
These lights turn on or flash to notify the user of the system
operation status or a system
malfunction.
Signal Warning Page
Brake System Warning Light*1*27-23
ABS Warning Light*1
Electronic Brake
Force Distribu‐ tion System
Wa r n i n g
7-23
ABS warning 7-26
Charging System Warning Light*17-23
Engine Oil Warning Light*17-23
Power Steering Malfunction Indicator Light*17-23
Master Warning Light*17-26
When Driving
Instrument Cluster and Display
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Antilock Brake System(ABS)
The ABS control unit continuously
monitors the speed of each wheel. If one
wheel is about to lock up, the ABS
responds by automatically releasing and
reapplying that wheel's brake.
The driver will feel a slight vibration in
the brake pedal and may hear a chattering
noise from the brake system. This is
normal ABS system operation. Continue
to depress the brake pedal without
pumping the brakes.
The warning light turns on when the
system has a malfunction.
Refer to Contact Authorized Mazda
Dealer and Have Vehicle Inspected on
page 7-26.
WA R N I N G
Do not rely on ABS as a substitute for safe
driving:
The ABS cannot compensate for unsafe
and reckless driving, excessive speed,
tailgating (following another vehicle too
closely), driving on ice and snow, and
hydroplaning (reduced tire friction and
road contact because of water on the road
surface). You can still have an accident.
NOTE
Braking distances may be longer on
loose surfaces (snow or gravel, for
example) which usually have a hard
foundation. A vehicle with a normal
braking system may require less
distance to stop under these conditions
because the tires will build up a wedge
of surface layer when the wheels skid.
The sound of the ABS operating may be
heard when starting the engine or
immediately after starting the vehicle,
however, it does not indicate a
malfunction.
When Driving
ABS/TCS/DSC
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