Do not attach objects on or around the area where a side air bag deploys:
Attaching objects to the front seat in such a way as to cover the outboard side of the seat in
any way is dangerous. In an accident the object could interfere with the side air bag, which
inflates from the outboard side of the front seat s, impeding the added protection of the side
air bag system or redirecting the air bag in a way that is dangerous. Furthermore, the bag
could be cut open releasing the gas.
Do not hang net bags, map pouches or backpacks with side straps on the front seats. Never
use seat covers on the front seats. Always keep the side air bag modules in your front seats
free to deploy in the event of a side collision.
Do not attach objects on or around the area where a curtain air bag deploys:
Attaching objects to the areas where the curtain air bag activates such as on the windshield
glass, side door glass, front and rear window p illars and along the roof edge and assist grips is
dangerous. In an accident the object could interfere with the curtain air bag, which inflates
from the front and rear window pillars an d along the roof edge, impeding the added
protection of the curtain air bag system or redirecting the air bag in a way that is dangerous.
Furthermore, the bag could be cut open releasing the gas.
Do not place hangers or any other objects on the assist grips. When hanging clothes, hang
them on the coat hook directly. Always keep th e curtain air bag modules free to deploy in the
event of a side collision or roll-over accident.
Do not touch the components of the supplemental restraint system after the air bags have
inflated:
Touching the components of the supplemental restraint system after the air bags have
inflated is dangerous. Immediately after inflation , they are very hot. You could get burned.
Never install any front-end equipment to your vehicle:
Installation of front-end equipment, such as frontal protection bar (kangaroo bar, bull bar,
push bar, or other similar devices), snowplow , or winches, is dangerous. The air bag crash
sensor system could be affected. This could cause air bags to
inflate unexpectedly, or it could
prevent the air bags from infla ting during an accident. Front occupants could be seriously
injured.
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 accura tely detect a collision or roll-over accident
resulting in incorrect or unexpected air bag depl oyment and the possibility of serious injuries.
To prevent false detection by the air bag sensor system, heed the following:
Do not use tires or wheels other than those specified for your Mazda:
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 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 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 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.
WA R N I N G
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.
Before Driving
Driving Tips
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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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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.
Mexico
The vehicle is origin ally 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.
Except Mexico
The vehicle is original ly 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.
WA R N I N G
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 vehi cle's handling could
be greatly affected and result in an
accident.
CAUTION
Check local regulations before using
studded tires.
NOTE
The tire pressure monitoring system may
not function correctly when using tires
with steel wire reinforcement in the
sidewalls (page 4-221).
▼ Tire Chains
Check local regulations before using tire
chains.
CAUTION
Chains may
affect 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.
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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Driving on Uneven Road
Your vehicle's suspension and underbody can be damaged if driven on rough/uneven roads
or over speed bumps at excessive speeds. Use care and reduce sp eed when traveling on
rough/uneven roads or over speed bumps.
Use care not to damage the vehicle's underbody, bumpers or muff ler(s) when driving under
the following conditions:
Ascending or descending a slope w ith a sharp transition angle
Ascending or descending a driveway or trailer ramp with a sharp transition angle
This vehicle is equipped with l ow profile tires allowing class- leading performance and
handling. As a result , the sidewall of the tires are very thin and the tires and wheels can be
damaged if driven through potholes or on rough/uneven roads at excessive speeds. Use care
and reduce speed when traveling on rough/uneven roads or through potholes.
Before Driving
Driving Tips
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Manual Transaxle ShiftPattern
Neutral position
The shift pattern o f the transaxle is
conventional, as shown.
Depress the clutch pedal all the way down
while shifting; then release it slowly.
Your vehicle is equipped with a device to
prevent shifting to R (reverse) by mistake.
Push the shift lever downward and shift to
R.
WA R N I N G
Do not use sudden engine braking on
slippery road surfaces or at high speeds:
Shifting down while driving on wet, snowy,
or frozen roads, or while driving at high
speeds causes sudden engine braking,
which 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.
Always leave the shift lever in 1 or R
position and set the parking brake when
leaving the vehicle unattended:
Otherwise the vehicle could move and
cause an accident.
CAUTION
Keep your foot off the clutch pedal except
when shifting gears. Also, do not use the
clutch to hold the vehicle on an upgrade.
Riding the clutch will cause needless
clutch wear and damage.
Do not apply any excessive lateral force
to the shift lever when changing from
5th to 4th gear. This could lead to the
accidental selection of 2nd gear, which
could result in damage to the transaxle.
Make sure the vehicle comes to a
complete stop before shifting to R.
Shifting to R while the vehicle is still
moving may damage the transaxle.
NOTE
If shifting to R is difficult, shift back into
neutral, release the clutch pedal, and try
again.
When Driving
Manual Transaxle Operation
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Using steering shift switch*
To shift down to a lower gear with the
steering shift switches, pull the DOWN
switch
toward you once with your
fingers.
DOWN switch (-)
WA R N I N G
Do not use engine braking on slippery road
surfaces or at high speeds:
Shifting down while driving on wet, snowy,
or frozen roads, or while driving at high
speeds causes sudden engine braking,
which 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.
Keep your hands on the steering wheel rim
when using fingers on the steering shift
switches:
Putting your hands inside the rim of the
steering wheel when using the steering
shift switches is dangerous. If the driver's
air bag were to deploy in a collision, your
hands could be impacted causing injury.
NOTE
When driving at high speeds, the gear
may not shift down.
During deceleration, the gear may
automatically shift down depending on
vehicle speed.
When depressing th e accelerator fully,
the transaxle will shift to a lower gear,
depending on vehicle speed. However,
the gears do not kickdown while the
DSC is turned off.
▼ Second Gear Fixed Mode
When the selector lever is moved back
while the vehicle speed is about 10 km/h
(6.2 mph) or less, the t
ransaxle is set in the
second gear fixed mode. The gear is fixed
in second while in this mode for easier
acceleration from a stop and driving on
slippery roads such as snow-covered
roads.
If the selector lever is moved back
or
forward
while in the second gear fixed
mode, the mode will be canceled.
When Driving
Automatic Transaxle
*Some models.4-69
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