Fuel and Engine Exhaust Precautions
▼Fuel Requirements
Vehicles with catalytic converters or oxygen sensors must use O
NLY UNLEADED FUEL,
which will reduce exhaust emissions and keep spark plug fouling to a minimum.
This vehicle will perform best w ith fuel listed in the table.
Fuel
Octane Rating* (Anti-knock index)
Premium unleaded fuel 91 [(R
M)/2 method] or above (96 RON or above)
U.S. federal law requires that octane ratings be posted on gaso
line station pumps.
Regular unleaded fuel with an octane rating from 87 to 90 (91 to 95 RON) can be used, but
this will reduce performance slightly, such as reduced engine o utput, and engine knocking.
Fuel with a rating lower than 87 octane (91 RON) will negativel y affect the emission control
system performance and could also cause engine knocking and ser ious engine damage.
CAUTION
USE ONLY UNLEADED FUEL.
Leaded fuel is harmful to the catalytic co nverter and oxygen sensors and will lead to
deterioration of the emission control system and or failures.
This vehicle can only use oxygenated fuels containing no more than 10 % ethanol by
volume. Damage to the vehicle may occur when ethanol exceeds this recommendation, or
if the gasoline contains any methanol. Stop us ing gasohol of any kind if your vehicle engine
is performing poorly.
Never add fuel system additive s, otherwise the emission control system could be damaged.
Consult an Authorized Mazda Dealer for details.
Gasoline blended with oxygenates such as alcohol or ether compo unds are generally
referred to as oxygenated fuels. The common gasoline blend that can be used with your
vehicle is ethanol blended at no more than 10 %. Gasoline conta ining alcohol, such as
ethanol or methanol, may be marketed under the name "Gasohol".
Vehicle damage and drivability problems resulting from the use of the following may not be
covered by the warranty.
Gasohol containing mo re than 10 % ethanol.
Gasoline or gasohol containing methanol.
Leaded fuel or leaded gasohol.
Before Driving
Fuel and Emission
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▼Emission Control System
This vehicle is equipped with an
emission control system (the catalytic converter is part of
this system) that enables the vehicle to comply with existing e xhaust emissions
requirements.
WA R N I N G
Never park over or near anything flammable:
Parking over or near anything flammable, such as dry grass, is dangerous. Even with the
engine turned off, the exhaust system remains very hot after normal use and could ignite
anything flammable. A resulting fire could cause serious injury or death.
CAUTION
Ignoring the following precautions could cause le ad to accumulate on the catalyst inside the
converter or cause the converter to get very ho t. Either condition will damage the converter
and cause poor performance.
USE ONLY UNLEADED FUEL.
Do not drive your Mazda with any sign of engine malfunction.
Do not coast with the ignition switched off.
Do not descend steep grades in gear with the ignition switched off.
Do not operate the engine at hi gh idle for more than 2 minutes.
Do not tamper with the emission control syst em. All inspections and adjustments must be
made by a qualified technician.
Do not push-start or pull-start this vehicle.
NOTE
Under U.S. federal law, any modification to the original-equipment emission control
system before the first sale and registration of a vehicle is subject to penalties. In some
states, such modification made on a used vehicle is also subject to penalties.
While the engine is off, the sound of a valve opening and closing can be heard at the rear
of the vehicle, however this does not indicate an abnormality. The vehicle has a
self-checking device and it oper ates while the engine is off.
Before Driving
Fuel and Emission
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▼Engine Exhaust (Carbon monoxide)
WA R N I N G
Do not drive your vehicle if you smell exhaust gas inside the vehicle:
Engine exhaust gas is dangerous. This gas contai
ns carbon monoxide (CO), which is colorless,
odorless, and poisonous. When inhaled, it can cause loss of consciousness and death. If you
smell exhaust gas inside the vehicle, keep al l windows fully open and contact an Authorized
Mazda Dealer immediately.
Do not run the engine when inside an enclosed area:
Running the engine inside an enclosed area, such as a garage, is dangerous. Exhaust gas,
which contains poisonous carbon monoxide , could easily enter the cabin. Loss of
consciousness or even death could occur.
Open the windows or adjust the heating or cooling system to draw fresh air when idling the
engine:
Exhaust gas is dangerous. When the vehicle is stopped with the windows closed and the
engine running for a long time even in an open area, exhaust gas, which contains poisonous
carbon monoxide, could enter the cabin. Loss of consciousness or even death could occur.
Clear snow from underneath and around your vehicle, particularly the tail pipe, before
starting the engine:
Running the engine when a vehicle is stopped in deep snow is dangerous. The exhaust pipe
could be blocked by the snow, allowing exhaus t gas to enter the cabin. Because exhaust gas
contains poisonous carbon monoxide, it could cause loss of consciousness or even death to
occupants in the cabin.
Before Driving
Fuel and Emission
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Fuel-Filler Lid and Cap
WA R N I N G
When removing the fuel-filler cap, loosen
the cap slightly and wait for any hissing to
stop, then remove it:
Fuel spray is dangerous. Fuel can burn skin
and eyes and cause illness if ingested. Fuel
spray is released when there is pressure in
the fuel tank and the fuel-filler cap is
removed too quickly.
Before refueling, stop the engine, and
always keep sparks and flames away from
the filler neck:
Fuel vapor is dangerous. It could be ignited
by sparks or flames causing serious burns
and injuries.
Additionally, use of the incorrect fuel-filler
cap or not using a fuel-filler cap may result
in a fuel leak, which could result in serious
burns or death in an accident.
Do not continue refueling after the fuel
pump nozzle shuts off automatically:
Continuing to add fuel after the fuel pump
nozzle has shut off automatically is
dangerous because overfilling the fuel tank
may cause fuel overflow or leakage. Fuel
overflow and leakage could damage the
vehicle and if the fuel ignites it could cause
a fire and explosion resulting in serious
injury or death.
CAUTION
Always use only a ge nuine Mazda fuel-filler
cap or an approved equivalent, available
at an Authorized Mazda Dealer. The wrong
cap can result in a serious malfunction of
the fuel and emission control systems.
(U.S.A. and Canada)
It may also cause the check engine light in
the instrument cluster to illuminate.
▼ Refueling
Before refueling, close both the doors,
windows, and the trunk lid, and switch the
ignition OFF.
1. To open the fuel-filler lid, pressed the
edge of the lid with the doors
unlocked.
NOTE
The fuel-filler lid operates in
conjunction with the door locking/
unlocking mechanism.
2. To remove the fuel-filler cap, turn it
counterclockwise.
Before Driving
Fuel and Emission
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3. Attach the removed cap to the innerside of the fuel-filler lid.
Fuel-filler lid
Fuel-filler cap
4. Insert the refuelin g nozzle all the way
and begin refueling. Pull out the
refueling nozzle after the refueling
stops automatically.
5. To close the fuel-filler cap, turn it clockwise until a click is heard.
6. To close, press the fuel-filler lid until a
click sound is heard.
7. Make sure to lock both the doors whenleaving the vehicle.
Refer to Door Locks on page 3-11.
NOTE
Lock the doors after closing the
fuel-filler lid.
If the fuel-filler lid is closed after
locking the doors, the fuel-filler lid
cannot be locked.
CAUTION
(U.S.A. and Canada)
If the check fuel cap warning light
illuminates, the fuel-filler cap may not be
properly installed. If the warning light
illuminates, park your vehicle safely off the
right-of-way, remove th e fuel-filler cap and
reinstall it correctly. After the cap has been
correctly installed, the fuel cap warning
light may continue to illuminate until a
number of driving cycles have been
completed. A drive cycle consists of starting
the engine (after four or more hours with
the engine off) and driving the vehicle on
city and highway roads.
Continuing to drive with the check fuel cap
warning light illuminated could cause the
check engine light to illuminate as well.
Before Driving
Fuel and Emission
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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 e xtended 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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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
Instrument Cluster and Display ............
........................................................... 4-11 Meters and Gauges..................... 4-11
Multi-information Display and INFO
Switch
*....................................... 4-18
Warning/Indicator Lights............4-26
Manual Transmission
Operation......................................... 4-31 Manual Transmission Shift
Pattern......................................... 4-31
Automatic Transmission................. 4-34 Automatic Transmission
Controls...................................... 4-34
Shift-Lock System...................... 4-35
Transmission Ranges.................. 4-35
Manual Shift Mode..................... 4-37
Direct Mode
*.............................. 4-42
Driving Tips................................4-43
Switches and Controls..................... 4-44
Lighting Control......................... 4-44
Turn and Lane-Change
Signals........................................ 4-49
Windshield Wipers and
Washer........................................ 4-50
Rear Window Defogg er.............. 4-53
Horn............................................ 4-55
Hazard Warning Flasher............. 4-55
HomeLink Wireless Control
System
*.......................................4-56
Brake................................................ 4-60 Brake System.............................. 4-60
Hill Launch Assist (HLA)
*.........4-63
ABS/TCS/DSC................................. 4-64 Antilock Brake System
(ABS)..........................................4-64
Traction Control System
(TCS).......................................... 4-65
Dynamic Stability Control
(DSC)..........................................4-66
Fuel Economy Monitor................... 4-68 Fuel Economy Monito r...............4-68
Drive Selection................................. 4-71 Drive Selection
*..........................4-71
Power Steering................................. 4-73 Power Steering............................4-73
*Some models.4-1
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ON
This is the normal running position after
the engine is started. The indicator light
(amber) turns off. (The indicator light
(amber) illuminates when the ignition is
switched ON and the engine is not
running.)
Some indicator lights/warning lights
should be inspected before the engine is
started (page 4-26).
NOTE
When the push button start is pressed to
ON, the sound of the fuel pump motor
operating near the fuel tank can be heard.
This does not indi cate an abnormality.
Starting the Engine
WA R N I N G
Radio waves from the key may affect
medical devices such as pacemakers:
Before using the key near people who use
medical devices, ask the medical device
manufacturer or your physician if radio
waves from the key w ill affect the device.
NOTE
The key must be carried because the key
carries an immobilizer chip that must
communicate with the engine controls at
short range.
The engine can be started when the push
button start is pressed from off, ACC, or
ON.
The push button start system functions
(function which can start the engine by
only carrying the key) can be
deactivated to prevent any possible
adverse effect on a user wearing a
pacemaker or other medical device. If
the system is deactivated, you will be
unable to start the engine by carrying
the key. Consult an Authorized Mazda
Dealer for details. If the push button
start system functions have been
deactivated, you can start the engine by
following the procedure indicated when
the key battery goes dead.
Refer to Engine Start Function When
Key Battery is Dead on page 4-8.
After starting a cold engine, the engine
speed increases and a whining sound
from the engine compartment can be
heard.
When Driving
Start/Stop Engine
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