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 pillars 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 and 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 the 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 inflating during an accident.
Front occupants could be seriously injured.
Do not modify the suspension:
Modifying the vehicle suspension is
dangerous. If the vehi cle's height or the
suspension is modified, the vehicle will be
unable to accurately detect a collision or
roll-over accident resulting in incorrect or
unexpected air bag deployment 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:
Use of any tire or wheel other than those specified for your Mazda (page 9-9) is
dangerous. Use of such wheels will
prevent the vehicle's accident detections
system from accurately detecting a
collision or roll-over accident resulting in
incorrect or unexpected air bag
deployment and the possibility of serious
injuries.
Essential Safety Equipment
SRS Air Bags
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Break-In Period
▼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
▼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 and
have an Authorized Mazda Dealer
perform inspections and servicing.
Refer to Scheduled Maintenance
(U.S.A. and Puerto Rico) on page 6-4.
Refer to Scheduled Maintenance
(Canada) on page 6-6.
Refer to Scheduled Maintenance
(Mexico) on page 6-8.
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.
Before Driving
Driving Tips
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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.
Hazardous Driving
▼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 4-75.
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.
Before Driving
Driving Tips
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Winter Driving
▼Winter Driving
Carry emergency gear, including tire
chains, window scraper, flares, a small
shovel, jumper cables
, and a small bag of
sand or salt.
Ask an Authorized Maz da Dealer to check
the following:
Have the proper ratio of antifreeze in the
radiator.
Refer to Engine Coolant on page 6-17.
Inspect the ba ttery 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 6-15).
Inspect the ignition system for damage
and loose connections.
Use washer fluid made with
antifreeze―but do not use engine
coolant antifreeze for washer fluid (page
6-19).
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 4 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 origina lly 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.
Before Driving
Driving Tips
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WA R N I N G
Use only the same size and type tires (snow,
radial, or non-radial) on all 4 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.
NOTE
The tire pressure monitoring system may
not function correctly when using tires
with steel wire reinforcement in the
sidewalls (page 4-217).
▼ 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.
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. 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).
Before Driving
Driving Tips
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Driving on Uneven Road
▼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 speed when
traveling on rough/uneven roads or over
speed bumps.
Use care not to damage the vehicle's
underbody, bumpers or muffler(s) when
driving under the following conditions:
Ascending or descending a slope with a
sharp transition angle
Ascending or descending a driveway or
trailer ramp with a
sharp transition angle
This vehicle is equi pped with low profile
tires allowing class-leading performance
and handling. As a result, the sidewall of
the tires are very th in 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 Transmission ShiftPattern
▼Manual Transmission Shift Pattern
1. Neutral position
The shift pattern of the transmission 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
transmission.
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 transmission.
NOTE
If shifting to R is di fficult, shift back into
neutral, release the clutch pedal, and try
again.
When Driving
Manual Transmission Operation
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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 the accelerator fully,
the transmission 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
ransmission 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 Transmission
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