▼Trailer Towing Tips
Verify that your Mazda maintains a near-normal attitude when a loaded or
unloaded trailer is connected. Do not drive if it has an abnormal front-up or
front-down position. Inspect for incorrec
t tongue load, worn suspension parts,
and trailer overloading.
Make sure the trailer is properly loaded and the cargo is secure to prevent it from
shifting.
Make sure the mirrors conform to all govern ment regulations. If they do not, install
required rear view mirrors appropriate for towing purposes.
The three main causes of vehicle-trailer accidents are driver error, excessive speed,
and improper trailer loading.
Before driving
Have your cooling and braking system checked by an Authorized Mazda Dealer.Before starting out, inspect the operation of all vehicle and trailer lights and all
vehicle-to-trailer connections. Stop and re-inspect all lights and connections after
driving a short distance.
Driving
Your Mazda will handle differently with a trailer in tow, so practice turning,
backing, and stopping in a traffic-free area.
Take time to get accustomed to the extra weight and length.Allow more room between your vehicle and the one in front because braking
distance increases with a trailer. For each 16 km/h (10 mph) of speed, allow at
least one vehicle and trailer length between your Mazda and the vehicle ahead.
Avoid jerky starts or sudden acceleration.Avoid sudden braking. It may cause loss of control and result in jackknifing ,
especially so on wet or slippery roads.
Shift the selector lever to the D position when towing a trailer in hilly terrain or
when heavily loaded.
The D position will allow operating the vehicle without frequent shifting.
Lane changes and turning
Avoid quick lane changes, su dden turns, and tight turns. Slow down before turning
to avoid the need of sudden braking.
A turning trailer will make a tighter arc than the tow vehicle. Compensate with turns
that are larger than normal.
Pa s s i n g
Plan well ahead to pass other vehicles, and provide plenty of room before changing
lanes. Crosswinds from passing vehicles, especially larger ones, and the effects of
rough roads will affect handling.
If swaying occurs, firmly grip the steering wheel and reduce speed immediately, but
gradually.
Before Driving
To w i n g
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Steer straight ahead. If no extreme correction of steering or braking is made, the
combination of less speed and firm steering will result in stability.
Backing up
Backing a vehicle with a trailer requires practice and patience. Back slowly, and have
a helper outside at the rear of the trai ler to reduce the risk of an accident.
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 prevent
sharp or prolonged turning.
Ascending a hill
Shift into a lower gear to reduce the possibility of overloading or overheating 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 7-15.
Pa r k i n g
Always make sure the tires of the trailer and the tow vehicle are blocked while
parked.
Apply the parking brake firmly and put the transmission in P.
Avoid parking on an incline, but if you must, follow these instructions:
1. Depress and hold down the brake pedal.
2. Have a helper put wheel blocks against the downhill side of all vehicle and trailer tires.
3. Then release the brake pedal slowly until the blocks bear the load.
If the grade is downhill, turn the steering wheel so that the front of the front
tires face the curb.
If it is uphill, face the rear of the front tires against the curb.
Before Driving
Towing
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While vehicle is stopped
The selector lever is in the D or M
position (not in second gear fixed
mode).
The automatic transmission fluid
has warmed up sufficiently.
The automatic transmission fluid
temperature is not abnormally
high.
The steering wheel is almost in the
straight-ahead position (idling may
not stop even with the steering
wheel in the straight-ahead
position if force is applied to the
steering wheel. Release the force
applied to the steering wheel to
stop engine idling).
The vehicle is stopped by
depressing the brake pedal.
The vehicle is not on a steep slope.The vehicle is not stopped
suddenly.
While driving
The selector lever is in the D or M
position (not in second gear fixed
mode).
While drivingThe vehicle is driven at a vehicle
speed of about 40 km/h (25 mph)
or faster after engine idling stops
while driving.
The vehicle is not driven in sport
mode.
The automatic transmission fluid
has warmed up sufficiently.
The automatic transmission fluid
temperature is not abnormally
high.
The steering wheel is almost in the
straight-ahead position (idling may
not stop even with the steering
wheel in the straight-ahead
position if force is applied to the
steering wheel. Release the force
applied to the steering wheel to
stop engine idling).
The vehicle is stopped by
depressing the brake pedal.
The vehicle is not driven on a
slope.
The vehicle is not stopped
suddenly.
NOTE
Under the following conditions, a
period of time is required to stop
engine idling
The battery power is depleted for
some reason such as the vehicle has
not been driven for a long period.
The ambient temperature is high or
low.
After the battery terminals are
disconnected for some reason such
as for battery replacement.
Engine-stop period is short or time
until next engine idle stop is long
The ambient temperature is high or
low.
The battery power is depleted.Power consumption by the vehicle's
electrical parts is high.
Engine restarts automatically while
engine idling is stopped
Under the following conditions, the
engine restarts automatically.
The i-stop OFF switch is pressed until
the beep sounds.
The air conditioner is operated with
the airflow mode in the
position.The temperature setting dial of the
air conditioner is in the maximum
heating or maximum cooling (A/C
ON) position.
When Driving
Start/Stop Engine
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(Automatic climate control system)
The cabin temperature is largelydifferent from the set temperature of
the air conditioner.
The brakes are released slightly on a
slope and the vehicle begins to
move.
Two minutes have elapsed since the
idling was stopped.
The battery power is depleted.The hood is opened.The driver's seat belt is unfastened
and the driver's door is opened.
Engine idling is stopped while the
vehicle is stopped
The accelerator pedal is depressed
with the selector lever in the D or
M (not in second gear fixed mode)
position.
The selector lever is shifted to the R
position.
The selector lever is shifted from N
or P position to D or M (not in
second gear fixed mode) position.
The steering wheel is operated
with the selector lever in the D or
M (not in second gear fixed mode)
position.
The selector lever is in the M
position and the second gear fixed
mode is selected.
With the selector lever in the P or
N position, or the D/M range, the
driver's seat belt is unfastened, the
driver's door is opened, or the
hood is opened.
The steering wheel is operated.Engine idling is stopped while
driving
The selector lever is in a position
other than the D position.
The accelerator pedal is depressed.Sport mode is selected.The steering wheel is operated.
The shift lever is shifted to the R
position.
Selector lever is operated while
engine idling is stopped
If the selector lever is shifted from D or
M (not in second gear fixed mode)
position to N or P position while
engine idling is stopped, the engine
does not restart even when the brake
pedal is released. The engine will
restart if the brake pedal is depressed
again or the selector lever is shifted to
the D, M (not in second gear fixed
mode), or R position. (For the
purposes of safety, always keep the
brake pedal depressed when shifting
the selector lever.)
If the selector lever is shifted from the
D or M (not in second gear fixed
mode) to the N or P position, and the
driver's seat belt is unfastened or the
driver's door is opened, the engine
restarts.
Battery terminals have been
disconnected
Engine idling may not stop right after
the battery terminals have been
disconnected. In addition, if the
battery is replaced, the i-stop functions
must be verified. Consult an
Authorized Mazda Dealer.
When Driving
Start/Stop Engine
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▼Manually Shifting Up
You can shift gears up by operating the
selector lever or the steering shift
switches
*.
M1 → M2 → M3 → M4 → M5 → M6
Using selector lever
To shift up to a higher gear, tap the
selector lever back + once.
Using steering shift switch*
To shift up to a higher gear with the
steering shift switches, pull the UP
switch (+/OFF) toward you once with
your fingers.
1. UP switch (+/OFF)
WARNING
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 slowly, the gears may
not shift up.
Do not drive the vehicle with the
tachometer needle in the RED ZONE
while in manual shift mode. In
addition, manual shift mode
switches to automatic shift mode
while the accelerator pedal is
completely depressed.
This function is canceled while the
TCS is turned off. However, if the
vehicle is continuously driven at a
high rpm, the gears may
automatically shift up to protect the
engine.
The steering shift switch can be used
temporarily even if the selector lever
is in the D position while driving. In
addition, it returns to automatic shift
mode when the UP switch (+/OFF)
is pulled rearward for a sufficient
amount of time.
When Driving
Automatic Transmission
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▼Manually Shifting Down
You can shift gears down by operating
the selector lever or the steering shift
switches
*.
M6 → M5 → M4 → M3 → M2 → M1
Using selector lever
To shift down to a lower gear, tap the
selector lever forward – once.
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.
1. DOWN switch (–)
WARNING
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 transmissi on will shift to a
lower gear, depending on vehicle
speed. However, the transmission
does not kickdown while the TCS is
turned off.
When Driving
Automatic Transmission
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Horn
▼Horn
To sound the horn, press the
mark on the steering wheel.
Hazard Warning Flasher
▼Hazard Warning Flasher
The hazard warning lights should
always be used when you stop on or
near a roadway in an emergency.
The hazard warning lights warn other
drivers that your vehicle is a traffic
hazard and that they must take
extreme caution when near it.
Depress the hazard warning flasher
and all the turn sign
als will flash. The
hazard warning indicator lights in the
instrument cluster flash simultaneously.
NOTE
The turn signals do not work when
the hazard warning lights are on.
Check local regulations about the
use of hazard warning lights while
the vehicle is being towed to verify
that it is not in violation of the law.
When Driving
Switches and Controls
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AUTOHOLD
▼AUTOHOLD
The AUTOHOLD function automatically holds the vehicle stopped, even if you take
your foot
off the brake pedal. This function can be best used while stopped in
traffic
or at a traffic light. The brakes are released when you start driving the vehicle.
WARNING
Do not rely completely on the AUTOHOLD function:
The AUTOHOLD function is only designed to assist the brake operation while the
vehicle is stopped. Neglecting to operate the brakes and relying only on the
AUTOHOLD system is dangerous and could result in an unexpected accident if the
vehicle were to suddenly move. Operate the brakes appropriately in accordance
with the road and surrounding conditions.
Note that the vehicle may move suddenly de
pending on the vehicle's load or if it is
towing something.
Do not release your foot from the brake pedal while the vehicle is stopped on a
steep grade:
Because there is a possibility of the vehicl e not being held in the stopped position by
the AUTOHOLD function, the vehicle may move unexpectedly and result in an
accident.
Do not use the AUTOHOLD function on slippery roads such as icy or
snow-covered roads, or unpaved roads:
Even if the vehicle is held in the stopped position by the AUTOHOLD function, the
vehicle may move unexpectedly and result in an accident. Operate the accelerator
pedal, brakes, or steering wheel appropriately as necessary.
Immediately depress the brake pedal in the following cases:
Because the AUTOHOLD function is canceled forcibly, the vehicle may move
unexpectedly and result in an accident.
“Depress Brake Pedal. Brake Hold Disabled” is displayed in the multi-information
display and the warning sound is activated at the same time.
Always apply the parking brake when parking the vehicle:
Not applying the parking brake when parking the vehicle is dangerous as the vehicle
may move unexpectedly and result in an accident. When parking the vehicle, shift
the selector lever to the P position and apply the parking brake.
When Driving
Brake
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