▼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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4. Firmly apply the parking brake.
5. Shift the transmission into P, and stop the engine.
To restart after parking on an incline:
1. With the transmission in P, start the engine. (Be sure to depress and hold thebrake pedal.)
2. Shift into gear.
3. Release the parking brake (also the foot brake) and pull away from the wheel blocks. Stop; apply the parking brake and shift into P.
4. Have a helper retrieve the wheel blocks.
Fuel consumption
Trailer towing causes higher fuel consumption.
Maintenance
If you tow a trailer frequently, have your vehicle serviced as shown in Scheduled
Maintenance (page 6-4).
Before Driving
To w i n g
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Recreational Towing
▼Recreational Towing
An example of "recreational towing" is
towing your vehicle behind a
motorhome.
The transmission is not designed for
towing this vehicle on all 4 wheels.
When doing recreational towing refer
to "Towing Description" (page 7-17)
and "Tiedown Hooks" (page 7-18)
and carefully follow the instructions.
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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Tra n s m i s s i o n R a n ge s
▼Transmission Ranges
The shift position indication in the
instrument cluster illuminates.
Refer to Shift Position Indication on
page 4-40.
Shift the selector lever to the P or N
position to start the engine.
P (Park)
P locks the transmission and prevents
the front wheels from rotating.
WARNING
Always set the selector lever to P
position and set the parking brake:
Only setting the selector lever to the P
position without using the parking
brake to hold the vehicle is dangerous.
If P fails to hold, the vehicle could
move and cause an accident.
CAUTION
Shifting into P, N or R while the
vehicle is moving can damage your
transmission.
Shifting into a driving gear or reverse
when the engine is running faster
than idle can damage the
transmission.
R (Reverse)
In position R, the vehicle moves only
backward. You must be at a complete
stop before shifting to or from R,
except under rare circumstances as
explained in Rocking the Vehicle (page
3-49).
NOTE
(With parking sensor system)
When the selector lever is shifted to
the R position with the ignition
switched ON, the parking sensor
system is activated and a beep sound is
heard.
Refer to Parking Sensor System on page
4-215.
N (Neutral)
In N, the wheels and transmission are
not locked. The vehicle will roll freely
even on the slightest incline unless the
parking brake or brakes are on.
WARNING
If the engine is running faster than
idle, do not shift from N or P into a
driving gear:
It's dangerous to shift from N or P into
a driving gear when the engine is
running faster than idle. If this is done,
the vehicle could move suddenly,
causing an accident or serious injury.
Do not shift into N when driving the
vehicle:
Shifting into N while driving is
dangerous. Engine braking cannot be
applied when decelerating which
could lead to an accident or serious
injury.
CAUTION
Do not shift into N when driving the
vehicle. Doing so can cause
transmission damage.
NOTE
Apply the parking brake or depress the
brake pedal before moving the selector
lever from N position to prevent the
vehicle from moving unexpectedly.
When Driving
Automatic Transmission
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Manual Shift Mode
▼Manual Shift Mode
The manual shift mode gives you the
feel of driving a manual transmission
vehicle by allowing you to operate the
selector lever manually. This allows you
to control engine rpm and torque to
the drive wheels much like a manual
transmission when more control is
desired.
To change to manual shift mode, shift
the lever from D to M.
NOTE
Changing to manual shift mode
while driving will not damage the
transmission.
If you change to manual shift mode
when the vehicle is stopped, the gear
will shift to M1.
If you change to manual shift mode
without depressing the accelerator
pedal when driving in D range, 5th
gear/6th gear, the gear will shift to
M4/M5.
To return to automatic shift mode, shift
the lever from M to D.
▼ Indications
1. Manual shift mode indication
2. Gear position indication
Manual shift mode indication
In manual shift mode, the “M” of the
shift position indication in the
instrument panel illuminates.
Gear position indication
The numeral for the selected gear
illuminates.
NOTE
If the gears cannot be shifted down
when driving at higher speeds, the
gear position indication will
flash
twice to signal that the gears cannot
be shifted down (to protect the
transmission).
If the automatic transmission fluid
(ATF) temperature becomes too
high, there is the possibility that the
transmission will switch to automatic
shift mode, canceling manual shift
mode and turning off the gear
position indication illumination. This
is a normal function to protect the
AT. After the ATF temperature has
decreased, the gear position
indication illumination turns back on
and driving in manual shift mode is
restored.
When Driving
Automatic Transmission
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