brakes MAZDA MODEL 3 HATCHBACK 2007 Owner's Manual (in English)

Black plate (116,1)
Hazardous Driving
WARNING
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.
Do not rely on ABS as a substitute for
safe driving:
The ABS cannot compensate for
unsafe and reckless driving, excessive
speed, tailgating (following another
vehicle too closely), driving on ice and
snow, and hydroplaning (reduced tire
friction and road contact because of
water on the road surface). You can
still have an accident.
When driving on ice or in water, snow,
mud, sand, or similar hazards:
lBe cautious and allow extra distance
for braking.
lAvoid sudden braking and sudden
maneuvering.
lIf your vehicle is not equipped with
ABS, brake with the pedal by using a
light up-down motion. Do not hold the
pedal down constantly.
If your vehicle is equipped with ABS,
do not pump the brakes. Continue to
press down on the brake pedal.
Refer to Anti-Lock Brake System
(ABS) on page 5-6.
lIf you get stuck, select a lower gear and
accelerate slowly. Do not spin the front
wheels.
lFor 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.
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Driving Tips
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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 chains after driving 1/2
―1 km (1/4―1/2 mile).Driving In Flooded Area
WARNING
Dry wet brakes by driving very slowly
and applying the brakes lightly until
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
Make sure water does not enter the
vehicle interior or the engine area.
Interior materials could get moldy, and
many electronic devices in the cabin
and the engine could be damaged.
Before Driving Your Mazda
Driving Tips
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Black plate (125,1)
NOTE
If turning the key is difficult, jiggle the
steering wheel from side to side.
ACC (Accessory)
The steering wheel unlocks and some
electrical accessories will operate.
ON
This is the normal running position after
the engine is started. The warning lights
(except brakes) should be inspected
before the engine is started (page 5-37).
NOTE
When the ignition switch is turned to
the ON position, the sound of the fuel
pump motor operating near the fuel
tank can be heard. This does not
indicate an abnormality.
START
The engine is started in this position. It
will crank until you release the key; then
it returns to the ON position. The brake
warning light can be checked after the
engine is started (page 5-37).
qIgnition Key Reminder
If the ignition switch is in the LOCK or
ACC position with the key inserted, a
continuous beep sound will be heard
when the driver's door is opened.
Starting the Engine
NOTE
Engine-starting is controlled by the
spark ignition system.
This system meets all Canadian
Interference-Causing Equipment
Standard requirements regulating the
impulse electrical field strength of radio
noise.
1. Occupants should fasten their seat
belts.
2. Make sure the parking brake is on.
3. Depress the brake pedal.
4.(Manual transaxle)
Depress the clutch pedal all the way
and shift into neutral.
Keep the clutch pedal depressed while
cranking the engine.
(Automatic transaxle)
Put the vehicle in park (P). If you must
restart the engine while the vehicle is
moving, shift into neutral (N).
NOTE
(Manual transaxle)
The starter will not operate if the clutch
pedal isnotdepressed all the way.
(Automatic transaxle)
The starter will not operate if the shift
lever isnotin P or N.
5. Turn the ignition switch to the START
position and hold (up to 10 seconds at
a time) until the engine starts.
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Starting and Driving
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CAUTION
Don't try the starter for more than 10
seconds at a time. If the engine stalls or
fails to start, wait 10 seconds before
trying again. Otherwise, you may
damage the starter and drain the battery.
6. After starting the engine, let it idle for
about 10 seconds.
NOTE
lIn extremely cold weather, below
_
18 °C (0 °F), or after the vehicle
has not been driven in several days,
let the engine warm up without
operating the accelerator.
lWhether the engine is cold or warm,
it should be started without use of
the accelerator.
Brake System
qFoot Brake
Your Mazda has power-assisted brakes
that adjust automatically through normal
use.
Should power-assist fail, you can stop by
applying greater force than normal to the
brake pedal. But the distance required to
stop will be greater than usual.
WARNING
Do not coast with the engine stalled or
turned off, find a safe place to stop:
Coasting with the engine stalled or
turned off is dangerous. Braking will
require more effort, and the brake's
power-assist could be depleted if you
pump the brake. This will cause
longer stopping distances or even an
accident.
Shift to a lower gear when going down
steep hills:
Driving with your foot continuously
on the brake pedal or steadily applying
the brakes for long distances is
dangerous. This causes overheated
brakes, resulting in longer stopping
distances or even total brake failure.
This could cause loss of vehicle
control and a serious accident. Avoid
continuous application of the brakes.
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Starting and Driving
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Black plate (127,1)
WARNING
Dry brakes that have become wet by
driving very slowly and applying the
brakes lightly until brake performance
is 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.
qParking Brake
WARNING
Before leaving the driver's seat,
always set the parking brake and
make sure the shift lever is in P with
an automatic transaxle or in 1 or R
with a manual transaxle:
Leaving the driver's seat without
setting the parking brake and the shift
lever is dangerous. Unexpected vehicle
movement could occur. This could
cause an accident.
CAUTION
Driving with the parking brake on will
cause excessive wear of the brake
linings or pads.
NOTE
For parking in snow, refer to Winter
Driving (page 4-9) regarding parking
brake use.
Setting the parking brake
Depress the brake pedal and then firmly
pull the parking brake lever fully upwards
with a greater amount of force than is
required so that the vehicle holds in the
stationary position.
Releasing the parking brake
Depress the brake pedal and pull the
parking brake lever upwards, then press
the release button. While holding the
button, lower the parking brake lever all
the way down to the released position.
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Starting and Driving
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qBrake System Warning Light
This warning has the following functions:
Parking brake warning
The light comes on when the parking
brake is applied with the ignition switch
in the START or ON position. It goes off
when the parking brake is fully released.
Low brake fluid level warning
If the light stays on after the parking brake
is fully released, you may have a brake
problem.
Drive to the side of the road and park off
the right-of-way.
You may notice that the pedal is harder to
push or that it may go closer to the floor.
In either case, it will take longer to stop
the vehicle.
1. With the engine stopped, check the
brake fluid level immediately and add
fluid as required (page 8-23).
2. After adding fluid, check the light
again.
If the warning light remains on, or if the
brakes do not operate properly, do not
drive the vehicle. Have it towed to an
Authorized Mazda Dealer.
Even if the light goes out have your brake
system inspected as soon as possible by
an Authorized Mazda Dealer.
NOTE
Having to add brake fluid is sometimes
an indicator of leakage. Consult an
Authorized Mazda Dealer as soon as
possible even if the brake light is no
longer illuminated.
WARNING
Do not drive with the brake system
warning light illuminated. Contact an
Authorized Mazda Dealer to have the
brakes inspected as soon as possible:
Driving with the brake system warning
light illuminated is dangerous. It
indicates that your brakes may not
work at all or that they could
completely fail at any time. If this light
remains illuminated, after checking
that the parking brake is fully
released, have the brakes inspected
immediately.
qAnti-Lock Brake System (ABS)í
The ABS control unit continuously
monitors the speed of each wheel. If one
is about to lock up, the ABS responds by
automatically releasing and reapplying
that wheel's brake.
The driver will feel a slight vibration in
the brake pedal and may hear a chattering
noise from the brake system. This is
normal when the ABS operates. Don't
pump the brakes, continue to press down
on the brake pedal.
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Starting and Driving
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Black plate (129,1)
WARNING
Do not rely on ABS as a substitute for
safe driving:
The ABS cannot compensate for
unsafe and reckless driving, excessive
speed, tailgating (following another
vehicle too closely), driving on ice and
snow, and hydroplaning (reduced tire
friction and road contact because of
water on the road surface). You can
still have an accident.
NOTE
Braking distances may be longer on
loose surfaces (snow or gravel, for
example) which usually have a hard
foundation. A vehicle with a normal
braking system may require less
distance to stop under these conditions
because the tires will build up a wedge
of surface layer when the wheels skid.
qABS Warning Lightí
The warning light stays on for a few
seconds when the ignition switch is turned
to the ON position.If the ABS warning light stays on while
you're driving, the ABS control unit has
detected a system malfunction. If this
occurs, your brakes will function normally
as if the vehicle had no ABS.
Should this happen, consult an Authorized
Mazda Dealer as soon as possible.
NOTE
When the engine is jump-started to
charge the battery, uneven rpm occurs
and the ABS warning light comes on.
This is due to a weak battery, not a
malfunction.
Recharge the battery.
qElectronic Brake Force
Distribution System Warningí
If the electronic brake force distribution
control unit determines that some
components are operating incorrectly, the
control unit may turn the brake system
warning light and the ABS warning light
on at the same time. The problem is likely
to be an electronic brake force distribution
system.
Driving Your Mazda
Starting and Driving
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WARNING
Do not drive with both the ABS
warning light and brake warning light
illuminated. Have the vehicle towed to
an Authorized Mazda Dealer to have
the brakes inspected as soon as
possible:
Driving when the brake system
warning light and ABS warning light
are illuminated at the same time is
dangerous.
When both lights are illuminated, the
rear wheels could lock more quickly in
an emergency stop than under normal
circumstances.
qBrake Assistí
During emergency braking situations
when it is necessary to depress the brake
pedal with greater force, the brake assist
system provides braking assistance, thus
enhancing braking performance.
When the brake pedal is depressed hard or
depressed more quickly, the brakes apply
more firmly.
NOTE
lWhen the brake pedal is depressed
hard or depressed more quickly, the
pedal will feel softer but the brakes
will apply more firmly. This is a
normal effect of the brake assist
operation and does not indicate an
abnormality.
lWhen the brake pedal is depressed
hard or depressed more quickly, a
clicking noise from the brake booster
may be heard. This is a normal effect
of the brake assist and does not
indicate an abnormality.
lThe brake assist equipment does not
supersede the functionality of the
vehicle's main braking system.
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Starting and Driving
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qTransaxle Ranges
The shift lever must be in P or N to
operate the starter.
P (Park)
P locks the transaxle and prevents the
front wheels from rotating.
WARNING
Always set the shift lever to P AND set
the parking brake:
Only setting the shift 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
lShifting into P, N or R while the
vehicle is moving can damage your
transaxle.
lShifting into a driving gear or
reverse when the engine is running
faster than idle can damage the
transaxle.
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 4-9).
N (Neutral)
In N, the wheels and transaxle 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 transaxle
damage.
NOTE
Apply the parking brake or depress the
brake pedal before moving the shift
lever from N to prevent the vehicle
from moving unexpectedly.
D (Drive)
D is the normal driving position. From a
stop, the transaxle will automatically shift
through a 4-gear/5-gear
*sequence.
* 2.3-liter engine model
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Starting and Driving
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NOTE
The gear does not shift down to M1
automatically while in the second gear
fixed mode.
If the vehicle is kicked down at the
following speeds or lower, the gears shift
down automatically:
Gear Vehicle speed
M5→M4 182 km/h (113 mph)
M4→M3 133 km/h (82 mph)
M3→M2 48 km/h (30 mph)
M2→M1 12 km/h (7 mph)
Recommendations for shifting
Upshifting
For normal acceleration and cruising, we
recommend these shift points.
(2.0-liter engine model)
Gear Vehicle speed
M1 to M2 24 km/h (15 mph)
M2 to M3 40 km/h (25 mph)
M3 to M4 65 km/h (40 mph)
(2.3-liter engine model)
Gear Vehicle speed
M1 to M2 24 km/h (15 mph)
M2 to M3 40 km/h (25 mph)
M3 to M4 65 km/h (40 mph)
M4 to M5 73 km/h (45 mph)
Downshifting
When you must slow down in heavy
traffic or on a steepupgrade, downshift
before the engine starts to overwork. This
gives better acceleration when you need
more speed.
On a steepdowngrade, downshifting
helps maintain safe speed and prolongs
brake life.
qDriving Tips
Passing
For extra power when passing another
vehicle or climbing steep grades, depress
the accelerator fully. The transaxle will
shift to a lower gear, depending on vehicle
speed.
Climbing steep grades from a stop
To climb a steep grade from a stopped
position:
1. Depress the brake pedal.
2. Shift to D or M1, depending on the
load weight and grade steepness.
3. Release the brake pedal while
gradually accelerating.
Descending steep grades
When descending a steep grade, shift to
lower gears, depending on load weight
and grade steepness. Descend slowly,
using the brakes only occasionally to
prevent them from overheating.
Driving Your Mazda
Starting and Driving
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