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

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qFastening the Lap Portion of the
Seat Belt
Grasp tongue (A) and insert it into the
anchor buckle (B) until you hear a click. It
is now secure for passenger use.
NOTE
After returning the left-rear seatback to
its upright position, fasten the lap
portion of the belt.
qStowing and pulling out the
Center-Rear Position Seat Belt
The center-rear position seat belt can be
stowed using the following procedure.
CAUTION
When stowing the seat belt, make sure
the belt is locked securely into the
recess. If the seat belt is not properly
stowed, it might get caught in the seats
and be damaged.
To stow the seat belt, retract the belt, put
tongues (A) and (C) together and insert
them into the recess.Sedan (Behind head restraint on left
side)
(A)(C)
Hatchback (Left side of luggage
compartment)
(A)
(C)
To pull out the seat belt, slide tongues
with your finger, and slowly pull out the
seat belt from the recess.
NOTE
Pulling out the seat belt all the way out
will switch it to automatic locking
mode. If automatic locking mode is not
needed, retract the seat belt fully to
convert it back to emergency locking
mode.
2-20
Essential Safety Equipment
Seat Belt Systems
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4Before Driving Your Mazda
Important information about driving your Mazda.
Fuel and Engine Exhaust Precautions ........................................ 4-2
Fuel Requirements .................................................................... 4-2
Emission Control System .......................................................... 4-4
Engine Exhaust (Carbon Monoxide) ......................................... 4-5
Before Starting the Engine ........................................................... 4-6
Before Getting In ...................................................................... 4-6
After Getting In ......................................................................... 4-6
Driving Tips ................................................................................... 4-7
Break-In Period ......................................................................... 4-7
Money-Saving Suggestions ...................................................... 4-7
Hazardous Driving .................................................................... 4-8
Rocking the Vehicle .................................................................. 4-9
Winter Driving .......................................................................... 4-9
Driving In Flooded Area ......................................................... 4-11
Overloading ............................................................................ 4-12
Turbocharger Information
í.................................................... 4-13
Towing ......................................................................................... 4-14
Trailer Towing ......................................................................... 4-14
4-1íSome models.
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Trailer Towing
The Mazda3 is not designed for towing.
Never tow a trailer with your Mazda3.
4-14
Before Driving Your Mazda
Towing
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7In Case of an Emergency
Helpful information on what to do in an emergency.
Parking in an Emergency ............................................................. 7-2
Parking in an Emergency .......................................................... 7-2
Flat Tire ......................................................................................... 7-3
Spare Tire and Tool Storage ...................................................... 7-3
Changing a Flat Tire ................................................................. 7-7
Overheating ................................................................................. 7-13
Overheating ............................................................................. 7-13
Emergency Starting .................................................................... 7-15
Starting a Flooded Engine ....................................................... 7-15
Jump-Starting .......................................................................... 7-16
Push-Starting ........................................................................... 7-19
Emergency Towing ..................................................................... 7-20
Towing Description ................................................................. 7-20
Tiedown Hook ........................................................................ 7-21
Recreational Towing ............................................................... 7-22
7-1
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NOTE
Verify that the covers are securely
installed.
Push-Starting
Do not push-start your Mazda.
WARNING
Never tow a vehicle to start it:
Towing a vehicle to start it is
dangerous. The vehicle being towed
could surge forward when its engine
starts, causing the two vehicles to
collide. The occupants could be
injured.
CAUTION
Do not push-start a vehicle that has a
manual transaxle. It can damage the
emission control system.
NOTE
You can't start a vehicle with an
automatic transaxle by pushing it.
In Case of an Emergency
Emergency Starting
7-19
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Towing Description
We recommend that towing be done only
by an Authorized Mazda Dealer or a
commercial tow-truck service.
Proper lifting and towing are necessary to
prevent damage to the vehicle.
Government and local laws must be
followed.
A towed vehicle usually should have its
drive wheels (front wheels) off the
ground. If excessive damage or other
conditions prevent this, use wheel dollies.
Wheel dollies
When towing with the rear wheels on the
ground, release the parking brake.
CAUTION
Don't tow the vehicle pointed backward
with driving wheels on the ground. This
may cause internal damage to the
transaxle.
CAUTION
Don't tow with sling-type equipment.
This could damage your vehicle. Use
wheel-lift or flatbed equipment.
7-20
In Case of an Emergency
Emergency Towing
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CAUTION
Do not use the hooks under the rear
bumper for towing and tying down, as
they cannot hold the load and it will
damage the bumper.
Hooks
Tiedown Hook
CAUTION
Don't use the tiedown hook under the
rear for towing.
It is designed ONLY for tying down the
vehicle when it's being transported.
Using it for towing will damage the
bumper.
qTiedown Hook-Front
1. Remove the tiedown eyelet and the lug
wrench from the trunk (page 7-3).
2. Wrap the lug wrench with a soft cloth
to prevent damage to the bumper and
open the cap located on the front
bumper.
CAUTION
The cap cannot be completely removed.
Do not use excessive force as it may
damage the cap or scratch the painted
bumper surface.
In Case of an Emergency
Emergency Towing
7-21
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3. Securely install the tiedown eyelet
using the lug wrench.
Lug wrench
4. Hook the tying rope to the tiedown
eyelet.
CAUTION
If the tiedown eyelet is not securely
tightened, it may loosen or disengage
from the bumper when tying down the
vehicle. Make sure that the tiedown
eyelet is securely tightened to the
bumper.
Recreational Towing
An example of“recreational towing”is
towing your vehicle behind a motorhome.
The transaxle is not designed for towing
this vehicle on all 4 wheels.
When doing recreational towing refer to
“Towing Description”(page 7-20) and
“Tiedown Hook”(page 7-21) and
carefully follow the instructions.
7-22
In Case of an Emergency
Emergency Towing
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Vehicle Loading
WARNING
Do not taw a trailer with this vehicle:
Towing a trailer with this vehicle is dangerous because it has not been designed to tow
a trailer and doing so will affect the drive system which could result in vehicle
damage.
This section will guide you in the proper loading of your vehicle and/or trailer, to keep
your loaded vehicle weight within its design rating capability, with or without a trailer.
Properly loading your vehicle will provide maximum return of vehicle design performance.
Before loading your vehicle, familiarize yourself with the following terms for determining
your vehicle's weight ratings, with or without a trailer, from the vehicle's Safety
Certification Label and Tire and Load Information Label:
WARNING
Overloaded Vehicle:
Overloading a vehicle is dangerous. The results of overloading can have serious
consequences in terms of passenger safety. Too much weight on a vehicle's suspension
system can cause spring or shock absorber failure, brake failure, handling or steering
problems, irregular tire wear, tire failure or other damage.
Overloading makes a vehicle harder to drive and control. It also increases the distance
required for stopping. In cases of serious overloading, brakes can fail completely,
particularly on steep grades. The load a tire will carry safely is a combination of the
size of the tire, its load range, and corresponding inflation pressure.
Never overload the vehicle and always observe the vehicle's weight ratings from the
vehicle's Safety Certification and Tire and Load Information labels.
9-34
Customer Information and Reporting Safety Defects
Tire Information (U.S.A.)
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SAMPLE
CARGO
Cargo Weightincludes all weight added to the Base Curb Weight, including cargo and
optional equipment. When towing, trailer tongue load or king pin weight is also part of
cargo weight.
The cargo weight limit decreases depending on the number of vehicle occupants. The cargo
weight limit can be calculated by subtracting the total weight of the vehicle occupants from
the“combination weight of occupants and cargo should never exceed”value on the tire
label.
9-36
Customer Information and Reporting Safety Defects
Tire Information (U.S.A.)
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