wheel MAZDA MODEL 3 HATCHBACK 2018 (in English) User Guide

Steering Wheel
WA R N I N G
Never adjust the steering wheel while the
vehic le is moving:
Adjusting the steering wheel while the
vehicle is moving is dangerous. Moving it
can very easily cause the driver to abruptly
turn to the left or right. This can lead to loss
of control or an accident.
▼Steering Wheel Adjustment
To change the angle or length of the
steering wheel:
1. Stop the vehicle, and then pull down
the lock release lever under the
steering column.

Lock release lever
2. Tilt the steering wheel and/or adjustthe steering column length to the
desired positions, then push the lever
up to lock the column.
3. Attempt to push the steering wheel up and down to make sure it's locked
before driving.
▼Heated Steering Wheel*
The grips on the left and right of the
steering wheel can be warmed up.
Heating areaHeated steering
wheel switch
The ignition must be switched ON.

Press the switch to turn on the heated
steering wheel. The heated steering wheel
operates for about 30 minutes and then
turns off automatically.
The indicator light illuminates when the
heater is operating.

To turn off the heated steering wheel
before the 30 minutes has elapsed, press
the switch again.
CAUTION
The following types of persons should be
careful not to touch the steering wheel.
Otherwise, it could cause a
low-temperature burn.

Infants, small children, elderly people,
and physically challenged people
 People with delicate skin
 People who are excessively fatigued
 People who are intoxicated
Before Driving
Steering Wheel
3-30*Some models.
Mazda3_8GE4-EA-17F_Edition1 2017-4-7 11:59:21

People who have taken sleep-inducing
medicine such as sleeping pills or cold
medicine
Before Driving
Steering Wheel
3-31
Mazda3_8GE4-EA-17F_Edition1 2017-4-7 11:59:21

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 extended periods of
time.
Avoid unnecessary hard stops.
Avoid full-throttle starts.
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 (page
6-4) and have an Authorized Mazda
Dealer perform inspections and
servicing.
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.
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.
Before Driving
Driving Tips
3-45
Mazda3_8GE4-EA-17F_Edition1 2017-4-7 11:59:21

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 4-66.
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.
Floor Mat
We recommend the use of Genuine
Mazda floor mats.
WA R N I N G
Make sure the floor mats are secured with
the grommets or the retainers to prevent
them from bunching up under the foot
pedals (Driver's side):
Using a floor mat that is not secured is
dangerous as it will interfere with the
accelerator and brake pedal operation
(driver's side), which could result in an
accident.
Only use a floor mat which conforms to the
shape of the floor on the driver's side and
make sure it is oriented correctly.
Secure the floor mat using the grommets or
retainers.
There are various ways to secure floor mats
depending on the type used, therefore
secure the mat according to the type.
After installing the floor mat, make sure
that it does not slide from side to side or
back and forth, and that there is sufficient
clearance with the accelerator and brake
pedals on the driver's side.
After removing the floor mat for cleaning
or some other reason, always securely
reinstall it while paying attention to the
precautions just mentioned.
Before Driving
Driving Tips
3-46
Mazda3_8GE4-EA-17F_Edition1 2017-4-7 11:59:21

Do not install two floor mats, one on top of
the other, on the driver's side:
Installing two floor mats, one on top of the
other, on the driver's side is dangerous as
the retention pins can only keep one floor
mat from sliding forward.
Loose floor mat(s) will interfere with the
foot pedals and could result in an accident.
If using an all-weather mat for winter use
always remove the original floor mat.
When setting a floor mat, position the
floor mat so that its grommets or retainers
are inserted over the pointed end of the
retention posts.
Rocking the Vehicle
WA R N I N G
Do not spin the wheels at more than 56
km/h (35 mph), and do not allow anyone
to stand behind a wheel when pushing the
vehic le:
When the vehicle is stuck, spinning the
wheels at high speed is dangerous. The
spinning tire could overheat and explode.
This could cause serious injuries.
CAUTION
Too much rocking may cause engine
overheating, transaxle failure, and tire
damage.
If you must rock the vehicle to free it from
snow, sand or mud, depress the accelerator
slightly and slowly move the shift lever/
selector lever from 1 (D) to R.
Before Driving
Driving Tips
3-47
Mazda3_8GE4-EA-17F_Edition12017-4-7 11:59:21

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 Mazda Dealer to check
the following:
Have the proper ratio of antifreeze in the
radiator.
Refer to Engine Coolant on page 6-25.
Inspect the battery 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 6-23).
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
6-27).
NOTE
(Without electric parking brake (EPB))
Do not use the parking brake in freezing
weather as it may freeze. Instead, shift
to P with an automatic transaxle and to
1 or R with a manual transaxle. Block
the rear wheels.
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 four wheels
Do not go faster than 120 km/h (75 mph)
while driving with sno
w 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 c old-tire pressure
shown on the tires.

Except Mexico (18–inch wheel vehicle)
The vehicle is originally equipped with all
season radials designed to be used all year
around. In some extreme climates you
may find it necessary t o replace them with
snow tires during the winter months to
further improve traction on snow and ice
covered roads.
Mexico (18–inch wheel vehicle)
The vehicle is originally 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.
Before Driving
Driving Tips
3-48
Mazda3_8GE4-EA-17F_Edition1 2017-4-7 11:59:21

WA R N I N G
Use only the same size and type tires (snow,
radial, or non-radial) on all four 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.
▼ 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
If your vehicle is equipped with the tire
pressure monitoring system, the 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
3-49
Mazda3_8GE4-EA-17F_Edition1 2017-4-7 11:59:21

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 sp eed when traveling on
rough/uneven roads or over speed bumps.

Use care not to damage the vehicle's underbody, bumpers or muff ler(s) when driving under
the following conditions:
Ascending or descending a slope w ith a sharp transition angle
Ascending or descending a driveway or trailer ramp with a sharp transition angle

This vehicle is equipped with l ow profile tires allowing class- leading performance and
handling. As a result , the sidewall of the tires are very thin 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
3-51
Mazda3_8GE4-EA-17F_Edition1 2017-4-7 11:59:21

Trailer Towing
Your Mazda is not designed for towing.
Never tow a trailer with your Mazda.
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 7-22) and
"Tiedown Hooks" (page 7-23) and
carefully follow the instructions.
Before Driving
To w i n g
3-52
Mazda3_8GE4-EA-17F_Edition1 2017-4-7 11:59:21

Shift-Lock System
The shift-lock system prevents shifting out
of P unless the brake pedal is depressed.

To shift from P:
1. Depress and hold the brake pedal.
2. Start the engine.
3. Press and hold the lock-release button.
4. Move the selector lever.
NOTE
When the ignition is switched to ACC or
the ignition is switch ed off, the selector
lever cannot be shifted from P.
The ignition cannot be switched to OFF
if the selector lever is not in P.
▼ Shift-Lock Override
If the selector lever will not move from P
using the proper shift procedure, continue
to hold down the brake pedal.
1. Remove the shift-lock override cover
using a cloth-wrapped flat head
screwdriver.
2. Insert a screwdriver and push it down.
Cover
3. Press and hold the lock-release button.
4. Move the selector lever.
Take the vehicle to an Authorized Mazda
Dealer to have the system checked.
Transaxle Ranges
The shift position indication in the
instrument cluster illuminates. Refer to
Warning/Indicator Lights on page 4-23.
The selector lever must be in P or N to
operate the starter.
P (Park)
P locks the transaxle and prevents the
front wheels from rotating.
WA R N I N G
Always set the selector lever to P 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 transaxle.
 Shifting 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 3-47).
When Driving
Automatic Transaxle
4-33
Mazda3_8GE4-EA-17F_Edition1 2017-4-7 11:59:21