towing MAZDA MODEL 5 2008 Owners Manual

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4Before Driving Your Mazda
Important information about driving your Mazda.
Fuel and Engine Exhaust Precautions ........................................ 4-2Fuel Requirements .................................................................... 4-2
Emission Control System .......................................................... 4-3
Engine Exhaust (Carbon Monoxide) ......................................... 4-4
Before Starting the Engine ........................................................... 4-5 Before Getting In ...................................................................... 4-5
After Getting In ......................................................................... 4-5
Driving Tips ................................................................................... 4-6 Break-In Period ......................................................................... 4-6
Money-Saving Suggestions ...................................................... 4-6
Hazardous Driving .................................................................... 4-7
Rocking the Vehicle .................................................................. 4-7
Winter Driving .......................................................................... 4-8
Driving In Flooded Area ........................................................... 4-9
Overloading ............................................................................ 4-10
Towing .......................................................................................... 4-11 Trailer Towing ......................................................................... 4-11
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Trailer Towing
The Mazda5 is not designed for towing.
Never tow a trailer with your Mazda5.
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 ............................................................. 7-2Parking 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 Hooks ....................................................................... 7-21
Recreational Towing ............................................................... 7-23
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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
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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
Do not tow the vehicle pointed
backward with driving wheels on the
ground. This may cause internal
damage to the transaxle.
CAUTION
Do not tow with sling-type
equipment. This could damage your
vehicle. Use wheel-lift or flatbed
equipment.
If towing service is not available in an
emergency, the vehicle may be towed
with all four wheels on the ground using
the towing hook at the front of the
vehicle.
Only tow the vehicle on paved surfaces
for short distances at low speeds.
7-20
In Case of an Emergency
Emergency Towing
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CAUTION
Follow these instructions when
towing the vehicle with all wheels on
the ground.
1. Shift to neutral (MT), or the Nposition (AT).
2. Turn the ignition switch to the ACC position to prevent the steering
from locking up.
3. Release the parking brake.
Remember that power assist for the
brakes and steering will not be
available when the engine is not
running.
Tiedown Hooks
CAUTION
Don't use the tiedown hooks under
the front and rear for towing.
They are designed ONLY for tying
down the vehicle when it's being
transported. Using them for towing
will damage the bumper.
q Tiedown Hook-Front
1. Remove the tiedown eyelet, lug
wrench, and jack lever from the trunk
(page 7-3).
2. Wrap the jack lever 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
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3. Securely install the tiedown eyeletusing 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.
qTiedown Hooks-Rear
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In Case of an Emergency
Emergency Towing
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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.
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.
Customer Information
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.
Customer Information
Tire Information (U.S.A.)
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