Mazda 3 Owners Manual: Driving Tips
| WARNING Do not let the vehicle move in a direction opposite to the direction selected by the selector lever: Do not let the vehicle move backward with the selector lever in a forward position, or do not let the vehicle move forward with the selector lever in the reverse position. Otherwise, the engine may stop, causing the loss of the power brake and power steering functions, and make it diffi cult to control the vehicle which could result in an accident. |
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.
NOTE (Some models) The accelerator pedal may initially feel heavy as it is being depressed, then feel lighter as it is depressed further. This change in pedal force aids the engine control system in determining how much the accelerator pedal has been depressed for performing kickdown, and functions to control whether or not kickdown should be performed.
Climbing steep grades from a stop To climb a steep grade from a stopped position:
- Depress the brake pedal.
- Shift to D or M1, depending on the load weight and grade steepness.
- 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.
Direct Mode
Direct mode can be used for temporarily
switching gears by operating the steering
shift switch while the vehicle is being
driven with the selector lever in the D
range.
While in direct mode, th ...
Other materials:
Rocking the Vehicle
WARNING
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 vehicle:
When the vehicle is stuck, spinning the
wheels at high speed is dangerous.
The spinning tire could overheat and
explode. This could c ...
Door Lock Switch Inspection
1. Disconnect the negative battery cable..
2. Remove the inner garnish..
3. Remove the front door trim..
4. Remove the front inner handle..
5. Inspect for continuity between the door lock switch terminals using an ohmmeter.
If not as indicated in the table, replace the door lock ...
Rearview Mirror Removal
1. Insert a tape-wrapped flathead screwdriver to the position shown in the figure
and press the center part of the spring in the direction of arrows (1), and then
pull out the rearview mirror in the direction of arrows (2) shown in the figure.
CAUTION:
When removing the rearview m ...
