Get Before Driving -> Driving Tips Guide for Mazda 3 4 Door Fourth Generation (2019-2026)

Before Driving

Driving Tips

Break-In Period

Saving Fuel and

Protection of the

Environment

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.

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 CO2.



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 long warm-ups. Once the



engine runs smoothly, begin driving.

Avoid fast starts.

Drive at lower speeds.

Anticipate when to apply the brakes



Avoid full-throttle starts.

(avoid sudden braking).

Follow the maintenance schedule



and have an Authorized Mazda

Dealer perform inspections and

servicing.

Refer to Scheduled Maintenance

(U.S.A. and Puerto Rico) on page

6-4.

Refer to Scheduled Maintenance

(Canada) on page 6-6.

Refer to Scheduled Maintenance

(Mexico) on page 6-8.

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.

3-46

Before Driving

Driving Tips

WARNING

Hazardous Driving

▼

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.

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.

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 4-88.



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.

3-47

Before Driving

Driving Tips

Floor Mat

Rocking the Vehicle

Floor Mat

Rocking the Vehicle

▼

We recommend the use of Genuine

Mazda ﬂoor mats.

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 cause serious

injuries.

Make sure the ﬂoor mats are hooked

on the retention pins to prevent them

from bunching up under the foot

pedals:

Using a ﬂoor mat that is not secured is

dangerous as it will interfere with the

accelerator and brake pedal operation,

which could result in an accident.

CAUTION

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.

Too much rocking may cause engine

overheating, transmission 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 position.

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 are

inserted over the pointed end of the

retention posts.

3-48

Before Driving

Driving Tips



Drive slowly. Braking performance

can be adversely aꢀected if snow or

ice adheres to the brake

Winter Driving

▼

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.

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:

Snow Tires

▼



Have the proper ratio of antifreeze in

the radiator.

Use snow tires on all 4 wheels

Refer to Engine Coolant on page

6-19.

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

6-16).

Do not go faster than 120 km/h (75

mph) while driving with snow tires.



2

Inﬂate snow tires 30 kPa (0.3 kgf/cm ,

4.3 psi) more than recommended on

the tire pressure label (driver's door

frame), but never more than the

maximum cold-tire pressure shown on

the tires.



Inspect the ignition system for

damage and loose connections.

Use washer ﬂuid made with



Mexico

antifreeze―but do not use engine

coolant antifreeze for washer ﬂuid

(page 6-21).

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.

NOTE



Remove snow before driving. Snow

left on the windshield is dangerous

as it could obstruct vision.



Do not apply excessive force to a

Except Mexico

window scraper when removing ice

or frozen snow on the mirror glass

and windshield.

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 to

replace them with snow tires during

the winter months to further improve

traction on snow and ice covered

roads.



Never use warm or hot water for

removing snow or ice from windows

and mirrors as it could result in the

glass cracking.

3-49

Before Driving

Driving Tips

NOTE

WARNING



The tire pressure monitoring system

may not function correctly when

using tire chains.

Use only the same size and type tires

(snow, radial, or non-radial) on all 4

wheels:

Using tires diꢀerent in size or type is

dangerous. Your vehicle's handling

could be greatly aꢀected and result in

an accident.

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

CAUTION

1. If your vehicle is equipped with

wheel covers remove them,

otherwise the chain bands will

scratch them.

Check local regulations before using

studded tires.

2. Secure the chains on the front tires

as tightly as possible.

NOTE

The tire pressure monitoring system

may not function correctly when using

tires with steel wire reinforcement in

the sidewalls (page 4-229).

Always follow the chain

manufacturer's instructions.

3. Retighten the chains after driving

1/2―1 km (1/4―1/2 mile).

Tire Chains

▼

Check local regulations before using

tire chains.

CAUTION

Chains may aꢀect 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.

3-50

Before Driving

Driving Tips

Driving In Flooded Area

Overloading

Driving In Flooded Area

Overloading

▼

WARNING

Dry oꢀ brakes that have become wet

by driving slowly, releasing the

accelerator pedal and lightly applying

the brakes several times until the

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

aꢀected.

Be careful not to overload your

vehicle:

The gross axle weight rating (GAWR)

and the gross vehicle weight rating

(GVWR) of the vehicle are on the

Motor Vehicle Safety Standard Label

on the driver's door frame. Exceeding

these ratings can cause an accident or

vehicle damage. You can estimate the

weight of the load by weighing the

items (or people) before putting them

in the vehicle.

CAUTION

Do not drive the vehicle on ﬂooded

roads as it could cause short circuiting

of electrical/electronic parts, or engine

damage or stalling from water

absorption. If the vehicle has been

immersed in water, consult an

Authorized Mazda Dealer.

3-51

Before Driving

Driving Tips

Driving on Uneven Road

Turbocharger Information

(SKYACTIV-G 2.5T)

Driving on Uneven Road

▼

Turbocharger Information

(SKYACTIV-G 2.5T)

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 speed when traveling on

rough/uneven roads or over speed

bumps.

▼

CAUTION

After driving at freeway speeds or up

a long hill, idle the engine at least 30

seconds before stopping it.

Otherwise, the turbocharger could

be damaged.

Racing or over-revving the engine,

particularly after it's just been

started, can damage the

Use care not to damage the vehicle's

underbody, bumpers or muꢁer(s)

when driving under the following

conditions:



Ascending or descending a slope

turbocharger.

with a sharp transition angle

Ascending or descending a driveway

To protect the engine from damage,

the engine is designed so that it

cannot be raced just after starting it

in extremely cold weather.



or trailer ramp with a sharp transition

angle

The turbocharger greatly enhances

engine power. Its advanced design

provides improved operation and

requires minimum maintenance.

To get the most from it, observe the

following.

1. Change engine oil and ﬁlter

according to Scheduled

Maintenance.

Refer to Scheduled Maintenance

(U.S.A. and Puerto Rico) on page

6-4.

Refer to Scheduled Maintenance

(Canada) on page 6-6.

This vehicle is equipped with low

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.

Refer to Scheduled Maintenance

(Mexico) on page 6-8.

2. Use only recommended engine oil

(page 6-16). Extra additives are

NOT recommended.

3-52

Before Driving -> Driving Tips for Your Mazda 3 4 Door Fourth Generation (2019-2026)

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