Get Towing Guide for Mazda Cx-5 SUV First Generation (2013-2016)

Before Driving

Driving Tips

Break-In Period

Saving Fuel and Protection

of the Environment

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 your Mazda.

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.

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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.

Do not tow a trailer.

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Avoid long warm-ups. Once the engine

runs smoothly, begin driving.

Avoid fast starts.

Drive at lower speeds.

Anticipate when to apply the brakes

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(avoid sudden braking).

Follow the maintenance schedule (page

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6-4) and have an Authorized Mazda

Dealer perform inspections and

servicing.

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Use the air conditioner only when

necessary.

Slow down on rough roads.

Keep the tires properly inflated.

Do not carry unnecessary weight.

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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

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and headwinds.

WARNING

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.

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Before Driving

Driving Tips

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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 4-80.

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.

Hazardous Driving

WARNING

Be extremely careful if it is necessary to

downshift on slippery surfaces:

Downshifting into lower gear while

driving on slippery surfaces is

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dangerous. The sudden change in tire

speed could cause the tires to skid.

This could lead to loss of vehicle

control and an accident.

Avoid sharp turns, excessive speed and

abrupt maneuvers when driving this

vehicle:

NOTE

Use snow chains only on the front wheels.

Sharp turns, excessive speed and

abrupt maneuvering of this vehicle

are dangerous as it could result in

the increased risk of loss of vehicle

control, vehicle roll-over, personal

injury or death.

This vehicle has a higher center of

gravity. Vehicles with a higher center

of gravity such as utility vehicles

handle differently than vehicles with

a lower center of gravity.

Utility vehicles are not designed for

cornering at high speeds any more

than low profile sports cars are

designed to perform satisfactorily

under off-road conditions.

In addition, utility vehicles have a

significantly higher rollover rate than

other types of vehicles.

In a rollover crash, an unbelted

person is significantly more likely to

die than a person wearing a seat

belt.

When driving on ice or in water, snow,

mud, sand, or similar hazards:

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Be cautious and allow extra distance

for braking.

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Before Driving

Driving Tips

When setting a floor mat, position the

Floor Mat

floor mat so that its grommets are inserted

over the pointed end of the retention

posts.

We recommend the use of Genuine

Mazda floor mats.

WARNING

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.

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 pedal and could result in an

accident.

If using an all-weather mat for

winter use always remove the

original floor mat.

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Before Driving

Driving Tips

Rocking the Vehicle

Winter Driving

Carry emergency gear, including tire

chains, window scraper, flares, a small

shovel, jumper cables, and a small bag of

sand or salt.

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:

Ask an Authorized Mazda Dealer to

perform the following precautions:

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.

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Have the proper ratio of antifreeze in

the radiator.

Refer to Engine Coolant on page 6-30.

Inspect the battery and its cables. Cold

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reduces battery capacity.

Use an engine oil appropriate for the

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lowest ambient temperatures that the

vehicle will be driven in (page 6-27).

Inspect the ignition system for damage

and loose connections.

Use washer fluid made with

CAUTION

Too much rocking may cause engine

overheating, transaxle failure, and

tire damage.

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antifreeze―but do not use engine

coolant antifreeze for washer fluid

(page 6-33).

Snow left on the windshield is

dangerous as it could obstruct vision.

Remove snow before driving.

If you must rock the vehicle to free it from

snow, sand or mud, depress the

accelerator slightly and slowly move the

shift lever from 1 (D) to R.

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Do not apply excessive force to a

window scraper when removing ice or

frozen snow on the mirror glass and

windshield.

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Never use warm or hot water for

removing snow or ice from windows

and mirrors as it could result in the

glass cracking.

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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.

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Before Driving

Driving Tips

qSnow Tires

qTire Chains

Use snow tires on all four wheels

Check local regulations before using tire

chains.

Do not go faster than 120 km/h (75 mph)

while driving with snow tires. Inflate

snow tires 30 kPa (0.3 kgf/cm², 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.

CAUTION

Ø Chains may affect handling.

Ø Do not go faster than 50 km/h (30

mph) or the chain manufacturer's

recommended limit, whichever is

lower.

Ø Drive carefully and avoid bumps,

holes, and sharp turns.

Ø Avoid locked-wheel braking.

Ø Do not use chains on a temporary

spare tire; it may result in damage

to the vehicle and to the tire.

Ø Do not use chains on roads that

are free of snow or ice. The tires

and chains could be damaged.

Ø Chains may scratch or chip

aluminum wheels.

Except Mexico

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.

Mexico

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

The tire pressure monitoring 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.

WARNING

Use only the same size and type tires

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

wheels:

Installing the chains

1. Secure the chains on the front tires as

tightly as possible.

Using tires different in size or type is

dangerous. Your vehicle's handling

could be greatly affected and result

in an accident.

Always follow the chain

manufacturer's instructions.

2. Retighten the chains after driving 1/2

―1 km (1/4―1/2 mile).

CAUTION

Check local regulations before using

studded tires.

3-45

Before Driving

Driving Tips

Driving In Flooded Area

Overloading

WARNING

Dry off 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

Be careful not to overload your vehicle:

The gross axle weight rating (GAWR)

and the gross vehicle weight rating

(GVWR) of your 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 your load by weighing

the items (or people) before putting

them in the vehicle.

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 affected.

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.

3-46

Before Driving

Driving Tips

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 speed when traveling on

rough/uneven roads or over speed bumps.

Use care not to damage the vehicle's underbody, bumpers or muffler(s) when driving under

the following conditions:

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Ascending or descending a slope with a sharp transition angle

Ascending or descending a driveway or trailer ramp with a sharp transition angle

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Your 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.

3-47

Towing for Your Mazda Cx-5 SUV First Generation (2013-2016)

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