Exterior & Styling

The sliding doors say "minivan," but many see the Mazda5 as a wagon. Minivans tend not to set hearts aflutter, but there's one thing I appreciate about the 2010 Mazda5, and that's its styling. It's nothing special, but it's also not the redesigned 2011 Mazda5 that's due at dealerships early in 2011; Mazda has already released photos (click on the thumbnails to the right). The 2011 has a less restrained design, including the smiling grille most new Mazda models get, plus a new characteristic: wavelike accent lines in the bodyside sheet metal. On the upside, the 2011 lowers the taillights and eliminates the clear-lens-over-chrome style, which is outdated at best.

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    Automatic Transaxle Fluid (ATF)
    Inspecting Automatic Transaxle Fluid Level The automatic transaxle fluid level should be inspected regularly. Measure it as described below. 2.5-liter engine CAUTION: Always check the automati ...

    Lighting Control
    Headlights Type A (Without AUTO position) Turn the headlight switch to turn the headlights, other exterior lights and dashboard illumination on or off. NOTE. To prevent discharging the batte ...

    Starting a Flooded Engine
    If the engine fails to start, it may be flooded (excessive fuel in the engine). Follow this procedure: 1. If the engine does not start within five seconds on the first try, turn the key to the LO ...