2010 Mazda MAZDA3 Owner's Manual - Page 156

Driving Your Mazda Starting and Driving qParking Brake Setting the parking brake Depress the brake pedal and then firmly pull the parking brake lever fully upwards with sufficient force to hold the vehicle in a stationary position. WARNING Before leaving the driver's seat, always switch the ignition off, set the parking brake, and make sure the shift lever is in P (automatic transaxle) or in 1st gear or R (manual transaxle): Leaving the driver's seat without switching off the ignition, setting the parking brake, and shifting the shift lever to P (automatic transaxle) or to 1st gear or R (manual transaxle) is dangerous. Unexpected vehicle movement could occur which could result in an accident. In addition, if your intention is to leave the vehicle for even a short period, it is important to switch the ignition off, as leaving it in another position will disable some of the vehicle's security systems and run the battery down. Releasing the parking brake Depress the brake pedal and pull the parking brake lever upwards, then press the release button. While holding the button, lower the parking brake lever all the way down to the released position. CAUTION Driving with the parking brake on will cause excessive wear of the brake linings or pads. NOTE For parking in snow, refer to Winter Driving (page 4-8) regarding parking brake use. 5-6