Before Driving Your Mazda; Driving Tips; Winter Driving- Page 109

4-9

Before Driving Your Mazda

Driving Tips

Form No. 8S18-EA-03I

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.

•

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 
perform the following precautions:

•

Have the proper ratio of antifreeze in 
the radiator.

•

Inspect the battery and its cables. Cold 
reduces battery capacity.

•

Inspect the ignition system for damage 
and loose connections.

•

Use washer fluid made with 
antifreeze

—

but don

’

t use engine 

coolant antifreeze for washer fluid 
(page 8-21).

•

Don

’

t use the parking brake in freezing 

weather as the parking brake may 
freeze. Instead, shift to P with an 
automatic transaxle and to 1 or R with 
a manual transaxle. Block the rear 
wheels.

Rocking the Vehicle

Spinning the Wheels:
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. Don

’

t spin the wheels at 

more than 56 km/h (35 mph), and 
don

’

t allow anyone to stand behind a 

wheel when pushing the vehicle.

Too much rocking may cause engine 
overheating, transaxle failure, and tire 
damage.

WARNING

CAUTION

Winter Driving

J48C_8S18-EA-03I_Edition3.book  Page 9  Monday, February 9, 2004  8:41 PM

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