Before Driving Your Mazda; Driving Tips; Snow Tires- Page 92

4-8

Before Driving Your Mazda

Driving Tips

Form No. 8R29-EA-02I

•

Carry emergency gear, including tire 
chains, window scraper, flares, a small 
shovel, jumper cables, and a small bag 
of sand or salt.

Ask a 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.

•

Use only cold-weather engine oil (page 
8-10).

•

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 8-19).

•

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.

▼

Snow Tires

Use snow tires on all four wheels

Your 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.
Don’t go faster than 120 km/h (75 mph). 
Inflate snow tires 30 kPa (0.3 kgf/cm

2

, 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.

▼

Tire Chains

This vehicle cannot be operated with tire 
chains because it could cause interference 
with the vehicle body and scratching.

Winter Driving

Mixing Tire Types:
Using tires different in size or type is 
dangerous. Your vehicle’s handling 
could be greatly affected and result in 
an accident. Use only the same size 
and type tires (snow, radial, or non-
radial) on all four wheels.

WARNING

Check local regulations before using 
studded tires.

CAUTION

J56J_8R29_EA_02I_Edition4.book  Page 8  Monday, April 21, 2003  3:44 PM