Mazda Not a Manual manual Winter Driving, QSnow Tires

Before Driving Your Mazda

Driving Tips

Winter Driving

lCarry 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:

lHave the proper ratio of antifreeze in

the radiator.

Refer to Engine Coolant on page 8-22.

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

lInspect the ignition system for damage and loose connections.

lUse washer fluid made with antifreeze―but do not use engine coolant antifreeze for washer fluid (page 8-25).

lDo not use the parking brake in freezing weather as it may freeze. Instead, shift to P with an automatic

transmission and to 1 or R with a manual transmission. Block the rear wheels.

lSnow left on the windshield is

dangerous as it could obstruct vision. Remove snow before driving.

lDo not open or close the soft top when the temperature is 5 °C (41 °F) or less. The material of the soft top could be damaged by freezing.

lDo not apply excessive force to a window scraper when removing ice or frozen snow on the mirror glass and

windshield.

lNever use warm or hot water for removing snow or ice from windows and mirrors as it could result in the glass cracking.

lBraking performance can be adversely affected if snow or ice adheres to the brake equipment. 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.

qSnow Tires

Use snow tires on all four wheels

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.

Your 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.

WARNING

Use only the same size and type tires (snow, radial, or non-radial) on all four wheels:

Using tires different in size or type is dangerous. Your vehicle's handling could be greatly affected and result in an accident.

CAUTION

Check local regulations before using studded tires.

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