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Rocking the Vehicle
WARNING
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.
CAUTION
Too much rocking may cause engine
overheating, transmission failure, and
tire damage.
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.
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 8-15.
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 don't use engine
coolant antifreeze for washer fluid
(page 8-19).
lDon't use the parking brake in freezing
weather as the parking brake may
freeze. Instead, shift to P with an
automatic transmission and to 1 or R
with a manual transmission. Block the
rear wheels.
Before Driving Your Mazda
Driving Tips
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Page 268 of 434

Black plate (268,1)
WARNING
Keep Flames Away:
Flames and sparks near open battery cells are dangerous. Hydrogen gas, produced
during normal battery operation, could ignite and cause the battery to explode. An
exploding battery can cause serious burns and injuries. Keep all flames including
cigarettes and sparks away from open battery cells. When working near a battery, do
not allow metal tools to contact the positive (
) or negative () terminal of the
battery. Do not allow the positive (
) terminal to contact any other metal object that
could cause sparks.
Battery-Related Explosion:
Flames and sparks near open battery cells are dangerous. Hydrogen gas, produced
during normal battery operation, could ignite and cause the battery to explode. An
exploding battery can cause serious burns and injuries. Keep all flames, including
cigarettes, and sparks away from open battery cells.
Low Fluid Level or Frozen Battery:
Jump-starting a frozen battery or one with a low fluid level is dangerous. It may
rupture or explode, causing serious injury.
Don't jump-start a frozen battery or one with a low fluid level.
Connecting Jumper Cable Directly to Negative Terminal:
Connecting the end of the second jumper cable to the negative (
) terminal of the
discharged battery is dangerous.
A spark could cause the gas around the battery to explode and injure someone.
Connect the negative cable to a good ground point away from the battery.
Connecting Jumper Cable to Moving Parts:
Connecting a jumper cable near or to moving parts (cooling fans, belts) is dangerous.
The cable could get caught when the engine starts and cause serious injury. Route the
jumper cables away from parts that will be moving.
CAUTION
Use only a 12 V booster system. You can damage a 12 V starter, ignition system, and
other electrical parts beyond repair with a 24 V power supply (two 12 V batteries in
series or a 24 V motor generator set).
7-22
In Case of an Emergency
Emergency Starting
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Form No.8U58-EA-05J
Page 269 of 434

Black plate (269,1)
1. Remove the engine cover.
2. Remove the rubber hose from the
battery cover.
3. Remove the battery cover from its rear
side.
4. Make sure the booster battery is 12 V
and that its negative terminal is
grounded.
5. If the booster battery is in another
vehicle, don't allow the vehicles to
touch. Turn off the engine of the
vehicle with the booster battery and all
unnecessary electrical loads in both
vehicles.
6. Connect the jumper cables in the exact
sequence as in the illustration.
lConnect one end of a cable to the
positive terminal on the discharged
battery (1).
lAttach the other end to the positive
terminal on the booster battery (2).
lConnect one end of the other cable
to the negative terminal of the
booster battery (3).
lConnect the other end to a solid,
stationary, exposed metallic point
(for example, the tightening bolt)
away from the discharged battery
(4).
Booster battery
Connect cables
in numerical
order and
disconnect in
reverse order.
Discharged
battery
7. Start the engine of the booster vehicle
and run it a few minutes. Then start the
engine of the other vehicle.
In Case of an Emergency
Emergency Starting
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Form No.8U58-EA-05J