MAZDA MODEL MX-5 MIATA 2003 Owners Manual

7-1
Form No. 8R09-EA-02G
7In Case of an Emergency
Helpful information on what to do in an emergency.
Parking in an Emergency ........................................................... 7- 2
Parking in an Emergency ......................................................... 7- 2
Flat Tire ........................................................................................ 7- 3
Spare Tire and Tool Storage .................................................... 7- 3
Changing a Flat Tire ................................................................ 7- 5
Overheating ................................................................................. 7-11
Overheating ............................................................................. 7-11
Emergency Starting .................................................................... 7-13
Starting a Flooded Engine ....................................................... 7-13
Jump-Starting .......................................................................... 7-13
Push-Starting ........................................................................... 7-15
Emergency Towing ...................................................................... 7-16
Towing Description ................................................................. 7-16
Tiedown Hooks ........................................................................ 7-17
Recreational Towing ................................................................ 7-17
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7-2
In Case of an Emergency
Form No. 8R09-EA-02G
Parking in an Emergency
The hazard warning lights should always
be used when you stop on or near a
roadway.
The hazard warning lights warn other
drivers that your vehicle is a traffic hazard
and that they must take extreme caution
when near it.
Depress the hazard warning flasher and
all four turn signals will flash at once.
Parking in an Emergency
NOTE
•The turn signals don
’t work when
the hazard warning lights are on.
• Check local regulations about the
use of hazard warning lights while
the vehicle is being towed. They
may forbid it.
Hazard warning flasher
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7-3
In Case of an Emergency
Form No. 8R09-EA-02G
Flat Tire
Spare tire and tools are stored in the locations illustrated in the diagram.
Spare Tire and Tool Storage
Lug wrenchSpare tire Jack handle Jack
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7-4
In Case of an Emergency
Flat Tire
Form No. 8R09-EA-02G

Jack
To remove the jack
Turn the wing bolt counterclockwise.
To secure the jack
Perform the removal procedure in reverse.

Spare Tire
Your Mazda has a temporary spare tire.
The temporary spare tire is lighter and
smaller than a conventional tire, and is
designed only for emergency use and
should be used only for VERY short
periods. Temporary spares should
NEVER be used for long drives or
extended periods.
Driving with a Temporary Spare Tire
on Ice or Snow:
Driving with a spare tire on the rear
(driving) wheels on ice or snow is
dangerous. Handling will be affected.
You could lose control of the vehicle
and have an accident. Put the spare
tire on the front axle and move a
regular tire to the rear.
Jack
Wing bolt
WARNING
To avoid damage to the temporary
spare or to the vehicle, observe the
following precautions:
•
Don
’t exceed 80 km/h (50 mph).
• Avoid driving over obstacles.
Also, don
’t drive through an
automatic car wash. This tire ’s
diameter is smaller than a
conventional tire ’s, so the ground
clearance is reduced about 25 mm
(1 in).
• Don
’t use a tire chain on this tire
because it won ’t fit properly.
• Don
’t use your temporary spare on
any other vehicle; it has been
designed only for your Mazda.
• Use only one temporary spare tire
on your vehicle at the same time.
(With limited slip differential)
When using the temporary spare tire
on the rear axle, replace it with a
standard tire as soon as possible. The
size difference between the spare and
the standard tire will cause the limited
slip differential to malfunction.
CAUTION
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7-5
In Case of an Emergency
Flat Tire
Form No. 8R09-EA-02G
To remove the spare tire
Turn the tire hold-down bolt
counterclockwise with the lug wrench.If you have a flat tire, drive slowly to a
level spot that is well off the road and out
of the way of traffic to change the tire.
Stopping in traffic or on the shoulder of a
busy road is dangerous.
Lug wrench
Changing a Flat Tire
NOTE
If the following occurs while driving, it
could indicate a flat tire.
•Steering becomes difficult.
• The vehicle begins to vibrate
excessively.
• The vehicle pulls in one direction.
Jacking a Vehicle:
Changing a tire is dangerous if not
done properly. The vehicle can slip off
the jack and seriously injure
someone.
Be sure to follow the directions for
changing a tire, and never get under a
vehicle that is supported only by a
jack.
Passenger in Vehicle Supported by a
Ja ck :
Allowing someone to remain in a
vehicle supported by a jack is
dangerous. The occupant could cause
the vehicle to fall resulting in serious
injury. Never allow anyone inside a
vehicle supported by a jack.
WARNING
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7-6
In Case of an Emergency
Flat Tire
Form No. 8R09-EA-02G
1. Park on a level surface off the right-of-way and firmly set the parking brake.
2. Put a vehicle with an automatic transmission in Park (P), a manual
transmission in Reverse (R) or 1, and
turn off the engine.
3. Turn on the hazard warning flasher.
4. Have everyone get out of the vehicle and away from the vehicle and traffic.
5. Remove the jack, tool, and spare tire (page 7-3).
6. Block the wheel diagonally opposite the flat tire. When blocking a wheel,
place a block both in front and behind
the tire.

Removing a Flat Tire
1. Loosen the lug nuts by turning them
counterclockwise one turn each, but
don ’t remove any until the tire has been
raised off the ground.
2. Place the jack under the jacking position closest to the tire being
changed.
NOTE
Make sure the jack is well lubricated
before using it.
Jacking position
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7-7
In Case of an Emergency
Flat Tire
Form No. 8R09-EA-02G
3. Insert the jack handle into the jack.4. Turn the jack handle clockwise and
raise the vehicle high enough so that
the spare tire can be installed. Before
removing the lug nuts, make sure your
Mazda is firmly in position and that it
cannot slip or move.
5. Remove the lug nuts by turning them counterclockwise; then remove the
wheel.
Incorrect Jacking Position:
Attempting to jack the vehicle in
positions other than those
recommended in this manual is
dangerous. The vehicle could slip off
the jack and seriously injure or even
kill someone. Use only the front and
rear jacking positions recommended
in this manual.
Improper Jack:
Using a jack that isn ’t designed for
your Mazda is dangerous. The vehicle
could slip off the jack and seriously
injure someone. Use only the jack
provided with your Mazda.
Placing Objects Under the Jack:
Jacking the vehicle with an object
under the jack is dangerous. The jack
could slip and someone could be
seriously injured by the jack or the
falling vehicle. Never place objects
under the jack.
WARNING
Jack handle
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7-8
In Case of an Emergency
Flat Tire
Form No. 8R09-EA-02G

Locking Lug Nuts
If your vehicle has optional antitheft
wheel lug nuts, one on each wheel will
lock the tires and you must use a special
key to unlock them. This key is attached
to the lug wrench and is stored with the
spare tire. Register them with the lock
manufacturer by filling out the card
provided in the glove box and mailing it in
the accompanying envelope. If you lose
your key, consult an Authorized Mazda
Dealer or use the lock manufacturer’
s
order form, which is with the registration
card.
To remove an antitheft lug nut
1. Get the key for the locking lug nut.
2. Place it on top of the nut, and be sure to hold the key square to it. If you hold
the key at an angle, you may damage
both key and nut. Don ’t use a power
impact wrench.
3. Place the lug wrench on top of the key and apply pressure. Turn the wrench
counterclockwise.
To replace the nut
1. Place the key on top of the nut.
2. Place the lug wrench on top of the key, apply pressure, and turn it clockwise.

Mounting the Spare Tire
1. Remove dirt and grime from the
mounting surfaces of the wheel and
hub, including the hub bolts, with a
cloth.
2. Mount the spare tire.
Antitheft lug nut Special key
Removing Dirt and Grime from
Wheels, Hubs and Hub Bolts:
When changing or replacing a tire,
not removing dirt and grime from the
mounting surfaces of the wheel, hub
and hub bolts is dangerous. The lug
nuts could loosen while driving and
cause the tire to come off, resulting in
an accident. Make sure the mounting
surfaces of the wheel, hub and lug
nuts are clean before changing or
replacing tires.
WARNING
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7-9
In Case of an Emergency
Flat Tire
Form No. 8R09-EA-02G
3. Install the lug nuts with the beveled edge inward; tighten them by hand. 4. Turn the jack handle counterclockwise
and lower the vehicle. Use the lug
wrench to tighten the nuts in the order
shown.
If you ’re unsure of how tight the nuts
should be, have them inspected at an
Authorized Mazda Dealer.
Nut tightening torque:
Don ’t Apply Oil or Grease to Lug
Nuts, Bolts:
Applying oil or grease to lug nuts and
bolts is dangerous. The lug nuts could
loosen while driving and cause the
tire to come off, resulting in an
accident. In addition, lug nuts and
bolts could be damaged if tightened
more than necessary. Do not apply oil
or grease to lug nuts and bolts and do
not tighten the lug nuts beyond the
recommended tightening torque.
WARNING
N ·m (kgf ·m, ft ·lbf) 88— 118 (9—12, 65—87)
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7-10
In Case of an Emergency
Flat Tire
Form No. 8R09-EA-02G
5. Store the damaged tire in the trunk.Have the damaged tire repaired as soon
as possible.
Loose Lug Nuts:
Improperly or loosely tightened lug
nuts are dangerous. The wheel could
wobble or come off. This could result
in loss of vehicle control and cause a
serious accident. Always securely and
correctly tighten the lug nuts.
Metric Studs and Lug Nuts:
Because the wheel studs and lug nuts
on your Mazda have metric threads,
using a non-metric nut is dangerous.
On a metric stud, it would not secure
the wheel and would damage the stud,
which could cause the wheel to slip
off and cause an accident. Be sure to
reinstall the same nuts you removed
or replace them with metric nuts of
the same configuration.
Incorrect Tire Air Pressure:
Driving on tires with incorrect air
pressure is dangerous. Tires with
incorrect pressure could affect
handling and result in an accident.
Don ’t drive with any tires that have
incorrect air pressure. When you
check the regular tires ’ air pressure,
check the spare tire, too.
NOTE
To prevent the jack and tool from
rattling, store them properly.
WARNING
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