brakes MAZDA MODEL 626 2002 Owners Manual

4-8
Before Driving Your Mazda
Driving Tips
Form No. 8Q50-EA-01G
When driving on ice or in water, snow,
mud, sand, or similar hazard:
•Be cautious and allow extra distance
for braking.
• Avoid sudden braking and quick
steering.
• If your vehicle is not equipped with
ABS, brake with the pedal by using a
light up-down motion. Don ’t hold the
pedal down constantly.
If your vehicle is equipped with ABS,
don’ t pump the brakes. Continue to
press down on the brake pedal.
• If you get stuck, shift to 1 (L) or 2 (S)
and accelerate slowly. Don ’t spin the
front wheels.
• For more traction in starting, use sand,
rock salt, chains, carpeting, or other
nonslip material under the front
wheels. If you must rock the vehicle to free it from
snow, sand, or mud, depress the
accelerator slightly and slowly move the
shift lever back and forth from 1 (D) to R.
Hazardous Driving
Downshifting on Slippery Surfaces:Downshifting into lower gear while
driving on slippery surfaces is
dangerous. The sudden change in tire
speed could cause the tires to skid.
This could lead to loss of vehicle
control and an accident. If it is
necessary to downshift on slippery
surfaces, be very careful.
NOTE
Use snow chains only on the front
wheels.
WARNING
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
J94S.book Page 8 Saturday, June 23, 2001 1:04 PM

4-10
Before Driving Your Mazda
Driving Tips
Form No. 8Q50-EA-01G





Tire Chains
Check local regulations before using tire
chains.
Install the chains on the front tires.
Don ’t use chains on the rear tires.
Use only SAE Class "S" chains, and make
sure they fit.
Installing the chains
1. Remove the wheel covers, or the chain bands will scratch them.
2. Secure the chains on the front tires as tightly as possible. Always follow the
chain manufacturer ’s instructions.
3. Retighten the chains after driving 1/2—1 km (1/4 —1/2 mile).
•
Chains may scratch or chip
aluminum wheels. Install tire chains
on steel wheels only.
• Chains may affect handling.
• Don ’t go faster than 50 km/h (30
mph) or the chain manufacturer ’s
recommended limit, whichever is
lower.
• Drive carefully and avoid bumps,
holes, and sharp turns.
• Avoid locked-wheel braking.
• Don ’t use chains on the temporary
tire; it may result in damage to the
vehicle and to the tire.
• Don ’t use chains on roads that are
free of snow or ice. The tires and
chains could be damaged.
CAUTION
Driving In Flooded Area
Driving with Wet Brakes:Driving with wet brakes is dangerous.
Increased stopping distance or the
vehicle pulling to one side when
braking could result in a serious
accident. Light braking will indicate
whether the brakes have been
affected. Dry the brakes by driving
very slowly and applying the brakes
lightly until brake performance
returns to normal.
Make sure water does not enter the
vehicle interior or the engine area. The
vehicle interior could become wet or
the engine could be damaged.
WARNING
CAUTION
J94S.book Page 10 Saturday, June 23, 2001 1:04 PM

5-3
Driving Your Mazda
Starting and Driving
Form No. 8Q50-EA-01G
ACC (Accessory)
The steering wheel unlocks and some
electrical accessories will operate.
ON
This is the normal running position after
the engine is started. The warning lights
(except brakes)should be inspected before
the engine is started (page 5-23).
START
The engine is started in this position. It
will crank until you release the key; then
it returns to the ON position. The brake
warning light can be checked after the
engine is started (page 5-23).





Ignition Key Reminder
If the ignition switch is in the LOCK or
ACC position, a beep will sound when
any door is opened. 1. Occupants should fasten their seat
belts.
2. Make sure the parking brake is on.
3. Depress the brake pedal.
4. (Manual transaxle)
Depress the clutch pedal all the way
and shift into neutral.
Keep the pedal depressed while
cranking the engine.
NOTE
If turning the key is difficult, jiggle the
steering wheel from side to side.
Starting the Engine
NOTE
Engine-starting is controlled by the
spark ignition system.
This system meets all Canadian
Interference-Causing Equipment
Standard requirements regulating the
impulse electrical field strength of
radio noise.
NOTE
The starter will not operate if the
clutch pedal is not pushed down all the
way.
J94S.book Page 3 Saturday, June 23, 2001 1:04 PM

5-4
Driving Your Mazda
Starting and Driving
Form No. 8Q50-EA-01G
(Automatic transaxle)
Put the vehicle in park (P). If you must
restart the engine while the vehicle is
moving, shift into neutral (N).
5. Turn the ignition switch to the START position and hold (up to 10 seconds at a
time) until the engine starts.
6. After starting the engine, let it idle for about 10 seconds.





Foot Brake
Your Mazda has power-assisted brakes
that adjust automatically through normal
use.
Should power-assist fail, you can stop by
applying greater force than normal to the
brake pedal. But the distance required to
stop will be greater than usual.NOTE
The starter will not operate if the shift
lever is not in P or N.
Don ’t try the starter for more than 10
seconds at a time. If the engine stalls or
fails to start, wait 10 seconds before
trying again. Otherwise, you may
damage the starter and drain the
battery.
NOTE
• In extremely cold weather, below
−18 °C (0 °F), or after the vehicle has
stood idle several days, let the
engine warm up without operating
the accelerator.
• Whether cold or warm, the engine
should be started without use of the
accelerator.
CAUTION
Brake System
Driving with the Engine Off:Continuing to drive when the engine
is stalled or turned off is dangerous.
Braking will require more effort, and
the brake ’s power-assist could be
depleted if you pump the brake. This
will cause longer stopping distances
or even an accident. Don ’t continue
driving when the engine is stalled or
turned off, find a safe place to stop.
Riding the Brakes:
Driving with your foot continuously
on the brake pedal or steadily
applying the brakes for long distances
is dangerous. This causes overheated
brakes, resulting in longer stopping
distances or even total brake failure.
This could cause loss of vehicle
control and a serious accident. Avoid
continuous application of the brakes.
Shift to a lower gear when going
down steep hills.
WARNING
J94S.book Page 4 Saturday, June 23, 2001 1:04 PM

5-5
Driving Your Mazda
Starting and Driving
Form No. 8Q50-EA-01G





Parking Brake
Setting the parking brake
Depress the brake pedal, then pull the
brake handle fully upward. Releasing the parking brake
Depress the brake pedal, then pull the
handle up and press the button. Lower the
handle to the release position while
holding in the button.





Brake System Warning Light
This warning has the following functions:
Parking brake warning
The light comes on when the parking
brake is applied with the ignition switch
in the START or ON position. It goes off
when the parking brake is fully released.
Driving with Wet Brakes:Driving with wet brakes is dangerous.
Increased stopping distance or the
vehicle pulling to one side when
braking could result in a serious
accident. Light braking will indicate
whether the brakes have been
affected. Dry the brakes by driving
very slowly and applying the brakes
lightly until brake performance is
normal.
Driving with the parking brake on will
cause excessive wear of the brake
linings or pads.
WARNING
CAUTION
J94S.book Page 5 Saturday, June 23, 2001 1:04 PM

5-6
Driving Your Mazda
Starting and Driving
Form No. 8Q50-EA-01G
Low brake fluid level warning
If the light stays on after the parking brake
is fully released, you may have a brake
problem.
Drive to the side of the road and park off
the right-of-way.
You may notice that the pedal is harder to
push or that it may go closer to the floor.
In either case, it will take longer to stop
the vehicle.
1. With the engine stopped, check the brake fluid level immediately and add
fluid as required (page 8-15).
2. After adding fluid, check the light again.
If the warning light remains on, or if the
brakes do not operate properly, do not
drive the vehicle. Have it towed to an
Authorized Mazda Dealer.
Even if the light goes off, have your brake
system inspected as soon as possible.





Anti-Lock Brake System (ABS)
The ABS control unit continuously
monitors the speed of each wheel. If one
is about to lock up, the ABS responds by
automatically releasing and reapplying
that wheel’ s brake.
The driver will feel a slight vibration in
the brake pedal and may hear a chattering
noise from the brake system. This is
normal when the ABS operates. Don ’t
pump the brakes, continue to press down
on the brake pedal.
Brake Warning Light:Driving with the brake system
warning light on is dangerous. It
indicates that your brakes may not
work at all or that they could
completely fail at any time. If this
light remains on, have the brakes
inspected immediately. Don ’t drive
with this light on, and contact an
Authorized Mazda Dealer to have the
brakes inspected as soon as possible.
WARNING
ABS:The ABS cannot compensate for
unsafe and reckless driving, excessive
speed, tailgating (following another
vehicle too closely), and hydroplaning
(reduced tire friction and road
contact because of water on the road
surface). You can still have an
accident. So don ’t rely on ABS as a
substitute for safe driving.
NOTE
Braking distances may be longer on
loose surfaces (snow or gravel, for
example) which usually have a hard
foundation. A vehicle with a normal
braking system may require less
distance to stop under these conditions
because the tires will build up a wedge
of surface layer when the wheels skid.
WARNING
J94S.book Page 6 Saturday, June 23, 2001 1:04 PM

5-7
Driving Your Mazda
Starting and Driving
Form No. 8Q50-EA-01G





ABS Warning Light
The warning light stays on for a few
seconds when the ignition switch is turned
to the ON position.
If the ABS warning light stays on while
you ’re driving, the ABS control unit has
detected a system malfunction. If this
occurs, your brakes will function
normally as if the vehicle had no ABS.
Should this happen, consult an Authorized
Mazda Dealer as soon as possible.





Brake Pad Wear Indicator
When the disc brake pads become worn,
the built-in wear indicators contact the
disc plates. This causes a screeching noise
to warn that the pads should be replaced.
When you hear this noise, consult an
Authorized Mazda Dealer as soon as
possible.
NOTE
When the engine is jump-started to
charge the battery, uneven rpm occurs
and the ABS warning light comes on.
This is due to a weak battery, not a
malfunction.
Recharge the battery.
Driving with Worn Disc Pads:Driving with worn disc pads is
dangerous. The brakes could fail and
cause a serious accident. As soon as
you hear a screeching noise consult
an Authorized Mazda Dealer.
WARNING
J94S.book Page 7 Saturday, June 23, 2001 1:04 PM

5-9
Driving Your Mazda
Starting and Driving
Form No. 8Q50-EA-01G
Various Lockouts:





Transaxle Ranges
The shift lever must be in P or N to
operate the starter.
P (Park)
P locks the transaxle and prevents the
front wheels from rotating.
R (Reverse)
In position R, the vehicle moves only
backward. You must be at a complete stop
before shifting to or from R, except as
explained under Rocking the Vehicle
(page 4-8).
N (Neutral)
In N, the wheels and transaxle are not
locked. The vehicle will roll freely even
on the slightest incline unless the parking
brake or brakes are on.
Automatic Transaxle
Controls
Indicates that you must depress
the brake pedal and hold in the
lock-release button to shift (The
ignition switch must be in the
ACC or ON position).
Indicates the shift lever can be
shifted freely into any position.
Indicates that you must hold in
the lock-release button to shift.
Lock-release button
To prevent unsafe
shifting
Overdrive button
For gear selection with either
a three-speed or four-speed
transaxle
Shift pattern indicator
Shows shift lever
position
Holding the Vehicle with P:Setting the shift lever to the P position
without using the parking brake to
hold the vehicle is dangerous. If P
fails to hold, the vehicle could move
and cause an accident. To hold the
vehicle, set the shift lever to P AND
set the parking brake.
•Shifting into P or R while the
vehicle is moving can damage your
transaxle.
• Shifting into a driving gear or
reverse when the engine is running
faster than idle can damage the
transaxle.
WARNING
CAUTION
J94S.book Page 9 Saturday, June 23, 2001 1:04 PM

5-12
Driving Your Mazda
Starting and Driving
Form No. 8Q50-EA-01G





Driving Tips
Passing
For extra power when passing another
vehicle or climbing steep grades, depress
the accelerator fully. The transaxle will
shift to a lower gear, depending on vehicle
speed.
Climbing steep grades from a stop
To climb a steep grade from a stopped
position:
1. Depress the brake pedal.
2. Shift to D or 1, depending on the load
weight and grade steepness.
3. Release all brakes while gradually accelerating.
Descending steep grades
When descending a steep grade, shift to 2
or 1, depending on load weight and grade
steepness. Descend slowly, using the
brakes only occasionally to prevent them
from overheating. Power steering is only operable when the
engine is running. If the engine is off or if
the power steering system is inoperable,
you can still steer, but it requires more
physical effort.
If the steering feels rigid during normal
driving, consult an Authorized Mazda
Dealer.
Power Steering
Never hold the steering wheel to the
extreme left or right for more than five
seconds with the engine running.
This could damage the power steering
system.
CAUTION
J94S.book Page 12 Saturday, June 23, 2001 1:04 PM

5-25
Driving Your Mazda
Warning/Indicator Lights and Beeps
Form No. 8Q50-EA-01G





Brake System Warning Light
This warning has the following functions:
Parking brake warning
The light comes on when the parking
brake is applied with the ignition switch
in the START or ON position. It goes off
when the parking brake is fully released.
Low brake fluid level warning
If the light stays on after the parking brake
is fully released, you may have a brake
problem.
Drive to the side of the road and park off
the right-of-way.
You may notice that the pedal is harder to
push or that it may go closer to the floor.
In either case, it will take longer to stop
the vehicle.
1. With the engine stopped, check the
brake fluid level immediately and add
fluid as required (page 8-15).
2. After adding fluid, check the light again.
If the warning light remains on, or if the
brakes do not operate properly, do not
drive the vehicle. Have it towed to an
Authorized Mazda Dealer.
Even if the light goes off, have your brake
system inspected as soon as possible.





Seat Belt Warning Light/Beep
If the driver ’s seat belt is not fastened
when the ignition switch is turned to the
ON position, a beep will sound for about
6 seconds and the seat belt warning light
will remain on until the belt is fastened.
If the system does not operate correctly,
consult an Authorized Mazda Dealer.
Brake Warning Light:Driving with the brake system
warning light on is dangerous. It
indicates that your brakes may not
work at all or that they could
completely fail at any time. If this
light remains on, have the brakes
inspected immediately. Don ’t drive
with this light on, and contact an
Authorized Mazda Dealer to have the
brakes inspected as soon as possible.
WARNING
J94S.book Page 25 Saturday, June 23, 2001 1:04 PM