four wheel drive MAZDA MODEL 626 2002 Owners Manual

4-9
Before Driving Your Mazda
Driving Tips
Form No. 8Q50-EA-01G
•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 8-20).
• Don ’t use the parking brake if it might
freeze. Instead, shift to P with an
automatic transaxle and to 1 or R with
a manual transaxle. Block the rear
wheels.





Snow Tires
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.
Use snow tires on all four wheels
Don ’t go faster than 120 km/h (75 mph).
Inflate snow tires 28 kPa (0.3 kgf/cm 2, 4
psi) more than recommended on the tire
pressure label (driver’ s door), but never
more than the maximum cold-tire
pressure shown on the tires.
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.
Check local regulations before using
studded tires.
WARNING
CAUTION
J94S.book Page 9 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

5-36
Driving Your Mazda
Switches and Controls
Form No. 8Q50-EA-01G
To sound the horn, press around the
mark of the steering wheel.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 switch and all
four turn signals will flash at once.
HornHazard Warning Flasher
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.
J94S.book Page 36 Saturday, June 23, 2001 1:04 PM