Get In Case of an Emergency Guide for Mazda Mx-5 SUV Second Generation (1998-2004)

In 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

7-1

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.

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.

7-2

In Case of an Emergency

Parking in an Emergency

Spare Tire and Tool Storage

Spare tire and tools are stored in the locations illustrated in the diagram.

Lug wrench

Spare tire Jack handle

Jack

In Case of an Emergency

Flat Tire

7-3

qJack

To remove the jack

Turn the wing bolt counterclockwise.

To secure the jack

Perform the removal procedure in reverse.

qSpare 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.

WARNING

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.

CAUTION

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.

7-4

In Case of an Emergency

Flat Tire

To remove the spare tire

Turn the tire hold-down bolt

counterclockwise with the 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.

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.

WARNING

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

Jack:

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.

NOTE

Make sure the jack is well lubricated

before using it.

In Case of an Emergency

Flat Tire

7-5

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.

NOTE

When blocking a tire, use rocks or

wood blocks of sufficient size to hold

the tire in place.

qRemoving a Flat Tire

1. Loosen the lug nuts by turning them

counterclockwise one turn each, but

don't remove any lug nuts until the tire

has been raised off the ground.

2. Place the jack under the jacking

position closest to the tire being

changed.

Jacking position

7-6

In Case of an Emergency

Flat Tire

WARNING

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.

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.

In Case of an Emergency

Flat Tire

7-7

qLocking 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.

Antitheft lug nut Special key

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.

qMounting the Spare Tire

1. Remove dirt and grime from the

mounting surfaces of the wheel and

hub, including the hub bolts, with a

cloth.

WARNING

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.

2. Mount the spare tire.

7-8

In Case of an Emergency

Some models.

Flat Tire

3. Install the lug nuts with the beveled

edge inward; tighten them by hand.

WARNING

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.

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

N·m (kgf·m, ft·lbf) 88―118 (9―12, 65―87)

WARNING

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.

In Case of an Emergency

Flat Tire

7-9

WARNING

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 accide nt. 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.

5. Store the damaged tire in the trunk.

Have the damaged tire repaired as soon

as possible.

NOTE

To prevent the jack and tool from

rattling, store them properly.

7-10

In Case of an Emergency

Flat Tire

Overheating

If the temperature gauge indicates

overheating, the vehicle loses power, or

you hear a loud knocking or pinging

noise, the engine is probably too hot.

WARNING

Cooling Fan and Engine

Inspection:

Inspecting the engine with the ignition

switch in the ON position is

dangerous. The cooling fan could turn

on unexpectedly even when the engine

isn't running. You could be seriously

injured by the fan. Turn the ignition

switch off and remove the key from the

ignition switch when you inspect the

engine.

Cooling System Cap:

When the engine and radiator are hot,

scalding coolant and steam may shoot

out under pressure and cause serious

injury. Don't remove the cooling

system cap when the engine and

radiator are hot.

Steam from Overheated Engine:

Steam from an overheated engine is

dangerous. The escaping steam could

seriously burn you. Open the hood

ONLY after steam is no longer

escaping from the engine.

If the temperature gauge indicates

overheating:

1. Drive safely to the side of the road and

park off the right-of-way.

2. Put a vehicle with an automatic

transmission in park (P), a manual

transmission in neutral.

Apply the parking brake.

3. Turn off the air conditioner.

4. Check whether coolant or steam is

escaping from under the hood or from

the engine compartment.

If steam is coming from the engine

compartment:

Don't go near the front of the vehicle.

Stop the engine.

Wait until the steam dissipates, then

open the hood and start the engine.

If neither coolant nor steam is

escaping:

Open the hood and idle the engine until

it cools.

CAUTION

If the cooling fan does not operate

while the engine is running, the engine

temperature will increase. Stop the

engine and call an Authorized Mazda

Dealer.

5. Make sure the cooling fan is operating,

then turn off the engine after the

temperature has decreased.

6. When cool, check the coolant level.

If it's low, look for coolant leaks from

the radiator and hoses.

In Case of an Emergency

Overheating

7-11

If you find a leak or other damage, or if

coolant is still leaking:

Stop the engine and call an Authorized

Mazda Dealer.

Cooling system cap

Engine coolant

reservoir

If you find no problems, the engine is

cool, and no leaks are obvious:

Carefully add coolant as required (page

8-18).

CAUTION

If the engine continues to overhea t or

frequently overheats, have the cooling

system inspected. The engine could be

seriously damaged unless repairs are

made. Consult an Authorized Mazda

Dealer.

7-12

In Case of an Emergency

Overheating

Starting a Flooded Engine

If the engine fails to start, it may be

flooded (excessive fuel in the engine).

Follow this procedure:

1. Depress the accelerator all the way and

hold it there.

2. Turn the ignition switch to the START

position and hold it there ―for up to 10

seconds. If the engine starts, release the

key and accelerator immediately

because the engine will suddenly rev

up.

3. If the engine fails to start, crank it

without depressing the accelerator―for

up to 10 seconds .

Jump-Starting

The battery is in the trunk.

Jump-starting is dangerous if done

incorrectly. So follow the procedure

carefully. If you feel unsure about jump-

starting, we strongly recommend that you

have a competent service technician do

the work.

WARNING

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 explod ing

battery can cause serious burns and

injuries. Keep all flames, including

cigarettes, and sparks away from open

battery cells.

Frozen Battery:

Jump-starting a frozen battery is

dangerous. It may rupture or explode,

causing serious injury.

Don't jump-start a frozen battery.

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).

1. Make sure the booster battery is 12 V

and that its negative terminal is

grounded.

In Case of an Emergency

Emergency Starting

7-13

2. 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.

3. Connect the jumper cables in the exact

sequence as in the illustration.

Connect one end of a cable to the

positive terminal on the discharged

battery (1).

Attach the other end to the positive

terminal on the booster battery (2).

Connect one end of the other cable

to the negative terminal of the

booster battery (3).

Connect the other end to a solid,

stationary, exposed metallic point

(for example, the trunk latch catch)

away from the discharged battery

(4).

Booster battery

Jumper

cable

Discharged

battery

Connect cables

in numerical

order and

disconnect in

reverse order.

Jum

er cable

WARNING

Connecting to Negative Terminal:

Connecting the end of the second

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 g ood ground point away from the

battery.

4. Start the engine of the booster vehicle

and run it a few minutes. Then start the

engine of the other vehicle.

5. When finished, carefully disconnect the

cables in the reverse order described in

Step3.

7-14

In Case of an Emergency

Emergency Starting

Push-Starting

WARNING

Towing a Vehicle to Start It:

Towing a vehicle to start it is

dangerous. The vehicle being towed

could surge forward when its engine

starts, causing the two vehicles to

collide. The occupants could be

injured. Never tow a vehicle to start it.

You can't start a vehicle with an automatic

transmission by pushing it.

CAUTION

You shouldn't push-start a vehicle that

has a manual transmission. It can

damage the emission control system.

In Case of an Emergency

Emergency Starting

7-15

Towing Description

We recommend that towing be done only

by an Authorized Mazda Dealer or a

commercial tow-truck service.

Proper lifting and towing are necessary to

prevent damage to the vehicle.

Government and local laws must be

followed.

A towed vehicle usually should have its

rear wheels off the ground. If excessive

damage or other conditions prevent this,

use wheel dollies.

Wheel dollies

CAUTION

Don't tow the vehicle pointed forward

with driving wheels on the ground. This

may cause internal damage to the

transmission.

CAUTION

Don't tow with sling-type equipment.

This could damage your vehicle. Use

wheel-lift or flatbed equipment.

7-16

In Case of an Emergency

Emergency Towing

Tiedown Hooks

CAUTION

Don't use the tiedown hooks under the

front and rear for towing.

They are designed ONLY for tying

down the vehicle when it's being

transported. Using them for towing will

damage the bumper.

qTiedown Hooks-Front

qTiedown Hooks-Rear

Recreational Towing

An example of “ recreational towing” is

towing your vehicle behind a motorhome.

The transmission is not designed for

towing this vehicle on all 4 wheels.

When doing recreational towing refer to

“Towing Description” (page 7-16) and

“Tiedown Hooks” (page 7-17) and

carefully follow the instructions.

In Case of an Emergency

Emergency Towing

7-17

7-18

In Case of an Emergency for Your Mazda Mx-5 SUV Second Generation (1998-2004)

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