Page 300 of 365
Form No. 8P95-EA-00G
Maintenance8-12•Engine coolant
(page 8-22)
• Engine oil and oil filter
(page 8-18)
083-2A2E
Owner Maintenance Precautions
Improper or incomplete service may
result in problems. This section gives
instructions only for items easy to
perform.
WARNING
!
Maintenance Procedures:Performing maintenance work on
a vehicle can be dangerous. You
can be seriously injured while
performing some maintenance
procedure. If you lack sufficient
knowledge and experience or the
proper tools and equipment to do
the work, have it done by a
qualified technician.As explained in the Introduction (page
8-2), several procedure can be done
only by a qualified service technician
with special tools.
Page 301 of 365

Form No. 8P95-EA-00G
Maintenance
8-13
Improper owner maintenance during
the warranty period may affect
warranty coverage. For details, read
the separate Mazda Warranty
statement provided with the vehicle. If
you’re unsure about any servicing or
maintenance procedure, have it done
by an Authorized Mazda Dealer.
WARNING
!
Running the Engine:Working under the hood with the
engine running is dangerous. It
becomes even more dangerous
when you wear jewelry or loose
clothing. Either can become
entangled in moving parts and
result in injury. Therefore, if you
must run the engine while
working under the hood, make
certain that you remove all
jewelry (especially rings,
bracelets, watches, and necklaces)
and all neckties, scarves, and
similar loose clothing before
getting near the engine or cooling
fan.
083-3CE
WARNING
!
Electrical Fan and EngineInspection:Inspecting the engine with the
ignition switch in the ON position
is dangerous. The cooling fan
could come 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.
Page 306 of 365
Form No. 8P95-EA-00G
Maintenance8-185. Pull it out again and examine thelevel. It’ s OK between L and F.
But if it’ s near at or below L, add
enough oil to bring the level to F.
CAUTION
!
Don’ t add engine oil over F.
This may cause engine damage.NOTEThe distance between L and F on
the dipstick represents 1.0 L (1.06
US qt, 0.88 Imp qt).
083-7CE
Changing engine oil and filter
Change engine oil and filter according
to Scheduled Maintenance (page
8-3).
Please act responsibly—protect the
environment and take used oil to a
recycling facility. Ask your dealer or a
service station for information.
WARNING
!
Handling Used Engine Oil:Continuous contact with used
engine oil could be dangerous. It
could cause skin cancer. Always
wash with soap and water
immediately after changing oil
and filter.
Page 307 of 365
Form No. 8P95-EA-00G
J94A7007 (J18T7009)
Loosen
Drain plug Oil-filler cap
Tighten
2.5-liter engine
Maintenance
8-19
J94A7006
(J18T7008)
Loosen
2.0-liter engine
Oil-filler capTighten
Drain plug
Changing engine oil
1. Warm up the engine for a few minutes and turn it off. Remove the
oil-filler cap. 2. Remove the drain plug and drain
the oil into a suitable container.
WARNING
!
Checking or Changing EngineOil:Hot engine oil could be
dangerous. If the engine has been
running, the engine oil becomes
very hot. You could be seriously
burned. Don’ t check or change
the engine oil when the engine is
hot.
Page 309 of 365
Form No. 8P95-EA-00G
Maintenance
8-21
083-8C2E
Engine Coolant
Inspecting coolant level
WARNING
!
Hot Engine:A hot engine is dangerous. If the
engine has been running, parts of
the engine compartment can
become very hot. You could be
burned. Don’ t inspect the coolant
system or add coolant when the
engine is hot.
Inspect the antifreeze protection and
coolant level in the coolant reservoir at
least once a year—at the beginning of
the winter season—and before
traveling where temperatures may
drop below freezing.
Inspect the condition and connections
of all cooling system and heater hoses.
Replace any that are swollen or
deteriorated.
The coolant should be at full in the
radiator and between the F and L
marks on the coolant reservoir when
the engine is cool.
083-9C1E
2.5-liter engine
J94A7042_a
2.0-liter engine
If it ’s at or near L, add enough coolant
to the coolant reservoir to provide
freezing and corrosion protection and
to bring the level to F.
Page 311 of 365

Form No. 8P95-EA-00G
Maintenance
8-23
For mixture percentage:
Volume
Protection
Antifreezesolution
Water
Above –16° C (3°F)
35%
65%
Above –26° C (–15°F)
45%
55%
Above –40° C (–40°F)
55%
45%
WARNING
!
Removing the Cooling SystemCap:Removing the cooling system cap
or drain plug while the engine is
running or hot is dangerous. This
might lead to cooling system and
(Continued)
engine damage and could result
in serious injury from escaping
hot coolant or steam. Turn off the
engine and wait until it’ s cool.
Even then, be very careful when
removing the cap or drain plug.
Wrap a thick cloth around it and
slowly turn it counterclockwise to
the first stop. Step back while the
pressure escapes. When you’re
sure all the pressure is gone, press
down on the cap — still using a
cloth — turn the cap, and remove
it.
083-12D1E
Cooling system cap
J94A7009A2.0-liter engine
Loosen
Tighten
LoosenTighten
Drain plug
To change coolant
1. Remove the cooling system cap.
2. Only when the engine is cool,
loosen the radiator drain plug and
drain the coolant into a suitable
container.
Page 314 of 365
Form No. 8P95-EA-00G
Maintenance8-26The level normally drops with
accumulated mileage, a condition
associated with wear of brake and
clutch linings. If it is excessively low,
have the brake/clutch system
inspected by an Authorized Mazda
Dealer.
CAUTION
!
Brake and clutch fluid will damage
painted surfaces. If brake or clutch
fluid does get on a painted surface,
wipe it off immediately.
CAUTION
!
Using nonspecified brake and
clutch fluids (see chart, page 10-2)
will damage the systems. Mixing
different fluids will also damage
them.
If the brake/clutch system
frequently requires new fluid,
consult an Authorized Mazda
Dealer.
WARNING
!
Spilled Brake Fluid:Spilled brake fluid is dangerous.
If it gets in your eyes, they could
be seriously injured. If this
happens, immediately flush your
eyes with water and get medical
attention. Brake fluid spilled on a
hot engine could cause a fire. Be
careful not to spill brake fluid on
yourself or on the engine.
Page 315 of 365
Form No. 8P95-EA-00G
Maintenance
8-27
WARNING
!
Low Brake/Clutch Fluid Levels:Low brake/clutch fluid levels
could be dangerous. Low levels
could signal brake lining wear or
a brake system leak. Your brakes
could fail and cause an accident.
If you find a low fluid level, have
the brakes and clutch inspected.
Q083-15FE
J94A7015Inspecting Power Steering Fluid
Level
Inspect the fluid level at each engine
oil change. Add fluid if necessary; it
does not require periodic changing. J94A7016
(J18T7019)
Low
OK
High
The level must be kept between the
HIGH and LOW marks.