Page 299 of 365
Form No. 8P95-EA-00G
Maintenance
8-11
083-1AE
Owner MaintenanceOwner Maintenance Schedule
The owner or a qualified service
technician should make these vehicle
inspections at the indicated intervals to
ensure safe and dependable operation.
Bring any problem to the attention of
an Authorized Mazda Dealer or
qualified service technician as soon as
possible.
When refueling
• Brake and clutch fluid level
(page 8-25) •
Engine coolant level
(page 8-21)
• Engine oil level
(page 8-17)
• Washer fluid level
(page 8-33)
At least monthly
• Tire inflation pressures
(page 8-41)
083-46A1E
At least twice a year
(for example, every spring and
fall)
• Automatic transaxle fluid level
(page 8-29)
• Power steering fluid level
(page 8-27)
You can do the following scheduled
maintenance items if you have some
mechanical ability and a few basic
tools and if you closely follow the
directions in this manual.
• Air filter
(page 8-34)
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 302 of 365
Form No. 8P95-EA-00G
Maintenance8-14
083-4AE
Engine Compartment Overview
Cooling system cap
2.0-liter engine
Engine oil dipstick Air filter
Automatic transaxle fluid-level dipstick
(only for automatic transaxle)
Brake/Clutch fluid reservoir
Fuse block
Battery
Coolant reservoir
Windshield washer fluid reservoir
Power steering fluid reservoir
Engine oil-filler cap
J94A7001A
Page 303 of 365
Form No. 8P95-EA-00G
Maintenance
8-15
Engine oil-filler cap
Engine oil dipstick
Air filter
Automatic transaxle fluid-level dipstick
(only for automatic transaxle)
Brake/Clutch fluid reservoir
Fuse block
Battery
Coolant reservoir
Windshield washer fluid reservoir
J94A7002A2.5-liter engine
Power steering fluid reservoir
Cooling system cap
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 310 of 365

Form No. 8P95-EA-00G
Maintenance8-22
083-10AE
Do not overfill.
If new coolant is required frequently,
consult an Authorized Mazda Dealer.
CAUTION
!
Radiator coolant will damage
paint. Rinse it off quickly.NOTEMixing green coolant with orange
coolant could decrease the service
life expentancy of the coolant. Use
only genuine Mazda orange
colored or equivalent coolant.
083-11DE
Changing coolant
Change coolant according to
Scheduled Maintenance (page 8-3).
CAUTION
!
• Use only soft (demineralized)
water in the coolant mixture.
Water that contains minerals
will cut down on the coolant’ s
effectiveness.
• Don’ t add only water. Always
add a proper coolant mixture.
CAUTION
!
• The engine has aluminum parts
and must be protected by an
ethylene-glycol-based coolant
to prevent corrosion and
freezing.
• DO NOT USE alcohol or
methanol antifreeze. DO NOT
MIX alcohol or methanol with
the coolant. This could damage
the cooling system.
• Don’ t use a solution that
contains more than 60 percent
antifreeze.
This would reduce
effectiveness.
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 312 of 365
Form No. 8P95-EA-00G
Maintenance8-24J94A7010A2.5-liter engine
Cooling system cap
Loosen
Tighten
Loosen
Tighten
Drain plug
3. With the drain plug loose but notfully removed, flush out the system
with running water.
4. Drain the system completely and retighten the plug. 5. Fill the radiator (to the top of the
filler neck) and then the coolant
reservoir (to F) with as much
ethylene-glycol-based coolant and
water as necessary to provide
protection from freezing and
corrosion.
In extremely cold climates, add the
amount recommended by the
coolant manufacturer.
6. Reinstall the cooling system cap.
7. Run the engine at idle for about 10 minutes. 8. Then do this:
•Run the engine at 2,500 rpm for
about 5 minutes.
• Increase the engine speed to
3,000 rpm for about 5 seconds
and then release the accelerator.
• Do this 4 or 5 times.
• Make sure the engine
temperature gauge does not
reach the HOT zone.
After turning off the engine, inspect
the drain plug and the water hoses
for leaks.