2002 MAZDA MODEL 626 Rc low

8-17
Maintenance and Care
Owner Maintenance
Form No. 8Q50-EA-01G





Inspecting Power Steering Fluid
Level
Inspect the fluid level at each engine oil
change. Add fluid if necessary; it does not
require periodic changing.
The level must be kept between the HIGH
and LOW marks.
Visually examine the lines and hoses for
leaks and damage.
1. Park on a level surface, well off the
right-of-way, and set the parking brake
firmly.
2. Turn off the engine and allow it to cool. 3. Remove the filler cap and attached
dipstick.
4. Wipe them clean and put them back.
5. Remove again and inspect the level.
6. It must be between HIGH and LOW. Add fluid if necessary.
Don ’t overfill.
If new fluid is required frequently, consult
an Authorized Mazda Dealer.
Power Steering Fluid
To avoid damage to the power steering
pump, don’ t operate the vehicle for
long periods when the power steering
fluid level is low.
NOTE
Use specified power steering fluid
(page 10-4).
CAUTION
High
Low OK
J94S.book Page 17 Saturday, June 23, 2001 1:04 PM

8-18
Maintenance and Care
Owner Maintenance
Form No. 8Q50-EA-01G





Inspecting Automatic transaxle
Fluid Level
The automatic transaxle fluid level should
be inspected regularly. Measure it as
described below.
The volume of fluid changes with the
temperature. Fluid must be checked at idle
without driving at normal operating
temperature.
1. Park on a level surface and set the
parking brake firmly.
2. Idle the engine about two minutes. Push down on the brake pedal.
3. Move the shift lever through all ranges and set it at P. 4. With the engine still idling, pull out the
dipstick, wipe it clean, and put it back.
5. Pull it out again. The proper fluid level is marked on the
dipstick as follows.
2.0-liter engine
Scale A
When the engine has been running and the
fluid is at normal operating temperature,
about 65 °C (150 °F) to 77 °C (170 °F), the
level must be within the crosshatched area
on the dipstick.
Automatic Transaxle Fluid
(ATF)
• Low fluid level causes transaxle
slippage. Overfilling can cause
foaming, loss of fluid, and transaxle
malfunction.
• Use specified fluid (page 10-4). A
nonspecified fluid could result in
transaxle malfunction and failure.
CAUTION
Sudden Vehicle Movement:Shifting the shift lever without first
depressing the brake pedal is
dangerous. The vehicle could move
suddenly and cause an accident.
Make sure the brake pedal is applied
before shifting the shift lever.
WARNING
A
B
J94S.book Page 18 Saturday, June 23, 2001 1:04 PM

8-19
Maintenance and Care
Owner Maintenance
Form No. 8Q50-EA-01G
Scale B
When the engine has not been running,
and the outside temperature is above 10°C
(50 °F), the level should be between the
bottom hole on the dipstick and the
bottom of the crosshatched area on the
dipstick.
Fully insert the dipstick. When adding
fluid, make sure the fluid level doesn ’t
pass the crosshatched area on the dipstick. 2.5-liter engine
Fluid hot scale A
When the vehicle has been driven and the
fluid is at normal operating temperature,
about 65
°C (150 °F), the level must be
between Full and Low.
Fluid cold scale B
When the engine has not been running
and the outside temperature is about 20 °C
(70 °F), the level must be between Full and
Low.
•
Use scale B only as a reference.
• If outside temperature is lower than
about 10 °C (50 °F), start the engine
and inspect the fluid level after the
engine reaches operating
temperature.
• If the vehicle has been driven for an
extended period at high speeds or in
city traffic in hot weather, inspect
the level only after stopping the
engine and allowing the fluid to
cool for 30 minutes.
NOTE
Inspect both sides of the dipstick for
accurate reading.
CAUTION
•Use the cold scale only as a
reference.
• If outside temperature is lower than
about 20 °C (70 °F), start the engine
and inspect the fluid level after the
engine reaches operating
temperature.
• If the vehicle has been driven for an
extended period at high speeds or in
city traffic in hot weather, inspect
the level only after stopping the
engine and allowing the fluid to
cool for 30 minutes.
A
B
CAUTION
J94S.book Page 19 Saturday, June 23, 2001 1:04 PM

8-24
Maintenance and Care
Owner Maintenance
Form No. 8Q50-EA-01G
4. Carefully insert the new blade rubber.Then install the blade assembly in the
reverse older of removal.
NOTE
Install the blade so that the tabs are
toward the bottom of the wiper arm.
Tabs
Battery
Battery-Related Lead Materials:Battery posts, terminals and related
accessories contain lead and lead
compounds, chemicals known to the
State of California to cause cancer
and reproductive harm.
Wash hands after handling.
Spilled Battery Fluid:
Spilled battery fluid is dangerous.
Battery fluid contains SULFURIC
ACID which could cause serious
injuries, if it gets in your eyes or on
your skin. If this happens,
immediately flush your eyes with
water for 15 minutes or wash your
skin thoroughly and get medical
attention. Be careful not to get battery
fluid on yourself.
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 exploding
battery can cause serious burns and
injuries. Keep all flames, including
cigarettes, and sparks away from
open battery cells.
Children and Batteries:
Allowing children to play near
batteries is dangerous. Battery fluid
could cause serious injuries if it gets
in the eyes or on the skin. Always
keep batteries out of the reach of
children.
WARNING
J94S.book Page 24 Saturday, June 23, 2001 1:04 PM

8-27
Maintenance and Care
Owner Maintenance
Form No. 8Q50-EA-01G





Tire Rotation
To equalize tread wear, rotate the tires
every 6,000 km (3,750 miles)/*12,000 km
(7,500 miles) , or sooner if irregular wear
develops. During rotation, inspect them
for correct balance.

*Canada
Also, inspect them for uneven wear and
damage. Abnormal wear is usually caused
by one or a combination of the following:
• Incorrect tire pressure
• Improper wheel alignment
• Out-of-balance wheel
• Severe braking
After rotation, bring all tire pressures to
specification (page 10-6) and inspect the
lug nuts for tightness.





Replacing a Tire
If a tire wears evenly, a wear indicator
will appear as a solid band across the
tread.
Replace the tire when this happens.
You may need to replace it before the
band is across the entire tread.
Rotate unidirectional tires and radial
tires that have an asymmetrical tread
pattern or studs only from front to rear,
not from side to side. Tire performance
will be weakened if rotated from side
to side.
Front
Do not include (TEMPORARY USE ONLY
spare tire) in rotation.
CAUTION
Worn Tires:Driving with worn tires is dangerous.
Reduced braking, steering, and
traction could result in an accident.
Always use tires that are in good
condition.
WARNING
New tread Worn tread
Tread wear indicator
J94S.book Page 27 Saturday, June 23, 2001 1:04 PM

8-35
Maintenance and Care
Owner Maintenance
Form No. 8Q50-EA-01G
Yo u r v e h i c l e’s electrical system is
protected by fuses.
If any lights, accessories, or controls don ’t
work, inspect the appropriate circuit
protector. If a fuse has blown, the inside
element will be melted.
If the same fuse blows again, avoid using
that system and consult an Authorized
Mazda Dealer as soon as possible.





Fuse Replacement
If the electrical system doesn ’t work, first
inspect fuses on the driver ’s side.
1. Turn off the ignition switch and other switches.
2. Open the fuse panel cover.
3. Pull the fuse straight out . 4. Inspect it and replace if it
’s blown.
5. Push in a new fuse of the same rating, and make sure it fits tightly. If it
doesn ’t, have an Authorized Mazda
Dealer install it.
If you have no spare fuses, borrow one
of the same rating from a circuit not
essential to vehicle operation, such as
the RADIO circuit.
Fuses
Fuse panel cover
Always replace a fuse with one of the
same rating. Otherwise you may
damage the electric system.
Normal Blown
CAUTION
J94S.book Page 35 Saturday, June 23, 2001 1:04 PM

8-36
Maintenance and Care
Owner Maintenance
Form No. 8Q50-EA-01G
If the headlights or other electrical
components don’t work and the fuses in
the cabin are OK, inspect the fuse block
under the hood. If a fuse is blown, it must
be replaced. Follow these steps:
1. Turn off the ignition switch and all
other switches.
2. Remove the fuse block cover.
3. If a fuse is blown, replace it with a new one of the same rating . When replacing the 100A fuse:
1. Turn off the ignition switch.
2. Remove the negative battery terminal.
3. Remove the A nuts.
4. Lift the fuse block and remove the B
bolts.
5. Replace the fuse with a new one of the
same rating .
6. Install in the reverse order of removal.
Fuse block cover
Normal Blown
B
A
A
A
B
B BA
100A fuse
J94S.book Page 36 Saturday, June 23, 2001 1:04 PM

8-41
Maintenance and Care
Appearance Care
Form No. 8Q50-EA-01G





Water Marks
Occurrence
Rain, fog, dew, and even tap water can
contain harmful minerals such as salt and
lime. If moisture containing these
minerals settles on the vehicle and
evaporates, the minerals will concentrate
and harden to form white rings. The rings
can damage your vehicle ’s finish.
Prevention
It is necessary to wash and wax your
vehicle to preserve its finish according to
the instructions in this section. These
steps should be taken immediately after
you find water marks on your vehicle ’s
finish.





Paint Chipping
Occurrence
Paint chipping occurs when gravel thrown
in the air by another vehicle’ s tires hits
your vehicle.
How to avoid paint chipping
Keeping a safe distance between you and
the vehicle ahead reduces the chances of
having your paint chipped by flying
gravel.
NOTE
• The paint chipping zone varies with
the speed of the vehicle. For
example, when traveling at 90 km/h
(56 mph), the paint chipping zone is
50 m (164 ft).
• In low temperatures a vehicle ’s
finish hardens. This increases the
chance of paint chipping.
• Chipped paint can lead to rust
forming on your Mazda. Before this
happens, repair the damage by using
Mazda touch-up paint according to
the instructions in this section.
Failure to repair the affected area
could lead to serious rusting and
expensive repairs.
J94S.book Page 41 Saturday, June 23, 2001 1:04 PM