2002 MAZDA MODEL 626 tires

7-8
In Case of an Emergency
Flat Tire
Form No. 8Q50-EA-01G
2. Mount the spare tire.
3. Install the lug nuts with the beveled edge inward; tighten them by hand. 4. Turn the lug wrench 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 a
service station.
Nut tightening torque:
Removing Dirt and Grime from Wheels, Hubs and Hub Bolts:When changing or replacing a tire,
not removing dirt and grim 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.
WARNING
Applying Oil and 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.
N· m (kgf ·m, ft ·lbf) 90 —120 (9—12, 65—87)
WARNING
J94S.book Page 8 Saturday, June 23, 2001 1:04 PM

7-9
In Case of an Emergency
Flat Tire
Form No. 8Q50-EA-01G
5. Store the damaged tire in the trunk. Have the damaged tire repaired as soon
as possible.
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.
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 accident. 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.
NOTE
To prevent the jack and tool from
rattling, store them properly.
WARNING
J94S.book Page 9 Saturday, June 23, 2001 1:04 PM

8-1
Form No. 8Q50-EA-01G
8Maintenance and Care
How to keep your Mazda in top condition.
Introduction ................................................................................. 8- 2
Introduction ............................................................................. 8- 2
Scheduled Maintenance .............................................................. 8- 3
Scheduled Maintenance ........................................................... 8- 3
Owner Maintenance .................................................................... 8- 7
Owner Maintenance Schedule ................................................. 8- 7
Owner Maintenance Precautions ............................................. 8- 8
Engine Compartment Overview .............................................. 8- 9
Engine Oil ................................................................................ 8-10
Engine Coolant ........................................................................ 8-13
Brake/Clutch Fluid .................................................................. 8-15
Power Steering Fluid ............................................................... 8-17
Automatic Transaxle Fluid (ATF) ........................................... 8-18
Washer Fluid ............................................................................ 8-20
Body Lubrication ..................................................................... 8-21
Air Filter .................................................................................. 8-21
Wiper Blades ........................................................................... 8-22
Battery ..................................................................................... 8-24
Tires ......................................................................................... 8-25
Light Bulbs .............................................................................. 8-29
Fuses ........................................................................................ 8-35
Appearance Care ......................................................................... 8-40
How to Minimize Environmental Paint Damage ..................... 8-40
Exterior Care ........................................................................... 8-42
Interior Care ............................................................................ 8-45
J94S.book Page 1 Saturday, June 23, 2001 1:04 PM

8-25
Maintenance and Care
Owner Maintenance
Form No. 8Q50-EA-01G





Battery Maintenance
To get the best service from a battery:
• Keep it securely mounted.
• Keep the top clean and dry.
• Keep terminals and connections clean,
tight, and coated with petroleum jelly
or terminal grease.
• Rinse off spilled electrolyte
immediately with a solution of water
and baking soda.
• If the vehicle will not be used for an
extended time, disconnect the battery
cables. For reasons of proper performance, safety,
and better fuel economy, always maintain
recommended tire inflation pressures and
stay within the recommended load limits
and weight distribution.
Tires
Using Different Tire Types:Driving your vehicle with different
types of tires is dangerous. It could
cause poor handling and poor
braking; leading to loss of control.
Except when using the temporary
spare tire, use only the same type tires
(radial, bias-belted, bias-type) on all
four wheels.
Using Wrong-Sized Tires:
Using any other tire size than what is
specified for your Mazda (page 10-6)
is dangerous. It could seriously affect
ride, handling, ground clearance, tire
clearance, and speedometer
calibration. This could cause you to
have an accident. Use only tires that
are the correct size specified for your
Mazda.
WARNING
J94S.book Page 25 Saturday, June 23, 2001 1:04 PM

8-26
Maintenance and Care
Owner Maintenance
Form No. 8Q50-EA-01G





Tire Inflation Pressure
Inspect all tire pressures monthly
(including the spare) when the tires are
cold. Maintain recommended pressures
for the best ride, top handling, and
minimum tire wear.
Refer to the specification charts (page 10-
6).
Incorrect Tire Inflation:Overinflation or underinflation of
tires is dangerous. Adverse handling
or unexpected tire failure could result
in a serious accident. Always inflate
the tires to the correct pressure (page
10-6).
WARNING
NOTE
• Warm tires normally exceed
recommended pressures. Don ’t
release air from warm tires to adjust
the pressure.
• Underinflation can cause reduced
fuel economy and poor sealing of
the tire bead, which will deform the
wheel and cause separation of tire
from rim.
• Overinflation can produce a harsh
ride and a greater possibility of
damage from road hazards.
Keep your tire pressure at the
correct levels. If one frequently
needs inflating, have it inspected.
J94S.book Page 26 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

8-28
Maintenance and Care
Owner Maintenance
Form No. 8Q50-EA-01G





Temporary Spare Tire
Inspect the temporary spare tire at least
monthly to make sure it ’s properly
inflated and stored.
The temporary spare tire is easier to
handle because of its construction. It is
lighter and smaller than a conventional
tire and should be used only for an
emergency and only for a short distance.
Use the temporary only until the
conventional tire is repaired, which should
be as soon as possible.
Maintain its pressure at 420 kPa (60 psi).





Replacing a Wheel
When replacing a wheel, make sure the
new one is the same as the original factory
wheel in diameter, rim width, and offset.
Proper tire balancing provides the best
riding comfort and helps reduce tread
wear. Out-of-balance tires can cause
vibration and uneven wear, such as
cupping and flat spots.
• Don ’t use your temporary spare tire
rim with a snow tire or a
conventional tire. Neither will
properly fit and could damage both
tire and rim.
• The temporary spare tire has a tread
life of up to 5,000 km (3,000 miles),
depending on road conditions and
driving habits.
• When the tread wear solid-band
indicator appears, replace the tire
with the same type of temporary
spare.
CAUTION
Using a Wrong-Sized Wheel:Using a wrong-sized wheel is
dangerous. Braking and handling
could be affected, leading to loss of
control and an accident. Always use
wheels of the correct size on your
vehicle.
A wrong-sized wheel may adversely
affect
•Tire fit
• Wheel and bearing life
• Ground clearance
• Snow-chain clearance
• Speedometer calibration
• Headlight aim
• Bumper height
WARNING
CAUTION
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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