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8-43
Maintenance and Care
Appearance Care
Form No. 8Q50-EA-01G
Insects, tar, tree sap, bird droppings,
industrial fallout, and similar deposits can
damage the finish if not removed
immediately. When prompt washing with
plain water is ineffective, use a mild soap
made for use on vehicles.
Thoroughly rinse off all soap with
lukewarm or cold water. Don’t allow soap
to dry on the finish.
After washing the vehicle, dry it with a
clean chamois to prevent water spots from
forming.
Waxing
Your vehicle needs to be waxed when
water no longer beads on the finish.
Always wash and dry the vehicle before
waxing it. In addition to the vehicle body,
wax the metal trim to maintain its luster.
1. Use wax which contains no abrasives. Waxes containing abrasive will remove
paint and could damage bright metal
parts.
2. Use a good grade of natural wax for metallic, mica, and solid colors. 3. When waxing, coat evenly with the
sponge supplied or a soft cloth.
4. Wipe off the wax with a soft cloth.
Repairing Damage to the Finish
Deep scratches or chips on the finish
should be repaired promptly. Exposed
metal quickly rusts and can lead to major
repairs.
Bright-Metal Maintenance
• Use tar remover to remove road tar and
insects. Never do this with a knife or
similar tool.
• To prevent corrosion on bright-metal
surfaces, apply wax or chrome
preservative and rub it to a high luster.
• During cold weather or in coastal
areas, cover bright-metal parts with a
coating of wax or preservative heavier
than usual. It would also help to coat
them with noncorrosive petroleum jelly
or some other protective compound.
Driving with Wet Brakes:Driving with wet brakes is dangerous.
Increased stopping distance or the
vehicle pulling to one side when
braking could result in a serious
accident. Light braking will indicate
whether the brakes have been
affected. Dry the brakes by driving
very slowly and applying the brakes
lightly until brake performance is
normal.
WARNING
NOTE
A spot remover to remove oil, tar, and
similar materials will usually also take
off the wax. Rewax these areas even if
the rest of the vehicle doesn ’t need it.
If your Mazda is damaged and needs
metal parts repaired or replaced, make
sure the body shop applies anti-
corrosion materials to all parts, both
repaired and new. This will prevent
them from rusting.
CAUTION
J94S.book Page 43 Saturday, June 23, 2001 1:04 PM
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8-44
Maintenance and Care
Appearance Care
Form No. 8Q50-EA-01G
Underbody Maintenance
Road chemicals and salt used for ice and
snow removal and solvents used for dust
control may collect on the underbody. If
not removed, they will speed up rusting
and deterioration of such underbody parts
as fuel lines, frame, floor pan, and exhaust
system, even though these parts may be
coated with anti-corrosive material.
Thoroughly flush the underbody and
wheel housings with lukewarm or cold
water at the end of each winter. Try also to
do this every month.
Pay special attention to these areas
because they easily hide mud and dirt. It
will do more harm than good to wet
down the road grime without removing
it.
The lower edges of doors, rocker panels,
and frame members have drain holes that
should not be clogged. Water trapped
there will cause rusting.
Aluminum Wheel Maintenance
A protective coating is provided over the
aluminum wheels. Special care is needed
to protect this coating.
Don
’t use steel wool, abrasive
cleaners, or strong detergents
containing highly alkaline or caustic
agents on chrome-plated or anodized
aluminum parts. This may result in
damage to the protective coating and
cause discoloration or paint
deterioration.
CAUTION
Driving with Wet Brakes:Driving with wet brakes is dangerous.
Increased stopping distance or the
vehicle pulling to one side when
braking could result in a serious
accident. Light braking will indicate
whether the brakes have been
affected. Dry the brakes by driving
very slowly and applying the brakes
lightly until brake performance is
normal.
NOTE
• Don ’t use a wire brush or any
abrasive cleaner, polishing
compound, or solvent on aluminum
wheels. They may damage the
coating.
• Only use a mild soap or neutral
detergent and always use a sponge
or soft cloth to clean the wheels.
Rinse thoroughly with lukewarm or
cold water. Also, be sure to clean
the wheels after driving on dusty or
salted roads. This helps prevent
corrosion.
• Avoid washing your vehicle in an
automatic car wash that uses high-
speed or hard brushes.
• If your aluminum wheels lose
luster, wax the wheels.
WARNING
J94S.book Page 44 Saturday, June 23, 2001 1:04 PM
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11-2
Form No. 8Q50-EA-01G
Index
A
Accessory Socket ............................. 6-38
Add-On Non-Genuine Parts and
Accessories
...................................... 9-10
Air Bag Systems
.............................. 2-25
Air Filter
.......................................... 8-21
Antenna
............................................ 6-11
Anti-Lock Brake System (ABS)
........ 5-6
Warning light
.............................. 5-7
Appearance Care
.............................. 8-40
Audio System
................................... 6-11
Audio set
................................... 6-19
Operating tips for
audio system
............................. 6-11
Safety certification
.................... 6-36
Automatic Transaxle Driving tips
............................... 5-12
Fluid
.......................................... 8-18
Overdrive
.................................. 5-11
Shift-lock system
...................... 5-10
Transaxle ranges
......................... 5-9
B
Battery Emergency starting
................... 7-12
Maintenance
............................. 8-24
Specifications
........................... 10-4
Beeps Ignition key reminder
............... 5-31
Lights-on reminder
................... 5-31
Before Starting the Engine
................. 4-6
After getting in
........................... 4-6
Before getting in
......................... 4-6
Body Lubrication
............................. 8-21
Brake/Clutch Fluid
.......................................... 8-15
B
BrakesAnti-lock brake system (ABS)
.... 5-6
Foot brake
................................... 5-4
Pad wear indicator
...................... 5-7
Parking brake
.............................. 5-5
Warning light
.............................. 5-5
Break-In Period
.................................. 4-7
Bulb Replacement
............................ 8-29
C
Capacities ......................................... 10-5
Carbon Monoxide
.............................. 4-5
Catalytic Converter
............................ 4-4
Cell Phones
...................................... 9-11
Center Console
................................. 6-43
Center Pocket
................................... 6-42
Child Restraint Child restraint precautions
........ 2-18
Installing child-restraint
systems
...................................... 2-21
Child Safety Lock for Rear Door
....... 3-5
Climate Control System
..................... 6-2
Gas specifications
..................... 10-6
Courtesy Light
.................................. 6-38
Cruise Control
.................................. 5-13
Cup Holders
..................................... 6-40
Customer Assistance
.......................... 9-2
D
Dashboard Illumination .................... 5-22
Daytime Running Lights
.................. 5-33
Defroster Rear window
............................. 5-35
Dimensions
....................................... 10-5
Door Locks
......................................... 3-3
Driving In Flooded Area
.................. 4-10
J94S.book Page 2 Saturday, June 23, 2001 1:04 PM
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