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8-8
Maintenance and Care
Owner Maintenance
Form No. 8Q47-EA-01F
Improper or incomplete service may result in problems. This section gives instructions
only for items easy to perform.
As explained in the Introduction (page 8-2), several procedure can be done only by a
qualified service technician with special tools.
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.
There are strict environmental laws regarding the disposal of waste oil and fluids. Please
dispose of your waste carefully and with due regard to the environment.
We recommend that you entrust the oil and fluid changes of your vehicle to an Authorized
Mazda Dealer.
Owner Maintenance Precautions
Maintenance Procedures:
Performing maintenance work on a vehicle is dangerous if not done properly. 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.
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.
Electrical Fan and Engine Inspection:
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.
WARNING
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Page 181 of 244
8-9
Maintenance and Care
Owner Maintenance
Form No. 8Q47-EA-01F
Engine Compartment Overview
2.5 liter V6 DOHC
Automatic transaxle fluid-level dipstick
Brake fluid reservoir
Battery
Fuse block Coolant filler cap
Air filter
Engine coolant reservoirCooling system cap Engine oil-filler cap
Power steering fluid
reservoir
Windshield washer
fluid reservoirEngine oil dipstick
Miller Cycle Engine V6 DOHC
Air filter
Cooling system cap
Engine coolant reservoir Power steering fluid
reservoir
Battery
Fuse block Automatic transaxle fluid-level dipstick
Brake fluid reservoir
Engine oil-filler cap Windshield washer
fluid reservoir
Engine oil dipstick
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8-10
Maintenance and Care
Owner Maintenance
Form No. 8Q47-EA-01F
Recommended Oil
Oil container labels provide important
information.
The quality designation SG, SH, SJ,
SL,
or ILSAC
must be on the label.
Engine oil viscosity, or thickness, has an
effect on fuel economy and cold-weather
operation (starting and oil flow).
Low-viscosity engine oils can provide
improved fuel economy and cold-weather
performance.
But high-temperature weather conditions
require higher-viscosity engine oils for
satisfactory lubrication.When choosing an oil, consider the
temperature range your vehicle will
operate in before the next oil change.
Then select the recommended viscosity
from this chart.
Energy conserving oils are recommended.
A chief contribution they make to fuel
economy is reducing the amount of fuel
necessary to overcome engine friction.
Inspecting Engine Oil Level
1. Be sure the vehicle is on a level
surface.
2. Warm up the engine to normal
operating temperature.
3. Turn it off and wait 5 minutes for the
oil to return to the oil pan.
4. Pull out the dipstick, wipe it clean, and
reinsert it fully.
Engine Oil
SAEFORGASOLINEENGINES10W-30
(ILSAC)
–30–20–100 1020304050
–20 0 20 40 60 80 100 120
5W-30
10W-30
Using oils of viscosity besides those
recommended for specific temperature
ranges could result in engine damage.
CAUTION
Full
LowOK
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8-11
Maintenance and Care
Owner Maintenance
Form No. 8Q47-EA-01F
5. Pull it out again and examine the level.
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.
6. Make sure the O-ring is positioned
properly before reinserting the
dipstick.
The distance between L and F on the
dipstick represents the following:
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.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. Don’t add engine oil over F. This may
cause engine damage.
L (US qt, Imp qt) 0.9 (1.0, 0.8)
Handling Used Engine Oil:
Continuous contact with used engine
oil is dangerous. It could cause skin
cancer. Always wash with soap and
water immediately after changing oil
and filter.
CAUTION
WARNING
Checking or Changing Engine Oil:
Hot engine oil is 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.
WARNING
2.5 liter V6 DOHC
Loosen
Tighten
Drain plug
Loosen
Tighten Miller Cycle Engine V6 DOHC
Drain plug
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8-12
Maintenance and Care
Owner Maintenance
Form No. 8Q47-EA-01F
3. Replace the plug tightly after the oil
has thoroughly drained.
4. Fill the engine with new oil to the F
mark on the dipstick.
5. Securely replace the oil-filler cap.
6. Start the engine and inspect around the
drain plug for leaks.
7. Turn it off and wait 5 minutes for the
oil to return to the oil pan.
Check the oil level and fill to the F mark if
necessary.
Oil capacity (General reference only,
refer to Specifications section for
capacities.)
Changing oil filter
Because you need a special tool to
retighten the filter, an Authorized Mazda
Dealer should do the work.
Inspecting Coolant Level
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 FULL and LOW
marks on the coolant reservoir when the
engine is cool.
NOTE
•The indicated engine oil capacities
are for general reference purposes
only. When adding or changing oil,
verify the engine oil level with the
oil dipstick.
•Use only specified engine oil (page
10-4).
Engine Coolant
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.
WARNING
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8-16
Maintenance and Care
Owner Maintenance
Form No. 8Q47-EA-01F
Adding Brake Fluid
If the fluid level is low, add fluid until it
reaches MAX.
Before adding fluid, thoroughly clean the
area around the cap.
Inspecting Power Steering Fluid
Level
Inspect the fluid level in the reservoir at
each engine oil change with the engine off
and cold. Add fluid if necessary; it does
not require periodic changing.
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.
Low Brake Fluid Levels:
Low brake fluid levels are 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 inspected.
•Brake fluid will damage painted
surfaces. If brake fluid does get on
a painted surface, wipe it off
immediately.
•Using nonspecified brake fluids
(page 10-4) will damage the system.
Mixing different fluids will also
damage it.
If the brake system frequently
requires new fluid, consult an
Authorized Mazda Dealer.
WARNING
CAUTION
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
2.5 liter V6 DOHC
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8-19
Maintenance and Care
Owner Maintenance
Form No. 8Q47-EA-01F
Inspecting Washer Fluid Level
Inspect fluid level in the washer fluid
reservoir; add fluid if necessary.
Use plain water if washer fluid is
unavailable.
But use only washer fluid in cold weather
to prevent it from freezing.All moving points of the body, such as
door and hood hinges and locks, should
be lubricated each time the engine oil is
changed. Use a nonfreezing lubricant on
locks during cold weather.
Make sure the engine hood’s secondary
latch keeps the hood from opening when
the primary latch is released.
Wa s h e r F l u i d
Substitute Washer Fluid:
Using radiator antifreeze as washer
fluid is dangerous. If sprayed on the
windshield, it will dirty the
windshield, affect your visibility, and
could result in an accident. Use only
windshield washer fluid or plain
water in the reservoir.
WARNING
Float
Body Lubrication
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10-4
Form No. 8Q47-EA-01F
Specifications
Engine
Electrical System
Lubricant Quality
* Refer to the recommended SAE viscosity numbers on page 8-10.
Specifications
ItemModel
2.5 liter V6 DOHC Miller Cycle Engine V6 DOHC
Bore×Stroke 84.5 × 74.2 mm (3.33 × 2.92 in) 80.3 × 74.2 mm (3.16 × 2.92 in)
Displacement 2,496 ml (2,496 cc, 152.3 cu in) 2,254 ml (2,254 cc, 137.5 cu in)
Compression ratio 9.2 10.0
ItemModel
2.5 liter V6 DOHC Miller Cycle Engine V6 DOHC
BatteryMaintenance-free,
12V-48AH/5HR,
52AH/5HR (Cold areas)Maintenance-free,
12V-52AH/5HR,
55AH/5HR (Cold areas)
Alternator 12V-110 A
Starter 12V-1.6 kW 12V-2.0 kW
Spark-plug
numberNGK ZFR5F-11, ZFR6F-11 PZFR5F, PZFR6F
DENSO—PKJ16CR8, PKJ20CR8
CHAMPION—RC8PMPA, RC10PMPA
Spark-plug gap 1.0—1.1 mm (0.040—0.043 in) 0.7—0.8 mm (0.028—0.031 in)
LubricantClassification
API Service ILSAC
Engine oil
*
SG (Energy Conserving II)—
SH (Energy Conserving II) GF-I
SJ GF-II
SL GF-III
Lubricant Classification
Automatic transaxle fluid
ATF M-III or equivalent (e.g. Dexron
® III)
Power steering fluid
ATF M-III or equivalent (e.g. Dexron® III)
Brake fluid SAE J1703 or FMVSS116 DOT-3
J76Y.book Page 4 Wednesday, March 27, 2002 5:04 PM