2003 MAZDA MODEL 6 Owners Manual (in English)

7-5
In Case of an Emergency
Flat Tire
Form No. 8R29-EA-02I
To remove the spare tire
1. Remove the trunk board.
2. Turn the tire hold-down bolt
counterclockwise.
To secure the spare tire
Perform the removal procedure in reverse.If you have a flat tire, drive slowly to a
level spot that is well off the road and out
of the way of traffic to change the tire.
Stopping in traffic or on the shoulder of a
busy road is dangerous.
Trunk board
Lug wrench
Changing a Flat Tire
NOTE
If the following occurs while driving, it
could indicate a flat tire.
•
Steering becomes difficult.
•
The vehicle begins to vibrate
excessively.
•
The vehicle pulls in one direction.
Jacking a Vehicle:Changing a tire is dangerous if not
done properly. The vehicle can slip off
the jack and seriously injure
someone.
Be sure to follow the directions for
changing a tire, and never get under a
vehicle that is supported only by a
jack.
Passenger in Vehicle Supported by a
Jack:Allowing someone to remain in a
vehicle supported by a jack is
dangerous. The occupant could cause
the vehicle to fall resulting in serious
injury. Never allow anyone inside a
vehicle supported by a jack.
WARNING
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7-6
In Case of an Emergency
Flat Tire
Form No. 8R29-EA-02I
1. Park on a level surface off the right-of-
way and firmly set the parking brake.
2. Put a vehicle with an automatic
transaxle in Park (P), a manual
transaxle in Reverse (R) or 1, and turn
off the engine.
3. Turn on the hazard warning flasher.
4. Have everyone get out of the vehicle
and away from the vehicle and traffic.
5. Remove the jack, tool, and spare tire
(page 7-3).
6. Block the wheel diagonally opposite
the flat tire. When blocking a wheel,
place a block both in front and behind
the tire.

Removing a Flat Tire
1. Pry off the wheel cover with the
beveled end of the lug wrench.NOTE
Make sure the jack is well lubricated
before using it.
NOTE
Force the end of the lug wrench firmly
between wheel and cover, or removal
will be difficult.
Align the notch on the wheel cover
with the valve stem when installing it.
Damage could occur during
installation if the wheel cover is not
properly aligned.
Lug wrench
Wheel cover
CAUTION
Tire valve
Notch
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7-7
In Case of an Emergency
Flat Tire
Form No. 8R29-EA-02I
2. Loosen the lug nuts by turning them
counterclockwise one turn each, but
don’t remove any until the tire has been
raised off the ground.
3. Place the jack under the jacking
position closest to the tire being
changed.
4. Insert the lug wrench into the jack.
Jacking position
Incorrect Jacking Position:Attempting to jack the vehicle in
positions other than those
recommended in this manual is
dangerous. The vehicle could slip off
the jack and seriously injure or even
kill someone. Use only the front and
rear jacking positions recommended
in this manual.
Improper Jack:
Using a jack that isn’t designed for
your Mazda is dangerous. The vehicle
could slip off the jack and seriously
injure someone. Use only the jack
provided with your Mazda.
Placing Objects Under the Jack:
Jacking the vehicle with an object
under the jack is dangerous. The jack
could slip and someone could be
seriously injured by the jack or the
falling vehicle. Never place objects
under the jack.
WARNING
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7-8
In Case of an Emergency
Flat Tire
Form No. 8R29-EA-02I
5. Turn the lug wrench clockwise and
raise the vehicle high enough so that
the spare tire can be installed. Before
removing the lug nuts, make sure your
Mazda is firmly in position and that it
cannot slip or move.
6. Remove the lug nuts by turning them
counterclockwise; then remove the
wheel.
Locking Lug Nuts
If your vehicle has optional antitheft
wheel lug nuts, one on each wheel will
lock the tires and you must use a special
key to unlock them. This key is attached
to the lug wrench and is stored with the
spare tire. Register them with the lock
manufacturer by filling out the card
provided in the glove box and mailing it in
the accompanying envelope. If you lose
your key, consult an Authorized Mazda
Dealer or use the lock manufacturer’s
order form, which is with the registration
card.
To remove an antitheft lug nut
1. Get the key for the locking lug nut.
2. Place it on top of the nut, and be sure to
hold the key square to it. If you hold
the key at an angle, you may damage
both key and nut. Don’t use a power
impact wrench.
3. Place the lug wrench on top of the key
and apply pressure. Turn the wrench
counterclockwise.
To replace the nut
1. Place the key on top of the nut.
2. Place the lug wrench on top of the key,
apply pressure, and turn it clockwise.
Antitheft lug nutSpecial key
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7-9
In Case of an Emergency
Flat Tire
Form No. 8R29-EA-02I

Mounting the Spare Tire
1. Remove dirt and grime from the
mounting surfaces of the wheel and
hub, including the hub bolts, with a
cloth.
2. Mount the spare tire.3. Install the lug nuts with the beveled
edge inward; tighten them by hand.
Removing Dirt and Grime from Wheels, Hubs and Hub Bolts:When changing or replacing a tire,
not removing dirt and grime 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
Don’t apply Oil or 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.
WARNING
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7-10
In Case of an Emergency
Flat Tire
Form No. 8R29-EA-02I
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:

N·m (kgf·m, ft·lbf) 88—118 (9—12, 65—87)
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.
WARNING
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7-11
In Case of an Emergency
Flat Tire
Form No. 8R29-EA-02I
5. Store the damaged tire, using the
conventional tire hold-down bolt
supplied in the tool bag to hold it in
place. Have the damaged tire repaired
as soon as possible.
NOTE
To prevent the jack and tool from
rattling, store them properly.
Tire clampConventional tire
hold-down bolt
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7-12
In Case of an Emergency
Form No. 8R29-EA-02I
Overheating
If the temperature gauge indicates
overheating, the vehicle loses power, or
you hear a loud knocking or pinging
noise, the engine is probably too hot.
If this happens:
1. Drive safely to the side of the road and
park off the right-of-way.
2. Put a vehicle with an automatic
transaxle in park (P), a manual
transaxle in neutral.
Apply the parking brake.
3. Turn off the air conditioner.4. Check whether coolant or steam is
escaping from under the hood or from
the engine compartment.
If steam is coming from the engine
compartment:Don’t go near the front of the vehicle.
Stop the engine. Then turn the ignition
switch to the ON position without
starting the engine.
The radiator cooling fans will start to
cool the engine.
If neither coolant nor steam is
escaping:Open the hood and idle the engine until
it cools. If this doesn’t lower the
temperature, stop the engine and let it
cool.
Overheating
Steam from Overheated Engine:Steam from an overheated engine is
dangerous. The escaping steam could
seriously burn you. Open the hood
ONLY after steam is no longer
escaping from the engine.
WARNING
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