2003 MAZDA MODEL MPV tires

8-24
Maintenance and Care
Owner Maintenance
Form No. 8R21-EA-02G

Tire Rotation
To equalize tread wear, rotate the tires
every 12,000 km (7,500 miles) or sooner
if irregular wear develops. During
rotation, inspect them for correct balance.
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, inflate all tire pressures to
specification (page 10-6) and inspect the
lug nuts for tightness.
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.
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
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8-25
Maintenance and Care
Owner Maintenance
Form No. 8R21-EA-02G

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.

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
(4.2 kgf/cm
2 or bar, 60 psi).
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 treadTread wear indicator
•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.
•The temporary spare tire is for
limited use, however, if the tread
wear solid-band indicator appears,
replace the tire with the same type
of temporary spare (page 8-25).
CAUTION
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8-26
Maintenance and Care
Owner Maintenance
Form No. 8R21-EA-02G

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.
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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8-39
Maintenance and Care
Appearance Care
Form No. 8R21-EA-02G

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.
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9-13
Customer Information
Form No. 8R21-EA-02G
Uniform Tire Quality Grading System (UTQGS)
This information relates to the tire grading system developed by the U.S. National
Highway Traffic Safety Administration for grading tires by tread wear, traction, and
temperature performance.

Tre a d We a r
The tread wear grade is a comparative rating based on the wear rate of the tire when tested
under controlled conditions on a specified government test course.
For example, a tire graded 150 would wear one-and-a-half times as well on the government
course as a tire graded 100.
The relative performance of tires depends upon the actual conditions of their use, however,
and may depart significantly from the norm because of variations in driving habits, service
practices and differences in road characteristics and climate.

Traction-AA, A, B, C
The traction grades, from highest to lowest, are AA, A, B, and C. These grades represent
the tire’s ability to stop on wet pavement as measured under controlled conditions on
specified government test surfaces of asphalt and concrete. A tire marked C may have poor
traction performance.

Temperature-A, B, C
The temperature grades are A (the highest), B, and C, represent the tire’s resistance to the
generation of heat and its ability to dissipate heat when tested under controlled conditions
on a specified indoor laboratory test wheel.
Sustained high temperature can cause the material of the tire to degenerate and reduce tire
life, and excessive temperatures can lead to sudden tire failure.
Grade C corresponds to a level of performance which all passenger vehicle tires must meet
under the Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard No. 109. Grades B and A represent
higher levels of performance on the laboratory test wheel than the minimum required by
law.
Uniform Tire Quality Grading System (UTQGS)
The traction grade assigned to this tire is based on braking (straight ahead) traction
tests and does not include acceleration cornering (turning), hydroplaning, or peak
traction characteristics.
WARNING
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9-14
Customer Information
Uniform Tire Quality Grading System (UTQGS)
Form No. 8R21-EA-02G
These grades will be added to the sidewalls of passenger vehicle tires over the next several
years according to a schedule established by the NHTSA and the tire manufacturers.
The grade of tires available as standard or optional equipment on Mazda vehicle may vary
with respect to grade.
ALL PASSENGER VEHICLE TIRES MUST CONFORM TO THESE GRADES AND
TO ALL OTHER FEDERAL TIRE-SAFETY REQUIREMENTS.

Uniform Tire Quality Grading
Quality grades can be found where applicable on the tire sidewall between tread shoulder
and maximum section width.
For example:
Treadwear 200 Traction AA Temperature A
The temperature grade for this tire is established for a tire that is properly inflated
and not overloaded. Excessive speed, underinflation, or excessive loading, either
separately or in combination, can cause heat buildup and possible tire failure.
WARNING
UTQGS MARK (example)
TREADWEAR 200 TRACTION AA
TEMPERATURE A
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10-6
Specifications
Form No. 8R21-EA-02G

Light Bulbs

Tires
Standard tire
Check the tire pressure label for tire size and inflation pressure. Refer to Tire Inflation
Pressure on page 8-23.
Temporary spare tire

Fuses
Refer to the fuse rating on page 8-33.
Light bulb Wattage
Headlights60/55
Front turn signal lights/Side-marker lights 21/5
Fog lights55
Parking lights5
Rear turn signal lights21
Brake lights/Taillights21/5
Taillights5
High-mount brake light5
Reverse lights18
License plate lights5
Overhead lights/Map lights 5
Overhead light8
Liftgate light8
Courtesy lights5
Tire size Inflation pressure
T135/90D15 420 kPa (60 psi)
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11-6
Index
Form No. 8R21-EA-02G
T
Tachometer ...................................... 5-21
Temporary Spare Tire
...................... 8-25
Theft-Deterrent System
................... 3-29
Third-row seat
.................................. 2-17
Tiedown
Hook
......................................... 7-21
Tires
Flat tire
........................................ 7-3
Inflation pressure
...................... 8-23
Replacement
............................. 8-25
Rotation
.................................... 8-24
Snow tires
................................... 4-9
Spare tire and tool storage
.......... 7-3
Specifications
........................... 10-6
Tire chains
................................ 4-10
Uniform tire quality grading
system (UTQGS)
...................... 9-13
Tool
.................................................... 7-3
Towing
Description
............................... 7-20
Emergency towing
.................... 7-20
Recreational towing
.................. 7-21
Trailer towing
........................... 4-12
Traction Control System (TCS)
....... 5-16
TCS indicator light
................... 5-17
TCS OFF indicator light
........... 5-17
TCS OFF switch
....................... 5-17
Trailer Towing
................................. 4-12
Trip Meter
........................................ 5-20
Turn and Lane-Change Signals
....... 5-33
U
Under Seat Tray ............................... 6-49
V
Vanity Mirrors .................................. 6-41
Vehicle Information Labels
............. 10-2
W
Warning Lights ................................ 5-23
ABS
........................................... 5-27
Air bag system
.......................... 5-28
Brake system
............................. 5-25
Charging system
....................... 5-26
Check engine
............................. 5-27
Door-ajar
................................... 5-29
Engine oil pressure
.................... 5-26
Front seat belt pretensioner
system
....................................... 5-28
Immobilizer system
................... 5-29
Low fuel
.................................... 5-28
Seat belt
..................................... 5-28
Warranty
............................................. 9-8
Washer Fluid
.................................... 8-16
Weights
............................................ 10-5
Wheel Replacement
......................... 8-26
Windows
Power windows
......................... 3-19
Rear quarter windows
............... 3-22
Windshield Washer
.......................... 5-35
Windshield Wipers
........................... 5-35
Blades replacement
................... 8-18
Winter Driving
................................... 4-9
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