2004 MAZDA MODEL MX-5 MIATA maintenance

8-23
Maintenance and Care
Owner Maintenance
Form No. 8S15-EA-03G
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.
Type A
Type B
Body Lubrication
J07S_8S15-EA-03G_Edition2.book Page 23 Thursday, August 21, 2003 10:04 AM

8-24
Maintenance and Care
Owner Maintenance
Form No. 8S15-EA-03G
This air filter may be cleaned with
compressed air and reused, or replaced,
depending on its condition. Unless it is
very dirty, simply shake it to remove
foreign particles. Each time you inspect it,
wipe inside the air cleaner housing with a
damp cloth.

Replacing the Air Filter
1. Unfasten the clamps. 2. Lift off the air filter cover and remove
the filter.
3. Wipe inside the air cleaner housing with a damp cloth.
4. Clean or replace the filter.
5. Install in the reverse order of removal.
Replace the filter according to Scheduled
Maintenance (page 8-3).
Air Filter
Don ’t drive without an air filter. This
could result in excessive engine wear.
NOTE
If the vehicle is operated in very dusty
or sandy areas, replace the filter more
often than recommended intervals.
CAUTION
Clamp
Air filter cover
Air filter
J07S_8S15-EA-03G_Edition2.book Page 24 Thursday, August 21, 2003 10:04 AM

8-25
Maintenance and Care
Owner Maintenance
Form No. 8S15-EA-03G
Contamination of either the windshield or
the blades with foreign matter can reduce
wiper effectiveness. Common sources are
insects, tree sap, and hot wax treatments
used by some commercial car washes.
If the blades are not wiping properly,
clean the window and blades with a good
cleaner or mild detergent; then rinse
thoroughly with clean water. Repeat if
necessary.

Replacing Windshield Wiper
Blades
When the wipers no longer clean well, the
blades are probably worn or cracked.
Replace them.
1. Raise the wiper arm and turn the blade
assembly to expose the plastic locking
clip.
Compress the clip and slide the
assembly downward; then lift it off the
arm.
Wiper Blades
•Hot waxes applied by automatic car
washers have been known to affect
the cleanability of windows.
• To prevent damage to the wiper
blades, don
’t use gasoline,
kerosene, paint thinner, or other
solvents on or near them.
CAUTION
To prevent damage to the wiper arms
and other components, don ’t move the
wipers by hand.
To prevent damage to the windshield,
don ’t let the wiper arm fall on it.
CAUTION
Push
Plastic locking clip
CAUTION
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8-26
Maintenance and Care
Owner Maintenance
Form No. 8S15-EA-03G
2. Hold the end of the rubber and pull until the tabs are free of the metal
support.
3. Remove the metal stiffeners from the blade rubber and install them in new
blades. 4. Carefully insert the new blade rubber.
Then install the blade assembly in the
reverse order of removal.
Pull out
Ta b Metal support
Stiffeners
•
Don
’t bend the stiffeners. You need
to use them again.
• If the metal stiffeners are switched,
the blade’
s wiping efficiency could
be reduced.
So don ’t use the driver ’s side metal
stiffeners on the passenger ’s side, or
vice versa.
• Be sure to reinstall the metal
stiffeners in the new blade rubber so
that the curve is the same as it was
in the old blade rubber.
NOTE
Install the blade so that the tabs are
toward the bottom of the wiper arm.
CAUTION
Ta b
J07S_8S15-EA-03G_Edition2.book Page 26 Thursday, August 21, 2003 10:04 AM

8-27
Maintenance and Care
Owner Maintenance
Form No. 8S15-EA-03G
The battery is in the trunk.

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.
Battery
Battery-Related Lead Materials:
Battery posts, terminals and related
accessories contain lead and lead
compounds, chemicals known to the
State of California to cause cancer
and reproductive harm.
Wash hands after handling.
Battery-Related Explosion:
Flames and sparks near open battery
cells are dangerous. Hydrogen gas,
produced during normal battery
operation, could ignite and cause the
battery to explode. An exploding
battery can cause serious burns and
injuries. Keep all flames, including
cigarettes, and sparks away from
open battery cells.
Children and Batteries:
Allowing children to play near
batteries is dangerous. Battery fluid
could cause serious injuries if it gets
in the eyes or on the skin. Always
keep batteries out of the reach of
children.
WARNING
NOTE
The battery in this vehicle is unique
and should only be replaced with the
appropriate Mazda battery. For more
details, contact an Authorized Mazda
Dealer.
J07S_8S15-EA-03G_Edition2.book Page 27 Thursday, August 21, 2003 10:04 AM

8-28
Maintenance and Care
Owner Maintenance
Form No. 8S15-EA-03G
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.

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).
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 for the limited use of 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
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
Tire pressure label
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8-29
Maintenance and Care
Owner Maintenance
Form No. 8S15-EA-03G

Tire Rotation
To equalize tread wear, rotate the tires
every 12,000 km (7,500 miles)/8,000 km*
(5,000 miles) or sooner if irregular wear
develops. During rotation, inspect them
for correct balance.
*Unique driving conditions for USA,
Canada and Puerto Rico 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.
Front
Do not include (TEMPORARY USE ONLY)
spare tire in rotation.
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.
Limited-Slip Differential system;
don ’t use the following:
• Tires not of the designated size
• Tires of different sizes or types at
the same time
• Tires not sufficiently inflated
If these instructions aren ’t followed,
the rotation of the left and right wheels
will be different and will thus apply a
constant load on the limited-slip
differential.
This will cause a malfunction.
CAUTION
CAUTION
J07S_8S15-EA-03G_Edition2.book Page 29 Thursday, August 21, 2003 10:04 AM

8-30
Maintenance and Care
Owner Maintenance
Form No. 8S15-EA-03G

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 should 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
2or 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 tread
Tread 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 8-30).
CAUTION
J07S_8S15-EA-03G_Edition2.book Page 30 Thursday, August 21, 2003 10:04 AM