2004 MAZDA MODEL RX 8 ECU

7-25
In Case of an Emergency
Emergency Towing
Form No. 8R65-EA-03C
3. Securely install the tiedown eyelet
using the lug wrench.4. Hook the tying rope to the tiedown
eyelet.
Tiedown eyelet
Lug wrench Front
Tiedown eyelet
Lug wrench Rear
If the tiedown eyelet is not securely
tightened, it may loosen or disengage
from the bumper when tying down the
vehicle. Make sure that the tiedown
eyelet is securely tightened to the
bumper.
Tiedown eyelet Front
Tiedown eyelet Rear
CAUTION
J60E_8R65-EA-03C_Edition2.book Page 25 Saturday, April 26, 2003 1:48 PM

8-11
Maintenance and Care
Owner Maintenance
Form No. 8R65-EA-03C
1. Remove the engine cover.
2. Warm up the engine for a few minutes
and turn it off. Remove the oil-filler
cap.
3. Remove the drain plug and drain the oil
into a suitable container.
4. Replace the plug tightly after the oil
has thoroughly drained.
5. Fill the engine with new oil to the F
mark on the dipstick.
6. Securely replace the oil-filler cap.
7. Start the engine and inspect around the
drain plug for leaks.8. 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.
Engine cover
LoosenTighten
Front
Drain Plug
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
10-5).
•Verify that the engine cover is
securely installed.
J60E_8R65-EA-03C_Edition2.book Page 11 Saturday, April 26, 2003 1:48 PM

8-16
Maintenance and Care
Owner Maintenance
Form No. 8R65-EA-03C
4. Remove the engine cover.
5. With the engine still idling, pull out the
dipstick, wipe it clean, and put it back.
6. Pull it out again.
The proper fluid level is marked on the
dipstick as follows.Fluid hot scale A
When the vehicle has been driven and the
fluid is at normal operating temperature,
about 65
°C (150
°F), the level must be
between Full and Low.
Fluid cold scale B
When the engine has not been running
and the outside temperature is about 20
°C
(70
°F), the level must be between Full and
Low.
Fully insert the dipstick. When adding
fluid, inspect with the dipstick to make
sure it doesn’t pass full.
Sudden Vehicle Movement:
Shifting the shift lever without first
depressing the brake pedal is
dangerous. The vehicle could move
suddenly and cause an accident.
Make sure the brake pedal is applied
before shifting the shift lever.
WARNING
Engine cover
Full
A
Low
Full
B
Low
•Use the cold scale only as a
reference.
•If outside temperature is lower than
about 20
°C (70
°F), start the engine
and inspect the fluid level after the
engine reaches operating
temperature.
•If the vehicle has been driven for an
extended period at high speeds or in
city traffic in hot weather, inspect
the level only after stopping the
engine and allowing the fluid to
cool for 30 minutes.
NOTE
•Inspect the fluid on both sides of the
dipstick in a well lit area for an
accurate reading.
•Verify that the engine cover is
securely installed.
CAUTION
J60E_8R65-EA-03C_Edition2.book Page 16 Saturday, April 26, 2003 1:48 PM

8-19
Maintenance and Care
Owner Maintenance
Form No. 8R65-EA-03C
3. Unfasten the clamps.
4. Lift off the air filter cover and remove
the filter.
5. Wipe inside the air cleaner housing
with a damp cloth.
6. Clean or replace the filter.
7. Install in the reverse order of removal.
Replace the filter according to Scheduled
Maintenance (page 8-3).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.
NOTE
After installing the air filter cover,
make sure the electrical connector is
securely connected.
Clamp
Air filter cover
Air filter
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.
To prevent damage to the wiper arms
and other components, don’t move the
wipers by hand.
CAUTION
CAUTION
J60E_8R65-EA-03C_Edition2.book Page 19 Saturday, April 26, 2003 1:48 PM

8-22
Maintenance and Care
Owner Maintenance
Form No. 8R65-EA-03C

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.
NOTE
•Remove the engine and battery
covers before performing battery
maintenance.
•Verify that the engine cover is
securely installed.
Engine cover
Battery cover
J60E_8R65-EA-03C_Edition2.book Page 22 Saturday, April 26, 2003 1:48 PM

8-35
Maintenance and Care
Owner Maintenance
Form No. 8R65-EA-03C
3. If a fuse is blown, replace it with a new
one of the same rating
.
NOTE
•To replace the MAIN fuse, contact
an Authorized Mazda Dealer (page
8-36).
•Verify that the engine cover is
securely installed.
Normal Blown
J60E_8R65-EA-03C_Edition2.book Page 35 Saturday, April 26, 2003 1:48 PM

11-4
Index
Form No. 8R65-EA-03C
H
Hazard Warning Flasher .................. 5-55
Hazardous Driving
............................. 4-8
Headlight Washer
............................ 5-53
Headlights
Control
...................................... 5-48
Flashing
.................................... 5-49
High-low beam
......................... 5-48
Leveling
.................................... 5-49
On reminder
.............................. 5-48
HomeLink Wireless Control
System
.............................................. 5-55
Hood Release
................................... 3-18
Horn
................................................. 5-54
I
Ignition
Keys
............................................ 3-2
Switch
......................................... 5-2
Illuminated Entry System
................ 6-37
Immobilizer System
......................... 3-21
Indicator Lights
................................ 5-35
Cruise Main
.............................. 5-45
Cruise set
.................................. 5-45
DSC OFF
.................................. 5-44
Headlight auto-leveling
malfunction
............................... 5-46
Headlight high-beam
................ 5-43
Power steering malfunction
...... 5-45
Security
..................................... 5-43
Shift position
............................ 5-44
TCS/DSC
.................................. 5-44
Turn-signal/hazard warning
...... 5-46
Information Display
......................... 6-40
Ambient temperature display
... 6-41
Audio display
............................ 6-42
Climate control display
............. 6-42
Clock
......................................... 6-41
I
Information display
functions
.................................... 6-40
Instrument Cluster
............................ 5-29
Interior Care
..................................... 8-44
Interior Lights
.................................. 6-37
J
Jump-Starting ................................... 7-20
K
Keyless Entry System ........................ 3-3
Keys
................................................... 3-2
L
Label Information ............................ 10-2
Lane-Change Signals
....................... 5-50
Light Bulbs
Replacement
.............................. 8-27
Specifications
............................ 10-6
Lighter
.............................................. 6-42
Lighting Control
............................... 5-48
Lubricant Quality
............................. 10-5
M
Maintenance
Introduction
................................. 8-2
Owner maintenance
precautions
.................................. 8-7
Owner maintenance schedule
..... 8-6
Scheduled
.................................... 8-3
Manual Transmission Operation
........ 5-8
Recommendations for shifting
....5-9
Map Lights
....................................... 6-39
Meters and Gauges
........................... 5-29
J60E_8R65-EA-03C_Edition2.book Page 4 Saturday, April 26, 2003 1:48 PM

11-5
Index
Form No. 8R65-EA-03C
M
Mirrors
Outside mirrors
......................... 3-25
Rearview mirror
........................ 3-26
Money-Saving Suggestions
............... 4-7
O
Odometer and Trip Meter ................ 5-30
Outside Mirrors
................................ 3-25
Overhead Console
............................ 6-45
Overhead Lights
............................... 6-38
Overheating
...................................... 7-18
Overloading
...................................... 4-11
P
Paint Damage ................................... 8-39
Parking Brake
..................................... 5-5
Parking in an Emergency
................... 7-2
Power Door Locks
............................. 3-8
Power Steering
................................. 5-16
Power steering malfunction
indicator light
............................ 5-16
Power Windows
............................... 3-14
Push-Starting
.................................... 7-22
R
Rear Quarter Windows .................... 3-16
Rear Seat
............................................ 2-7
Rear Window Defroster
................... 5-53
Rearview Mirror
............................... 3-26
Recreational Towing
........................ 7-26
Registering Your Vehicle in
A Foreign Country
........................... 9-11
Rocking the Vehicle
........................... 4-8
S
Safety Defects, Reporting ................9-17
Seat Belt System
3-point type
...............................2-11
Automatic locking
.....................2-10
Emergency locking
...................2-10
Extender
....................................2-14
Pregnant women
........................2-10
Pretensioner and load
limiting
......................................2-12
Seat belt precautions
...................2-8
Warning beep
............................2-16
Warning light
............................2-15
Seats
Front seat
.....................................2-2
Rear seat
......................................2-7
Security System
Immobilizer system
...................3-21
Theft-deterrent system
..............3-23
Service Publications
.........................9-18
Spare Tire and Tool Storage
...............7-3
Specifications
...................................10-4
Speed Unit Selector
..........................5-30
Speedometer
.....................................5-30
SRS Air Bags
Air bag system description
........2-32
Supplemental restraint systems
precautions
................................2-27
Warning light
............................2-38
Starting the Engine
.............................5-3
Steering Wheel
.................................3-25
Horn
..........................................5-54
Storage Box
......................................6-46
Storage Compartments
.....................6-45
Center console
...........................6-46
Coin box
....................................6-45
Glove box
..................................6-45
Overhead console
......................6-45
Storage box
...............................6-46
J60E_8R65-EA-03C_Edition2.book Page 5 Saturday, April 26, 2003 1:48 PM