2004 MAZDA MODEL RX 8 inflation pressure

4-6
Before Driving Your Mazda
Form No. 8R65-EA-03C
Before Starting the Engine
•Be sure the windows, outside mirrors,
and outside lights are clean.
•Inspect inflation pressures and
condition of tires.
•Look under the vehicle for any sign of
a leak.
•If you plan to back up, make sure
nothing will be in your way.•Are all doors closed and locked?
•Is the seat adjusted properly?
•Are the inside and outside mirrors
adjusted?
•Is everyone’s seat belt fastened?
•Do all the lights work?
•Check all gauges.
•Check all warning lights when the
ignition switch is turned to the ON
position.
•Release the parking brake and make
sure the brake warning light goes off.
Always be thoroughly familiar with your
Mazda.
Before Getting In
NOTE
Engine oil, engine coolant, brake/
clutch fluid, washer fluid, and other
fluid levels should be inspected daily,
weekly, or at refueling, depending on
the fluid. See Maintenance, Section 8.
After Getting In
J60E_8R65-EA-03C_Edition2.book Page 6 Saturday, April 26, 2003 1:48 PM

5-24
Driving Your Mazda
Starting and Driving
Form No. 8R65-EA-03C
The tire pressure monitoring system
(TPMS) monitors the pressure for each
tire.
If tire pressure is too low or too high in
one or more tires, the system will inform
the driver via the warning light in the
instrument panel and the warning beep.
The tire pressure sensors installed on each
wheel send tire pressure data by radio
signal to the receiver unit in the vehicle.
TPMS does not alleviate your need to
check the pressure and condition of all
four tires before you drive each day.
Tire Pressure Monitoring
System*
Tire pressure sensors
•When the tire pressure monitoring
system warning light is lit, one or
more of your tires is significantly
under-inflated. You should stop and
check your tires as soon as possible,
and inflate them to the proper
pressure as indicated on the
vehicle’s tire information placard.
Driving on a significantly under-
inflated tire causes the tire to
overheat and can lead to tire failure.
Under-inflation also reduces fuel
efficiency and tire tread life, and
may affect the vehicle’s handling
and stopping ability. Each tire,
including the spare, should be
checked monthly when cold and set
to the recommended inflation
pressure as specified in the vehicle
placard and owner’s manual.
•To avoid false readings, the system
samples for a little while before
indicating a problem. As a result it
will not instantaneously register a
rapid tire deflation or blow out.
NOTE
This device complies with part 15 of
the FCC Rules. Operation is subject to
the following two conditions: (1) This
device may not cause harmful
interference, and (2) this device must
accept any interference received,
including interference that may cause
undesired operation.
CAUTION
*Some models.
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5-47
Driving Your Mazda
Warning/Indicator Lights and Beeps
Form No. 8R65-EA-03C

Seat Belt Warning Beep
If the driver’s seat belt is not fastened
when the ignition switch is turned to the
ON position, a beep will sound for about
6 seconds.

Ignition Key Reminder
If the ignition switch is in the LOCK or
ACC position, a beep will sound when the
driver’s door is opened.

Lights-On Reminder
If lights are on and the key is removed
from the ignition switch, a beep will
sound when the driver’s door is opened.

Engine Overrev Warning Beep
The beep sounds to indicate engine
overrev when the tachometer needle
enters the striped zone (page 5-31).

Tire Inflation Pressure Warning
Beep*
The warning beep sounds for about 3
seconds when there is any abnormality in
tire inflation pressures.
(page 5-24)
Beeps
*Some models.
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7-10
In Case of an Emergency
Flat Tire
Form No. 8R65-EA-03C
14. Install the compressor hose to the tire
valve.
15. Insert the compressor plug into the
interior accessory socket and turn the
ignition switch to the ACC position
(page 6-48).16. Turn the compressor switch on and
inflate the tire carefully to the correct
inflation pressure.
•Before pulling out the compressor
plug from the electrical socket,
make sure the compressor power
switch is off.
•The compressor turns on and off
with the push-button switch.
Valve
Compressor hose
Compressor Compressor
plug
Center console
CAUTION
Operating the Compressor:
Operating the compressor above 300 kPa
(3.1 kgf/cm2, 3 bar, 43.5 psi) is
dangerous. When the inflation pressure
rises above 300 kPa (3.1 kgf/cm
2,
3 bar, 43.5 psi), heated air will be
exhausted from the back of the
compressor and you could be burned.
Never operate the compressor above
300 kPa (3.1 kgf/cm
2, 3 bar, 43.5 psi).
If the compressor operates slowly or
becomes hot, it indicates overheating.
Turn the compressor off immediately
and leave it turned off for 30 minutes
or longer.
WARNING
CAUTION
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7-11
In Case of an Emergency
Flat Tire
Form No. 8R65-EA-03C
17. When the tire has been inflated to the
proper inflation pressure, turn the
compressor switch off and remove the
compressor hose from the tire valve.
18. Install the tire valve cap.
19. Put the emergency flat tire repair kit
in the trunk and continue driving.20. After driving the vehicle for 10 minutes
or 5 km (3 miles), check the tire
pressure with the tire pressure gauge
equipped with the compressor. If the
tire pressure has fallen below the
correct tire pressure, inflate the tire to
the correct pressure again following the
steps from number 15.
NOTE
•Check the tire inflation pressure
label (driver’s door) for the correct
tire inflation pressure.
•Do not use the compressor for
longer than 10 minutes because
using the compressor for long
periods could damage it.
•If the tire does not inflate, repair of
the tire may not be possible. If the
tire does not reach the correct
inflation pressure within a 10-
minute period, it probably has
received more extensive damage.
When this happens, the emergency
flat tire repair kit cannot be used to
repair the tire. Contact an
Authorized Mazda Dealer.
•If the tire has been over-inflated,
loosen the screw cap on the
compressor and bleed some of the
air out.•Drive carefully to an Authorized
Mazda Dealer and keep the vehicle
speed below 80 km/h (50 mph).
•If the vehicle is driven 80 km/h
(50 mph) or higher, the vehicle
might begin to vibrate.
NOTE
(With Tire Pressure Monitoring
System)

If the tire is not properly inflated, the
tire pressure monitoring system
warning light will illuminate (page
5-25).
CAUTION
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7-12
In Case of an Emergency
Flat Tire
Form No. 8R65-EA-03C
21. If the tire inflation pressure remains
stable, the tire repair is complete.
Drive the vehicle with care to an
Authorized Mazda Dealer to have the
tire replaced.

Inspecting the IMS Emergency
Flat Tire Repair Kit
Inspect the emergency tire repair kit at
regular intervals.
•Check the tire sealant period of
effective use.
•Check the operation of the tire
compressor. •If the tire inflation pressure falls
below 130 kPa (1.3 kgf/cm
2or bar,
18.9 psi), repair cannot be done
with the repair kit. Park the vehicle
on a level surface off the right-of-
way and contact an Authorized
Mazda Dealer.
•If the tire inflation pressure
continues to remain low after
repeating steps 14 to 21, park the
vehicle on a level surface off the
right-of-way and contact an
Authorized Mazda Dealer.
NOTE
When checking the tire inflation
pressure with the tire pressure gauge
on the compressor unit, make sure the
compressor switch is turned off.
•A tire that has been temporarily
repaired with the tire sealant cannot
be reused. Mazda recommends
replacing the tire with a new one.
•The wheel can be reused after any
sealant adhering to it is wiped off
and carefully inspected. However,
replace the tire valve with a new
one.
CAUTION
CAUTION
NOTE
The tire sealant has a period of
effective use. Check the period of
effective use indicated on the bottle
label and do not use it if it has expired.
Have the tire sealant replaced at an
Authorized Mazda Dealer before the
period of effective use has expired.
J60E_8R65-EA-03C_Edition2.book Page 12 Saturday, April 26, 2003 1:48 PM

8-6
Maintenance and Care
Form No. 8R65-EA-03C
Owner Maintenance
The owner or a qualified service technician should make these vehicle inspections at the
indicated intervals to ensure safe and dependable operation.
Bring any problem to the attention of an Authorized Mazda Dealer or qualified service
technician as soon as possible.

When Refueling
•Brake and clutch fluid level (page 8-14)
•Engine coolant level (page 8-12)
•Engine oil level (page 8-10)
•Washer fluid level (page 8-17)

At Least Monthly
•Tire inflation pressures (page 8-23)

At Least Twice a Year (For Example, Every Spring and Fall)
•Automatic transmission fluid level (page 8-15)
You can do the following scheduled maintenance items if you have some mechanical
ability and a few basic tools and if you closely follow the directions in this manual.
•Air filter (page 8-18)
•Engine coolant (page 8-12)
•Engine oil (page 8-10)
Owner Maintenance Schedule
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8-23
Maintenance and Care
Owner Maintenance
Form No. 8R65-EA-03C
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
10-7).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.
Use all radial, all bias-belted, or all
bias-type tires.
Using Wrong-Sized Tires:
Using any other tire size than what is
specified for your Mazda (page 10-7)
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.
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
10-7).
WARNING
WARNING
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.
*Some models.
J60E_8R65-EA-03C_Edition2.book Page 23 Saturday, April 26, 2003 1:48 PM