The quality designation SL, or ILSAC
must be on the label.
5W-20
120
100
80
60
40
20
0
–20
50
40
30
20
10
0
–10
–20
–30
q
Inspecting Engine Oil Level
1. Be sure the vehicle is on a level
surface.
2. Warm up the engine to normal operating temperature.
3. Turn it off and wait at least 5 minutes for the oil to return to the oil pan.
4. Pull out the dipstick, wipe it clean, and reinsert it fully.
2.3-liter engine
Full
OK
Low
3.0-liter engine Full
OK
Low
5. Pull it out again and examine the level.It's OK between MIN and MAX.
But if it's near or below MIN, add
enough oil to bring the level to MAX.
CAUTION
Don't add engine oil over MAX. This
may cause engine damage.
6. Make sure the O-ring on the dipstick is positioned properly before reinserting
the dipstick.
qChanging Engine Oil and Filter
Change engine oil and filter according to
Scheduled Maintenance (page 8-3).
Please act responsibly ―protect the
environment and take used oil to a
recycling facility. Ask your dealer or a
service station for information.
Maintenance and Care
Owner Maintenance
8-11
WARNING
Handling Used Engine Oil:
Continuous contact with used engine
oil is dangerous. It could cause skin
cancer. Always wash with soap and
water immediately after changing oil
and filter.
CAUTION
Remove any oil splatter from the
exhaust manifold, the exhaust pipe and
the shield. Oil left on these areas will
smoke when the engine is running.
Changing engine oil
WARNING
Checking or Changing Engine Oil:
Hot engine oil is dangerous. If the
engine has been running, the engine
oil becomes very hot. You could be
seriously burned. Don't check or
change the engine oil when the engine
is hot.
1. Warm up the engine for a few minutes and turn it off. Remove the oil-filler
cap.
2. Remove the drain plug and drain the oil into a suitable container.
3. Replace the drain plug washer after the oil has thoroughly drained.
4. Reinstall the plug tightly.
5. Fill the engine with new oil to the MAX mark on the dipstick. 6. Securely reinstall the oil-filler cap.
2.3-liter engine
LoosenTighten
Drain plug
Forward
Drain plug
Forward Loosen
Tighten
3.0-liter engine
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 MAX
mark if necessary.
8-12
Maintenance and Care
Owner Maintenance
Oil capacity (General reference only,
refer to Specifications section for
capacities.)
NOTE
lThe indicated engine oil capacities
are for general reference purposes
only. When adding or changing oil,
verify the engine oil level with the
oil dipstick.
lUse only specified engine oil (page
10-4).
Changing oil filter
Because you need a special tool to
retighten the filter, an Authorized Mazda
Dealer should do the work.
Engine Coolant
qInspecting Coolant Level
WARNING
Hot Engine:
A hot engine is dangerous. If the
engine has been running, parts of the
engine compartment can become very
hot. You could be burned. Carefully
inspect the engine coolant in the
coolant reservoir, but do not open it.
Do not use a match or live flame in the
engine compartment. DO NOT ADD
COOLANT WHEN THE ENGINE IS
HOT.
Cooling Fan and EngineInspection:
Inspecting the engine with the ignition
switch in the ON position is
dangerous. The cooling fan could turn
on unexpectedly even when the engine
isn't running. You could be seriously
injured by the fan. Turn the ignition
switch off and remove the key from the
ignition switch when you inspect the
engine.
Cooling System Cap:
When the engine and radiator are hot,
scalding coolant and steam may shoot
out under pressure and cause serious
injury. Don't remove the cooling
system cap when the engine and
radiator are hot.
Maintenance and Care
Owner Maintenance
8-13
qAdding Brake/Clutch Fluid
WARNING
Spilled Brake Fluid:
Spilled brake fluid is dangerous. If it
gets in your eyes, they could be
seriously injured. If this happens,
immediately flush your eyes with water
and get medical attention. Brake fluid
spilled on a hot engine could cause a
fire. Be careful not to spill brake fluid
on yourself or on the engine.
Low Brake/Clutch Fluid Levels:
Low brake/clutch fluid levels are
dangerous. Low levels could signal
brake lining wear or a brake system
leak. Your brakes could fail and cause
an accident. If you find a low fluid
level, have the brakes and clutch
inspected.
If the fluid level is low, add fluid until it
reaches MAX.
Before adding fluid, thoroughly clean the
area around the cap.
CAUTION
lBrake and clutch fluid will damage
painted surfaces. If brake or clutch
fluid does get on a painted surface,
wipe it off immediately.
lUsing nonspecified brake and clutch
fluids (page 10-4) will damage the
systems. Mixing different fluids will
also damage them.
If the brake/clutch system frequently
requires new fluid, consult an
Authorized Mazda Dealer.
Power Steering Fluid
q Inspecting Power Steering Fluid
Level
CAUTION
To avoid damage to the power steering
pump, don't operate the vehicle for long
periods when the power steering fluid
level is low.
NOTE
Use specified power steering fluid
(page 10-4).
2.3-liter engine
Inspect the fluid level in the reservoir at
each engine oil change with the engine off
and cold. Add fluid if necessary; it does
not require periodic changing.
The level must be kept between MIN and
MAX.
Visually examine the lines and hoses for
leaks and damage.
Maintenance and Care
Owner Maintenance
8-17
If new fluid is required frequently, consult
an Authorized Mazda Dealer.
3.0-liter engine
Inspect the fluid level at each engine oil
change. Add fluid if necessary; it does not
require periodic changing.
LowOK
High Loosen
Tighten
The level must be kept between the H and
L marks.
Visually examine the lines and hoses for
leaks and damage.
1. Park on a level surface, well off the
right-of-way, and set the parking brake
firmly.
2. Turn off the engine and allow it to cool.
3. Remove the filler cap and attached dipstick.
4. Wipe them clean and put them back.
5. Remove again and inspect the level.
6. It must be between H and L. Add fluid if necessary.
Don't overfill.
If new fluid is required frequently, consult
an Authorized Mazda Dealer.
Automatic Transaxle Fluid
(ATF)
q Inspecting Automatic Transaxle
Fluid Level
The automatic transaxle fluid level should
be inspected regularly. Measure it as
described below.
The volume of fluid changes with the
temperature. Fluid must be checked at idle
without driving at normal operating
temperature.
CAUTION
lLow fluid level causes transaxle
slippage. Overfilling can cause
foaming, loss of fluid, and transaxle
malfunction.
lUse specified fluid (page 10-4). A
nonspecified fluid could result in
transaxle malfunction and failure.
1. Park on a level surface and set the parking brake firmly.
2. Idle the engine about two minutes. Push down on the brake pedal.
3. Move the shift lever through all ranges and set it at P.
8-18
Maintenance and Care
Owner Maintenance
Body Lubrication
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 hood's secondary latch
keeps the hood from opening when the
primary latch is released.
Air Filter
CAUTION
Don't drive without an air filter. This
could result in excessive engine wear.
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.
q Replacing the Air Filter
NOTE
If the vehicle is operated in very dusty
or sandy areas, replace the filter more
often than recommended intervals.
1. Unfasten the clamps.
2.3-liter engine
Maintenance and Care
Owner Maintenance
8-21
Your Mazda's headlights and fog lights
have replaceable halogen bulbs.
WARNING
Handling Halogen Bulbs:
When a halogen bulb breaks, it is
dangerous. These bulbs contain
pressurized gas. If one is broken, it
will explode and serious injuries could
be caused by the flying glass.
If the glass portion is touched with
bare hands, body oil could cause the
bulb to overheat and explode when lit.
Never touch the glass portion of the
bulb with your bare hands and always
wear eye protection when handling or
working around halogen bulbs.
Children and Halogen Bulbs:
Playing with a halogen bulb is
dangerous. Serious injuries could be
caused by dropping a halogen bulb or
breaking it some other way.
Always keep halogen bulbs out of the
reach of children.
qReplacing Exterior Light Bulbs
Replacing the headlight, fog light andparking light bulbs
Due to the complexity and difficulty of
the procedure, the bulbs should be
replaced by an Authorized Mazda Dealer.
Front turn signal lights
1. Turn the socket and bulb assembly
counterclockwise and remove it. 2. Remove the bulb by pushing it in
slightly and turning it
counterclockwise.
3. Install the new bulb in the reverse orderof removal.
Side-marker lights
1. Turn the screw counterclockwise and
remove it, then partially peel back the
mudguard.
2. Turn the socket and bulb assemblycounterclockwise and remove it.
8-34
Maintenance and Care
Owner Maintenance
Insects, tar, tree sap, bird droppings,
industrial fallout, and similar deposits can
damage the finish if not removed
immediately. When prompt washing with
plain water is ineffective, use a mild soap
made for use on vehicles.
Thoroughly rinse off all soap with
lukewarm or cold water. Don't allow soap
to dry on the finish.
After washing the vehicle, dry it with a
clean chamois to prevent water spots from
forming.
WARNING
Driving with Wet Brakes:
Driving with wet brakes is dangerous.
Increased stopping distance or the
vehicle pulling to one side when
braking could result in a serious
accident. Light braking will indicate
whether the brakes have been affected.
Dry the brakes by driving very slowly
and applying the brakes lightly until
brake performance is normal.
Waxing
Your vehicle needs to be waxed when
water no longer beads on the finish.
Always wash and dry the vehicle before
waxing it. In addition to the vehicle body,
wax the metal trim to maintain its luster.
1. Use wax which contains no abrasives.Waxes containing abrasive will remove
paint and could damage bright metal
parts.
2. Use a good grade of natural wax for metallic, mica, and solid colors. 3. When waxing, coat evenly with the
sponge supplied or a soft cloth.
4. Wipe off the wax with a soft cloth.
NOTE
A spot remover to remove oil, tar, and
similar materials will usually also take
off the wax. Rewax these areas even if
the rest of the vehicle doesn't need it.
q Repairing Damage to the Finish
Deep scratches or chips on the finish
should be repaired promptly. Exposed
metal quickly rusts and can lead to major
repairs.
CAUTION
If your Mazda is damaged and needs
metal parts repaired or replaced, make
sure the body shop applies anti-
corrosion materials to all parts, both
repaired and new. This will prevent
them from rusting.
qBright-Metal Maintenance
lUse tar remover to remove road tar and
insects. Never do this with a knife or
similar tool.
lTo prevent corrosion on bright-metal
surfaces, apply wax or chrome
preservative and rub it to a high luster.
lDuring cold weather or in coastal areas,
cover bright-metal parts with a coating
of wax or preservative heavier than
usual. It would also help to coat them
with noncorrosive petroleum jelly or
some other protective compound.
8-50
Maintenance and Care
Appearance Care