Black plate (132,1)
WARNING
Mixing Tire Types:
Using tires different in size or type is
dangerous. Your vehicle's handling
could be greatly affected and result in
an accident. Use only the same size
and type tires (snow, radial, or non-
radial) on all four wheels.
CAUTION
Check local regulations before using
studded tires.
qTire Chains
This vehicle cannot be operated with tire
chains because it could cause interference
with the vehicle body and scratching.
Driving In Flooded Area
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 returns to normal.
CAUTION
Make sure water does not enter the
vehicle interior or the engine area.
Interior materials could get moldy, and
many electronic devices in the cabin
and the engine could be damaged.
4-10
Before Driving Your Mazda
Driving Tips
Mazda6_8U66-EA-05F_Edition1 Page132
Friday, June 3 2005 8:46 AM
Form No.8U66-EA-05F
Black plate (249,1)
qSpare Tire
Your Mazda has a temporary spare tire.
The temporary spare is lighter and smaller
than a conventional tire, and is designed
only for emergency use and should be
used only for VERY short periods.
Temporary spares should NEVER be used
for long drives or extended periods.
WARNING
Driving with a Temporary Spare Tireon Ice or Snow:
Driving with a spare tire on the front
(driving) wheels on ice or snow is
dangerous. Handling will be affected.
You could lose control of the vehicle
and have an accident. Put the spare
tire on the rear axle and move a
regular tire to the front.
CAUTION
lWhen using the temporary spare tire,
driving stability may decrease
compared to when using only the
conventional tire. Drive carefully.
lTo avoid damage to the temporary
spare or to the vehicle, observe the
following precautions:
lDon't exceed 80 km/h (50 mph).lAvoid driving over obstacles.
Also, don't drive through an
automatic car wash. This tire's
diameter is smaller than a
conventional tire, so the ground
clearance is reduced about 35 mm
(1.4 in).
lDo not use tire chains on any type
of tire, including the spare tire.
lDon't use your temporary spare
on any other vehicle, it has been
designed only for your Mazda.
lUse only one temporary spare tire
on your vehicle at the same time.
To remove the spare tire
(Sedan)
1. Remove the trunk board.
In Case of an Emergency
Flat Tire
7-5
Mazda6_8U66-EA-05F_Edition1 Page249
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Form No.8U66-EA-05F
Black plate (270,1)
qSchedule 1
Maintenance IntervalNumber of months or kilometers (miles), whichever comes first
Months 6 12 18 24 30 36 42 48
×1000 km 12 24 36 48 60 72 84 96
×1000 miles 7.5 15 22.5 30 37.5 45 52.5 60
ENGINE
Drive belts (tension)L3X engine I
AJV engine I I
Engine valve clearance (for L3X engine)Audible inspect every 120,000 km (75,000 miles), if noisy,
adjust
Engine oilRRRRRRRR
Engine oil filterRRRRRRRR
COOLING SYSTEM
Cooling system I I
Engine coolantFL22 type
*1Replace at first 192,000 km (120,000 miles) or 10 years; after
that, every 96,000 km (60,000 miles) or 5 years
OthersReplace at first 168,000 km (105,000 miles) or 5 years; after
that, every 48,000 km (30,000 miles) or 2 years
FUEL SYSTEM
Air filter R
Fuel lines and hoses
*2II
Hoses and tubes for emission*2I
IGNITION SYSTEM
Spark plugs Replace every 120,000 km (75,000 miles)
CHASSIS and BODY
Brake lines, hoses and connections I I
Disc brakesIIII
Tire (Rotation) Rotate every 12,000 km (7,500 miles)
Steering operation and linkages I I
Front and rear suspension and ball joints I I
Driveshaft dust boots I I
Exhaust system and heat shields Inspect every 72,000 km (45,000 miles) or 5 years
All locks and hingesLLLLLLLL
8-4
Maintenance and Care
Scheduled Maintenance
Mazda6_8U66-EA-05F_Edition1 Page270
Friday, June 3 2005 8:48 AM
Form No.8U66-EA-05F
Black plate (273,1)
Maintenance IntervalNumber of months or kilometers (miles), whichever comes first
Months 4 8 12 16 20 24 28 32 36 40 44 48
×1000 km 8 16 24 32 40 48 56 64 72 80 88 96
×1000 miles 5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40 45 50 55 60
CHASSIS and BODY
Brake lines, hoses and connections I I
Brake fluid levelIIIIIIIIIIII
Disc brakesIIII
Tire (Rotation) Rotate every 8,000 km (5,000 miles)
Tire inflation pressure and tire wearIIIIIIIIIIII
Steering operation and linkages I I
Power steering fluid levelIIIIIIIIIIII
Front and rear suspension and ball joints I I
Driveshaft dust boots I I
Exhaust system and heat shields Inspect every 72,000 km (45,000 miles) or 5 years
All locks and hingesLLLLLLLLLLLL
Washer fluid levelIIIIIIIIIIII
AIR CONDITIONER SYSTEM (if installed)
Cabin air filter Replace every 40,000 km (25,000 miles) or 2 years
Chart symbols
I:Inspect and repair, clean, adjust, or replace if necessary.
R: Replace
L: Lubricate
Remarks
*1 Use FL22 type coolant in vehicles with the inscription“FL22”on the radiator cap itself or the surrounding
area. Use FL22 when replacing the coolant.
*2 According to state/provincial and federal regulations, failure to perform maintenance on these items will not
void your emissions warranties. However, Mazda recommends that all maintenance services be performed at
the recommended time or mileage/kilometer period to ensure long-term reliability.
*3 If the vehicle is operated under any of the following conditions, change the spark plugs every 96,000 km
(60,000 miles) or shorter.
a) Repeated short-distance driving
b) Extended periods of idling or low-speed operation
c) Driving for long periods in cold temperatures or extremely humid climates
Maintenance and Care
Scheduled Maintenance
8-7
Mazda6_8U66-EA-05F_Edition1 Page273
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Form No.8U66-EA-05F
Black plate (275,1)
qSchedule 1
Maintenance IntervalNumber of months or kilometers, whichever comes first
Months 6 12 18 24 30 36 42 48 54 60 66 72
×1000 km 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100 110 120
ENGINE
Drive belts (tension) I I I
Engine valve clearance (for L3X engine) Audible inspect every 120,000 km, if noisy, adjust
Engine oilRRRRRRRRRRRR
Engine oil filterRRRRRRRRRRRR
COOLING SYSTEM
Cooling system I I I
Engine coolantFL22 type
*1Replace at first 190,000 km or 10 years; after that, every
60,000 km or 3 years
Others Replace every 40,000 km or 2 years
FUEL SYSTEM
Air filterRRRRRR
Fuel lines and hoses I
*2I*2I
Hoses and tubes for emission I*2I*2I
Fuel filter R R R
IGNITION SYSTEM
Spark plugs Replace every 60,000 km
CHASSIS and BODY
Brake lines, hoses and connectionsIIIIII
Brake fluid level I I I I I I I I I
Brake fluid R R R
Disc brakesIIIIIIIIIIII
Tire (Rotation) Rotate every 10,000 km or 6 months
Tire inflation pressure and tire wearIIIIIIIIIIII
Steering operation and linkagesIIIIIIIIIIII
Power steering fluid levelIIIIIIIIIIII
Front and rear suspension and ball jointsIIIIIIIIIIII
Driveshaft dust bootsIIIIII
Exhaust system and heat shieldsIIIIII
All locks and hingesLLLLLLLLLLLL
Washer fluid levelIIIIIIIIIIII
Maintenance and Care
Scheduled Maintenance
8-9
Mazda6_8U66-EA-05F_Edition1 Page275
Friday, June 3 2005 8:49 AM
Form No.8U66-EA-05F
Black plate (277,1)
qSchedule 2
Maintenance IntervalNumber of months or kilometers, whichever comes first
Months 3 6 9 12 15 18 21 24 27 30 33 36
×1000 km 5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40 45 50 55 60
ENGINE
Drive belts (tension) I
Engine valve clearance (for L3X engine) Audible inspect every 120,000 km, if noisy, adjust
Engine oilRRRRRRRRRRRR
Engine oil filterRRRRRRRRRRRR
COOLING SYSTEM
Cooling system I
Engine coolantFL22 type
*1Replace at first 190,000 km or 10 years; after that, every
60,000 km or 3 years
Others Replace every 40,000 km or 2 years
Engine coolant levelIIIIIIIIIIII
FUEL SYSTEM
Air filterCRCRCR
Fuel lines and hoses I
*2
Hoses and tubes for emission I*2
Fuel filter R
IGNITION SYSTEM
Spark plugs Replace every 60,000 km
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
Function of all lightsIIIIIIIIIIII
CHASSIS and BODY
Brake lines, hoses and connections I I I
Brake fluid level I I I I I
Brake fluid R
Disc brakesIIIIII
Tire (Rotation) Rotate every 10,000 km or 6 months
Tire inflation pressure and tire wearIIIIII
Steering operation and linkagesIIIIII
Power steering fluid levelIIIIII
Front and rear suspension and ball jointsIIIIII
Driveshaft dust boots I I I
Exhaust system and heat shields I I I
All locks and hingesLLLLLL
Washer fluid levelIIIIII
Maintenance and Care
Scheduled Maintenance
8-11
Mazda6_8U66-EA-05F_Edition1 Page277
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Form No.8U66-EA-05F
Black plate (279,1)
(Cont.)
Maintenance IntervalNumber of months or kilometers, whichever comes first
Months 39 42 45 48 51 54 57 60 63 66 69 72
×1000 km 65 70 75 80 85 90 95 100 105 110 115 120
ENGINE
Drive belts (tension)II
Engine valve clearance (for L3X engine) Audible inspect every 120,000 km, if noisy, adjust
Engine oilRRRRRRRRRRRR
Engine oil filterRRRRRRRRRRRR
COOLING SYSTEM
Cooling systemII
Engine coolantFL22 type
*1Replace at first 190,000 km or 10 years; after that, every
60,000 km or 3 years
Others Replace every 40,000 km or 2 years
Engine coolant levelIIIIIIIIIIII
FUEL SYSTEM
Air filterCRCRCR
Fuel lines and hosesI
*2I
Hoses and tubes for emissionI*2I
Fuel filterRR
IGNITION SYSTEM
Spark plugs Replace every 60,000 km
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
Function of all lightsIIIIIIIIIIII
CHASSIS and BODY
Brake lines, hoses and connectionsIII
Brake fluid levelI III
Brake fluidRR
Disc brakesIIIIII
Tire (Rotation) Rotate every 10,000 km or 6 months
Tire inflation pressure and tire wearIIIIII
Steering operation and linkagesIIIIII
Power steering fluid levelIIIIII
Front and rear suspension and ball jointsIIIIII
Driveshaft dust bootsIII
Exhaust system and heat shieldsIII
All locks and hingesLLLLLL
Washer fluid levelIIIIII
Maintenance and Care
Scheduled Maintenance
8-13
Mazda6_8U66-EA-05F_Edition1 Page279
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Form No.8U66-EA-05F
Black plate (304,1)
qBattery Maintenance
To get the best service from a battery:
lKeep it securely mounted.
lKeep the top clean and dry.
lKeep terminals and connections clean,
tight, and coated with petroleum jelly
or terminal grease.
lRinse off spilled electrolyte
immediately with a solution of water
and baking soda.
lIf the vehicle will not be used for an
extended time, disconnect the battery
cables and charge the battery every six
weeks.
Tires
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.
WARNING
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 10-7)
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.
8-38
Maintenance and Care
Owner Maintenance
Mazda6_8U66-EA-05F_Edition1 Page304
Friday, June 3 2005 8:49 AM
Form No.8U66-EA-05F