Black plate (296,1)
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.
8-44
Maintenance and Care
Appearance Care
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Form No.8U01-EA-05H
Black plate (297,1)
CAUTION
Don't use steel wool, abrasive cleaners,
or strong detergents containing highly
alkaline or caustic agents on chrome-
plated or anodized aluminum parts.
This may result in damage to the
protective coating and cause
discoloration or paint deterioration.
qUnderbody Maintenance
Road chemicals and salt used for ice and
snow removal and solvents used for dust
control may collect on the underbody. If
not removed, they will speed up rusting
and deterioration of such underbody parts
as fuel lines, frame, floor pan, and exhaust
system, even though these parts may be
coated with anti-corrosive material.
Thoroughly flush the underbody and
wheel housings with lukewarm or cold
water at the end of each winter. Try also
to do this every month.
Pay special attention to these areas
because they easily hide mud and dirt. It
will do more harm than good to wet
down the road grime without removing
it.
The lower edges of doors, rocker panels,
and frame members have drain holes that
should not be clogged. Water trapped
there will cause rusting.
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.
q Aluminum Wheel Maintenance
A protective coating is provided over the
aluminum wheels. Special care is needed
to protect this coating.
NOTE
lDon't use a wire brush or any
abrasive cleaner, polishing
compound, or solvent on aluminum
wheels. They may damage the
coating.
lOnly use a mild soap or neutral
detergent and always use a sponge or
soft cloth to clean the wheels.
Rinse thoroughly with lukewarm or
cold water. Also, be sure to clean the
wheels after driving on dusty or
salted roads. This helps prevent
corrosion.
lAvoid washing your vehicle in an
automatic car wash that uses high-
speed or hard brushes.
lIf your aluminum wheels lose luster,
wax the wheels.
Maintenance and Care
Appearance Care
8-45
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Form No.8U01-EA-05H
Black plate (326,1)
NOTE
Warm tires normally exceed recommended pressures. Don't release air from warm tires
to adjust the pressure.
Under-inflation can cause serious failures and accidents.
Over-inflation can produce a harsh ride and the greater possibility of damage from road
hazards.
qGlossary of Terms
Tire Placard: A label indicating the OE tire sizes, recommended inflation pressure, and
the maximum weight the vehicle can carry.
Tire Identification Number (TIN): A number on the sidewall of each tire providing
information about the tire brand and manufacturing plant, tire size, and date of
manufacture.
Inflation Pressure: A measure of the amount of air in a tire.
kPa: Kilopascal, the metric unit for air pressure.
psi: Pounds per square inch, the English unit for air pressure.
B-pillar: The structural member at the side of the vehicle behind the front door.
Original Equipment (OE): Describes components originally equipped on the vehicle.
Vehicle Load Limit: The maximum value of the combined weight of occupants and cargo.
Bead Area of the Tire: Area of the tire next to the rim.
Sidewall Area of the Tire: Area between the bead area and the tread.
Tread Area of the Tire: Area on the perimeter of the tire that contacts the road when it's
mounted on the vehicle.
Seating capacity means the total allowable number of vehicle occupants. Seating capacity
is described on the tire label.
Production options weight is the combined weight of installed regular production options
weighing over 2.3 kilograms in excess of the standard items which they replace, and not
previously considered in the curb weight or accessory weight, including heavy duty brakes,
ride levelers, roof rack, heavy duty battery, and special trim.
Rim is the metal support (wheel) for a tire or a tire and tube assembly upon which the tire
beads are seated.
9-26
Customer Information and Reporting Safety Defects
Tire Information (U.S.A.)
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Form No.8U01-EA-05H
Black plate (330,1)
Vehicle Loading
NOTE
This vehicle is not designed to tow a trailer.
This section will guide you in the proper loading of your vehicle and/or trailer, to keep
your loaded vehicle weight within its design rating capability, with or without a trailer.
Properly loading your vehicle will provide maximum return of vehicle design performance.
Before loading your vehicle, familiarize yourself with the following terms for determining
your vehicle's weight ratings, with or without a trailer, from the vehicle's Safety
Certification Label and Tire and Load Information Label:
WARNING
Overloaded Vehicle:
Overloading a vehicle is dangerous. The results of overloading can have serious
consequences in terms of passenger safety. Too much weight on a vehicle's suspension
system can cause spring or shock absorber failure, brake failure, handling or steering
problems, irregular tire wear, tire failure or other damage.
Overloading makes a vehicle harder to drive and control. It also increases the distance
required for stopping. In cases of serious overloading, brakes can fail completely,
particularly on steep grades. The load a tire will carry safely is a combination of the
size of the tire, its load range, and corresponding inflation pressure.
Never overload the vehicle and always observe the vehicle's weight ratings from the
vehicle's Safety Certification and Tire and Load Information labels.
Base Curb Weight is the weight of the vehicle including a full tank of fuel and all
standard equipment. It does not include passengers, cargo, or optional equipment.
9-30
Customer Information and Reporting Safety Defects
Tire Information (U.S.A.)
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Form No.8U01-EA-05H
Black plate (335,1)
GCW
GCW (Gross Combined Weight)is the weight of the loaded vehicle (GVW) plus the
weight of the fully loaded trailer.
GCWR (Gross Combined Weight Rating) is the maximum allowable weight of the
vehicle and the loaded trailer - including all cargo and passengers - that the vehicle can
handle without risking damage. (Important: The towing vehicle's braking system is rated
for operation at GVWR, not at GCWR. Separate functional brakes should be used for safe
control of towed vehicles and for trailers weighing more than 1,500 lbs). The GCW must
never exceed the GCWR.
Maximum Loaded Trailer Weight is the highest possible weight of a fully loaded trailer
the vehicle can tow. It assumes a vehicle with only mandatory options, no cargo (internal or
external), a tongue load of 10 _
15% (conventional trailer) or king pin weight of 15 _
25%
(fifth-wheel trailer), and driver only (150 lbs). Consult your dealership (or the RV and
Trailer Towing Guide provided by your dealership) for more detailed information.
Tongue Load or Fifth-Wheel King Pin Weight refers to the amount of the weight that a
trailer pushes down on a trailer hitch.
Examples: For a 5000 lb conventional trailer, multiply 5000 by 0.10 and 0.15 to obtain a
proper tongue load range of 500 to 750 lbs. For an 11,500 lb fifth-wheel trailer, multiply by
0.15 and 0.25 to obtain a proper king pin load range of 1,725 to 2,875 lbs.
Customer Information and Reporting Safety Defects
Tire Information (U.S.A.)
9-35
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Form No.8U01-EA-05H
Black plate (348,1)
A
Accessory Socket .............................. 6-49
Add-On Non-Genuine Parts and
Accessories ....................................... 9-13
Advanced KeyAdvanced key maintenance ......... 3-5
Auxiliary key .............................. 3-15
Keyless entry system .................. 3-13
Locking, unlocking with request
switch ........................................... 3-8
Operational range ......................... 3-7
Service ......................................... 3-6
Air Bag Systems ............................... 2-38
Air Filter ............................................ 8-21
All-Wheel Drive
(AWD) Operation .............................. 5-11 AWD Warning light ................... 5-11
Ambient Temperature Display .......... 6-42
Antenna ............................................. 6-10
Anti-Lock Brake System (ABS) ......... 5-7 Warning light ............................... 5-7
Appearance Care ............................... 8-41
Ashtray .............................................. 6-44
Audio System ................................... 6-10 Audio control switch .................. 6-35
Audio set .................................... 6-21
Operating tips for audio
system ........................................ 6-10
Safety certification ..................... 6-37
B
BatteryEmergency starting .................... 7-13
Maintenance ............................... 8-24
Specifications ............................. 10-3
B
Beep soundsIgnition key reminder ................. 5-35
Lights-on reminder ..................... 5-35
Seat belt warning beep ............... 5-35
Before Starting the Engine .................. 4-6 After getting in ............................. 4-6
Before getting in .......................... 4-6
Body Lubrication .............................. 8-20
Bottle Holder ..................................... 6-46
Brake/Clutch Fluid ........................................... 8-18
Brakes Anti-lock brake system (ABS) ..... 5-7
Foot brake .................................... 5-5
Pad wear indicator ........................ 5-8
Parking brake ............................... 5-5
Warning light ............................... 5-6
Break-In Period ................................... 4-7
Bulb Replacement ............................. 8-30
C
Capacities .......................................... 10-4
Carbon Monoxide ............................... 4-5
Catalytic Converter ............................. 4-3
Cell Phones ....................................... 9-14
Center Box ........................................ 6-47
Center Console .................................. 6-48
Child Restraint Installing child-restraint
systems ....................................... 2-27
LATCH child-restraint
systems ....................................... 2-34
Child Safety Locks for Rear Doors ... 3-29
Cigarette Lighter ............................... 6-43
Climate Control System ...................... 6-2 Gas specifications ...................... 10-4
Clock ................................................. 6-42
11-2
Index
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Form No.8U01-EA-05H