2008 MAZDA MODEL RX 8 oil pressure

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Before Getting In
lBe sure the windows, outside mirrors,
and outside lights are clean.
lInspect inflation pressures and
condition of tires.
lLook under the vehicle for any sign of
fluid leaks.
lIf you plan to back up, make sure
nothing is in your way.
NOTE
Engine oil, engine coolant, brake/clutch fluid,
washer fluid, and other fluid levels should be
inspected. See Maintenance, Section 8.
After Getting In
lAre all doors closed and locked?lIs the seat adjusted properly?lAre the inside and outside mirrors
adjusted?
lIs everyone's seat belt fastened?lCheck all gauges.lCheck all warning lights when the
ignition switch is turned to the ON
position.
lRelease the parking brake and make
sure the brake warning light goes off.
Always be thoroughly familiar with your
Mazda.
Before Driving Your Mazda
Before Starting the Engine
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Meters and Gauges
When the ignition switch is in the ON position, the dashboard gauges illuminate.
Speedometer ...................................................................................................... page 5-34
Speed Unit Selector ........................................................................................... page 5-34
Odometer, Trip Meter and Trip Meter Selector .................................................. page 5-34
Tachometer ........................................................................................................ page 5-35
Engine Coolant Temperature Gauge .................................................................. page 5-36
Fuel Gauge ........................................................................................................ page 5-36
Engine Oil Pressure Gauge ................................................................................ page 5-36
Driving Your Mazda
Instrument Cluster and Indicators
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CAUTION
Don't run the engine with the
tachometer needle in the RED ZONE.
This may cause severe engine
damage.
NOTE
lThe beep sounds to indicate engine overrev
when the tachometer needle enters the
striped zone.
lTo protect the engine, when the engine
coolant temperature is low, the engine does
not run at high speeds. The fuel supply will
be cut at an rpm lower than the red zone.
qEngine Coolant Temperature Gauge
The engine coolant temperature gauge
shows the temperature of the engine
coolant.
If the needle is near H, it indicates
overheating.
CAUTION
Driving with an overheated engine
can cause serious engine damage
(page 7-16).
q Fuel Gauge
The fuel gauge shows approximately how
much fuel is in the tank. We recommend
keeping the tank over 1/4 full. When the
low fuel warning light illuminates or
when the needle is near E, refuel as soon
as possible.
Low fuel warning light
NOTE
The direction of the arrow () shown that
the fuel-filler lid is on the left side of the
vehicle.
q Engine Oil Pressure Gauge
Engine oil pressure is normal when the
engine oil pressure gauge needle points
halfway between L and H with the engine
running.
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Driving Your Mazda
Instrument Cluster and Indicators
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If the needle on the gauge doesn't move
after starting the engine, follow steps 1
through 3.
If the engine oil pressure gauge moves to
L (low) while you are driving, drive to the
side of the road and park off the right-of-
way. Set the parking brake. Then follow
steps 1 through 3.
1. Turn off the engine and inspect theengine oil level (page 8-12). If it's low,
add oil.
2. Start the engine.
3. If the needle still doesn't move, have your vehicle checked at an Authorized
Mazda Dealer.
CAUTION
Don't run the engine if the oil
pressure is low. It could result in
extensive engine damage.
NOTE
The Mazda RX-8 requires regular checking of
the engine oil level. The compact, high
performance RENESIS rotary engine in your
vehicle consumes a small amount of engine oil
due to its structural design. An oil pump
optimizes the amount of oil injected to
lubricate the rotor seals in the combustion
cycle. Although your vehicle is equipped with
an engine oil level warning light and an
engine oil pressure gauge, it is best to keep the
engine oil level in the range between full and
low by checking the oil dipstick regularly.
Mazda recommends checking the oil level at
every second fuel filling. The oil consumption
of the engine depends on engine speed and
engine load. Under extreme driving conditions,
oil consumption can be higher.
q Dashboard Illumination
Rotate the thumb wheel to adjust the
brightness of the instrument cluster and
other illuminations in the dashboard.
NOTE
lThe brightness of dashboard illuminations
(except instrument cluster) can be adjusted
when the headlight switch is in the
or
position.lThe brightness of the instrument cluster
illumination can be adjusted when the
headlight switch is in any position.
Bright
Dim
Canceling the illumination dimmer
When the headlight switch is in the
or
position, the illumination of the
instrument cluster and the information
display dims (the instrument cluster
illumination color turns to red).
When driving on snowy or foggy roads,
or in other situations when the instrument
cluster or information display's visibility
is reduced due to glare from surrounding
brightness, cancel the illumination
dimmer and increase the illumination
intensity.
Driving Your Mazda
Instrument Cluster and Indicators
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2. Turn off the engine and inspect theengine oil level (page 8-12). If it's low,
add oil.
3. Check the light.
If the engine oil level warning light is
illuminated and you are unable to
immediately add engine oil, do not drive
at high speed, keep the engine speed low
and get to a location where oil can be
added as soon as possible. We recommend
an Authorized Mazda Dealer.
If the light remains illuminated even after
you add oil, have your vehicle checked at
an Authorized Mazda Dealer.
CAUTION
Don't run the engine if the oil level is
low. It could result in extensive
engine damage.
NOTE
The Mazda RX-8 requires regular checking of
the engine oil level. The compact, high
performance RENESIS rotary engine in your
vehicle consumes a small amount of engine oil
due to its structural design. An oil pump
optimizes the amount of oil injected to
lubricate the rotor seals in the combustion
cycle. Although your vehicle is equipped with
an engine oil level warning light and an
engine oil pressure gauge, it is best to keep the
engine oil level in the range between full and
low by checking the oil dipstick regularly.
Mazda recommends checking the oil level at
every second fuel filling. The oil consumption
of the engine depends on engine speed and
engine load. Under extreme driving conditions,
oil consumption can be higher.
qEngine Coolant Level Warning Light
This warning light indicates low engine
coolant level.
If the light illuminates while driving:
1. Drive to the side of the road and park off the right-of-way.
2. Turn off the engine and inspect the engine coolant level (page 8-13). If it's
low, add engine coolant.
3. Check the light.
If the light remains illuminated even after
you add engine coolant, have your vehicle
towed to an Authorized Mazda Dealer.
CAUTION
Don't run the engine if the engine
coolant level is low. It could result in
extensive engine damage.
q Check Engine Light
This indicator light illuminates when the
ignition switch is turned to the ON
position and goes off when the engine is
started.
Driving Your Mazda
Warning/Indicator Lights and Beep Sounds
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3. Install the lug nuts with the bevelededge inward; tighten them by hand.
WARNING
Do not apply oil or grease to lug nuts
and bolts and do not tighten the lug
nuts beyond the recommended
tightening torque: Applying oil or grease to lug nuts and
bolts is dangerous. The lug nuts
could loosen while driving and cause
the tire to come off, resulting in an
accident. In addition, lug nuts and
bolts could be damaged if tightened
more than necessary.
4. Turn the jack handle counterclockwise and lower the vehicle. Use the lug
wrench to tighten the nuts in the order
shown.
If you're unsure of how tight the nuts
should be, have them inspected at an
Authorized Mazda Dealer.
Nut tightening torque
N·m (kgf·m, ft·lbf) 88
―118
(9 ― 12, 65 ―87)
WARNING
Always securely and correctly tighten
the lug nuts:
Improperly or loosely tightened lug
nuts are dangerous. The wheel could
wobble or come off. This could result
in loss of vehicle control and cause a
serious accident.
Be sure to reinstall the same nuts you
removed or replace them with metric
nuts of the same configuration: Because the wheel studs and lug nuts
on your Mazda have metric threads,
using a non-metric nut is dangerous.
On a metric stud, it would not secure
the wheel and would damage the
stud, which could cause the wheel to
slip off and cause an accident.
5. Check the inflation pressure. Refer to the specification charts on page 10-6.
WARNING
Do not drive with any tires that have
incorrect air pressure: Driving on tires with incorrect air
pressure is dangerous. Tires with
incorrect pressure could affect
handling and result in an accident.
NOTE
To prevent the jack and tool from rattling, store
them properly.
In Case of an Emergency
Flat Tire
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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 II
Brake and clutch fluid level IIIII IIIII
Brake fluid RR
Disc brakes IIII
Tire (Rotation) Rotate every 8,000 km (5,000 miles)
Tire inflation pressure and tire wear IIIIIIIIIIII
Steering operation and linkages II
Front and rear suspension, ball joints and wheel
bearing axial play II
Manual transmission oil RR
Rear differential oil RR
Driveshaft dust boots II
Exhaust system and heat shields Inspect every 72,000 km (45,000 miles) or 5 years
All locks and hinges LLLLLLLLLLLL
Washer fluid level IIIIIIIIIIII
Bolts and nuts on chassis and body TT
Flat tire repair kit
*3Inspect every year
AIR CONDITIONER SYSTEM
Cabin air filter Replace every 40,000 km (25,000 miles) or 2 years
Chart symbols:
I:Inspect: Inspect and clean, repair, adjust, or replace if necessary.
R: Replace
L: Lubricate
C: Clean
T : Tighten
Remarks:
*1 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.
*2 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.
*3 Check the tire repair fluid expiration date every year when performing the periodic maintenance. Replace the tire repair fluid bottle with new one before the expiration date.
Maintenance and Care
Scheduled Maintenance
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Owner Maintenance Schedule
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.
qWhen Refueling
lBrake and clutch fluid level (page 8-15)lEngine coolant level (page 8-13)lEngine oil level (page 8-12)lWasher fluid level (page 8-16)
qAt Least Monthly
Tire inflation pressures (page 8-22)
qAt Least Twice a Year (For Example, Every Spring and Fall)
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.
lEngine coolant (page 8-13)lEngine oil (page 8-11)
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Maintenance and Care
Owner Maintenance
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