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Changing a Flat Tire
NOTEIf the following occurs while driving, it could
indicate a flat tire.
lSteering becomes difficult.lThe vehicle begins to vibrate excessively.lThe vehicle pulls in one direction.
If you have a flat tire, drive slowly to a
level spot that is well off the road and out
of the way of traffic to change the tire.
Stopping in traffic or on the shoulder of a
busy road is dangerous.
WARNING
Be sure to follow the directions for
changing a tire, and never get under a
vehicle that is supported only by a jack:Changing a tire is dangerous if not
done properly. The vehicle can slip off
the jack and seriously injure
someone. If getting under the vehicle
becomes necessary use vehicle
support stands.
Never allow anyone inside a vehicle
supported by a jack: Allowing someone to remain in a
vehicle supported by a jack is
dangerous. The occupant could cause
the vehicle to fall resulting in serious
injury.
NOTE
Make sure the jack is well lubricated before
using it.
1. Park on a level surface off the right-of- way and firmly set the parking brake.
2. Put a vehicle with an automatic transaxle in Park (P), a manual
transaxle in Reverse (R) or 1, and turn
off the engine. 3. Turn on the hazard warning flasher.
4. Have everyone get out of the vehicle
and away from the vehicle and traffic.
5. Remove the jack, tool, and spare tire (page 7-3).
6. Block the wheel diagonally opposite the flat tire. When blocking a wheel,
place a tire block both in front and
behind the tire.
NOTEWhen blocking a tire, use rocks or wood blocks
of sufficient size if possible to hold the tire in
place.
7-6
In Case of an Emergency
Flat Tire
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qRemoving a Flat Tire
1. If your vehicle is equipped with a
wheel cover, pry off the wheel cover
with the beveled end of the lug wrench.
NOTEForce the end of the lug wrench firmly between
wheel and cover, or removal will be difficult.
CAUTION
Align the notch on the wheel cover
with the valve stem when installing
it.
Tire valve
Notch
Damage could occur during
installation if the wheel cover is not
properly aligned. 2. Loosen the lug nuts by turning them
counterclockwise one turn each, but
don't remove any lug nuts until the tire
has been raised off the ground.
3. Place the jack under the jackingposition closest to the tire being
changed.
Jacking position
In Case of an Emergency
Flat Tire
7-7
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WARNING
Use only the front and rear jacking
positions recommended in this manual:Attempting to jack the vehicle in
positions other than those
recommended in this manual is
dangerous. The vehicle could slip off
the jack and seriously injure or even
kill someone. Use only the front and
rear jacking positions recommended
in this manual.
Use only the jack provided with your
Mazda: Using a jack that is not designed for
your Mazda is dangerous. The vehicle
could slip off the jack and seriously
injure someone.
Never place objects under the jack: Jacking the vehicle with an object
under the jack is dangerous. The jack
could slip and someone could be
seriously injured by the jack or the
falling vehicle.
4. Turn the lug wrench clockwise and raise the vehicle high enough so that
the spare tire can be installed. Before
removing the lug nuts, make sure your
Mazda is firmly in position and that it
cannot slip or move.
5. Remove the lug nuts by turning themcounterclockwise; then remove the
wheel and center cap.
qLocking Lug Nutsí
If your vehicle has optional antitheft
wheel lug nuts, one on each wheel will
lock the tires and you must use a special
key to unlock them. This key is attached
to the lug wrench and is stored with the
spare tire. Register them with the lock
manufacturer by filling out the card
provided in the glove box and mailing it
in the accompanying envelope. If you lose
this key, consult an Authorized Mazda
Dealer or use the lock manufacturer's
order form, which is with the registration
card.
Special key
Antitheft lug nut
To remove an antitheft lug nut
1. Obtain the key for the antitheft lug nut.
2. Place the key on top of the nut, and be
sure to hold the key square to it. If you
hold the key at an angle, you may
damage both key and nut. Don't use a
power impact wrench.
3. Place the lug wrench on top of the key and apply pressure. Turn the wrench
counterclockwise.
7-8
In Case of an Emergency
íSome models.
Flat Tire
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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 (9.0 ―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. Remove the center cap by tapping it with the lug wrench.
6. Store the damaged tire, using the tire hold-down bolt to hold it in place.
Bolt 16-inch wheel
18-inch wheel
17-inch wheel
Tire clamp
Bolt type
Wheel size
Short bolt 16-inch wheel
Long bolt 17-inch wheel, 18-inch wheel
7. Store the damaged tire in the trunk (page 7-4).
8. Check the inflation pressure. Refer to the specification charts on page 10-7.
9. Have the flat tire repaired or replaced as soon as possible.
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.
When you check the regular tires' air
pressure, check the spare tire, too.
NOTE
To prevent the jack and tool from rattling, store
them properly.
7-10
In Case of an Emergency
Flat Tire
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