Black plate (318,1)
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.
To install the nut
1. 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.
2. Place the lug wrench on top of the key,
apply pressure, and turn it clockwise.
qMounting the Tire
1. Remove dirt and grime from the
mounting surfaces of the wheel and
hub, including the hub bolts, with a
cloth.
WARNING
Make sure the mounting surfaces of
the wheel, hub and lug nuts are clean
before changing or replacing tires:
When changing or replacing a tire,
not removing dirt and grime from the
mounting surfaces of the wheel, hub
and hub bolts is dangerous. The lug
nuts could loosen while driving and
cause the tire to come off, resulting in
an accident.
2. Mount the tire.
7-14
In Case of an Emergency
íSome models.
Flat Tire
RX-8_8BQ7-EA-10H_Edition1 Page318
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Form No.8BQ7-EA-10H
Black plate (319,1)
3. Install the lug nuts with the beveled
edge 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. Remove the tire blocks and store the
tools, jack, and damaged tire.
6. Check the inflation pressure. Refer to
the specification charts on page 10-6.
7. 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.
In Case of an Emergency
Flat Tire
7-15
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Form No.8BQ7-EA-10H
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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
Engine oilRRRRRRRR
Engine oil filterRRRRRRRR
Drive belts I I
COOLING SYSTEM
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 96,000 km (60,000 miles) or 4 years; after that,
every 2 years
FUEL SYSTEM
Air filter R
Fuel lines and hoses
*2II
Hoses and tubes for emission*2I
IGNITION SYSTEM
Spark plugs R
CHASSIS and BODY
Brake lines, hoses and connections I I
Disc brakesIIII
Tire (Rotation) Rotate every 12,000 km (7,500 miles)
Flat tire repair kit
*3Inspect annually
Steering operation and linkages I I
Front and rear suspension, ball joints and wheel
bearing axial playII
Manual transmission oilR
Rear differential oilR
Driveshaft dust boots I I
Bolts and nuts on chassis and body T T
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
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Form No.8BQ7-EA-10H
Black plate (339,1)
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 and clutch fluid levelIIIIIIIIIIII
Brake fluid R R
Disc brakesIIII
Tire (Rotation) Rotate every 8,000 km (5,000 miles)
Tire inflation pressure and tire wearIIIIIIIIIIII
Flat tire repair kit
*3Inspect annually
Steering operation and linkages I I
Front and rear suspension, ball joints and wheel
bearing axial playII
Manual transmission oil R R
Rear differential oil R R
Driveshaft dust boots I I
Bolts and nuts on chassis and body T T
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
Cabin air filter Replace every 40,000 km (25,000 miles) or 2 years
Chart symbols:
I:Inspect: Inspect and clean, repair, adjust, fill up or replace if necessary.
R:Replace
L:Lubricate
T:Tighten
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 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
8-7
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Form No.8BQ7-EA-10H
Black plate (343,1)
Engine Compartment Overview
Windshield washer
fluid reservoirEngine oil-filler cap
Engine oil dipstickBrake/Clutch fluid
reservoir
Cooling system cap
Engine coolant reservoir
Battery
Fuse block
(near battery) Air filterFuse block (next
to air filter)
Maintenance and Care
Owner Maintenance
8-11
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Form No.8BQ7-EA-10H
Black plate (350,1)
Inspect fluid level in the washer fluid
reservoir; add fluid if necessary.
Full
LowOK
Use plain water if washer fluid is
unavailable.
But use only washer fluid in cold weather
to prevent it from freezing.
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.
8-18
Maintenance and Care
Owner Maintenance
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Form No.8BQ7-EA-10H
Black plate (351,1)
Wiper Blades
CAUTION
ØHot waxes applied by automatic
car washers have been known to
affect the wiper's ability to clean
windows.
ØTo prevent damage to the wiper
blades, don't use gasoline,
kerosene, paint thinner, or other
solvents on or near them.
ØWhen the wiper lever is in the
AUTO position and the ignition
switch is in the ON position, the
wipers may move automatically in
the following cases:
ØIf the windshield above the rain
sensor is touched.
ØIf the windshield above the rain
sensor is wiped with a cloth.
ØIf the windshield is struck with
a hand or other object.
ØIf the rain sensor is struck with
a hand or other object from
inside the vehicle.
Be careful not to pinch hands or
fingers as it may cause injury, or
damage the wipers. When
washing or servicing your Mazda,
make sure the wiper lever is in the
OFF position.
Contamination of either the windshield or
the blades with foreign matter can reduce
wiper effectiveness. Common sources are
insects, tree sap, and hot wax treatments
used by some commercial car washes.
If the blades are not wiping properly,
clean the window and blades with a good
cleaner or mild detergent; then rinse
thoroughly with clean water. Repeat if
necessary.
qReplacing Windshield Wiper Blades
When the wipers no longer clean well, the
blades are probably worn or cracked.
Replace them.
CAUTION
To prevent damage to the wiper arms
and other components, don't try to
sweep the wiper arm by hand.
NOTE
To prevent damage to the wiper arm blades
when raising both the driver and passenger
side wiper arms, raise the driver side wiper
arm first. Conversely, when setting down the
wiper arms, set the passenger side wiper arm
down first.
1. Raise the wiper arm and turn the blade
assembly to expose the plastic locking
clip.
Compress the clip and slide the
assembly downward; then lift it off the
arm.
Plastic locking clip
CAUTION
To prevent damage to the windshield
let the wiper arm down easily, don't
let it slap down on the windshield.
Maintenance and Care
Owner Maintenance
8-19
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Form No.8BQ7-EA-10H
Black plate (361,1)
WARNING
Do not replace the xenon fusion bulbs
yourself:
Replacing the xenon fusion bulbs
yourself is dangerous. Because the
xenon fusion bulbs require high
voltage, you could receive an electric
shock if the bulbs are handled
incorrectly. Consult an Authorized
Mazda Dealer when the replacement
is necessary.
Never touch the glass portion of a
halogen bulb with your bare hands and
always wear eye protection when
handling or working around the 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.
Always keep halogen bulbs out of the
reach of children:
Playing with a halogen bulb is
dangerous. Serious injuries could be
caused by dropping a halogen bulb
or breaking it some other way.
qReplacing Exterior Light Bulbs
Replacing a headlight bulb
Low-beam bulb
(Xenon fusion bulb)
You cannot replace the low beam bulbs by
yourself.
The bulbs must be replaced at an
Authorized Mazda Dealer.High-beam bulb
1. Make sure the ignition switch is turned
off and the headlight switch is off.
2. If you are changing the right headlight
bulb, start the engine, turn the steering
wheel all the way to the right, and turn
off engine. If you are changing the left
headlight bulb, turn the steering wheel
to the left.
3. Turn the center section of the plastic
retainer counterclockwise and remove
the retainers and partially peel back the
mudguard.
Removal
Installation
4. Disconnect the electrical connector
from the bulb by pressing the tab on
the connector with your finger and
pulling the connector downward.
Maintenance and Care
Owner Maintenance
8-29
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