Page 419 of 585
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Maintenance and Care
Owner Maintenance
Owner Maintenance Precautions
The owner or a qualifi ed 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 qualifi ed service
technician as soon as possible.
When Refueling
y Brake and clutch fl uid level (page 6-31 )
y Engine coolant level (page 6-29 )
y Engine oil level (page 6-28 )
y Washer fl uid level (page 6-31 )
At Least Monthly
y Tire infl ation pressures (page 6-41 )
At 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.
y Engine coolant (page 6-29 )
y Engine oil (page 6-27 )
Improper or incomplete service may result in problems. This section gives instructions only
for items that are easy to perform.
As explained in the Introduction (page 6-2 ), several procedures can be done only by a
qualifi ed service technician with special tools.
Improper owner maintenance during the warranty period may affect warranty coverage.
Refer to Introduction (page 6-2 ) for owner's responsibility in protecting your investment.
For details, read the separate Mazda Warranty statement provided with the vehicle. If you
are unsure about any servicing or maintenance procedure, have it done by an Authorized
Mazda Dealer.
There are strict environmental laws regarding the disposal of waste oil and fl uids. Please
dispose of your waste properly and with due regard to the environment.
We recommend that you entrust the oil and fl uid changes of your vehicle to an Authorized
Mazda Dealer.
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Page 420 of 585
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Maintenance and Care
Owner Maintenance
WARNING
Do not perform maintenance work if you lack suffi cient knowledge and experience
or the proper tools and equipment to do the work. Have maintenance work done by a
qualifi ed technician:
Performing maintenance work on a vehicle is dangerous if not done properly. You can be
seriously injured while performing some maintenance procedures.
If you must run the engine while working under the hood, make certain that you
remove all jewelry (especially rings, bracelets, watches, and necklaces) and all
neckties, scarves, and similar loose clothing before getting near the engine or cooling
fan which may turn on unexpectedly:
Working under the hood with the engine running is dangerous. It becomes even more
dangerous when you wear jewelry or loose clothing.
Either can become entangled in moving parts and result in injury.
Switch the ignition to off and make sure the fan is not running before attempting
to work near the cooling fan:
Working near the cooling fan when it is running is dangerous. The fan could continue
running indefi nitely even if the engine has stopped and the engine compartment
temperature is high. You could be hit by the fan and seriously injured.
Do not leave items in the engine compartment:
After you have fi nished checking or doing servicing in the engine compartment, do not
forget and leave items such as tools or rags in the engine compartment.
Tools or other items left in the engine compartment could cause engine damage or a fi re
leading to an unexpected accident.
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Page 423 of 585
6–26
Maintenance and Care
Owner Maintenance
Engine Compartment Overview
Windshield washer fluid reservoir Brake/Clutch fluid reservoir
Engine oil dipstickBattery
Fuse block
Cooling system cap Engine coolant reservoir
Engine oil-filler cap
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Page 424 of 585
6–27
Maintenance and Care
Owner Maintenance
Engine Oil
NOTE
Changing the engine oil should be
performed by an Authorized Mazda
Dealer.
Refer to Introduction (page 6-2 ) for
owner's responsibility in protecting your
investment.
Recommended Oil
U.S.A., Canada, and Puerto Rico
Use SAE 0W-20 engine oil.
Mazda Genuine Oil is used in your
Mazda vehicle. Mazda Genuine 0W-20
Oil is required to achieve optimum fuel
economy.
For maintenance service, Mazda
recommends Mazda Genuine Parts and
Castrol
® (U.S.A. only).
(ILSAC)
Only use SAE 0W-20 oil “Certifi ed For
Gasoline Engines” by the American
Petroleum Institute (API).
Oil with this trademark symbol conforms
to the current engine and emission system
protection standards and fuel economy
requirements of the International Lubricant
Standardization and Approval Committee
(ILSAC), comprised of U.S. and Japanese
automobile manufacturers.
80
60
40 20
0 –40 –20
30
120 100
50 40 20
10 0
–10 –20
–30 –40
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Page 425 of 585
6–28
Maintenance and Care
Owner Maintenance
Except U.S.A., Canada, and Puerto Rico
Use SAE 5W-30 engine oil.
Oil container labels provide important
information.
A chief contribution this type of oil makes
to fuel economy is reducing the amount of
fuel necessary to overcome engine friction.
For maintenance service, Mazda
recommends Mazda Genuine Parts and
Castrol
® (Mexico only).
(ILSAC)
(Mexico)
Use SAE 5W-30 engine oil. If SAE 5W-30
engine oil is not available, use SAE 5W-20
engine oil.
The quality designation SM, or ILSAC
must be on the label.
80
60
40 20
0 –40 –20
30
120 100
50 40 20
10 0
–10 –20
–30 –40
Inspecting Engine Oil Level
1. Be sure the vehicle is on a level
surface.
2. Warm up the engine to normal
operating temperature.
3. Turn it off and wait at least 5 minutes
for the oil to return to the oil pan.
4. Pull out the dipstick, wipe it clean, and
reinsert it fully.
Full
OK
Low
5. Pull it out again and examine the level.
The level is normal if it is between
Low and Full.
If it is near or below Low, add enough
oil to bring the level to Full.
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Page 426 of 585
6–29
Maintenance and Care
Owner Maintenance
CAUTION
Do not add engine oil over Full. This
may cause engine damage.
6. Make sure the O-ring on the dipstick is
positioned properly before reinserting
the dipstick.
7. Reinsert the dipstick fully.
Engine Coolant
Inspecting Coolant Level
WARNING
Do not use a match or live fl ame in the
engine compartment. DO NOT ADD
COOLANT WHEN THE ENGINE IS HOT:
A hot engine is dangerous. If the
engine has been running, parts of the
engine compartment can become very
hot. You could be burned. Carefully
inspect the engine coolant in the
coolant reservoir, but do not open it.
Switch the ignition to off and make
sure the fan is not running before
attempting to work near the cooling
fan:
Working near the cooling fan when it
is running is dangerous. The fan could
continue running indefi nitely even if
the engine has stopped and the engine
compartment temperature is high. You
could be hit by the fan and seriously
injured.
Do not remove either cooling
system cap when the engine and
radiator are hot:
When the engine and radiator are hot,
scalding coolant and steam may shoot
out under pressure and cause serious
injury.
NOTE
Changing the coolant should be done by
an Authorized Mazda Dealer.
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Page 427 of 585
6–30
Maintenance and Care
Owner Maintenance
Inspect the antifreeze protection and
coolant level in the coolant reservoir at
least once a year—at the beginning of the
winter season—and before traveling where
temperatures may drop below freezing.
Inspect the condition and connections of
all cooling system and heater hoses.
Replace any that are swollen or
deteriorated.
The coolant should be at full in the
radiator and between the F and L marks
on the coolant reservoir when the engine
is cool.
If it is at or near L, add enough coolant to
the coolant reservoir to provide freezing
and corrosion protection and to bring the
level to F.
Securely tighten the coolant reservoir tank
cap after adding coolant.
CAUTION
¾ Radiator coolant will damage paint.
Rinse it off quickly if spilled.
¾ Use only soft (demineralized) water in
the coolant mixture. Water that contains
minerals will cut down on the coolant's
eff ectiveness.
¾ Do not add only water. Always add a
proper coolant mixture.
¾ The engine has aluminum parts and
must be protected by an ethylene-
glycol-based coolant to prevent
corrosion and freezing.
¾ DO NOT USE coolants Containing
Alcohol, methanol, Borate or Silicate.
These coolants could damage the
cooling system.
¾ DO NOT MIX alcohol or methanol with
the coolant. This could damage the
cooling system.
¾ Do not use a solution that contains
more than 60% antifreeze.
This would reduce eff ectiveness.
NOTE
If the “FL22” mark is shown on or near
the cooling system cap, it is recommended
to use Mazda Genuine FL22 engine
coolant.
If the coolant reservoir is empty or new
coolant is required frequently, consult an
Authorized Mazda Dealer.
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Page 429 of 585
6–32
Maintenance and Care
Owner Maintenance
Inspect fl uid level in the washer fl uid
reservoir; add fl uid if necessary.
L
Use plain water if washer fl uid is
unavailable.
But use only washer fl uid in cold weather
to prevent it from freezing.
NOTE
Front and rear washer fl uid is supplied
from the same reservoir.
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.
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