2014 MAZDA MODEL 3 HATCHBACK warning

6–43
Maintenance and Care
Owner Maintenance
Replacing a Tire
WARNING
Always use tires that are in good
condition:
Driving with worn tires is dangerous.
Reduced braking, steering, and
traction could result in an accident.

Replace all four tires at the same time:
Replacing just one tire is dangerous. It
could cause poor handling and poor
braking resulting in loss of vehicle
control. Mazda strongly recommends
that you replace all four tires at the
same time.
If a tire wears evenly, a wear indicator will
appear as a solid band across the tread.
Replace the tire when this happens.
New treadTread wear indicator
Worn tread
You should replace the tire before the band
crosses the entire tread.
After adjusting the tire pressure,
initialization of the tire pressure
monitoring system is necessary to make
the system operates normally.
Refer to Tire Pressure Monitoring System
Initialization on page 4-107 .
NOTE
Tires degrade over time, even when
they are not being used on the road. It
is recommended that tires generally be
replaced when they are 6 years or older.
Heat caused by hot climates or frequent
high loading conditions can accelerate
the aging process. You should replace the
spare tire when you replace the other road
tires due to the aging of the spare tire. The
period in which the tire was manufactured
(both week and year) is indicated by a
4-digit number.
Refer to Tire Labeling on page 8-23 .
Temporary Spare Tire
Inspect the temporary spare tire at least
monthly to make sure it is properly
infl ated and stored.
NOTE
The temporary spare tire condition
gradually deteriorates even if it has not
been used.
The temporary spare tire is easier to
handle because of its construction which
is lighter and smaller than a conventional
tire. This tire should be used only for an
emergency and only for a short distance.
Use the temporary spare tire only until the
conventional tire is repaired, which should
be as soon as possible.
Refer to Tires on page 9-10 .
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*Some models.6–44
Maintenance and Care
Owner Maintenance
CAUTION
 


¾ Do not use your temporary spare tire
rim with a snow tire or a conventional
tire. Neither will properly fi t and could
damage both tire and rim.
 


¾ The temporary spare tire has a tread life
of less than 5,000 km (3,000 miles). The
tread life may be shorter depending on
driving conditions.
 


¾ The temporary spare tire is for limited
use, however, if the tread wear solid-
band indicator appears, replace the tire
with the same type of temporary spare
(page 6-44 ).
NOTE
Tires degrade over time, even when
they are not being used on the road. It
is recommended that tires generally be
replaced when they are 6 years or older.
Heat caused by hot climates or frequent
high loading conditions can accelerate
the aging process. You should replace the
spare tire when you replace the other road
tires due to the aging of the spare tire. The
period in which the tire was manufactured
(both week and year) is indicated by a
4-digit number.
Refer to Tire Labeling on page 8-23 .
Replacing a Wheel
WARNING
Always use wheels of the correct size on
your vehicle:
Using a wrong-sized wheel is
dangerous. Braking and handling
could be aff ected, leading to loss of
control and an accident.
CAUTION
A wrong-sized wheel may adversely
aff ect:




¾ Tire fi t



¾ Wheel and bearing life



¾ Ground clearance



¾ Snow-chain clearance



¾ Speedometer calibration



¾ Headlight aim



¾ Bumper height



¾ Tire Pressure Monitoring System *
When replacing a wheel, make sure the
new one is the same as the original factory
wheel in diameter, rim width, and offset
(inset/outset).
Proper tire balancing provides the best
riding comfort and helps reduce tread
wear. Out-of-balance tires can cause
vibration and uneven wear, such as
cupping and fl at spots.
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6–46
Maintenance and Care
Owner Maintenance
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 fl ying 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.
NOTE
 


y To replace the bulb, contact an
Authorized Mazda Dealer.
 


y If the halogen bulb is accidentally
touched, it should be cleaned with
rubbing alcohol before being used.
 


y Use the protective cover and carton for
the replacement bulb to dispose of the
old bulb promptly and out of the reach
of children.
Replacing Exterior Light Bulbs
Headlights (With xenon fusion
headlights)
Low/High beam bulbs
You cannot replace the low/high beam
bulbs by yourself. The bulbs must be
replaced at an Authorized Mazda Dealer.
Headlights (With halogen headlights)
Low-beam bulbs
1. If you are changing the right bulb, start
the engine, turn the steering wheel all
the way to the left, and turn off engine.
If you are changing the left bulb, turn
the steering wheel to the right, and turn
off engine.
2. Make sure the headlight switch is off.
3. Pull the center of each plastic retainer
and remove the retainers.
Removal
Installation
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6–59
Maintenance and Care
Owner Maintenance
6. Reinstall the cover and make sure that
it is securely installed.
Replacing the fuses under the hood
If the headlights or other electrical
components do not work and the fuses
in the cabin are normal, inspect the fuse
block under the hood. If a fuse is blown, it
must be replaced. Follow these steps:
1. Make sure the ignition is switched off,
and other switches are off.
2. Remove the fuse block cover.
3. If any fuse but the MAIN fuse is
blown, replace it with a new oneof the
same amperage rating .
Normal
Blown
WARNING
Do not replace the main fuse and
multiplex slow blow fuse by yourself.
Have an Authorized Mazda Dealer
perform the replacement:
Replacing these fuses by yourself is
dangerous because they are high
current fuses. Incorrect replacement
could cause an electrical shock or a
short circuit resulting in a fi re.
4. Reinstall the cover and make sure that
it is securely installed.
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*Some models.6–60
Maintenance and Care
Owner Maintenance
Fuse Panel Description
Fuse block (Engine compartment)
Multiplex slow blow fuse
DESCRIPTION FUSE
RATING PROTECTED COMPONENT
1 FOG 15 A Fog lights
*
2 H/L HI 20 A Headlight high beam *
3 H/CLEAN 20 A —
4 STOP 10 A Brake lights
5 ROOM 15 A Overhead light
6
7.5 A Engine control system
7 FUEL WARM — —
8 HAZARD 25 A Hazard warning fl ashers, Turn signal lights
9 ABS/DSCS 30 A ABS, Dynamic stability control system
10 METER2 — —
11 AUDIO2 7.5 A Audio system
12 BOSE 25 A Bose
® Sound System-equipped model *
13 AUDIO1 15 A Audio system
14 FUEL PUMP 15 A Fuel system
15 HID R
D R L 15 A Headlight (RH)
*1 , Daytime running lights *
16 AT PUMP — —
17 HORN 15 A Horn
18 TAIL 15 A Taillights, License plate lights, Parking lights, Front side-marker
lights
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6–64
Maintenance and Care
Appearance Care
Water Marks
Occurrence
Rain, fog, dew, and even tap water can
contain harmful minerals such as salt and
lime. If moisture containing these minerals
settles on the vehicle and evaporates, the
minerals will concentrate and harden to
form white rings. The rings can damage
your vehicle's fi nish.
Prevention
It is necessary to wash and wax your
vehicle to preserve its fi nish according to
the instructions in this section. These steps
should be taken immediately after you fi nd
water marks on your vehicle's fi nish.
Paint Chipping
Occurrence
Paint chipping occurs when gravel thrown
in the air by another vehicle's tires hits
your vehicle.
How to avoid paint chipping
Keeping a safe distance between you and
the vehicle ahead reduces the chances
of having your paint chipped by fl ying
gravel. NOTE
 


y The paint chipping zone varies with the
speed of the vehicle. For example, when
traveling at 90 km/h (56 mph), the paint
chipping zone is 50 m (164 ft).
 


y In low temperatures a vehicle's fi nish
hardens. This increases the chance of
paint chipping.
 


y Chipped paint can lead to rust forming
on your Mazda. Before this happens,
repair the damage by using Mazda
touch-up paint according to the
instructions in this section. Failure to
repair the affected area could lead to
serious rusting and expensive repairs.
Follow all label and container directions
when using a chemical cleaner or polish.
Read all warnings and cautions.
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6–66
Maintenance and Care
Appearance Care
Pay special attention to removing salt, dirt,
mud, and other foreign material from the
underside of the fenders, and make sure
the drain holes in the lower edges of the
doors and rocker panels are clean.
Insects, tar, tree sap, bird droppings,
industrial fallout, and similar deposits
can damage the fi nish 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. Do not allow
soap to dry on the fi nish.
After washing the vehicle, dry it with a
clean chamois to prevent water spots from
forming.
WARNING
Dry off brakes that have become
wet by driving slowly, releasing the
accelerator pedal and lightly applying
the brakes several times until the brake
performance returns to normal:
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 aff ected.
When using a high water pressure car
wash
High water temperature and high water
pressure car washers are available
depending on the type of car wash
machine. If the car washer nozzle is
put too close to the vehicle, the force of
the spray could damage or deform the
molding, affect the sealability of parts,
and allow water to penetrate the interior.
Keep a suffi cient space (30 cm (12 in) or
more) between the nozzle and the vehicle.
In addition, do not spend too much time
spraying the same area of the vehicle, and
be very careful when spraying between
gaps in doors and around windows.
Waxing
Your vehicle needs to be waxed when
water no longer beads on the fi nish.
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 does not need it.
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6–67
Maintenance and Care
Appearance Care
Repairing Damage to the Finish
Deep scratches or chips on the fi nish
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.
Bright-Metal Maintenance
 












y Use tar remover to remove road tar and
insects. Never do this with a knife or
similar tool.
 


y To prevent corrosion on bright-
metal surfaces, apply wax or chrome
preservative and rub it to a high luster.
 


y During 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.
CAUTION
Do not 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.
Underbody 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, fl oor pan, and exhaust
system, even though these parts may be
coated with anti-corrosive material.
Thoroughly fl ush 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
Dry off brakes that have become
wet by driving slowly, releasing the
accelerator pedal and lightly applying
the brakes several times until the brake
performance returns to normal:
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 aff ected.
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