2015 MAZDA MODEL 3 5-DOOR engine coolant

6–26
Maintenance and Care
Owner Maintenance
Engine Compartment Overview
Windshield washer fluid reservoirBrake/Clutch fluid reservoir
Engine oil dipstick Battery
Fuse block
Cooling system cap Engine coolant reservoir Engine oil-filler cap
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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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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


*Some models.6–69
Maintenance and Care
Appearance Care
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.
Aluminum Wheel Maintenance *
A protective coating is provided over the
aluminum wheels. Special care is needed
to protect this coating.
CAUTION
Do not use any detergent other than
mild detergent. Before using any
detergent, verify the ingredients.
Otherwise, the product could discolor
or stain the aluminum wheels.
NOTE
 y Do not use a wire brush or any abrasive
cleaner, polishing compound, or solvent
on aluminum wheels. They may damage
the coating.
 y Always use a sponge or soft cloth to
clean the wheels.
 Rinse the wheels thoroughly with lukewarm or cold water. Also, be sure
to clean the wheels after driving on
dusty or salted roads to help prevent
corrosion.
 y Avoid washing your vehicle in an
automatic car wash that uses high-
speed or hard brushes.
Plastic Part Maintenance
 y When cleaning the plastic lenses of the
lights, do not use gasoline, kerosene,
rectifi ed spirit, paint, thinner, highly
acidic detergents, or strongly alkaline
detergents. Otherwise, these chemical
agents can discolor or damage the
surfaces resulting in a signifi cant loss
in functionality. If plastic parts become
inadvertently exposed to any of these
chemical agents, fl ush with water
immediately.
 y  If plastic parts such as the bumpers
become inadvertently exposed to
chemical agents or fl uids such as
gasoline, oil, engine coolant, or battery
fl uid, it could cause discoloration,
staining, or paint peeling. Wipe off any
such chemical agents or fl uids using a
soft cloth immediately.
 y  High water temperature and high water
pressure car washers are available
depending on the type of high pressure
car washer device. If the car washer
nozzle is put too close to the vehicle or
aimed at one area for an extended period
of time, it could deform plastic parts or
damage the paint.
 y  Do not use wax containing compounds
(polish). Otherwise, it could result in
paint damage.
 y  In addition, do not use an electrical or
air tool to apply wax. Otherwise, the
frictional heat generated could result
in deformation of plastic parts or paint
damage.
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7–19
If Trouble Arises
Overheating
Overheating
If the High engine coolant temperature
warning light illuminates, the vehicle loses
power, or you hear a loud knocking or
pinging noise, the engine is probably too
hot.
WARNING
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.

Open the hood ONLY after steam is no
longer escaping from the engine: Steam from an overheated engine is
dangerous. The escaping steam could
seriously burn you.
If the High engine coolant temperature
warning light illuminates:
1. Drive safely to the side of the road and park off the right-of-way.
2. Put a vehicle with an automatic transaxle in park (P), a manual
transaxle in neutral.
3. Apply the parking brake.
4. Turn off the air conditioner.
5. Check whether coolant or steam is escaping from the engine compartment.
If steam is coming from the engine
compartment:
Do not go near the front of the vehicle. Stop the engine.
Wait until the steam dissipates, then open the hood and start the engine.
If neither coolant nor steam is escaping:
Open the hood and idle the engine until it cools.
CAUTION
If the cooling fan does not operate
while the engine is running, the engine
temperature will increase. Stop the
engine and call an Authorized Mazda
Dealer.
6. Make sure the cooling fan is operating, then turn off the engine after the
temperature has decreased.
7. When cool, check the coolant level.
If it is low, look for coolant leaks from the radiator and hoses.
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7–20
If Trouble Arises
Overheating
If you fi nd a leak or other damage, or if
coolant is still leaking:
Stop the engine and call an Authorized
Mazda Dealer.
Cooling system cap
Coolant reservoir
Cooling fan
If you fi nd no problems, the engine is
cool, and no leaks are obvious:
Carefully add coolant as required (page
6-29 ).
CAUTION
If the engine continues to overheat or
frequently overheats, have the cooling
system inspected. The engine could be
seriously damaged unless repairs are
made. Consult an Authorized Mazda
Dealer.
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7–26
If Trouble Arises
Warning/Indicator Lights and Warning Sounds
Signal Warning
(Red)
High Engine Coolant
Temperature Warning Light The light fl
ashes when the engine coolant temperature is extremely high, and
illuminates when the engine coolant temperature increases further.
Handling Procedure
Flashing light
Drive slowly to reduce engine load until you can fi nd a safe place to stop the vehicle
and wait for the engine to cool down.
Illuminated light
This indicates the possibility of overheating. Park the vehicle in a saf\
e place
immediately and stop the engine.
Refer to Overheating 7-19 .
CAUTION
Do not drive the vehicle with the high engine coolant temperature warning light
illuminated. Otherwise, it could result in damage to the engine.
Power Steering
Malfunction Indicator Light The light illuminates/fl
ashes if the electric power steering has a malfunction.
If the light illuminates/fl ashes, stop the vehicle in a safe place and do not operate the
steering wheel. There is no problem if the light turns off after a while. Contact an
Authorized Mazda Dealer if the light illuminates/fl ashes continuously.
NOTE
yIf the indicator light illuminates/fl ashes, the power steering will not operate normally.
If this happens, the steering wheel can still be operated, however, the operation may
feel heavy compared to normal, or the steering wheel could vibrate when turning.
y Repeatedly jerking the steering wheel left and right while the vehicle i\
s stopped or moving extremely slowly will cause the power steering system to go into protective
mode which will make the steering feel heavy, but this does not indicate a problem. If
this occurs, park the vehicle safely and wait several minutes for the sy\
stem to return
to normal.
Contact Authorized Mazda Dealer and Have Vehicle Inspected
If any of the following warning lights turns on/fl ashes, the system may have a malfunction.
Contact an Authorized Mazda Dealer to have your vehicle inspected.
Signal Warning
Master Warning
Light
y(Vehicles with type B audio) The light turns on when the system has a malfunction.
Operate the center display and verify the content.
Refer to If a Warning Light Turns On or Flashes on page 7-24 .
y(Vehicles without type B audio) The light illuminates continuously if any one of the following occurs. C\
onsult an
Authorized Mazda Dealer.
y There is a malfunction in the battery management system. y There is a malfunction in the brake switch.
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*Some models.7–33
If Trouble Arises
Warning/Indicator Lights and Warning Sounds
Message Indicated on Display *
If a message is displayed in the center display (Type B audio), take appropriate action (in a
calm manner) according to the displayed message.
(Display example)
Stop Vehicle in Safe Place Immediately
If the following messages are displayed in the center display (Type B audio), a vehicle
system may be malfunctioning. Stop the vehicle in a safe place and conta\
ct an Authorized
Mazda Dealer.
Display Indicated Condition
Displays if the engine coolant temperature has
increased excessively.
Displays if the charging system has a malfunction.
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