
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 “Certified 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
100
4020100–10–20–30–40
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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
100
4020100–10–20–30–40
Mazda3_8FA4-EA-15G_Edition1.indb 282015/05/11 14:02:14

6–29
Maintenance and Care
Owner Maintenance
Vehicle Engine Control Unit Reset Procedure
NOTE
This procedure is intended for vehicles with the engine oil flexible maintenance setting
selected.
After replacing the engine oil, have a repair shop such as an Authorized Mazda Dealer
perform the initialization (engine oil data resetting) of the recorded\
value. If the value
recorded by the computer is not initialized, the wrench indicator light \
may not turn off or it
may turn on earlier than normal.
NOTE
The initialization (engine oil data resetting) of the recorded value can be performed using
the following procedure:
1. Switch the ignition OFF.
2. Switch the ignition ON with the selector pr essed, and press and hold the selector for
about 5 seconds until the master warning light flashes.
Selector
3. After the master warning light flashes for several seconds, the initialization is
completed.
Mazda3_8FA4-EA-15G_Edition1.indb 292015/05/11 14:02:15

6–30
Maintenance and Care
Owner Maintenance
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.
MAXOK
MIN
5. Pull it out again and examine the level.
The level is normal if it is between the
MIN and MAX marks.
If it is near or below MIN, add enough
oil to bring the level to MAX.
CAUTION
Do not overfill the engine oil. 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 flame 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.
Pull over to a safe location, then
switch the ignition 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 indefinitely 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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6–33
Maintenance and Care
Owner Maintenance
Inspect fluid level in the washer fluid
reservoir; add fluid if necessary.
L
Use plain water if washer fluid is
unavailable.
But use only washer fluid in cold weather
to prevent it from freezing.
NOTE
Front and rear washer fluid 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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6–48
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 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.
CAUTION
When removing the lens or lamp unit
using a flathead screwdriver, make
sure that the flathead screwdriver does
not contact the interior terminal. If
the flathead screwdriver contacts the
terminal, a short circuit may occur.
NOTE
To replace the bulb, contact an
Authorized Mazda Dealer. If the halogen bulb is accidentally
touched, it should be cleaned with
rubbing alcohol before being used.
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 of f.
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6–72
Maintenance and Care
Appearance Care
Waxing
Your vehicle needs to be waxed when
water no longer beads on the finish.
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.
Repairing Damage to the Finish
Deep scratches or chips on the finish
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
Use tar remover to remove road tar and
insects. Never do this with a knife or
similar tool.
To prevent corrosion on bright-
metal surfaces, apply wax or chrome
preservative and rub it to a high luster.
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, floor pan, and exhaust
system, even though these parts may be
coated with anti-corrosive material.
Thoroughly flush the underbody and wheel
housings with lukewarm or cold water at
the end of each winter. Try also to do this
every month.
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6–73
Maintenance and Care
Appearance Care
*Some models.
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 affected.
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
Do not use a wir e brush or any abrasive
cleaner, polishing compound, or solvent
on aluminum wheels. They may damage
the coating.
Always use a sponge or soft cloth to
clean the wheels.
Rinse the wheels thor oughly with
lukewarm or cold water. Also, be sure
to clean the wheels after driving on
dusty or salted roads to help prevent
corrosion.
Avoid washing your vehicle in an
automatic car wash that uses high-
speed or hard brushes.
Plastic Part Maintenance
When cleaning the plastic lenses of the
lights, do not use gasoline, kerosene,
rectified spirit, paint, thinner, highly
acidic detergents, or strongly alkaline
detergents. Otherwise, these chemical
agents can discolor or damage the
surfaces resulting in a significant loss
in functionality. If plastic parts become
inadvertently exposed to any of these
chemical agents, flush with water
immediately.
If plastic parts such as the bumpers
become inadvertently exposed to
chemical agents or fluids such as
gasoline, oil, engine coolant, or battery
fluid, it could cause discoloration,
staining, or paint peeling. Wipe off any
such chemical agents or fluids using a
soft cloth immediately.
Mazda3_8FA4-EA-15G_Edition1.indb 732015/05/11 14:02:32