Page 425 of 578
6–39
Maintenance and Care
Owner Maintenance
2. Twist a tape-wrapped flathead
screwdriver in the direction of the
arrow and open the cover slightly.
Cove r
3. Insert the tape-wrapped flathead
screwdriver into the gap and slide it in
the direction of the arrow.
Cove r
Gap
4. Twist the flathead screwdriver in the
direction of the arrow and remove the
cover.
Cove r
5. Remove the battery cap, then remove
the battery.
6. Insert a new battery with the positive
pole facing up, and then cover the
battery with the battery cap.
7. Close the cover.
8. Reinsert the auxiliary key.
Mazda6_8FH2-EA-16F_Edition2.indb 392016/07/07 13:46:14
Page 426 of 578

6–40
Maintenance and Care
Owner Maintenance
CAUTION
Be careful not to allow the rubber ring
shown in the figure to be scratched or
damaged.
If the rubber ring detaches, reattach it
before inserting a new battery.
Rubber ring
Tires
For reasons of proper performance, safety,
and better fuel economy, always maintain
recommended tire inflation pressures and
stay within the recommended load limits
and weight distribution.
WARNING
Using Different Tire Types:
Driving your vehicle with different
types of tires is dangerous. It could
cause poor handling and poor braking;
leading to loss of control.
Except for the limited use of the
temporary spare tire, use only the
same type tires (radial, bias-belted,
bias-type) on all four wheels.
Using Wrong-Sized Tires: Using any other tire size than what is
specified for the vehicle (page 9-8)
is dangerous. It could seriously affect
ride, handling, ground clearance,
tire clearance, and speedometer
calibration. This could cause you to
have an accident. Use only tires that
are the correct size specified for the
vehicle.
Mazda6_8FH2-EA-16F_Edition2.indb 402016/07/07 13:46:14
Page 427 of 578

6–41
Maintenance and Care
Owner Maintenance
Tire Inflation Pressure
WARNING
Always inflate the tires to the correct
pressure:
Overinflation or underinflation of tires
is dangerous. Adverse handling or
unexpected tire failure could result in a
serious accident.
Refer to Tires on page 9-8.
Use only a Mazda-genuine tire valve
cap: Use of a non-genuine part is
dangerous as the correct tire air
pressure cannot be maintained if the
tire valve becomes damaged. If the
vehicle is driven under this condition,
the tire air pressure will decrease which
could result in a serious accident. Do
not use any part for the tire valve cap
that is not a Mazda-genuine part.
Inspect all tire pressures monthly
(including the spare) when the tires are
cold. Maintain recommended pressures for
the best ride, handling, and minimum tire
wear.
Refer to the specification charts (page
9-8).
After adjusting the tire pressure,
initialization of the tire pressure
monitoring system is necessary to make
the system operate normally.
Refer to Tire Pressure Monitoring System
Initialization on page 4-162.
NOTE
Always check tire pressure when tires
are cold.
Warm tires normally exceed
recommended pressures. Do not release
air from warm tires to adjust the
pressure.
Underinflation can cause reduced fuel
economy, uneven and accelerated tire
wear, and poor sealing of the tire bead,
which will deform the wheel and cause
separation of tire from rim.
Overinflation can produce a harsh ride,
uneven and accelerated tire wear, and a
greater possibility of damage from road
hazards.
Keep your tire pressure at the correct
levels. If one frequently needs inflating,
have it inspected.
Tire Rotation
WARNING
Rotate tires periodically:
Irregular tire wear is dangerous. To
equalize tread wear for maintaining
good performance in handling and
braking, rotate the tires every 12,000
km (7,500 miles). However Mazda
recommends to rotate every 8,000 km
(5,000 miles) to help increase tire life
and distribute wear more evenly.
Refer to Scheduled Maintenance on
page 6-4.
Mazda6_8FH2-EA-16F_Edition2.indb 412016/07/07 13:46:14
Page 428 of 578

6–42
Maintenance and Care
Owner Maintenance
During rotation, inspect them for correct
balance.
Do not include (TEMPORARY USE ONLY) spare tire in rotation.
Forward
Also, inspect them for uneven wear and
damage. Abnormal wear is usually caused
by one or a combination of the following:
Incorrect tire pressure Improper wheel alignment Out-of-balance wheel Severe braking
After rotation, inflate all tire pressures to
specification (page 9-8) and inspect the
lug nuts for tightness.
After adjusting the tire pressure,
initialization of the tire pressure
monitoring system is necessary to make
the system operate normally.
Refer to Tire Pressure Monitoring System
Initialization on page 4-162.
CAUTION
Rotate unidirectional tires and radial
tires that have an asymmetrical tread
pattern or studs only from front to rear,
not from side to side. Tire performance
will be reduced if rotated from side to
side.
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.
Ne w tread T
read 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 operate normally.
Refer to Tire Pressure Monitoring System
Initialization on page 4-162.
Mazda6_8FH2-EA-16F_Edition2.indb 422016/07/07 13:46:15
Page 429 of 578

6–43
Maintenance and Care
Owner Maintenance
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 8-25.
Temporary Spare Tire
Inspect the temporary spare tire at least
monthly to make sure it is properly
inflated 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 9-8.
CAUTION
Do not use your temporary spare tire
rim with a snow tire or a conventional
tire. Neither will properly fit and could
damage both tire and rim.
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.
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 6-42).
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 8-25.
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 affected, leading to loss of
control and an accident.
Mazda6_8FH2-EA-16F_Edition2.indb 432016/07/07 13:46:15
Page 430 of 578
6–44
Maintenance and Care
Owner Maintenance
CAUTION
A wrong-sized wheel may adversely
affect:
Tire fit Wheel and bearing life Ground clearance Snow-chain clearance Speedometer calibration Headlight aim Bumper height Tire Pressure Monitoring System
NOTE
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).
For details, contact an Authorized
Mazda Dealer.
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 flat spots.
Mazda6_8FH2-EA-16F_Edition2.indb 442016/07/07 13:46:15
Page 431 of 578

6–45
Maintenance and Care
Owner Maintenance
Light Bulbs
Overhead lights/
Front map lights
V anity mirror
lights
Headlights (Low beam)
Headlights (High beam) Daytime running lights/
P arking lights
Headlights (Lo w beam)
Headlights (High beam)/
Daytime running lights
Front turn signal lights/
Front side-marker lights
P arking lights Brake lights/T
aillights
Rear side-marker lights
Rear turn signal lights
T
aillights (T runk lid side)
Re
verse lights
High-mount
brake light
License plate lights
T
runk light
Rear map lights
Side turn signal lights Courtesy lights
Ov erhead lights/
Front map lights Side turn signal lights Courtesy lights
With LED Headlights
With Halogen Headlights
V anity mirror
lights
F og lights
Some models.
Brake lights Brake lights/T aillights
T aillights
Rear side-marker lights
Rear turn signal lights
T
aillights (T runk lid side)
Re
verse lights
High-mount
brake light
License plate lights
T
runk light
Rear map lights
Signature wing illumination
F
og lights
Front turn signal lights/
Front side-marker lights
Mazda6_8FH2-EA-16F_Edition2.indb 452016/07/07 13:46:16
Page 432 of 578

6–46
Maintenance and Care
Owner Maintenance
WARNING
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 LED headlights)
Low/High beam bulbs
The LED bulb cannot be replaced as a
single unit because it is an integrated unit.
The LED bulb has to be replaced with the
unit. We recommend an Authorized Mazda
Dealer when the replacement is necessary.
Headlights (With halogen headlights)
Low-beam bulbs
1. Make sure the ignition is switched off,
and the headlight switch is off.
2. 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.
3. Pull the center of each plastic retainer
and remove the retainers.
Remova l
Installation
Mazda6_8FH2-EA-16F_Edition2.indb 462016/07/07 13:46:16