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Maintenance and Care
Owner Maintenance
Engine Compartment Overview
Windshield washer fluid reserv oirBrake/Clutch fluid reserv oir
Engine oil dipstick Battery
Fuse block
Cooling system cap Engine coolant reservoir
Engine oil-f iller cap
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Maintenance and Care
Owner Maintenance
Battery
WARNING
Wash hands after handling the battery and related accessories:Battery posts, terminals and related accessories contain lead and lead compounds,
chemicals known to the State of California to cause cancer and reproductive harm.
Read the following precautions carefully before using the battery or inspecting
to ensure safe and correct handling:
Always wear eye protection when working near the battery:
Working without eye protection is dangerous. Battery fluid contains SULFURIC ACID
which could cause blindness if splashed into your eyes. Also, hydrogen gas produced
during normal battery operation, could ignite and cause the battery to explode.
Wear eye protection and protective gloves to prevent contact with battery fluid:
Spilled battery fluid is dangerous.
Battery fluid contains SULFURIC ACID which could cause serious injuries if it gets in eyes,
or on the skin or clothing. If this happens, immediately flush your eyes with water for 15
minutes or wash your skin thoroughly and get medical attention.
Always keep batteries out of the reach of children:
Allowing children to play near batteries is dangerous. Battery fluid could cause serious
injuries if it gets in the eyes or on the skin.
Keep flames and sparks away from open battery cells and do not allow metal
tools to contact the positive (
) or negative () terminal of the battery when working
near a battery. Do not allow the positive (
) terminal to contact the vehicle body:
Flames and sparks near open battery cells are dangerous. Hydrogen gas, produced
during normal battery operation, could ignite and cause the battery to explode. An
exploding battery can cause serious burns and injuries. Keep all flames including
cigarettes and sparks away from open battery cells.
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Maintenance and Care
Owner Maintenance
Keep all flames, including cigarettes, and sparks away from open battery cells:
Flames and sparks near open battery cells are dangerous. Hydrogen gas, produced
during normal battery operation, could ignite and cause the battery to explode. An
exploding battery can cause serious burns and injuries.
NOTE
Before performing battery maintenance, remove the battery cover.
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Owner Maintenance
Battery Maintenance
To get the best service from a battery:
Keep it securely mounted. Keep the top clean and dry. Keep terminals and connections clean,
tight, and coated with petroleum jelly or
terminal grease.
Rinse off spilled electrolyte immediately
with a solution of water and baking
soda.
If the vehicle will not be used for an
extended time, disconnect the battery
cables and charge the battery every six
weeks.
Inspecting Electrolyte Level
A low level of electrolyte fluid will cause
the battery to discharge quickly.
Upper le vel
Lo wer le vel
Inspect the electrolyte level at least once
a week. If it is low, remove the caps and
add enough distilled water to bring the
level between the upper and lower level
(illustration).
Do not overfill.
Examine the specific gravity of the
electrolyte with a hydrometer, especially
during cold weather. If it is low, recharge
the battery.
Battery Recharging
NOTE
Before performing maintenance or
recharging the battery, turn off all
accessories and stop the engine.
To disconnect the battery, remove the
negative cable first. Install it last when
connecting the battery.
Be sure to remove the caps before
recharging the battery.
If the battery quickly discharges
because, for example, the lights were
left on too long with the engine off,
slow-charge it as required by battery
size and charger capacity.
If the battery gradually discharges
because of high electric load while the
vehicle is being used, recharge it as
required by battery size and charger
capacity.
Battery Replacement
Contact an Authorized Mazda Dealer for a
battery replacement purchase.
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Maintenance and Care
Owner Maintenance
Key Battery Replacement
If the buttons on the transmitter are
inoperable and the operation indicator
light does not flash, the battery may be
dead.
Replace with a new battery before the
transmitter becomes unusable.
CAUTION
Make sure the battery is installed
correctly. Battery leakage could occur if it
is not installed correctly.
When replacing the battery, be careful
not to touch any of the internal circuitry
and electrical terminals, bend the
electrical terminals, or get dirt in the
transmitter as the transmitter could be
damaged.
There is the danger of explosion if the
battery is not correctly replaced.
Dispose of used batteries according to
the following instructions.
Insulate the plus and minus terminals
of the battery using cellophane or
equivalent tape.
Never disassemble. Never throw the battery into fire or
water.
Never deform or crush.
Replace only with the same type battery
(CR2025 or equivalent).
The following conditions indicate that the
battery power is low:
The KEY indicator light (green) flashes
in the instrument cluster for about 30
seconds after the engine is turned off
(for vehicles with a type A instrument
cluster (page 4-32), messages are
displayed in the instrument cluster).
The system does not operate and
the operation indicator light on the
transmitter does not flash when the
buttons are pressed.
The system's operational range is
reduced.
Replacing the battery at an Authorized
Mazda Dealer is recommended to prevent
damage to the key. If replacing the battery
by yourself, follow the instruction.
Replacing the key battery
1. Press the knob and pull out the
auxiliary key.
Knob
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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.
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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.
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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 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 wire 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 thoroughly 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.
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.
Do not use wax containing compounds
(polish). Otherwise, it could result in
paint damage.
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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