6–29
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.
MAX
MINOK
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 overfi ll 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 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.
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 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.
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6–31
Maintenance and Care
Owner Maintenance
Brake Fluid
Inspecting Brake Fluid Level
WARNING
If the brake fl uid level is low, have the
brakes inspected:
A low brake fl uid level is dangerous.
A low level could indicate brake lining
wear or a brake system leak which
could cause the brakes to fail and lead
to an accident.
Inspect the fl uid level in the reservoir
regularly. It should be kept between the
MAX and MIN lines.
The level normally drops with
accumulated distance, a condition
associated with wear of brake linings. If it
is excessively low, have the brake system
inspected by an Authorized Mazda Dealer.
Washer Fluid
Inspecting Washer Fluid Level
WARNING
Use only windshield washer fl uid or
plain water in the reservoir:
Using radiator antifreeze as washer
fl uid is dangerous. If sprayed on the
windshield, it will dirty the windshield,
aff ect your visibility, and could result in
an accident.
Using Washer Fluid Without Anti-freeze
Protection in Cold Weather:
Operating your vehicle in temperatures
below 4 degrees C (40 degrees F)
using washer fl uid without anti-freeze
protection is dangerous as it could
cause impaired windshield vision and
result in an accident. In cold weather,
always use washer fl uid with anti-
freeze protection.
NOTE
State or local regulations may restrict the
use of volatile organic compounds (VOCs),
which are commonly used as anti-freeze
agents in washer fl uid. A washer fl uid with
limited VOC content should be used only
if it provides adequate freeze resistance
for all regions and climates in which the
vehicle will be operated.
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6–38
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 fl uid 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 fl uid:
Spilled battery fl uid is dangerous.
Battery fl uid contains SULFURIC ACID which could cause serious injuries if it gets in eyes,
or on the skin or clothing. If this happens, immediately fl ush 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 fl uid could cause serious
injuries if it gets in the eyes or on the skin.
Keep fl ames 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 fl ames including
cigarettes and sparks away from open battery cells.
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6–43
Maintenance and Care
Owner Maintenance
Tires
For reasons of proper performance, safety,
and better fuel economy, always maintain
recommended tire infl ation pressures and
stay within the recommended load limits
and weight distribution.
WARNING
Using Diff erent Tire Types:
Driving your vehicle with diff erent
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
specifi ed for the vehicle (page 9-9 )
is dangerous. It could seriously aff ect
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 specifi ed for the
vehicle.
Tire Infl ation Pressure
WARNING
Always infl ate the tires to the correct
pressure:
Overinfl ation or underinfl ation of tires
is dangerous. Adverse handling or
unexpected tire failure could result in a
serious accident.
Refer to Tires on page 9-9 .
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 specifi cation charts (page
9-9 ).
(With tire pressure monitoring system)
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 4-153 .
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6–44
Maintenance and Care
Owner Maintenance
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.
Underinfl ation 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.
Overinfl ation 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 infl ating,
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 .
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, infl ate all tire pressures to
specifi cation (page 9-9 ) and inspect the
lug nuts for tightness.
(With tire pressure monitoring system)
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 4-153 .
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.
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6–45
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.
(With tire pressure monitoring system)
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 4-153 .
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 8-24 .
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 9-9 .
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Maintenance and Care
Owner Maintenance
*Some models.
CAUTION
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.
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 6-45 ).
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 8-24 .
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:
Tire fi t
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 fl at spots.
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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 one of the
same amperage rating .
Normal
Blown
WARNING
Do not replace the main fuse by
yourself. Have an Authorized Mazda
Dealer perform the replacement:
Replacing the fuse by yourself is
dangerous because the MAIN fuse
is a high current fuse. 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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