2018 MAZDA MODEL 3 HATCHBACK flat tire

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
WA R N I N G
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, inflate all tire pressures to
specification (page 9-10) and inspect the
lug nuts for tightness.
(With tire pressure monitoring system)
After adjusting th e tire pressure,
initialization of the tire pressure
monitoring system is necessary to make
the system operate normally.
Refer to Tire Pressu re Monitoring System
Initialization on page 4-148.
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.
Maintenance and Care
Owner Maintenance
6-39
Mazda3_8GE4-EA-17F_Edition1 2017-4-7 11:59:21

▼Replacing a Tire
WA R N I N G
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 tread Tread wear indicator
Worn tread
You should replace the tire before the band
crosses the entire tread.
(With tire pressure monitoring system)
After adjusting th e 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 4-148.
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 su
re 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 t han 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 9-10.

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.
Maintenance and Care
Owner Maintenance
6-40
Mazda3_8GE4-EA-17F_Edition1 2017-4-7 11:59:21

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 6-40).
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
WA R N I N G
Always use wheels of the correct size on
your vehic le:
Using a wrong-sized wheel is dangerous.
Braking and handling could be affected,
leading to loss of control and an accident.
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.
Maintenance and Care
Owner Maintenance
*Some models.6-41
Mazda3_8GE4-EA-17F_Edition1 2017-4-7 11:59:21

7If Trouble Arises
Helpful information on what to do if a problem arises with the vehicle.
Parking in an Emergency................. 7-2 Parking in an Emergency..............7-2
Flat Tire.............................................. 7-3 Spare Tire and Tool Storage......... 7-3
Changing a Flat Tire..................... 7-6
Battery Runs Out............................ 7-16 Jump-Starting............................. 7-16
Emergency Starting.........................7-19 Starting a Flooded Engine.......... 7-19
Push-Starting.............................. 7-19
Overheating......................................7-20 Overheating................................ 7-20
Emergency Towing.......................... 7-22 Towing Description.................... 7-22
Tiedown Hooks
*......................... 7-23
Warning/Indicator Lights and
Warning Sounds.............................. 7-25If a Warning Light Turns On or
Flashes........................................ 7-25
Message Indicated on Display
*..........
.................................................... 7-36
Warning Sound is Activated....... 7-38
When Liftgate/Trunk Lid Cannot be
Opened..............................................7-43 When Liftgate/Trunk Lid Cannot be
Opened........................................7-43
Active Driving Display Does Not
Operate
*........................................... 7-45
If the Active Driving Display Does
Not Operate................................ 7-45
*Some models.7-1
Mazda3_8GE4-EA-17F_Edition1 2017-4-7 11:59:21

Spare Tire and Tool Storage
Spare tire and tools are stored in the locations illustrated in the diagram.
Tiedown eyelet
Flat tire beltSpare tire Jack
Spare tire hold-down bolt
Lug wrench Tool bag
Jack lever
Flat tire belt
Jack lever
Lug wrench
Spare tire Jack
Spare tire hold-down bolt
5-Door 4-Door
Some models.
Tiedown eyelet
If Trouble Arises
Flat Tire
7-3
Mazda3_8GE4-EA-17F_Edition1 2017-4-7 11:59:21

▼Jack
To remove the jack
1.
(4–Door)
Push the tabs and remove the cover.

Tabs
(5–Door)
Turn the knob and remove the cover.

2. Turn the wing bolt and jack screw
counterclockwise.

To secure the jack
1. Insert the wing bo lt into the jack with
the jack screw pointing to the down
and turn the wing bolt clockwise to
temporarily tighten it.
2. Turn the jack screw in the direction shown in the figure.

3. Turn the wing bolt completely to
secure the jack.
NOTE
If the jack is not completely secured, it
could rattle while driving. Make sure
the jack screw is sufficiently tightened.
If Trouble Arises
Flat Tire
7-4
Mazda3_8GE4-EA-17F_Edition1 2017-4-7 11:59:21

4. Insert the cover tabs and install thecover.
(4-Door)
Tabs
Tabs
(5-Door)
NOTE
Verify that the cover is securely
installed.
Maintenance
Always keep the jack clean.
Make sure the moving parts are kept
free from dirt or rust.
Make sure the screw thread is
adequately lubricated.
▼ Spare Tire
Your Mazda has a temporary spare tire.
The temporary spare tire is lighter and
smaller than a conventional tire, and is
designed only for emergency use and
should be used only for VERY short
periods. Temporary spare tires should
NEVER be used for long drives or
extended periods.
WA R N I N G
Do not install the temporary spare tire on
the front wheels (driving wheels):
Driving with the temporary spare tire on
one of the front driving wheels is
dangerous. Handling will be
affected. Yo u
could lose control of the vehicle, especially
on ice or snow bound roads, and have an
accident. Move a regular tire to the front
wheel and install the temporary spare tire
to the rear.
CAUTION
 When using the temporary spare tire,
driving stability may decrease compared
to when using only the conventional tire.
Drive carefully.
 To avoid damage to the temporary spare
tire or to the vehicle, observe the
following precautions:
 Do not exceed 80 km/h (50 mph).
 Avoid driving over obstacles. Also, do
not drive through an automatic car
wash. This tire's diameter is smaller
than a conventional tire, so the ground
clearance is reduced.
 Do not use a tire chain on this tire
because it will not fit properly.
 Do not use your temporary spare tire
on any other vehicle, it has been
designed only for your Mazda.
 Use only one temporary spare tire on
your vehicle at the same time.
If Trouble Arises
Flat Tire
7-5
Mazda3_8GE4-EA-17F_Edition1 2017-4-7 11:59:21

To remove the spare tire
1. Lift the trunk/luggage compartmentmat.

Trunk/Luggage compartment mat
2. Turn the spare tire hold-down boltcounterclockwise.

Spare tire hold-down bolt
To secure the spare tire
Store the spare tire in the reverse order of
removal. After storing, verify that the
spare tire is stored securely.
Changing a Flat Tire
NOTE
If the following occurs while driving, it
could indicate a flat tire.
Steering becomes difficult.
The vehicle begins to vibrate
excessively.
The vehicle pulls in one direction.
If you have a flat tire, drive slowly to a
level spot that is well off the road and out
of the way of traffic to change the tire.
Stopping in traffic or on the shoulder of a
busy road is dangerous.
WA R N I N G
Be sure to follow the directions for
changing a tire:
Changing a tire is dangerous if not done
properly. The vehicle can slip off the jack
and seriously injure someone.
No person should place any portion of their
body under a vehicle that is supported by a
jack.
Never allow anyone inside a vehicle
supported by a jack:
Allowing someone to remain in a vehicle
supported by a jack is dangerous. The
occupant could cause the vehicle to fall
resulting in serious injury.
NOTE
Make sure the jack is well lubricated
before using it.
1. Park on a hard, level surface off the right-of-way and firml y set the parking
brake.
If Trouble Arises
Flat Tire
7-6
Mazda3_8GE4-EA-17F_Edition1 2017-4-7 11:59:21