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
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 16,000 km (10,000
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 (U.S.A.
and Puerto Rico) on page 6-4.
Refer to Scheduled Maintenance (Canada)
on page 6-6.
Refer to Scheduled Maintenance (Mexico)
on page 6-8.
During rotation, inspect them for correct
balance.
1. Forward
Do not include (TEMPORARY USE
ONLY) spare tire in rotation.
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 9-9) and inspect the
lug nuts for tightness.
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
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▼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 ti
re 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.
1. New tread
2. Worn tread
3. Tread wear indicator
You should replace the tire before the band
crosses the entire tread.
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 8-22.
▼ 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 9-9.
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
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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 6-32).
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 8-22.
▼ Replacing a Wheel
WA R N I N G
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.
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
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Wa t e r M a r k s
Occurrence
Rain, fog, dew, and even tap water can
contain harmful minerals such as salt and
lime. If moisture containing these minerals
settles on the vehicle and evaporates, the
minerals will concentrate and harden to
form white rings. The rings can damage
your vehicle's finish.
Prevention
It is necessary to wash and wax your
vehicle to preserve its finish according to
the instructions in this section. These steps
should be taken immediately after you find
water marks on your vehicle's finish.
Paint Chipping
Occurrence
Paint chipping occurs when gravel thrown
in the air by another vehicle's tires hits
your vehicle.
How to avoid paint chipping
Keeping a safe distance between you and
the vehicle ahead reduces the chances of
having your paint chipped by flying
gravel.
NOTE
The paint chipping zone varies with the
speed of the vehicle. For example, when
traveling at 90 km/h (56 mph), the paint
chipping zone is 50 m (164 ft).
In low temperatures a vehicle's finish
hardens. This increases the chance of
paint chipping.
Chipped paint can lead to rust forming
on your Mazda. Before this happens,
repair the damage by using Mazda
touch-up paint according to the
instructions in this section. Failure to
repair the affected area could lead to
serious rusting and expensive repairs.
Follow all label and container directions
when using a chemical cleaner or polish.
Read all warnings and cautions.
▼ Maintaining the Finish
Wa s h i n g
CAUTION
When the wiper lever is in the
position and the ignition is switched ON,
the wipers may move automatically in
the following cases:
If the windshield above the rain sensor
is touched or wiped with a cloth.
If the windshield is struck with a hand
or other object from either outside or
inside the vehicle.
Keep hands and scrapers clear of the
windshield when the wiper lever is in the
position and the ignition is
switched ON as fingers could be pinched
or the wipers and wiper blades damaged
when the wipers activate automatically.
If you are going to clean the windshield,
be sure the wipers are turned off
completely (when it is most likely that the
engine is left running) this is particularly
important when clearing ice and snow.
Maintenance and Care
Appearance Care
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5–Door
Perform the removal procedure in reverse.
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. You
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.
To remove the spare tire
4–Door
1. Remove the trunk mat.
If Trouble Arises
Flat Tire
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Antitheft wheel lug nuts cannot be
installed on a steel wheel spare tire. When
installing a temporary spare tire, use one
of the original lug nuts in place of the
locking lug nut. The original lug nuts are
stored inside your Mazda.
1. Antitheft lug nut
2. Special key
To remove an antitheft lug nut
1. Obtain the special key for the antitheftlug nut.
2. Place the special key on top of the
antitheft lug nut, and be sure to hold
the key square to it. If you hold the key
at an angle, you may damage both key
and nut. Do not use a power impact
wrench.
3. Place the lug wrench on top of the key and apply pressure. Turn the wrench
counterclockwise.
To install the antitheft lug nut
1. Place the special key on top of the nut, and be sure to hold the key square to it.
If you hold the key at an angle, you
may damage both key and nut. Do not
use a power impact wrench.
2. Place the lug wrench on top of the
special key, apply pressure, and turn it
clockwise.
Nut tightening torque
N·m (kgf·m, ft·lbf) 108―147 (12―14,
80―108)
▼Mounting the Spare Tire
1. Remove dirt and grime from the
mounting surfaces of the wheel and
hub, including the hub bolts, with a
cloth.
WA R N I N G
Make sure the mounting surfaces of the
wheel, hub and lug nuts are clean
before changing or replacing tires:
When changing or replacing a tire, not
removing dirt and grime from the
mounting surfaces of the wheel, hub
and hub bolts is dangerous. The lug
nuts could loosen while driving and
cause the tire to come off, resulting in
an accident.
2. Mount the spare tire.
3. Install the lug nuts with the beveled edge inward; tighten them by hand.
If Trouble Arises
Flat Tire
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(Vehicles without flat tire hold-down
bolt)
1. Secure the damaged tire to thevehicle using the spare tire
hold-down bolt removed when
removing the spare tire.
9. Place the trunk mat (4-door) orluggage mat (5-door) on the damaged
tire.
10. Remove the tire blocks and store thetools and jack.
11. Check the inflation pressure. Refer to Tires on page 9-9.
12. Have the flat tire repaired or replaced
as soon as possible.
13. After repairing or replacing the flat
tire, install the wh eel cover (vehicles
with steel wheels) or center cap
(vehicles with aluminum wheels) using
the following procedure.
(Wheel cover)
1. Align the notch on the wheel cover with the tire valve of the wheel and
install the wheel cover to the
wheel.
1. Notch
2. Tire valve
CAUTION
Always align the notch on the wheel
cover with the tire valve of the
wheel. Otherwise, it could cause
damage to the wheel cover and the
tire valve.
(Center cap)
1. Align the center cap with the center hole of the wheel and install the
center cap to the wheel.
If Trouble Arises
Flat Tire
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WA R N I N G
Do not drive with any tires that have
incorrect air pressure:
Driving on tires with incorrect air pressure
is dangerous. Tires with incorrect pressure
could affect handling and result in an
accident. When you check the regular tires'
air pressure, check the spare tire, too.
NOTE
To prevent the jack and tool from rattling,
store them properly.
If Trouble Arises
Flat Tire
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