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.
WA R N I N G
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.
▼ Tire Inflation Pressure
WA R N I N G
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).
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.
Maintenance and Care
Owner Maintenance
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▼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 combinati
on 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.
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
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
Maintenance and Care
Owner Maintenance
6-40
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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 8-26.
▼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 c
onstruction 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 6-40).
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 8-26.
Maintenance and Care
Owner Maintenance
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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............................ 7-14 Jump-Starting............................. 7-14
Emergency Starting.........................7-17 Starting a Flooded Engine.......... 7-17
Push-Starting.............................. 7-17
Overheating......................................7-18 Overheating................................ 7-18
Emergency Towing.......................... 7-20 Towing Description.................... 7-20
Tiedown Hooks
*......................... 7-21
Warning/Indicator Lights and
Warning Sounds.............................. 7-23If a Warning Light Turns On or
Flashes........................................ 7-23
Message Indicated on
Display........................................7-38
Message Indicated in Multi-
information Display
*.................. 7-40
Warning Sound is Activated....... 7-42
When Trunk Lid Cannot be
Opened..............................................7-47 When Trunk Lid Cannot be
Opened........................................7-47
Active Driving Display Does Not
Operate............................................. 7-48 If the Active Driving Display Does
Not Operate................................ 7-48
*Some models.7-1
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Spare Tire and Tool Storage
Spare tire and tools are stored in the locations illustrated in the diagram.
Tiedown eyelet
(Long type) Tiedown eyelet
(Short type)
Flat tire belt Jack lever
Lug wrench
Spare tire Jack
Spare tire hold-down bolt
Lug wrench
Spare tire hold-down bolt Jack lever
Tiedown eyelet
(Long type)
Tiedown eyelet
(Short type)
Jack
Spare tire
Type A
Type B
Some models.
If Trouble Arises
Flat Tire
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▼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
1. Remove the trunk mat.
Trunk 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.
If Trouble Arises
Flat Tire
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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 firmly set the parking
brake.
2. Put a vehicle with an automatictransaxle in Park (P), a manual
transaxle in Reverse (R) or 1, and turn
off the engine.
3. Turn on the hazard warning flasher.
4. Have everyone get out of the vehicle and away from the vehicle and traffic.
5. Remove the jack, tool, and spare tire (page 7-3).
6. Block the wheel diagonally opposite the flat tire. When blocking a wheel,
place a tire block both in front and
behind the tire.
NOTE
When blocking a tire, use rocks or
wood blocks of sufficient size if
possible to hold the tire in place.
If Trouble Arises
Flat Tire
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6. Insert the jack lever and attach the lugwrench to tire jack.
7. Turn the jack handle clockwise andraise the vehicle high enough so that
the spare tire can be installed. Before
removing the lug nuts, make sure your
Mazda is firmly in position and that it
cannot slip or move.
WA R N I N G
Do not jack up the vehicle higher than
is necessary:
Jacking up the vehicle higher than is
necessary is dangerous as it could
destabilize the vehicle resulting in an
accident.
Do not start the engine or shake the
vehicle while it is jacked up:
Starting the engine or shaking the
vehicle while it is jacked up is
dangerous as it could cause the vehicle
to fall off the jack resulting in an
accident.
Never go under the vehicle while it is
jacked up:
Going under the vehicle while it is
jacked up is dangerous as it could result
in death or serious injury if the vehicle
were to fall off the jack.
8. Remove the lug nuts by turning them counterclockwise; then remove the
wheel and center cap.
If Trouble Arises
Flat Tire
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