If the “FL22” mark is shown on or near
the cooling system cap, use of FL-22 is
recommended when replacing engine
coolant. Using engine coolant other than
FL-22 may cause serious damage to the
engine and cooling system.
If the coolant reservoir is empty or new
coolant is required frequently, consult an
Authorized Mazda Dealer.
Brake Fluid
▼ Inspecting Brake Fluid Level
WA R N I N G
If the brake fluid level is low, have the
brakes inspected:
A low brake fluid 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 fluid 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.
Maintenance and Care
Owner Maintenance
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plain water is ineffective, use a mild soap
made for use on vehicles.
Thoroughly rinse off all soap with
lukewarm or cold water. Do not allow
soap to dry on the finish.
After washing the vehicle, dry it with a
clean chamois to prevent water spots from
forming.
WA R N I N G
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.
When using an automatic car wash
Retract the door mirrors.
The automatic car wash brushes could
reduce the paint lustre or hasten paint
deterioration.
When using a high water pressure car
wash
High water temperature and high water
pressure car washers are available
depending on the type of car wash
machine. If the car washer nozzle is put
too close to the vehicle, the force of the
spray could damage or deform the
molding, affect the sealability of parts, and
allow water to penetrate the interior. Keep
a sufficient space (30 cm (12 in) or more)
between the nozzle and the vehicle. In
addition, do not spend too much time
spraying the same area of the vehicle, and
be very careful when spraying between
gaps in doors and around windows.
Waxing
Your vehicle needs to be waxed when
water no longer beads on the finish.
Always wash and dry the vehicle before
waxing it. In addition to the vehicle body,
wax the metal trim to maintain its luster.
1. Use wax which contains no abrasives. Wax containing abrasives will remove
paints and could damage bright metal
parts.
2. Use a good grade of natural wax for
metallic, mica, and solid colors.
3. When waxing, coat evenly with the sponge supplied or a soft cloth.
4. Wipe off the wax with a soft cloth.
CAUTION
(Vehicles with hands-free liftgate)
When waxing the vehicle, turn off the
hands-free liftgate using the Mazda
Connect or do not bring the transmitter
into the area around the liftgate. The
liftgate could open un expectedly resulting
in an accident.
Refer to Power Liftgate on page 3-22.
NOTE
A spot remover to remove oil, tar, and
similar materials will usually also take off
the wax. Rewax these areas even if the rest
of the vehicle does not need it.
Maintenance and Care
Appearance Care
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▼Repairing Damage to the Finish
Deep scratches or chips on the finish
should be repaired promptly. Exposed
metal quickly rusts and can lead to major
repairs.
CAUTION
If your Mazda is da
maged and needs metal
parts repaired or replaced, make sure the
body shop applies anti -corrosion materials
to all parts, both repaired and new. This
will prevent them from rusting.
▼ Bright-Metal Maintenance
Use tar remover to remove road tar and
insects. Never do this with a knife or
similar tool.
To prevent corrosion on bright-metal
surfaces, apply wax or chrome
preservative and rub it to a high luster.
During cold weather or in coastal areas,
cover bright-metal parts with a coating
of wax or preservative heavier than
usual. It would also help to coat them
with noncorrosive petroleum jelly or
some other protective compound.
CAUTION
Do not use steel wool, abrasive cleaners, or
strong detergents containing highly
alkaline or caustic agents on
chrome-plated or anodized aluminum
parts. This may result in damage to the
protective coating and cause discoloration
or paint deterioration.
▼Underbody Maintenance
Road chemicals and salt used for ice and
snow removal and solv
ents used for dust
control may collect on the underbody. If
not removed, they will speed up rusting
and deterioration of such underbody parts
as fuel lines, frame, floor pan, and exhaust
system, even though these parts may be
coated with anti-corrosive material.
Thoroughly flush the underbody and
wheel housings with lukewarm or cold
water at the end of each winter. Try also to
do this every month.
Pay special attention to these areas
because they easily hide mud and dirt. It
will do more harm than good to wet
down the road grime without removing
it.
The lower edges of doors, rocker panels,
and frame members have drain holes that
should not be clogged. Water trapped there
will cause rusting.
WA R N I N G
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.
Maintenance and Care
Appearance Care
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SignalWarning
Brake System Warning
Indication/Warning Light This warning has the
following functions:
Parking brake warning/Warning light inspection
The light illuminates when the parking brake is applied w ith the ignition switched to
START or ON. It turns off when the parking brake is released.
When the light turns on
If the brake system warning light remains turned on even though the parking brake is
released, the brake fluid may be low or th ere could be a problem with the brake sys-
tem. Park the vehicle in a safe place i mmediately and contact an Authorized Mazda
Dealer.
When the light is flashing
The light flashes if the Electric Pa rking Brake (EPB) has a malfunction.
If the light remains flashing even if the Electric Parking Brake (EPB) switch is oper-
ated, consult an Authorized Mazd a Dealer as soon as possible.
WA R N I N G
Do not drive with the brake system warning light illuminated. Contact an Authorized
Mazda Dealer to have the brakes inspected as soon as possible:
Driving with the brake system warning light illuminated is dangerous. It indicates that
your brakes may not work at all or that they could completely fail at any time. If this
light remains illuminated, after checking that the parking brake is fully released, have
the brakes inspected immediately.
CAUTION
In addition, the effectiveness of the braking may diminish so you may need to depress
the brake pedal more st rongly than normal to stop the vehicle.
Electronic Brake Force
Distribution System Wa r n i n g If the electronic brake force distribution
control unit determines that some compo-
nents are operating incorrectly, the control unit may illuminate the brake system
warning light and the ABS warning light si multaneously. The problem is likely to be
the electronic brake forc e distribution system.
WA R N I N G
Do not drive with both the ABS warning light and brake warning light illuminated.
Have the vehicle towed to an Authorized Mazda Dealer to have the brakes inspected as
soon as possible:
Driving when the brake system warning lig ht and ABS warning light are illuminated
simultaneously is dangerous.
When both lights are illuminated, the rear wheels could lock more quickly in an emer‐
gency stop than under normal circumstances.
If Trouble Arises
Warning/Indicator Lights and Warning Sounds
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SignalWarning
Power Steering Mal-
function Indication*
The message is displayed if the electric power steering has a malfunction.
If the message is displayed, stop the vehicle in a safe place and do not operate the
steering wheel. There is no problem if the message in the display turns off after a
while. Contact an Authorized Mazda Dealer if the message is displayed continuously.
NOTE
If the message is displayed, the power steering will not operate normally. In this
case, the steering wheel can still be op erated, however, the operation may feel
heavy compared to normal, or the steer ing wheel could vibrate when turning.
Repeatedly jerking the steering wheel left and right while the vehicle is stopped or
moving extremely slowly will cause the power steering system to go into protective
mode which will make the steerin g feel heavy, but this does not indicate a problem.
If this occurs, park the vehicle safely and wait several minutes for the system to
return to normal.
Power Steering Mal- function Indicator
Light
*
The light illuminates/flashes if the electric power steering has a malfunction.
If the light illuminates/flashes, stop the vehicle in a safe place and do not operate the
steering wheel. There is no problem if the lig ht turns off after a while. Contact an Au-
thorized Mazda Dealer if the light illuminates/flashes continuously.
NOTE
If the indicator light illuminates/flashes, the power steering will not operate nor-
mally. If this happens, the steering wheel can still be operated, however, the opera-
tion may feel heavy compared to normal , or the steering wheel could vibrate when
turning.
Repeatedly jerking the steering wheel left and right while the vehicle is stopped or
moving extremely slowly will cause the power steering system to go into protective
mode which will make the steerin g feel heavy, but this does not indicate a problem.
If this occurs, park the vehicle safely and wait several minutes for the system to
return to normal.
▼ Contact Authorized Mazda Dealer and Have Vehicle Inspected
If any of the following warning lights or the indicator light turns on/flashes, the system may
have a malfunction. Contact an Authorized Mazda Dealer to have your vehicle inspected.
Signal
Warning
ABS Warning LightIf the ABS warning light stay
s on while you're driving, the ABS control unit has detected
a system malfunction. If this occurs, your brakes will functio n normally as if the vehicle
had no ABS.
Should this happen, consu lt an Authorized Mazda Dealer as soon as possible.
NOTE
When the engine is jump-sta rted to charge the battery, uneven rpm occurs and the ABS
warning light may illuminate. If this occurs, it is the result of the weak battery and does
not indicate an ABS malfunction.
Recharge the battery.
The brake assist system does not operate while the ABS warning light is illuminated.
If Trouble Arises
Warning/Indicator Lights and Warning Sounds
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Original Equipment (OE): Describes components originally equipped on the vehicle.
Vehicle Load Limit: The maximum value of the combination weight of occupants and
cargo.
Bead Area of the Tire: Area of the tire next to the rim.
Sidewall Area of the Tire: Area between the bead area and the tread.
Tread Area of the Tire: Area on the perimeter of the tire that contacts the road when it's
mounted on the vehicle.
Seating capacity means the total allowable number of vehicle occupants. Seating capacity
is described on the tire label.
Production options weight is the combination weight of installed regular production
options weighing over 2.3 kilograms in excess of the standard items which they replace, and
not previously considered in the curb weight or accessory weight, including heavy duty
brakes, ride levelers, roof rack, heavy duty battery, and special trim.
Rim is the metal support (wheel) for a tire or a tire and tube assembly upon which the tire
beads are seated.
Customer Information and Reporting Safety Defects
Tire Information (U.S.A.)
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Ve h i c l e L o a d i n g
This section will guide you in the proper loading of your vehicle and/or trailer, to keep your
loaded vehicle weight within it s design rating capability, with or without a trailer. Properly
loading your vehicle will provide maximum return of vehicle design performance. Before
loading your vehicle, familiarize yourself with the following terms for determining your
vehicle's weight ratings, with or without a trailer, from the vehicle's Safety Certification
Label and Tire and Load Information Label:
WA R N I N G
Overloaded Vehicle:
Overloading a vehicle is dangerous. The results of overloading can have serious consequences
in terms of passenger safety. Too much weight on a vehicle's suspension system can cause
spring or shock absorber failure, brake failu re, handling or steering problems, irregular tire
wear, tire failure or other damage.
Overloading makes a vehicle harder to drive an d control. It also increases the distance
required for stopping. In cases of serious overloading, brakes can fail completely, particularly
on steep grades. The load a tire will carry safely is a combination of the size of the tire, its load
range, and corresponding inflation pressure.
Never overload the vehicle and always observe th e vehicle's weight ratings from the vehicle's
Safety Certification and Tire and Load Information labels.
Base Curb Weight is the weight of the ve hicle including a full tank of fuel and all
standard equipment. It does not include passengers, carg o, or optional equipment.
Vehicle Curb Weight is the weight of your new vehicl e when you picked it up from your
dealer plus any aftermarket equipment.
PAYLOAD
Customer Information and Reporting Safety Defects
Tire Information (U.S.A.)
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GCW (Gross Combination Weight) is the weight of the loaded vehicle (GVW) plus the
weight of the fully loaded trailer.
GCWR (Gross Combination Weight Rating) is the maximum allowable weight of the
vehicle and the loaded trailer - including al l cargo and passengers - that the vehicle can
handle without risking damage. (Important: The towing vehicle's braking system is rated for
operation at GVWR, not at GCWR. Separate f unctional brakes should be used for safe
control of towed vehicles and for trailers weighing more than 1,500 lbs). The GCW must
never exceed the GCWR.
Maximum Loaded Trailer Weight is the highest possible weight of a fully loaded trailer
the vehicle can tow. It assumes a vehicle with only mandatory options, no cargo (internal or
external), a tongue load of 10 -15% (conventional trailer) or king pin weight of 15-25%
(fifth-wheel trailer), and driver only (150 lbs). Consult your dealership (or the RV and
Trailer Towing Guide provided by your de alership) for more detailed information.
Tongue Load or Fifth-Wheel King Pin Weight refers to the amount of the weight that a
trailer pushes down on a trailer hitch.
Examples: For a 5000 lb conventional trailer, multiply 5000 by 0.10 and 0.15 to obtain a
proper tongue load range of 500 to 750 lbs. For an 11,500 lb fifth-wheel trailer, multiply by
0.15 and 0.25 to obtain a proper king pin load range of 1,725 to 2,875 lbs.
WA R N I N G
Never Exceed GVWR or GAWR Specifications:
Exceeding the GVWR or the GAWR specified on the certification label is dangerous. Exceeding
any vehicle rating limitation could result in a serious accident, injury, or damage to the
vehicle.
Do not use replacement tires with lower load carrying capacities than the originals because
they may lower the vehicle's GVWR and GAWR limitations. Replacement tires with a higher
limit than the originals do not increase the GVWR and GAWR limitations.
Never exceed the GVWR or the GAWR specified on the certification label.
Customer Information and Reporting Safety Defects
Tire Information (U.S.A.)
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