Insects, tar, tree sap, bird droppings,
industrial fallout, and similar deposits can
damage the finish if not removed
immediately. When prompt washing with
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.
Wa x i n g
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 m aintain 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.
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.
▼ 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 damaged 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.
Maintenance and Care
Appearance Care
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▼Bright-Metal Maintenance
Use tar remover to r
emove 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 p etroleum 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 s
alt used for ice and
snow removal and solvents 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.
Maintenance and Care
Appearance Care
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WA R N I N G
Do not allow children to touch the tire
sealant:
Ingestion of tire sealant is dangerous. In
the event tire sealant is accidentally
swallowed, drink large amounts of water
immediately and seek medical
assistance.
Tire sealant that comes into contact with
the eyes and skin is dangerous. If tire
sealant enters the eyes or contacts the
skin, flush immediately with large
amounts of water and seek medical
assistance.
NOTE
The tire sealant cannot be reused.
Purchase new tire sealant at an
Authorized Mazda Dealer.
The emergency flat tire repair kit cannot
be used in the following cases.
Consult an Authorized Mazda Dealer.
The period of effective use for the tire
sealant has expired. (The period of
effectiveness is indicated on the bottle
label.)
The tear or puncture exceeds about 4
mm (0.16 in).
The damage has occurred to an area
of the tire other than the tread.
The vehicle has been driven with
nearly no air remaining in the tire.
The tire has come off the wheel rim.
Damage to the wheel rim has
occurred.
The tire has two or more punctures.
▼ Using the Emergency Flat Tire
Repair Kit
U.S.A. and Canada
1. Move the vehicle off the right-of-way
to a safe place on a level and hard
surface where the vehicle does not
obstruct traffic.
2. Shift the shift lever to the 1 or Reverse (R) position for a manual transmission,
and shift the selector lever to the P
position for an automatic transmission.
3. Apply the parking brake with the brake pedal depressed and turn off the
engine.
4. If necessary, flash the hazard warning
lights and set up the roadside
emergency triangle.
5. Unload passengers and cargo and
remove the emergency flat tire repair
kit.
Hardtop modelSoft top model
If Trouble Arises
Flat Tire
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NOTE
If an emergency flat tire repair has
been performed using the emergency
flat tire repair kit, Mazda
recommends that the tire be replaced
with a new one as soon as possible.
If the tire is to be repaired or reused,
consult an Authorized Mazda
Dealer.
The wheel can be reused if the
sealant adhering to it is removed.
However, replace the valve with a
new one.
Mexico
1. Move the vehicle off the right-of-way to a safe place on a level and hard
surface where the vehicle does not
obstruct traffic.
2. Shift the shift lever to the 1 or Reverse (R) position for a manual transmission,
and shift the selector lever to the P
position for an auto matic transmission.
3. Apply the parking brake with the brake
pedal depressed and turn off the
engine.
4. If necessary, flash t he hazard warning
lights and set up the roadside
emergency triangle.
5. Unload passengers and cargo and remove the emergency flat tire repair
kit.
Hardtop model Soft top model
6. Shake the tire sealant well.
If Trouble Arises
Flat Tire
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Overheating
If the temperature gauge indicates
overheating or the high engine coolant
temperature warning light turns on, the
vehicle loses power, or you hear a loud
knocking or pinging noise, the engine is
probably too hot.
WARNING
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 indefinitely 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.
Open the hood ONLY after steam is no
longer escaping from the engine:
Steam from an overheated engine is
dangerous. The escaping steam could
seriously burn you.
If the temperature gauge indicates
overheating or the high engine coolant
temperature warning light turns on:
1. Drive safely to the side of the road and
park off the right-of-way.
2. Put a vehicle with an automatic transmission in park (P), a manual
transmission in neutral.
3. Apply the parking brake.
4. Turn off the air conditioner.
5. Check whether coolant or steam is escaping from the engine
compartment.
If steam is coming from the engine
compartment:
Do not go near the front of the vehicle.
Stop the engine.
Wait until the steam dissipates, then
open the hood and start the engine.
If neither coolant nor steam is
escaping:
Open the hood and idle the engine
until it cools.
CAUTION
If the cooling fan does not operate
while the engine is running, the engine
temperature will increase. Stop the
engine and call an Authorized Mazda
Dealer.
If Trouble Arises
Overheating
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If a Warning Light Turns On or Flashes
If any warning light turns on/flashes, take appropriate action for each light. There is no
problem if the light turns off, h owever if the light does not turn off or turns on/flashes again,
consult an Authorized Mazda Dealer.
The details for some warnings can be viewed on the center display.
1. If the warning light is turned on, select the
icon on the home screen to display the
application screen.
2. Select “Vehicle Status Monitor”.
3. Select “Warning Guidance” to display the current warnings.
4. Select the applicable warni ng to view the warning details.
▼Stop Vehicle in Safe Place Immediately
If any of the following warning
lights turns on, the system may have a malfunction. Stop the
vehicle in a safe place immediately and contact an Authorized M azda Dealer.
SignalWarning
Brake System Warning
Light This warning has the
following functions:
Parking brake warning/Warning light inspection
The light illuminates when the par king brake is applied with the ignition switched to
START or ON. It turns off when the parking brake is fully relea sed.
Low brake fluid level warning
If the brake warning light remains illuminated even though the parking brake is re‐
leased, the brake fluid may be l ow or there could be a problem with the brake system.
Park the vehicle in a safe place immediately and contact an Aut horized Mazda Dealer.
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.
If Trouble Arises
Warning/Indicator Lights and Warning Sounds
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SignalWarning
Electronic Brake Force
Distribution System Wa r n i n g If the electronic brake force di
stribution control unit determines that some compo‐
nents are operating incorrectly , the control unit may illuminate the brake system
warning light and the ABS warni ng light simultaneously. The problem is likely to be
the electronic brake force 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 li ght and ABS warning light are illuminated
simultaneously is dangerous.
When both lights are illuminate d, the rear wheels could lock more quickly in an emer‐
gency stop than under normal circumstances.
Charging System Warn‐ ing Indication/Warning Light If the warning light illuminates while driving, it indicates a
malfunction of the alter‐
nator or of the charging system.
Drive to the side of the road and park off the right-of-way. Co nsult an Authorized
Mazda Dealer.
CAUTION
Do not continue driving when the charging system warning light is illuminated be‐
cause the engine could stop unexpectedly.
Engine Oil Warning Light This warning light indicates low engine oil pressure.
CAUTION
Do not run the engine if the oil pressure is
low. Otherwise, it could result in extensive
engine damage.
If the light illuminates or the w arning indication is displayed while driving:
1. Drive to the side of the road and park off the right-of-way o n level ground.
2. Turn off the engine and wait 5 minutes for the oil to drain b ack into the oil pan.
3. Inspect the engine oil level (p age 6-21). If it's low, add the appropriate amount of
engine oil while being careful not to overfill.
CAUTION
Do not run the engine if the oil level is low. Otherwise, it could result in extensive
engine damage.
4. Start the engine and check the warning light.
If the light remains illuminated even though the oil level is normal or after adding oil,
stop the engine immediately and have your vehicle towed to an Authorized Mazda
Dealer.
If Trouble Arises
Warning/Indicator Lights and Warning Sounds
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▼Contact Authorized Mazda Deal
er and Have Vehicle Inspected
If any of the following warning lights o r the indicator light turns on/flashes, the system may
have a malfunction. Contact an Authorized Mazda Dealer to have your vehicle inspected.
SignalWarning
Master Warning In‐
dication/Warning
Light
*
Type A instrument cluster
(Master warning indication)
Displays when notification of the system malfunctions is required.
Check the message indicated in th e display and consult an Authorized Mazda Dealer.
(Master warning light)
The master warning light display s when a warning message occurs.
This indicates a malfunction with the vehicle system. Check the message indicated in the
display and consult an Authorized Mazda Dealer.
For details, refer to the explanations for the warning/indicato r lights, in the warning/indi‐
cator lights section, which match the symbol in the upper part of the display.
If a message is not indicated in the display, operate the INFO switch to display the “Warn‐
ing” screen.
Refer to Message Indicated in Mu lti-information Display and INFO switch on page 4-19.
Type B instrument cluster
The light illuminates continuously if any one of the following occurs. Consult an Author‐
ized Mazda Dealer.
There is a malfunction in the battery management system.There is a malfunction in the brake switch.
Electric Vacuum
Pump Warning Light The light turns on if the electric vacuum pump system has a pro
blem. Have your vehicle
inspected at an Authorized Mazda Dealer.
ABS Warning Light If the ABS warning light stays
on while you're driving, the ABS control unit has detected
a system malfunction. If this occurs, your brakes will function normally as if the vehicle
had no ABS.
Should this happen, consult an A uthorized Mazda Dealer as soon as possible.
NOTE
When the engine is jump-started 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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