Owner Maintenance

1. With the vehicle parked, pull the release handle to unlock the hood.

    

   

2. Insert your hand into the hood opening, slide the latch lever to the right, and lift up the hood.

    

   

3. Grasp the support rod in the padded area and secure it in the support rod hole indicated by the arrow to hold the hood open.

    

   

1. Check under the hood area to make certain all filler caps are in place and all loose items (e.g. tools, oil containers, etc.) have been removed.

2. Lift the hood, grasp the padded area on the support rod, and secure the support rod in the clip. Verify that the support rod is secured in the clip before closing the hood.

    

   

3. Lower the hood slowly to a height of about 20 cm (7.9 in) above its closed position and then let it drop.

 

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When closing the hood, do not push it excessively such as by applying your weight. Otherwise, the hood could be deformed.

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1. Be sure the vehicle is on a level surface.

2. Warm up the engine to normal operating temperature.

3. Turn it off and wait at least 5 minutes for the oil to return to the oil pan.

4. Pull out the dipstick, wipe it clean, and reinsert it fully.

    

   

5. Pull it out again and examine the level.

   The level is normal if it is between the MIN and MAX marks.

   If it is near or below MIN, add enough oil to bring the level to MAX.

    

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   Do not overfill the engine oil. This may cause engine damage.

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6. Make sure the O-ring on the dipstick is positioned properly before reinserting the dipstick.

7. Reinsert the dipstick fully.

 

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Do not use a match or live flame in the engine compartment. DO NOT ADD COOLANT WHEN THE ENGINE IS HOT:

A hot engine is dangerous. If the engine has been running, parts of the engine compartment can become very hot. You could be burned. Carefully inspect the engine coolant in the coolant reservoir, but do not open it.

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.

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Changing the coolant should be done by an Authorized Mazda Dealer.

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Inspect the antifreeze protection and coolant level in the coolant reservoir at least once a year―at the beginning of the winter season―and before traveling where temperatures may drop below freezing.

Inspect the condition and connections of all cooling system and heater hoses.

Replace any that are swollen or deteriorated.

The coolant should be at full in the radiator and between the F and L marks on the coolant reservoir when the engine is cool.

If it is at or near L, add enough coolant to the coolant reservoir to provide freezing and corrosion protection and to bring the level to F.

Securely tighten the coolant reservoir tank cap after adding coolant.

 

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• Radiator coolant will damage paint.

  Rinse it off quickly if spilled.

• Use only soft (demineralized) water in the coolant mixture. Water that contains minerals will cut down on the coolant's effectiveness.

• Do not add only water. Always add a proper coolant mixture.

• The engine has aluminum parts and must be protected by an ethylene-glycol-based coolant to prevent corrosion and freezing.

• DO NOT USE coolants Containing Alcohol, methanol, Borate or Silicate.

  These coolants could damage the cooling system.

• DO NOT MIX alcohol or methanol with the coolant. This could damage the cooling system.

• Do not use a solution that contains more than 60% antifreeze.

  This would reduce effectiveness.

• 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.

 

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If the coolant reservoir is empty or new coolant is required frequently, consult an Authorized Mazda Dealer.

 

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If the brake/clutch fluid level is low, have the brakes inspected:

A low brake/clutch 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.

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The brakes and clutch draw fluid from the same reservoir.

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 and clutch linings. If it is excessively low, have the brake/clutch system inspected by an Authorized Mazda Dealer.

When the wipers no longer clean well, the blades are probably worn or cracked.

Replace them.

 

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To prevent damage to the wiper arms and other components, do not try to sweep the wiper arm by hand.

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When raising both windshield wiper arms, raise the driver's side wiper arm first. When lowering the wiper arms, slowly lower the wiper arm from the passenger's side first while supporting it with your hand. Forcefully lowering the wiper arms could damage the wiper arm and blade, and may scratch or crack the windshield.

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1. Raise the wiper arm.

2. Open the clip and slide the blade assembly in the direction of the arrow.

   

    

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   To prevent damage to the windshield let the wiper arm down easily, do not let it slap down on the windshield.

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3. Pull down the blade rubber and slide it out of blade holder.

   

4. Remove the metal stiffeners from each blade rubber and install them in the new blade.

   

    

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   • Do not bend or discard the stiffeners. You need to use them again.

   • If the metal stiffeners are switched, the blade's wiping efficiency could be reduced.

     So do not use the driver's side metal stiffeners on the passenger's side, or vice versa.

   • Be sure to reinstall the metal stiffeners in the new blade rubber so that the curve is the same as it was in the old blade rubber.

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5. Carefully insert the new blade rubber. Then install the blade assembly in the reverse order of removal.

   

To get the best service from a battery:

• Keep it securely mounted.

• Keep the top clean and dry.

• Keep terminals and connections clean, tight, and coated with petroleum jelly or terminal grease.

• Rinse off spilled electrolyte immediately with a solution of water and baking soda.

• If the vehicle will not be used for an extended time, disconnect the battery cables and charge the battery every six weeks.

Contact an Authorized Mazda Dealer for a battery replacement purchase.

 

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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 (Search).

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.

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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 (Search).

After adjusting the tire pressure, initialization of the tire pressure monitoring system is necessary to make the system operate normally.

Refer to Tire Pressure Monitoring System Initialization (Search).

 

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• 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.

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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.

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If a tire wears evenly, a wear indicator will appear as a solid band across the tread.

Replace the tire when this happens.

You should replace the tire before the band crosses the entire tread.

After adjusting the tire pressure, initialization of the tire pressure monitoring system is necessary to make the system operate normally.

Refer to Tire Pressure Monitoring System Initialization (Search).

 

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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 (Search).

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Inspect the temporary spare tire at least monthly to make sure it is properly inflated and stored.

 

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The temporary spare tire condition gradually deteriorates even if it has not been used.

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The temporary spare tire is easier to handle because of its construction 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 (Search).

 

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• 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 (Search).

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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 (Search).

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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.

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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

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• 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.

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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.