The owner or a qualified service technician should make these vehicle inspections at the indicated intervals to ensure safe and dependable operation.
Bring any problem to the attention of an Authorized Mazda Dealer or qualified service technician as soon as possible.
When Refueling
Brake fluid level (Search)
Engine coolant level (Search)
Engine oil level (Search)
Washer fluid level (Search)
At Least Monthly
Tire inflation pressures (Search)
At Least Twice a Year (For Example, Every Spring and Fall)
You can do the following scheduled maintenance items if you have some mechanical ability and a few basic tools and if you closely follow the directions in this manual.
Improper or incomplete service may result in problems. This section gives instructions only for items that are easy to perform.
As explained in the Introduction (Search), several procedures can be done only by a qualified service technician with special tools.
Improper owner maintenance during the warranty period may affect warranty coverage. Refer to Introduction (Search) for owner's responsibility in protecting your investment. For details, read the separate Mazda Warranty statement provided with the vehicle. If you are unsure about any servicing or maintenance procedure, have it done by an Authorized Mazda Dealer.
There are strict environmental laws regarding the disposal of waste oil and fluids. Please dispose of your waste properly and with due regard to the environment.
We recommend that you entrust the oil and fluid changes of your vehicle to an Authorized Mazda Dealer.
Do not perform maintenance work if you lack sufficient knowledge and experience or the proper tools and equipment to do the work. Have maintenance work done by a qualified technician:
Performing maintenance work on a vehicle is dangerous if not done properly. You can be seriously injured while performing some maintenance procedures.
If you must run the engine while working under the hood, make certain that you remove all jewelry (especially rings, bracelets, watches, and necklaces) and all neckties, scarves, and similar loose clothing before getting near the engine or cooling fan which may turn on unexpectedly:
Working under the hood with the engine running is dangerous. It becomes even more dangerous when you wear jewelry or loose clothing.
Either can become entangled in moving parts and result in injury.
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 leave items in the engine compartment:
After you have finished checking or doing servicing in the engine compartment, do not forget and leave items such as tools or rags in the engine compartment.
Tools or other items left in the engine compartment could cause engine damage or a fire leading to an unexpected accident.
With the vehicle parked, pull the release handle to unlock the hood.
Insert your hand into the hood opening, slide the latch lever to the right, and lift up the hood.
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.
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.
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.
Lower the hood slowly to a height of about 20 cm (7.9 in) above its closed position and then let it drop.
When closing the hood, do not push it excessively such as by applying your weight. Otherwise, the hood could be deformed.
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.
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 (Search) 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.
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.
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).
(With tire pressure monitoring system)
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).
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.
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 (Search).
During rotation, inspect them for correct balance.
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 (Search) and inspect the lug nuts for tightness.
(With tire pressure monitoring system)
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).
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.
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.
You should replace the tire before the band crosses the entire tread.
(With tire pressure monitoring system)
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).
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).
Inspect the temporary spare tire at least monthly to make sure it is properly inflated and stored.
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 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).
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).
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).
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.
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 (Some Models)
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.