Appearance Care
Exterior Care
Exterior Care
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.
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.
Bright-Metal Maintenance
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Use tar remover to remove road tar and insects. Never do this with a knife or similar tool.
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To prevent corrosion on bright-metal surfaces, apply wax or chrome preservative and rub it to a high luster.
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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.
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 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 frame and floor pan, 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.
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.
Camera and Lens Maintenance
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The camera cover is made of hard plastic, therefore do not apply oil film remover, organic solvents, wax, or coating agents. If any such agent is applied, wipe it using a soft cloth immediately.
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Do not rub the camera cover or lens forcefully, or clean them with an abrasive or hard brush.
If there are water droplets, snow, or mud on the camera lens, wipe it off using a soft cloth. If the camera lens is especially dirty, wash it off with mild detergent.
Plastic Part Maintenance
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When cleaning the plastic lenses of the lights, do not use gasoline, kerosene, rectified spirit, paint, thinner, highly acidic detergents, or strongly alkaline detergents. Otherwise, these chemical agents can discolor or damage the surfaces resulting in a significant loss in functionality. If plastic parts become inadvertently exposed to any of these chemical agents, flush with water immediately.
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If plastic parts such as the bumpers become inadvertently exposed to chemical agents or fluids such as coolant, or lead-acid battery fluid, it could cause discoloration, staining, or paint peeling. Wipe off any such chemical agents or fluids using a soft cloth immediately.
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High water temperature and high water pressure car washers are available depending on the type of high pressure car washer device. If the car washer nozzle is put too close to the vehicle or aimed at one area for an extended period of time, it could deform plastic parts or damage the paint.
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Do not use wax containing compounds (polish). Otherwise, it could result in paint damage.
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In addition, do not use an electrical or air tool to apply wax. Otherwise, the frictional heat generated could result in deformation of plastic parts or paint damage.
Interior Care
Interior Care
Do not spray water into the vehicle cabin:
Spraying water into the vehicle cabin is dangerous as electrical devices such as the audio and switches could get wet resulting in a malfunction or vehicle fire.
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Do not wipe the interior using alcohol, chlorine bleach, or organic solvents such as thinner, benzene, and gasoline. Otherwise, it may cause discoloration or stains.
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Rubbing hard with a stiff brush or cloth may cause damage.
If the vehicle interior becomes soiled by any of the following, wipe it off immediately using a soft cloth.
Leaving it uncleaned could cause discoloration, stains, cracks, or peeling of the coating, and it will make it hard to wipe off later.
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Beverage or fragrance
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Grease or oil
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Soiling
Seat Belt Maintenance
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Clean the soiled area by lightly dabbing it with a soft cloth soaked in a mild detergent (approx. 5%) diluted with water.
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Wipe off the remaining detergent using a cloth soaked in clean water and wrung out well.
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Before retracting seat belts which have been pulled out for cleaning, dry them off thoroughly and make sure there is no remaining moisture on them.
If a seat belt appears frayed or has abrasions, have it replaced by an Authorized Mazda Dealer:
If a seat belt is used under such a condition, it cannot function at its full capacity which could result in serious injury or death.
Use a mild detergent to remove soiling from a seat belt:
If organic solvents are used for cleaning the seat belts or they become stained or bleached, there is the possibility of them becoming weakened and as a result, they may not function at their full capacity which could cause serious injury or death.
Clean seat belts diligently if they get dirty. Leaving them uncleaned will make it difficult to clean them later, and it may affect the smooth retracting of the seat belt.
Upholstery and Synthetic Leather Maintenance
Fabric
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Clean the soiled area by lightly dabbing it with a soft cloth soaked in a mild detergent (approx. 5%) diluted with water.
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Wipe off the remaining detergent using a cloth soaked in clean water and wrung out well.
Synthetic leather
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Remove dust and sand using a vacuum cleaner.
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Wipe the soiled area with a soft cloth soaked in a mild detergent (approx. 5%) diluted with water.
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Wipe off the remaining detergent using a cloth soaked in clean water and wrung out well.
Leather Upholstery Maintenance (Some Models)
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Remove dust and sand using a vacuum cleaner.
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Wipe off the soiled area with a soft cloth and a suitable, special cleaner or a soft cloth soaked in a mild detergent (about 5%) diluted with water.
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Wipe off the remaining detergent using a cloth soaked in clean water and wrung out well.
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Remove moisture with a dry, soft cloth and allow the leather to further dry in a well-ventilated, shaded area. If the leather gets wet such as from rain, remove the moisture and dry it as soon as possible.
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Because genuine leather is a natural material, its surface is not uniform and it may have natural scars, scratches, and wrinkles.
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To maintain the quality for as long as possible, periodical maintenance, about twice a year, is recommended.
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If the leather upholstery comes into contact with any of the following, clean it immediately.
Leaving it uncleaned could cause premature wear, mold, or stains.
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Sand or dirt
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Grease or oil, such as hand cream
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Alcohol, such as in cosmetic or hair dressing items
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If the leather upholstery gets wet, promptly remove moisture with a dry cloth. Remaining moisture on the surface may cause deterioration such as hardening and shrinkage.
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Exposure to direct sunlight for long periods may cause deterioration and shrinkage. When parking the car under direct sunlight for long periods, shade the interior using sunshades.
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Do not leave vinyl products on the leather upholstery for long periods. They may affect the leather quality and coloring. If the cabin temperature becomes hot, the vinyl may deteriorate and adhere to the genuine leather.
Instrument Panel Top (Soft pad) Maintenance
Extremely soft material is used for the soft pad surface. If the soft pad surface is rubbed harshly with a dry cloth, it could result in the surface being damaged and leaving white scratch marks.
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Wipe the soiled area with a soft cloth soaked in a mild detergent (approx. 5%) diluted with water.
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Wipe off the remaining detergent using a cloth soaked in clean water and wrung out well.
Panel and Cork Area Maintenance
If a panel or cork area becomes soiled, gently wipe it off with a soft cloth soaked in clean water and thoroughly wrung out.
If some areas require further cleaning, use the following procedure:
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Wipe the soiled area with a soft cloth soaked in a mild detergent (approx. 5 %) diluted with water.
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Wipe off the remaining detergent using a cloth soaked in clean water and wrung out well.
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Be particularly careful when cleaning shiny surface panels and metallic parts such as plating as they can be scratched easily.
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(Cork area)
Do not apply items with adhesive properties to the cork area. Otherwise, the cork could be damaged.
Glass and Mirror Maintenance
Use Mazda genuine glass cleaner to remove oil film from the glass or mirror.
When cleaning the interior side of the window glass, gently wipe it with a soft cloth soaked in clean water and thoroughly wrung out.
If there is oil film on the windshield, headlight beams from on-coming vehicles may reflect irregularly especially on a rainy night, and your front vision might be obstructed.
If an antenna or filament is printed on the window glass, gently wipe along the antenna or filament to clean that area.
If some areas require further cleaning, a glass cleaning agent can be used. However, be careful of the following points.
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Follow the instructions on the glass cleaner container.
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Do not use a glass cleaning agent on a window antenna and filaments, and on a rearview mirror equipped with the automatic glare prevention function.
Using a glass cleaning agent may damage the window antenna or filaments, and the automatic glare prevention function may not operate normally.
