MAZDA MODEL RX 8 2007 Owners Manual (in English)

Black plate (290,1)
Owner Maintenance Schedule
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.
qWhen Refueling
lBrake and clutch fluid level (page 8-16)
lEngine coolant level (page 8-14)
lEngine oil level (page 8-13)
lWasher fluid level (page 8-17)
qAt Least Monthly
Tire inflation pressures (page 8-24)
qAt 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.
lEngine coolant (page 8-14)
lEngine oil (page 8-12)
8-8
Maintenance and Care
Owner Maintenance
RX-8_8V89-EA-06F_Edition1 Page290
Friday, May 19 2006 9:52 AM
Form No.8V89-EA-06F

Black plate (291,1)
Owner Maintenance Precautions
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 (page 8-2), 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.
For details, read the separate Mazda Warranty statement provided with the vehicle. If
you're 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.
WARNING
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.
Turn off the ignition switch and make sure the fan is not running before attempting to
work near the electrical cooling fan:
Working near the electrical cooling fan when it is running is dangerous. You could be
hit by the fan and seriously injured.
Maintenance and Care
Owner Maintenance
8-9
RX-8_8V89-EA-06F_Edition1 Page291
Friday, May 19 2006 9:52 AM
Form No.8V89-EA-06F

Black plate (292,1)
NOTE
Once the engine coolant exceeds a preset temperature, an electrical cooling fan turns on.
It will continue running for about 10 minutes after the ignition switch is turned to off.
8-10
Maintenance and Care
Owner Maintenance
RX-8_8V89-EA-06F_Edition1 Page292
Friday, May 19 2006 9:52 AM
Form No.8V89-EA-06F

Black plate (293,1)
Engine Compartment Overview
BatteryEngine oil dipstick Engine oil-filler cap
Air filter Engine coolant reservoir Cooling system cap
Brake/Clutch fluid
reservoir
Windshield washer
fluid reservoir
Fuse block (next
to air filter)
Fuse block
(near battery)
Maintenance and Care
Owner Maintenance
8-11
RX-8_8V89-EA-06F_Edition1 Page293
Friday, May 19 2006 9:52 AM
Form No.8V89-EA-06F

Black plate (294,1)
Engine Oil
CAUTION
Do not use either synthetic or semi-
synthetic motor oil. Otherwise engine
starting performance could worsen.
NOTE
lChanging the engine oil should be
done by an Authorized Mazda
Dealer.
lThe Mazda RX-8 requires regular
checking of the engine oil level. The
compact, high performance
RENESIS rotary engine in your
vehicle consumes a small amount of
engine oil due to its structural
design. An oil pump optimizes the
amount of oil injected to lubricate
the rotor seals in the combustion
cycle. Although your vehicle is
equipped with an engine oil level
warning light and an engine oil
pressure gauge, it is best to keep the
engine oil level in the range between
full and low by checking the oil
dipstick regularly. Mazda
recommends checking the oil level at
every second fuel filling. The oil
consumption of the engine depends
on engine speed and engine load.
Under extreme driving conditions,
oil consumption can be higher.
qRecommended Oil
Use SAE 5W-20 engine oil.
Oil container labels provide important
information.
A chief contribution this type of oil makes
to fuel economy is reducing the amount of
fuel necessary to overcome engine
friction.
U.S.A. and CANADA
(ILSAC)
8-12
Maintenance and Care
Owner Maintenance
RX-8_8V89-EA-06F_Edition1 Page294
Friday, May 19 2006 9:52 AM
Form No.8V89-EA-06F

Black plate (295,1)
Only use oils“Certified For Gasoline
Engines”by the American Petroleum
Institute (API). An oil with this trademark
symbol conforms to the current engine
and emission system protection standards
and fuel economy requirements of the
International Lubricant Standardization
and Approval Committee (ILSAC),
comprised of U.S. and Japanese
automobile manufacturers.
5W-20
120 100 80
60 40
20
0 –20
50 40 30
20 10
0 –10
–20 –30
Except U.S.A. and CANADA
(ILSAC)
The quality designation SL,SM, or ILSAC
must be on the label.
5W-20
120 100 80
60 40
20
0 –20
50 40 30
20 10
0 –10
–20 –30
qInspecting Engine Oil Level
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. Remove the engine cover.
Maintenance and Care
Owner Maintenance
8-13
RX-8_8V89-EA-06F_Edition1 Page295
Friday, May 19 2006 9:52 AM
Form No.8V89-EA-06F

Black plate (296,1)
5. Pull out the dipstick, wipe it clean, and
reinsert it fully.
Full
Low OK
6. Pull it out again and examine the level.
It's OK between L and F.
But if it's near or below L, add enough
oil to bring the level to F.
CAUTION
Don't add engine oil over F. This may
cause engine damage.
The distance between L and F on the
dipstick represents the following:
Oil capacity
L (US qt, Imp qt) 1.7 (1.8, 1.5)
NOTE
lEach mark from the F mark equates
to about 0.5 L (US 0.5 qt, Imp 0.4
qt).
There are 3 marks between L and F.
lVerify that the engine cover is
securely installed.
Engine Coolant
qInspecting Coolant Level
WARNING
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.
Turn the ignition switch off and
remove the key from the ignition
switch when inspecting the engine:
Working near the electrical cooling
fan when it is running is dangerous.
You could be hit by the fan and
seriously injured.
Do not remove the 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.
8-14
Maintenance and Care
Owner Maintenance
RX-8_8V89-EA-06F_Edition1 Page296
Friday, May 19 2006 9:52 AM
Form No.8V89-EA-06F

Black plate (297,1)
NOTE
Once the engine coolant exceeds a
preset temperature, an electrical cooling
fan turns on. It will continue running
for about 10 minutes after the ignition
switch is turned to off.
NOTE
Changing the coolant should be done
by an Authorized Mazda Dealer.
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's at or near L, add enough coolant to
the coolant reservoir to provide freezing
and corrosion protection and to bring the
level to F.
CAUTION
lRadiator coolant will damage paint.
Rinse it off quickly if spilled.
lUse only soft (demineralized) water
in the coolant mixture. Water that
contains minerals will cut down on
the coolant's effectiveness.
lDon't add only water. Always add a
proper coolant mixture.
lThe engine has aluminum parts and
must be protected by an ethylene-
glycol-based coolant to prevent
corrosion and freezing.
lDO NOT USE coolants Containing
Alcohol, methanol, Borate or
Silicate.
These coolants could damage the
cooling system.
lDO NOT MIX alcohol or methanol
with the coolant. This could damage
the cooling system.
lDon't use a solution that contains
more than 60% antifreeze.
This would reduce effectiveness.
Maintenance and Care
Owner Maintenance
8-15
RX-8_8V89-EA-06F_Edition1 Page297
Friday, May 19 2006 9:52 AM
Form No.8V89-EA-06F

Black plate (298,1)
NOTE
If the“FL22”mark is shown on or near
the cooling system cap, use FL22 type
engine coolant. If engine coolant other
than FL22 type is used, the engine
coolant must be replaced earlier than
the specified replacement interval
indicated in the scheduled maintenance
(page 8-3).
If the coolant reservoir is empty or new
coolant is required frequently, consult an
Authorized Mazda Dealer.
Brake/Clutch Fluid
qInspecting Brake/Clutch Fluid Level
The brakes and clutch draw fluid from the
same reservoir.
Inspect the fluid level in the reservoir
regularly. It should be kept at MAX.
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.
8-16
Maintenance and Care
Owner Maintenance
RX-8_8V89-EA-06F_Edition1 Page298
Friday, May 19 2006 9:52 AM
Form No.8V89-EA-06F

Black plate (299,1)
qAdding Brake/Clutch Fluid
WARNING
Be careful not to spill brake fluid on
yourself or on the engine:
Spilled brake fluid is dangerous. If it
gets in your eyes, they could be
seriously injured. If this happens,
immediately flush your eyes with water
and get medical attention. Brake fluid
spilled on a hot engine could cause a
fire.
If the brake/clutch fluid level is low,
have the brakes and clutch inspected:
Low brake/clutch fluid levels are
dangerous. Low levels could signal
brake lining wear or a brake system
leak. Your brakes could fail and cause
an accident.
If the fluid level is low, add fluid until it
reaches MAX.
Before adding fluid, thoroughly clean the
area around the cap.
CAUTION
lBrake and clutch fluid will damage
painted surfaces. If brake or clutch
fluid does get on a painted surface,
wash it off with water immediately.
lUsing nonspecified brake and clutch
fluids (page 10-4) will damage the
systems. Mixing different fluids will
also damage them.
If the brake/clutch system frequently
requires new fluid, consult an
Authorized Mazda Dealer.
Washer Fluid
qInspecting Washer Fluid Level
WARNING
Use only windshield washer fluid or
plain water in the reservoir:
Using radiator antifreeze as washer
fluid is dangerous. If sprayed on the
windshield, it will dirty the windshield,
affect your visibility, and could result
in an accident.
Using Washer Fluid Without Anti-
freeze Protection in Cold Weather:
Operating your vehicle in
temperatures below 4 degrees C (40
degrees F) using washer fluid without
anti-freeze protection is dangerous as
it could cause impaired windshield
vision and result in an accident. In
cold weather, always use washer fluid
with anti-freeze protection.
NOTE
State or local regulations may restrict
the use of volatile organic compounds
(VOCs), which are commonly used as
anti-freeze agents in washer fluid. A
washer fluid with limited VOC content
should be used only if it provides
adequate freeze resistance for all
regions and climates in which the
vehicle will be operated.
Maintenance and Care
Owner Maintenance
8-17
RX-8_8V89-EA-06F_Edition1 Page299
Friday, May 19 2006 9:52 AM
Form No.8V89-EA-06F