cooling MAZDA MODEL 3 4-DOOR 2017 Owner's Manual

6–21
Maintenance and Care
Owner Maintenance
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.
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.
Mazda3_8FL6-EA-16F_Edition2.indb 212016/08/10 17:38:35

6–24
Maintenance and Care
Owner Maintenance
Engine Compartment Overview
Windshield washer fluid reservoirBrake/Clutch fluid reservoir
Engine oil dipstickBatteryFuse block
Cooling system cap Engine coolant reservoir
Engine oil-filler cap
Mazda3_8FL6-EA-16F_Edition2.indb 242016/08/10 17:38:36

6–28
Maintenance and Care
Owner Maintenance
Inspecting 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. Pull out the dipstick, wipe it clean, and
reinsert it fully.

MAXOK
MIN
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.
CAUTION
Do not overfill the engine oil. This may
cause engine damage.
6. Make sure the O-ring on the dipstick is
positioned properly before reinserting
the dipstick.
7. Reinsert the dipstick fully .
Engine Coolant
Inspecting 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.
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.
NOTE
Changing the coolant should be done by
an Authorized Mazda Dealer.
Mazda3_8FL6-EA-16F_Edition2.indb 282016/08/10 17:38:38

6–29
Maintenance and Care
Owner Maintenance
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.
CAUTION
 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.
If the coolant reservoir is empty or new
coolant is required frequently, consult an
Authorized Mazda Dealer.
Mazda3_8FL6-EA-16F_Edition2.indb 292016/08/10 17:38:39

7–16
If Trouble Arises
Battery Runs Out
Jump-Starting
Jump-starting is dangerous if done incorrectly. So follow the procedure carefully. If you
feel unsure about jump-starting, we strongly recommend that you have a c\
ompetent service
technician do the work.
WARNING
Follow These Precautions Carefully:
To ensure safe and correct handling of the battery, read the following precautions
carefully before using the battery or inspecting it.
Do not allow the positive () terminal to contact any other metal object that
could cause sparks: Flames and sparks near open battery cells are dangerous. Hydrogen gas, produced
during normal battery operation, could ignite and cause the battery to explode. An
exploding battery can cause serious burns and injuries. When working near a battery, do
not allow metal tools to contact the positive (
) or negative () terminal of the battery.
Keep all flames, including cigarettes, and sparks away from open battery cells:
Flames and sparks near open battery cells are dangerous. Hydrogen gas, produced
during normal battery operation, could ignite and cause the battery to explode. An
exploding battery can cause serious burns and injuries.
Do not jump-start a frozen battery or one with a low fluid level: Jump-starting a frozen battery or one with a low fluid level is dangerous. It may rupture
or explode, causing serious injury.
Connect the negative cable to a good ground point away from the battery: Connecting the end of the second jumper cable to the negative (
) terminal of the
discharged battery is dangerous.
A spark could cause the gas around the battery to explode and injure someone.
Route the jumper cables away from parts that will be moving: Connecting a jumper cable near or to moving parts (cooling fans, belts) is dangerous. The
cable could get caught when the engine starts and cause serious injury.
Mazda3_8FL6-EA-16F_Edition2.indb 162016/08/10 17:39:17

7–20
If Trouble Arises
Overheating
Overheating
If 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 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
transaxle in park (P), a manual
transaxle 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.
6. Make sure the cooling fan is operating,
then turn off the engine after the
temperature has decreased.
7. When cool, check the coolant level.
If it is low , look for coolant leaks from
the radiator and hoses.
Mazda3_8FL6-EA-16F_Edition2.indb 202016/08/10 17:39:18

7–21
If Trouble Arises
Overheating
If you find a leak or other damage, or if
coolant is still leaking:
Stop the engine and call an Authorized
Mazda Dealer.
Cooling system cap
Coolant reservoir
Cooling fan
If you find no problems, the engine is
cool, and no leaks are obvious:
Carefully add coolant as required (page
6-28).
CAUTION
If the engine continues to overheat or
frequently overheats, have the cooling
system inspected. The engine could be
seriously damaged unless repairs are
made. Consult an Authorized Mazda
Dealer.
Mazda3_8FL6-EA-16F_Edition2.indb 212016/08/10 17:39:19