tires MAZDA MODEL 3 5-DOOR 2014 Owner's Manual

6–43
Maintenance and Care
Owner Maintenance
Replacing a Tire
WARNING
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.
N ew tr ead Tr ead wear indicator
Wor n tr ead
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 operates normally.
Refer to Tire Pressure Monitoring System
Initialization on page 4-64 .
NOTE
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 on page 8-23 .
Temporary Spare Tire
Inspect the temporary spare tire at least
monthly to make sure it is properly
infl ated and stored.
NOTE
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 on page 9-9 .
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6–64
Maintenance and Care
Appearance Care
Water Marks
Occurrence
Rain, fog, dew, and even tap water can
contain harmful minerals such as salt and
lime. If moisture containing these minerals
settles on the vehicle and evaporates, the
minerals will concentrate and harden to
form white rings. The rings can damage
your vehicle's fi nish.
Prevention
It is necessary to wash and wax your
vehicle to preserve its fi nish according to
the instructions in this section. These steps
should be taken immediately after you fi nd
water marks on your vehicle's fi nish.
Paint Chipping
Occurrence
Paint chipping occurs when gravel thrown
in the air by another vehicle's tires hits
your vehicle.
How to avoid paint chipping
Keeping a safe distance between you and
the vehicle ahead reduces the chances
of having your paint chipped by fl ying
gravel. NOTE
 y  The paint chipping zone varies with the
speed of the vehicle. For example, when
traveling at 90 km/h (56 mph), the paint
chipping zone is 50 m (164 ft).
 y In low temperatures a vehicle's fi nish
hardens. This increases the chance of
paint chipping.
 y Chipped paint can lead to rust forming
on your Mazda. Before this happens,
repair the damage by using Mazda
touch-up paint according to the
instructions in this section. Failure to
repair the affected area could lead to
serious rusting and expensive repairs.
Follow all label and container directions
when using a chemical cleaner or polish.
Read all warnings and cautions.
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7–5
If Trouble Arises
Flat Tire
4. Insert the cover tabs and install the cover.
NOTE
Verify that the cover is securely installed.
Maintenance
 y Always keep the jack clean. y Make sure the moving parts are kept
free from dirt or rust.
 y  Make sure the screw thread is
adequately lubricated.
Spare Tire
Your Mazda has a temporary spare tire.
The temporary spare tire is lighter and
smaller than a conventional tire, and is
designed only for emergency use and
should be used only for VERY short
periods. Temporary spare tires should
NEVER be used for long drives or
extended periods.
WARNING
Do not install the temporary spare tire
on the front wheels (driving wheels): Driving with the temporary spare tire
on one of the front driving wheels is
dangerous. Handling will be aff ected.
You could lose control of the vehicle,
especially on ice or snow bound roads,
and have an accident. Move a regular
tire to the front wheel and install the
temporary spare tire to the rear.
CAUTION


*Some models.7–10
If Trouble Arises
Flat Tire
WARNING
Do not jack up the vehicle higher than is
necessary: Jacking up the vehicle higher than
is necessary is dangerous as it could
destabilize the vehicle resulting in an
accident.

Do not start the engine or shake the
vehicle while it is jacked up: Starting the engine or shaking
the vehicle while it is jacked up is
dangerous as it could cause the vehicle
to fall off the jack resulting in an
accident.

Never go under the vehicle while it is
jacked up: Going under the vehicle while it is
jacked up is dangerous as it could
result in death or serious injury if the
vehicle were to fall off the jack.
9. Remove the lug nuts by turning them counterclockwise; then remove the
wheel and center cap.
Locking Lug Nuts *
If your vehicle has Mazda optional
antitheft wheel lug nuts, one on each
wheel will lock the tires and you must use
a special key to unlock them. This key will
attach to the lug wrench and can be stored
with the spare tire. Register them with
the lock manufacturer by fi lling out the
card provided in the glove compartment
and mailing it in the accompanying
envelope. If you lose this key, consult an
Authorized Mazda Dealer or use the lock
manufacturer's order form, which is with
the registration card.
Special key
A ntitheft lug nut
To remove an antitheft lug nut
1. Obtain the special key for the antitheft
lug nut.
2. Place the special key on top of the antitheft lug nut, and be sure to hold
the key square to it. If you hold the key
at an angle, you may damage both key
and nut. Do not use a power impact
wrench.
3. Place the lug wrench on top of the key and apply pressure. Turn the wrench
counterclockwise.
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7–11
If Trouble Arises
Flat Tire
To install the antitheft lug nut
1. Place the special key on top of the nut, and be sure to hold the key square to
it. If you hold the key at an angle, you
may damage both key and nut. Do not
use a power impact wrench.
2. Place the lug wrench on top of the special key, apply pressure, and turn it
clockwise.
Nut tightening torque
N·m (kgf·m, ft·lbf) 108—147
(12—14, 80—108)
Mounting the Spare Tire
1. Remove dirt and grime from the
mounting surfaces of the wheel and
hub, including the hub bolts, with a
cloth.
WARNING
Make sure the mounting surfaces of
the wheel, hub and lug nuts are clean
before changing or replacing tires: When changing or replacing a tire,
not removing dirt and grime from the
mounting surfaces of the wheel, hub
and hub bolts is dangerous. The lug
nuts could loosen while driving and
cause the tire to come off , resulting in
an accident.
2. Mount the spare tire.
3. Install the lug nuts with the beveled edge inward; tighten them by hand.
WARNING
Do not apply oil or grease to lug nuts
and bolts and do not tighten the
lug nuts beyond the recommended
tightening torque: Applying oil or grease to lug nuts and
bolts is dangerous. The lug nuts could
loosen while driving and cause the tire
to come off , resulting in an accident.
In addition, lug nuts and bolts could
be damaged if tightened more than
necessary.
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7–14
If Trouble Arises
Flat Tire
11. Pass the buckle through the wheel as shown in the fi gure and secure it so that
the buckle does not contact the wheel.
(Aluminum wheel)
(Steel wheel)
12. Pass the belt through the buckle, then pull the belt end to secure the fl at tire.
13. (Split-folding type seat)
Return the rear seatback on the right side of the rear seatback to its original
position.
14. Remove the tire blocks and store the tools and jack.
15. Check the infl ation pressure. Refer to
Tires on page 9-9 .
16. Have the fl at tire repaired or replaced
as soon as possible.
NOTE
Do not press the tire pressure monitoring
system set switch after installing the spare
tire. The switch is only to be pressed after
installing the repaired fl at tire or installing
a replacement tire (page 4-16 ).
WARNING
Do not drive with any tires that have
incorrect air pressure:
Driving on tires with incorrect air
pressure is dangerous. Tires with
incorrect pressure could aff ect
handling and result in an accident.
When you check the regular tires' air
pressure, check the spare tire, too.
NOTE
To prevent the jack and tool from rattling,
store them properly.
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*Some models.7–31
If Trouble Arises
Warning/Indicator Lights and Warning Sounds
Signal Warning Action to be taken
Low Washer
Fluid Level Warning Light This warning light indicates that little washer
fl uid remains.
Add washer fl
uid (page 6-31 ).
Tire
Pressure
Monitoring System
Warning Light
*
When the warning light illuminates, and the
warning beep sound is heard (about 3 seconds),
tire pressure is too low in one or more tires.
WARNING
If the tire pressure monitoring system
warning light illuminates or fl ashes, or the
tire pressure warning beep sound is heard,
decrease vehicle speed immediately and
avoid sudden maneuvering and braking: If the tire pressure monitoring system
warning light illuminates or fl ashes, or the
tire pressure warning beep sound is heard,
it is dangerous to drive the vehicle at high
speeds, or perform sudden maneuvering
or braking. Vehicle drivability could worsen
and result in an accident.
To determine if you have a slow leak or a
fl at, pull over to a safe position where you
can check the visual condition of the tire
and determine if you have enough air to
proceed to a place where air may be added
and the system monitored again by an
Authorized Mazda Dealer or a tire repair
station.
Do not ignore the TPMS Warning Light: Ignoring the TPMS warning light is
dangerous, even if you know why it is
illuminated. Have the problem taken care of
as soon as possible before it develops into
a more serious situation that could lead to
tire failure and a dangerous accident. Inspect the tires and adjust to the specifi
ed
infl ation pressure (page 6-41 ).
NOTE
yPerform tire pressure adjustment when the tires are cold. Tire pressure will vary according to
the tire temperature, therefore let the vehicle
stand for 1 hour or only drive it 1.6 km (1 mile)
or less before adjusting the tire pressures.
When pressure is adjusted on hot tires to the
cold infl ation pressure, the TPMS warning
light/beep may turn on after the tires cool and
pressure drops below specifi cation.
Also, an illuminated TPMS warning light,
resulting from the tire air pressure dropping
due to cold ambient temperature will remain
illuminated even if the ambient temperature
rises. In this case, it will also be necessary
to adjust the tire air pressures. If the TPMS
warning light illuminates due to a drop in tire
air pressure, make sure to check and adjust the
tire air pressures.
yTires lose air naturally over time and the TPMS cannot tell if the tires are getting too soft over
time or you have a fl at. However, when you
fi nd one low tire in a set of four-that is an
indication of trouble; you should have someone
drive the vehicle slowly forward so you can
inspect any low tire for cuts and any metal
objects sticking through tread or sidewall. Put
a few drops of water in the valve stem to see if
it bubbles indicating a bad valve. Leaks need
to be addressed by more than simply reinfl ating
the tire as leaks are dangerous — take it to an
Authorized Mazda Dealer.
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8–21
Customer Information and Reporting Safety Defects
Uniform Tire Quality Grading System (UTQGS)
Uniform Tire Quality Grading System (UTQGS)
This information relates to the tire grading system developed by the U.S\
. National Highway
Traffi c Safety Administration for grading tires by tread wear, traction, and temperature
performance.
Tread Wear
The tread wear grade is a comparative rating based on the wear rate of t\
he tire when tested
under controlled conditions on a specifi ed government test course.
For example, a tire graded 150 would wear one-and-a-half times as well o\
n the government
course as a tire graded 100.
The relative performance of tires depends upon the actual conditions of \
their use, however,
and may depart signifi cantly from the norm because of variations in driving habits, service
practices and differences in road characteristics and climate.
Traction-AA, A, B, C
The traction grades, from highest to lowest, are AA, A, B, and C. These grades represent the
tire's ability to stop on wet pavement as measured under controlled cond\
itions on specifi ed
government test surfaces of asphalt and concrete. A tire marked C may have poor traction
performance.
WARNING
The traction grade assigned to this tire is based on braking (straight ahead) traction tests
and does not include acceleration cornering (turning), hydroplaning, or peak traction
characteristics.
Temperature-A, B, C
The temperature grades A (the highest), B, and C, represent the tire's resistance to the
generation of heat and its ability to dissipate heat when tested under c\
ontrolled conditions on
a specifi ed indoor laboratory test wheel.
Sustained high temperature can cause the material of the tire to degener\
ate and reduce tire
life, and excessive temperatures can lead to sudden tire failure.
Grade C corresponds to a level of performance which all passenger vehicl\
e tires must meet
under the Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard No. 109. Grades B and A represent higher
levels of performance on the laboratory test wheel than the minimum requ\
ired by law.
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8–22
Customer Information and Reporting Safety Defects
Uniform Tire Quality Grading System (UTQGS)
WARNING
Keep your vehicle's tires properly infl ated and not overloaded:
Driving with improperly infl ated or overloaded tires is dangerous. Excessive speed,
underinfl ation, or excessive loading, either separately or in combination, can cause heat
buildup and possible tire failure. The temperature grade for this tire is established for a
tire that is properly infl ated and not overloaded.
These grades will be added to the sidewalls of passenger vehicle tires o\
ver the next several
years according to a schedule established by the NHTSA and the tire manufacturers.
The grade of tires available as standard or optional equipment on Mazda \
vehicles may vary
with respect to grade.
ALL PASSENGER VEHICLE TIRES MUST CONFORM TO THESE GRADES AND TO
ALL OTHER FEDERAL TIRE-SAFETY REQUIREMENTS.
UNIFORM TIRE QUALITY GRADING
Quality grades can be found where applicable on the tire sidewall betwee\
n tread shoulder
and maximum section width.
For example:
TREADWEAR 200 TRACTION AA TEMPERATURE A
U TQ G S M A R K ( exa m p le)
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8–23
Customer Information and Reporting Safety Defects
Tire Information (U.S.A.)
Tire Labeling
Federal law requires tire manufacturers to place standardized informatio\
n on the sidewall of
all tires. This information identifi es and describes the fundamental characteristics of the tire
and also provides a tire identifi cation number for safety standard certifi cation and in case of
a recall.
Information on Passenger Vehicle Tires
Please refer to the sample below.
1. TIN: U.S. DOT tire identifi cation number
2. Passenger car tire
3. Nominal width of tire in millimeters
4. Ratio of height to width (aspect ratio)
5. Radial
6. Run-fl at tire
7. Rim diameter code
8. Load index & speed symbol
9. Severe snow conditions
10. Tire ply composition and materials used
11. Max. load rating
12. Tread wear, traction and temperature grades
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