MAZDA MODEL 6 2008 Owners Manual (in English)

Black plate (291,1)
Inspect fluid level in the washer fluid
reservoir; add fluid if necessary.
Use plain water if washer fluid is
unavailable.
But use only washer fluid in cold weather
to prevent it from freezing.
Body Lubrication
All moving points of the body, such as
door and hood hinges and locks, should
be lubricated each time the engine oil is
changed. Use a nonfreezing lubricant on
locks during cold weather.
Make sure the hood's secondary latch
keeps the hood from opening when the
primary latch is released.
Maintenance and Care
Owner Maintenance
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Wiper Blades
CAUTION
ØHot waxes applied by automatic
car washers have been known to
affect the wiper's ability to clean
windows.
Ø To prevent damage to the wiper
blades, don't use gasoline,
kerosene, paint thinner, or other
solvents on or near them.
Contamination of either the windshield or
the blades with foreign matter can reduce
wiper effectiveness. Common sources are
insects, tree sap, and hot wax treatments
used by some commercial car washes.
If the blades are not wiping properly,
clean the window and blades with a good
cleaner or mild detergent; then rinse
thoroughly with clean water. Repeat if
necessary.
qReplacing Windshield Wiper Blades
When the wipers no longer clean well, the
blades are probably worn or cracked.
Replace them.
CAUTION
To prevent damage to the wiper arms
and other components, don't try to
sweep the wiper arm by hand.
NOTE
To prevent damage to the wiper arm blades
when raising both the driver and passenger
side wiper arms, raise the driver side wiper
arm first. Conversely, when setting down the
wiper arms, set the passenger side wiper arm
down first.
1. Raise the wiper arm and turn the blade assembly to expose the plastic locking
clip.
Compress the clip and slide the
assembly downward; then lift it off the
arm.
Plastic locking clip
CAUTION
To prevent damage to the windshield
let the wiper arm down easily, don't
let it slap down on the windshield.
2. Hold the end of the rubber and pull until the tabs are free of the metal
support.
Metal support
Ta b
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3. Remove the metal stiffeners from eachblade rubber and install them in the
new blade.
CAUTION
ØDon't bend or discard the
stiffeners. You need to use them
again.
Ø If the metal stiffeners are
switched, the blade's wiping
efficiency could be reduced.
So don't use the driver's side metal
stiffeners on the passenger's side,
or vice versa.
Ø Be sure to reinstall the metal
stiffeners in the new blade rubber
so that the curve is the same as it
was in the old blade rubber. 4. Carefully insert the new blade rubber.
Then install the blade assembly in the
reverse order of removal.
NOTEInstall the blade so that the tabs are toward the
bottom of the wiper arm.
qReplacing Rear Window Wiper
Blade (5-Door/Sport Wagon)
When the wiper no longer cleans well, the
blade is probably worn or cracked.
Replace it.
CAUTION
To prevent damage to the wiper arm
and other components, don't move
the wiper by hand.
Maintenance and Care
Owner Maintenance
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(5-Door)
1. Raise the wiper arm and turn the bladeassembly to expose the plastic locking
clip.
Compress the clip and slide the
assembly downward; then lift it off the
arm.
Plastic locking clip
CAUTION
To prevent damage to the rear
window, don't let the wiper arm fall
on it.
2. Hold the end of the blade rubber and pull until the tabs are free of the metal
support.
Metal support
Ta b
3. Remove the metal stiffeners from each blade rubber and install them in the
new blade.
CAUTION
Don't bend or discard the stiffeners.
You need to use them again.
4. Carefully insert the new blade rubber. Then install the blade assembly in the
reverse order of removal.
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(Sport Wagon)
1. Raise the wiper arm and rotate thewiper blade to the right until it unlocks,
then remove the blade.
CAUTION
To prevent damage to the rear
window, don't let the wiper arm fall
on it.
2. Pull down the blade rubber and slide it out of the blade holder.
3. Remove the metal stiffeners from theblade rubber and install them in the
new blade.
CAUTION
Don't bend or discard the stiffeners.
You need to use them again.
4. Carefully insert the new blade rubber. Then install the blade assembly in the
reverse order of removal.
Maintenance and Care
Owner Maintenance
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Battery
WARNING
Wash hands after handling the battery and related accessories:Battery posts, terminals and related accessories contain lead and lead compounds,
chemicals known to the State of California to cause cancer and reproductive harm.
Always wear eye protection when working near the battery: Working without eye protection is dangerous. Battery fluid contains SULFURIC ACID
which could cause blindness if splashed into your eyes. Also, hydrogen gas produced
during normal battery operation, could ignite and cause the battery to explode.
Wear eye protection and protective gloves to prevent contact with battery fluid: Spilled battery fluid is dangerous.
Battery fluid contains SULFURIC ACID which could cause serious injuries if it gets in
eyes, or on the skin or clothing. If this happens, immediately flush your eyes with
water for 15 minutes or wash your skin thoroughly and get medical attention.
Always keep batteries out of the reach of children: Allowing children to play near batteries is dangerous. Battery fluid could cause
serious injuries if it gets in the eyes or on the skin.
Keep flames and sparks away from open battery cells and do not allow metal tools
to contact the positive (
) or negative () terminal of the battery when working
near a battery. Do not allow the positive () terminal to contact the vehicle body:
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. Keep all flames including
cigarettes and sparks away from open battery cells.
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.
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qBattery Maintenance
To get the best service from a battery:lKeep it securely mounted.lKeep the top clean and dry.lKeep terminals and connections clean,
tight, and coated with petroleum jelly
or terminal grease.
lRinse off spilled electrolyte
immediately with a solution of water
and baking soda.
lIf the vehicle will not be used for an
extended time, disconnect the battery
cables and charge the battery every six
weeks.
Tires
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.
WARNING
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 your Mazda (page 10-7)
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 your
Mazda.
qTire Inflation Pressure
WARNING
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 specification charts on page
10-7.
Maintenance and Care
Owner Maintenance
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The Tire Pressure Monitoring Systemí
does not alleviate the need to check the
tire condition every day, including
whether the tires all look inflated properly.
Inspect all tire pressure monthly
(including the spare) when the tires are
cold. Maintain recommended pressures
for the best ride, handling, and minimum
tire wear.
When checking the tire pressures, use of a
digital tire pressure gauge is
recommended.
Refer to the specification charts (page
10-7).NOTE
lAlways check tire pressure when tires are
cold.
lWarm tires normally exceed recommended
pressures. Don't release air from warm tires
to adjust the pressure.
lUnderinflation 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.
lOverinflation 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.
q
Tire Rotation
To equalize tread wear, rotate the tires if
irregular wear develops. According to the
scheduled maintenance charts.Refer to
Scheduled Maintenance on page 8-3.
During rotation, inspect them for correct
balance.
Do not include (TEMPORARY USE ONLY)
spare tire in rotation.Forward
Also, inspect them for uneven wear and
damage. Abnormal wear is usually caused
by one or a combination of the following:
lIncorrect tire pressure
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Maintenance and Care
íSome models.
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lImproper wheel alignmentlOut-of-balance wheellSevere braking
After rotation, inflate all tire pressures to
specification (page 10-7) and inspect the
lug nuts for tightness.
CAUTION
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 weakened if
rotated from side to side.
q 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.
CAUTION
(With Tire Pressure Monitoring
System)
When replacing/repairing the tires or
wheels or both, have the work done
by an Authorized Mazda Dealer, or
the tire pressure sensors may be
damaged. NOTE
(With Tire Pressure Monitoring System)lWhen tires with steel wire reinforcement in
the sidewalls are used, the system may not
function correctly even with a genuine
wheel.
Refer to System Error Activation on page
5-29.
lBe sure to install the tire pressure sensors
whenever tires or wheels are replaced.
Refer to Tires and Wheels on page 5-29.
If a tire wears evenly, a wear indicator
will appear as a solid band across the
tread.
Replace the tire when this happens.
New tread
Tread wear indicator
Worn tread
You should replace it before the band is
across the entire tread.
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. Regarding the manufacturing week and
year is indicated with 4 digit.
Refer to The tire labeling on page 9-22.
Maintenance and Care
Owner Maintenance
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Black plate (300,1)
qTemporary Spare Tire
Inspect the temporary spare tire at least
monthly to make sure it's properly inflated
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.
Maintain its pressure at 420 kPa (4.2
kgf/cm
2or bar, 60 psi).
CAUTION
Ø 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.
Ø 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.
Ø 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
(page 8-35). 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. Regarding the manufacturing week and
year is indicated with 4 digit.
Refer to The tire labeling on page 9-22.
q
Replacing a Wheel
WARNING
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.
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