MAZDA MODEL PROTÉGÉ 2003 Owners Manual (in English)

8-24
Maintenance and Care
Owner Maintenance
Form No. 8Q94-EA-02G

Battery Maintenance
To get the best service from a battery:
•Keep it securely mounted.
•Keep the top clean and dry.
•Keep terminals and connections clean,
tight, and coated with petroleum jelly
or terminal grease.
•Rinse off spilled electrolyte
immediately with a solution of water
and baking soda.
•If the vehicle will not be used for an
extended time, disconnect the battery
cables.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.
Tires
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 when using 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 10-8)
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.
WARNING
J39L_EA.book Page 24 Saturday, June 8, 2002 5:35 PM

8-25
Maintenance and Care
Owner Maintenance
Form No. 8Q94-EA-02G

Tire Inflation Pressure
Inspect all tire pressures monthly
(including the spare) when the tires are
cold. Maintain recommended pressures
for the best ride, top handling, and
minimum tire wear.
Refer to the specification charts (page 10-
8).
Incorrect Tire Inflation:
Overinflation or underinflation of
tires is dangerous. Adverse handling
or unexpected tire failure could result
in a serious accident. Always inflate
the tires to the correct pressure (page
10-8).
WARNING
NOTE
•Warm tires normally exceed
recommended pressures. Don’t
release air from warm tires to adjust
the pressure.
•Underinflation can cause reduced
fuel economy and poor sealing of
the tire bead, which will deform the
wheel and cause separation of tire
from rim.
•Overinflation can produce a harsh
ride 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.
J39L_EA.book Page 25 Saturday, June 8, 2002 5:35 PM

8-26
Maintenance and Care
Owner Maintenance
Form No. 8Q94-EA-02G

Tire Rotation
To equalize tread wear, rotate the tires
every 12,000 km (7,500 miles) or sooner
if irregular wear develops. During
rotation, inspect them for correct balance.
Also, inspect them for uneven wear and
damage. Abnormal wear is usually caused
by one or a combination of the following:
•Incorrect tire pressure
•Improper wheel alignment
•Out-of-balance wheel
•Severe braking
After rotation, inflate all tire pressures to
specification (page 10-8) and inspect the
lug nuts for tightness.

Replacing a Tire
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.
Front
Do not include (TEMPORARY USE ONLY)
spare tire in rotation.
CAUTION
Limited-Slip Differential system;
don’t use the following:
•Tires not of the designated size
•Tires of different sizes or types at
the same time
•Tires not sufficiently inflated
If these instructions aren’t followed,
the rotation of the left and right wheels
will be different and will thus apply a
constant load on the limited-slip
differential.
This will cause a malfunction.
Worn Tires:
Driving with worn tires is dangerous.
Reduced braking, steering, and
traction could result in an accident.
Always use tires that are in good
condition.
CAUTION
WARNING
J39L_EA.book Page 26 Saturday, June 8, 2002 5:35 PM

8-27
Maintenance and Care
Owner Maintenance
Form No. 8Q94-EA-02G
If a tire wears evenly, a wear indicator will
appear as a solid band across the tread.
Replace the tire when this happens.
You may need to replace it before the
band is across the entire tread.

Temporary Spare Tire
Inspect the temporary spare tire at least
monthly to make sure it’s properly
inflated and stored.
The temporary spare tire is easier to
handle because of its construction. It is
lighter and smaller than a conventional
tire and should be used only for an
emergency and only for a short distance.
Use the temporary only until the
conventional tire is repaired, which should
be as soon as possible.
Maintain its pressure at 420 kPa
(4.2 kgf/cm
2 or bar, 60 psi).

Replacing a Wheel
When replacing a wheel, make sure the
new one is the same as the original factory
wheel in diameter, rim width, and offset.
Proper tire balancing provides the best
riding comfort and helps reduce tread
wear. Out-of-balance tires can cause
vibration and uneven wear, such as
cupping and flat spots.
New tread Worn treadTread wear indicator
•Don’t 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.
•The temporary spare tire has a tread
life of up to 5,000 km (3,000 miles),
depending on road conditions and
driving habits.
•When the tread wear solid-band
indicator appears, replace the tire
with the same type of temporary
spare (page 8-26).
Using a Wrong-Sized Wheel:
Using a wrong-sized wheel is
dangerous. Braking and handling
could be affected, leading to loss of
control and an accident. Always use
wheels of the correct size on your
vehicle.
CAUTION
WARNING
J39L_EA.book Page 27 Saturday, June 8, 2002 5:35 PM

8-28
Maintenance and Care
Owner Maintenance
Form No. 8Q94-EA-02G
A wrong-sized wheel may adversely
affect
•Tire fit
•Wheel and bearing life
•Ground clearance
•Snow-chain clearance
•Speedometer calibration
•Headlight aim
•Bumper height
CAUTION
J39L_EA.book Page 28 Saturday, June 8, 2002 5:35 PM

8-29
Maintenance and Care
Owner Maintenance
Form No. 8Q94-EA-02G
Light Bulbs
License plate lights Front side-marker lights
Overhead lights/Map lights Sedan
Headlights
Front turn signal lights/
Parking lights
Brake lights/Taillights
Rear turn signal lights
Reverse lights
Taillights
High-mount brake light
Trunk light
Rear side-marker lights
Side turn signal lights
J39L_EA.book Page 29 Saturday, June 8, 2002 5:35 PM

8-30
Maintenance and Care
Owner Maintenance
Form No. 8Q94-EA-02G
License plate lightsFront side-marker lights
Overhead lights/Map lights
Headlights
Front turn signal lights/
Parking lights
Reverse lights
Rear turn signal lights
Brake lights/TaillightsHatchback
Side turn signal lights
J39L_EA.book Page 30 Saturday, June 8, 2002 5:35 PM

8-31
Maintenance and Care
Owner Maintenance
Form No. 8Q94-EA-02G
Your Mazda’s headlights have replaceable
halogen bulbs.
Replacing a Headlight Bulb
Sedan
1. Make sure the headlight switch is off.
2. Lift the hood and find the bulb in the
rear of the headlight body.
3. Detach the electrical connector from
the bulb by pulling it to the rear.
4. Pull off the sealing cover.
5. Unhook the bulb retaining spring.
6. Swing the retaining spring out and
away to free the headlight bulb.
7. Carefully remove the headlight bulb
from the socket by pulling it straight
back.
8. Replace the bulb.
Handling Halogen Bulbs:
When a halogen bulb breaks, it is
dangerous. These bulbs contain
pressurized gas. If one is broken, it
will explode and serious injuries
could be caused by the flying glass.
If the glass portion is touched with
bare hands, body oil could cause the
bulb to overheat and explode when lit.
Never touch the glass portion of the
bulb with your bare hands and always
wear eye protection when handling or
working around halogen bulbs.
Children and Halogen Bulbs:
Playing with a halogen bulb is
dangerous. Serious injuries could be
caused by dropping a halogen bulb or
breaking it some other way.
Always keep halogen bulbs out of the
reach of children.
WARNING
Sedan
Hatchback
Headlight low beamDo not touch the glass surface
Headlight main beam
Sealing cover
J39L_EA.book Page 31 Saturday, June 8, 2002 5:35 PM

8-32
Maintenance and Care
Owner Maintenance
Form No. 8Q94-EA-02G
9. Install in the reverse order of removal.
Hatchback
1. Make sure the headlight switch is off.
2. Lift the hood and find the bulbs in the
rear of the headlight body.
(Low beam bulb)
3. Detach the electrical connector from
the bulb by pulling it to the rear.
4. Pull off the sealing cover.5. Unhook the bulb retaining spring.
6. Swing the retaining spring out and
away to free the headlight bulb.
7. Carefully remove the headlight bulb
from the socket by pulling it straight
back.
8. Replace the bulb.
9. Install in the reverse order of removal.
(High beam bulb)
10.Turn the socket and bulb assembly
counterclockwise and remove it.
Carefully remove the headlight bulb
from its socket in the reflector by
gently pulling it straight backward out
of the socket.
NOTE
•When reinstalling the sealing cover,
make sure faces up.
•Use the protective cover and carton
to dispose of the old bulb promptly
out of the reach of children.
NOTE
•When reinstalling the sealing cover,
make sure faces up.
•Use the protective cover and carton
to dispose of the old bulb promptly
out of the reach of children.
Sealing cover
J39L_EA.book Page 32 Saturday, June 8, 2002 5:35 PM

8-33
Maintenance and Care
Owner Maintenance
Form No. 8Q94-EA-02G
11.Remove the bulb from the electrical
connector by pressing the tab on the
connector with your finger and pulling
the bulb upward.
12.Install the new bulb in the reverse
order of removal.
NOTE
Use the protective cover and carton to
dispose of the old bulb promptly out of
the reach of children.
J39L_EA.book Page 33 Saturday, June 8, 2002 5:35 PM