maintenance MAZDA MODEL RX 8 2006 (in English) Service Manual

Black plate (300,1)
NOTE
lRemove the engine and battery
covers before performing battery
maintenance.
Engine cover
Battery cover
lIf the cover has been removed,
install it in the reverse order of
removal.
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.
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Maintenance and Care
Owner Maintenance
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Black plate (301,1)
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.
Use all radial, all bias-belted, or all
bias-type tires.
Using Wrong-Sized Tires:
Using any other tire size than what is
specified for your Mazda (page 10-6)
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
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
10-6).The Tire Pressure Monitoring System
í
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
í) when the tires are
cold. Maintain recommended pressures
for the best ride, top 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
10-6).
Maintenance and Care
Owner Maintenance
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Form No.8U58-EA-05J

Black plate (302,1)
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.
qTire 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.
NOTE
Because your vehicle is not equipped
with a spare tire, you cannot do a tire
rotation safely with the jack that comes
with your vehicle. Have an Authorized
Mazda Dealer perform tire 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
lImproper wheel alignment
lOut-of-balance wheel
lSevere braking
After rotation, inflate all tire pressures to
specification (page 10-6) 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.
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Owner Maintenance
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Form No.8U58-EA-05J

Black plate (303,1)
CAUTION
Limited-Slip Differential system;
don't use the following:
lTires not of the designated size
lTires of different sizes or types at the
same time
lTires 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.
qReplacing a Tire
WARNING
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
(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
5-30.
If a tire wears evenly, a wear indicator
will appear as a solid band across the
tread.
Replace the tire when this happens.
New treadTread wear indicator
Worn tread
You should replace it before the band is
across the entire tread.
Maintenance and Care
Owner Maintenance
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Black plate (304,1)
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 9-18.
qTemporary Spare Tire
Your Mazda is not equipped with a spare
tire. If you require a spare tire, consult an
Authorized Mazda Dealer.
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. 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
2or bar, 60 psi).
CAUTION
lDon'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.
lThe 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.
lThe 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 8-29).
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 9-18.
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Black plate (305,1)
qReplacing a Wheel
WARNING
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
lA wrong-sized wheel may adversely
affect:
lTire fitlWheel and bearing lifelGround clearancelSnow-chain clearancelSpeedometer calibrationlHeadlight aimlBumper heightlTire Pressure Monitoring SystemlLimited-Slip Differential System
l(With Tire Pressure Monitoring
System)
lWhen 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.
lThe wheels equipped on your
Mazda are specially designed for
installation of the tire pressure
sensors. Do not use non-genuine
wheels, otherwise it may not be
possible to install the tire pressure
sensors.
NOTE
Be sure to install the tire pressure
sensors whenever tires or wheels are
replaced. Refer to Tires and Wheels on
page 5-30.
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.
Maintenance and Care
Owner Maintenance
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Form No.8U58-EA-05J

Black plate (306,1)
Light Bulbs
Headlights (High-beam)Front side-marker lights
Front turn signal lights
Headlights (Low-beam)
Fog lights
Parking lights Overhead light/Map lights (Front)
Vanity mirror lights
Courtesy lights
Overhead light (Rear)
Trunk light
High-mount brake light
License plate light
Brake lights/Taillights
Reverse lights
Rear side-marker lights
Rear turn signal lights
Some models.
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Black plate (307,1)
WARNING
Xenon Fusion Bulb Replacement:
Replacing the xenon fusion bulbs
yourself is dangerous. Because the
xenon fusion bulbs require high
voltage, you could receive an electric
shock if the bulbs are handled
incorrectly. Do not replace the xenon
fusion bulbs yourself. Consult an
Authorized Mazda Dealer when the
replacement is necessary.
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.
qReplacing a Headlight Bulb
1. Make sure the ignition switch is turned
off and the headlight switch is off.
2. Lift the hood and find the high and low
beam bulbs in the rear of the headlight
unit.
The outboard bulb is the LOW beam,
and the inboard one is the HIGH beam.
Refer to Light Bulbs on page 8-32.
3. If you are changing the right headlight
bulb, start the engine, turn the steering
wheel all the way to the right, and turn
off engine. If you are changing the left
headlight bulb, turn the steering wheel
to the left.
4. Turn the center section of the plastic
retainer counterclockwise and remove
the retainers and partially peel back the
mudguard.
Removal
Installation
Maintenance and Care
Owner Maintenance
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Form No.8U58-EA-05J

Black plate (308,1)
High-beam bulb
1. 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.
2. Disconnect the bulb from the electrical
connector by pressing the tab on the
connector with your finger and pulling
the bulb upward.
3. Install the new bulb in the reverse order
of removal.
NOTE
lIf the halogen bulb is accidentally
touched, it should be cleaned with
rubbing alcohol before being used.
lUse the protective cover and carton
of the replacement bulb to dispose of
the old bulb promptly out of the
reach of children.
Low-beam bulb
(Xenon fusion bulb)
You cannot replace the low beam bulbs by
yourself.The bulbs must be replaced at an
Authorized Mazda Dealer.
(Halogen bulbs)
1. Detach the electrical connector from
the sealing cover by pulling it to the
rear.
2. Detach the sealing cover from the bulb.
3. Unhook the bulb retaining spring.
4. Swing the retaining spring out and
away to free the headlight bulb.
5. Carefully remove the headlight bulb
from the socket by pulling it straight
back.
6. Replace the bulb.
7. Install the new bulb in the reverse order
of removal.
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Owner Maintenance
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Form No.8U58-EA-05J

Black plate (309,1)
NOTE
lIf the halogen bulb is accidentally
touched, it should be cleaned with
rubbing alcohol before being used.
lUse the protective cover and carton
of the replacement bulb to dispose of
the old bulb promptly out of the
reach of children.
qReplacing a Fog Light Bulbí
Due to the complexity and difficulty of
the procedure, the bulbs should be
replaced by an Authorized Mazda Dealer.
qReplacing a Bulb (Front)
1. If you are changing the right bulb, start
the engine, turn the steering wheel all
the way to the right, and turn off
engine. If you are changing the left
bulb, turn the steering wheel to the left.
2. Turn the center section of the plastic
retainer counterclockwise and remove
the retainers and partially peel back the
mudguard.
Removal
Installation
Front turn signal lights, Parking lights,
Front side-marker lights
1. Turn the socket and bulb assembly
counterclockwise and remove it.
2. Disconnect the bulb from the socket.
Front turn signal
lights
Parking lights
Front side-marker lights
3. Install the new bulb in the reverse order
of removal.
Maintenance and Care
Owner Maintenance
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Form No.8U58-EA-05J