Mazda 3 Owners Manual: Underbody Maintenance
Road chemicals and salt used for ice and snow removal and solvents used for dust control may collect on the underbody. If not removed, they will speed up rusting and deterioration of such underbody parts as fuel lines, frame, floor pan, and exhaust system, even though these parts may be coated with anti-corrosive material.
Thoroughly flush the underbody and wheel housings with lukewarm or cold water at the end of each winter. Try also to do this every month.
Pay special attention to these areas because they easily hide mud and dirt.
It will do more harm than good to wet down the road grime without removing it.
The lower edges of doors, rocker panels, and frame members have drain holes that should not be clogged. Water trapped there will cause rusting.
| WARNING
Dry off brakes that have become
wet by driving slowly, releasing the
accelerator pedal and lightly applying
the brakes several times until the brake
performance returns to normal:
Driving with wet brakes is dangerous. Increased stopping distance or the vehicle pulling to one side when braking could result in a serious accident. Light braking will indicate whether the brakes have been aff ected. |
Bright-Metal Maintenance
Use tar remover to remove road tar and
insects. Never do this with a knife or
similar tool.
To prevent corrosion on brightmetal
surfaces, apply wax or chrome
preservative and rub it to a ...
Aluminum Wheel Maintenance
A protective coating is provided over the
aluminum wheels. Special care is needed
to protect this coating.
CAUTION
Do not use any detergent other than
mild detergent. Before using any
...
Other materials:
Steering Gear And Linkage Inspection
Steering Rack Inspection
1. Inspect for cracking, damage, and tooth wear.
If there is any malfunction, replace the steering rack.
2. Measure the steering rack warp.
If it exceeds the maximum specification, replace the steering rack.
Steering rack runout
Large ...
Filament Inspection
1. Turn the ignition switch to the ON position.
2. Turn the rear window defroster switch on.
CAUTION:
Directly touching the rear window defroster filament with the lead of the
tester could damage it. Wrap aluminum foil around the end of the lead and inspect
the filament by touc ...
Operational Range
WARNING
Always take all children and pets with
you or leave a responsible person with
them:
Leaving a child or a pet unattended in
a parked vehicle is dangerous. In hot
weather, temperatures inside a vehicle
can become high enough to cause
brain damage or even death.
...
