2007 Mazda MAZDA3 Owner's Manual - Page 370

Mazda3_8V66-EA-06F_Edition2 Page369 Friday, May 26 2006 10:56 AM Black plate (369,1) Customer Information and Reporting Safety Defects Tire Information (U.S.A.) WARNING Tire Under-Inflation: Driving your vehicle with under-inflated tires is dangerous. Under-inflation is the most common cause of failures in any kind of tire and may result in severe cracking, tread separation or "blowout", with unexpected loss of vehicle control and increased risk of injury. Under-inflation increases sidewall flexing and rolling resistance, resulting in heat buildup and internal damage to the tire. It results in unnecessary tire stress, irregular wear, loss of control and accidents. A tire can lose up to half of its air pressure and not appear to be flat! It is impossible to determine whether or not tires are properly inflated just by looking at them. Always check the tire inflation pressures on a regular basis according to the recommended tire inflation pressure on the tire label and in conjunction with the information in this owner's manual. qChecking Tire Pressure 1. When you check the air pressure, make sure the tires are cold ―meaning they are not hot from driving even a mile. 2. Remove the cap from the valve on one tire. 3. Firmly press a tire gauge onto the valve. 4. Add air to achieve recommended air pressure. 5. If you overfill the tire, release air by pushing on the metal stem in the center of the valve. Then recheck the pressure with your tire gauge. 6. Replace the valve cap. 7. Repeat with each tire, including the spare. NOTE Some spare tires require higher inflation pressure. 8. Visually inspect the tires to make sure there are no nails or other objects embedded that could poke a hole in the tire and cause an air leak. 9. Check the sidewalls to make sure there are no gouges, cuts, bulges, cracks or other irregularities. 9-29 Form No.8V66-EA-06F