Get Maintenance and Care -> Appearance Care Guide for Mazda 3 4 Door Fourth Generation (2019-2026)

Maintenance and Care

Appearance Care

Damage Caused by Bird Dropping,

Insects, or Tree Sap

Exterior Care

▼

Occurrence

The paintwork on your Mazda

represents the latest technical

developments in composition and

methods of application.

Bird droppings contain acids. If these

are not removed they can eat away the

clear and color base coat of the

vehicle's paintwork.

Environmental hazards, however, can

harm the paint's protective properties,

if proper care is not taken.

When insects stick to the paint surface

and decompose, corrosive compounds

form. These can erode the clear and

color base coat of the vehicle's

Here are some examples of possible

damage, with tips on how to prevent

them.

paintwork if they are not removed.

Tree sap will harden and adhere

permanently to the paint ﬁnish. If you

scratch the sap oꢀ while it is hard,

some vehicle paint could come oꢀ

with it.

Etching Caused by Acid Rain or

Industrial Fallout

Occurrence

Industrial pollutants and vehicle

emissions drift into the air and mix

with rain or dew to form acids. These

acids can settle on a vehicle's ﬁnish. As

the water evaporates, the acid

becomes concentrated and can

damage the ﬁnish.

Prevention

It is necessary to have your Mazda

washed and waxed to preserve its

ﬁnish according to the instructions in

this section. This should be done as

soon as possible.

And the longer the acid remains on the

surface, the greater the chance is for

damage.

Bird droppings can be removed with a

soft sponge and water. If you are

traveling and these are not available, a

moistened tissue may also take care of

the problem. The cleaned area should

be waxed according to the instructions

in this section.

Insects and tree sap are best removed

with a soft sponge and water or a

commercially available chemical

cleaner.

Prevention

It is necessary to wash and wax your

vehicle to preserve its ﬁnish according

to the instructions in this section.

These steps should be taken

immediately after you suspect that acid

rain has settled on your vehicle's ﬁnish.

Another method is to cover the

aꢀected area with dampened

newspaper for 1 to 2 hours. After

removing the newspaper, rinse oꢀ the

loosened debris with water.

6-47

Maintenance and Care

Appearance Care



Water Marks

Occurrence

Chipped paint can lead to rust

forming on your Mazda. Before this

happens, repair the damage by using

Mazda touch-up paint according to

the instructions in this section.

Failure to repair the aꢀected area

could lead to serious rusting and

expensive repairs.

Rain, fog, dew, and even tap water can

contain harmful minerals such as salt

and lime. If moisture containing these

minerals settles on the vehicle and

evaporates, the minerals will

concentrate and harden to form white

rings. The rings can damage your

vehicle's ﬁnish.

Follow all label and container

directions when using a chemical

cleaner or polish. Read all warnings

and cautions.

Prevention

It is necessary to wash and wax your

vehicle to preserve its ﬁnish according

to the instructions in this section.

These steps should be taken

Maintaining the Finish

▼

Washing

immediately after you ﬁnd water marks

on your vehicle's ﬁnish.

CAUTION

Paint Chipping

Occurrence

Before lifting the windshield wiper

blades oꢀ the windshield, always

follow the procedure for moving the

windshield wiper blades. Otherwise,

a wiper blade, wiper arm, or the

hood could be damaged.

Paint chipping occurs when gravel

thrown in the air by another vehicle's

tires hits your vehicle.

Refer to the Replacing Windshield

Wiper Blades (page 6-24) section for

the procedure on how to move the

windshield wiper blades to the

service position.

When the ignition is switched ON

and the wiper lever is in the AUTO

position, the windshield wipers may

operate automatically in the

How to avoid paint chipping

Keeping a safe distance between you

and the vehicle ahead reduces the

chances of having your paint chipped

by ﬂying gravel.

NOTE



The paint chipping zone varies with

the speed of the vehicle. For

example, when traveling at 90 km/h

(56 mph), the paint chipping zone is

50 m (164 ft).

In low temperatures a vehicle's ﬁnish

hardens. This increases the chance of

paint chipping.

following cases:

The area of the windshield above

the rain sensor is touched or wiped

with a cloth.

The windshield or the rain sensor

area in the cabin is hit.



6-48

Maintenance and Care

Appearance Care



When the ignition is switched ON

and the wiper lever is in the AUTO

position, do not touch the

windshield or the windshield wipers

Otherwise, the windshield wipers

will operate automatically which

could catch your ﬁngers or damage

the windshield wipers.

The vehicle is washed with a rough,

dry, or dirty cloth.

The vehicle is washed at a car wash

that uses brushes that are dirty or too

stiꢀ.



Cleansers or wax containing

abrasives are used.

When removing ice or snow, or

cleaning the windshield, always

make sure the wiper lever is in the

OFF position.

NOTE



Mazda is not responsible for

scratches caused by automatic car

washes or improper washing.

Scratches are more noticeable on

vehicles with darker paint ﬁnishes.



Do not spray water in the engine

compartment. Otherwise, it could

result in engine-starting problems or

damage to electrical parts.

When washing and waxing the

vehicle, be careful not to apply

excessive force to any single area of

the vehicle roof or the antenna.

Otherwise, you could dent the

vehicle or damage the antenna.

Make sure that the fuel-ﬁller lid is

closed and lock the doors.

To minimize scratches on the vehicle's

paint ﬁnish:



Rinse oꢀ any dirt or other foreign

matter using lukewarm or cold water

before washing.

Use plenty of lukewarm or cold



water and a soft cloth when washing

the vehicle. Do not use a nylon cloth.

Rub gently when washing or drying



the vehicle.

Take your vehicle only to a car wash

that keeps its brushes well

maintained.

Do not use abrasive cleansers or wax

Otherwise, the fuel-ﬁller lid may be

forcefully opened by water pressure

causing damage to the vehicle or

fuel-ﬁller lid.



To help protect the ﬁnish from rust and

deterioration, wash your Mazda

thoroughly and frequently, at least

once a month, with lukewarm or cold

water.

that contain abrasives.

CAUTION

Do not use steel wool, abrasive

cleaners, or strong detergents

containing highly alkaline or caustic

agents on chrome-plated or

anodized aluminum parts. This may

damage the protective coating; also,

cleaners and detergents may discolor

or deteriorate the paint.

If the vehicle is washed improperly, the

paint surface could be scratched. Here

are some examples of how scratching

could occur.

Scratches occur on the paint surface

when:

Pay special attention to removing salt,

dirt, mud, and other foreign material

from the underside of the fenders, and

make sure the drain holes in the lower



The vehicle is washed without ﬁrst

rinsing oꢀ dirt and other foreign

matter.

6-49

Maintenance and Care

Appearance Care

edges of the doors and rocker panels

are clean.

force of the spray could damage or

deform the molding, aꢀect the

sealability of parts, and allow water to

penetrate the interior. Keep a suꢁcient

space (30 cm (12 in) or more)

between the nozzle and the vehicle. In

addition, do not spend too much time

spraying the same area of the vehicle,

and be very careful when spraying

between gaps in doors and around

windows.

Insects, tar, tree sap, bird droppings,

industrial fallout, and similar deposits

can damage the ﬁnish if not removed

immediately. When prompt washing

with plain water is ineꢀective, use a

mild soap made for use on vehicles.

Thoroughly rinse oꢀ all soap with

lukewarm or cold water. Do not allow

soap to dry on the ﬁnish.

Waxing

Your vehicle needs to be waxed when

water no longer beads on the ﬁnish.

Always wash and dry the vehicle before

waxing it. In addition to the vehicle

body, wax the metal trim to maintain

its luster.

After washing the vehicle, dry it with a

clean chamois to prevent water spots

from forming.

WARNING

1. Use wax which contains no

abrasives.

Dry oꢀ 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

aꢀected.

Wax containing abrasives will

remove paints and could damage

bright metal parts.

2. Use a good grade of natural wax for

metallic, mica, and solid colors.

3. When waxing, coat evenly with the

sponge supplied or a soft cloth.

4. Wipe oꢀ the wax with a soft cloth.

NOTE

A spot remover to remove oil, tar, and

similar materials will usually also take

oꢀ the wax. Rewax these areas even if

the rest of the vehicle does not need it.

When using an automatic car wash



Retract the door mirrors.

The automatic car wash brushes



could reduce the paint luster or

hasten paint deterioration.

Repairing Damage to the Finish

▼

Deep scratches or chips on the ﬁnish

should be repaired promptly. Exposed

metal quickly rusts and can lead to

major repairs.

When using a high water pressure car

wash

High water temperature and high

water pressure car washers are

available depending on the type of car

wash machine. If the car washer nozzle

is put too close to the vehicle, the

6-50

Maintenance and Care

Appearance Care

Underbody Maintenance

▼

CAUTION

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.

If your Mazda is damaged and needs

metal parts repaired or replaced, make

sure the body shop applies

anti-corrosion materials to all parts,

both repaired and new. This will

prevent them from rusting.

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 bright-metal

surfaces, apply wax or chrome

preservative and rub it to a high

luster.

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.



During cold weather or in coastal

areas, cover bright-metal parts with a

coating of wax or preservative

heavier than usual. It would also help

to coat them with noncorrosive

petroleum jelly or some other

protective compound.

The lower edges of doors, rocker

panels, and frame members have drain

holes that should not be clogged.

Water trapped there will cause rusting.

CAUTION

Do not use steel wool, abrasive

cleaners, or strong detergents

containing highly alkaline or caustic

agents on chrome-plated or anodized

aluminum parts. This may result in

damage to the protective coating and

cause discoloration or paint

WARNING

Dry oꢀ 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

aꢀected.

deterioration.

6-51

Maintenance and Care

Appearance Care

Aluminum Wheel Maintenance^*

Plastic Part Maintenance

▼



When cleaning the plastic lenses of

the lights, do not use gasoline,

kerosene, rectiﬁed spirit, paint,

thinner, highly acidic detergents, or

strongly alkaline detergents.

A protective coating is provided over

the aluminum wheels. Special care is

needed to protect this coating.

CAUTION

Otherwise, these chemical agents

can discolor or damage the surfaces

resulting in a signiﬁcant loss in

functionality. If plastic parts become

inadvertently exposed to any of these

chemical agents, ﬂush with water

immediately.

If plastic parts such as the bumpers

become inadvertently exposed to

chemical agents or ﬂuids such as

gasoline, oil, engine coolant, or

battery ﬂuid, it could cause

discoloration, staining, or paint

peeling. Wipe oꢀ any such chemical

agents or ﬂuids using a soft cloth

immediately.

High water temperature and high

water pressure car washers are

available depending on the type of

high pressure car washer device. If

the car washer nozzle is put too

close to the vehicle or aimed at one

area for an extended period of time,

it could deform plastic parts or

damage the paint.

Do not use any detergent other than

mild detergent. Before using any

detergent, verify the ingredients.

Otherwise, the product could discolor

or stain the aluminum wheels.

NOTE



Do not use a wire brush or any

abrasive cleaner, polishing

compound, or solvent on aluminum

wheels. They may damage the

coating.



Always use a sponge or soft cloth to

clean the wheels.

Rinse the wheels thoroughly with

lukewarm or cold water. Also, be

sure to clean the wheels after driving

on dusty or salted roads to help

prevent corrosion.



Avoid washing your vehicle in an

automatic car wash that uses

high-speed or hard brushes.



Do not use wax containing

compounds (polish). Otherwise, it

could result in paint damage.

In addition, do not use an electrical

or air tool to apply wax. Otherwise,

the frictional heat generated could

result in deformation of plastic parts

or paint damage.

6-52

*Some models.

Maintenance and Care

Appearance Care

3. Before retracting seat belts which

have been pulled out for cleaning,

dry them oꢀ thoroughly and make

sure there is no remaining moisture

on them.

Interior Care

▼

WARNING

Do not spray water into the vehicle

cabin:

If a seat belt appears frayed or has

abrasions, have it replaced by an

Authorized Mazda Dealer:

If a seat belt is used under such a

condition, it cannot function at its full

capacity which could result in serious

injury or death.

Spraying water into the vehicle cabin is

dangerous as electrical devices such as

the audio and switches could get wet

resulting in a malfunction or vehicle

ﬁre.

NOTE

Use a mild detergent to remove

soiling from a seat belt:



Do not wipe the interior using

alcohol, chlorine bleach, or organic

solvents such as thinner, benzene,

and gasoline. Otherwise, it may

cause discoloration or stains.

Rubbing hard with a stiꢀ brush or

cloth may cause damage.

If organic solvents are used for cleaning

the seat belts or they become stained

or bleached, there is the possibility of

them becoming weakened and as a

result, they may not function at their

full capacity which could cause serious

injury or death.



If the vehicle interior becomes soiled

by any of the following, wipe it oꢀ

immediately using a soft cloth.

Leaving it uncleaned could cause

discoloration, stains, cracks, or peeling

of the coating, and it will make it hard

to wipe oꢀ later.

NOTE

Clean seat belts diligently if they get

dirty. Leaving them uncleaned will

make it diꢁcult to clean them later,

and it may aꢀect the smooth retracting

of the seat belt.



Beverage or fragrance

Grease or oil

Soiling



Vinyl Upholstery Maintenance

▼



Remove dust and dirt from the vinyl

upholstery using a brush or vacuum.

Remove soiling from vinyl upholstery

using a leather and vinyl upholstery

cleaner.

Seat Belt Maintenance

▼

1. Clean the soiled area by lightly

dabbing it with a soft cloth soaked

in a mild detergent (approx. 5%)

diluted with water.

2. Wipe oꢀ the remaining detergent

using a cloth soaked in clean water

and wrung out well.

6-53

Maintenance and Care

Appearance Care



If the leather upholstery gets wet,

promptly remove moisture with a dry

cloth. Remaining moisture on the

surface may cause deterioration such

as hardening and shrinkage.

Exposure to direct sunlight for long

periods may cause deterioration and

shrinkage. When parking the car

under direct sunlight for long

periods, shade the interior using

sunshades.

Do not leave vinyl products on the

leather upholstery for long periods.

They may aꢀect the leather quality

and coloring. If the cabin

temperature becomes hot, the vinyl

may deteriorate and adhere to the

genuine leather.

Upholstery Maintenance

▼

1. Clean the soiled area by lightly

dabbing it with a soft cloth soaked

in a mild detergent (approx. 5%)

diluted with water.

2. Wipe oꢀ the remaining detergent

using a cloth soaked in clean water

and wrung out well.



Leather Upholstery Maintenance^*

▼

1. Remove dust and sand using a

vacuum cleaner.



2. Wipe oꢀ the soiled area with a soft

cloth and a suitable, special cleaner

or a soft cloth soaked in a mild

detergent (about 5%) diluted with

water.

3. Wipe oꢀ the remaining detergent

using a cloth soaked in clean water

and wrung out well.

Plastic Part Maintenance

▼

4. Remove moisture with a dry, soft

cloth and allow the leather to

further dry in a well-ventilated,

shaded area. If the leather gets wet

such as from rain, remove the

moisture and dry it as soon as

possible.

CAUTION

Do not use polishing agents.

Depending on the product ingredients,

they could cause discoloration, stains,

cracks or peeling of the coating.

Instrument Panel Top (Soft pad)

▼

NOTE

Maintenance



Because genuine leather is a natural

Extremely soft material is used for the

soft pad surface. If the soft pad surface

is rubbed harshly with a dry cloth, it

could result in the surface being

damaged and leaving white scratch

marks.

1. Wipe the soiled area with a soft

cloth soaked in a mild detergent

(approx. 5%) diluted with water.

2. Wipe oꢀ the remaining detergent

using a cloth soaked in clean water

and wrung out well.

material, its surface is not uniform

and it may have natural scars,

scratches, and wrinkles.

To maintain the quality for as long as

possible, periodical maintenance,

about twice a year, is recommended.

If the leather upholstery comes into

contact with any of the following,

clean it immediately.

Leaving it uncleaned could cause

premature wear, mold, or stains.



Sand or dirt

Grease or oil, such as hand cream

Alcohol, such as in cosmetic or



hair dressing items

6-54

*Some models.

Maintenance and Care

Appearance Care

Active Driving Display

Maintenance^*

Cleaning the Window Interiors

▼

If the windows become covered with

an oily, greasy, or waxy ﬁlm, clean

them with glass cleaner. Follow the

directions on the container.

The dust-proof sheet has a coating.

When cleaning, do not use a hard or

rough-surface cloth, or cleaning

detergent. In addition, if a chemical

solvent gets on the active driving

display, wipe it oꢀ immediately. The

dust-proof sheet could be damaged

and the surface coating could be

scratched. Use a ﬁne, soft cloth such as

those used for cleaning eyeglasses.

CAUTION

Do not scrape or scratch the inside

of the window glass. It could

damage the thermal ﬁlaments and

the antenna lines.

When washing the inside of the

window glass, use a soft cloth

dampened in lukewarm water, gently

wiping the thermal ﬁlaments and the

antenna lines.

NOTE

Use of compressed air when cleaning

the dust-proof sheet is recommended.

Panel Maintenance

▼

Use of glass cleaning products could

damage the thermal ﬁlaments and

the antenna lines.

If a panel becomes soiled, wipe it oꢀ

with a soft cloth soaked in clean water

and thoroughly wrung out.

If some areas require further cleaning,

use the following procedure:

1. Wipe the soiled area with a soft

cloth soaked in a mild detergent

(approx. 5 %) diluted with water.

2. Wipe oꢀ the remaining detergent

using a cloth soaked in clean water

and wrung out well.

Cleaning the Floor Mats

▼

Rubber ﬂoor mats should be cleaned

with mild soap and water only.

WARNING

Do not use rubber cleaners, such as

tire cleaner or tire shine, when

cleaning rubber ﬂoor mats:

Cleaning the rubber ﬂoor mats with

rubber cleaning products makes the

ﬂoor mats slippery.

This may cause an accident when

depressing the accelerator, brake, or

clutch (Manual transmission) pedal or

when getting in or out of the vehicle.

NOTE

Be particularly careful when cleaning

shiny surface panels and metallic parts

such as plating as they can be

scratched easily.

After removing the ﬂoor mats for

cleaning, always reinstall them securely

(page 3-48).

6-55

*Some models.

MEMO

6-56

Maintenance and Care -> Appearance Care for Your Mazda 3 4 Door Fourth Generation (2019-2026)

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