2003 MAZDA MODEL MX-5 MIATA flat tire

8-28
Maintenance and Care
Owner Maintenance
Form No. 8R09-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-
6).

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.
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).
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.
Front
Do not include (TEMPORARY USE ONLY)
spare tire in rotation.
J07R_8R09_EA_02G_Edition4.book Page 28 Monday, February 3, 2003 1:16 PM

8-29
Maintenance and Care
Owner Maintenance
Form No. 8R09-EA-02G
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 10-6) and inspect the
lug nuts for tightness.
Replacing a Tire
If a tire wears evenly, a wear indicator will
appear as a solid band across the tread.
Replace the tire when this happens.
You should replace it before the band is
across the entire tread.
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.
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.
CAUTION
CAUTION
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.
WARNING
New tread Worn tread
Tread wear indicator
J07R_8R09_EA_02G_Edition4.book Page 29 Monday, February 3, 2003 1:16 PM

8-30
Maintenance and Care
Owner Maintenance
Form No. 8R09-EA-02G

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
2or 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.
• 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.
• The 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).
CAUTION
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.
A wrong-sized wheel may adversely
affect:
•Tire fit
• Wheel and bearing life
• Ground clearance
• Snow-chain clearance
• Speedometer calibration
• Headlight aim
• Bumper height
WARNING
CAUTION
J07R_8R09_EA_02G_Edition4.book Page 30 Monday, February 3, 2003 1:16 PM

9-13
Customer Information and Reporting Safety Defects
Uniform Tire Quality Grading System (UTQGS)
Form No. 8R09-EA-02G
These grades will be added to the sidewalls of passenger vehicle tires over the next several
years according to a schedule established by the NHTSA and the tire manufacturers.
The grade of tires available as standard or optional equipment on Mazda vehicle may vary
with respect to grade.
ALL PASSENGER VEHICLE TIRES MUST CONFORM TO THESE GRADES AND
TO ALL OTHER FEDERAL TIRE-SAFETY REQUIREMENTS.

Uniform Tire Quality Grading
Quality grades can be found where applicable on the tire sidewall between tread shoulder
and maximum section width.
For example:
Treadwear 200 Traction AA Temperature A
The temperature grade for this tire is established for a tire that is properly inflated
and not overloaded. Excessive speed, underinflation, or excessive loading, either
separately or in combination, can cause heat buildup and possible tire failure.
WARNING
UTQGS MARK (example)
TREADWEAR 200 TRACTION AA
TEMPERATURE A
J07R_8R09_EA_02G_Edition4.book Page 13 Monday, February 3, 2003 1:16 PM

10-6
Specifications
Form No. 8R09-EA-02G

Light Bulbs

Tires
Check the tire pressure label for tire size and inflation pressure. Refer to Tire Inflation
Pressure on page 8-28.
Standard tire
Temporary spare tire

Fuses
Refer to the fuse rating on page 8-37
Light bulb
Wattage
Headlights High beam (HB3)
60
Low beam (HB4) 51
Front turn signal/Parking lights 27/8
Fog lights 55
Side-marker lights 3.8
Rear turn signal lights 21
Brake lights/Taillights 21/5
High-mount brake lights 21
Reverse lights 21
License plate lights/Trunk lights 5
Overhead light 8
Tire size Inflation pressure
Front Rear
195/50 R15 82V 180 kPa (1.8 kgf/cm
2, 26 psi)180 kPa (1.8 kgf/cm2, 26 psi)
205/45 R16 83W
Tire size Inflation pressure
T115/70 D14 88M 420 kPa (4.2 kgf/cm
2, 60 psi)
T105/70 D15 85M 420 kPa (4.2 kgf/cm2, 60 psi)
J07R_8R09_EA_02G_Edition4.book Page 6 Monday, February 3, 2003 1:16 PM

11-3
Index
Form No. 8R09-EA-02G
D
Door Locks ......................................... 3-7
Driving In Flooded Area
.................... 4-9
Driving Tips
....................................... 4-6
Automatic transmission
............ 5-13
Break-in period
........................... 4-6
Driving in flooded area
............... 4-9
Hazardous driving
....................... 4-7
Money-saving suggestions
.......... 4-6
Rocking the vehicle
.................... 4-7
Winter driving
............................. 4-8
E
Emergency Starting .......................... 7-13
Flooded engine
.......................... 7-13
Jump-starting
............................ 7-13
Push-starting
............................. 7-15
Emergency Towing
.......................... 7-16
Emission Control System
................... 4-3
Engine Coolant
...................................... 8-15
Exhaust gas
................................. 4-4
Hood release
............................. 3-16
Oil
............................................. 8-13
Overheating
............................... 7-11
Starting
........................................ 5-3
Engine Compartment Overview
...... 8-12
Engine Coolant Overheating
............................... 7-11
Engine Coolant Temperature
Gauge
............................................... 5-19
Exhaust Gas
....................................... 4-4
Exterior Care
.................................... 8-43
F
Flasher Hazard warning
.........................5-35
Headlights
.................................5-30
Flat Tire
..............................................7-3
Changing
.....................................7-5
Spare tire and tool storage
...........7-3
Fluids Classification
.............................10-4
Owner maintenance
...................8-10
Fog Lights
........................................5-31
Foot Brake
..........................................5-4
Fuel Filler lid and cap
.......................3-14
Gauge
........................................5-20
Requirements
..............................4-2
Tank capacity
............................10-5
Fuses
.................................................8-37
Panel description
.......................8-39
Replacement
..............................8-37
G
Gauges ..............................................5-17
Glove Box
........................................6-40
H
Hazard Warning Flasher ...................5-35
Hazardous Driving
.............................4-7
Headlights Control
......................................5-30
Flashing
.....................................5-30
High-low beam
..........................5-30
On reminder
..............................5-30
Hood Release
....................................3-16
Horn
..................................................5-34
J07R_8R09_EA_02G_Edition4.book Page 3 Monday, February 3, 2003 1:16 PM

11-5
Index
Form No. 8R09-EA-02G
R
Rear Window Defroster ................... 5-34
Rearview Mirror
............................... 3-32
Recreational Towing
........................ 7-17
Rocking the Vehicle
........................... 4-7
S
Safety Defects, Reporting ................ 9-14
Seat Belt System 3-point type
................................. 2-7
Automatic locking
...................... 2-6
Emergency locking
..................... 2-6
Extender
.................................... 2-10
Pregnant women
......................... 2-6
Pretensioner and load limiting
.... 2-8
Seat belt precautions
................... 2-4
Warning beep
............................ 2-12
Warning light
............................ 2-11
Seats
................................................... 2-2
Security System Immobilizer system
.................. 3-28
Service Publications
......................... 9-15
Spare Tire and Tool Storage
.............. 7-3
Specifications
................................... 10-4
Speedometer
..................................... 5-18
SRS Air Bags Air bag system description
....... 2-26
Supplemental restraint systems
precautions
................................ 2-20
Warning light
............................ 2-29
Starting the Engine
............................. 5-3
Steering Wheel Horn
.......................................... 5-34
Storage Compartments
..................... 6-40
Center console
.......................... 6-40
Glove box
.................................. 6-40
Mesh pocket
.............................. 6-41
Sunvisors
.......................................... 6-37
T
Tachometer .......................................5-19
Temporary Spare Tire
......................8-30
Tiedown Hook
..........................................7-17
Tires Flat tire
........................................7-3
Inflation pressure
.......................8-28
Replacement
..............................8-29
Rotation
.....................................8-28
Snow tires
....................................4-8
Spare tire and tool storage
...........7-3
Specifications
............................10-6
Tire chains
...................................4-9
Uniform tire quality grading
system (UTQGS)
.......................9-12
Tool
....................................................7-3
Towing Description
................................7-16
Emergency towing
....................7-16
Recreational towing
..................7-17
Trailer towing
............................4-11
Trailer Towing
..................................4-11
Trip Meter
........................................5-18
Trunk Lid
............................................3-9
Trunk Release Handle
......................3-12
Turn and Lane-Change Signals
........5-31
V
Vanity Mirror ...................................6-37
Vehicle Information Labels
..............10-2
J07R_8R09_EA_02G_Edition4.book Page 5 Monday, February 3, 2003 1:16 PM