2010 MAZDA MODEL MX-5 MIATA POWER RETRACTABLE HARDTOP engine

Black plate (158,1)
Brake System
qFoot Brake
Your Mazda has power-assisted brakes
that adjust automatically through normal
use.
Should power-assist fail, you can stop by
applying greater force than normal to the
brake pedal. But the distance required to
stop will be greater than usual.
WARNING
Do not coast with the engine stalled or
turned off, find a safe place to stop:
Coasting with the engine stalled or
turned off is dangerous. Braking will
require more effort, and the brake's
power-assist could be depleted if you
pump the brake. This will cause
longer stopping distances or even an
accident.
Shift to a lower gear when going down
steep hills: Driving with your foot continuously
on the brake pedal or steadily
applying the brakes for long
distances is dangerous. This causes
overheated brakes, resulting in
longer stopping distances or even
total brake failure. This could cause
loss of vehicle control and a serious
accident. Avoid continuous
application of the brakes.
Dry brakes that have become wet by
driving very slowly and applying the
brakes lightly until brake performance
is 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 affected.
5-6
Driving Your Mazda
Starting and Driving
MX-5_8AV1-EA-09F_Edition5 Page158
Friday, May 7 2010 9:16 AM
Form No.8AV1-EA-09F

Black plate (160,1)
qBrake System Warning Light
This warning has the following functions:
Parking brake warning
The light illuminates when the parking
brake is applied with the ignition switch
in the START or ON position. It turns off
when the parking brake is fully released.
Low brake fluid level warning
If the light stays on after the parking brake
is fully released, you may have a brake
problem.
Drive to the side of the road and park off
the right-of-way.
You may notice that the pedal is harder to
depress or that it may go closer to the
floor. In either case, it will take longer to
stop the vehicle.
1. With the engine stopped, open the
hood and check the brake fluid level
immediately, and then add fluid if
required (page 8-22).
2. After adding fluid, check the light again.
If the warning light remains on, or if the
brakes do not operate properly, do not
drive the vehicle. Have it towed to an
Authorized Mazda Dealer.
Even if the light turns off have your brake
system inspected as soon as possible by
an Authorized Mazda Dealer. NOTE
Having to add brake fluid is sometimes an
indicator of leakage. Consult an Authorized
Mazda Dealer as soon as possible even if the
brake light is no longer illuminated.
WARNING
Do not drive with the brake system
warning light illuminated. Contact an
Authorized Mazda Dealer to have the
brakes inspected as soon as possible:
Driving with the brake system
warning light illuminated is
dangerous. It indicates that your
brakes may not work at all or that
they could completely fail at any
time. If this light remains
illuminated, after checking that the
parking brake is fully released, have
the brakes inspected immediately.
qAnti-Lock Brake System (ABS)
The ABS control unit continuously
monitors the speed of each wheel. If one
is about to lock up, the ABS responds by
automatically releasing and reapplying
that wheel's brake.
The driver will feel a slight vibration in
the brake pedal and may hear a chattering
noise from the brake system. This is
normal when the ABS operates. Continue
to depress the brake pedal without
pumping the brakes.
5-8
Driving Your Mazda
Starting and Driving
MX-5_8AV1-EA-09F_Edition5 Page160
Friday, May 7 2010 9:16 AM
Form No.8AV1-EA-09F

Black plate (161,1)
WARNING
Do not rely on ABS as a substitute for
safe driving:The ABS cannot compensate for
unsafe and reckless driving, excessive
speed, tailgating (following another
vehicle too closely), driving on ice and
snow, and hydroplaning (reduced tire
friction and road contact because of
water on the road surface). You can
still have an accident.
NOTE
lBraking distances may be longer on loose
surfaces (snow or gravel, for example)
which usually have a hard foundation. A
vehicle with a normal braking system may
require less distance to stop under these
conditions because the tires will build up a
wedge of surface layer when the wheels
skid.
lThe sound of the ABS operating may be
heard when starting the engine or
immediately after starting the vehicle.
However, it does not indicate a malfunction.
q ABS Warning Light
The warning light stays on for a few
seconds when the ignition switch is turned
to the ON position. If the ABS warning light stays on while
you're driving, the ABS control unit has
detected a system malfunction. If this
occurs, your brakes will function normally
as if the vehicle had no ABS.
Should this happen, consult an Authorized
Mazda Dealer as soon as possible.
NOTE
lWhen the engine is jump-started to charge
the battery, uneven rpm occurs and the ABS
warning light may illuminate. If this occurs,
it is the result of the weak battery and does
not indicate an ABS malfunction.
Recharge the battery.
l(With DSC vehicles)
The brake assist system does not operate
while the ABS warning light is illuminated.
q
Electronic Brake Force
Distribution System Warning
If the electronic brake force distribution
control unit determines that some
components are operating incorrectly, the
control unit may illuminate the brake
system warning light and the ABS
warning light on simultaneously. The
problem is likely to be the electronic
brake force distribution system.
Driving Your Mazda
Starting and Driving
5-9
MX-5_8AV1-EA-09F_Edition5 Page161
Friday, May 7 2010 9:16 AM
Form No.8AV1-EA-09F

Black plate (163,1)
Manual Transmission
Operation
qManual Transmission Shift Pattern
5-speed transmission
6-speed transmissionNeutral position
Neutral position
The vehicle is equipped with either a 5-
speed or 6-speed manual transmission.
The shift pattern for each is shown above.
Depress the clutch pedal all the way down
while shifting; then release it slowly.
(5-speed transmission)
A safety feature prevents accidental
shifting from 5 to R (reverse). The shift
lever must be put in neutral before being
shifted to R. (6-speed transmission)
Vehicles with 6-speed transmission are
equipped with a device to prevent shifting
to R (reverse) by mistake. Push the shift
lever downward and shift to R.WARNING
Do not use sudden engine braking on
slippery road surfaces or at high
speeds:
Shifting down while driving on wet,
snowy, or frozen roads, or while
driving at high speeds causes sudden
engine braking, which is dangerous.
The sudden change in tire speed
could cause the tires to skid. This
could lead to loss of vehicle control
and an accident.
Be sure to leave the shift lever in 1 or R
position and set the parking brake
when leaving the vehicle unattended: Otherwise the vehicle could move
and cause an accident.
Driving Your Mazda
Starting and Driving
5-11
MX-5_8AV1-EA-09F_Edition5 Page163
Friday, May 7 2010 9:16 AM
Form No.8AV1-EA-09F

Black plate (164,1)
CAUTION
ØKeep your foot off the clutch pedal
except when shifting gears. Also,
do not use the clutch to hold the
vehicle on an upgrade. Riding the
clutch will cause needless clutch
wear and damage.
Ø Do not apply any excessive lateral
force to the gear lever when
changing from 5th to 4th gear.
This could lead to the accidental
selection of 2nd gear, which can
result in damage to the
transmission.
Ø Make sure the vehicle comes to a
complete stop before shifting to R.
Shifting to R while the vehicle is
still moving may damage the
transmission.
NOTE
If shifting to R is difficult, shift back into
neutral, release the clutch pedal, and try
again.
q Recommendations for Shifting
Upshifting
For normal acceleration, we recommend
these shift points.
Gear 5-speed
transmission 6-speed
transmission
1 to 2 24 km/h (15 mph) 23 km/h (14 mph)
2 to 3 42 km/h (26 mph) 37 km/h (23 mph)
3 to 4 55 km/h (34 mph) 50 km/h (31 mph)
4 to 5 66 km/h (41 mph) 56 km/h (35 mph)
5to6 ―66 km/h (41 mph)
For cruising
Gear 5-speed
transmission 6-speed
transmission
1 to 2 15 km/h (9 mph) 18 km/h (11 mph)
2 to 3 29 km/h (18 mph) 32 km/h (20 mph)
3 to 4 47 km/h (29 mph) 44 km/h (27 mph)
4 to 5 61 km/h (38 mph) 56 km/h (35 mph)
5to6 ―68 km/h (42 mph)
Downshifting
When you must slow down in heavy
traffic or on a steep upgrade, downshift
before the engine starts to overwork. This
reduces the chance of stalling and gives
better acceleration when you need more
speed.
On a steep downgrade , downshifting
helps maintain safe speed and prolongs
brake life.
5-12
Driving Your Mazda
Starting and Driving
MX-5_8AV1-EA-09F_Edition5 Page164
Friday, May 7 2010 9:16 AM
Form No.8AV1-EA-09F

Black plate (165,1)
Automatic Transmission Controls
Indicates that you must depress the brake pedal to shift (The ignition
switch must be in the ACC or ON position).
Indicates the shift lever can be shifted freely into any position.
Various Lockouts:
NOTE
The Sport AT has an option that is not included in the traditional automatic transmission giving the
driver the option of selecting each gear instead of leaving it to the transmission to shift gears. Even if
you intend to use the automatic transmission functions as a traditional automatic, you should also be
aware that you can inadvertently shift into manual shift mode and an inappropriate gear may be
retained as the vehicle speed increases. If you notice the engine speed going higher or hear the
engine racing, confirm you have not accidentally slipped into manual shift mode (page 5-15).
Driving Your Mazda
Starting and Driving
5-13
MX-5_8AV1-EA-09F_Edition5 Page165
Friday, May 7 2010 9:16 AM
Form No.8AV1-EA-09F

Black plate (166,1)
qTransmission Ranges
The shift lever must be in P or N to
operate the starter.
P (Park)
P locks the transmission and prevents the
rear wheels from rotating.
WARNING
Always set the shift lever to P and set
the parking brake:
Only setting the shift lever to the P
position without using the parking
brake to hold the vehicle is
dangerous. If P fails to hold, the
vehicle could move and cause an
accident.
CAUTION
ØShifting into P, N or R while the
vehicle is moving can damage
your transmission.
Ø Shifting into a driving gear or
reverse when the engine is running
faster than idle can damage the
transmission.
R (Reverse)
In position R, the vehicle moves only
backward. You must be at a complete stop
before shifting to or from R, except under
rare circumstances as explained in
Rocking the Vehicle (page 4-8).
N (Neutral)
In N, the wheels and transmission are not
locked. The vehicle will roll freely even
on the slightest incline unless the parking
brake or brakes are on.
WARNING
If the engine is running faster than idle,
do not shift from N or P into a driving
gear:
It's dangerous to shift from N or P
into a driving gear when the engine
is running faster than idle. If this is
done, the vehicle could move
suddenly, causing an accident or
serious injury.
Do not shift into N when driving the
vehicle: Shifting into N while driving is
dangerous. Engine braking cannot be
applied when decelerating which
could lead to an accident or serious
injury.
CAUTION
Do not shift into N when driving the
vehicle. Doing so can cause
transmission damage.
NOTE
Apply the parking brake or depress the brake
pedal before moving the shift lever from N to
prevent the vehicle from moving unexpectedly.
D (Drive)
D is the normal driving position. From a
stop, the transmission will automatically
shift through a 6-gear sequence.
Temporary use of the direct mode is
possible.
Refer to Direct Mode on page 5-19.
M (Manual)
M is the manual shift mode position.
Gears can be shifted up or down by
operating the shift lever or steering shift
switches.
Refer to Manual Shift Mode (page 5-15).
5-14
Driving Your Mazda
Starting and Driving
MX-5_8AV1-EA-09F_Edition5 Page166
Friday, May 7 2010 9:16 AM
Form No.8AV1-EA-09F

Black plate (167,1)
qActive Adaptive Shift (AAS)
Active Adaptive Shift (AAS)
automatically controls the transmission
shift points to best suit the road conditions
and driver input. This optimizes engine
performance and improves driving
comfort. When cornering the vehicle,
AAS mode will hold the transmission in
the gear the vehicle was in before entering
the curve, allowing the vehicle to be
accelerated from the same gear after
exiting the curve.
If the driver accelerates rapidly, or
accelerates and decelerates rapidly by
operating the accelerator and brake pedal
for a certain period of time while the
selector lever is in the D position, AAS
mode could activate. When this occurs,
AAS mode will maintain the transmission
in the optimum gear and the driver may
sense that the transmission is not shifting,
however this does not indicate an
abnormality.
qShift-Lock System
The shift-lock system prevents shifting
out of P unless the brake pedal is
depressed.
To shift from P:
1. Depress and hold the brake pedal.
2. Start the engine.
3. Move the shift lever. NOTE
lWhen the ignition switch is in the LOCK
position, the shift lever cannot be shifted
from P.
lTo be sure the vehicle is in park,
the
ignition key cannot be removed unless the
shift lever is in P.
l(With Advanced Key)
The ignition switch cannot be turned from
the ACC to the LOCK position when the
shift lever is not in P.
q Manual Shift Mode
This mode gives you the feel of driving a
manual transmission vehicle by operating
the shift lever and allows you to control
engine rpm and torque to the rear wheels
much like a manual transmission when
more control is desired.
To change to manual shift mode, shift the
lever from D to M.
NOTE
Changing to manual shift mode while driving
will not damage the transmission.
To return to automatic shift mode, shift
the lever from M to D.
Driving Your Mazda
Starting and Driving
5-15
MX-5_8AV1-EA-09F_Edition5 Page167
Friday, May 7 2010 9:16 AM
Form No.8AV1-EA-09F