2012 MAZDA MODEL MX-5 MIATA PRHT brake light

Black plate (166,1)
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.
qElectronic 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.
WARNING
Do not drive with both the ABS warning
light and brake warning light
illuminated. Have the vehicle towed to
an Authorized Mazda Dealer to have
the brakes inspected as soon as
possible:
Driving when the brake system
warning light and ABS warning light
are illuminated simultaneously is
dangerous.
When both lights are illuminated, the
rear wheels could lock more quickly
in an emergency stop than under
normal circumstances.
qBrake Assist (with DSC vehicles)
During emergency braking situations
when it is necessary to depress the brake
pedal with greater force, the brake assist
system provides braking assistance, thus
enhancing braking performance.
When the brake pedal is depressed hard or
depressed more quickly, the brakes apply
more firmly.
NOTE
lWhen the brake pedal is depressed hard or
depressed more quickly, the pedal will feel
softer but the brakes will apply more firmly.
This is a normal effect of the brake assist
operation and does not indicate a
malfunction.
lWhen the brake pedal is depressed hard or
depressed more quickly, a motor/pump
operation noise may be heard. This is a
normal effect of the brake assist and does
not indicate a malfunction.
lThe brake assist equipment does not
supersede the functionality of the vehicle's
main braking system.
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Driving Your Mazda
Starting and Driving
MX-5_8CC1-EA-11F_Edition2 Page166
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Form No.8CC1-EA-11F

Black plate (171,1)
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 5-20.
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 5-16).
Driving Your Mazda
Starting and Driving
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Form No.8CC1-EA-11F

Black plate (176,1)
If the vehicle is kicked down at the
following speeds or lower, the gears shift
down automatically:
GearVehicle speed
M6 →M5 190 km/h (118 mph)
M6 →M4 125 km/h (77 mph)
M5 →M4 125 km/h (77 mph)
M5 →M3 78 km/h (48 mph)
M4 →M3 78 km/h (48 mph)
M4 →M2 50 km/h (31 mph)
M3 →M2 50 km/h (31 mph)
Recommendations for shifting
Upshifting
For normal acceleration and cruising, we
recommend these shift points.
Gear Vehicle speed
M1 to M2 24 km/h (15 mph)
M2 to M3 40 km/h (25 mph)
M3 to M4 53 km/h (33 mph)
M4 to M5 59 km/h (37 mph)
M5 to M6 78 km/h (49 mph)
For cruising
Gear Vehicle speed
M1 to M2 22 km/h (14 mph)
M2 to M3 27 km/h (17 mph)
M3 to M4 41 km/h (26 mph)
M4 to M5 56 km/h (35 mph)
M5 to M6 64 km/h (40 mph)
Downshifting
When you must slow down in heavy
traffic or on a steep upgrade, downshift
before the engine starts to overwork. This
gives better acceleration when you need
more speed.
On a steep downgrade , downshifting
helps maintain safe speed and prolongs
brake life.
q Direct Modeí
Direct mode can be used for temporarily
switching gears by operating the steering
shift switch while the vehicle is being
driven with the selector lever in the D
range.
While in direct mode, the D and M
indicator lights illuminate and the gear
position in use is illuminated.
Direct mode is canceled (released) under
the following conditions.
lThe vehicle is driven at a constant
speed.
lThe needle in the tachometer
approaches the red zone.
lThe vehicle is driven at a constant
speed and the accelerator pedal is
heavily depressed.
lThe vehicle is stopped or moving at a
slow speed.
Gear position indicator
Direct mode indicator
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Driving Your Mazda
íSome models.
Starting and Driving
MX-5_8CC1-EA-11F_Edition2 Page176
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Form No.8CC1-EA-11F

Black plate (181,1)
Your vehicle has a tap-down feature that
allows you to decrease your current speed
in decrements of 1.6 km/h (1 mph) by a
momentary tap of the cruise control SET/-
switch. Multiple taps will decrease your
vehicle speed 1.6 km/h (1 mph) for each
tap.
qTo Resume Cruising Speed at
More Than 30 km/h (19 mph)
If some other method besides the ON/
OFF switch was used to cancel cruising
speed (such as applying the brake pedal)
and the system is still activated, the most
recent set speed will automatically resume
when the cruise control RES/+ switch is
pressed up.
If vehicle speed is below 30 km/h (19
mph), increase the vehicle speed up to 30
km/h (19 mph) or more and press up the
cruise control RES/+ switch.
Cruise
control
switch
qTo Cancel
To cancel the system, use oneof these
methods:
lPress the ON/OFF switch.lSlightly depress the brake pedal.lDepress the clutch pedal (Manual
transmission only).
lPress the CANCEL switch.
The system turns off when the ignition is
switched off.
NOTE
Cruise control will cancel at about 15 km/h (9
mph) below the preset speed (such as may
happen when climbing a long, steep grade).
Driving Your Mazda
Starting and Driving
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Form No.8CC1-EA-11F

Black plate (182,1)
Traction Control System
(TCS)
í
The Traction Control System (TCS)
enhances traction and safety by
controlling engine torque and braking.
When the TCS detects driving wheel
slippage, it lowers engine torque and
operates the brakes to prevent loss of
traction.
This means that on a slick surface, the
engine adjusts automatically to provide
optimum power to the drive wheels,
limiting wheel spin and loss of traction.
WARNING
Do not rely on the traction control
system as a substitute for safe driving:The traction control system (TCS)
cannot compensate for unsafe and
reckless driving, excessive speed,
tailgating (following another vehicle
too closely), and hydroplaning
(reduced tire friction and road
contact because of water on the road
surface). You can still have an
accident.
Use snow tires or tire chains and drive
at reduced speeds when roads are
covered with ice and/or snow: Driving without proper traction
devices on snow and/or ice-covered
roads is dangerous. The traction
control system (TCS) alone cannot
provide adequate traction and you
could still have an accident.
NOTE
To turn off the TCS, press the DSC OFF switch
(page 5-28).
q TCS/DSC Indicator Light
This indicator light stays on for a few
seconds when the ignition is switched
ON. If the TCS or DSC is operating, the
indicator light flashes.
If the light stays on, the TCS or DSC may
have a malfunction and they may not
operate correctly. Take your vehicle to an
Authorized Mazda Dealer.
NOTE
lIn addition to the indicator light flashing, a
slight lugging sound will come from the
engine. This indicates that the TCS is
operating properly.
lOn slippery surfaces, such as fresh snow, it
will be impossible to achieve high rpm
when the TCS is on.
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Driving Your Mazda
íSome models.
Starting and Driving
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Form No.8CC1-EA-11F

Black plate (185,1)
NOTElWhen DSC is on and you attempt to free the
vehicle when it is stuck, or drive it out of
freshly fallen snow, the TCS (part of the
DSC system) will activate. Depressing the
accelerator will not increase engine power
and freeing the vehicle may be difficult.
When this happens, turn off the TCS/DSC.
lIf the TCS/DSC is off when the engine is
turned off, it automatically activates when
the ignition is switched ON.
lLeaving the TCS/DSC on will provide the
best stability. When the TCS/DSC is off, the
TCS/DSC does not activate but the brake
LSD (Limited Slip Differentials) function
remains.
lIf the DSC OFF switch is pressed and held
for a second or more, the TCS/DSC system
may become inoperative due to the system
detecting a switch problem. If the TCS/DSC
system becomes inoperative, the TCS/DSC
and the DSC OFF indicator lights
illuminate simultaneously. In this case, turn
off the engine and restart it to restore the
TCS/DSC.
Driving Your Mazda
Starting and Driving
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Form No.8CC1-EA-11F

Black plate (197,1)
qEngine Oil Pressure Gauge
Normal range
Engine oil pressure is normal when the
engine oil pressure gauge needle points
within the normal range.
If the needle on the gauge doesn't move
after starting the engine, follow steps 1
through 3.
If the engine oil pressure gauge moves to
L (low) while you are driving, drive to the
side of the road and park off the right-of-
way. Set the parking brake. Then follow
steps 1 through 3.
1. Turn off the engine and inspect the
engine oil level (page 8-19). If it's low,
add oil.
2. Start the engine.
3. If the needle still doesn't move, have your vehicle checked at an Authorized
Mazda Dealer.
CAUTION
Don't run the engine if the oil
pressure is low. It could result in
extensive engine damage.
qDashboard Illumination
When the exterior lights are on, rotate the
knob to adjust the brightness of the
dashboard illumination.
Dim
Bright
NOTE
This symbol () indicates the knob to adjust
the brightness of the dashboard illumination.
Driving Your Mazda
Instrument Cluster and Indicators
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Form No.8CC1-EA-11F

Black plate (198,1)
Warning/Indicator Lights
Warning/Indicator lights will appear in any of the highlighted areas
SignalWarning/Indicator Lights Page
Brake System Warning Light 5-44
Malfunction Warning Light5-44
Charging System Warning Light5-46
Check Engine Light5-46
ABS Warning Light5-45
Air Bag/Front Seat Belt Pretensioner System Warning Light5-46
Low Fuel Warning Light5-47
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Driving Your Mazda
Warning/Indicator Lights and Beep Sounds
MX-5_8CC1-EA-11F_Edition2 Page198
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Form No.8CC1-EA-11F