Black plate (147,1)
Before Getting In
lBe sure the windows, outside mirrors,
and outside lights are clean.
lInspect inflation pressures and
condition of tires.
lLook under the vehicle for any sign of
fluid leaks.
lIf you plan to back up, make sure
nothing is in your way.
NOTE
Engine oil, engine coolant, brake/clutch fluid,
washer fluid, and other fluid levels should be
inspected. See Maintenance, Section 8.
After Getting In
lAre all doors closed and locked?lIs the seat adjusted properly?lAre the inside and outside mirrors
adjusted?
lIs the steering wheel adjusted properly?lIs each occupant's seat belt fastened?lCheck all gauges.lCheck all warning lights when the
ignition is switched ON.
lRelease the parking brake and make
sure the brake warning light goes off.
Always be thoroughly familiar with your
Mazda.
Before Driving Your Mazda
Before Starting the Engine
4-5
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Form No.8CC1-EA-11F
Black plate (151,1)
Winter Driving
lCarry emergency gear, including tire
chains, window scraper, flares, a small
shovel, jumper cables, and a small bag
of sand or salt.
Ask an Authorized Mazda Dealer to
perform the following precautions:
lHave the proper ratio of antifreeze in
the radiator.
Refer to Engine Coolant on page 8-20.
lInspect the battery and its cables. Cold
reduces battery capacity.
lInspect the ignition system for damage
and loose connections.
lUse washer fluid made with
antifreeze ―but do not use engine
coolant antifreeze for washer fluid
(page 8-23).
lDo not use the parking brake in
freezing weather as it may freeze.
Instead, shift to P with an automatic
transmission and to 1 or R with a
manual transmission. Block the rear
wheels.
lDo not apply excessive force to a
window scraper when removing ice or
frozen snow on the mirror glass and
windshield.
lNever use warm or hot water for
removing snow or ice from windows
and mirrors as it could result in the
glass cracking.
lBraking performance can be adversely
affected if snow or ice adheres to the
brake equipment. If this situation
occurs, drive the vehicle slowly,
releasing the accelerator pedal and
lightly applying the brakes several
times until the brake performance
returns to normal.
q Snow Tires
Use snow tires on all four wheels
Do not go faster than 120 km/h (75 mph)
while driving with snow tires. Inflate
snow tires 30 kPa (0.3 kgf/cm
2, 4.3 psi)
more than recommended on the tire
pressure label (driver's door frame), but
never more than the maximum cold-tire
pressure shown on the tires.
Your vehicle is originally equipped with
summer tires designed for optimum
traction on wet and dry roads. If your
vehicle is to be used on snow and ice
covered roads, Mazda recommends that
you replace the tires originally equipped
on your vehicle with snow tires during the
winter months.
WARNING
Use only the same size and type tires
(snow, radial, or non-radial) on all four
wheels: Using tires different in size or type is
dangerous. Your vehicle's handling
could be greatly affected and result
in an accident.
CAUTION
Check local regulations before using
studded tires.
NOTE
If your vehicle is equipped with the tire
pressure monitoring system, the system may
not function correctly when using tires with
steel wire reinforcement in the sidewalls (page
5-34).
Before Driving Your Mazda
Driving Tips
4-9
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Form No.8CC1-EA-11F
Black plate (215,1)
Windshield Wipers and
Washer
The ignition must be switched ON.
WARNING
Use only windshield washer fluid or
plain water in the reservoir:Using radiator antifreeze as washer
fluid is dangerous. If sprayed on the
windshield, it will dirty the
windshield, affect your visibility, and
could result in an accident.
Only use windshield washer fluid
mixed with anti-freeze protection in
freezing weather conditions: Using windshield washer fluid
without anti-freeze protection in
freezing weather conditions is
dangerous as it could freeze on the
windshield and block your vision
which could cause an accident.
In addition, make sure the
windshield is sufficiently warmed
using the defroster before spraying
the washer fluid. NOTE
Because heavy ice and snow can jam the wiper
blades, the wiper motor is protected from
motor breakdown, overheating and possible
fire by a circuit breaker. This mechanism will
automatically stop operation of the blades, but
only for about 5 minutes.
If this happens, turn off the wiper switch and
park off the right-of-way, and remove the snow
and ice.
After 5 minutes, turn on the switch and the
blades should operate normally. If they do not
resume functioning, consult an Authorized
Mazda Dealer as soon as possible. Drive to
the side of the road and park off the right-of-
way. Wait until the weather clears before trying
to drive with the wipers inoperative.
q
Windshield Wipers
Turn the wipers on by pulling the lever
down.
INT ―Intermittent
LO ―Low speed
HI ―High speed
For a single wiping cycle, push the lever
up to MIST.
MIST ―Mist
Driving Your Mazda
Switches and Controls
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Form No.8CC1-EA-11F
Black plate (216,1)
qWindshield Washer
Pull the lever toward you and hold it to
spray washer fluid.
OFF
Washer
NOTE
With the wiper lever in the OFF or INT
position, the wipers will operate continuously
until the lever is released.
If the washer does not work, inspect the
fluid level (page 8-23). If it's normal,
consult an Authorized Mazda Dealer.
Rear Window Defroster
The rear window defroster clears frost,
fog, and thin ice from the rear window.
The ignition must be switched ON.
Press the switch to turn on the rear
window defroster, the indicator light will
illuminate.
Press the switch again to turn it off.
Indicator light
CAUTION
Do not use sharp instruments or
window cleaners with abrasives to
clean the inside of the rear window
surface. They may damage the
defroster grid inside the window.
NOTE
This defroster is not designed for melting snow.
If there is an accumulation of snow on the rear
window, remove it before using the defroster.
5-60
Driving Your Mazda
Switches and Controls
MX-5_8CC1-EA-11F_Edition2 Page216
Monday, July 18 2011 10:8 AM
Form No.8CC1-EA-11F
Black plate (337,1)
8Maintenance and Care
How to keep your Mazda in top condition.
Introduction .................................................................................. 8-2Introduction ............................................................................... 8-2
Scheduled Maintenance ................................................................ 8-3 Scheduled Maintenance (USA, Canada, and Puerto Rico) ....... 8-3
Scheduled Maintenance (Mexico) ............................................. 8-8
Owner Maintenance ................................................................... 8-15 Owner Maintenance Schedule ................................................ 8-15
Owner Maintenance Precautions ............................................. 8-16
Engine Compartment Overview .............................................. 8-17
Engine Oil ............................................................................... 8-18
Engine Coolant ....................................................................... 8-20
Brake/Clutch Fluid .................................................................. 8-22
Power Steering Fluid ............................................................... 8-23
Washer Fluid ........................................................................... 8-23
Body Lubrication .................................................................... 8-24
Wiper Blades ........................................................................... 8-25
Battery ..................................................................................... 8-27
Tires ........................................................................................ 8-30
Light Bulbs ............................................................................. 8-36
Fuses ....................................................................................... 8-44
Appearance Care ........................................................................ 8-50 How to Minimize Environmental Paint Damage .................... 8-50
Exterior Care ........................................................................... 8-52
Interior Care ............................................................................ 8-58
8-1
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Form No.8CC1-EA-11F
Black plate (343,1)
Maintenance IntervalNumber of months or kilometers (miles), whichever comes first
Months 4 8 12 16 20 24 28 32 36 40 44 48
×1000 km 8 16 24 32 40 48 56 64 72 80 88 96
×1000 miles 5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40 45 50 55 60
CHASSIS and BODY
Brake lines, hoses and connections I I
Brake fluid level IIIIIIIIIIII
Disc brakes IIII
Tire (Rotation) Rotate every 8,000 km (5,000 miles)
Tire inflation pressure and tire wear IIIIIIIIIIII
Flat tire repair kit (if installed)
*3Inspect annually
Steering operation and linkages II
Power steering fluid level IIIIIIIIIIII
Front and rear suspension, ball joints and wheel
bearing axial play II
Manual transmission oil RR
Rear differential oil RR
Driveshaft dust boots II
Bolts and nuts on chassis and body TT
Exhaust system and heat shields Inspect every 72,000 km (45,000 miles) or 5 years
All locks and hinges LLLLLLLLLLLL
Washer fluid level IIIIIIIIIIII
Chart symbols:
I:Inspect: Inspect and clean, repair, adjust, fill up, or replace if necessary.
R: Replace
C: Clean
L: Lubricate
T: Tighten
Remarks:
*1 Use FL22 type coolant in vehicles with the inscription “FL22 ”on the radiator cap itself or the surrounding
area. Use FL22 when replacing the coolant.
*2 According to state/provincial and federal regulations, failure to perform maintenance on these items will not void your emissions warranties. However, Mazda recommends that all maintenance services be performed at
the recommended time or mileage/kilometer period to ensure long-term reliability.
*3 Check the tire repair fluid expiration date every year when performing the periodic maintenance. Replace the tire repair fluid bottle with new one before the expiration date.
Maintenance and Care
Scheduled Maintenance
8-7
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Form No.8CC1-EA-11F
Black plate (346,1)
Maintenance IntervalNumber of months or kilometers, whichever comes first
Months 6 12 18 24 30 36 42 48 54 60 66 72
×1000 km 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100 110 120
CHASSIS and BODY
Brake lines, hoses and connections IIIIII
Brake fluid level I I I I I I I I I
Brake fluid RRR
Disc brakes IIIIIIIIIIII
Tire (Rotation) Rotate every 10,000 km
Tire inflation pressure and tire wear IIIIIIIIIIII
Flat tire repair kit (if installed)
*3Inspect annually
Steering operation and linkages IIIIIIIIIIII
Power steering fluid level IIIIIIIIIIII
Front and rear suspension, ball joints and wheel
bearing axial play IIIIII
Manual transmission oil R
Rear differential oil R R R
Driveshaft dust boots IIIIII
Exhaust system and heat shields IIIIII
Bolts and nuts on chassis and body TTTTTT
All locks and hinges LLLLLLLLLLLL
Washer fluid level IIIIIIIIIIII
Chart symbols:
I:Inspect: Inspect and clean, repair, adjust, fill up, or replace if necessary.
R: Replace
L: Lubricate
T: Tighten
Remarks:
*1 Use FL22 type coolant in vehicles with the inscription “FL22 ”on the radiator cap itself or the surrounding
area. Use FL22 when replacing the coolant.
*2 According to state/provincial and federal regulations, failure to perform maintenance on these items will not void your emissions warranties. However, Mazda recommends that all maintenance services be performed at
the recommended time or kilometer period to ensure long-term reliability.
*3 Check the tire repair fluid expiration date every year when performing the periodic maintenance. Replace the tire repair fluid bottle with new one before the expiration date.
8-10
Maintenance and Care
Scheduled Maintenance
MX-5_8CC1-EA-11F_Edition2 Page346
Monday, July 18 2011 10:9 AM
Form No.8CC1-EA-11F
Black plate (348,1)
Maintenance IntervalNumber of months or kilometers, whichever comes first
Months 3 6 9 12 15 18 21 24 27 30 33 36
×1000 km 5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40 45 50 55 60
CHASSIS and BODY
Brake lines, hoses and connections III
Brake fluid level I I II I
Brake fluid R
Disc brakes IIIIII
Tire (Rotation) Rotate every 10,000 km
Tire inflation pressure and tire wear IIIIII
Flat tire repair kit (if installed)
*3Inspect annually
Steering operation and linkages IIIIII
Power steering fluid level IIIIII
Front and rear suspension, ball joints and wheel
bearing axial play III
Manual transmission oil R
Rear differential oil R
Driveshaft dust boots I I I
Exhaust system and heat shields I I I
Bolts and nuts on chassis and body T T T
All locks and hinges LLLLLL
Washer fluid level IIIIII
Chart symbols:
I:Inspect: Inspect and clean, repair, adjust, fill up, or replace if necessary.
R: Replace
C: Clean
L: Lubricate
T: Tighten
Remarks:
*1 Use FL22 type coolant in vehicles with the inscription “FL22 ”on the radiator cap itself or the surrounding
area. Use FL22 when replacing the coolant.
*2 According to state/provincial and federal regulations, failure to perform maintenance on these items will not void your emissions warranties. However, Mazda recommends that all maintenance services be performed at
the recommended time or kilometer period to ensure long-term reliability.
*3 Check the tire repair fluid expiration date every year when performing the periodic maintenance. Replace the tire repair fluid bottle with new one before the expiration date.
8-12
Maintenance and Care
Scheduled Maintenance
MX-5_8CC1-EA-11F_Edition2 Page348
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Form No.8CC1-EA-11F