2013 MAZDA MODEL MX-5 MIATA PRHT Owners Manual

Black plate (345,1)
Owner Maintenance Precautions
Improper or incomplete service may result in problems. This section gives instructions only
for items that are easy to perform.
As explained in the Introduction (page 8-2), several procedures can be done only by a
qualified service technician with special tools.
Improper owner maintenance during the warranty period may affect warranty coverage.
Refer to Introduction (page 8-2) for owner's responsibility in protecting your investment.
For details, read the separate Mazda Warranty statement provided with the vehicle. If you
are unsure about any servicing or maintenance procedure, have it done by an Authorized
Mazda Dealer.
There are strict environmental laws regarding the disposal of waste oil and fluids. Please
dispose of your waste properly and with due regard to the environment.
We recommend that you entrust the oil and fluid changes of your vehicle to an Authorized
Mazda Dealer.
Maintenance and Care
Owner Maintenance
8-17
MX-5_8CM3-EA-12F_Edition2 Page345
Friday, August 31 2012 1:46 PM
Form No.8CM3-EA-12F

Black plate (346,1)
WARNING
Do not perform maintenance work if you lack sufficient knowledge and experience or
the proper tools and equipment to do the work. Have maintenance work done by a
qualified technician:Performing maintenance work on a vehicle is dangerous if not done properly. You
can be seriously injured while performing some maintenance procedures.
If you must run the engine while working under the hood, make certain that you
remove all jewelry (especially rings, bracelets, watches, and necklaces) and all
neckties, scarves, and similar loose clothing before getting near the engine or cooling
fan which may turn on unexpectedly: Working under the hood with the engine running is dangerous. It becomes even
more dangerous when you wear jewelry or loose clothing.
Either can become entangled in moving parts and result in injury.
Switch the ignition to off and make sure the fan is not running before attempting to
work near the cooling fan: Working near the cooling fan when it is running is dangerous. The fan could
continue running indefinitely even if the engine has stopped and the engine
compartment temperature is high. You could be hit by the fan and seriously injured.
Do not leave items in the engine compartment: After you have finished checking or doing servicing in the engine compartment, do
not forget and leave items such as tools or rags in the engine compartment.
Tools or other items left in the engine compartment could cause engine damage or a
fire leading to an unexpected accident.
8-18
Maintenance and Care
Owner Maintenance
MX-5_8CM3-EA-12F_Edition2 Page346
Friday, August 31 2012 1:46 PM
Form No.8CM3-EA-12F

Black plate (347,1)
Engine Compartment Overview
Engine oil dipstick
Engine oil filler cap Brake fluid reservoir / Clutch
fluid reservoir
Washer fluid reservoir Cooling system capBattery
Engine coolant reservoir Power steering fluid cap
Air filter
Fuse block
Maintenance and Care
Owner Maintenance
8-19
MX-5_8CM3-EA-12F_Edition2 Page347
Friday, August 31 2012 1:46 PM
Form No.8CM3-EA-12F

Black plate (348,1)
Engine Oil
NOTE
Changing the engine oil should be performed
by an Authorized Mazda Dealer.
Refer to Introduction (page 8-2) for owner's
responsibility in protecting your investment.
qRecommended Oil
U.S.A. and CANADA
0W-20 full synthetic recommended:
Mazda Genuine Oil is used in your Mazda
vehicle and is the recommended 0W-20
lubricant. Mazda Genuine 0W-20 Oil is
required to achieve optimum fuel
economy.
Recommended viscosity: SAE 0W-20
For maintenance service, Mazda
recommends Mazda Genuine Parts and
Castrol
®(U.S.A. only).
(ILSAC)
Only use SAE 0W-20 oil with the
American Petroleum Institute (API)
symbol and ILSAC GF-4/GF-5.
Oil with this trademark symbol conforms
to the current engine and emission system
protection standards and fuel economy
requirements of the International
Lubricant Standardization and Approval
Committee (ILSAC), comprised of U.S.
and Japanese automobile manufacturers.
80
60
40
20
0
–40 –20
30
120
100
5040
20
10
0
–10
–20
–30
–40
Except U.S.A. and CANADA
Use SAE 5W-20 engine oil.
Oil container labels provide important
information.
A chief contribution this type of oil makes
to fuel economy is reducing the amount of
fuel necessary to overcome engine
friction.
For maintenance service, Mazda
recommends Mazda Genuine Parts and
Castrol
®(Mexico only).
8-20
Maintenance and Care
Owner Maintenance
MX-5_8CM3-EA-12F_Edition2 Page348
Friday, August 31 2012 1:46 PM
Form No.8CM3-EA-12F

Black plate (349,1)
(ILSAC)
(Mexico)
Use SAE 5W-20 engine oil. If SAE 5W-
20 engine oil is not available, use SAE
5W-30 engine oil.
The quality designation SM, or ILSAC
must be on the label.
80
60
40
20
0
–40 –20
30
120
100
5040
20
10
0
–10
–20
–30
–40
q
Inspecting Engine Oil Level
1. Be sure the vehicle is on a level
surface.
2. Warm up the engine to normal operating temperature.
3. Turn it off and wait at least 5 minutes for the oil to return to the oil pan. 4. Pull out the dipstick, wipe it clean, and
reinsert it fully.
Full
OK
Low
Type A
Full
OK
Low
Type B
5. Pull it out again and examine the level.The level is normal if it is between
Low and Full.
If it is near or below Low, add enough
oil to bring the level to Full.
CAUTION
Do not add engine oil over Full. This
may cause engine damage.
6. Make sure the O-ring on the dipstick is positioned properly before reinserting
the dipstick.
The distance between Low and Full on the
dipstick represents the following:
Oil capacity
L (US qt, Imp qt) 0.75 (0.79, 0.66)
Maintenance and Care
Owner Maintenance
8-21
MX-5_8CM3-EA-12F_Edition2 Page349
Friday, August 31 2012 1:46 PM
Form No.8CM3-EA-12F

Black plate (350,1)
Engine Coolant
qInspecting Coolant Level
WARNING
Do not use a match or live flame in the
engine compartment. DO NOT ADD
COOLANT WHEN THE ENGINE IS HOT:
A hot engine is dangerous. If the
engine has been running, parts of the
engine compartment can become
very hot. You could be burned.
Carefully inspect the engine coolant
in the coolant reservoir, but do not
open it.
Switch the ignition to off and
make sure the fan is not running before
attempting to work near the cooling
fan: Working near the cooling fan when it
is running is dangerous. The fan
could continue running indefinitely
even if the engine has stopped and
the engine compartment temperature
is high. You could be hit by the fan
and seriously injured.
Do not remove the cooling
system cap when the engine and
radiator are hot: When the engine and radiator are
hot, scalding coolant and steam may
shoot out under pressure and cause
serious injury.
NOTE
Changing the coolant should be done by an
Authorized Mazda Dealer.
Inspect the antifreeze protection and
coolant level in the coolant reservoir at
least once a year ―at the beginning of the
winter season ―and before traveling
where temperatures may drop below
freezing.
Inspect the condition and connections of
all cooling system and heater hoses.
Replace any that are swollen or
deteriorated.
The coolant should be at full in the
radiator and between the F and L marks
on the coolant reservoir when the engine
is cool.
If it is at or near L, add enough coolant to
the coolant reservoir to provide freezing
and corrosion protection and to bring the
level to F.
Securely tighten the coolant reservoir tank
cap after adding coolant.
8-22
Maintenance and Care
Owner Maintenance
MX-5_8CM3-EA-12F_Edition2 Page350
Friday, August 31 2012 1:46 PM
Form No.8CM3-EA-12F

Black plate (351,1)
CAUTION
ØRadiator coolant will damage
paint.
Rinse it off quickly if spilled.
Ø Use only soft (demineralized)
water in the coolant mixture.
Water that contains minerals will
cut down on the coolant's
effectiveness.
Ø Do not add only water. Always
add a proper coolant mixture.
Ø The engine has aluminum parts
and must be protected by an
ethylene-glycol-based coolant to
prevent corrosion and freezing.
Ø DO NOT USE coolants Containing
Alcohol, methanol, Borate or
Silicate.
These coolants could damage the
cooling system.
Ø DO NOT MIX alcohol or methanol
with the coolant. This could
damage the cooling system.
Ø Do not use a solution that
contains more than 60%
antifreeze.
This would reduce effectiveness. NOTE
If the
“FL22” mark is shown on or near the
cooling system cap, it is recommended to use
Mazda Genuine FL22 engine coolant (page
8-4).
If the coolant reservoir is empty or new
coolant is required frequently, consult an
Authorized Mazda Dealer.
Maintenance and Care
Owner Maintenance
8-23
MX-5_8CM3-EA-12F_Edition2 Page351
Friday, August 31 2012 1:46 PM
Form No.8CM3-EA-12F

Black plate (352,1)
Brake/Clutch Fluid
qInspecting Brake/Clutch Fluid Level
The brakes and clutch draw fluid from the
same reservoir.
Inspect the fluid level in the reservoir
regularly. It should be kept at MAX.
The level normally drops with
accumulated distance, a condition
associated with wear of brake and clutch
linings. If it is excessively low, have the
brake/clutch system inspected by an
Authorized Mazda Dealer.
qAdding Brake/Clutch Fluid
WARNING
Be careful not to spill brake fluid on
yourself or on the engine:
Spilled brake fluid is dangerous. If it
gets in your eyes, they could be
seriously injured. If this happens,
immediately flush your eyes with
water and get medical attention.
Brake fluid spilled on a hot engine
could cause a fire.
If the brake/clutch fluid level is low,
have the brakes and clutch inspected: Low brake/clutch fluid levels are
dangerous. Low levels could signal
brake lining wear or a brake system
leak. Your brakes could fail and
cause an accident.
If the fluid level is low, add fluid until it
reaches MAX.
Before adding fluid, thoroughly clean the
area around the cap.
CAUTION
Ø Brake and clutch fluid will
damage painted surfaces. If brake
or clutch fluid does get on a
painted surface, wash it off with
water immediately.
Ø Using nonspecified brake and
clutch fluids (page 10-4) will
damage the systems. Mixing
different fluids will also damage
them.
If the brake/clutch system
frequently requires new fluid,
consult an Authorized Mazda
Dealer.
8-24
Maintenance and Care
Owner Maintenance
MX-5_8CM3-EA-12F_Edition2 Page352
Friday, August 31 2012 1:46 PM
Form No.8CM3-EA-12F