2015 MAZDA MODEL MX-5 MIATA PRHT Owners Manual

Black plate (345,1)
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_8EN7-EA-14E_Edition3 Page345
Friday, September 5 2014 3:20 PM
Form No.8EN7-EA-14E

Black plate (346,1)
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
Use SAE 0W-20 engine oil.
Mazda Genuine Oil is used in your Mazda
vehicle. Mazda Genuine 0W-20 Oil is
required to achieve optimum fuel
economy.
For maintenance service, Mazda
recommends Mazda Genuine Parts and
Castrol
®(U.S.A. only).
(ILSAC)
Only use SAE 0W-20 oil “Certified For
Gasoline Engines ”by the American
Petroleum Institute (API).
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
100
40
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_8EN7-EA-14E_Edition3 Page346
Friday, September 5 2014 3:20 PM
Form No.8EN7-EA-14E

Black plate (347,1)
(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
100
40
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_8EN7-EA-14E_Edition3 Page347
Friday, September 5 2014 3:20 PM
Form No.8EN7-EA-14E

Black plate (348,1)
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.
CAUTION
Ø Radiator coolant will damage
paint.
Rinse it off quickly if spilled.
8-22
Maintenance and Care
Owner Maintenance
MX-5_8EN7-EA-14E_Edition3 Page348
Friday, September 5 2014 3:20 PM
Form No.8EN7-EA-14E

Black plate (349,1)
ØUse 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.
Ø If the “FL22 ”mark is shown on or
near the cooling system cap, use of
FL-22 is recommended when
replacing engine coolant. Using
engine coolant other than FL-22
may cause serious damage to the
engine and cooling system.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_8EN7-EA-14E_Edition3 Page349
Friday, September 5 2014 3:20 PM
Form No.8EN7-EA-14E

Black plate (350,1)
Brake/Clutch Fluid
qInspecting Brake/Clutch Fluid Level
WARNING
If the brake/clutch fluid level is low,
have the brakes inspected:A low brake/clutch fluid level is
dangerous.
A low level could indicate brake
lining wear or a brake system leak
which could cause the brakes to fail
and lead to an accident.
The brakes and clutch draw fluid from the
same reservoir.
Inspect the fluid level in the reservoir
regularly. It should be kept between the
MAX and MIN lines.
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.
Power Steering Fluid
q Inspecting Power Steering Fluid
Level
CAUTION
To avoid damage to the power
steering pump, do not operate the
vehicle for long periods when the
power steering fluid level is low.
Inspect the fluid level in the reservoir at
each engine oil change with the engine off
and cold.
The level must be kept between MIN and
MAX.
Visually examine the lines and hoses for
leaks and damage.
If the fluid decreases significantly or the
fluid level is around MIN or lower than
MIN, consult an Authorized Mazda
Dealer to have the vehicle inspected.
8-24
Maintenance and Care
Owner Maintenance
MX-5_8EN7-EA-14E_Edition3 Page350
Friday, September 5 2014 3:20 PM
Form No.8EN7-EA-14E

Black plate (351,1)
Washer Fluid
qInspecting Washer Fluid Level
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.
Using Washer Fluid Without Anti-freeze
Protection in Cold Weather: Operating your vehicle in
temperatures below 4 degrees C (40
degrees F) using washer fluid without
anti-freeze protection is dangerous
as it could cause impaired windshield
vision and result in an accident. In
cold weather, always use washer
fluid with anti-freeze protection.
NOTE
State or local regulations may restrict the use
of volatile organic compounds (VOCs), which
are commonly used as anti-freeze agents in
washer fluid. A washer fluid with limited VOC
content should be used only if it provides
adequate freeze resistance for all regions and
climates in which the vehicle will be operated.
Inspect fluid level in the washer fluid
reservoir; add fluid if necessary.
Use plain water if washer fluid is
unavailable.
But use only washer fluid in cold weather
to prevent it from freezing.
Maintenance and Care
Owner Maintenance
8-25
MX-5_8EN7-EA-14E_Edition3 Page351
Friday, September 5 2014 3:20 PM
Form No.8EN7-EA-14E

Black plate (352,1)
Body Lubrication
All moving points of the body, such as
door and hood hinges and locks, should
be lubricated each time the engine oil is
changed. Use a nonfreezing lubricant on
locks during cold weather.
Make sure the hood's secondary latch
keeps the hood from opening when the
primary latch is released.
Wiper Blades
CAUTION
ØHot waxes applied by automatic
car washers have been known to
affect the wiper's ability to clean
windows.
Ø To prevent damage to the wiper
blades, do not use gasoline,
kerosene, paint thinner, or other
solvents on or near them.
Contamination of either the windshield or
the blades with foreign matter can reduce
wiper effectiveness. Common sources are
insects, tree sap, and hot wax treatments
used by some commercial car washes.
If the blades are not wiping properly,
clean the window and blades with a good
cleaner or mild detergent; then rinse
thoroughly with clean water. Repeat if
necessary.
qReplacing Windshield Wiper Blades
When the wipers no longer clean well, the
blades are probably worn or cracked.
Replace them.
CAUTION
To prevent damage to the wiper arms
and other components, don't try to
sweep the wiper arm by hand.
8-26
Maintenance and Care
Owner Maintenance
MX-5_8EN7-EA-14E_Edition3 Page352
Friday, September 5 2014 3:20 PM
Form No.8EN7-EA-14E