2016 MAZDA MODEL MX-5 engine

6–26
Maintenance and Care
Owner Maintenance
Engine Compartment Overview
Windshield washer fluid reservoir Brake/Clutch fluid reserv
oir
Engine oil dipstick
Battery
Fuse blockCooling system cap
Engine coolant reserv oir
Engine oil-f
iller cap
MX-5_8EU4-EA-15D_Edition1.indb 262015/03/10 9:56:06

6–27
Maintenance and Care
Owner Maintenance
Engine Oil
NOTE
Changing the engine oil should be
performed by an Authorized Mazda
Dealer.
Refer to Introduction (page 6-2) for
owner's responsibility in protecting your
investment.
Recommended Oil
U.S.A., Canada, and Puerto Rico
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
MX-5_8EU4-EA-15D_Edition1.indb 272015/03/10 9:56:07

6–28
Maintenance and Care
Owner Maintenance
Except U.S.A., Canada, and Puerto Rico
Use SAE 5W-30 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).
(ILSAC)
(Mexico)
Use SAE 5W-30 engine oil. If SAE 5W-30
engine oil is not available, use SAE 5W-20
engine oil.
The quality designation SM, or ILSAC
must be on the label.
80
60
40
20
0
–40
–20
30
100
4020100–10–20–30–40
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.

Low
Full
OK
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 overfill the engine oil. This may
cause engine damage.
MX-5_8EU4-EA-15D_Edition1.indb 282015/03/10 9:56:07

6–29
Maintenance and Care
Owner Maintenance
6. Make sure the O-ring on the dipstick is
positioned properly before reinserting
the dipstick.
7. Reinsert the dipstick fully.
Engine Coolant
Inspecting 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 either 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.
MX-5_8EU4-EA-15D_Edition1.indb 292015/03/10 9:56:07

6–30
Maintenance and Care
Owner Maintenance
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 FULL and LOW
marks on the coolant reservoir when the
engine is cool.
Coolant reservoir
Cooling fan
Cooling system cap
If it is at or near LOW, add enough coolant
to the coolant reservoir to provide freezing
and corrosion protection and to bring the
level to FULL.
Securely tighten the coolant reservoir tank
cap after adding coolant.
CAUTION
 Radiator coolant will damage paint.
Rinse it off quickly if spilled.
 Use only soft (demineralized) water in
the coolant mixture. Water that contains
minerals will cut down on the coolant's
effectiveness. Do not add only water. Always add a
proper coolant mixture. The engine has aluminum parts and
must be protected by an ethylene-glycol-
based coolant to prevent corrosion and
freezing. DO NOT USE coolants Containing
Alcohol, methanol, Borate or Silicate.
These coolants could damage the
cooling system. DO NOT MIX alcohol or methanol with
the coolant. This could damage the
cooling system. Do not use a solution that contains more
than 60% antifreeze.
This would reduce effectiveness.
 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.
MX-5_8EU4-EA-15D_Edition1.indb 302015/03/10 9:56:08

6–32
Maintenance and Care
Owner Maintenance
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.
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.
MX-5_8EU4-EA-15D_Edition1.indb 322015/03/10 9:56:08

6–39
Maintenance and Care
Owner Maintenance
The following conditions indicate that the
battery power is low:
 The KEY indicator light (green) flashes
in the instrument cluster for about 30
seconds after the engine is turned off. The system does not operate and
the operation indicator light on the
transmitter does not flash when the
buttons are pressed. The system's operational range is
reduced.
Replacing the battery at an Authorized
Mazda Dealer is recommended to prevent
damage to the key. If replacing the battery
by yourself, follow the instruction below.
Replacing the key battery
1. Press the knob and pull out the
auxiliary key.
Knob
2. Twist a tape-wrapped flathead
screwdriver in the direction of the
arrow and open the cover slightly.
Cove r
3. Insert the tape-wrapped flathead
screwdriver into the gap and slide it in
the direction of the arrow.
Cove r
Gap
4. Twist the flathead screwdriver in the
direction of the arrow and remove the
cover.
Cove r
MX-5_8EU4-EA-15D_Edition1.indb 392015/03/10 9:56:11

6–47
Maintenance and Care
Owner Maintenance
5. Disconnect the bulb from the socket.

6. Install the new bulb in the reverse order
of the removal procedure.
Front side-marker lights
1. Make sure the ignition is switched off,
and the headlight switch is off.
2. If you are changing the right bulb, start
the engine, turn the steering wheel
all the way to the right, and turn off
engine. If you are changing the left
bulb, turn the steering wheel to the left.
3. Pull the center of each plastic retainer
and remove the retainers, and then
partially peel back the mudguard.

Remova l
Installation
4. Turn the socket and bulb assembly
counterclockwise and remove it.
5. Disconnect the bulb from the socket.

6. Install the new bulb in the reverse order
of the removal procedure.
Front turn signal lights
1. Make sure the ignition is switched off,
and the headlight switch is off.
2. If you are changing the right bulb, start
the engine, turn the steering wheel
all the way to the right, and turn off
engine. If you are changing the left
bulb, turn the steering wheel to the left.
3. Pull the center of each plastic retainer
and remove the retainers, and then
partially peel back the mudguard.

Remova l
Installation
MX-5_8EU4-EA-15D_Edition1.indb 472015/03/10 9:56:14