2016 MAZDA MODEL MX-5 Owners Manual (in English)

3–43
Before Driving
Driving Tips
Break-In Period
No special break-in is necessary, but a
few precautions in the first 1,000 km
(600 miles) may add to the performance,
economy, and life of the vehicle.
 Do not race the engine. Do not maintain one constant speed,
either slow or fast, for a long period of
time. Do not drive constantly at full-throttle or
high engine rpm for extended periods of
time. Avoid unnecessary hard stops. Avoid full-throttle starts.
Saving Fuel and
Protection of the
Environment
How you operate your Mazda determines
how far it will travel on a tank of fuel. Use
these suggestions to help save fuel and
reduce CO2.
 Avoid long warm-ups. Once the engine
runs smoothly, begin driving. Avoid fast starts. Drive at lower speeds. Anticipate when to apply the brakes
(avoid sudden braking). Follow the maintenance schedule
(page 6-4) and have an Authorized
Mazda Dealer perform inspections and
servicing. Use the air conditioner only when
necessary. Slow down on rough roads. Keep the tires properly inflated. Do not carry unnecessary weight. Do not rest your foot on the brake pedal
while driving. Keep the wheels in correct alignment. Keep windows closed at high speeds. Slow down when driving in crosswinds
and headwinds.
WARNING
Never stop the engine when going down
a hill:
Stopping the engine when going
down a hill is dangerous. This causes
the loss of power steering and power
brake control, and may cause damage
to the drivetrain. Any loss of steering
or braking control could cause an
accident.
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3–44
Before Driving
Driving Tips
Hazardous Driving
WARNING
Be extremely careful if it is necessary to
downshift on slippery surfaces:
Downshifting into lower gear
while driving on slippery surfaces is
dangerous. The sudden change in tire
speed could cause the tires to skid. This
could lead to loss of vehicle control
and an accident.
When driving on ice or in water, snow,
mud, sand, or similar hazards:
 Be cautious and allow extra distance for
braking. Avoid sudden braking and sudden
maneuvering. Do not pump the brakes. Continue to
press down on the brake pedal.
Refer to Antilock Brake System (ABS)
on page 4-55. If you get stuck, select a lower gear and
accelerate slowly. Do not spin the rear
wheels. For more traction in starting on slippery
surfaces such as ice or packed snow,
use sand, rock salt, chains, carpeting,
or other nonslip material under the rear
wheels.
NOTE
Use snow chains only on the rear wheels.
Floor Mat
WARNING
Make sure the floor mats are hooked on
the retention pins to prevent them from
bunching up under the foot pedals:
Using a floor mat that is not secured is
dangerous as it will interfere with the
accelerator and brake pedal operation,
which could result in an accident.
Do not install two floor mats, one on top
of the other, on the driver's side:
Installing two floor mats, one on top
of the other, on the driver's side is
dangerous as the retention pins can
only keep one floor mat from sliding
forward.
If using a heavy duty floor mat for
winter use always remove the original
floor mat.
Loose floor mat(s) will interfere with
the foot pedal and could result in an
accident.
When setting a floor mat, position the floor
mat so that its grommets are inserted over
the pointed end of the retention posts.
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3–45
Before Driving
Driving Tips
Rocking the Vehicle
WARNING
Do not spin the wheels at more than
56 km/h (35 mph), and do not allow
anyone to stand behind a wheel when
pushing the vehicle:
When the vehicle is stuck, spinning the
wheels at high speed is dangerous.
The spinning tire could overheat and
explode. This could cause serious
injuries.
CAUTION
Too much rocking may cause engine
overheating, transmission failure, and
tire damage.
If you must rock the vehicle to free it from
snow, sand or mud, depress the accelerator
slightly and slowly move the shift lever
from 1 (D) to R.
Winter Driving
Carry 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 check
the following:
 Have the proper ratio of antifreeze in the
radiator.
Refer to Engine Coolant on page
6-29. Inspect the battery and its cables. Cold
reduces battery capacity. Use an engine oil appropriate for the
lowest ambient temperatures that the
vehicle will be driven in (page 6-27). Inspect the ignition system for damage
and loose connections. Use washer fluid made with antifreeze—
but do not use engine coolant antifreeze
for washer fluid (page 6-31).
NOTE
 Do 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. Remove snow before driving. Snow left
on the windshield is dangerous as it
could obstruct vision. Do not open or close the soft top when
the temperature is 5 °C (41 °F) or less.
The material of the soft top could be
damaged by freezing. Do not apply excessive force to a
window scraper when removing ice or
frozen snow on the mirror glass and
windshield. Never use warm or hot water for
removing snow or ice from windows and
mirrors as it could result in the glass
cracking.
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3–46
Before Driving
Driving Tips
 Drive slowly. Braking performance
can be adversely affected if snow or
ice adheres to the brake components. 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.
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/cm2, 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.
The 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.
Tire Chains
Check local regulations before using tire
chains.
CAUTION
 Chains may affect handling. Do not go faster than 50 km/h (30
mph) or the chain manufacturer's
recommended limit, whichever is lower. Drive carefully and avoid bumps, holes,
and sharp turns. Avoid locked-wheel braking. Do not use chains on a temporary spare
tire; it may result in damage to the
vehicle and to the tire. Do not use chains on roads that are free
of snow or ice. The tires and chains could
be damaged. Chains may scratch or chip aluminum
wheels.
NOTE
If your vehicle is equipped with the tire
pressure monitoring system, the system
may not function correctly when using tire
chains.
Install the chains on the rear tires only.
Do not use chains on the front tires.
Please consult an Authorized Mazda
Dealer.
Installing the chains
1. Secure the chains on the rear tires as
tightly as possible.
Always follow the chain manufacturer's
instructions.
2. Retighten the chains after driving
1/2—1 km (1/4—1/2 mile).
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3–47
Before Driving
Driving Tips
Driving In Flooded Area
WARNING
Dry off brakes that have become
wet by driving slowly, releasing the
accelerator pedal and lightly applying
the brakes several times until the brake
performance returns to normal:
Driving with wet brakes is dangerous.
Increased stopping distance or the
vehicle pulling to one side when
braking could result in a serious
accident. Light braking will indicate
whether the brakes have been affected.
CAUTION
Do not drive the vehicle on flooded
roads as it could cause short circuiting
of electrical/electronic parts, or
engine damage or stalling from
water absorption. If the vehicle has
been immersed in water, consult an
Authorized Mazda Dealer.
Overloading
WARNING
Be careful not to overload your vehicle:
The gross axle weight rating (GAWR)
and the gross vehicle weight rating
(GVWR) of the vehicle are on the
Motor Vehicle Safety Standard Label
on the driver's door frame. Exceeding
these ratings can cause an accident
or vehicle damage. You can estimate
the weight of the load by weighing the
items (or people) before putting them
in the vehicle.
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3–48
Before Driving
Driving Tips
Driving on Uneven Road
Your vehicle's suspension and underbody can be damaged if driven on rough\
/uneven roads
or over speed bumps at excessive speeds. Use care and reduce speed when \
traveling on
rough/uneven roads or over speed bumps.
Use care not to damage the vehicle's underbody, bumpers or muffler(s) when driving under
the following conditions:
 Ascending or descending a slope with a sharp transition angle Ascending or descending a driveway or trailer ramp with a sharp transiti\
on angle
This vehicle is equipped with low profile tires allowing class-leading performance and
handling. As a result, the sidewall of the tires are very thin and the tires and w\
heels can be
damaged if driven through potholes or on rough/uneven roads at excessive\
speeds. Use care
and reduce speed when traveling on rough/uneven roads or through pothole\
s.
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3–49
Before Driving
Towing
Trailer Towing
Your Mazda is not designed for towing.
Never tow a trailer with your Mazda.
Recreational Towing
An example of "recreational towing" is
towing your vehicle behind a motorhome.
The transmission is not designed for
towing this vehicle on all 4 wheels.
When doing recreational towing refer
to "Towing Description" (page 7-30)
and "Tiedown Hooks" (page 7-31) and
carefully follow the instructions.
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3–50
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