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

4–17
When Driving
Instrument Cluster and Display
*Some models.
SignalWarning LightsPage
Check Engine Light*17-33
(Red)High Engine Coolant Temperature Warning Light*17-33
*Automatic Transmission Warning Light*17-33
Power Steering Malfunction Indicator Light*17-33
Air Bag/Seat Belt Pretensioner System Warning Light*17-33
Low Fuel Warning Light7-33
Check Fuel Cap Warning Light*17-33
Seat Belt Warning Light7-33
Door-Ajar Warning Light7-33
*Low Washer Fluid Level Warning Light7-33
*Tire Pressure Monitoring System Warning Light*17-33
(Red)
KEY Warning Light*17-33
*Lane Departure Warning System (LDWS) Warning Light*1Illuminated 7-33
Flashing 4-63
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4–18
When Driving
Instrument Cluster and Display
*Some models.
SignalWarning LightsPage
(Amber)
*High Beam Control System (HBC) Warning Light*17-33
LED Headlight Warning Light7-33
*1 The light turns on when the ignition is switched on for an operation che\
ck, and turns off a few seconds later or when the engine is started. If the light does not turn on or remains tur\
ned on, have the vehicle inspected at an Authorized Mazda Dealer.*2 The light turns on continuously when the parking brake is applied.
Indicator Lights
These lights turn on or flash to notify the user of the system operation status or a system
malfunction.
SignalIndicator LightsPage
*Blind Spot Monitoring (BSM) OFF Indicator Light*14-79
*Lane Departure Warning System (LDWS) OFF Indicator Light*14-72
(Green)
KEY Indicator Light3-8
(Green)
*High Beam Control System (HBC) Indicator Light4-68
*Wrench Indicator Light*14-20
TCS/DSC Indicator Light*14-56, 4-57
DSC OFF Indicator Light*14-58
(Blue)Low Engine Coolant Temperature Indicator Light4-20
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4–19
When Driving
Instrument Cluster and Display
*Some models.
SignalIndicator LightsPage
Shift Position Indication4-25
Headlight High-Beam Indicator Light4-38, 4-38
Turn Signal/Hazard Warning Indicator Lights4-40, 4-46
Security Indicator Light*13-40
(Amber)
*Cruise Main Indicator Light4-90
(Green)
*Cruise Set Indicator Light4-90
*Select Mode Indication4-62
Lights-On Indicator Light4-35
*Passenger Air Bag Deactivation Indicator Light*12-37
*1 The light turns on when the ignition is switched on for an operation che\
ck, and turns off a few seconds later or when the engine is started. If the light does not turn on or remains tur\
ned on, have the vehicle inspected at an Authorized Mazda Dealer.
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4–20
When Driving
Instrument Cluster and Display
*Some models.
Wrench Indicator Light*
When the ignition is switched ON, the
wrench indicator light is illuminated and
then turns off after a few seconds.
The wrench indicator light is illuminated
when the preset maintenance period
arrives. Verify the content and perform
maintenance.
Refer to Maintenance Monitor on page
6-20.
Low Engine Coolant Temperature
Indicator Light (Blue)
The light illuminates continuously when
the engine coolant temperature is low and
turns off after the engine is warm.
If the low engine coolant temperature
indicator light remains illuminated after
the engine has been sufficiently warmed
up, the temperature sensor could have
a malfunction. Consult an Authorized
Mazda Dealer.
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4–21
When Driving
Transmission
Manual Transmission
Operation
Manual Transmission Shift Pattern
Neutral position
The shift pattern of the transmission is
conventional, as shown.
Depress the clutch pedal all the way down
while shifting; then release it slowly.
Your vehicle is equipped with a device to
prevent shifting to R (reverse) by mistake.
Push the shift lever downward and shift
to R.
WARNING
Do not use sudden engine braking on
slippery road surfaces or at high speeds:
Shifting down while driving on wet,
snowy, or frozen roads, or while driving
at high speeds causes sudden engine
braking, which 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.
Always leave the shift lever in 1 or R
position and set the parking brake when
leaving the vehicle unattended:
Otherwise the vehicle could move and
cause an accident.
CAUTION
 Keep your foot off the clutch pedal
except when shifting gears. Also, do not
use the clutch to hold the vehicle on an
upgrade. Riding the clutch will cause
needless clutch wear and damage. Do not apply any excessive lateral
force to the shift lever when changing
from 5th to 4th gear. This could lead to
the accidental selection of 2nd gear,
which could result in damage to the
transmission. Make sure the vehicle comes to a
complete stop before shifting to R.
Shifting to R while the vehicle is still
moving may damage the transmission.
NOTE
If shifting to R is difficult, shift back into
neutral, release the clutch pedal, and try
again.
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4–22
When Driving
Transmission
Gear Shift Indicator
The gear shift indicator supports you to
obtain optimum fuel economy and smooth
driving. It displays the selected gear
position in the instrument cluster as well
as notifies the driver to change to the most
suitable gear position corresponding to the
actual driving condition.
Selected gear positionSuitable gear position
IndicationCondition
NumeralThe selected gear position is displayed.
and numeralShift up or down to the indicated gear position is recommended.
CAUTION
Do not rely solely on the shift-up/
shift-down recommendations by
indications. The actual driving
situation might require shift operations
different from indication. To avoid the
risk of accidents, the road and traffic
conditions have to be judged correctly
by the driver before shifting.
NOTE
The gear shift indicator turns off when the
following operations are performed.
 The vehicle is stopped. The vehicle is put in neutral. The vehicle is driven in reverse. The clutch is not fully engaged when
accelerating from a stop. The clutch pedal remains depressed for
2 seconds or longer while driving.
Recommendations for Shifting
Upshifting
For normal acceleration, Mazda
recommends these shift points:
GearVehicle speed
1 to 223 km/h (14 mph)
2 to 339 km/h (24 mph)
3 to 453 km/h (33 mph)
4 to 561 km/h (38 mph)
5 to 677 km/h (48 mph)
For cruising, Mazda recommends these
shift points:
GearVehicle speed
1 to 211 km/h (7 mph)
2 to 331 km/h (19 mph)
3 to 442 km/h (26 mph)
4 to 555 km/h (34 mph)
5 to 666 km/h (41 mph)
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4–23
When Driving
Transmission
Downshifting
When you must slow down in heavy traffic
or on a steep upgrade, downshift before
the engine starts to overwork. This reduces
the chance of stalling and gives better
acceleration when you need more speed.
On a steep downgrade, downshifting
helps maintain safe speed and prolongs
brake life.
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4–24
When Driving
Transmission
Automatic Transmission Controls
Lock-release button
Indicates the selector le ver can be shifted freely into an y position.
Indicates that you must hold in the lock-release b utton to shift.
Indicates that you must depress the brake pedal and hold in the lock-rel\
ease
b
utton to shift (The ignition must be switched ON).
Various Loc kouts:
NOTE
The Sport AT has an option that is not included in the traditional automatic transmi\
ssion
that gives the driver the option of selecting each gear instead of leavi\
ng it to the
transmission to shift gears. Even if you intend to use the automatic tra\
nsmission functions
as a traditional automatic, you should also be aware that you can inadvertently shift
into manual shift mode and an inappropriate gear may be retained as the vehicle speed
increases. If you notice the engine speed going higher or hear the engine racing, confirm
you have not accidentally slipped into manual shift mode (page 4-27).
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