2016 MAZDA MODEL MX-5 warning

6–58
Maintenance and Care
Appearance Care
Water Marks
Occurrence
Rain, fog, dew, and even tap water can
contain harmful minerals such as salt and
lime. If moisture containing these minerals
settles on the vehicle and evaporates, the
minerals will concentrate and harden to
form white rings. The rings can damage
your vehicle's finish.
Prevention
It is necessary to wash and wax your
vehicle to preserve its finish according to
the instructions in this section. These steps
should be taken immediately after you find
water marks on your vehicle's finish.
Paint Chipping
Occurrence
Paint chipping occurs when gravel thrown
in the air by another vehicle's tires hits
your vehicle.
How to avoid paint chipping
Keeping a safe distance between you and
the vehicle ahead reduces the chances
of having your paint chipped by flying
gravel.
NOTE
 The paint chipping zone varies with the
speed of the vehicle. For example, when
traveling at 90 km/h (56 mph), the paint
chipping zone is 50 m (164 ft). In low temperatures a vehicle's finish
hardens. This increases the chance of
paint chipping. Chipped paint can lead to rust forming
on your Mazda. Before this happens,
repair the damage by using Mazda
touch-up paint according to the
instructions in this section. Failure to
repair the affected area could lead to
serious rusting and expensive repairs.
Follow all label and container directions
when using a chemical cleaner or polish.
Read all warnings and cautions.
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6–60
Maintenance and Care
Appearance Care
To minimize scratches on the vehicle's
paint finish:
 Rinse off any dirt or other foreign matter
using lukewarm or cold water before
washing. Use plenty of lukewarm or cold water
and a soft cloth when washing the
vehicle. Do not use a nylon cloth. Rub gently when washing or drying the
vehicle. Take your vehicle only to a car wash
that keeps its brushes well maintained. Do not use abrasive cleansers or wax
that contain abrasives.
CAUTION
Do not use steel wool, abrasive
cleaners, or strong detergents
containing highly alkaline or caustic
agents on chrome-plated or anodized
aluminum parts. This may damage the
protective coating; also, cleaners and
detergents may discolor or deteriorate
the paint.
Pay special attention to removing salt, dirt,
mud, and other foreign material from the
underside of the fenders, and make sure
the drain holes in the lower edges of the
doors and rocker panels are clean.
Insects, tar, tree sap, bird droppings,
industrial fallout, and similar deposits
can damage the finish if not removed
immediately. When prompt washing with
plain water is ineffective, use a mild soap
made for use on vehicles.
Thoroughly rinse off all soap with
lukewarm or cold water. Do not allow
soap to dry on the finish.
After washing the vehicle, dry it with a
clean chamois to prevent water spots from
forming.
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.
Waxing
Your vehicle needs to be waxed when
water no longer beads on the finish.
Always wash and dry the vehicle before
waxing it. In addition to the vehicle body,
wax the metal trim to maintain its luster.
1. Use wax which contains no abrasives.
Waxes containing abrasive will remove
paint and could damage bright metal
parts.
2. Use a good grade of natural wax for
metallic, mica, and solid colors.
3. When waxing, coat evenly with the
sponge supplied or a soft cloth.
4. Wipe off the wax with a soft cloth.
NOTE
A spot remover to remove oil, tar, and
similar materials will usually also take off
the wax. Rewax these areas even if the rest
of the vehicle does not need it.
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6–61
Maintenance and Care
Appearance Care
Repairing Damage to the Finish
Deep scratches or chips on the finish
should be repaired promptly. Exposed
metal quickly rusts and can lead to major
repairs.
CAUTION
If your Mazda is damaged and needs
metal parts repaired or replaced,
make sure the body shop applies anti-
corrosion materials to all parts, both
repaired and new. This will prevent
them from rusting.
Bright-Metal Maintenance
 Use tar remover to remove road tar and
insects. Never do this with a knife or
similar tool. To prevent corrosion on bright-
metal surfaces, apply wax or chrome
preservative and rub it to a high luster. During cold weather or in coastal areas,
cover bright-metal parts with a coating
of wax or preservative heavier than
usual. It would also help to coat them
with noncorrosive petroleum jelly or
some other protective compound.
CAUTION
Do not use steel wool, abrasive
cleaners, or strong detergents
containing highly alkaline or caustic
agents on chrome-plated or anodized
aluminum parts. This may result in
damage to the protective coating
and cause discoloration or paint
deterioration.
Underbody Maintenance
Road chemicals and salt used for ice and
snow removal and solvents used for dust
control may collect on the underbody. If
not removed, they will speed up rusting
and deterioration of such underbody parts
as fuel lines, frame, floor pan, and exhaust
system, even though these parts may be
coated with anti-corrosive material.
Thoroughly flush the underbody and wheel
housings with lukewarm or cold water at
the end of each winter. Try also to do this
every month.
Pay special attention to these areas
because they easily hide mud and dirt.
It will do more harm than good to wet
down the road grime without removing
it.
The lower edges of doors, rocker panels,
and frame members have drain holes that
should not be clogged. Water trapped there
will cause rusting.
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.
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6–64
Maintenance and Care
Appearance Care
Plastic Part Maintenance
 When cleaning the plastic lenses of the
lights, do not use gasoline, kerosene,
rectified spirit, paint, thinner, highly
acidic detergents, or strongly alkaline
detergents. Otherwise, these chemical
agents can discolor or damage the
surfaces resulting in a significant loss
in functionality. If plastic parts become
inadvertently exposed to any of these
chemical agents, flush with water
immediately. If plastic parts such as the bumpers
become inadvertently exposed to
chemical agents or fluids such as
gasoline, oil, engine coolant, or battery
fluid, it could cause discoloration,
staining, or paint peeling. Wipe off any
such chemical agents or fluids using a
soft cloth immediately. High water temperature and high water
pressure car washers are available
depending on the type of high pressure
car washer device. If the car washer
nozzle is put too close to the vehicle or
aimed at one area for an extended period
of time, it could deform plastic parts or
damage the paint. Do not use wax containing compounds
(polish). Otherwise, it could result in
paint damage. In addition, do not use an electrical or
air tool to apply wax. Otherwise, the
frictional heat generated could result
in deformation of plastic parts or paint
damage.
Interior Care
WARNING
Do not spray water in the cabin:
Splashing water on electrical parts
such as the audio unit and switches
is dangerous as it could cause a
malfunction or a fire.
Dashboard Precautions
Prevent caustic solutions such as perfume
and cosmetic oils from contacting the
dashboard. They will damage and discolor
the dashboard. If these solutions get on the
dashboard, wipe them off immediately.
CAUTION
Do not use glazing agents.
Glazing agents contain ingredients
which may cause discoloration,
wrinkling, cracks and peeling.
Instrument panel top
 When cleaning, it is recommended that
you use a clean towel dampened in a
mild detergent to remove soiling. If the surface is rubbed harshly, it could
result in the surface being damaged
leaving white scratch marks.
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6–66
Maintenance and Care
Appearance Care
Panel
When the interior panels need to be
cleaned, use soft material such as a soft
cloth soaked in clean water and wrung
out well and lightly wipe off dirt from
the surface. If a panel requires further
cleaning, use the following procedure.
1. Wipe dirt off using a soft cloth soaked
in mild detergent (about 5% solution).
2. Wipe off any remaining detergent
using a cloth soaked in clean water and
wrung out well.
NOTE
 Do not wipe leather parts using alcohol,
chlorine bleach, or organic solvents
such as thinner, benzene, or gasoline.
Otherwise, it may cause discoloration
or stains. Scratches or nicks on the panels and
metallic trim resulting from the use
of a hard brush or cloth may not be
repairable. Be particularly careful when cleaning
high lustre panels and metallic trim as
they can be easily scratched.
Cleaning the Lap/Shoulder Belt
Webbing
Clean the webbing with a mild soap
solution recommended for upholstery or
carpets. Follow instructions. Do not bleach
or dye the webbing; this may weaken it.
After cleaning the belts, thoroughly dry
the belt webbing and make sure there is no
remaining moisture before retracting them.
WARNING
Have an Authorized Mazda Dealer
replace damaged seat belts
immediately:
Using damaged seat belts is
dangerous. In a collision, damaged
belts cannot provide adequate
protection.
Cleaning the Window Interiors
If the windows become covered with an
oily, greasy, or waxy film, clean them with
glass cleaner. Follow the directions on the
container.
CAUTION
 Do not scrape or scratch the inside of
the window glass. It could damage the
thermal filaments. When washing the inside of the window
glass, use a soft cloth dampened in
lukewarm water, gently wiping the
thermal filaments.
Use of glass cleaning products could
damage the thermal filaments.
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6–67
Maintenance and Care
Appearance Care
Cleaning the Floor Mats
Rubber floor mats should be cleaned with
mild soap and water only.
WARNING
Do not use rubber cleaners, such as tire
cleaner or tire shine, when cleaning
rubber floor mats:
Cleaning the rubber floor mats with
rubber cleaning products makes the
floor mats slippery.
This may cause an accident when
depressing the accelerator, brake, or
clutch (Manual transmission) pedal or
when getting in or out of the vehicle.
After removing the floor mats for cleaning,
always reinstall them securely (page
3-44).
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7–1*Some models.
7If Trouble Arises
Helpful information on what to do if a problem arises with the vehicle.
Parking in an Emergency ..................................................................7-2
Parking in an Emergency ..............................................................7-2
Flat Tire........................................................................\
.......................7-3
Tool Storage ........................................................................\
..........7-3
Emergency Flat Tire Repair Kit ....................................................7-5
Changing a Tire ........................................................................\
...7-16
Battery Runs Out ........................................................................\
.....7-23
Jump-Starting ........................................................................\
......7-23
Emergency Starting ........................................................................\
.7-26
Starting a Flooded Engine ...........................................................7-26
Push-Starting ........................................................................\
.......7-26
Overheating ........................................................................\
..............7-27
Overheating ........................................................................\
.........7-27
When Fuel-Filler Lid Cannot be Opened ......................................7-29
When Fuel-Filler Lid Cannot be Opened ....................................7-29
Emergency Towing ........................................................................\
...7-30
Towing Description .....................................................................7-30
Tiedown Hooks* ........................................................................\
..7-31
Warning/Indicator Lights and Warning Sounds ...........................7-33
If a Warning Light Turns On or Flashes......................................7-33
Message Indicated on Display ....................................................7-43
Warning Sound is Activated ........................................................7-45
When Trunk Lid Cannot be Opened ..............................................7-49
When Trunk Lid Cannot be Opened ...........................................7-49
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7–2
If Trouble Arises
Parking in an Emergency
Parking in an Emergency
The hazard warning lights should always
be used when you stop on or near a
roadway in an emergency.
The hazard warning lights warn other
drivers that your vehicle is a traffic hazard
and that they must take extreme caution
when near it.
Depress the hazard warning flasher and
all the turn signals will flash. The hazard
warning indicator lights in the instrument
cluster flash simultaneously.
NOTE
 The turn signals do not work when the
hazard warning lights are on. Check local regulations about the use of
hazard warning lights while the vehicle
is being towed to verify that it is not in
violation of the law.
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