2016 MAZDA MODEL MX-5 warning

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.
MX-5_8EU4-EA-15D_Edition1.indb 192015/03/10 9:55:03

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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4–25
When Driving
Transmission
Shift Position Indication
The selector position is indicated when the
ignition is switched ON.
Gear position indication
In manual shift mode, the “M” of the shift
position indication illuminates and the
numeral for the selected gear is displayed.
Warning Light
The warning light turns on when the
system has a malfunction.
Refer to Warning Lights on page 4-16.
Transmission Ranges
 The shift position indicator light in the
instrument cluster illuminates. Refer to
Warning/Indicator Lights on page
4-16. The selector lever must be in P or N to
operate the starter.
P (Park)
P locks the transmission and prevents the
rear wheels from rotating.
WARNING
Always set the selector lever to P and set
the parking brake:
Only setting the selector lever to the
P position without using the parking
brake to hold the vehicle is dangerous.
If P fails to hold, the vehicle could move
and cause an accident.
CAUTION
 Shifting into P, N or R while the vehicle is
moving can damage your transmission. Shifting into a driving gear or reverse
when the engine is running faster than
idle can damage the transmission.
R (Reverse)
In position R, the vehicle moves only
backward. You must be at a complete
stop before shifting to or from R, except
under rare circumstances as explained in
Rocking the Vehicle (page 3-45).
N (Neutral)
In N, the wheels and transmission are not
locked. The vehicle will roll freely even
on the slightest incline unless the parking
brake or brakes are on.
WARNING
If the engine is running faster than idle,
do not shift from N or P into a driving
gear:
It's dangerous to shift from N or P
into a driving gear when the engine
is running faster than idle. If this is
done, the vehicle could move suddenly,
causing an accident or serious injury.
Do not shift into N when driving the
vehicle:
Shifting into N while driving is
dangerous. Engine braking cannot
be applied when decelerating which
could lead to an accident or serious
injury.
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4–28
When Driving
Transmission
*Some models.
Manually shifting up
You can shift gears up by operating the
shift lever or the steering shift switches*.
M1 → M2 → M3 → M4 → M5 → M6
Using selector lever
To shift up to a higher gear, tap the shift
lever back once.
Using steering shift switch*
To shift up to a higher gear with the
steering shift switches, pull the UP switch
() toward you once with your
fingers.
UP switch (+/OFF)
WARNING
Keep your hands on the steering wheel
rim when using fingers on the steering
shift switches:
Putting your hands inside the rim of
the steering wheel when using the
steering shift switches is dangerous.
If the driver's air bag were to deploy
in a collision, your hands could be
impacted causing injury.
NOTE
 When driving slowly, the gears may not
shift up. In manual shift mode, do not run the
engine with the tachometer needle in
the RED ZONE. When the engine rpm is
high, a gear may shift up automatically
to protect the engine. When depressing the accelerator fully,
the transmission will shift to a lower
gear, depending on vehicle speed. The steering shift switch can be used
temporarily even if the selector lever is
in the D position while driving. In
addition, it returns to automatic shift
mode when the UP switch () is
pulled rearward for a sufficient amount
of time.
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4–29
When Driving
Transmission
*Some models.
Manually shifting down
You can shift gears down by operating the
shift lever or the steering shift switches*.
M6 → M5 → M4 → M3 → M2→ M1
Using selector lever
To shift down to a lower gear, tap the
selector lever forward once.
Using steering shift switch*
To shift down to a lower gear with the
steering shift switches, pull the DOWN
switch toward you once with your
fingers.
DOWN switch (-)
WARNING
Do not use 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.
Keep your hands on the steering wheel
rim when using fingers on the steering
shift switches:
Putting your hands inside the rim of
the steering wheel when using the
steering shift switches is dangerous.
If the driver's air bag were to deploy
in a collision, your hands could be
impacted causing injury.
NOTE
 When driving at high speeds, the gear
may not shift down. During deceleration, the gear may
automatically shift down depending on
vehicle speed. When depressing the accelerator fully,
the transmission will shift to a lower
gear, depending on vehicle speed.
MX-5_8EU4-EA-15D_Edition1.indb 292015/03/10 9:55:06

4–33
When Driving
Transmission
*Some models.
Direct Mode*
Direct mode can be used for temporarily
switching gears by operating the steering
shift switch while the vehicle is being
driven with the selector lever in the D
range.
While in direct mode, the D and M
indication illuminate and the gear position
in use is illuminated.
Direct mode is canceled (released) under
the following conditions.
 The UP switch () is pulled
rearward for a certain amount of time or
longer. The vehicle is driven for a certain
amount of time or longer (time differs
depending on the driving conditions
while operating). The vehicle is stopped or moving at a
slow speed.
Gear position indication
Direct mode indication
NOTE
Shifting up and down while in direct mode
may not be possible depending on the
vehicle speed. In addition, because direct
mode is canceled (released) depending
on the rate of acceleration or if the
accelerator is fully depressed, use of the
manual shift mode is recommended if you
need to drive the vehicle in a particular
gear for long periods.
Driving Tips
WARNING
Do not let the vehicle move in a
direction opposite to the direction
selected by the selector lever:
Do not let the vehicle move backward
with the selector lever in a forward
position, or do not let the vehicle
move forward with the selector lever
in the reverse position. Otherwise, the
engine may stop, causing the loss of
the power brake and power steering
functions, and make it difficult to
control the vehicle which could result
in an accident.
Passing
For extra power when passing another
vehicle or climbing steep grades, depress
the accelerator fully. The transmission will
shift to a lower gear, depending on vehicle
speed.
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