2017 MAZDA MODEL MX-5 RF Owners Manual (in English)

3–61
Before Driving
Driving Tips
Floor Mat
We recommend the use of Genuine
MazdaÀ oor mats.
WARNING
Make sure the À oor mats are secured
with the grommets or the retainers to
prevent them from bunching up under
the foot pedals (Driver's side):
Using a À oor mat that is not secured is
dangerous as it will interfere with the
accelerator and brake pedal operation
(driver's side), which could result in an
accident.
Only use a À oor mat which conforms
to the shape of the À oor on the driver's
side and make sure it is oriented
correctly.
Secure the À oor mat using the
grommets or retainers.
There are various ways to secure À oor
mats depending on the type used,
therefore secure the mat according to
the type.
After installing the À oor mat, make
sure that it does not slide from side
to side or back and forth, and that
there is suf¿ cient clearance with the
accelerator and brake pedals on the
driver's side.
After removing the À oor mat for
cleaning or some other reason, always
securely reinstall it while paying
attention to the precautions just
mentioned.
WARNING
Do not install two À oor mats, one on
top of the other, on the driver's side:
Installing two À oor mats, one on top
of the other, on the driver's side is
dangerous as the retention pins can
only keep one À oor mat from sliding
forward.
Loose À oor mat(s) will interfere with
the foot pedals and could result in an
accident.
If using an all weather mat for winter
use always remove the original À oor
mat.
When setting a À oor mat, position the
À oor mat so that its grommets or retainers
are inserted over the pointed end of the
retention posts.
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3–62
Before Driving
Driving Tips
Rocking the Vehicle
WARNING
Do not spin the wheels at high speed,
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 tyre could overheat and
explode. This could cause serious
injuries.
CAUTION
Too much rocking may cause engine
overheating, transmission failure, and
tyre 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 tyre
chains, window scraper, À ares, a small
shovel, jumper leads, and a small bag of
sand or salt.
Ask an expert repairer, we recommend an
Authorised Mazda Repairer to check the
following:
 


 Have the proper ratio of antifreeze in the
radiator.
  Refer to Engine Coolant on page
6-20 .
 


 Inspect the battery and its leads. Cold
reduces battery capacity.
 


 Use an engine oil appropriate for the
lowest ambient temperatures that the
vehicle will be driven in (page 6-17 ).
 


 Inspect the ignition system for damage
and loose connections.
 


 Use washer À uid made with antifreeze—
but do not use engine coolant antifreeze
for washer À uid (page 6-23 ).
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3–63
Before Driving
Driving Tips
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 windscreen is dangerous
as it could obstruct vision. In
addition, if the vehicle is driven with
snow accumulated on the bonnet,
the active bonnet system may not
activate normally in an emergency.
  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 windscreen.
  Never use warm or hot water for
removing snow or ice from windows
and mirrors as it could result in the
glass cracking.
  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 Tyres
WARNING
Use only the same size and type tyres
(snow, radial, or non-radial) on all four
wheels:
Using tyres 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 tyres.
NOTE
If your vehicle is equipped with the tyre
pressure monitoring system (vehicle
with run-À at tyres), the system may not
function correctly when using tyres with
steel wire reinforcement in the sidewalls
(page 4-146 ).
Use snow tyres on all four wheels
Do not exceed the maximum permissible
speed for your snow tyres or legal speed
limits.
E u r o p e
When snow tyres are used, select the
speci¿ ed size and pressure (page 9-8 ).
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3–64
Before Driving
Driving Tips
Tyre Chains
Check local regulations before using tyre
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 roads that are
free of snow or ice. The tyres and
chains could be damaged.
  Chains may scratch or chip
aluminium wheels.
NOTE
If your vehicle is equipped with the tyre
pressure monitoring system, the system
may not function correctly when using
tyre chains.
Install the chains on the rear tyres only.
Do not use chains on the front tyres.
Tyre chain selection (Europe)
Mazda recommends hexagon type
steel ring chains. Select the proper type
according to your tyre size.
Tyre size Tyre chain
195/50R16 Hexagon type
205/45R17 Hexagon type
NOTE
Although Mazda recommends hexagon
type steel ring chains, all chains within
the installation speci¿ cations may be
used.
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3–65
Before Driving
Driving Tips
Installation speci¿ cation (Europe)
When installing tyre chains, the distance
between the tyre tread and the chain must
be within the prescribed limits in the
following table.
Distance [Unit: mm (in)]
A B
MAX 11 (0.43) MAX 11 (0.43)
Side viewCross section viewTyre A
B
Installing the chains
1. Secure the chains on the rear tyres 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).
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 À ooded
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 expert
repairer, we recommend an Authorised
Mazda Repairer.
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3–66
Before Driving
Towing
Towing Caravans and
Trailers
Your Mazda is not designed for towing.
Never tow a trailer with your Mazda.
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4–1*Some models.4–1
4When Driving



Information concerning safe driving and stopping.
Start/Stop Engine ................................ 4-4
Ignition Switch ............................... 4-4
Starting the Engine ......................... 4-5
Turning the Engine Off ................ 4-11
i-stop
* ........................................... 4-13
Instrument Cluster and Display ...... 4-24
Meters and Gauges ....................... 4-24
Multi-information Display and INFO
Switch
* ......................................... 4-33
Warning/Indicator Lights ............. 4-42
Transmission ...................................... 4-48
Manual Transmission
Operation ...................................... 4-48
Automatic Transmission
Controls ........................................ 4-51
Switches and Controls ...................... 4-63
Lighting Control ........................... 4-63
Rear Fog Light
* ............................ 4-70
Turn and Lane-change Signals ..... 4-71
Windscreen Wipers and
Washer .......................................... 4-72
Headlight Washer
* ........................ 4-77
Rear Window Defogger ............... 4-77
Horn ............................................. 4-79
Hazard Warning Flasher ............... 4-79
Brake .................................................. 4-81
Brake System ............................... 4-81
Emergency Stop Signal System ... 4-84
Hill Launch Assist (HLA) ............ 4-84 ABS/TCS/DSC ................................... 4-86
Antilock Brake System (ABS) ..... 4-86
Traction Control System (TCS) ... 4-87
Dynamic Stability Control
(DSC) ........................................... 4-88
i-ELOOP ............................................ 4-90
i-ELOOP
* ..................................... 4-90
Fuel Economy Monitor ..................... 4-93
Fuel Economy Monitor
* ............... 4-93
Drive Selection ................................... 4-97
Drive Selection
* ........................... 4-97
Power Steering................................... 4-99
Power Steering ............................. 4-99
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4–2*Some models.
i-ACTIVSENSE............................... 4-100
i-ACTIVSENSE *........................ 4-100
Adaptive Front Lighting System
(AFS)
* ........................................ 4-102
High Beam Control System
(HBC)
*........................................ 4-103
Lane Departure Warning System
(LDWS)
* .................................... 4-106
Blind Spot Monitoring (BSM)
System
* ....................................... 4-112
Rear Cross Traf¿ c Alert
(RCTA)
* ..................................... 4-119
Adjustable Speed Limiter * ......... 4-122
Forward Sensing Camera
(FSC)
* ......................................... 4-129
Radar Sensors (Rear) * ................ 4-132
Cruise Control ................................. 4-134
Cruise Control
* ........................... 4-134
Tyre Pressure Monitoring
System .............................................. 4-140
Tyre Pressure Monitoring System
(Vehicle with Conventional
Tyres)
* ........................................ 4-140
Tyre Pressure Monitoring System
(Vehicle with Run-À at Tyres)
* .... 4-144
Parking Sensor System ................... 4-148
Parking Sensor System
* ............. 4-148
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