2017 MAZDA MODEL MX-5 RF brakes

3–59
Before Driving
Driving Tips
Running-In
No special running-in is necessary, but
a few precautions in the ¿ rst 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
6-3 ) and have an expert repairer,
we recommend an Authorised Mazda
Repairer perform inspections and
servicing.
 


 Use the air conditioner only when
necessary.
 


 Slow down on rough roads.



 Keep the tyres properly inÀ ated.



 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.
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3–60
Before Driving
Driving Tips
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.
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 tyre
speed could cause the tyres 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
manoeuvring.
 


 Do not pump the brakes. Continue to
press down on the brake pedal.
  Refer to Antilock Brake System (ABS)
on page 4-86 .
 


 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.
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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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3–65
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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4–17
When Driving
Start/Stop Engine
NOTE
Engine restarts automatically while engine idling is stopped
Under the following conditions, the engine restarts automatically.
 
 The i-stop OFF switch is pressed until the beep sounds. 
 The ambient temperature is extremely high or low. 
(Manual Air-Conditioning)



 The airÀ ow mode dial of the air conditioner is in the ( ) position and the fan
control dial is in a position other than 0.
 


 The airÀ ow amount is the maximum airÀ ow amount. 

(Fully Automatic Air-Conditioning)



 The airÀ ow mode dial of the air conditioner is in the ( ) position.



 The temperature setting dial of the air conditioner is in the maximum heating or
maximum cooling (A/C ON) position.
 


 The cabin temperature differs greatly from the set temperature of the air conditioner. 

 The brakes are released slightly on a slope and the vehicle begins to move. 
 Two minutes have elapsed since the idling was stopped. 
 The battery power is depleted. 
(Automatic transmission)




 The accelerator pedal is depressed with the selector lever in the D or M (not in
second gear ¿ xed mode) position.




 The selector lever is shifted to the R position.



 The selector lever is shifted from N or P position to D or M (not in second gear ¿ xed
mode) position.
 


 The steering wheel is operated with the selector lever in the D or M (not in second
gear¿ xed mode) position.




 The selector lever is in the M position and the second gear ¿ xed mode is selected. 

(Retractable fastback model) The retractable fastback switch is operated. 
(Except European model)




(Manual transmission)
 With the shift lever in the neutral position, the driver's seat belt is unfastened and the
driver's door is opened.
 


(Automatic transmission)

 With the selector lever in the N or P position, the driver's seat belt is unfastened and
the driver's door is opened.
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4–22
When Driving
Start/Stop Engine
Vehicle Roll Prevention Function (Automatic transmission)
Vehicles with the i-stop function are equipped with a vehicle roll prevention function. This
function prevents the vehicle from rolling, such as when releasing the brake pedal while on
a slope under the following conditions:
 


 While engine idling is stopped (prevents the vehicle from rolling back)



 When the engine restarts after releasing the brake pedal (prevents the vehicle's sudden
movement due to vehicle creep), sudden movement of the vehicle is prevented by
controlling the brakes or the automatic transmission.
Release foot from brake pedal Vehicle brake force maintained
Engine restarted Acceleration
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4–23
When Driving
Start/Stop Engine
WARNING
Do not rely completely on the vehicle roll prevention function.
 
 The vehicle roll prevention function is a supplementary function which operates
for a maximum of four seconds after releasing the brake pedal and accelerating the
vehicle from an engine idling stop condition. Over reliance on the system may result
in an unexpected accident if the vehicle were to suddenly accelerate. Before starting
to drive the vehicle, always con¿ rm the safety of the surroundings and operate the
selector lever, brake pedal, and accelerator pedal appropriately. Note that the vehicle
may move suddenly depending on the vehicle's load or if it is towing something.
  Note that the vehicle may move suddenly after the vehicle roll prevention function is
released while the vehicle is under the following conditions:
 


 The selector lever is in the N position.



 If the selector lever is shifted to the N position and the brake pedal is released while
the i-stop function is operating, the brake force is gradually released. To accelerate
the vehicle, release the brake pedal after the engine restarts and shift the selector
lever to a position other than the N position.
NOTE
  When the vehicle is stopped on a steep grade, the vehicle roll prevention function does
not operate because engine idling is not stopped.
  The brake pedal response may change, sound may occur from the brakes, or the
brake pedal could vibrate from the operation of the vehicle roll prevention function.
However, this does not indicate a malfunction.
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4–53
When Driving
Transmission
NOTE
(With parking sensor system)
When the selector lever is shifted to the
R position with the ignition switched
ON, the parking sensor system is
activated and a beep sound is heard.
Refer to Parking Sensor System on page
4-148 .
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.
CAUTION
Do not shift into N when driving
the vehicle. Doing so can cause
transmission damage.
NOTE
Apply the parking brake or depress the
brake pedal before moving the selector
lever from N to prevent the vehicle from
moving unexpectedly.
D (Drive)
D is the normal driving position. From a
stop, the transmission will automatically
shift through a 6-gear sequence.
M (Manual)


M is the manual shift mode position. Gears
can be shifted up or down by operating the
selector lever. Refer to Manual Shift Mode
on page 4-55 .
Active Adaptive Shift (AAS)
Active Adaptive Shift (AAS)
automatically controls the transmission
shift points to best suit the road conditions
and driver input. This improves driving
feel. The transmission may switch to AAS
mode when driving up and down slopes,
cornering, driving at high elevations,
or depressing the accelerator pedal
quickly while the selector lever is in the
D position. Depending on the road and
driving conditions/vehicle operations, gear
shifting could be delayed or not occur,
however, this does not indicate a problem
because the AAS mode will maintain the
optimum gear position.
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