2017 MAZDA MX5 MIATA engine overheat

3 –53 Before Driving
Driving Tips
Rocking the Vehicle WARNING Do not spin the wheels at more than
56 km/h (35 mph), 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 tire could overheat and
explode. This could cause serious
injuries.
CAUTION Too much rocking may cause engine
overheating, transmission failure, and
tire 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 tire
chains, window scraper, flares, a small
shovel, jumper cables, and a small bag of
sand or salt.
Ask an Authorized Mazda Dealer to check
the following: 
Have the proper ratio of antifreeze in the
radiator.
Refer to Engine Coolant on page
6-29 . 
Inspect the battery and its cables. Cold
reduces battery capacity. 
Use an engine oil appropriate for the
lowest ambient temperatures that the
vehicle will be driven in (page 6-27 ).
Inspect the ignition system for damage
and loose connections. 
Use washer fluid made with antifreeze—
but do not use engine coolant antifreeze
for washer fluid (page 6-31 ).
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 windshield is dangerous as it
could obstruct vision. 
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
windshield. 
Never use warm or hot water for
removing snow or ice from windows and
mirrors as it could result in the glass
cracking.
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4 –13 When Driving
Instrument Cluster and DisplayNOTE 
(Vehicles with type B audio)
If the fuel economy data is reset using
the fuel economy monitor, or trip A
is reset using the trip meter when the
function which synchronizes the fuel
economy monitor and the trip meter is
on, the fuel economy data and trip A are
reset simultaneously.
Refer to Fuel Economy Monitor on page
4-69 . 
Only the trip meters record tenths of
kilometers (miles). 
The trip record will be erased when: 
The power supply is interrupted
(blown fuse or the battery is
disconnected). 
The vehicle is driven over 9999.9 km
(mile).
TachometerThe tachometer shows engine speed in
thousands of revolutions per minute (rpm).
CAUTION Do not run the engine with the
tachometer needle in the RED ZONE.
This may cause severe engine damage. Striped zone
Red zone NOTE
When the tachometer needle enters the
STRIPED ZONE, this indicates to the
driver that the gears should be shifted
before entering the RED ZONE.
Engine Coolant Temperature
Gauge (Without Multi-information
Display) Indicates engine coolant temperature.
CAUTION If the high engine coolant temperature
warning light (red) turns on, there is
a possibility of overheating. Park the
vehicle in a safe place immediately
and take appropriate measures. If the
vehicle continues to be driven, it could
cause damage to the engine.
Refer to Overheating on page 7-27 .
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4 –21 When Driving
Instrument Cluster and Display Engine Coolant Temperature
GaugeDisplays the engine coolant temperature.
The blue gauge indicates that the engine
coolant temperature is low, and the red
gauge indicates that the engine coolant
temperature is high and overheating.
CAUTION If the high engine coolant temperature
warning light (red) turns on, there is
a possibility of overheating. Park the
vehicle in a safe place immediately
and take appropriate measures. If the
vehicle continues to be driven, it could
cause damage to the engine.
Refer to Overheating on page 7-27 .
NOTE 
The temperature unit (Centigrade/
Fahrenheit) of the engine coolant gauge
display changes in conjunction with
the temperature unit of the outside
temperature display.
Refer to Personalization Features on
page 9-9 .
During normal driving, the engine
coolant temperature stabilizes at
100 °C (210 °F) or less, and the gauge
indicates a range lower than 100 °C
(210 °F). 
If the engine load increases and the
engine coolant temperature exceeds
100 °C (210 °F), the gauge indicates the
engine coolant temperature. Fuel Gauge The fuel gauge shows approximately
how much fuel is remaining in the tank
when the ignition is switched ON. We
recommend keeping the tank over 1/4 full. Full
1/4 Full
Empty
If the fuel level is low, ( ) and ( ) turn an
amber color. Refuel as soon as possible.
Refer to Taking Action on page 7-41 .
NOTE 
After refueling, it may require some
time for the indicator to stabilize. In
addition, the indicator may deviate
while driving on a slope or curve since
the fuel moves in the tank. 
The display indicating a quarter or less
remaining fuel has more segments to
show the remaining fuel level in greater
detail. 
The direction of the arrow ( ) indicates
that the fuel-filler lid is on the left side
of the vehicle.
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4 –44 When Driving
Transmission NOTE 
The accelerator pedal may initially feel
heavy as it is being depressed, then feel
lighter as it is depressed further. This
change in pedal force aids the engine
control system in determining how
much the accelerator pedal has been
depressed for performing kickdown,
and functions to control whether or not
kickdown should be performed. 
While the selector lever is in the M
position and the DSC is turned off,
manual shift mode does not switch
to automatic shift mode even if the
accelerator pedal is completely
depressed. Operate the selector lever.
Climbing steep grades from a stop
To climb a steep grade from a stopped
position:
1. Depress the brake pedal.
2. Shift to D or M1, depending on the
load weight and grade steepness.
3. Release the brake pedal while gradually
accelerating.
Descending steep grades
When descending a steep grade, shift to
lower gears, depending on load weight and
grade steepness. Descend slowly, using the
brakes only occasionally to prevent them
from overheating.
MX-5_8FR4-EA-16J_Edition1.indb 44 2016/08/11 20:28:52

4 –61 When Driving
Brake
Brake System Foot BrakeThis vehicle has power-assisted brakes
that adjust automatically through normal
use.
Should power-assist fail, you can stop by
applying greater force than normal to the
brake pedal. But the distance required to
stop will be greater than usual.
WARNING Do not coast with the engine stalled or
turned off, find a safe place to stop:
Coasting with the engine stalled or
turned off is dangerous. Braking will
require more effort, and the brake's
power-assist could be depleted if
you pump the brake. This will cause
longer stopping distances or even an
accident.
Shift to a lower gear when going down
steep hills:
Driving with your foot continuously on
the brake pedal or steadily applying
the brakes for long distances is
dangerous. This causes overheated
brakes, resulting in longer stopping
distances or even total brake failure.
This could cause loss of vehicle
control and a serious accident. Avoid
continuous application of the brakes. 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 with your foot held on the
clutch pedal or brake pedal, or hold
the clutch pedal depressed halfway
unnecessarily. Doing so could result in
the following: 
The clutch and brake parts will wear
out more quickly. 
The brakes can overheat and
adversely affect brake performance. 
Always depress the brake pedal with
the right foot. Applying the brakes with
the unaccustomed left foot could slow
your reaction time to an emergency
situation resulting in insufficient braking
operation.


Wear shoes appropriate for driving in
order to avoid your shoe contacting
the brake pedal when depressing the
accelerator pedal.
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5 –7 Interior Features
Climate Control SystemRear window defogger switch
Press the rear window defogger switch to
defrost the rear window.
Refer to Rear Window Defogger on page
4-55 .
Heating1. Set the mode selector dial to the
position.
2. Set the air intake selector to the outside
air position (indicator light turns off).
3. Set the temperature control dial to the
hot position.
4. Set the fan control dial to the desired
speed.
5. If dehumidified heating is desired, turn
on the air conditioner.
NOTE 
If the windshield fogs up easily, set the
mode selector dial to the position.
If cooler air is desired at face level, set
the mode selector dial at the position
and adjust the temperature control dial
to maintain maximum comfort. 
The air to the floor is warmer than air
to the face (except when the temperature
control dial is set at the extreme hot or
cold position).
Cooling (With air conditioner)
1. Set the mode selector dial to the
position.
2. Set the temperature control dial to the
cold position.
3. Set the fan control dial to the desired
speed.
4. Turn on the air conditioner by pressing
the A/C switch.
5. After cooling begins, adjust the fan
control dial and temperature control
dial as needed to maintain maximum
comfort. CAUTION If the air conditioner is used while
driving up long hills or in heavy
traffic, monitor the engine coolant
temperature warning light to see if it is
illuminated or flashing (page 4-18 ).
The air conditioner may cause engine
overheating. If the warning light is
illuminated or flashing, turn the air-
conditioning off (page 7-27 ).
NOTE 
When maximum cooling is desired,
set the temperature control dial to the
extreme cold position and set the air
intake selector to the recirculated air
position, then turn the fan control dial
fully clockwise. 
If warmer air is desired at floor level,
set the mode selector dial at the
position and adjust the temperature
control dial to maintain maximum
comfort. 
The air to the floor is warmer than air
to the face (except when the temperature
control dial is set at the extreme hot or
cold position).
Ventilation
1. Set the mode selector dial to the
position.
2. Set the air intake selector to the outside
air position (indicator light turns off).
3. Set the temperature control dial to the
desired position.
4. Set the fan control dial to the desired
speed.
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7 –1 *Some models.7 If 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 in Multi-
information Display *
.................... 7-45
Message Indicated on Display
..... 7-46
Warning Sound is Activated
......... 7-48
When Trunk Lid Cannot be
Opened
............................................... 7-52
When Trunk Lid Cannot be
Opened
......................................... 7-52
When the Roof Cannot be Closed .... 7-57
When the Roof Cannot be
Closed
.......................................... 7-57
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7 –27 If Trouble Arises
Overheating
OverheatingIf the high engine coolant temperature
warning light turns on, the vehicle loses
power, or you hear a loud knocking or
pinging noise, the engine is probably too
hot.
WARNING Pull over to a safe location, then
switch the ignition off and make sure
the fan is not running before attempting
to work near the cooling fan:
Working near the cooling fan when it
is running is dangerous. The fan could
continue running indefinitely even if
the engine has stopped and the engine
compartment temperature is high. You
could be hit by the fan and seriously
injured.
Do not remove either cooling
system cap when the engine and
radiator are hot:
When the engine and radiator are hot,
scalding coolant and steam may shoot
out under pressure and cause serious
injury.
Open the hood ONLY after steam is no
longer escaping from the engine:
Steam from an overheated engine is
dangerous. The escaping steam could
seriously burn you. If the high engine coolant temperature
warning light turns on:
1. Drive safely to the side of the road and
park off the right-of-way.
2. Put a vehicle with an automatic
transmission in park (P), a manual
transmission in neutral.
3. Apply the parking brake.
4. Turn off the air conditioner.
5. Check whether coolant or steam is
escaping from the engine compartment.

If steam is coming from the engine
compartment:
Do not go near the front of the vehicle.
Stop the engine.
Wait until the steam dissipates, then
open the hood and start the engine.

If neither coolant nor steam is
escaping:
Open the hood and idle the engine until
it cools.
CAUTION If the cooling fan does not operate
while the engine is running, the engine
temperature will increase. Stop the
engine and call an Authorized Mazda
Dealer.
6. Make sure the cooling fan is operating,
then turn off the engine after the
temperature has decreased.
7. When cool, check the coolant level.
If it is low, look for coolant leaks from
the radiator and hoses.
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