2017 MAZDA MX5 MIATA brake

4 –10 When Driving
Start/Stop Engine
Turning the Engine Off WARNINGDo not stop the engine while the vehicle
is moving:
Stopping the engine while the vehicle
is moving for any reason other than in
an emergency is dangerous. Stopping
the engine while the vehicle is moving
will result in reduced braking ability
due to the loss of power braking, which
could cause an accident and serious
injury.
1. Stop the vehicle completely.
2. (Manual transmission)
Shift into neutral and set the parking
brake.
(Automatic transmission)
Shift the selector lever to the P position
and set the parking brake.
3. Press the push button start to turn off
the engine. The ignition position is off.
CAUTION When leaving the vehicle, make sure
the push button start is off. NOTE 
The cooling fan in the engine
compartment could turn on for a few
minutes after the ignition is switched
from ON to OFF, whether or not the
A/C is on or off, to cool the engine
compartment quickly. 
When the push button start is pressed
from ON to ACC or OFF, the KEY
indicator light (green) may flash for
approximately 30 seconds indicating
that the remaining battery power of the
key is low.
Replace with a new battery before the
key becomes unusable.
Refer to Key Battery Replacement on
page 6-38 . 
(Automatic transmission)
If the engine is turned off while the
selector lever is in a position other than
P, the ignition switches to ACC.
Emergency Engine Stop Continuously pressing the push button
start or quickly pressing it any number of
times while the engine is running or the
vehicle is being driven will turn the engine
off immediately. The ignition switches to
ACC.
MX-5_8FR4-EA-16J_Edition1.indb 10 2016/08/11 20:28:42

4 –26 When Driving
Instrument Cluster and Display
*Some models.Warning/Indicator LightsInstrument Cluster varies depending on model and specifications.
Center of Dashboar d
Warning/Indicator lights will appear in any of the highlighted areasType A
(With Multi-information Display) Type B
(Without Multi-information Display)Instrument Cluster
Warning Indication/Warning LightsThese lights turn on or flash to notify the user of the system o peration status or a system
malfunction. Signal Warning Lights Page
Brake System Warning Light *1*2
7-33
Charging System Warning Indication/Warning Light *1
7-33
Engine Oil Warning Light *1
7-33
(Red) High Engine Coolant Temperature Warning Indication/Warning
Light *1
7-33
Power Steering Malfunction Indicator Light *1
7-33*
Master Warning Indication/Warning Light *1
7-36
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4 –27 When Driving
Instrument Cluster and Display
*Some models.Signal Warning Lights Page
Electric Vacuum Pump Warning Light *1
7-36
ABS Warning Light *1
Electronic Brake Force
Distribution System
Warning
7-33
ABS warning
7-36
Check Engine Light *1
7-36*
Automatic Transmission Warning Indication/Warning Light *1
7-36
Air Bag/Seat Belt Pretensioner System Warning Light *1
7-36*
Tire Pressure Monitoring System Warning Light *1
Flashing
7-36
Illuminate
7-41
(Red) *
KEY Warning Indication/Warning Light *1
Malfunction
7-36
Except malfunction
7-41
(Amber) *
KEY Warning Indication 7-36*
Lane Departure Warning System (LDWS) Warning Indication/
Warning Light *1
Illuminated
7-36
Flashing
4-83
(Amber) *
High Beam Control System (HBC) Warning Indication/
Warning Light *1
7-36*
Blind Spot Monitoring (BSM) Warning Indication 7-36*
Retractable Fastback Warning Indication 7-36
LED Headlight Warning Light *1
7-36
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4 –28 When Driving
Instrument Cluster and Display
*Some models.Signal Warning Lights Page
Seat Belt Warning Light 7-41*
Door-Ajar Warning Light 7-41*
Door-Ajar Warning Indication 7-41*
Trunk lid-Ajar Warning Indication 7-41*
Low Fuel Warning Indication/Warning Light 7-41
Check Fuel Cap Warning Light *1
7-41*
Low Washer Fluid Level Warning Indication/Warning Light 7-41
*1 The light turns on when the ignition is switched on for an operation check, and turns off a few seconds later or
when the engine is started. If the light does not turn on or remains turned on, have the vehicle inspected at an
Authorized Mazda Dealer.
*2 The light turns on continuously when the parking brake is applied.
Indication/Indicator Lights
These lights turn on or flash to notify the user of the system o peration status or a system
malfunction. Signal Indicator Lights Page*
Passenger Air Bag Deactivation Indicator Light *1
2-37
(White/Green) *
KEY Indicator/Indicator Light 3-8
MX-5_8FR4-EA-16J_Edition1.indb 28 2016/08/11 20:28:48

4 –31 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.
MX-5_8FR4-EA-16J_Edition1.indb 31 2016/08/11 20:28:49

4 –33 When Driving
TransmissionNOTE
The gear shift indicator turns off when the
following operations are performed. 
The vehicle is stopped. 
The vehicle is put in neutral. 
The vehicle is driven in reverse. 
The clutch is not fully engaged when
accelerating from a stop. 
The clutch pedal remains depressed for
2 seconds or longer while driving.
Recommendations for ShiftingUpshifting
For normal acceleration, Mazda
recommends these shift points: Gear Vehicle speed
1 to 2 23 km/h (14 mph)
2 to 3 39 km/h (24 mph)
3 to 4 53 km/h (33 mph)
4 to 5 61 km/h (38 mph)
5 to 6 77 km/h (48 mph)
For cruising, Mazda recommends these
shift points: Gear Vehicle speed
1 to 2 11 km/h (7 mph)
2 to 3 31 km/h (19 mph)
3 to 4 42 km/h (26 mph)
4 to 5 55 km/h (34 mph)
5 to 6 66 km/h (41 mph) Downshifting
When you must slow down in heavy traffic
or on a steep upgrade , downshift before
the engine starts to overwork. This reduces
the chance of stalling and gives better
acceleration when you need more speed.
On a steep downgrade , downshifting
helps maintain safe speed and prolongs
brake life.
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4 –34 When Driving
Transmission
Automatic Transmission Controls Lock-release button
Indicates the selector lever can be shifted freely into any position.
Indicates that you must hold in the lock-release button to shift.Indicates that you must depress the brake pedal and hold in the lock-release
button to shift (The ignition must be switched ON). V arious Lockouts:
NOTE
The Sport AT has an option that is not included in the traditional automatic transmission
that gives the driver the option of selecting each gear instead of leaving it to the
transmission to shift gears. Even if you intend to use the automatic transmission functions
as a traditional automatic, you should also be aware that you can inadvertently shift
into manual shift mode and an inappropriate gear may be retained as the vehicle speed
increases. If you notice the engine speed going higher or hear the engine racing, confirm
you have not accidentally slipped into manual shift mode (page 4-37 ).
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4 –35 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 LightThe warning light turns on when the
system has a malfunction.
Refer to Warning Indication/Warning
Lights on page 4-26 .
Transmission Ranges 
The shift position indicator light in the
instrument cluster illuminates. Refer to
Warning/Indicator Lights on page
4-26 . 
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 3-53 ).
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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