3 –24 Before Driving
Fuel and Emission Engine Exhaust (Carbon monoxide)
WARNINGDo not drive your vehicle if you smell exhaust gas inside the vehicle:
Engine exhaust gas is dangerous. This gas contains carbon monoxide (CO), which is
colorless, odorless, and poisonous. When inhaled, it can cause loss of consciousness and
death. If you smell exhaust gas inside the vehicle, keep all windows fully open and contact
an Authorized Mazda Dealer immediately.
Do not run the engine when inside an enclosed area:
Running the engine inside an enclosed area, such as a garage, is dangerous. Exhaust
gas, which contains poisonous carbon monoxide, could easily enter the cabin. Loss of
consciousness or even death could occur.
Open the windows or adjust the heating or cooling system to draw fresh air when
idling the engine:
Exhaust gas is dangerous. When the vehicle is stopped with the windows closed and
the engine running for a long time even in an open area, exhaust gas, which contains
poisonous carbon monoxide, could enter the cabin. Loss of consciousness or even death
could occur.
Clear snow from underneath and around your vehicle, particularly the tail pipe, before
starting the engine:
Running the engine when a vehicle is stopped in deep snow is dangerous. The exhaust
pipe could be blocked by the snow, allowing exhaust gas to enter the cabin. Because
exhaust gas contains poisonous carbon monoxide, it could cause loss of consciousness or
even death to occupants in the cabin.
MX-5_8FR4-EA-16J_Edition1.indb 24 2016/08/11 20:28:32
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.
MX-5_8FR4-EA-16J_Edition1.indb 53 2016/08/11 20:28:39
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 .
MX-5_8FR4-EA-16J_Edition1.indb 13 2016/08/11 20:28:44
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.
MX-5_8FR4-EA-16J_Edition1.indb 21 2016/08/11 20:28:46
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 –60 When Driving
Switches and Controls 9. Return to the vehicle and firmly press,
hold for two seconds and release the
programmed HomeLink button. Repeat
the “ press/hold/release ” sequence a
second time, and, depending on the
brand of the garage door opener (or
other rolling code equipped device),
repeat this sequence a third time to
complete the programming process.
HomeLink should now activate your
rolling code equipped device.
NOTE
To program the remaining two HomeLink
buttons, begin with “Programming” —
step 1
For questions or comments, please contact
HomeLink at www.homelink.com or 1-
800-355-3515 .
Gate operator/Canadian
ProgrammingCanadian radio-frequency laws require
transmitter signals to “time-out” (or quit)
after several seconds of transmission
— which may not be long enough for
HomeLink to pick up the signal during
programming. Similar to this Canadian
law, some U.S. gate operators are designed
to “time-out” in the same manner.
If you live in Canada or you are having
difficulties programming a gate operator
by using the “Programming” procedures
(regardless of where you live), replace
“Programming HomeLink” step 3 with
the following:
NOTE
If programming a garage door opener or
gate operator, it is advised to unplug the
device during the “cycling” process to
prevent possible overheating. Continue to press and hold the HomeLink
button while you press and release
— every two seconds (“cycle”) your
hand-held transmitter until the frequency
signal has successfully been accepted by
HomeLink. (The indicator light will flash
slowly and then rapidly.)
Proceed with “Programming” step 4 to
complete.
Operating the HomeLink System Press the programmed HomeLink button
to operate a programmed device. The
code will continue being transmitted for a
maximum of 20 seconds.
Reprogramming the HomeLink
system To program a device to HomeLink using
a HomeLink button previously trained,
follow these steps:
1. Press and hold the desired HomeLink
button. DO NOT release the button.
2. The indicator light will begin to flash
after 20 seconds. Without releasing
the HomeLink button, proceed with
“Programming” - step 1.
Erasing Programmed HomeLink
Buttons
To erase the existing programming from
all three operating channels, press and
hold the two outside buttons (
, ) on
the auto-dimming mirror until the
HomeLink indicator light begins to flash
after approximately 10 seconds.
Verify that the programming has been
erased when you resell the vehicle.
MX-5_8FR4-EA-16J_Edition1.indb 60 2016/08/11 20:28:56
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.
MX-5_8FR4-EA-16J_Edition1.indb 7 2016/08/11 20:29:08
5 –8 Interior Features
Climate Control System Windshield Defrosting and
Defogging1. Set the mode selector dial to the
position.
2. Set the temperature control dial to the
desired position.
3. Set the fan control dial to the desired
speed.
4. If dehumidified heating is desired, turn
on the air conditioner.
WARNINGDo not defog the windshield using the
position with the temperature
control set to the cold position:
Using the
position with the
temperature control set to the cold
position is dangerous as it will cause
the outside of the windshield to fog up.
Your vision will be hampered, which
could lead to a serious accident. Set
the temperature control to the hot or
warm position when using the
position.
NOTE
For maximum defrosting, turn on the air
conditioner, set the temperature control
dial to the extreme hot position, and
turn the fan control dial fully clockwise.
If warm air is desired at the floor, set the
mode selector dial to the position.
When the fan control dial is ON, and the
mode selector dial is in the or
position, the air conditioner is
automatically turned on and the outside
air position is automatically selected to
defrost the windshield. In the
or
position, the outside air position cannot
be changed to the recirculated air
position. Dehumidifying (With air
conditioner) Operate the air conditioner in cool or cold
weather to help defog the windshield and
side windows.
1. Set the mode selector dial to the desired
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.
5. Turn on the air conditioner by pressing
the A/C switch.
NOTE
One of the functions of the air conditioner
is dehumidifying the air and, to use
this function, the temperature does not
have to be set to cold. Therefore, set the
temperature control dial to the desired
position (hot or cold) and turn on the air
conditioner when you want to dehumidify
the cabin air.
MX-5_8FR4-EA-16J_Edition1.indb 8 2016/08/11 20:29:08