3 –54 Before Driving
Driving Tips
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 TiresUse snow tires on all four wheels
Do not go faster than 120 km/h (75 mph)
while driving with snow tires. Inflate snow
tires 30 kPa (0.3 kgf/cm 2
, 4.3 psi) more
than recommended on the tire pressure
label (driver's door frame), but never
more than the maximum cold-tire pressure
shown on the tires.
The vehicle is originally equipped with
summer tires designed for optimum
traction on wet and dry roads. If your
vehicle is to be used on snow and ice
covered roads, Mazda recommends that
you replace the tires originally equipped
on your vehicle with snow tires during the
winter months.
WARNINGUse only the same size and type tires
(snow, radial, or non-radial) on all four
wheels:
Using tires 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 tires. Tire Chains Check local regulations before using tire
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 tires and chains could
be damaged.
Chains may scratch or chip aluminum
wheels.
NOTE
If your vehicle is equipped with the tire
pressure monitoring system, the system
may not function correctly when using tire
chains.
Install the chains on the rear tires only.
Do not use chains on the front tires.
Please consult an Authorized Mazda
Dealer.
Installing the chains
1. Secure the chains on the rear tires 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).
MX-5_8FR4-EA-16J_Edition1.indb 54 2016/08/11 20:28:39
4 –107 When Driving
Tire Pressure Monitoring SystemNOTE
Because this system detects slight changes in tire conditions, the timing of the warning may
be faster or slower in the following cases:
The size, manufacturer, or the type of tires is different from the specification.
The size, manufacturer, or the type of a tire is different from the others, or the level of tire
wear is excessively different between them.
A run-flat tire, studless tire, snow tire, or tire chains are used.
An emergency tire is used (The tire pressure monitoring system warning light may flash
and then continue illuminating).
A tire is repaired using the emergency flat tire repair kit.
The tire pressure is excessively higher than the specified pressure, or the tire pressure is
suddenly lowered for some reason such as a tire burst during driving.
The vehicle speed is lower than about 15 km/h (9.3 mph) (including when the vehicle is
stopped), or the drive period is shorter than 5 minutes.
The vehicle is driven on an extremely rough road or a slippery, icy road.
Hard steering and rapid acceleration/deceleration are repeated such as during aggressive
driving on a winding road.
Load on the vehicle is applied to a tire such as by loading heavy luggage to one side of
the vehicle.
System initialization has not been implemented with the specifie d tire pressure.
MX-5_8FR4-EA-16J_Edition1.indb 107 2016/08/11 20:29:05
5 –55 Interior Features
Audio System ApplicationsNOTE
Depending on the grade and specification,
the screen display may differ.
Select the icon on the home screen to
display the Applications screen. The
following information can be verified. Top screen Item Function
HD Radio™ Traffic
Map — —
Fuel Economy
Monitor Fuel
Consumption
Settings Refer to Fuel
Economy
Monitor on
page 4-69 .
Vehicle
Status
Monitor Maintenance Scheduled
Maintenance
Tire Rotation
Oil Change Refer to
Maintenance
Monitor
(Type B
audio) on
page 6-20 .
Warning
Guidance Warnings
currently
active can be
verified. Refer to If
a Warning
Light Turns
On or
Flashes on
page 7-33 .Audio Control Switch
Operation
Adjusting the Volume To increase the volume, press up the
volume switch (
).
To decrease the volume, press down the
volume switch (
).
MX-5_8FR4-EA-16J_Edition1.indb 55 2016/08/11 20:29:17
6 –41 Maintenance and Care
Owner Maintenance
TiresFor reasons of proper performance, safety,
and better fuel economy, always maintain
recommended tire inflation pressures and
stay within the recommended load limits
and weight distribution.
WARNING Using Different Tire Types:
Driving your vehicle with different
types of tires is dangerous. It could
cause poor handling and poor braking;
leading to loss of control.
Except for the limited use of the
temporary spare tire, use only the
same type tires (radial, bias-belted,
bias-type) on all four wheels.
Using Wrong-Sized Tires:
Using any other tire size than what is
specified for the vehicle (page 9-8 )
is dangerous. It could seriously affect
ride, handling, ground clearance,
tire clearance, and speedometer
calibration. This could cause you to
have an accident. Use only tires that
are the correct size specified for the
vehicle. Tire Inflation Pressure
WARNING Always inflate the tires to the correct
pressure:
Overinflation or underinflation of tires
is dangerous. Adverse handling or
unexpected tire failure could result in a
serious accident.
Refer to Tires on page 9-8 .
Use only a Mazda-genuine tire valve
cap:
Use of a non-genuine part is
dangerous as the correct tire air
pressure cannot be maintained if the
tire valve becomes damaged. If the
vehicle is driven under this condition,
the tire air pressure will decrease which
could result in a serious accident. Do
not use any part for the tire valve cap
that is not a Mazda-genuine part.
Inspect all tire pressures monthly when
the tires are cold. Maintain recommended
pressures for the best ride, handling, and
minimum tire wear.
Refer to the specification charts (page
9-8 ).
(With tire pressure monitoring system)
After adjusting the tire pressure,
initialization of the tire pressure
monitoring system is necessary to make
the system operate normally.
Refer to Tire Pressure Monitoring System
Initialization on page 4-108 .
NOTE
Always check tire pressure when tires
are cold.
Warm tires normally exceed
recommended pressures. Do not release
air from warm tires to adjust the
pressure.
MX-5_8FR4-EA-16J_Edition1.indb 41 2016/08/11 20:29:46
6 –42 Maintenance and Care
Owner Maintenance
Underinflation can cause reduced fuel
economy, uneven and accelerated tire
wear, and poor sealing of the tire bead,
which will deform the wheel and cause
separation of tire from rim.
Overinflation can produce a harsh ride,
uneven and accelerated tire wear, and a
greater possibility of damage from road
hazards.
Keep your tire pressure at the correct
levels. If one frequently needs inflating,
have it inspected.
Tire Rotation
WARNINGRotate tires periodically:
Irregular tire wear is dangerous. To
equalize tread wear for maintaining
good performance in handling and
braking, rotate the tires every 12,000
km (7,500 miles). However Mazda
recommends to rotate every 8,000 km
(5,000 miles) to help increase tire life
and distribute wear more evenly.
Refer to Scheduled Maintenance on
page 6-4 .
During rotation, inspect them for correct
balance.
Do not include (TEMPORAR Y USE ONLY)
spare tire in rotation. Forward Also, inspect them for uneven wear and
damage. Abnormal wear is usually caused
by one or a combination of the following:
Incorrect tire pressure
Improper wheel alignment
Out-of-balance wheel
Severe braking
After rotation, inflate all tire pressures to
specification (page 9-8 ) and inspect the
lug nuts for tightness.
(With tire pressure monitoring system)
After adjusting the tire pressure,
initialization of the tire pressure
monitoring system is necessary to make
the system operate normally.
Refer to Tire Pressure Monitoring System
Initialization on page 4-108 .
CAUTION Rotate unidirectional tires and radial
tires that have an asymmetrical tread
pattern or studs only from front to rear,
not from side to side. Tire performance
will be reduced if rotated from side to
side.
(With limited-slip differential)
Do not use the following:
Tires not of the designated size
Tires of different sizes or types at
the same time
Tires not sufficiently inflated
If these instructions are not followed,
the rotation of the left and right wheels
will be different and will thus apply
a constant load on the limited-slip
differential.
This will cause a malfunction.
MX-5_8FR4-EA-16J_Edition1.indb 42 2016/08/11 20:29:47
7 –51 If Trouble Arises
Warning/Indicator Lights and Warning Sounds
*Some models. Tire Inflation Pressure Warning
Beep *
The warning beep sound will be heard
for about 3 seconds when there is any
abnormality in tire inflation pressures
(page 4-105 ).
Blind Spot Monitoring (BSM)
System Warning Beep *
Driving forward
The warning beep operates when the turn
signal lever is operated to the side where
the Blind Spot Monitoring (BSM) warning
light is illuminated.
NOTE
A personalized function is available to
change the Blind Spot Monitoring (BSM)
warning beep sound volume.
Refer to Personalization Features on page
9-9 .
Reversing
If a moving object such as a vehicle or
two-wheeled vehicle approaches on the
left or right from behind your vehicle, the
Blind Spot Monitoring (BSM) warning
sound is activated. Lane Departure Warning Sound *
While the system is operating, if the
system determines that the vehicle may
depart from the lane, it sounds a warning
sound. NOTE
The volume of the LDWS warning sound
can be changed.
Refer to Personalization Features on
page 9-9 .
The type of the LDWS warning sound
can be changed.
Refer to Personalization Features on
page 9-9 .
MX-5_8FR4-EA-16J_Edition1.indb 51 2016/08/11 20:30:07
8 –27 Customer Information and Reporting Safety Defects
Tire Information (U.S.A.)Maximum Permissible Inflation Pressure
This number is the greatest amount of air pressure that should ever be put in the tire under
normal driving conditions.
Tread Wear, Traction and Temperature Grades
Tread wear: The tread wear grade is a comparative rating based on the wear rate of the tire
when tested under controlled conditions on a specified governmen t test course. For example,
a tire graded 150 would wear one and one-half (1 1/2) times as well on the government
course as a tire graded 100.
Traction: The traction grades, from highest to lowest are AA, A, B, and C. The grades
represent the tire's ability to stop on wet pavement as measured under controlled conditions
on specified government test surfaces of asphalt and concrete. A tire marked C may have
poor traction performance.
Temperature: The temperature grades are A (the highest), B and C, representing the
tire's resistance to the generation of heat and its ability to dissipate heat when tested under
controlled conditions on a specified indoor laboratory test whee l.
Snow Tires
In some heavy snow areas, local governments may require true sn ow tires, those with very
deeply cut tread. These tires should only be used in pairs or placed on all four wheels. Make
sure you purchase snow tires that are the same size and construction type as the other tires
on your vehicle.
SAFETY WARNING
The following safety warning appears on the tire's sidewall.
SERIOUS INJURY MAY RESULT FROM:
EXPLOSION OF TIRE/RIM ASSEMBLY DUE TO IMPROPER MOUNTING-MATCH
TIRE DIAMETER TO RIM DIAMETER; NEVER EXCEED 40 psi (275 kPa) TO SEAT
BEADS-ONLY SPECIALLY TRAINED PERSONS SHOULD MOUNT TIRES.
TIRE FAILURE DUE TO UNDER-INFLATION/OVERLOADING/DAMAGE-
FOLLOW OWNER'S MANUAL AND PLACARD IN VEHICLE-FREQUENTLY
CHECK INFLATION PRESSURE AND INSPECT FOR DAMAGE.
MX-5_8FR4-EA-16J_Edition1.indb 27 2016/08/11 20:30:16
8 –34 Customer Information and Reporting Safety Defects
Tire Information (U.S.A.)
CAUTION Rotate unidirectional tires and radial tires that have an asymmetrical tread pattern or
studs only from front to rear, not from side to side. Tire performance will be weakened if
rotated from side to side.
(With limited-slip differential)
Don't use the following:
Tires not of the designated size
Tires of different sizes or types at the same time
Tires not sufficiently inflated
If these instructions aren't followed, the rotation of the left and right wheels will be
different and will thus apply a constant load on the limited-slip differential.
This will cause a malfunction.
Replacing a Tire
WARNINGAlways use tires that are in good condition:
Driving with worn tires is dangerous. Reduced braking, steering, and traction could result
in an accident.
If a tire wears evenly, a wear indicator will appear as a solid band across the tread.
Replace the tire when this happens.
Ne w tread Tread wear indicator
Worn tread
You should replace the tire before the band crosses the entire tread.
(With tire pressure monitoring system)
After adjusting the tire pressure, initialization of the tire pressure monitoring system is
necessary to make the system operate normally.
Refer to Tire Pressure Monitoring System Initialization on page 4-108 .
MX-5_8FR4-EA-16J_Edition1.indb 34 2016/08/11 20:30:17