2017 MAZDA MX5 MIATA weight

2 –22 Essential Safety Equipment
Child Restraint Passenger's Seat Child-Restraint
System Installation (With Passenger
Occupant Classification System)
1. Make sure the ignition is switched off.
2. Slide the seat as far back as possible.

3. Place the child-restraint system on the
seat without putting your weight on
the seat and secure the child-restraint
system with the lap portion of the lap/
shoulder belt. See the manufacturer's
instructions on the child-restraint
system for belt routing instructions.
4. To get the retractor into the automatic
locking mode, pull the shoulder belt
portion of the seat belt until the entire
length of the belt is out of the retractor.
5. Push the child-restraint system firmly
into the vehicle seat. Be sure the
belt retracts as snugly as possible. A
clicking noise from the retractor will
be heard during retraction if the system
is in automatic locking mode. If the
belt does not lock the seat down tight,
repeat the previous step and also this
one.
NOTE
Inspect this function before each use of
the child-restraint system. You should
not be able to pull the shoulder belt out
of the retractor while the system is in the
automatic locking mode. When you remove
the child-restraint system, be sure the
belt fully retracts to return the system to
emergency locking mode before occupants
use the seat belts. 6. Seat your child safely in the child-
restraint system and secure the child
according to the instructions from the
child-restraint system manufacturer.
7. Switch the ignition ON and make sure
the passenger air bag deactivation
indicator light illuminates after
installing a child-restraint system on
the passenger seat.
If the passenger air bag deactivation
indicator light does not illuminate,
remove the child-restraint system,
switch the ignition to OFF, and then re-
install the child-restraint system (page
2-37 ).

MX-5_8FR4-EA-16J_Edition1.indb 22 2016/08/11 20:28:24

3 –18 Before Driving
Doors and Locks Operation from outside
To lock the passenger door with the door-
lock knob from the outside, press the
door-lock knob to the lock position and
close the door (holding the door handle in
the open position is not required).
This does not operate the other door locks. Door-lock knob
NOTE
When locking the door this way: 
Be careful not to leave the key inside the
vehicle. 
The driver's door lock knob cannot be
used while the driver's door is open. Trunk Lid WARNING Never allow a person to ride in the
trunk:
Allowing a person to ride in the trunk
is dangerous. The person in the trunk
could be seriously injured or killed
during sudden braking or a collision.
Do not drive with the trunk lid open:
Exhaust gas in the cabin of a vehicle
is dangerous. An open trunk lid in a
moving vehicle will cause exhaust
gas to be drawn into the cabin. This
gas contains CO (carbon monoxide),
which is colorless, odorless, and highly
poisonous, and it can cause loss of
consciousness and death. Moreover, an
open trunk lid could cause occupants
to fall out in an accident.
CAUTION 
Before opening the trunk lid, remove
any snow and ice accumulation on it.
Otherwise, the trunk lid could close
under the weight of the snow and ice
resulting in injury. 
Be careful when opening/closing the
trunk lid during strong winds. If a strong
gust blows against the trunk lid, it could
close suddenly resulting in injury. 
Fully open the trunk lid and make sure
that it stays open. If the trunk lid is only
opened partially, it could slam shut
by vibration or wind gusts resulting in
injury. 
When loading or unloading luggage in
the trunk, turn off the engine. Otherwise,
you could get burned by the heat of the
exhaust gas.
MX-5_8FR4-EA-16J_Edition1.indb 18 2016/08/11 20:28:31

3 –51 Before Driving
Driving Tips
Break-In Period No special break-in is necessary, but a
few precautions in the first 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 6-4 ) and have an Authorized
Mazda Dealer perform inspections and
servicing. 
Use the air conditioner only when
necessary. 
Slow down on rough roads. 
Keep the tires properly inflated. 
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.
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.
MX-5_8FR4-EA-16J_Edition1.indb 51 2016/08/11 20:28:38

3 –55 Before Driving
Driving Tips
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 flooded
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
Authorized Mazda Dealer. Overloading WARNING Be careful not to overload your vehicle:
The gross axle weight rating (GAWR)
and the gross vehicle weight rating
(GVWR) of the vehicle are on the
Motor Vehicle Safety Standard Label
on the driver's door frame. Exceeding
these ratings can cause an accident
or vehicle damage. You can estimate
the weight of the load by weighing the
items (or people) before putting them
in the vehicle.
MX-5_8FR4-EA-16J_Edition1.indb 55 2016/08/11 20:28:40

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 –49 When Driving
Switches and Controls Leaving Home LightThe leaving home light turns on the lights
when the transmitter unlock button is
pressed while away from the vehicle.
The following lights turn on when the
leaving home light is operated.
Low beams, Parking lights, Taillights,
License lights.
To turn on the lights
When the ignition switch and the headlight
switch are in the following conditions,
the headlights will illuminate when the
transmitter unlock button is pressed and
the vehicle receives the transmitter signal.
The headlights turn off after a certain
period of time has elapsed (30 seconds). 
Ignition switch: off 
Headlight switch: or Lock button
Unlock
b
utton NOTE 
Operation of the leaving home light can
be turned on or off.
Refer to Personalization Features on
page 9-9 . 
When the transmitter lock button is
pressed and the vehicle receives the
transmitter signal, the headlights turn
off. 
When the headlight switch is in a
position other than or , the
headlights turn off.
Headlight Leveling The number of passengers and weight of
cargo in the luggage compartment change
the angle of the headlights.
The angle of the headlights will be
automatically adjusted when turning on
the headlights.
Daytime Running Lights Some countries require moving vehicles
to have their lights on (daytime running
lights) during the daytime.
The daytime running lights turn on
automatically when the vehicle starts
moving.
They turn off when the parking brake is
operated or the shift lever is shifted to
the P position (automatic transmission
vehicle).
NOTE
(Except Canada)
The daytime running lights can be
deactivated.
Refer to Personalization Features on page
9-9 .
MX-5_8FR4-EA-16J_Edition1.indb 49 2016/08/11 20:28:53

5 –135 Interior Features
Interior Equipment
Cup HolderWARNING Never use a cup holder to hold hot liquids while the vehicle is moving:
Using a cup holder to hold hot liquids while the vehicle is moving is dangerous. If the
contents spill, you could be scalded.
Do not put anything other than plastic bottles, cups or drink cans in cup holders:
Putting objects other than plastic bottles, cups or drink cans in a cup holder is dangerous.
During sudden braking or maneuvering, occupants could be hit and injured, or objects
could be thrown around the vehicle, causing interference with the driver and the
possibility of an accident. Only use a cup holder for plastic bottles, cups or drink cans.
CAUTION 
Do not place plastic bottles without caps in the cup holders. Otherwise, the contents may
spill while the vehicle is being driven. 
Do not place excessive weight on the cup holders such as by resting your hands or elbows
on them. Otherwise, the cup holders could be damaged. 
If a passenger is present, install the front cup holder to the rear console. Otherwise, a knee
might hit it and cause the contents to spill.
Front cup holderRear cup holder
MX-5_8FR4-EA-16J_Edition1.indb 135 2016/08/11 20:29:35

6 –25 Maintenance and Care
Owner Maintenance Closing the Hood1. Check under the hood area to make
certain all filler caps are in place and all
loose items (e.g. tools, oil containers,
etc.) have been removed.
2. Lift the hood, grasp the padded area on
the support rod, and secure the support
rod in the clip. Verify that the support
rod is secured in the clip before closing
the hood.

ClipPa d
3. Lower the hood slowly to a height of
about 20 cm (7.9 in) above its closed
position and then let it drop.
CAUTION When closing the hood, do not push
it excessively such as by applying your
weight. Otherwise, the hood could be
deformed.
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