2018 MAZDA MODEL MX-5 MIATA tires

6Maintenance and Care
How to keep your Mazda in top condition.
Essential Information........................6-2 Introduction.................................. 6-2
Scheduled Maintenance.................... 6-4 Scheduled Maintenance (U.S.A.,
Canada, and Puerto Rico)............. 6-4
Scheduled Maintenance
(Mexico)..................................... 6-10
Maintenance Monitor................. 6-15
Owner Maintenance........................ 6-17 Owner Maintenance
Precautions................................. 6-17
Hood........................................... 6-19
Engine Compartment
Overview.................................... 6-21
Engine Oil...................................6-22
Engine Coolant........................... 6-24
Brake/Clutch Fluid ..................... 6-26
Washer Fluid............................... 6-26
Body Lubrication...... .................. 6-27
Wiper Blades.............................. 6-28
Battery........................................ 6-31
Key Battery Replacement........... 6-33
Tires............................................ 6-36
Light Bulbs................................. 6-40
Fuses........................................... 6-49
Appearance Care............................. 6-54
Exterior Care.............................. 6-54
Interior Care................................6-64
6-1
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You can customize settings in the setup display as follows:
Ta bI t e m E x p l a n a t i o n
Scheduled Setting
Notification can be switched on/off.
Time (months) Displays the time or distance until maintenance is due.
Select this item to set the maintenance period.
The wrench indication/indicator light in the instrument cluster
will be illuminated when the remaining distance is less than 1, 000
km or 600 mile, or the remaining number of days is less than 15
(whichever comes first).
Distance (km or mile)
Reset
Resets the time and distance to the initial values.
Once the system turns on, it needs to be reset whenever carrying
out maintenance.
Tire Rotation Setting
Notification can be switched on/off.
Distance (km or mile) Displays the distance until tire rotation is due.
Select this item to set the tire rotation distance.
The wrench indication/indicator
light in the instrument cluster
will be illuminated when the remaining distance is less than 1, 000
km or 600 mile.
Reset Resets the remaining distance to the initial value.
Once the system turns on, it need
s to be reset whenever rotating
the tires.
Oil Change Setting Interval
Oil replacement period can be sel
ected from the flexible setting
or fixed setting, or it can be set to non-display.
The flexible setting is available only in the United States and Pu-
erto Rico. Once engine oil flex ible maintenance is selected, the
vehicle calculates the remaining oil life based on the engine oper-
ating conditions. The vehicle let s you know when an oil change is
due by illuminating the wrench i ndicator light in the instrument
cluster. Mazda Genuine 0W-20 oil and Castrol
® 0W-20 oil are re-
quired to achieve optimum performance.
Distance (km or mile)
(Displays only in fixed set-
ting) Displays the distance until
the oil replacement is due.
Select this item to set the oil replacement distance.
The wrench indication/indicator light in the instrument cluster
will be illuminated when the remaining distance is less than 1, 000
km or 600 mile.
Oil life (km or mile)
(Displays only in flexible
setting) Displays the engine oil life u
ntil the oil replacement is due.
The wrench indication/indicator light in the instrument cluster
will be illuminated when the remaining oil life distance is les s
than 1,000 km or 600 mile.
Reset Resets the remaining distance to the initial value.
Once the system turns on, it need
s to be reset whenever replacing
the engine oil.
Maintenance and Care
Scheduled Maintenance
6-16
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Tires
For 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.
WA R N I N G
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
WA R N I N G
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).
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.
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.
Maintenance and Care
Owner Maintenance
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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
WA R N I N G
Rotate 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 (TEMPORARY 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.
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.
Maintenance and Care
Owner Maintenance
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▼Replacing a Tire
WA R N I N G
Always use tires that are in good condition:
Driving with worn tires is dangerous.
Reduced braking, steering, and traction
could result in an accident.
Replace all four tires at the same time:
Replacing just one ti
re is dangerous. It
could cause poor handling and poor
braking resulting in loss of vehicle control.
Mazda strongly recommends that you
replace all four tires at the same time.
If a tire wears evenly, a wear indicator will
appear as a solid band across the tread.
Replace the tire when this happens.
New tread Tread wear indicator
Worn tread
You should replace the tire before the band
crosses the entire tread.
NOTE
Tires degrade over time, even when they
are not being used on the road. It is
recommended that tires generally be
replaced when they are 6 years or older.
Heat caused by hot climates or frequent
high loading conditions can accelerate the
aging process. The period in which the tire
was manufactured (both week and year) is
indicated by a 4-digit number.
Refer to Tire Labeling on page 8-25.
Maintenance and Care
Owner Maintenance
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▼Replacing a Wheel
WA R N I N G
Always use wheels of the correct size on
your vehicle:
Using a wrong-sized wheel is dangerous.
Braking and handling could be affected,
leading to loss of control and an accident.
CAUTION
A wrong-sized wheel may adversely
affect:
 Tire fit
 Wheel and bearing life
 Ground clearance
 Snow-chain clearance
 Speedometer calibration
 Headlight aim
 Bumper height
 Tire Pressure Monitoring System
NOTE
When replacing a wheel, make sure the
new one is the same as the original
factory wheel in diameter, rim width,
and offset (inset/outset).
For details, contact an Authorized
Mazda Dealer.

Proper tire balancing provides the best
riding comfort and helps reduce tread
wear. Out-of-balance tires can cause
vibration and uneven wear, such as
cupping and flat spots.
Maintenance and Care
Owner Maintenance
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Water Marks
Occurrence
Rain, fog, dew, and even tap water can
contain harmful minerals such as salt and
lime. If moisture containing these minerals
settles on the vehicle and evaporates, the
minerals will concentrate and harden to
form white rings. The rings can damage
your vehicle's finish.
Prevention
It is necessary to wash and wax your
vehicle to preserve it s finish according to
the instructions in this section. These steps
should be taken immediately after you find
water marks on your vehicle's finish.
Paint Chipping
Occurrence
Paint chipping occurs when gravel thrown
in the air by another vehicle's tires hits
your vehicle.
How to avoid paint chipping
Keeping a safe distance between you and
the vehicle ahead reduces the chances of
having your paint chipped by flying
gravel.
NOTE
The paint chipping zone varies with the
speed of the vehicle. For example, when
traveling at 90 km/h (56 mph), the paint
chipping zone is 50 m (164 ft).
In low temperatures a vehicle's finish
hardens. This increases the chance of
paint chipping.
Chipped paint can lead to rust forming
on your Mazda. Before this happens,
repair the damage by using Mazda
touch-up paint according to the
instructions in this section. Failure to
repair the affected area could lead to
serious rusting and expensive repairs.

Follow all label and container directions
when using a chemical cleaner or polish.
Read all warnings and cautions.
▼ Maintaining the Finish
Wa s h i n g
CAUTION

When the wiper lever is in the
position and the ignition is switched ON,
the wipers may move automatically in
the following cases:
 If the windshield above the rain sensor
is touched or wiped with a cloth.
 If the windshield is struck with a hand
or other object from either outside or
inside the vehicle.
Keep hands and scrapers clear of the
windshield when the wiper lever is in the
position and the ignition is
switched ON as fingers could be pinched
or the wipers and wiper blades damaged
when the wipers activate automatically.
If you are going to clean the windshield,
be sure the wipers are turned off
completely (when it is most likely that the
engine is left running) this is particularly
important when clearing ice and snow.
Maintenance and Care
Appearance Care
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▼Locking Lug Nuts*
If your vehicle has Mazda optional
antitheft wheel lu
g nuts, one on each
wheel will lock the tires and you must use
a special key to unlock them. This key will
attach to the lug wrench. Register them
with the lock manufacturer by filling out
the card provided in the glove
compartment and mailing it in the
accompanying envelope. If you lose this
key, consult an Authorized Mazda Dealer
or use the lock manufacturer's order form,
which is with the registration card.
Accessory wheel locks cannot be used on
steel wheels. This includes situations when
the spare tire is installed. If the spare tire is
installed, one of the original lug nuts
(which should still be in the vehicle) must
be installed in place of the wheel lock.
Special key
Antitheft lug nut
To remove an antitheft lug nut
1. Obtain the special key for the antitheft
lug nut.
2. Place the special key on top of the
antitheft lug nut, and be sure to hold
the key square to it. If you hold the key
at an angle, you may damage both key
and nut. Do not use a power impact
wrench.
3. Place the lug wrench on top of the key and apply pressure. Turn the wrench
counterclockwise.
To install the antitheft lug nut
1. Place the special key on top of the nut,
and be sure to hold the key square to it.
If you hold the key at an angle, you
may damage both key and nut. Do not
use a power impact wrench.
2. Place the lug wrench on top of the special key, apply pressure, and turn it
clockwise.
Nut tightening torque
N·m (kgf·m, ft·lbf) 108―147 (12―14,
80―108)
▼Mounting the Tire
1. Remove dirt and grime from the
mounting surfaces of the wheel and
hub, including the hub bolts, with a
cloth.

If Trouble Arises
Flat Tire
7-20*Some models.
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