2018 MAZDA MODEL MX-5 Owners Manual (in English)

WA R N I N G
Make sure the mounting surfaces of the
wheel, hub and lug nuts are clean
before changing or replacing tires:
When changing or replacing a tire, not
removing dirt and grime from the
mounting surfaces of the wheel, hub
and hub bolts is dangerous. The lug
nuts could loosen while driving and
cause the tire to come off, resulting in
an accident.
2. Mount the tire.
3. Install the lug nuts with the beveled edge inward; tighten them by hand.

WA R N I N G
Do not apply oil or grease to lug nuts
and bolts and do not tighten the lug
nuts beyond the recommended
tightening torque:
Applying oil or grease to lug nuts and
bolts is dangerous. The lug nuts could
loosen while driving and cause the tire
to come off, resulting in an accident. In
addition, lug nuts and bolts could be
damaged if tightened more than
necessary.
4. Turn the lug wrench counterclockwiseand lower the vehicle.
5. Use the lug wrench to tighten the nuts
in the order shown.

If you are unsure of how tight the nuts
should be, have them inspected at an
Authorized Mazda Dealer.
Nut tightening torque
N·m (kgf·m, ft·lbf) 108―147 (12―14,
80―108)
WA R N I N G
Always securely and correctly tighten
the lug nuts:
Improperly or loosely tightened lug
nuts are dangerous. The wheel could
wobble or come off. This could result in
loss of vehicle control and cause a
serious accident.
If Trouble Arises
Flat Tire
7-21
MX-5_8GF7-EA-17J_Edition2 2017-10-31 14:07:27

Be sure to reinstall the same nuts you
removed or replace them with metric
nuts of the same configuration:
Because the wheel studs and lug nuts
on your Mazda have metric threads,
using a non-metric nut is dangerous.
On a metric stud, it would not secure
the wheel and would damage the stud,
which could cause the wheel to slip off
and cause an accident.
6. Remove the tire blocks and store the tools and jack.
7. Check the inflation pressure. Refer to Tires on page 9-8.
WA R N I N G
Do not drive with any tires that have
incorrect air pressure:
Driving on tires with incorrect air pressure
is dangerous. Tires with incorrect pressure
could affect handling and result in an
accident. When you check the regular tires'
air pressure, check the spare tire, too.
NOTE
To prevent the jack and tool from rattling,
store them properly.
If Trouble Arises
Flat Tire
7-22
MX-5_8GF7-EA-17J_Edition2 2017-10-31 14:07:27

Jump-Starting
Jump-starting is dangerous if done incorrectly. So follow the procedure carefully. If you feel
unsure about jump-starting, we strongly recommend that you have a competent service
technician do the work.
WA R N I N G
Follow These Precautions Carefully:
To ensure safe and correct handling of the ba ttery, read the following precautions carefully
before using the battery or inspecting it.
Keep flames and sparks away from open battery cells and do not allow metal tools to
contact the positive (
) or negative () terminal of the battery when working near a battery.
Do not allow the positive (
) terminal to contact the vehicle body:
Flames and sparks near open battery cells are dangerous. Hydrogen gas, produced during
normal battery operation, could ignite and cause the battery to explode. An exploding battery
can cause serious burns and injuries. Keep al l flames including cigarettes and sparks away
from open battery cells.
Keep all flames and sparks away from open battery cells because hydrogen gas is
produced from open battery cells while charging the battery or adding battery
fluid:
Flames and sparks near open battery cells are dangerous. Hydrogen gas, produced during
normal battery operation, could ignite and cause the battery to explode. An exploding battery
can cause serious burns and injuries. Keep al l flames including cigarettes and sparks away
from open battery cells.
Do not jump-start a frozen battery or one with a low fluid level:
Jump-starting a frozen battery or one with a low fluid level is dangerous. It may rupture or
explode, causing serious injury.
Connect the negative cable to a good ground point away from the battery:
Connecting the end of the second jumper cable to the negative (
) terminal of the discharged
battery is dangerous.
A spark could cause the gas around the battery to explode and injure someone.
If Trouble Arises
Battery Runs Out
7-23
MX-5_8GF7-EA-17J_Edition2 2017-10-31 14:07:27

Route the jumper cables away from parts that will be moving:
Connecting a jumper cable near or to moving parts (cooling fans, belts) is dangerous. The
cable could get caught when the engine starts and cause serious injury.
CAUTION
Use only a 12 V booster system. You can damage a 12 V starter, ignition system, and other
electrical parts beyond repair with a 24 V power supply (two 12 V batteries in series or a 24 V
motor generator set).

Jumper cables
Booster battery Discharged battery
If Trouble Arises
Battery Runs Out
7-24
MX-5_8GF7-EA-17J_Edition2
2017-10-31 14:07:27

1. Remove the battery cover.
2. Make sure the booster battery is 12 Vand that its negative terminal is
grounded.
3. If the booster battery is in another
vehicle, do not allow both vehicles to
touch. Turn off the engine of the
vehicle with the booster battery and all
unnecessary electrical loads in both
vehicles.
4. Connect the jumper cables in the exact sequence as in the illustration.
Connect one end of a cable to the
positive terminal o n the discharged
battery (1).
Attach the other end to the positive
terminal on the booster battery (2).
Connect one end of the other cable
to the negative terminal of the
booster battery (3).
Connect the other end to the ground
point indicated in the illustration
away from the discharged battery
(4).
5. Start the engine of the booster vehicle
and run it a few minutes. Then start the
engine of the other vehicle.
6. When finished, car efully disconnect
the cables in the reverse order
described in the illustration.
7. If the battery cover has been removed,
install it in the reverse order of
removal.
NOTE
Verify that the covers are securely
installed.
If Trouble Arises
Battery Runs Out
7-25
MX-5_8GF7-EA-17J_Edition2 2017-10-31 14:07:27

Starting a Flooded Engine
If the engine fails to start, it may be
flooded (excessive fuel in the engine).

Follow this procedure:

1. If the engine does not start within fiveseconds on the first try, wait ten
seconds and try again.
2. Make sure the parking brake is on.
3. Depress the accelerator all the way and hold it there.
4. Depress the clutch pedal (Manual transmission) or the brake pedal
(Automatic transmission), then press
the push button start. If the engine
starts, release the accelerator
immediately because the engine will
suddenly rev up.
5. If the engine fails to start, crank it
without depressing the accelerator.

If the engine still does not start using the
previous procedure, have your vehicle
inspected by an Authorized Mazda Dealer.
Push-Starting
Do not push-start your Mazda.
WA R N I N G
Never tow a vehicle to start it:
Towing a vehicle to start it is dangerous.
The vehicle being towed could surge
forward when its engine starts, causing the
two vehicles to collide. The occupants
could be injured.
CAUTION
Do not push-start a vehicle that has a
manual transmission. It can damage the
emission control system.
NOTE
You cannot start a vehicle with an
automatic transmission by pushing it.
If Trouble Arises
Emergency Starting
7-26
MX-5_8GF7-EA-17J_Edition2 2017-10-31 14:07:27

Overheating
If the high engine coolant temperature
warning light turns on, the vehicle loses
power, or you hear a loud knocking or
pinging noise, the engine is probably too
hot.
WA R N I N G
Pull over to a safe location, then switch
the ignition off and make sure the fan is
not running before attempting to work
near the cooling fan:
Working near the cooling fan when it is
running is dangerous. The fan could
continue running indefinitely even if the
engine has stopped and the engine
compartment temperature is high. You
could be hit by the fan and seriously
injured.
Do not remove either cooling
system cap when the engine and radiator
are hot:
When the engine and radiator are hot,
scalding coolant and steam may shoot out
under pressure and cause serious injury.
Open the hood ONLY after steam is no
longer escaping from the engine:
Steam from an overheated engine is
dangerous. The escaping steam could
seriously burn you.
If the high engine c oolant temperature
warning light turns on:

1. Drive safely to the side of the road and park off the right-of-way.
2. Put a vehicle with an automatic transmission in park (P), a manual
transmission in neutral.
3. Apply the parking brake.
4. Turn off the air conditioner.
5. Check whether coolant or steam is
escaping from the engine
compartment.

If steam is coming from the engine
compartment:
Do not go near the front of the vehicle.
Stop the engine.
Wait until the steam dissipates, then
open the hood and start the engine.

If neither coolant nor steam is
escaping:
Open the hood and idle the engine
until it cools.
CAUTION
If the cooling fan does not operate
while the engine is running, the engine
temperature will increase. Stop the
engine and call an Authorized Mazda
Dealer.
6. Make sure the cooling fan is operating, then turn off the engine after the
temperature has decreased.
If Trouble Arises
Overheating
7-27
MX-5_8GF7-EA-17J_Edition2 2017-10-31 14:07:27

7. When cool, check the coolant level.If it is low, look for coolant leaks from
the radiator and hoses.

If you find a leak or other damage, or if
coolant is still leaking:
Stop the engine and call an Authorized
Mazda Dealer.
Coolant reservoir
Cooling fan
Cooling system cap
If you find no problems, the engine is
cool, and no leaks are obvious:
Carefully add coolant as required (page
6-24).
CAUTION
If the engine continues to overheat or
frequently overheats, have the cooling
system inspected. The engine could be
seriously damaged unless repairs are
made. Consult an Authorized Mazda
Dealer.
If Trouble Arises
Overheating
7-28
MX-5_8GF7-EA-17J_Edition2 2017-10-31 14:07:27