2020 MAZDA MODEL MX-5 MIATA RF Owners Manual

WA R N I N G
Do not perform maintenance work if you lack sufficient knowledge and experience or the
proper tools and equipment to do the work. Have maintenance work done by a qualified
technician:
Performing maintenance work on a vehicle is dangerous if not done properly. You can be
seriously injured while performing some maintenance procedures.
If you must run the engine while working under the hood, make certain that you remove all
jewelry (especially rings, bracelets, watches, and necklaces) and all neckties, scarves, and
similar loose clothing before getting near the engine or cooling fan which may turn on
unexpectedly:
Working under the hood with the engine running is dangerous. It becomes even more
dangerous when you wear jewelry, loose clothing or have long hair or a long beard.
Either can become entangled in moving parts and result in injury.
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 leave items in the engine compartment:
After you have finished checking or doing servicing in the engine compartment, do not forget
and leave items such as tools or rags in the engine compartment.
Tools or other items left in the engine compartment could cause engine damage or a fire
leading to an unexpected accident.
Maintenance and Care
Owner Maintenance
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Hood
WA R N I N G
Always check that the hood is closed and
securely locked:
A hood that is not closed and securely
locked is dangerous as it could fly open
while the vehicle is moving and block the
driver's vision which could result in a
serious accident.
▼ Opening the Hood
1. With the vehicle parked, pull the
release handle to unlock the hood.

Release handle
2. Insert your hand into the hood
opening, slide the latch lever to the
right, and lift up the hood.

Lever
3. Grasp the support rod in the padded
area and secure it in the support rod
hole indicated by the arrow to hold the
hood open.

Pad
Support rod
Clip
Maintenance and Care
Owner Maintenance
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▼Closing the Hood
1. 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.

Clip
Pad
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.
Maintenance and Care
Owner Maintenance
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Engine Compartment Overview
Windshield washer fluid reservoirBrake/Clutch fluid reservoir
Engine oil dipstick
Battery
Fuse blockCooling system cap
Engine coolant reservoir
Engine oil-filler cap
Maintenance and Care
Owner Maintenance
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Engine Oil
NOTE
Changing the engine oil should be
performed by an Authorized Mazda
Dealer.
Refer to Introduction (page 6-2) for
owner's responsibility in protecting your
investment.
▼Recommended Oil
U.S.A., Canada, and Puerto Rico
Use SAE 0W-20 engine oil.
Mazda Genuine Oil is used in your Mazda
vehicle. Mazda Genuine 0W-20 Oil is
required to achie
ve optimum fuel
economy.

For maintenance service, Mazda
recommends Mazda Genuine Parts and
Oil.

(ILSAC)
Only use SAE 0W-20 oil “Certified For
Gasoline Engines” by the American
Petroleum Institute (API).
Oil with this tradem ark symbol conforms
to the current engine and emission system
protection standards and fuel economy
requirements of the International
Lubricant Standardization and Approval
Committee (ILSAC), comprised of U.S.
and Japanese automobile manufacturers.

80
60
40
20
0
–40 –20
30
100
40
20
10
0
–10
–20
–30
–40
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Owner Maintenance
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Except U.S.A., Canada, and Puerto Rico
Use SAE 5W-30 engine oil.
Oil container labels provide important
information.
A chief contribution this type of oil makes
to fuel economy is reducing the amount of
fuel necessary to overcome engine
friction.

For maintenance service, Mazda
recommends Mazda Genuine Parts.

(ILSAC)
(Mexico)
Use SAE 5W-30 engine oil. If SAE 5W-30
engine oil is not available, use SAE 5W-20
engine oil.

The quality designation SM, or ILSAC
must be on the label.

80
60
40
20
0
–40 –20
30
100
40
20
10
0
–10
–20
–30
–40
▼ Inspecting Engine Oil Level
1. Be sure the vehicle is on a level
surface.
2. Warm up the engine to normal operating temperature.
3. Turn it off and wait at least 5 minutes for the oil to retur n to the oil pan.
4. Pull out the dipstic k, wipe it clean, and
reinsert it fully.

MIN
MAX
OK
5. Pull it out again and examine the level. The level is normal if it is between the
MIN and MAX marks.
If it is near or below MIN, add enough
oil to bring the level to MAX.
CAUTION
Do not overfill the engine oil. This may
cause engine damage.
6. Make sure the O-ring on the dipstick is positioned properly before reinserting
the dipstick.
7. Reinsert the dipstick fully.
Maintenance and Care
Owner Maintenance
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Engine Coolant
▼Inspecting Coolant Level
WA R N I N G
Do not use a match or live flame in the
engine compartment. DO NOT ADD
COOLANT WHEN THE ENGINE IS HOT:
A hot engine is dangerous. If the engine has
been running, parts of the engine
compartment can become very hot. You
could be burned. Carefully inspect the
engine coolant in the coolant reservoir, but
do not open it.
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.
NOTE
Changing the coolant should be done by
an Authorized Mazda Dealer.
Inspect the antifreeze protection and
coolant level in the coolant reservoir at
least once a year―at the beginning of the
winter season―and before traveling where
temperatures may drop below freezing.

Inspect the condition and connections of
all cooling system and heater hoses.
Replace any that are swollen or
deteriorated.

The coolant should be at full in the
radiator and between the FULL and LOW
marks on the coolant reservoir when the
engine is cool.

Coolant reservoir
Cooling fan
Cooling system cap
If it is at or near LOW, add enough coolant
to the coolant reservoir to provide freezing
and corrosion protec tion and to bring the
level to FULL.
Securely tighten the coolant reservoir tank
cap after adding coolant.
Maintenance and Care
Owner Maintenance
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CAUTION
Radiator coolant will damage paint.
Rinse it off quickly if spilled.
 If the “FL22” mark is shown on or near
the cooling system cap, use of FL-22 is
recommended when replacing engine
coolant. Using engine coolant other than
FL-22 may cause serious damage to the
engine and cooling system.

If the coolant reser voir is empty or new
coolant is required frequently, consult an
Authorized Mazda Dealer.
Brake/Clutch Fluid
▼ Inspecting Brake/Clutch Fluid Level
WA R N I N G
If the brake/clutch fluid level is low, have
the brakes inspected:
A low brake/clutch
fluid level is dangerous.
A low level could indicate brake lining wear
or a brake system leak which could cause
the brakes to fail and lead to an accident.
The brakes and clutch draw fluid from the
same reservoir.
Inspect the fluid level in the reservoir
regularly. It should be kept between the
MAX and MIN lines.
The level normally drops with
accumulated distance, a condition
associated with wear of brake and clutch
linings. If it is exce ssively low, have the
brake/clutch system inspected by an
Authorized Mazda Dealer.
Maintenance and Care
Owner Maintenance
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