2020 MAZDA MODEL MX-5 Owners Manual (in English)

Tiedown Hooks*
CAUTION
Do not use the front and rear tiedown
eyelets for towing the vehicle.
They have been designed only for securing
the vehicle to a transport vessel during
shipping.
Using the eyelets for any other purpose
could result in the vehicle being damaged.
▼Tiedown Hooks
1. Remove the tiedown eyelet and the lugwrench from the luggage compartment
(page 7-3).
2. Wrap a flathead screwdriver or similar
tool with a soft c loth to prevent
damage to a painted bumper, and open
the cap located on the front or rear
bumper.
Front
Rear
CAUTION
Do not use excessive force as it may
damage the cap or scratch the painted
bumper surface.
NOTE
Remove the cap completely and store it
so as not to lose it.
3. Securely install the tiedown eyelet using the lug wrench or equivalent.
Consult an Authorized Mazda Dealer.
Front
Lug wrench
Tiedown eyelet
If Trouble Arises
Emergency Towing
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Rear
Lug wrench
Tiedown eyelet
4. Hook the tying rope to the tiedown eyelet.
CAUTION
If the tiedown eyelet is not securely
tightened, it may loosen or disengage
from the bumper when tying the
vehicle. Make sure that the tiedown
eyelet is securely tightened to the
bumper.
If Trouble Arises
Emergency Towing
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If a Warning Light Turns On or Flashes
If any warning light turns on/flashes, take appropriate action for each light. There is no
problem if the light turns off, however if the light does not t urn off or turns on/flashes again,
consult an Authorized Mazda Dealer.
The details for some warnings can be viewed on the center displa y.
1. If the warning light is turned on, select the
icon on the home screen to display the
application screen.
2. Select “Vehicle Status Monitor”.
3. Select “Warning Guidance” to display the current warnings.
4. Select the applicable warni ng to view the warning details.
▼Stop Vehicle in Safe Place Immediately
If any of the following warning lights turns on, the system may have a malfunction. Stop the
vehicle in a safe place immediately and contact an Authorized Mazda Dealer.
Signal War n i n g
Brake System Warning
Light This warning has the
following functions:
Parking brake warning/Warning light inspection
The light illuminates when the parking brake is applied with th e ignition switched to
START or ON. It turns off when the parking brake is fully relea sed.
Low brake fluid level warning
If the brake warning light remains illuminated even though the parking brake is re‐
leased, the brake fluid may be l ow or there could be a problem with the brake system.
Park the vehicle in a safe place immediately and contact an Authorized Mazda Dealer.
WARNING
Do not drive with the brake system warning light illuminated. Contact an Authorized
Mazda Dealer to have the brakes inspected as soon as possible:
Driving with the brake system warning light illuminated is dangerous. It indicates that
your brakes may not work at all or that they could completely fail at any time. If this
light remains illuminated, after checking that the parking brake is fully released, have
the brakes inspected immediately.
CAUTION
In addition, the effectiveness of the braking may diminish so you may need to depress
the brake pedal more st rongly than normal to stop the vehicle.
If Trouble Arises
Warning/Indicator Lights and Warning Sounds
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SignalWarning
Electronic Brake Force
Distribution System Warning If the electronic brake force di
stribution control unit determines that some compo‐
nents are operating incorrectly, the control unit may illuminate the brake system
warning light and the ABS warni ng light simultaneously. The problem is likely to be
the electronic brake force distribution system.
WARNING
Do not drive with both the ABS warning light and brake warning light illuminated.
Have the vehicle towed to an Authorized Mazda Dealer to have the brakes inspected as
soon as possible:
Driving when the brake system warning li ght and ABS warning light are illuminated
simultaneously is dangerous.
When both lights are illuminate d, the rear wheels could lock more quickly in an emer‐
gency stop than under normal circumstances.
Charging System Warn‐ ing Indication/Warning Light If the warning light illuminates while driving, it indicates a
malfunction of the alter‐
nator or of the charging system.
Drive to the side of the road and park off the right-of-way. Co nsult an Authorized
Mazda Dealer.
CAUTION
Do not continue driving when the charging system warning light is illuminated be‐
cause the engine could stop unexpectedly.
Engine Oil Warning Light This warning light indicates low engine oil pressure.
CAUTION
Do not run the engine if the oil pressure is
low. Otherwise, it could result in extensive
engine damage.
If the light illuminates or the warning indication is displayed while driving:
1. Drive to the side of the road and park off the right-of-way o n level ground.
2. Turn off the engine and wait 5 minutes for the oil to drain b ack into the oil pan.
3. Inspect the engine oil level (p age 6-24). If it's low, add the appropriate amount of
engine oil while being careful not to overfill.
CAUTION
Do not run the engine if the oil level is low. Otherwise, it could result in extensive
engine damage.
4. Start the engine and check the warning light.

If the light remains illuminated even though the oil level is normal or after adding oil,
stop the engine immediately and have your vehicle towed to an Authorized Mazda
Dealer.
If Trouble Arises
Warning/Indicator Lights and Warning Sounds
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SignalWar n i n g
(Red)
High Engine Coolant
Temperature Warning
Indication/Warning
Light The light flashes when the engine coolant temperature is extrem
ely high, and illumi‐
nates when the engine coolant temperature increases further.
Handling Procedure
Flashing light
Drive slowly to reduce engine l oad until you can find a safe place to stop the vehicle
and wait for the engine to cool down.
Illuminated light
This indicates the possibility of overheating. Park the vehicle in a safe place immedi‐
ately and stop the engine.
Refer to Overheating on page 7-27.
CAUTION
Do not drive the vehicle with the high engi ne coolant temperature warning light illumi‐
nated. Otherwise, it could resu lt in damage to the engine.
Power Steering Mal‐
function Indication*
The message is displayed if the electric power steering has a m alfunction.
If the message is displayed, stop the vehicle in a safe place and do not operate the
steering wheel. There is no probl em if the message in the display turns off after a
while. Contact an Authorized Mazda Dealer if the message is dis played continuously.
NOTE
If the message is displayed, the power steering will not operate normally. In this
case, the steering wheel can still be operated, however, the operation may feel
heavy compared to normal, or the steer ing wheel could vibrate when turning.
Repeatedly jerking the steering wheel left and right while the vehicle is stopped or
moving extremely slowly will cause the power steering system to go into protective
mode which will make the steering feel heavy, but this does not indicate a problem.
If this occurs, park the vehicle safely and wait several minute s for the system to
return to normal.
Power Steering Mal‐ function Indicator
Light
*
The light illuminates/flashes if the electric power steering ha s a malfunction.
If the light illuminates/flashes, stop the vehicle in a safe place and do not operate the
steering wheel. There is no problem if the light turns off afte r a while. Contact an Au‐
thorized Mazda Dealer if the light illuminates/flashes continuo usly.
NOTE
If the indicator light illuminates/flashes, the power steering will not operate nor‐
mally. If this happens, the steering wheel can still be operated, however, the opera‐
tion may feel heavy compared to normal, or the steering wheel could vibrate when
turning.
Repeatedly jerking the steering wheel left and right while the vehicle is stopped or
moving extremely slowly will cause the power steering system to go into protective
mode which will make the steerin g feel heavy, but this does not indicate a problem.
If this occurs, park the vehicle safely and wait several minute s for the system to
return to normal.
If Trouble Arises
Warning/Indicator Lights and Warning Sounds
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▼Contact Authorized Mazda Dealer and Have Vehicle Inspected
If any of the following warning lights o r the indicator light turns on/flashes, the system may
have a malfunction. Contact an Authorized Mazda Dealer to have your vehicle inspected.
SignalWarning
Master Warning In‐
dication/Warning
Light
*
Type A instrument cluster
(Master warning indication)
Displays when notification of the system malfunctions is required.
Check the message indicated in th e display and consult an Authorized Mazda Dealer.
(Master warning light)
The master warning light display s when a warning message occurs.
This indicates a malfunction with the vehicle system. Check the message indicated in the
display and consult an Authorized Mazda Dealer.
For details, refer to the explanations for the warning/indicato r lights, in the warning/indi‐
cator lights section, which match the symbol in the upper part of the display.
If a message is not indicated in the display, operate the INFO switch to display the “Warn‐
ing” screen.
Refer to Message Indicated in Mu lti-information Display and INFO switch on page 4-19.
Type B instrument cluster
The light illuminates continuously if any one of the following occurs. Consult an Author‐
ized Mazda Dealer.
There is a malfunction in the battery management system.There is a malfunction in the brake switch.
Electric Vacuum Pump Warning Light The light turns on if the electric vacuum pump system has a pro
blem. Have your vehicle
inspected at an Authorized Mazda Dealer.
ABS Warning Light If the ABS warning light stays on while you're driving, the ABS control unit has detected
a system malfunction. If this occurs, your brakes will function normally as if the vehicle
had no ABS.
Should this happen, consult an A uthorized Mazda Dealer as soon as possible.
NOTE
When the engine is jump-started to charge the battery, uneven rpm occurs and the ABS
warning light may illuminate. If this occurs, it is the result of the weak battery and does
not indicate an ABS malfunction.
Recharge the battery.
The brake assist system does not operate while the ABS warning light is illuminated.
If Trouble Arises
Warning/Indicator Lights and Warning Sounds
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SignalWarning
Check Engine LightIf this light illuminates while dr
iving, the vehicle may have a problem. It is important to
note the driving conditions when the light illuminated and cons ult an Authorized Mazda
Dealer.
The check engine light may illuminate in the following cases:
The engine's electrical system has a problem.The emission control system has a problem.The fuel tank level being very low or approaching empty.The fuel-filler cap is missing or not tightened securely.
If the check engine light remains on, or it flashes continuously , do not drive at high
speeds and consult an Authorized Mazda Dealer as soon as possible.
Automatic Trans‐
mission Indication/
Warning Light
*
The indication/light illuminates when the transmission has a pr oblem.
CAUTION
If the automatic transmission warning indication/light illuminates, the transmission has an
electrical problem. Continuing to drive your Mazda in this condition could cause damage to
your transmission. Consult an Authorized Mazda Dealer as soon as possible.
(Turns on)
TCS/DSC Indicator
Light If the light stays on, the TCS, DSC or the brake assist system may have a malfunction and
they may not operate correctly. Take your vehicle to an Authori
zed Mazda Dealer.
Air Bag/Seat Belt
Pretensioner System Warning Light A system malfunction is indicated
if the warning light constantly flashes, constantly illu‐
minates or does not illuminate at all when the ignition is swit ched ON. If any of these oc‐
cur, consult an Authorized Mazda Dealer as soon as possible. The system may not operate
in an accident.WARNING
Never tamper with the air bag/pretensioner systems and always have an Authorized Mazda
Dealer perform all servicing and repairs:
Self-servicing or tampering with the systems is dangerous. An air bag/pretensioner could
accidentally activate or become disabled causing serious injury or death.
If Trouble Arises
Warning/Indicator Lights and Warning Sounds
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SignalWarning
(Flashing)
Tire Pressure Moni‐ toring System
Warning Light If the tire pressure monitoring s
ystem has a malfunction, the tire pressure warning light
flashes. Have your vehicle checked by an Authorized Mazda Deale r as soon as possible.
WARNING
If the tire pressure monitoring system warning light illuminates or flashes, or the tire pres‐
sure warning beep sound is heard, decrease vehicle speed immediately and avoid sudden
maneuvering and braking:
If the tire pressure monitoring system warning light illuminates or flashes, or the tire pres‐
sure warning beep sound is heard, it is dang erous to drive the vehicle at high speeds, or
perform sudden maneuver ing or braking. Vehicle drivability could worsen and result in an
accident.
To determine if you have a slow leak or a flat, pull over to a safe position where you can
check the visual condition of the tire and determine if you have enough air to proceed to a
place where air may be added and the system monitored again by an Authorized Mazda
Dealer or a tire repair station.
Do not ignore the TPMS Warning Light:
Ignoring the TPMS warning light is dangerous, even if you know why it is illuminated. Have
the problem taken care of as soon as possible before it develops into a more serious situa‐
tion that could lead to tire failure and a dangerous accident.
(Amber)
KEY Warning Indi‐
cation
*
“Keyless System malfunction” is displayed
This message is displayed if the advanced keyless entry & push button start system has a
problem.
Contact an Authorized Mazda Dealer.
CAUTION
If the message is indicated, or the push button start indicato r light (amber) flashes, the en‐
gine may not start. If the engine cannot be started, try starting it using the emergency oper‐
ation for starting the engine, and have the vehicle inspected at an Authorized Mazda Deal‐
er as soon as possible.
Refer to Emergency Operation for St arting the Engine on page 4-10.
“Ignition is on” is displayed
This message is displayed when the driver's door is opened with out switching the ignition
off.
“Key not detected” is displayed
This message is displayed when any of the following operations is performed with the key
out of the operational range or placed in areas inside the cabin where it is difficult for the
key to be detected.
The push button start is pressed with the ignition switched offThe ignition is switched onAll doors are closed without switching the ignition off
If Trouble Arises
Warning/Indicator Lights and Warning Sounds
7-38*Some models.
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