▼Bright-Metal Maintenance
Use tar remover to re
move road tar and
insects. Never do this with a knife or
similar tool.
To prevent corrosion on bright-metal
surfaces, apply wax or chrome
preservative and rub it to a high luster.
During cold weather or in coastal areas,
cover bright-metal parts with a coating
of wax or preservative heavier than
usual. It would also help to coat them
with noncorrosive petroleum jelly or
some other protective compound.
CAUTION
Do not use steel wool, abrasive cleaners, or
strong detergents containing highly
alkaline or caustic agents on
chrome-plated or anodized aluminum
parts. This may result in damage to the
protective coating and cause discoloration
or paint deterioration.
▼ Underbody Maintenance
Road chemicals and salt used for ice and
snow removal and solvents used for dust
control may collect on the underbody. If
not removed, they will speed up rusting
and deterioration of such underbody parts
as fuel lines, frame, floor pan, and exhaust
system, even though these parts may be
coated with anti-corrosive material.
Thoroughly flush the underbody and
wheel housings with lukewarm or cold
water at the end of each winter. Try also to
do this every month.
Pay special attention to these areas
because they easily hide mud and dirt.
It
will do more harm than good to wet
down the road grime without removing
it.
The lower edges of doors, rocker panels,
and frame members have drain holes that
should not be clogged. Water trapped there
will cause rusting.
WA R N I N G
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.
Maintenance and Care
Appearance Care
6-57
MX-5_8KH8-EA-21K_Edition3_old 2021-11-10 13:10:56
▼Aluminum Wheel Maintenance
A protective coating is provided over the
aluminum wheels. Special care is needed
to protect this coating.
CAUTION
Do not use any detergent other than mild
detergent. Before using any detergent,
verify the ingredients. Otherwise, the
product could discolor or stain the
aluminum wheels.
NOTE
Do not use a wire brush or any abrasive
cleaner, polishing compound, or solvent
on aluminum wheels. They may damage
the coating.
Always use a sponge or soft cloth to
clean the wheels.
Rinse the wheels thoroughly with
lukewarm or cold wate
r. Also, be sure to
clean the wheels after driving on dusty
or salted roads to help prevent
corrosion.
▼ Convertible Top (Soft Top)
Maintenance
The convertible top is made of a special
high-grade material, but if it's not taken
good care of, hardening, staining, and loss
of luster will result. Maintain it under
these guidelines.
Wa s h i n g
Do not wait until the convertible top gets
really dirty before cleaning it. Dirt that's
there too long will cause deterioration.
1. Before washing, remove dust and
coarse particulate with a soft brush.
2. Gently clean the convertible top with a
synthetic neutral detergent, lots of
water, and a soft brush.
3. Rinse it thoroughly with clean water to
remove all the soap.
4. Wipe it as dry as you can before the
water dries on it.
5. Then allow it to dry completely before lowering it.
CAUTION
Automatic and high-pressure car washes
are harmful to a convertible top. Avoid
them.
Do not spray water directly on the area
where the window glass and the
convertible top meet. This would
probably cause water to enter the cabin.
Maintenance and Care
Appearance Care
6-58
MX-5_8KH8-EA-21K_Edition3_old 2021-11-10 13:10:56
WA R N I N G
Do not allow children to touch the tire
sealant:
Ingestion of tire sealant is dangerous. In
the event tire sealant is accidentally
swallowed, drink large amounts of water
immediately and seek medical
assistance.
Tire sealant that comes into contact with
the eyes and skin is dangerous. If tire
sealant enters the eyes or contacts the
skin, flush immediately with large
amounts of water and seek medical
assistance.
NOTE
The tire sealant cannot be reused.
Purchase new tire sealant at an
Authorized Mazda Dealer.
The emergency flat tire repair kit cannot
be used in the following cases.
Consult an Authorized Mazda Dealer.
The period of effective use for the tire
sealant has expired. (The period of
effectiveness is indicated on the bottle
label.)
The tear or puncture exceeds about 4
mm (0.16 in).
The damage has occurred to an area
of the tire other than the tread.
The vehicle has been driven with
nearly no air remaining in the tire.
The tire has come off the wheel rim.
Damage to the wheel rim has
occurred.
The tire has two or more punctures.
▼ Using the Emergency Flat Tire
Repair Kit
U.S.A. and Canada
1. Move the vehicle off the right-of-way
to a safe place on a level and hard
surface where the vehicle does not
obstruct traffic.
2. Shift the shift lever to the 1 or Reverse (R) position for a manual transmission,
and shift the selector lever to the P
position for an automatic transmission.
3. Apply the parking brake with the brake pedal depressed and turn off the
engine.
4. If necessary, flash the hazard warning
lights and set up the roadside
emergency triangle.
5. Unload passengers and cargo and
remove the emergency flat tire repair
kit.
Hardtop modelSoft top model
If Trouble Arises
Flat Tire
7-6
MX-5_8KH8-EA-21K_Edition3_old
2021-11-10 13:10:56
If the tire inflation pressure does not
increase, repair of the tire is not
possible. If the tire does not reach
the specified tire inflation pressure
within 10 minutes, it may have
received extensive damage. In this
case, the repair using the emergency
flat tire repair kit was not successful.
Contact an Authorized Mazda
Dealer.
13. Adhere the speed restriction sticker to
an area where it can be viewed easily
by the driver.
14. Adhere the repaired tire sticker to thewheel of the flat tire.
WARNING
Do not adhere the speed restriction
sticker to the padded area on the
steering wheel:
Adhering the speed restriction sticker to
the padded area on the steering wheel
is dangerous because the air bag may
not operate (deploy) normally resulting
in serious injury. In addition, do not
adhere the sticker to areas where
warning lights or the speedometer
cannot be viewed.
15. When the tire inflates to the specified tire inflation pressure, turn the air
compressor switch off, turn the sleeve
of the injection hose to the left, and
pull it out of the tire valve.
16. Remove the air compressor hose from
the injection valve of the bottle. After
that, install the injection hose to the
injection valve of the bottle to prevent
leakage of any remaining sealant.
If Trouble Arises
Flat Tire
7-9
MX-5_8KH8-EA-21K_Edition3_old 2021-11-10 13:10:56
NOTE
If an emergency flat tire repair has
been performed using the emergency
flat tire repair kit, Mazda
recommends that the tire be replaced
with a new one as soon as possible.
If the tire is to be repaired or reused,
consult an Authorized Mazda
Dealer.
The wheel can be reused if the
sealant adhering to it is removed.
However, replace the valve with a
new one.
Mexico
1. Move the vehicle off the right-of-way to a safe place on a level and hard
surface where the vehicle does not
obstruct traffic.
2. Shift the shift lever to the 1 or Reverse (R) position for a ma nual transmission,
and shift the selector lever to the P
position for an au tomatic transmission.
3. Apply the parking brake with the brake
pedal depressed and turn off the
engine.
4. If necessary, flash the hazard warning
lights and set up the roadside
emergency triangle.
5. Unload passengers and cargo andremove the emergency flat tire repair
kit.
Hardtop modelSoft top model
6. Shake the tire sealant well.
If Trouble Arises
Flat Tire
7-11
MX-5_8KH8-EA-21K_Edition3_old
2021-11-10 13:10:56
WA R N I N G
Do not adhere the speed restriction
sticker to the padded area on the
steering wheel:
Adhering the speed restriction sticker to
the padded area on the steering wheel
is dangerous because the air bag may
not operate (deploy) normally resulting
in serious injury. In addition, do not
adhere the sticker to areas where
warning lights or the speedometer
cannot be viewed.
16. Pull out the air compressor hose and the air compressor plug from the air
compressor.
Compressor hose
17. Install the air compressor hose to thetire valve.
Valve Compressor hose
18. Insert the air compressor plug into the
accessory socket inside the vehicle and
switch the ignition to ACC.
Refer to Accessory Sockets on page
5-36.
Compressor
Compressor plug
CAUTION
When inserting the air compressor plug
into or removing it from the accessory
socket, make sure that the air
compressor switch is off. When turning
the air compressor on/off, use the air
compressor switch.
19. Turn the air compressor switch on and inflate the tire carefully to the correct
inflation pressure.
NOTE
Check the tire inflation pressure
label driver's door frame for the
correct tire inflation pressure.
Do not operate the air compressor
for a continuous 10 minutes or
longer because using it for long
periods could cause a malfunction.
If Trouble Arises
Flat Tire
7-14
MX-5_8KH8-EA-21K_Edition3_old 2021-11-10 13:10:56
25. The emergency flat tire repair iscompleted successfully if the tire
inflation pressure does not decrease.
Carefully drive the vehicle to the
nearest Authorized Mazda Dealer
immediately and have the flat tire
replaced. Replacement with a new tire
is recommended. If the tire is to be
repaired or reused, consult an
Authorized Mazda Dealer.
NOTE
If an emergency flat tire repair has
been performed using the emergency
flat tire repair kit, Mazda
recommends that the tire be replaced
with a new one as soon as possible.
If the tire is to be repaired or reused,
consult an Authorized Mazda
Dealer.
The wheel can be reused if the
sealant adhering to it is removed.
However, replace the valve with a
new one.
▼Inspecting the Emergency Flat Tire
Repair Kit
Inspect the emergency flat tire repair kit at
regular intervals.
Check the tire sealant period of effective
use.
Check the operation of the tire
compressor.
NOTE
The tire sealant has a period of effective
use. Check the period of effective use
indicated on the bottle label and do not
use it if it has expired. Have the tire
sealant replaced at an Authorized Mazda
Dealer before the period of effective use
has expired.
If Trouble Arises
Flat Tire
7-16
MX-5_8KH8-EA-21K_Edition3_old
2021-11-10 13:10:56
Changing a Tire
WARNING
Be sure to follow the directions for
changing a tire:
Changing a tire is dangerous if not done
properly. The vehicle can slip off the jack
and seriously injure someone.
No person should place any portion of their
body under a vehicle that is supported by a
jack.
Never allow anyone inside a vehicle
supported by a jack:
Allowing someone to remain in a vehicle
supported by a jack is dangerous. The
occupant could cause the vehicle to fall
resulting in serious injury.
NOTE
Make sure the jack is well lubricated
before using it.
1. Park on a hard, level surface off the right-of-way and firmly set the parking
brake.
2. Put a vehicle with an automatic
transmission in Park (P), a manual
transmission in Reverse (R) or 1, and
turn off the engine.
3. Turn on the hazard warning flasher.
4. Have passengers get out of the vehicle and away from the vehicle and traffic.
5. Remove the jack and tool (page 7-3).
6. Block the wheel diagonally opposite the tire to be changed. When blocking
a wheel, place a tire block both in front
and behind the tire.
NOTE
When blocking a tire, use rocks or
wood blocks of sufficient size if
possible to hold the tire in place.
▼Removing a Tire
WA R N I N G
When jacking-up a vehicle, always shift the
shift lever to 1st or R (manual transmission
vehicle) or shift the selector lever to P
(automatic transmission vehicle), apply the
parking brake, and place wheel blocks in
the position diagonally opposed to the
jack:
Changing a
flat tire without using wheel
blocks is dangerous because the vehicle
may move and fall off the jack even with
the shift lever in 1st or R, or the select lever
is in P, which could result in an accident.
If Trouble Arises
Flat Tire
7-17
MX-5_8KH8-EA-21K_Edition3_old 2021-11-10 13:10:56