coolant temperature MAZDA MODEL MX-5 RF 2017 (in English) User Guide

4–47
When Driving
Instrument Cluster and Display
*Some models.
Signal Indicator Lights Page
(Green)
* Cruise Set Indication/Indicator Light 4-135
*1 The light turns on when the ignition is switched on for an operation check, and turns off a few seconds later or
when the engine is started. If the light does not turn on or remains turned on, have the vehicle inspected at an
expert repairer, we recommend an Authorised Mazda Repairer.
Wrench Indication/Indicator
Lights*
Type A instrument cluster
Perform maintenance in accordance with
the message.
Type B instrument cluster
When the ignition is switched ON, the
wrench indicator light is illuminated and
then turns off after a few seconds.
The wrench indicator light is illuminated
when the preset maintenance period
arrives. Verify the content and perform
maintenance.
Refer to Maintenance Monitor on page
6-10 .
Low Engine Coolant Temperature
Indicator Light (Blue)
The light illuminates continuously when
the engine coolant temperature is low and
turns off after the engine is warm.
If the low engine coolant temperature
indicator light remains illuminated after
the engine has been suf¿ ciently warmed
up, the temperature sensor could have a
malfunction. Consult an expert repairer,
we recommend an Authorised Mazda
Repairer.
/:A(.'',A'FKVKQPKPFD

5–7
Interior Features
Air-Conditioning System
WARNING
Do not use the position in cold or
rainy weather:
Using the
position in cold or rainy
weather is dangerous as it will cause
the windows to fog up. Your vision will
be hampered, which could lead to a
serious accident.
Rear window defogger switch
Press the rear window defogger switch to
defrost the rear window.
Refer to Rear Window Defogger on page
4-77 .
Heating
1. Set the mode selector dial to the
position.
2. Set the air intake selector to the outside
air position (indicator light turns off).
3. Set the temperature control dial to the
hot position.
4. Set the fan control dial to the desired
speed.
5. If dehumidi¿ ed heating is desired, turn
on the air conditioner.
NOTE
  If the windscreen fogs up easily, set
the mode selector dial to the
position.  If cooler air is desired at face level,
set the mode selector dial at the
position and adjust the temperature
control dial to maintain maximum
comfort.
  The air to the À oor is warmer than
air to the face (except when the
temperature control dial is set at the
extreme hot or cold position).
Cooling (With air conditioner)
1. Set the mode selector dial to the
position.
2. Set the temperature control dial to the
cold position.
3. Set the fan control dial to the desired
speed.
4. Turn on the air conditioner by pressing
the A/C switch.
5. After cooling begins, adjust the fan
control dial and temperature control
dial as needed to maintain maximum
comfort.
CAUTION
If the air conditioner is used while
driving up long hills or in heavy traf¿ c,
monitor the engine coolant temperature
warning light to see if it is illuminated or
À ashing (page 4-42 ).
The air conditioner may cause engine
overheating. If the warning light is
illuminated or À ashing, turn the air-
conditioning off (page 7-24 ).
/:A(.'',A'FKVKQPKPFD

6–5
Maintenance and Care
Scheduled Maintenance
*5 If the vehicle is operated primarily under any of the following conditions, replace the engine oil and oil ¿ lter at
every 10,000 km (6,250 miles) or shorter.
a) Purpose of vehicle use is police car, taxi or driving school car.
b) Driving in dusty conditions
c) Extended periods of idling or low speed operation
d) Driving for long period in cold temperatures or driving regularly at short distance only
e) Driving in extremely hot conditions
f) Driving in mountainous conditions continually
*6 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.
*7 Inspect the battery electrolyte level, speci¿ c gravity and outer appearance. The sealed battery only requires an
outer appearance inspection.
*8 If the brakes are used extensively (for example, continuous hard driving or mountain driving) or if the vehicle
is operated in extremely humid climates, replace the brake À uid annually.
*9 If this component has been submerged in water, the oil should be replaced.
*10 Tyre rotation is recommended every 10,000 km (6,250 miles).
*11 The Tyre Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS) initialization must be performed so that the system operates
normally (if equipped).
*12 Check the tyre repair À uid expiration date every year when performing the periodic maintenance. Replace the
tyre repair À uid bottle with new one before the expiration date.
Except Europe
I s r a e l
Maintenance Interval Number of months or kilometres, whichever comes ¿ rst
Months 12 24 36 48 60 72 84 96 108 120 132 144
×1000 km 15 30 45 60 75 90 105 120 135 150 165 180
Spark plugs Replace every 120,000 km or 6 years.
Fuel ¿ lter Replace every 135,000 km.
Evaporative system (if installed) I I I
Fuel lines and hoses
I I
I
I I
I
Drive belts
*1 I I I I I I I I I I I I
Engine oil & oil ¿ lter *2 R R R R R R R R R R R R
Air ¿ lter *3 C C C R C C C R C C C R
Cooling system I I I I I I
Engine coolant
*4 Replace at ¿ rst 195,000 km or 10 years; after that, every
90,000 km or 5 years.
Battery
*5 I I I I I I I I I I I I
Brake lines, hoses and connections I I I I I I I I I I I I
Brake À uid
*6 I R I R I R I R I R I R
Parking brake I I I I I I I I I I I I
Power brake unit (Brake booster) and hoses I I I I I I I I I I I I
Disc brakes I I I I I I I I I I I I
/:A(.'',A'FKVKQPKPFD

6–6
Maintenance and Care
Scheduled Maintenance
Maintenance Interval Number of months or kilometres, whichever comes ¿ rst
Months 12 24 36 48 60 72 84 96 108 120 132 144
×1000 km 15 30 45 60 75 90 105 120 135 150 165 180
Steering operation and linkages I I I I I I
Manual transmission oil R R
Rear differential oil
*7
Front and rear suspension, ball joints and wheel
bearing axial play I I I I I I I I I I I I
Driveshaft dust boots I I I I
Exhaust system and heat shields Inspect every 75,000 km.
Bolts and nuts on chassis and body T T T T T T T T T T T T
Body condition (for rust, corrosion and
perforation) Inspect annually.
Tyres (including spare tyre) (with inÀ ation
pressure adjustment)
*8 I I I I I I I I I I I I
Emergency À at tyre repair kit (if installed)
*9 Inspect annually.
Chart symbols:
I : Inspect: Inspect and clean, repair, adjust, ¿ ll up, or replace if necessary.
R : Replace
C : Clean
T : Tighten
D : Drain
Remarks:
*1 Also inspect the air conditioner drive belts, if installed.
If the vehicle is operated primarily under any of the following conditions, inspect the drive belts at every
10,000 km or shorter.
a) Driving in dusty conditions
b) Extended periods of idling or low speed operation
c) Driving for long period in cold temperatures or driving regularly at short distance only
d) Driving in extremely hot conditions
e) Driving in mountainous conditions continually
*2 If the vehicle is operated primarily under any of the following conditions, replace the engine oil and oil ¿ lter at
every 10,000 km or shorter.
a) Purpose of vehicle use is police car, taxi or driving school car.
b) Driving in dusty conditions
c) Extended periods of idling or low speed operation
d) Driving for long period in cold temperatures or driving regularly at short distance only
e) Driving in extremely hot conditions
f) Driving in mountainous conditions continually
*3 If the vehicle is operated in very dusty or sandy areas, clean and if necessary, replace the air ¿ lter more often
than the recommended intervals.
*4 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.
*5 Inspect the battery electrolyte level, speci¿ c gravity and outer appearance. The sealed battery only requires an
outer appearance inspection.
/:A(.'',A'FKVKQPKPFD

6–9
Maintenance and Care
Scheduled Maintenance
*3 If the vehicle is operated primarily under any of the following conditions, replace the engine oil and oil ¿ lter
more often than the recommended intervals.
a) Purpose of vehicle use is police car, taxi or driving school car.
b) Driving in dusty conditions
c) Extended periods of idling or low speed operation
d) Driving for long period in cold temperatures or driving regularly at short distance only
e) Driving in extremely hot conditions
f) Driving in mountainous conditions continually
*4 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.
*5 If the vehicle is operated in very dusty or sandy areas, clean and if necessary, replace the air ¿ lter more often
than the recommended intervals.
*6 Inspect the battery electrolyte level, speci¿ c gravity and outer appearance. If the vehicle is operated in
extremely hot and cold areas, inspect the battery electrolyte level, speci¿ c gravity and appearance every 10,000
km (6,250 miles) or 6 months. The sealed battery only requires an outer appearance inspection.
*7 If the brakes are used extensively (for example, continuous hard driving or mountain driving) or if the vehicle
is operated in extremely humid climates, replace the brake À uid annually.
*8 If this component has been submerged in water, the oil should be replaced.
*9 The Tyre Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS) initialization must be performed so that the system operates
normally (if equipped).
*10 Check the tyre repair À uid expiration date every year when performing the periodic maintenance. Replace the
tyre repair À uid bottle with new one before the expiration date.
/:A(.'',A'FKVKQPKPFD

6–20
Maintenance and Care
Owner Maintenance
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 return to the sump.
4. Pull out the dipstick, 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 over¿ ll 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.
Engine Coolant
Inspecting Coolant Level
WARNING
Do not use a match or live À ame 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 inde¿ nitely 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.
/:A(.'',A'FKVKQPKPFD

6–21
Maintenance and Care
Owner Maintenance
NOTE
Changing the coolant should be done
by an expert repairer, we recommend an
Authorised Mazda Repairer.
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 travelling
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 protection and to bring the
level to FULL.
Securely tighten the coolant reservoir tank
cap after adding coolant.
CAUTION
  Radiator coolant will damage paint.  Rinse it off quickly if spilled.


 Use only soft (demineralised) water
in the coolant mixture. Water that
contains minerals will cut down on
the coolant's effectiveness.
  Do not add only water. Always add a
proper coolant mixture.
  The engine has aluminium parts and
must be protected by an ethylene-
glycol-based coolant to prevent
corrosion and freezing.
  DO NOT USE coolants Containing
Alcohol, methanol, Borate or
Silicate.
 These coolants could damage the
cooling system.
  DO NOT MIX alcohol or methanol
with the coolant. This could damage
the cooling system.
  Do not use a solution that contains
more than 60% antifreeze.
 This would reduce effectiveness.
 
 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.
/:A(.'',A'FKVKQPKPFD

6–63
Maintenance and Care
Appearance Care
6. After cleaning is ¿ nished, continue
pressing the retractable fastback switch
in the close direction to close the rear
roof.
Refer to Closing the Roof on page
3-52 . Plastic Part Maintenance
 












 When cleaning the plastic lenses of
the lights, do not use petrol, paraf¿ n,
recti¿ ed spirit, paint, thinner, highly
acidic detergents, or strongly alkaline
detergents. Otherwise, these chemical
agents can discolour or damage the
surfaces resulting in a signi¿ cant loss
in functionality. If plastic parts become
inadvertently exposed to any of these
chemical agents, À ush with water
immediately.
 


 If plastic parts such as the bumpers
become inadvertently exposed to
chemical agents or À uids such as petrol,
oil, engine coolant, or battery À uid, it
could cause discolouration, staining,
or paint peeling. Wipe off any such
chemical agents or À uids using a soft
cloth immediately.
 


 High water temperature and high water
pressure car washers are available
depending on the type of high pressure
car washer device. If the car washer
nozzle is put too close to the vehicle or
aimed at one area for an extended period
of time, it could deform plastic parts or
damage the paint.
 


 Do not use wax containing compounds
(polish). Otherwise, it could result in
paint damage.
 


 In addition, do not use an electrical or
air tool to apply wax. Otherwise, the
frictional heat generated could result
in deformation of plastic parts or paint
damage.
/:A(.'',A'FKVKQPKPFD

7–24
If Trouble Arises
Overheating
O v e r h e a t i n g
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.
WARNING
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 inde¿ nitely 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 bonnet 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 coolant 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 bonnet and start the engine.
If neither coolant nor steam is
escaping:
Open the bonnet 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 expert repairer,
we recommend an Authorised Mazda
Repairer.
6. Make sure the cooling fan is operating,
then turn off the engine after the
temperature has decreased.
7. When cool, check the coolant level.
If it is low, look for coolant leaks from
the radiator and hoses.
/:A(.'',A'FKVKQPKPFD

7–33
If Trouble Arises
Warning/Indicator Lights and Warning Sounds
Signal Warning
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 on level ground.
2. Turn off the engine and wait 5 minutes for the oil to drain back into the sump.
3. Inspect the engine oil level 6-20 . If it's low, add the appropriate amount of engine
oil while being careful not to over¿ ll.
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 expert repairer, we
recommend an Authorised Mazda Repairer.
(Red)
High Engine Coolant
Temperature Warning
Indication/Warning
Light
The light À ashes when the engine coolant temperature is extremely high, and
illuminates when the engine coolant temperature increases further.
Handling Procedure
Flashing light
Drive slowly to reduce engine load until you can ¿ nd 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
immediately and stop the engine.
Refer to Overheating 7-24 .
CAUTION
Do not drive the vehicle with the high engine coolant temperature warning light
illuminated. Otherwise, it could result in damage to the engine.
/:A(.'',A'FKVKQPKPFD