warning MAZDA MX5 MIATA 2017 Owners Manual

6 –23 Maintenance and Care
Owner Maintenance
WARNING 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 or loose clothing.
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.
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6 –24 Maintenance and Care
Owner Maintenance
HoodWARNINGAlways 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 Hood1. 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.

Le ve r
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.
Pa d
Support rod
Clip
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6 –29 Maintenance and Care
Owner Maintenance6. 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 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.
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6 –31 Maintenance and Care
Owner Maintenance
Brake/Clutch Fluid Inspecting Brake/Clutch Fluid
Level
WARNING 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 excessively low, have
the brake/clutch system inspected by an
Authorized Mazda Dealer. Washer Fluid Inspecting Washer Fluid Level
WARNING Use only windshield washer fluid or
plain water in the reservoir:
Using radiator antifreeze as washer
fluid is dangerous. If sprayed on the
windshield, it will dirty the windshield,
affect your visibility, and could result in
an accident.
Using Washer Fluid Without Anti-freeze
Protection in Cold Weather:
Operating your vehicle in temperatures
below 4 degrees C (40 degrees F)
using washer fluid without anti-freeze
protection is dangerous as it could
cause impaired windshield vision and
result in an accident. In cold weather,
always use washer fluid with anti-
freeze protection.
NOTE
State or local regulations may restrict the
use of volatile organic compounds (VOCs),
which are commonly used as anti-freeze
agents in washer fluid. A washer fluid with
limited VOC content should be used only
if it provides adequate freeze resistance
for all regions and climates in which the
vehicle will be operated.
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6 –36 Maintenance and Care
Owner Maintenance
BatteryWARNINGWash hands after handling the battery and related accessories:
Battery posts, terminals and related accessories contain lead and lead compounds,
chemicals known to the State of California to cause cancer and reproductive harm.
Read the following precautions carefully before using the battery or inspecting
to ensure safe and correct handling:
Always wear eye protection when working near the battery:
Working without eye protection is dangerous. Battery fluid contains SULFURIC ACID
which could cause blindness if splashed into your eyes. Also, hydrogen gas produced
during normal battery operation, could ignite and cause the battery to explode.
Wear eye protection and protective gloves to prevent contact with battery fluid:
Spilled battery fluid is dangerous.
Battery fluid contains SULFURIC ACID which could cause serious injuries if it gets in eyes,
or on the skin or clothing. If this happens, immediately flush your eyes with water for 15
minutes or wash your skin thoroughly and get medical attention.
Always keep batteries out of the reach of children:
Allowing children to play near batteries is dangerous. Battery fluid could cause serious
injuries if it gets in the eyes or on the skin.
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 all flames including
cigarettes and sparks away from open battery cells.
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6 –41 Maintenance and Care
Owner Maintenance
TiresFor reasons of proper performance, safety,
and better fuel economy, always maintain
recommended tire inflation pressures and
stay within the recommended load limits
and weight distribution.
WARNING Using Different Tire Types:
Driving your vehicle with different
types of tires is dangerous. It could
cause poor handling and poor braking;
leading to loss of control.
Except for the limited use of the
temporary spare tire, use only the
same type tires (radial, bias-belted,
bias-type) on all four wheels.
Using Wrong-Sized Tires:
Using any other tire size than what is
specified for the vehicle (page 9-8 )
is dangerous. It could seriously affect
ride, handling, ground clearance,
tire clearance, and speedometer
calibration. This could cause you to
have an accident. Use only tires that
are the correct size specified for the
vehicle. Tire Inflation Pressure
WARNING Always inflate the tires to the correct
pressure:
Overinflation or underinflation of tires
is dangerous. Adverse handling or
unexpected tire failure could result in a
serious accident.
Refer to Tires on page 9-8 .
Use only a Mazda-genuine tire valve
cap:
Use of a non-genuine part is
dangerous as the correct tire air
pressure cannot be maintained if the
tire valve becomes damaged. If the
vehicle is driven under this condition,
the tire air pressure will decrease which
could result in a serious accident. Do
not use any part for the tire valve cap
that is not a Mazda-genuine part.
Inspect all tire pressures monthly when
the tires are cold. Maintain recommended
pressures for the best ride, handling, and
minimum tire wear.
Refer to the specification charts (page
9-8 ).
(With tire pressure monitoring system)
After adjusting the tire pressure,
initialization of the tire pressure
monitoring system is necessary to make
the system operate normally.
Refer to Tire Pressure Monitoring System
Initialization on page 4-108 .
NOTE 
Always check tire pressure when tires
are cold. 
Warm tires normally exceed
recommended pressures. Do not release
air from warm tires to adjust the
pressure.
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6 –42 Maintenance and Care
Owner Maintenance 
Underinflation can cause reduced fuel
economy, uneven and accelerated tire
wear, and poor sealing of the tire bead,
which will deform the wheel and cause
separation of tire from rim. 
Overinflation can produce a harsh ride,
uneven and accelerated tire wear, and a
greater possibility of damage from road
hazards.
Keep your tire pressure at the correct
levels. If one frequently needs inflating,
have it inspected.
Tire Rotation
WARNINGRotate tires periodically:
Irregular tire wear is dangerous. To
equalize tread wear for maintaining
good performance in handling and
braking, rotate the tires every 12,000
km (7,500 miles). However Mazda
recommends to rotate every 8,000 km
(5,000 miles) to help increase tire life
and distribute wear more evenly.
Refer to Scheduled Maintenance on
page 6-4 .
During rotation, inspect them for correct
balance.
Do not include (TEMPORAR Y USE ONLY)
spare tire in rotation. Forward Also, inspect them for uneven wear and
damage. Abnormal wear is usually caused
by one or a combination of the following: 
Incorrect tire pressure 
Improper wheel alignment 
Out-of-balance wheel 
Severe braking
After rotation, inflate all tire pressures to
specification (page 9-8 ) and inspect the
lug nuts for tightness.
(With tire pressure monitoring system)
After adjusting the tire pressure,
initialization of the tire pressure
monitoring system is necessary to make
the system operate normally.
Refer to Tire Pressure Monitoring System
Initialization on page 4-108 .
CAUTION Rotate unidirectional tires and radial
tires that have an asymmetrical tread
pattern or studs only from front to rear,
not from side to side. Tire performance
will be reduced if rotated from side to
side.
(With limited-slip differential)
Do not use the following: 
Tires not of the designated size 
Tires of different sizes or types at
the same time 
Tires not sufficiently inflated
If these instructions are not followed,
the rotation of the left and right wheels
will be different and will thus apply
a constant load on the limited-slip
differential.
This will cause a malfunction.
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6 –43 Maintenance and Care
Owner Maintenance
*Some models. Replacing a Tire
WARNING Always use tires that are in good
condition:
Driving with worn tires is dangerous.
Reduced braking, steering, and
traction could result in an accident.
Replace all four tires at the same time:
Replacing just one tire is dangerous. It
could cause poor handling and poor
braking resulting in loss of vehicle
control. Mazda strongly recommends
that you replace all four tires at the
same time.
If a tire wears evenly, a wear indicator will
appear as a solid band across the tread.
Replace the tire when this happens.
Ne w tread Tread wear indicator
Worn tread
You should replace the tire before the band
crosses the entire tread.
(With tire pressure monitoring system)
After adjusting the tire pressure,
initialization of the tire pressure
monitoring system is necessary to make
the system operate normally.
Refer to Tire Pressure Monitoring System
Initialization on page 4-108 . NOTE
Tires degrade over time, even when
they are not being used on the road. It
is recommended that tires generally be
replaced when they are 6 years or older.
Heat caused by hot climates or frequent
high loading conditions can accelerate the
aging process. The period in which the tire
was manufactured (both week and year) is
indicated by a 4-digit number.
Refer to Tire Labeling on page 8-24 .
Replacing a Wheel
WARNING Always use wheels of the correct size on
your vehicle:
Using a wrong-sized wheel is
dangerous. Braking and handling
could be affected, leading to loss of
control and an accident.
CAUTION A wrong-sized wheel may adversely
affect: 
Tire fit 
Wheel and bearing life 
Ground clearance 
Snow-chain clearance 
Speedometer calibration 
Headlight aim 
Bumper height 
Tire Pressure Monitoring System *
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6 –55 Maintenance and Care
Owner MaintenanceReplacing the fuses under the hood
If the headlights or other electrical
components do not work and the fuses
in the cabin are normal, inspect the fuse
block under the hood. If a fuse is blown, it
must be replaced. Follow these steps:
1. Make sure the ignition is switched off,
and other switches are off.
2. Remove the fuse block cover.
NOTE
If the lock is forcefully opened, the fuse
block cover may come in contact with the
frame when it is removed and become
scratched.
When removing the cover, remove it slowly
according to the following procedure.
1. Disengage the rear lock by pressing
down on the front tab with your
fingers.
2. Remove the front tab while slightly
lifting the front of the cover. 3. Remove the cover while lifting it and
sliding it to the rear.
3. If any fuse but the MAIN fuse is
blown, replace it with a new one of the
same amperage rating .
Normal
Blown
WARNING Do not replace the main fuse and
multiplex slow blow fuse by yourself.
Have an Authorized Mazda Dealer
perform the replacement:
Replacing these fuses by yourself is
dangerous because they are high
current fuses. Incorrect replacement
could cause an electrical shock or a
short circuit resulting in a fire.
4. Reinstall the cover and make sure that
it is securely installed.
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6 –57 Maintenance and Care
Owner Maintenance
*Some models.DESCRIPTION FUSE
RATING PROTECTED COMPONENT
18 A/C MAG 7.5 A Air conditioner
19 AT PUMP
H/L HI 20 A Transmission control system *
20 AT 15 A Transmission control system *
21 D LOCK 25 A Power door locks
22 H/L RH 20 A Headlight (RH)
23
ENG
B2 7.5 A Engine control system
24 TAIL 20 A Taillights, License plate lights, Parking lights
25 DRL 15 A —
26 ROOM 25 A Overhead light
27 FOG 15 A —
28 H/CLEAN 20 A —
29 STOP 10 A Brake lights
30 HORN 15 A Horn
31 H/L LH 20 A Headlight (LH)
32 ABS/DSC S 30 A ABS, Dynamic stability control system
33 HAZARD 15 A Hazard warning flashers, Turn signal lights
34 FUEL PUMP 15 A Fuel system
35
ENG B3 5 A —
36 WIPER 20 A Windshield wipers
37
CABIN
B 50 A For protection of various circuits
38 — — —
39 — — —
40 ABS/DSC M 50 A ABS, Dynamic stability control system
41 EVVT
A/R PUMP 20 A Engine control system
42 EVPS 30 A Brake control system
43 FAN1 30 A Cooling fan
44 FAN2 40 A —
45 ENG.MAIN 40 A Engine control system
46 EPS 60 A Power steering system
47 DEFOG 30 A Rear window defogger
48 IG2 30 A For protection of various circuits
49 INJECTOR 30 A Engine control system
50 HEATER 40 A Air conditioner
51 — — —
52 — — —
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