MAZDA MODEL MX-5 2016 Owners Manual (in English)

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.
Switch the ignition to 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.
MX-5_8EU4-EA-15D_Edition1.indb 232015/03/10 9:56:05

6–24
Maintenance and Care
Owner Maintenance
Hood
WARNING
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
MX-5_8EU4-EA-15D_Edition1.indb 242015/03/10 9:56:06

6–25
Maintenance and Care
Owner Maintenance
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
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.
MX-5_8EU4-EA-15D_Edition1.indb 252015/03/10 9:56:06

6–26
Maintenance and Care
Owner Maintenance
Engine Compartment Overview
Windshield washer fluid reservoir Brake/Clutch fluid reserv
oir
Engine oil dipstick
Battery
Fuse blockCooling system cap
Engine coolant reserv oir
Engine oil-f
iller cap
MX-5_8EU4-EA-15D_Edition1.indb 262015/03/10 9:56:06

6–27
Maintenance and Care
Owner Maintenance
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 achieve optimum fuel
economy.
For maintenance service, Mazda
recommends Mazda Genuine Parts and
Castrol® (U.S.A. only).
(ILSAC)
Only use SAE 0W-20 oil “Certified For
Gasoline Engines” by the American
Petroleum Institute (API).
Oil with this trademark 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
MX-5_8EU4-EA-15D_Edition1.indb 272015/03/10 9:56:07

6–28
Maintenance and Care
Owner Maintenance
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 and
Castrol® (Mexico only).
(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
4020100–10–20–30–40
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 return to the oil pan.
4. Pull out the dipstick, wipe it clean, and
reinsert it fully.

Low
Full
OK
5. Pull it out again and examine the level.
The level is normal if it is between
Low and Full.
If it is near or below Low, add enough
oil to bring the level to Full.
CAUTION
Do not overfill the engine oil. This may
cause engine damage.
MX-5_8EU4-EA-15D_Edition1.indb 282015/03/10 9:56:07

6–29
Maintenance and Care
Owner Maintenance
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 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.
Switch the ignition to 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.
MX-5_8EU4-EA-15D_Edition1.indb 292015/03/10 9:56:07

6–30
Maintenance and Care
Owner Maintenance
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 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 (demineralized) 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 aluminum 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.
If the coolant reservoir is empty or new
coolant is required frequently, consult an
Authorized Mazda Dealer.
MX-5_8EU4-EA-15D_Edition1.indb 302015/03/10 9:56:08

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.
MX-5_8EU4-EA-15D_Edition1.indb 312015/03/10 9:56:08

6–32
Maintenance and Care
Owner Maintenance
Inspect fluid level in the washer fluid
reservoir; add fluid if necessary.
Use plain water if washer fluid is
unavailable.
But use only washer fluid in cold weather
to prevent it from freezing.
Body Lubrication
All moving points of the body, such as
door and hood hinges and locks, should
be lubricated each time the engine oil is
changed. Use a nonfreezing lubricant on
locks during cold weather.
Make sure the hood's secondary latch
keeps the hood from opening when the
primary latch is released.
MX-5_8EU4-EA-15D_Edition1.indb 322015/03/10 9:56:08