coolant temperature MAZDA MODEL MX-5 MIATA 2003 Owners Manual

5-17
Driving Your Mazda
Form No. 8R09-EA-02G
Instrument Cluster and Indicators
1 Speedometer .............................................................................................................5-18
2 Odometer and Trip Meter .........................................................................................5-18
3 Tachometer ...............................................................................................................5-19
4 Engine Coolant Temperature Gauge .........................................................................5-19
5 Fuel Gauge ................................................................................................................5-20
6 Engine Oil Pressure Gauge .......................................................................................5-20
Meters and Gauges
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5-19
Driving Your Mazda
Instrument Cluster and Indicators
Form No. 8R09-EA-02G

Tachometer
The tachometer shows engine speed in
thousands of revolutions per minute
(rpm).

Engine Coolant Temperature
Gauge
The engine coolant temperature gauge
shows the temperature of the engine
coolant.
If the needle exceeds normal range toward
H, it indicates overheating.
NOTE
• Only the trip meters record tenths of
kilometers (miles).
• The trip record will be erased when;

The power supply is interrupted
(blown fuse or the battery is
disconnected).
 The vehicle is driven over 999.9
km (mile).
Don ’t run the engine with the
tachometer needle in the RED ZONE.
This may cause severe engine damage.
Red zone
CAUTION
Driving with an overheated engine can
cause serious engine damage (page 7-
11).
CAUTION
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7-11
In Case of an Emergency
Form No. 8R09-EA-02G
Overheating
If the temperature gauge indicates
overheating, the vehicle loses power, or
you hear a loud knocking or pinging
noise, the engine is probably too hot.
If this happens:
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.
Apply the parking brake.
3. Turn off the air conditioner. 4. Check whether coolant or steam is
escaping from under the hood or from
the engine compartment.
If steam is coming from the engine
compartment:
Don ’t go near the front of the vehicle.
Stop the engine. Then turn the ignition
switch to the ON position without
starting the engine.
The radiator cooling fans will start to
cool the engine.
If neither coolant nor steam is
escaping:
Open the hood and idle the engine until
it cools. If this doesn ’t lower the
temperature, stop the engine and let it
cool.
5. Visually inspect the alternator/water pump drive belt for looseness and
breakage and all cooling hose
connections for leaks. If the belt is
broken or coolant is leaking, call an
Authorized Mazda Dealer for
assistance.
6. If the drive belt is OK, the engine is cool, and no coolant leaks are obvious,
inspect the coolant level. Carefully add
coolant as required (page 8-15).
Overheating
Steam from Overheated Engine:
Steam from an overheated engine is
dangerous. The escaping steam could
seriously burn you. Open the hood
ONLY after steam is no longer
escaping from the engine.
WARNING
Cooling system cap
Engine coolant
reservoir
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8-8
Maintenance and Care
Scheduled Maintenance
Form No. 8R09-EA-02G
I:Inspect: Inspect and clean, repair, adjust, or replace if necessary.
R: Replace
C: Clean
ENGINE
COOLING SYSTEM
FUEL SYSTEM
IGNITION SYSTEM
EMISSION CONTROL SYSTEM
*1Also inspect and adjust the power steering and air conditioner drive belts, if installed.*2Replacement of the timing belt is required at every 100,000 km {60,000 miles}. Failure to replace the timing
belt may result in damage to the engine.
*3If the vehicle is operated under any of the following conditions, change the engine oil and oil filter more often
than recommended intervals.
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.
*4If the vehicle is operated in very dusty or sandy areas, inspect and if necessary, clean or replace the air filter
more often than the recommended intervals.
Maintenance Interval
(Number of months or kilometers (miles),
whichever comes first) Months 6 121824303642485460667278849096
× 1000 km 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100 110 120 130 140 150 160
× 1000 miles 6 12 18 24 30 36 42 48 54 60 66 72 78 84 90 96
Engine valve clearance Inspect every 100,000 km (60,000 miles) or 60 months
Drive belts
*1IIIIIIIIIIIIIIII
Engine timing belt*2Replace every 100,000 km (60,000 miles)
Engine oil*3RRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR
Engine oil filter*3RRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR
Cooling system IIIIIIII
Engine coolant Replace every 2 years
Idle speed IIIIIIII
Air filter
*4
except
Australian
model CCRCCRCC
Australian
model CRCRC
Fuel filter except
Australian
model
RRRR
Australian
model RRR
Fuel lines and hoses IIIIIIII
Spark plugs RRRRR
Evaporative system IIIIIIII
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8-15
Maintenance and Care
Owner Maintenance
Form No. 8R09-EA-02G
Check the oil level and fill to the F mark if
necessary.
Oil capacity (General reference only,
refer to Specifications section for
capacities.)
Changing oil filter
Because you need a special tool to
retighten the filter, an Authorized Mazda
Dealer should do the work.

Inspecting Coolant Level
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.
NOTE
• The indicated engine oil capacities
are for general reference purposes
only. When adding or changing oil,
verify the engine oil level with the
oil dipstick.
• Use only specified engine oil (page
10-4).
Engine Coolant
Hot Engine:
A hot engine is dangerous. If the
engine has been running, parts of the
engine compartment can become very
hot. You could be burned. Don
’t
inspect the coolant system or add
coolant when the engine is hot.
WARNING
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8-17
Maintenance and Care
Owner Maintenance
Form No. 8R09-EA-02G
1. Remove the cooling system cap.
2. Only when the engine is cool, remove the radiator drain plug and drain the
coolant into a suitable container.
Properly dispose of the used coolant.
3. Flush out the system with running water.
4. Drain the system completely. Insert and tighten the plug. Add as much
ethylene-glycol-based coolant and
water as necessary to provide freezing
and corrosion protection.
5. In extremely cold climates, add the amount recommended in the coolant
manufacturer ’s instructions.
6. Run the engine at idle with the cooling system cap off. Slowly add additional
coolant if necessary.
7. At this point, wait until the engine reaches normal operating temperature;
then depress the accelerator two or
three times. Add more coolant, if
necessary, until the system is full.
8. Install the cooling system cap. Inspect all connections for leaks. Inspect the
level in the coolant reservoir one more
time.

Inspecting Brake Fluid Level
Inspect the fluid level in the reservoir
regularly. It should be kept at MAX.
The level normally drops with
accumulated distance, a condition
associated with wear of brake linings. If it
is excessively low, have the brake system
inspected by an Authorized Mazda
Dealer.
Tighten
Loosen
Tighten Loosen
Brake Fluid
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11-3
Index
Form No. 8R09-EA-02G
D
Door Locks ......................................... 3-7
Driving In Flooded Area
.................... 4-9
Driving Tips
....................................... 4-6
Automatic transmission
............ 5-13
Break-in period
........................... 4-6
Driving in flooded area
............... 4-9
Hazardous driving
....................... 4-7
Money-saving suggestions
.......... 4-6
Rocking the vehicle
.................... 4-7
Winter driving
............................. 4-8
E
Emergency Starting .......................... 7-13
Flooded engine
.......................... 7-13
Jump-starting
............................ 7-13
Push-starting
............................. 7-15
Emergency Towing
.......................... 7-16
Emission Control System
................... 4-3
Engine Coolant
...................................... 8-15
Exhaust gas
................................. 4-4
Hood release
............................. 3-16
Oil
............................................. 8-13
Overheating
............................... 7-11
Starting
........................................ 5-3
Engine Compartment Overview
...... 8-12
Engine Coolant Overheating
............................... 7-11
Engine Coolant Temperature
Gauge
............................................... 5-19
Exhaust Gas
....................................... 4-4
Exterior Care
.................................... 8-43
F
Flasher Hazard warning
.........................5-35
Headlights
.................................5-30
Flat Tire
..............................................7-3
Changing
.....................................7-5
Spare tire and tool storage
...........7-3
Fluids Classification
.............................10-4
Owner maintenance
...................8-10
Fog Lights
........................................5-31
Foot Brake
..........................................5-4
Fuel Filler lid and cap
.......................3-14
Gauge
........................................5-20
Requirements
..............................4-2
Tank capacity
............................10-5
Fuses
.................................................8-37
Panel description
.......................8-39
Replacement
..............................8-37
G
Gauges ..............................................5-17
Glove Box
........................................6-40
H
Hazard Warning Flasher ...................5-35
Hazardous Driving
.............................4-7
Headlights Control
......................................5-30
Flashing
.....................................5-30
High-low beam
..........................5-30
On reminder
..............................5-30
Hood Release
....................................3-16
Horn
..................................................5-34
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