check engine MAZDA MODEL MX-5 MIATA 2004 User Guide

5-21
Driving Your Mazda
Instrument Cluster and Indicators
Form No. 8S15-EA-03G

Fuel Gauge
The fuel gauge shows approximately how
much fuel is in the tank. We recommend
keeping the tank over 1/4 full. When the
low fuel warning light illuminates or
when the needle is near E, refuel as soon
as possible.

Engine Oil Pressure Gauge
Engine oil pressure is normal when the
engine oil pressure gauge needle points
halfway between L and H with the engine
running.
If the needle on the gauge doesn
’t move
after starting the engine, follow steps 1
through 3. If the engine oil pressure gauge moves to
L (low) while you are driving, drive to the
side of the road and park off the right-of-
way. Set the parking brake. Then follow
steps 1 through 3.
1. Turn off the engine and inspect the
engine oil level (page 8-13). If it ’s low,
add oil.
2. Start the engine.
3. If the needle still doesn ’t move, have
your vehicle checked at an Authorized
Mazda Dealer.
Don ’t run the engine if the oil pressure
is low. It could result in extensive
engine damage.
CAUTION
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5-23
Driving Your Mazda
Form No. 8S15-EA-03G
Warning/Indicator Lights and Beeps
Warning/Indicator Lights
SignalWarning/Indicator Lights Page
Brake System Warning Light 5-25
Charging System Warning Light 5-26
Check Engine Light 5-27
ABS Warning Light 5-27
Air Bag/Seat Belt Pretensioner System Warning Light 5-28
Low Fuel Warning Light 5-28
Seat Belt Warning Light 5-28
Warning/Indicator lights will appear in any of the highlighted areas
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5-25
Driving Your Mazda
Warning/Indicator Lights and Beeps
Form No. 8S15-EA-03G

Brake System Warning Light
This warning has the following functions:
Parking brake warning
The light comes on when the parking
brake is applied with the ignition switch
in the START or ON position. It goes off
when the parking brake is fully released.
Low brake fluid level warning/
Electronic brake force distribution
system warning
If the light stays on after the parking brake
is fully released, you may have a brake
problem.
Drive to the side of the road and park off
the right-of-way.
Low brake fluid level warning
You may notice that the pedal is harder to
push or that it may go closer to the floor.
In either case, it will take longer to stop
the vehicle.
1. With the engine stopped, check the
brake fluid level immediately and add
fluid as required (page 8-18).
2. After adding fluid, check the light again. If the warning light remains on, or if the
brakes do not operate properly, do not
drive the vehicle. Have it towed to an
Authorized Mazda Dealer.
Even if the light goes off, have your brake
system inspected as soon as possible.
Electronic brake force distribution
system warning
If the electronic brake force distribution
control unit determines that some
components are operating incorrectly, the
control unit may turn the brake system
warning light on.
In this case, the ABS warning light comes
on at the same time (page 5-27).
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5-26
Driving Your Mazda
Warning/Indicator Lights and Beeps
Form No. 8S15-EA-03G

Charging System Warning Light
This warning light comes on when the
ignition switch is turned to the ON
position and goes off when the engine is
started.
If the warning light comes on while
driving, it indicates a malfunction of the
alternator or of the charging system.
Drive to the side of the road and park off
the right-of-way. Consult an Authorized
Mazda Dealer.
Brake Warning Light:
Driving with the brake system
warning light on is dangerous. It
indicates that your brakes may not
work at all or that they could
completely fail at any time. If this
light remains on, after checking that
the parking brake is released, have
the brakes inspected immediately.
Don
’t drive with this light on, and
contact an Authorized Mazda Dealer
to have the brakes inspected as soon
as possible.
ABS Warning Light and Brake
Warning Light on at the Same Time:
Driving when the brake system
warning light and ABS warning light
are on at the same time is dangerous.
When both lights are on, the rear
wheels could lock more quickly in an
emergency stop than under normal
circumstances.
Don ’t drive with both lights on, and
contact an Authorized Mazda Dealer
to have the brakes inspected as soon
as possible.
WARNING
Don't continue driving when the
charging system warning light is
illuminated.
CAUTION
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5-27
Driving Your Mazda
Warning/Indicator Lights and Beeps
Form No. 8S15-EA-03G

Check Engine Light
If this light comes on while driving, the
vehicle may have a problem. It is
important to note the driving conditions
when the light came on and consult an
Authorized Mazda Dealer.
The check engine light may come on in
the following cases:
• The fuel tank level being very low or
approaching empty.
• The engine
’s electrical system has a
problem.
• The emission control system has a
problem.
• The fuel-filler cap is missing or not
tightened securely.
If the check engine light remains on or
flashes continuously, do not drive at high
speeds and consult an Authorized Mazda
Dealer as soon as possible.

ABS Warning Light*
The warning light stays on for a few
seconds when the ignition switch is turned
to the ON position.
If the ABS warning light stays on while
you’
re driving, the ABS control unit has
detected a system malfunction. If this
occurs, your brakes will function
normally as if the vehicle had no ABS.
Should this happen, consult an Authorized
Mazda Dealer as soon as possible.
ABS Warning Light and Brake
Warning Light on at the Same Time:
Driving when the brake system
warning light and ABS warning light
are on at the same time is dangerous.
When both lights are on, the rear
wheels could lock more quickly in an
emergency stop than under normal
circumstances.
Don ’t drive with both lights on, and
contact an Authorized Mazda Dealer
to have the brakes inspected as soon
as possible.
WARNING
*Some models.
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6-2
Interior Comfort
Form No. 8S15-EA-03G
Climate Control System

Operating the Climate Control
System
Operate the climate control system with
the engine running.

Clearing the Air Inlet
Clear all obstructions like leaves, snow
and ice from the hood and the air inlet in
the cowling grille to improve the system
efficiency.

Foggy Windows
The windows may fog up easily in humid
weather. Use the climate control system to
defog the windows.
To help defog the windows, operate the air
conditioner to dehumidify the air.

Outside/Recirculated Air
Position
Use the outside air position in normal
conditions. The recirculated air position
can be used temporarily when driving on
dusty roads or for quick cooling of the
interior.

Parking in Direct Sunlight
If the vehicle has been parked in direct
sunlight during hot weather, open the
windows to let warm air escape, then run
the climate control system.

Not Using for a Long Period
Run the air conditioner at least once a
month to keep internal parts lubricated.

Check the Refrigerant before the
Weather Gets Hot
Have the air conditioner checked before
the weather gets hot. Lack of refrigerant
may make the air conditioner less
efficient. Consult an Authorized Mazda
Dealer for refrigerant inspection.
The air conditioner is filled with
HFC134a (R134a), a refrigerant that will
not damage the ozone layer.
If the air conditioner is low on refrigerant
or has a malfunction, consult an
Authorized Mazda Dealer.
Operating Tips
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7-11
In Case of an Emergency
Form No. 8S15-EA-03G
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 the temperature gauge indicates
overheating: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.
Wait until the steam dissipates, then
open the hood and start the engine.
If neither coolant nor steam is
escaping:
Open the hood and idle the engine until
it cools.
5. Make sure the cooling fan is operating, then turn off the engine after the
temperature has decreased.
Overheating
Cooling Fan and Engine
Inspection:
Inspecting the engine with the
ignition switch in the ON position is
dangerous. The cooling fan could
turn on unexpectedly even when the
engine isn ’t running. You could be
seriously injured by the fan. Turn the
ignition switch off and remove the key
from the ignition switch when you
inspect the engine.
Cooling System Cap:
When the engine and radiator are
hot, scalding coolant and steam may
shoot out under pressure and cause
serious injury. Don ’t remove the
cooling system cap when the engine
and radiator are hot.
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
If the cooling fan does not operate
while the engine is running, the engine
temperature will increase. Stop the
engine and call an Authorized Mazda
Dealer.
CAUTION
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7-12
In Case of an Emergency
Overheating
Form No. 8S15-EA-03G
6. When cool, check the coolant level.If it ’s low, look for coolant leaks from
the radiator and hoses.
If you find a leak or other damage,
or if coolant is still leaking:
Stop the engine and call an Authorized
Mazda Dealer.
If you find no problems, the engine is
cool, and no leaks are obvious:
Carefully add coolant as required (page
8-15).
If the engine continues to overheat or
frequently overheats, have the cooling
system inspected. The engine could be
seriously damaged unless repairs are
made.
Cooling system cap
Engine coolant
reservoir
CAUTION
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8-14
Maintenance and Care
Owner Maintenance
Form No. 8S15-EA-03G
5. Pull it out again and examine the level.It’s OK between L and F.
But if it ’s near or below L, add enough
oil to bring the level to F.
6. Make sure the O-ring is positioned properly before reinserting the
dipstick.
The distance between L and F on the
dipstick represents the following:

Changing Engine Oil and Filter
Change engine oil and filter according to
Scheduled Maintenance (page 8-3).
Please act responsibly
—protect the
environment and take used oil to a
recycling facility. Ask your dealer or a
service station for information. Changing engine oil
1. Warm up the engine for a few minutes
and turn it off. Remove the oil-filler
cap.
2. Remove the drain plug and drain the oil into a suitable container.
3. Replace the drain plug washer after the oil has thoroughly drained.
4. Reinstall the plug tightly.
5. Fill the engine with new oil to the F mark on the dipstick.
6. Securely reinstall the oil-filler cap.
7. Start the engine and inspect around the drain plug for leaks.
8. Turn it off and wait 5 minutes for the oil to return to the oil pan.
Don
’t add engine oil over F. This may
cause engine damage.
L (US qt, Imp qt) 0.8 (0.85, 0.70)
Handling Used Engine Oil:
Continuous contact with used engine
oil is dangerous. It could cause skin
cancer. Always wash with soap and
water immediately after changing oil
and filter.
CAUTION
WARNING
Checking or Changing Engine Oil:
Hot engine oil is dangerous. If the
engine has been running, the engine
oil becomes very hot. You could be
seriously burned. Don ’t check or
change the engine oil when the
engine is hot.
WARNING
Tighten
Loosen
Drain plug
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8-15
Maintenance and Care
Owner Maintenance
Form No. 8S15-EA-03G
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
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. Carefully
inspect the engine coolant in the
coolant reservoir, but do not open it.
Do not use a match or live flame in
the engine compartment. DO NOT
ADD COOLANT WHEN THE
ENGINE IS HOT.
Cooling Fan and Engine
Inspection:
Inspecting the engine with the
ignition switch in the ON position is
dangerous. The cooling fan could
turn on unexpectedly even when the
engine isn ’t running. You could be
seriously injured by the fan. Turn the
ignition switch off and remove the key
from the ignition switch when you
inspect the engine.
Cooling System Cap:
When the engine and radiator are
hot, scalding coolant and steam may
shoot out under pressure and cause
serious injury. Don’ t remove the
cooling system cap when the engine
and radiator are hot.
WARNING
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