MAZDA MODEL MX-5 MIATA 2009 Owners Manual

Black plate (321,1)
Jump-Starting
Jump-starting is dangerous if done incorrectly. So follow the procedure carefully. If you
feel unsure about jump-starting, we strongly recommend that you have a competent service
technician do the work.
WARNING
Follow These Precautions Carefully:
To ensure safe and correct handling of the battery, read the following precautions
carefully before using the battery or inspecting it.
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, 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.
Do not allow the positive () terminal to contact any other metal object that
could cause sparks: 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. When working near a
battery, do not allow metal tools to contact the positive (
) or negative ()
terminal of the battery.
In Case of an Emergency
Emergency Starting
7-21
MX-5_8Z78-EA-08K_Edition1 Page321
Thursday, October 23 2008 1:54 PM
Form No.8Z78-EA-08K

Black plate (322,1)
Keep all flames, including cigarettes, and sparks away from open battery cells:
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.
Do not jump-start a frozen battery or one with a low fluid level: Jump-starting a frozen battery or one with a low fluid level is dangerous. It may
rupture or explode, causing serious injury.
Connect the negative cable to a good ground point away from the battery: Connecting the end of the second jumper cable to the negative (
) terminal of the
discharged battery is dangerous.
A spark could cause the gas around the battery to explode and injure someone.
Route the jumper cables away from parts that will be moving: Connecting a jumper cable near or to moving parts (cooling fans, belts) is dangerous.
The cable could get caught when the engine starts and cause serious injury.
CAUTION
Use only a 12 V booster system. You can damage a 12 V starter, ignition system, and
other electrical parts beyond repair with a 24 V power supply (two 12 V batteries in
series or a 24 V motor generator set).
Discharged battery
Connect cables in numerical order and disconnect in reverse order.
Jumper cables
Booster battery
7-22
In Case of an Emergency
Emergency Starting
MX-5_8Z78-EA-08K_Edition1 Page322
Thursday, October 23 2008 1:54 PM
Form No.8Z78-EA-08K

Black plate (323,1)
1. Remove the rubber hose from thebattery cover.
2. Remove the battery cover from its right
side.
3. Make sure the booster battery is 12 Vand that its negative terminal is
grounded.
4. If the booster battery is in another vehicle, don't allow both vehicles to
touch. Turn off the engine of the
vehicle with the booster battery and all
unnecessary electrical loads in both
vehicles. 5. Connect the jumper cables in the exact
sequence as in the illustration.
lConnect one end of a cable to the
positive terminal on the discharged
battery (1).
lAttach the other end to the positive
terminal on the booster battery (2).
lConnect one end of the other cable
to the negative terminal of the
booster battery (3).
lConnect the other end to the ground
point indicated in the illustration
away from the discharged battery
(4).
6. Start the engine of the booster vehicle and run it a few minutes. Then start the
engine of the other vehicle.
7. When finished, carefully disconnect the cables in the reverse order described in
the illustration.
8. If the battery cover has been removed, install it in the reverse order of
removal.
In Case of an Emergency
Emergency Starting
7-23
MX-5_8Z78-EA-08K_Edition1 Page323
Thursday, October 23 2008 1:54 PM
Form No.8Z78-EA-08K

Black plate (324,1)
NOTElBefore installing the battery cover, make
sure both of the cables connecting the
negative battery terminal (right side of
battery) are connected with the cables
routed toward the right and back of the
battery as shown in the figure.
lVerify that the covers are securely installed.
Push-Starting
Do not push-start your Mazda.
WARNING
Never tow a vehicle to start it:Towing a vehicle to start it is
dangerous. The vehicle being towed
could surge forward when its engine
starts, causing the two vehicles to
collide. The occupants could be
injured.
CAUTION
Do not push-start a vehicle that has
a manual transmission. It can
damage the emission control system.
NOTE
You can't start a vehicle with an automatic
transmission by pushing it.
7-24
In Case of an Emergency
Emergency Starting
MX-5_8Z78-EA-08K_Edition1 Page324
Thursday, October 23 2008 1:54 PM
Form No.8Z78-EA-08K

Black plate (325,1)
Towing Description
We recommend that towing be done only
by an Authorized Mazda Dealer or a
commercial tow-truck service.
Proper lifting and towing are necessary to
prevent damage to the vehicle.
Government and local laws must be
followed.
A towed vehicle usually should have its
drive wheels (rear wheels) off the ground.
If excessive damage or other conditions
prevent this, use wheel dollies.
Wheel dollies
CAUTION
Do not tow the vehicle pointed
forward with driving wheels on the
ground. This may cause internal
damage to the transmission.
CAUTION
Do not tow with sling-type
equipment. This could damage your
vehicle. Use wheel-lift or flatbed
equipment.
In Case of an Emergency
Emergency Towing
7-25
MX-5_8Z78-EA-08K_Edition1 Page325
Thursday, October 23 2008 1:54 PM
Form No.8Z78-EA-08K

Black plate (326,1)
Tiedown Hooks
CAUTION
Don't use the tiedown hooks under
the front and rear for towing.
They are designed ONLY for tying
down the vehicle when it's being
transported. Using them for towing
will damage the bumper.
qTiedown Hooks
1. Remove the tiedown eyelet, lug
wrench, and jack lever from the trunk
(page 7-5).
2. Wrap the jack lever with a soft cloth to prevent damage to a painted bumper,
and open the cap located on the front or
rear bumper.
Type A
Front
Type B
Front
Rear
CAUTION
Ø Do not use excessive force as it
may damage the cap or scratch
the painted bumper surface.
Ø The rear bumper cover cannot be
removed completely. Attempting
to forcefully remove the rear
bumper cover could result in it
being damaged.
NOTE
Remove the front bumper cover completely and
store it so as not to lose it.
7-26
In Case of an Emergency
Emergency Towing
MX-5_8Z78-EA-08K_Edition1 Page326
Thursday, October 23 2008 1:54 PM
Form No.8Z78-EA-08K

Black plate (327,1)
3. Securely install the tiedown eyeletusing the lug wrench.
FrontLug wrench
Lug wrenchRear
4. Hook the tying rope to the tiedowneyelet.
Front
Rear
CAUTION
ØIf the tiedown eyelet is not securely
tightened, it may loosen or
disengage from the bumper when
tying down the vehicle. Make sure
that the tiedown eyelet is securely
tightened to the bumper.
Ø Front tiedown hook is designed
only for towing, and lashing at
oversea transportation. Do not use
front tiedown hook for other use
(truck/railway transportation etc).
In Case of an Emergency
Emergency Towing
7-27
MX-5_8Z78-EA-08K_Edition1 Page327
Thursday, October 23 2008 1:54 PM
Form No.8Z78-EA-08K

Black plate (328,1)
Recreational Towing
An example of“recreational towing ”is
towing your vehicle behind a motorhome.
The transmission is not designed for
towing this vehicle on all 4 wheels.
When doing recreational towing refer to
“ Towing Description ”(page 7-25) and
“ Tiedown Hooks ”(page 7-26) and
carefully follow the instructions.
7-28
In Case of an Emergency
Emergency Towing
MX-5_8Z78-EA-08K_Edition1 Page328
Thursday, October 23 2008 1:54 PM
Form No.8Z78-EA-08K

Black plate (329,1)
8Maintenance and Care
How to keep your Mazda in top condition.
Introduction .................................................................................. 8-2Introduction ............................................................................... 8-2
Scheduled Maintenance ................................................................ 8-3 Scheduled Maintenance (USA, Canada, and Puerto Rico) ....... 8-3
Scheduled Maintenance (Mexico) ............................................. 8-8
Owner Maintenance ................................................................... 8-15 Owner Maintenance Schedule ................................................ 8-15
Owner Maintenance Precautions ............................................. 8-16
Engine Compartment Overview .............................................. 8-17
Engine Oil ............................................................................... 8-18
Engine Coolant ....................................................................... 8-20
Brake/Clutch Fluid .................................................................. 8-22
Power Steering Fluid ............................................................... 8-23
Washer Fluid ........................................................................... 8-23
Body Lubrication .................................................................... 8-24
Wiper Blades ........................................................................... 8-25
Battery ..................................................................................... 8-27
Tires ........................................................................................ 8-30
Light Bulbs ............................................................................. 8-34
Fuses ....................................................................................... 8-42
Appearance Care ........................................................................ 8-48 How to Minimize Environmental Paint Damage .................... 8-48
Exterior Care ........................................................................... 8-50
Interior Care ............................................................................ 8-54
8-1
MX-5_8Z78-EA-08K_Edition1 Page329
Thursday, October 23 2008 1:54 PM
Form No.8Z78-EA-08K

Black plate (330,1)
Introduction
Be extremely careful and prevent injury to yourself and others or damage to your vehicle
when using this manual for inspection and maintenance.
If you're unsure about any procedure it describes, we strongly urge you to have a reliable
and qualified service shop perform the work, preferably an Authorized Mazda Dealer.
Factory-trained Mazda technicians and genuine Mazda parts are best for your vehicle.
Without this expertise and the parts that have been designed and made especially for your
Mazda, inadequate, incomplete, and insufficient servicing may result in problems. This
could lead to vehicle damage or an accident and injuries.
For expert advice and quality service, consult an Authorized Mazda Dealer.
The owner should retain evidence that proper maintenance has been performed as
prescribed.
Claims against the warranty resulting from lack of maintenance, as opposed to defective
materials or authorized Mazda workmanship, will not be honored.
Any auto repair shop using parts equivalent to your Mazda's original equipment may
perform maintenance.But we recommend that it always be done by an Authorized
Mazda Dealer using genuine Mazda parts.
8-2
Maintenance and Care
Introduction
MX-5_8Z78-EA-08K_Edition1 Page330
Thursday, October 23 2008 1:54 PM
Form No.8Z78-EA-08K