wheel MAZDA MODEL MX-5 MIATA 2018 User Guide

Hazardous Driving
WA R N I N G
Be extremely careful if it is necessary to
downshift on slippery surfaces:
Downshifting into lower gear while driving
on slippery surfaces is dangerous. The
sudden change in tire speed could cause
the tires to skid. This could lead to loss of
vehicle control and an accident.
When driving on ice or in water, snow,
mud, sand, or similar hazards:
Be cautious and allow extra distance for
braking.
Avoid sudden braking and sudden
maneuvering.
Do not pump the brakes. Continue to
press down on the brake pedal.
Refer to Antilock Brake System (ABS)
on page 4-64.
If you get stuck, select a lower gear and
accelerate slowly. Do not spin the rear
wheels.
For more traction in starting on slippery
surfaces such as ice or packed snow, use
sand, rock salt, chains, carpeting, or
other nonslip material under the rear
wheels.
NOTE
Use snow chains only on the rear wheels.
Floor Mat
We recommend the use of Genuine
Mazda floor mats.
WA R N I N G
Make sure the floor mats are hooked on the
retention pins to prevent them from
bunching up under the foot pedals:
Using a floor mat that is not secured is
dangerous as it will interfere with the
accelerator and brake pedal operation,
which could result in an accident.
Do not install two floor mats, one on top of
the other, on the driver's side:
Installing two floor mats, one on top of the
other, on the driver's side is dangerous as
the retention pins can only keep one floor
mat from sliding forward.
Loose floor mat(s) will interfere with the
foot pedals and could result in an accident.
If using an all-weather mat for winter use
always remove the original floor mat.
When setting a floor mat, position the
floor mat so that its grommets are inserted
over the pointed end of the retention posts.
Before Driving
Driving Tips
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Rocking the Vehicle
WA R N I N G
Do not spin the wheels at more than 56
km/h (35 mph), and do not allow anyone
to stand behind a wheel when pushing the
vehicle:
When the vehicle is stuck, spinning the
wheels at high speed is dangerous. The
spinning tire could overheat and explode.
This could cause serious injuries.
CAUTION
Too much rocking may cause engine
overheating, transmission failure, and tire
damage.
If you must rock the vehicle to free it from
snow, sand or mud, depress the accelerator
slightly and slowly move the shift lever/
selector lever from 1 (D) to R.
Winter Driving
Carry emergency gear, including tire
chains, window scraper, flares, a small
shovel, jumper cables, and a small bag of
sand or salt.
Ask an Authorized Mazda Dealer to check
the following:
Have the proper ratio of antifreeze in the
radiator.
Refer to Engine Coolant on page 6-24.
Inspect the battery and its cables. Cold
reduces battery capacity.
Use an engine oil appropriate for the
lowest ambient temperatures that the
vehicle will be driven in (page 6-22).
Inspect the ignition system for damage
and loose connections.
Use washer fluid made with
antifreeze―but do not use engine
coolant antifreeze for washer fluid (page
6-26).
NOTE
Do not use the parking brake in freezing
weather as it may freeze. Instead, shift
to P with an automatic transmission and
to 1 or R with a manual transmission.
Block the rear wheels.
Remove snow before driving. Snow left
on the windshield is dangerous as it
could obstruct vision.
Do not open or close the soft top when
the temperature is 5 °C (41 °F) or less.
The material of the soft top could be
damaged by freezing.
Do not apply excessive force to a
window scraper when removing ice or
frozen snow on the mirror glass and
windshield.
Before Driving
Driving Tips
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Never use warm or hot water for
removing snow or ice from windows and
mirrors as it could result in the glass
cracking.
Drive slowly. Braking performance can
be adversely affected if snow or ice
adheres to the brake components. If this
situation occurs, drive the vehicle
slowly, releasing the accelerator pedal
and lightly applying the brakes several
times until the brake performance
returns to normal.
▼Snow Tires
Use snow tires on all four wheels
Do not go faster than 120 km/h (75 mph)
while driving with snow tires. Inflate snow
tires 30 kPa (0.3 kgf/cm
2, 4.3 psi) more
than recommended on the tire pressure
label (driver's door frame), but never more
than the maximum cold-tire pressure
shown on the tires.

The vehicle is origin ally equipped with
summer tires designed for optimum
traction on wet and dry roads. If your
vehicle is to be used on snow and ice
covered roads, Mazda recommends that
you replace the tires originally equipped
on your vehicle with snow tires during the
winter months.
WA R N I N G
Use only the same size and type tires (snow,
radial, or non-radial) on all four wheels:
Using tires different in size or type is
dangerous. Your vehicle's handling could
be greatly affected and result in an
accident.
CAUTION
Check local regulations before using
studded tires.
NOTE
The tire pressure monitoring system may
not function correctly when using tires
with steel wire reinforcement in the
sidewalls (page 4-104).
Before Driving
Driving Tips
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▼Tire Chains
Check local regulations before using tire
chains.
CAUTION

Chains may affect handling.
 Do not go faster than 50 km/h (30 mph)
or the chain manufacturer's
recommended limit, whichever is lower.
 Drive carefully and avoid bumps, holes,
and sharp turns.
 Avoid locked-wheel braking.
 Do not use chains on roads that are free
of snow or ice. The tires and chains could
be damaged.
 Chains may scratch or chip aluminum
wheels.
NOTE
The tire pressure monitoring system may
not function correctly when using tire
chains.
Install the chains on the rear tires only.
Do not use chains on the front tires.
Please consult an Authorized Mazda
Dealer.
Installing the chains
1. Secure the chains on the rear tires as tightly as possible.
Always follo w the chain
manufacturer's instructions.
2. Retighten the chains after driving
1/2―1 km (1/4―1/2 mile).
Driving In Flooded Area
WA R N I N G
Dry off brakes that have become wet by
driving slowly, releasing the accelerator
pedal and lightly applying the brakes
several times until the brake performance
returns to normal:
Driving with wet brakes is dangerous.
Increased stopping distance or the vehicle
pulling to one side when braking could
result in a serious accident. Light braking
will indicate whether the brakes have been
affected.
CAUTION
Do not drive the vehicle on flooded roads
as it could cause short circuiting of
electrical/electronic parts, or engine
damage or stalling from water absorption.
If the vehicle has been immersed in water,
consult an Authorized Mazda Dealer.
Before Driving
Driving Tips
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Driving on Uneven Road
Your vehicle's suspension and underbody can be damaged if driven on rough/uneven roads
or over speed bumps at excessive speeds. Use care and reduce sp eed when traveling on
rough/uneven roads or over speed bumps.

Use care not to damage the vehicle's underbody, bumpers or muffler(s) when driving under
the following conditions:
Ascending or descending a slope with a sharp transition angle
Ascending or descending a driveway or trailer ramp with a sharp transition angle

This vehicle is equipped with low profile tires allowing class-leading performance and
handling. As a result, the sidewa ll of the tires are very thin and the tires and wheels can be
damaged if driven through potholes or on rough/uneven roads at excessive speeds. Use care
and reduce speed when traveling on rough/uneven roads or throug h potholes.
Before Driving
Driving Tips
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Trailer Towing
Your Mazda is not designed for towing.
Never tow a trailer with your Mazda.
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 7-30) and
"Tiedown Hooks" (page 7-31) and
carefully follow the instructions.
Before Driving
To w i n g
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Ignition Switch
▼Push Button Start Positions
The system operates only when the key is
within operational range.
Each time the push button start is pressed,
the ignition switches
in the order of off,
ACC, and ON. Pressing the push button
start again from ON switches the ignition
off.
Indicator light
NOTE
The engine starts by pressing the push
button start while depressing the clutch
pedal (manual transmission) or the
brake pedal (automatic transmission).
To switch the ignition position, press the
push button start without depressing the
pedal.
Do not leave the ignition switched ON
while the engine is not running. Doing
so could result in the battery going
dead. If the ignition is left in ACC (For
automatic transmission, the selector
lever is in the P position, and the
ignition is in ACC), the ignition switches
off automatically af ter about 25 minutes.
Off
The power supply to electrical devices
turns off and the push button start
indicator light (amber) also turns off.
In this position the steering wheel is
locked.
*
WA R N I N G
Before leaving the driver's seat, always
switch the ignition off, set the parking
brake, and make sure the selector lever is in
P (automatic transmission) or in 1st gear or
R (manual transmission):
Leaving the driver's seat without switching
the ignition off, setting the parking brake,
and shifting the selector lever to P
(automatic transmission) or to 1st gear or R
(manual transmission) is dangerous.
Unexpected vehicle movement could occur
which could result in an accident.
In addition, if your intention is to leave the
vehicle for even a short period, it is
important to switch the ignition off, as
leaving it in another position will disable
some of the vehicle's security systems and
run the battery down.
ACC (Accessory)
Some electrical accessories will operate
and the indicator light (amber) illuminates.
NOTE
The keyless entry system does not function
while the push button start has been
pressed to ACC, and the doors will not
lock/unlock even if they have been locked
manually.
When Driving
Start/Stop Engine
4-4*Some models.
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Shift-Lock System
The shift-lock system prevents shifting out
of P unless the brake pedal is depressed.

To shift from P:
1. Depress and hold the brake pedal.
2. Start the engine.
3. Press and hold the lock-release button.
4. Move the selector lever.
NOTE
When the ignition is switched to ACC or
the ignition is switch ed off, the selector
lever cannot be shifted from P.
The ignition cannot be switched to OFF
if the selector lever is not in P.
▼ Shift-Lock Override
If the selector lever will not move from P
using the proper shift procedure, continue
to hold down the brake pedal.
1. Remove the shift-lock override cover
using a cloth-wrapped flat head
screwdriver.
2. Insert a screwdriver and push it down.
Cover
3. Press and hold the lock-release button.
4. Move the selector lever.
Take the vehicle to an Authorized Mazda
Dealer to have the system checked.
Transmission Ranges
The shift position indication in the
instrument cluster illuminates. Refer to
Warning/Indicator Lights on page 4-26.
The selector lever must be in P or N to
operate the starter.
P (Park)
P locks the transmission and prevents the
rear wheels from rotating.
WA R N I N G
Always set the selector lever to P and set
the parking brake:
Only setting the selector lever to the P
position without using the parking brake to
hold the vehicle is dangerous. If P fails to
hold, the vehicle could move and cause an
accident.
CAUTION
 Shifting into P, N or R while the vehicle is
moving can damage your transmission.
 Shifting into a driving gear or reverse
when the engine is running faster than
idle can damage the transmission.
R (Reverse)
In position R, the vehicle moves only
backward. You must be at a complete stop
before shifting to or from R, except under
rare circumstances as explained in
Rocking the Vehicle (page 3-52).
When Driving
Automatic Transmission
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N (Neutral)
In N, the wheels and transmission are not
locked. The vehicle will roll freely even
on the slightest incline unless the parking
brake or brakes are on.
WA R N I N G
If the engine is running faster than idle, do
not shift from N or P into a driving gear:
It's dangerous to shift from N or P into a
driving gear when the engine is running
faster than idle. If this is done, the vehicle
could move suddenly, causing an accident
or serious injury.
Do not shift into N when driving the
vehicle:
Shifting into N while driving is dangerous.
Engine braking cannot be applied when
decelerating which could lead to an
accident or serious injury.
CAUTION
Do not shift into N when driving the
vehicle. Doing so can cause transmission
damage.
NOTE
Apply the parking brake or depress the
brake pedal before moving the selector
lever from N to prevent the vehicle from
moving unexpectedly.
D (Drive)
D is the normal driving position. From a
stop, the transmission will automatically
shift through a 6-gear sequence.
M (Manual)
M is the manual shift mode position.
Gears can be shifted up or down by
operating the selector lever. Refer to
Manual Shift Mode on page 4-37.
▼ Shift Position
Indication
The selector position is indicated when the
ignition is switched ON.
Gear position indication
In manual shift mode, the “M” of the shift
position indication illuminates and the
numeral for the selected gear is displayed.
▼ Active Adaptive Shift (AAS)
Active Adaptive
Shift (AAS)
automatically controls the transmission
shift points to best suit the road conditions
and driver input. This improves driving
feel. The transmission may switch to AAS
mode when driving up and down slopes,
cornering, driving at high elevations, or
depressing the accelerator pedal quickly
while the selector lever is in the D
position. Depending on the road and
driving conditions/vehicle operations, gear
shifting could be delayed or not occur,
however, this does not indicate a problem
because the AAS mode will maintain the
optimum gear position.
When Driving
Automatic Transmission
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Manual Shift Mode
The manual shift mode gives you the feel
of driving a manual transmission vehicle
by allowing you to operate the selector
lever manually. This allows you to control
engine rpm and torque to the drive wheels
much like a manual transmission when
more control is desired.
To change to manual shift mode, shift the
lever from D to M.

NOTE
Changing to manual shift mode while
driving will not damage the transmission.
To return to automatic shift mode, shift the
lever from M to D.
NOTE
If you change to manual shift mode
when the vehicle is stopped, the gear
will shift to M1.
If you change to manual shift mode
without depressing the accelerator pedal
when driving in D range, 5th gear/6th
gear, the gear will shift to M4/M5.
▼Indicators
Manual shift mode indication
In manual shift mode, the “M” of the shift
position indication in the instrument panel
illuminates.
Gear position indication
The numeral for the selected gear
illuminates.

Manual shift mode indication
Gear position indication
NOTE
If the gears cannot be shifted down
when driving at higher speeds, the gear
position indication will flash twice to
signal that the gears cannot be shifted
down (to protect the transmission).
▼Manually Shifting Up
You can shift gears up by operating the
selector lever or
the steering shift
switches
*.
M1 → M2 → M3 → M4 → M5 → M6
Using selector lever
To shift up to a hig her gear, tap the
selector lever back
once.

When Driving
Automatic Transmission
*Some models.4-37
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