brake MAZDA MODEL MX-5 MIATA 2018 Owner's Manual

Manual Transmission ShiftPattern
Neutral position
The shift pattern of the transmission is
conventional, as shown.

Depress the clutch pedal all the way down
while shifting; then release it slowly.

Your vehicle is equipped with a device to
prevent shifting to R (reverse) by mistake.
Push the shift lever downward and shift to
R.

WA R N I N G
Do not use sudden engine braking on
slippery road surfaces or at high speeds:
Shifting down while driving on wet, snowy,
or frozen roads, or while driving at high
speeds causes sudden engine braking,
which 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.
Always leave the shift lever in 1 or R
position and set the parking brake when
leaving the vehicle unattended:
Otherwise the vehicle could move and
cause an accident.
CAUTION
 Keep your foot off the clutch pedal except
when shifting gears. Also, do not use the
clutch to hold the vehicle on an upgrade.
Riding the clutch will cause needless
clutch wear and damage.
 Do not apply any excessive lateral force
to the shift lever when changing from
5th to 4th gear. This could lead to the
accidental selection of 2nd gear, which
could result in damage to the
transmission.
 Make sure the vehicle comes to a
complete stop before shifting to R.
Shifting to R while the vehicle is still
moving may damage the transmission.
When Driving
Manual Transmission Operation
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▼Recommendations for Shifting
Upshifting
For normal acceleration, Mazda
recommends these shift points:
Gear
Vehicle speed
1 to 2 23 km/h (14 mph)
2 to 3 39 km/h (24 mph)
3 to 4 53 km/h (33 mph)
4 to 5 61 km/h (38 mph)
5 to 6 77 km/h (48 mph)
For cruising, Mazda recommends these
shift points:
Gear Vehicle speed
1 to 2 11 km/h (7 mph)
2 to 3 31 km/h (19 mph)
3 to 4 42 km/h (26 mph)
4 to 5 55 km/h (34 mph)
5 to 6 66 km/h (41 mph)
Downshifting
When you must slow down in heavy
traffic or on a steep upgrade, downshift
before the engine starts to overwork. This
reduces the chance of stalling and gives
better acceleration when you need more
speed.
On a steep downgrade , downshifting
helps maintain safe speed and prolongs
brake life.
When Driving
Manual Transmission Operation
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Automatic Transmission Controls
Lock-release button
Indicates the selector lever can be shifted freely into any position.
Indicates that you must hold in the lock-release button to shift. Indicates that you must depress the brake pedal and hold in the lock-release
button to shift (The ignition must be switched ON).
Various Lockouts:
NOTE
The Sport AT has an option that is not included in the traditional automatic transmission
that gives the driver the option of selectin
g each gear instead of leaving it to the
transmission to shift gears. Even if you inte nd to use the automatic transmission functions as
a traditional automatic, you should also be aware that you can inadvertently shift into
manual shift mode and an inappropriate gear may be retained as the vehicle speed
increases. If you notice the engine speed going higher or hear the engine racing, confirm
you have not accidentally slipped into manual shift mode (page 4-37).
When Driving
Automatic Transmission
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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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▼Recommendations for Shifting
Upshifting
For normal acceleration and cruising, Mazda recommends these sh
ift points:
Gear
Vehicle speed*1
M1 to M224 km/h (15 mph)
M2 to M3 40 km/h (25 mph)
M3 to M4 65 km/h (40 mph)
M4 to M5 73 km/h (45 mph)
M5 to M6 81 km/h (50 mph)
*1 Always observe local speed limit regulations.
Downshifting
When you must slow down in heavy traffic or on a steep upgrade, downshift before the
engine starts to overwork. This gives better acceleration when you need more speed.

On a steep downgrade, downshifting helps maintain safe speed an d prolongs brake life.
When Driving
Automatic Transmission
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Driving Tips
WA R N I N G
Do not let the vehicle move in a direction
opposite to the direction selected by the
selector lever:
Do not let the vehicle move backward with
the selector lever in a forward position, or
do not let the vehicle move forward with
the selector lever in the reverse position.
Otherwise, the engine may stop, causing
the loss of the power brake and power
steering functions, and make it difficult to
control the vehicle which could result in an
accident.
Passing
For extra power when passing another
vehicle or climbing steep grades, depress
the accelerator fully. The transmission will
shift to a lower gear, depending on vehicle
speed.
NOTE
The accelerator pedal may initially feel
heavy as it is being depressed, then feel
lighter as it is depressed further. This
change in pedal force aids the engine
control system in determining how much
the accelerator pedal has been
depressed for performing kickdown, and
functions to control whether or not
kickdown should be performed.
While the selector lever is in the M
position and the DSC is turned off,
manual shift mode does not switch to
automatic shift mode even if the
accelerator pedal is completely
depressed. Operate the selector lever.
Climbing steep grades from a stop
To climb a steep grade from a stopped
position:
1. Depress the brake pedal.
2. Shift to D or M1, depending on theload weight and grade steepness.
3. Release the brake pedal while gradually accelerating.
Descending steep grades
When descending a steep grade, shift to
lower gears, depending on load weight and
grade steepness. Desce nd slowly, using the
brakes only occasionally to prevent them
from overheating.
When Driving
Automatic Transmission
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The headlights turn off if the lever is
pulled again while the headlights are
illuminated.
▼ Leaving Home Light
The leaving home light turns on the lights
when the transmitte
r unlock button is
pressed while away from the vehicle.
The following light s turn on when the
leaving home light is operated.
Low beams, Parking lights, Taillights,
License plate lights.
To turn on the lights
When the ignition switch and the headlight
switch are in the following conditions, the
headlights will il luminate when the
transmitter unlock button is pressed and
the vehicle receives the transmitter signal.
The headlights turn off after a certain
period of time has elapsed (30 seconds).
Ignition switch: off
Headlight switch: , , or
Lock button
Unlock
button
NOTE
Operation of the leaving home light can
be turned on or off.
Refer to Personalization Features on
page 9-9.
When the transmitter lock button is
pressed and the vehicle receives the
transmitter signal, the headlights turn
off.
When the headlight switch is turned to
the
position, the headlights turn off.
▼ Headlight Leveling
The number of passengers and weight of
cargo in the luggage compartment change
the angle of the headlights.

The angle of the headlights will be
automatically adjusted when turning on
the headlights.
▼Daytime Running Lights
Some countries requir
e moving vehicles to
have their lights on (daytime running
lights) during the daytime.

The daytime running lights turn on
automatically when the vehicle starts
moving.
They turn off when the parking brake is
operated or the shift lever is shifted to the
P position (automatic transmission
vehicle).
NOTE
(Except Canada)
The daytime running lights can be
deactivated.
Refer to Personalization Features on page
9-9.
When Driving
Switches and Controls
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Brake System
▼Foot Brake
This vehicle has power-assisted brakes
that adjust automatically through normal
use.

Should power-assist fail, you can stop by
applying greater force than normal to the
brake pedal. But the d
istance required to
stop will be greater than usual.
WA R N I N G
Do not coast with the engine stalled or
turned off,
find a safe place to stop:
Coasting with the engine stalled or turned
off is dangerous. Braking will require more
effort, and the brake's power-assist could
be depleted if you pump the brake. This will
cause longer stopping distances or even an
accident.
Shift to a lower gear when going down
steep hills:
Driving with your foot continuously on the
brake pedal or steadily applying the brakes
for long distances is dangerous. This causes
overheated brakes, resulting in longer
stopping distances or even total brake
failure. This could cause loss of vehicle
control and a serious accident. Avoid
continuous application of the brakes.
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 with your foot held on the
clutch pedal or brake pedal, or hold the
clutch pedal depressed halfway
unnecessarily. Doing so could result in
the following:
 The clutch and brake parts will wear
out more quickly.
 The brakes can overheat and adversely
affect brake performance.
 Always depress the brake pedal with the
right foot. Applying the brakes with the
unaccustomed left foot could slow your
reaction time to an emergency situation
resulting in insufficient braking
operation.
When Driving
Brake
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Wear shoes appropriate for driving in
order to avoid your shoe contacting the
brake pedal when depressing the
accelerator pedal.
▼ Parking Brake
CAUTION
Driving with the parking brake on will
cause excessive wear of the brake parts.
NOTE
For parking in snow, refer to Winter
Driving (page 3-52) regarding parking
brake use.
Setting the parking brake
Depress the brake pedal and then firmly
pull the parking brake lever fully upwards
with sufficient force to hold the vehicle in
a stationary position.
Releasing the parking brake
Depress the brake pedal and pull the
parking brake lever upwards, then press
the release button. While holding the
button, lower the parking brake lever all
the way down to the released position.
Button
▼War ni ng L i gh t
The warning light
turns on when the
system has a malfunction.
Refer to Warning Lights on page 4-26.
▼ Brake Pad Wear Indicator
When the disc brake pads become worn,
the built-in wear indicators contact the
disc plates. This caus
es a screeching noise
to warn that the pads should be replaced.
When you hear this noise, consult an
Authorized Mazda Dealer as soon as
possible.
When Driving
Brake
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