fuel MAZDA MODEL MX-5 MIATA POWER RETRACTABLE HARDTOP 2009 User Guide

Black plate (144,1)
Break-In Period
No special break-in is necessary, but a few
precautions in the first 1,000 km (600
miles) may add to the performance,
economy, and life of your Mazda.
lDo not race the engine.lDo not maintain one constant speed,
either slow or fast, for a long period of
time.
lDo not drive constantly at full-throttle
or high engine rpm for extended
periods of time.
lAvoid unnecessary hard stops.lAvoid full-throttle starts.
Money-Saving Suggestions
How you operate your Mazda determines
how far it will travel on a tank of fuel. Use
these suggestions to help save money on
fuel and repairs.
lAvoid long warm-ups. Once the engine
runs smoothly, begin driving.
lAvoid fast starts.lKeep the engine tuned. Follow the
maintenance schedule (page 8-3) and
have an Authorized Mazda Dealer
perform inspections and servicing.
lUse the air conditioner only when
necessary.
lSlow down on rough roads.lKeep the tires properly inflated.lDo not carry unnecessary weight.lDo not rest your foot on the brake
pedal while driving.
lKeep the wheels in correct alignment.lKeep windows closed at high speeds.lSlow down when driving in crosswinds
and headwinds.
WARNING
Never stop the engine when going
down a hill:Stopping the engine when going
down a hill is dangerous. This causes
the loss of power steering and power
brake control, and may cause
damage to the drivetrain. Any loss of
steering or braking control could
cause an accident.
4-6
Before Driving Your Mazda
Driving Tips
MX-5_8Z78-EA-08K_Edition1 Page144
Thursday, October 23 2008 1:53 PM
Form No.8Z78-EA-08K

Black plate (156,1)
ACC (Accessory)
The steering wheel unlocks and some
electrical accessories will operate.
ON
This is the normal running position after
the engine is started. The warning lights
(except brakes) should be inspected
before the engine is started (page 5-40).
NOTE
When the ignition switch is turned to the ON
position, the sound of the fuel pump motor
operating near the fuel tank can be heard. This
does not indicate an abnormality.
START
The engine is started in this position. It
will crank until you release the key; then
it returns to the ON position. The brake
warning light can be checked after the
engine is started (page 5-40).
qIgnition Key Reminder
If the ignition switch is in the LOCK or
ACC position with the key inserted, a
continuous beep sound will be heard
when the driver's door is opened.
Starting the Engine
NOTE
Engine-starting is controlled by the spark
ignition system.
This system meets all Canadian Interference-
Causing Equipment Standard requirements
regulating the impulse electrical field strength
of radio noise.
1. Occupants should fasten their seat
belts.
2. Make sure the parking brake is on.
3. Depress the brake pedal.
4. (Manual transmission)
Depress the clutch pedal all the way
and shift into neutral.
Keep the clutch pedal depressed while
cranking the engine.
(Automatic transmission)
Put the vehicle in park (P). If you must
restart the engine while the vehicle is
moving, shift into neutral (N).
NOTE
(Manual transmission)
The starter will not operate unless the clutch is
depressed sufficiently.
(Automatic transmission)
The starter will not operate if the shift lever is
not in P or N.
5. Turn the ignition switch to the START
position and hold (up to 10 seconds at
a time) until the engine starts.
CAUTION
Do not try the starter for more than
10 seconds at a time. If the engine
stalls or fails to start, wait 10 seconds
before trying again. Otherwise, you
may damage the starter and drain
the battery.
5-4
Driving Your Mazda
Starting and Driving
MX-5_8Z78-EA-08K_Edition1 Page156
Thursday, October 23 2008 1:53 PM
Form No.8Z78-EA-08K

Black plate (168,1)
NOTE
If the gears cannot be shifted down when
driving at higher speeds, the gear position
indicator will flash twice to signal that the
gears cannot be shifted down.
Shifting
You can shift gears up and down by
operating the shift lever or the steering
shift switches.
NOTE
lIf the steering shift switches on both sides
(left and right) are operated simultaneously,
the gear will shift once.
lThe gear will not shift if:lThe steering shift switch and the shift
lever are operated simultaneously.
lThe UP switch and DOWN switch are
operated simultaneously.
Manually Shifting up
(M1→M2 →M3 →M4 →M5 →M6)
To shift up to a higher gear, tap the shift
lever back (
) once.
To shift up to a higher gear with the
steering shift switches, tap either of the
UP switches toward you once with your
fingers.
UP switches
WARNING
Keep your hands on the steering wheel
rim when using fingers or thumbs on
the steering shift switches: Putting your hands inside the rim of
the steering wheel when using the
steering shift switches is dangerous.
If the driver's air bag were to deploy
in a collision, your hands could be
impacted causing injury.
NOTE
lWhen driving slowly, the gears may not
shift up depending on vehicle speed.
lIn manual shift mode, gears do not shift up
automatically. Do not run the engine with
the tachometer needle in the RED ZONE. If
the tachometer needle enters the RED
ZONE, you may feel engine-braking
because the fuel delivery will be stopped to
protect the engine. However, this does not
indicate an abnormality.
lWhen depressing the accelerator fully, the
transmission will shift to a lower gear,
depending on vehicle speed (Except
M2 →M1).
5-16
Driving Your Mazda
Starting and Driving
MX-5_8Z78-EA-08K_Edition1 Page168
Thursday, October 23 2008 1:53 PM
Form No.8Z78-EA-08K

Black plate (181,1)
CAUTION
ØEach tire, including the spare (if provided), should be checked monthly when cold
and inflated to the inflation pressure recommended by the vehicle manufacturer
on the vehicle placard or tire inflation pressure label. (If your vehicle has tires of a
different size than the size indicated on the vehicle placard or tire inflation
pressure label, you should determine the proper tire inflation pressure for those
tires.)
As an added safety feature, your vehicle has been equipped with a tire pressure
monitoring system (TPMS) that illuminates a low tire pressure telltale when one
or more of your tires is significantly under-inflated. Accordingly, when the low tire
pressure telltale illuminates, you should stop and check your tires as soon as
possible, and inflate them to the proper pressure. Driving on a significantly under-
inflated tire causes the tire to overheat and can lead to tire failure. Under-inflation
also reduces fuel efficiency and tire tread life, and may affect the vehicle's
handling and stopping ability.
Please note that the TPMS is not a substitute for proper tire maintenance, and it
is the driver's responsibility to maintain correct tire pressure, even if under-
inflation has not reached the level to trigger illumination of the TPMS low tire
pressure telltale.
Ø Your vehicle has also been equipped with a TPMS malfunction indicator to
indicate when the system is not operating properly.
The TPMS malfunction indicator is combined with the low tire pressure telltale.
When the system detects a malfunction, the telltale will flash for approximately
one minute and then remain continuously illuminated. This sequence will
continue upon subsequent vehicle start-ups as long as the malfunction exists.
When the malfunction indicator is illuminated, the system may not be able to
detect or signal low tire pressure as intended. TPMS malfunctions may occur for a
variety of reasons, including the installation of replacement or alternate tires or
wheels on the vehicle that prevent the TPMS from functioning properly. Always
check the TPMS malfunction telltale after replacing one or more tires or wheels on
your vehicle to ensure that the replacement or alternate tires and wheels allow
the TPMS to continue to function properly.
Ø To avoid false readings, the system samples for a little while before indicating a
problem. As a result it will not instantaneously register a rapid tire deflation or
blow out.
NOTE
This device complies with part 15 of the FCC Rules. Operation is subject to the following two
conditions: (1) This device may not cause harmful interference, and (2) this device must accept any
interference received, including interference that may cause undesired operation.
Driving Your Mazda
Starting and Driving
5-29
MX-5_8Z78-EA-08K_Edition1 Page181
Thursday, October 23 2008 1:53 PM
Form No.8Z78-EA-08K

Black plate (187,1)
Meters and Gauges
Speedometer ...................................................................................................... page 5-36
Odometer, Trip Meter, Average Fuel Economy Display, Outside Temperature Display
and Selector ....................................................................................................... page 5-36
Tachometer ........................................................................................................ page 5-37
Engine Coolant Temperature Gauge .................................................................. page 5-38
Fuel Gauge ........................................................................................................ page 5-38
Dashboard Illumination ..................................................................................... page 5-39
Engine Oil Pressure Gauge ................................................................................ page 5-39
Driving Your Mazda
Instrument Cluster and Indicators
5-35
MX-5_8Z78-EA-08K_Edition1 Page187
Thursday, October 23 2008 1:53 PM
Form No.8Z78-EA-08K

Black plate (188,1)
qSpeedometer
The speedometer indicates the speed of
the vehicle.
qOdometer, Trip Meter, Average
Fuel Economy Display, Outside
Temperature Display and Selector
The ignition switch must be in the ON
position.
Each time the selector is pressed the
display switches in the order of trip meter
A, trip meter B, the average fuel economy
display and the outside temperature
display.
Trip Meter
Selector
Average Fuel Economy Display
Outside Temperature Display
Odometer
Trip meter B
Average fuel
economy
Outside
temperature Trip meter A
Odometer
Odometer
Odometer
Odometer
Odometer
The odometer records the total distance
the vehicle has been driven.
Trip meter
The trip meter can record the total
distance of two trips. One is recorded in
trip meter A, and the other is recorded in
trip meter B.
For instance, trip meter A can record the
distance from the point of origin, and trip
meter B can record the distance from
where the fuel tank is filled.
When trip meter A is selected, pressing
the selector again within one second will
change to trip meter B mode.
When trip meter A is selected, TRIP A
will be displayed. When trip meter B is
selected, TRIP B will be displayed.
5-36
Driving Your Mazda
Instrument Cluster and Indicators
MX-5_8Z78-EA-08K_Edition1 Page188
Thursday, October 23 2008 1:53 PM
Form No.8Z78-EA-08K

Black plate (189,1)
The trip meter records the total distance
the vehicle is driven until the meter is
again reset. Return it to“0.0 ”by holding
the selector depressed for 1 second or
more. Use this meter to measure trip
distances and to compute fuel
consumption.
NOTE
lOnly the trip meters record tenths of
kilometers (miles).
lThe trip record will be erased when:lThe power supply is interrupted (blown
fuse or the battery is disconnected).
lThe vehicle is driven over 999.9 km
(mile).
Average fuel economy display
This mode displays the average fuel
economy by calculating the fuel
consumption and the distance traveled
since connecting the battery or resetting
the data.
Average fuel economy will be calculated
and displayed every minute.
To clear the data being displayed, press
the selector for more than 1 second. After
pressing the selector, - - - L/100 km (- - -
mpg) will be displayed for about 1 minute
before the fuel economy is recalculated
and displayed.
Outside temperature display
This mode displays the outside
temperature. NOTE
l(Temperature unit change function)í
To change the outside temperature display
from Fahrenheit (°F) to Centigrade (°C),
press and hold the selector for several
seconds while the outside temperature is
displayed.
lUnder the following conditions, the ambient
temperature display may differ from the
actual ambient temperature depending on
the surroundings and vehicle conditions:
lSignificantly cold or hot temperatures.lSudden changes in ambient temperature.lThe vehicle is parked.lThe vehicle is driven at low speeds.
q
Tachometer
The tachometer shows engine speed in
thousands of revolutions per minute
(rpm).
Manual Transmission
Red zone
Driving Your Mazda
Instrument Cluster and Indicators
5-37íSome models.
MX-5_8Z78-EA-08K_Edition1 Page189
Thursday, October 23 2008 1:53 PM
Form No.8Z78-EA-08K

Black plate (190,1)
Automatic Transmission
Red zone
CAUTION
Do not run the engine with the
tachometer needle in the RED ZONE.
This may cause severe engine
damage.
qEngine Coolant Temperature Gauge
The engine coolant temperature gauge
shows the temperature of the engine
coolant.
If the needle is near H, it indicates
overheating.
CAUTION
Driving with an overheated engine
can cause serious engine damage
(page 7-18).
qFuel Gauge
The fuel gauge shows approximately how
much fuel is remaining in the tank when
the ignition switch is in the ON position.
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.
Low fuel
warning light
NOTElAfter refueling, it may require some time for
the needle to stabilize. In addition, the
needle may deviate while driving on a slope
or curve since the fuel moves in the tank.
lThe direction of the arrow () shows that
the fuel-filler lid is on the left side of the
vehicle.
5-38
Driving Your Mazda
Instrument Cluster and Indicators
MX-5_8Z78-EA-08K_Edition1 Page190
Thursday, October 23 2008 1:53 PM
Form No.8Z78-EA-08K

Black plate (192,1)
Warning/Indicator Lights
Warning/Indicator lights will appear in any of the highlighted areas
SignalWarning/Indicator Lights Page
Brake System Warning Light 5-42
Charging System Warning Light5-43
Check Engine Light5-44
ABS Warning Light5-42
Air Bag/Seat Belt Pretensioner System Warning Light5-44
Low Fuel Warning Light5-45
Seat Belt Warning Light/Beep5-45
5-40
Driving Your Mazda
Warning/Indicator Lights and Beep Sounds
MX-5_8Z78-EA-08K_Edition1 Page192
Thursday, October 23 2008 1:53 PM
Form No.8Z78-EA-08K

Black plate (196,1)
qCheck Engine Light
This indicator light illuminates when the
ignition switch is turned to the ON
position and turns off when the engine is
started.
If this light illuminates while driving, the
vehicle may have a problem. It is
important to note the driving conditions
when the light illuminated and consult an
Authorized Mazda Dealer.
The check engine light may illuminate in
the following cases:
lThe fuel tank level being very low or
approaching empty.
lThe engine's electrical system has a
problem.
lThe emission control system has a
problem.
lThe 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.
q Air Bag/Seat Belt Pretensioner
System Warning Light
If the air bag/seat belt pretensioner system
is working properly, the warning light
illuminates when the ignition switch is
turned to the ON position or after the
engine is cranked. The warning light turns
off after a specified period of time.
A system malfunction is indicated if the
warning light constantly flashes,
constantly illuminates or does not
illuminate at all when the ignition switch
is turned to the ON position. If any of
these occur, consult an Authorized Mazda
Dealer as soon as possible. The system
may not work in an accident.
WARNING
Never tamper with the air bag/
pretensioner systems and always have
an Authorized Mazda Dealer perform
all servicing and repairs:
Self-servicing or tampering with the
systems is dangerous. An air bag/
pretensioner could accidentally
activate or become disabled causing
serious injury or death.
5-44
Driving Your Mazda
Warning/Indicator Lights and Beep Sounds
MX-5_8Z78-EA-08K_Edition1 Page196
Thursday, October 23 2008 1:53 PM
Form No.8Z78-EA-08K