transmission MAZDA MX5 MIATA 2016 User Guide

4–6
When Driving
Start/Stop Engine
8. After starting the engine, let it idle for
about ten seconds.
NOTE
 Whether the engine is cold or warm, it
should be started without the use of the
accelerator.
 If the engine does not start the first
time, refer to Starting a Flooded Engine
under Emergency Starting. If the engine
still does not start, have your vehicle
inspected by an Authorized Mazda
Dealer (page 7-26).
Engine Start Function When Key
Battery is Dead
CAUTION
When starting the engine by holding
the transmitter over the push button
start due to a dead key battery or a
malfunctioning key, be careful not
to allow the following, otherwise the
signal from the key will not be received
correctly and the engine may not start.
 Metal parts of other keys or metal
objects touch the key.

 Spare keys or keys for other
vehicles equipped with an
immobilizer system touch or come
near the key.

 Devices for electronic purchases,
or security passage touch or come
near the key.
If the engine cannot be started due to a
dead key battery, the engine can be started
using the following procedure:
1. Continue to depress the brake pedal
firmly until the engine has completely
started.
2. (Manual transmission)
Continue to depress the clutch pedal
firmly until the engine has completely
started.
3. Verify that the push button start
indication light (green) flashes.
4. Touch the push button start using the
backside of the key (as shown) while
the push button start indicator light
(green) flashes.

Transmitter
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4–7
When Driving
Start/Stop Engine
NOTE
When touching the push button start using
the backside of the key as shown in the
illustration, touch the push button start
with the lock switch side of the key facing
up.
5. Verify that the push button start
indicator light (green) turns on.
6. Press the push button start to start the
engine.
NOTE
 The engine cannot be started unless the
clutch pedal is fully depressed (manual
transmission) or the brake pedal is fully
depressed (automatic transmission).
 If there is a malfunction with the push
button start function, the push button
start indicator light (amber) flashes.
In this case, the engine may start,
however, have the vehicle checked at an
Authorized Mazda Dealer as soon as
possible.
 If the push button start indicator light
(green) does not illuminate, perform the
operation from the beginning again. If
it does not illuminate, have the vehicle
checked at an Authorized Mazda Dealer.
 To switch the ignition position without
starting the engine, perform the
following operations after the push
button start indicator light (green) turns
on.
1. Release the clutch pedal (manual
transmission) or brake pedal
(automatic transmission).
2. Press the push button start to switch
the ignition position. The ignition
switches in the order of ACC, ON,
and off each time the push button
start is pressed. To switch the
ignition position again, perform the
operation from the beginning.
Emergency Operation for Starting
the Engine
If the KEY warning light (red) illuminates,
or the push button start indicator light
(amber) flashes, this could indicate that
the engine may not start using the usual
starting method. Have your vehicle
inspected at an Authorized Mazda Dealer
as soon as possible. If this occurs, the
engine can be force-started. Press and hold
the push button start until the engine starts.
Other procedures necessary for starting
the engine such as having the key in the
cabin, and depressing the clutch pedal
(manual transmission) or the brake pedal
(automatic transmission) are required.
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4–8
When Driving
Start/Stop Engine
Turning the Engine Off
WARNING
Do not stop the engine while the vehicle
is moving:Stopping the engine while the vehicle
is moving for any reason other than in
an emergency is dangerous. Stopping
the engine while the vehicle is moving
will result in reduced braking ability
due to the loss of power braking, which
could cause an accident and serious
injury.
1. Stop the vehicle completely.
2. (Manual transmission)
Shift into neutral and set the parking
brake.
(Automatic transmission)
Shift the selector lever to the P position
and set the parking brake.
3. Press the push button start to turn off
the engine. The ignition position is off.
CAUTION
When leaving the vehicle, make sure
the push button start is off.
NOTE
 The cooling fan in the engine
compartment could turn on for a few
minutes after the ignition is switched
from ON to OFF, whether or not the
A/C is on or off, to cool the engine
compartment quickly.
 When the push button start is pressed
from ON to ACC or OFF, the KEY
indicator light (green) may flash for
approximately 30 seconds indicating
that the remaining battery power of the
key is low.
Replace with a new battery before the
key becomes unusable.
Refer to Key Battery Replacement on
page 6-38. (Automatic transmission)
If the engine is turned off while the
selector lever is in a position other than
P, the ignition switches to ACC.
Emergency Engine Stop
Continuously pressing the push button
start or quickly pressing it any number of
times while the engine is running or the
vehicle is being driven will turn the engine
off immediately. The ignition switches to
ACC.
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4–17
When Driving
Instrument Cluster and Display
*Some models.
SignalWarning Lights Page
Check Engine Light*17-33
(Red)High Engine Coolant Temperature Warning Light*17-33
*Automatic Transmission Warning Light*17-33
Power Steering Malfunction Indicator Light*17-33
Air Bag/Seat Belt Pretensioner System Warning Light*17-33
Low Fuel Warning Light7-33
Check Fuel Cap Warning Light*17-33
Seat Belt Warning Light7-33
Door-Ajar Warning Light7-33
*Low Washer Fluid Level Warning Light 7-33
*Tire Pressure Monitoring System Warning Light*17-33
(Red)
KEY Warning Light*17-33
*Lane Departure Warning System (LDWS) Warning Light*1Illuminated 7-33
Flashing 4-73
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4–21
When Driving
Transmission
Manual Transmission
Operation
Manual Transmission Shift Pattern
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.
WARNING
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.
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4–22
When Driving
Transmission
NOTE
 A natural driving posture can be
realized by lightly gripping the shift
lever from the side without having to
rest your elbow on the center console
box.
 If shifting to R is difficult, shift back into
neutral, release the clutch pedal, and try
again.
Gear Shift Indicator
The gear shift indicator supports you to
obtain optimum fuel economy and smooth
driving. It displays the selected gear
position in the instrument cluster as well
as notifies the driver to change to the most
suitable gear position corresponding to the
actual driving condition.
Selected gear positionSuitable gear position
IndicationCondition
Numeral The selected gear position is
displayed.
and numeral
Shift up or down to the indicated
gear position is recommended.
CAUTION
Do not rely solely on the shift-up/
shift-down recommendations by
indications. The actual driving
situation might require shift operations
different from indication. To avoid the
risk of accidents, the road and traffic
conditions have to be judged correctly
by the driver before shifting.
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4–23
When Driving
Transmission
NOTE
The gear shift indicator turns off when the
following operations are performed.
 The vehicle is stopped. The vehicle is put in neutral. The vehicle is driven in reverse. The clutch is not fully engaged when
accelerating from a stop. The clutch pedal remains depressed for
2 seconds or longer while driving.
Recommendations for Shifting
Upshifting
For normal acceleration, Mazda
recommends these shift points:
GearVehicle 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.
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4–24
When Driving
Transmission
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-rel\
ease
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 transmi\
ssion
that gives the driver the option of selecting each gear instead of leavi\
ng it to the
transmission to shift gears. Even if you intend to use the automatic tra\
nsmission 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 4-27).
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4–25
When Driving
Transmission
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.
Warning Light
The warning light turns on when the
system has a malfunction.
Refer to Warning Lights on page 4-16.
Transmission Ranges
 The shift position indicator light in the
instrument cluster illuminates. Refer to
Warning/Indicator Lights on page
4-16.
 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.
WARNING
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 3-45).
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.
WARNING
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.
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4–26
When Driving
Transmission
CAUTION
Do not shift into N when driving the
vehicle. Doing so can cause transaxle
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 4-27.
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.
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 switched 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.
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