MAZDA MX5 MIATA 2017 Owners Manual

6 –39 Maintenance and Care
Owner MaintenanceThe following conditions indicate that the
battery power is low: 
The KEY indicator light (green) flashes
in the instrument cluster for about 30
seconds after the engine is turned off
(for vehicles with a type A instrument
cluster (page 4-26 ), messages are
displayed in the instrument cluster). 
The system does not operate and
the operation indicator light on the
transmitter does not flash when the
buttons are pressed. 
The system's operational range is
reduced.
Replacing the battery at an Authorized
Mazda Dealer is recommended to prevent
damage to the key. If replacing the battery
by yourself, follow the instruction.
Replacing the key battery
1. Press the knob and pull out the
auxiliary key. Knob 2. Twist a tape-wrapped flathead
screwdriver in the direction of the
arrow and open the cover slightly. C ove r
3. Insert the tape-wrapped flathead
screwdriver into the gap and slide it in
the direction of the arrow. C ove r
Gap
4. Twist the flathead screwdriver in the
direction of the arrow and remove the
cover. C ove r
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6 –40 Maintenance and Care
Owner Maintenance 5. Remove the battery cap, then remove
the battery.
6. Insert a new battery with the positive
pole facing up, and then cover the
battery with the battery cap.
7. Close the cover.
8. Reinsert the auxiliary key. CAUTION 
Be careful not to allow the rubber ring
shown in the figure to be scratched or
damaged. 
If the rubber ring detaches, reattach it
before inserting a new battery. Rubber ring
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6 –41 Maintenance and Care
Owner Maintenance
TiresFor reasons of proper performance, safety,
and better fuel economy, always maintain
recommended tire inflation pressures and
stay within the recommended load limits
and weight distribution.
WARNING Using Different Tire Types:
Driving your vehicle with different
types of tires is dangerous. It could
cause poor handling and poor braking;
leading to loss of control.
Except for the limited use of the
temporary spare tire, use only the
same type tires (radial, bias-belted,
bias-type) on all four wheels.
Using Wrong-Sized Tires:
Using any other tire size than what is
specified for the vehicle (page 9-8 )
is dangerous. It could seriously affect
ride, handling, ground clearance,
tire clearance, and speedometer
calibration. This could cause you to
have an accident. Use only tires that
are the correct size specified for the
vehicle. Tire Inflation Pressure
WARNING Always inflate the tires to the correct
pressure:
Overinflation or underinflation of tires
is dangerous. Adverse handling or
unexpected tire failure could result in a
serious accident.
Refer to Tires on page 9-8 .
Use only a Mazda-genuine tire valve
cap:
Use of a non-genuine part is
dangerous as the correct tire air
pressure cannot be maintained if the
tire valve becomes damaged. If the
vehicle is driven under this condition,
the tire air pressure will decrease which
could result in a serious accident. Do
not use any part for the tire valve cap
that is not a Mazda-genuine part.
Inspect all tire pressures monthly when
the tires are cold. Maintain recommended
pressures for the best ride, handling, and
minimum tire wear.
Refer to the specification charts (page
9-8 ).
(With tire pressure monitoring system)
After adjusting the tire pressure,
initialization of the tire pressure
monitoring system is necessary to make
the system operate normally.
Refer to Tire Pressure Monitoring System
Initialization on page 4-108 .
NOTE 
Always check tire pressure when tires
are cold. 
Warm tires normally exceed
recommended pressures. Do not release
air from warm tires to adjust the
pressure.
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6 –42 Maintenance and Care
Owner Maintenance 
Underinflation can cause reduced fuel
economy, uneven and accelerated tire
wear, and poor sealing of the tire bead,
which will deform the wheel and cause
separation of tire from rim. 
Overinflation can produce a harsh ride,
uneven and accelerated tire wear, and a
greater possibility of damage from road
hazards.
Keep your tire pressure at the correct
levels. If one frequently needs inflating,
have it inspected.
Tire Rotation
WARNINGRotate tires periodically:
Irregular tire wear is dangerous. To
equalize tread wear for maintaining
good performance in handling and
braking, rotate the tires every 12,000
km (7,500 miles). However Mazda
recommends to rotate every 8,000 km
(5,000 miles) to help increase tire life
and distribute wear more evenly.
Refer to Scheduled Maintenance on
page 6-4 .
During rotation, inspect them for correct
balance.
Do not include (TEMPORAR Y USE ONLY)
spare tire in rotation. Forward Also, inspect them for uneven wear and
damage. Abnormal wear is usually caused
by one or a combination of the following: 
Incorrect tire pressure 
Improper wheel alignment 
Out-of-balance wheel 
Severe braking
After rotation, inflate all tire pressures to
specification (page 9-8 ) and inspect the
lug nuts for tightness.
(With tire pressure monitoring system)
After adjusting the tire pressure,
initialization of the tire pressure
monitoring system is necessary to make
the system operate normally.
Refer to Tire Pressure Monitoring System
Initialization on page 4-108 .
CAUTION Rotate unidirectional tires and radial
tires that have an asymmetrical tread
pattern or studs only from front to rear,
not from side to side. Tire performance
will be reduced if rotated from side to
side.
(With limited-slip differential)
Do not use the following: 
Tires not of the designated size 
Tires of different sizes or types at
the same time 
Tires not sufficiently inflated
If these instructions are not followed,
the rotation of the left and right wheels
will be different and will thus apply
a constant load on the limited-slip
differential.
This will cause a malfunction.
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6 –43 Maintenance and Care
Owner Maintenance
*Some models. Replacing a Tire
WARNING Always use tires that are in good
condition:
Driving with worn tires is dangerous.
Reduced braking, steering, and
traction could result in an accident.
Replace all four tires at the same time:
Replacing just one tire is dangerous. It
could cause poor handling and poor
braking resulting in loss of vehicle
control. Mazda strongly recommends
that you replace all four tires at the
same time.
If a tire wears evenly, a wear indicator will
appear as a solid band across the tread.
Replace the tire when this happens.
Ne w tread Tread wear indicator
Worn tread
You should replace the tire before the band
crosses the entire tread.
(With tire pressure monitoring system)
After adjusting the tire pressure,
initialization of the tire pressure
monitoring system is necessary to make
the system operate normally.
Refer to Tire Pressure Monitoring System
Initialization on page 4-108 . NOTE
Tires degrade over time, even when
they are not being used on the road. It
is recommended that tires generally be
replaced when they are 6 years or older.
Heat caused by hot climates or frequent
high loading conditions can accelerate the
aging process. The period in which the tire
was manufactured (both week and year) is
indicated by a 4-digit number.
Refer to Tire Labeling on page 8-24 .
Replacing a Wheel
WARNING Always use wheels of the correct size on
your vehicle:
Using a wrong-sized wheel is
dangerous. Braking and handling
could be affected, leading to loss of
control and an accident.
CAUTION A wrong-sized wheel may adversely
affect: 
Tire fit 
Wheel and bearing life 
Ground clearance 
Snow-chain clearance 
Speedometer calibration 
Headlight aim 
Bumper height 
Tire Pressure Monitoring System *
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6 –44 Maintenance and Care
Owner Maintenance NOTE 
When replacing a wheel, make sure
the new one is the same as the original
factory wheel in diameter, rim width,
and offset (inset/outset). 
For details, contact an Authorized
Mazda Dealer.
Proper tire balancing provides the best
riding comfort and helps reduce tread
wear. Out-of-balance tires can cause
vibration and uneven wear, such as
cupping and flat spots.
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6 –45 Maintenance and Care
Owner Maintenance
Light Bulbs Overhead light
Side turn signal lights
High-mount brake lightTrunk lightFront side-marker lights
Front turn signal lights
Headlights (low beam)P arking lights
Headlights (High beam)
Daytime running lights
License plate lights
Brake lights
TaillightsRear side-marker lights
Reverse lights
Rear turn signal lights
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6 –46 Maintenance and Care
Owner Maintenance
CAUTION When removing the lens or lamp unit
using a flathead screwdriver, make
sure that the flathead screwdriver does
not contact the interior terminal. If
the flathead screwdriver contacts the
terminal, a short circuit may occur.
NOTE 
To replace the bulb, contact an
Authorized Mazda Dealer. 
Use the protective cover and carton for
the replacement bulb to dispose of the
old bulb promptly and out of the reach
of children.
Replacing Exterior Light BulbsHeadlights, Daytime running lights
(LED type), Parking lights, High-mount
brake light, Brake lights, Taillights
The LED bulb cannot be replaced as a
single unit because it is an integrated unit.
The LED bulb has to be replaced with the
unit. We recommend an Authorized Mazda
Dealer when the replacement is necessary. Daytime running lights (Bulb type)
1. Make sure the ignition is switched off,
and the headlight switch is off.
2. Pull the center of each plastic retainer
and remove the retainers.
Rem ova l
Installation
3. Turn the screw counterclockwise and
remove it, and then partially peel back
the mudguard.

4. Turn the socket and bulb assembly
counterclockwise and remove it.
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6 –47 Maintenance and Care
Owner Maintenance5. Disconnect the bulb from the socket.

6. Install the new bulb in the reverse order
of the removal procedure.
Front side-marker lights
1. Make sure the ignition is switched off,
and the headlight switch is off.
2. If you are changing the right bulb, start
the engine, turn the steering wheel
all the way to the right, and turn off
engine. If you are changing the left
bulb, turn the steering wheel to the left.
3. Pull the center of each plastic retainer
and remove the retainers, and then
partially peel back the mudguard.
Rem ova l
Installation
4. Turn the socket and bulb assembly
counterclockwise and remove it. 5. Disconnect the bulb from the socket.

6. Install the new bulb in the reverse order
of the removal procedure.
Front turn signal lights
1. Make sure the ignition is switched off,
and the headlight switch is off.
2. If you are changing the right bulb, start
the engine, turn the steering wheel
all the way to the right, and turn off
engine. If you are changing the left
bulb, turn the steering wheel to the left.
3. Pull the center of each plastic retainer
and remove the retainers, and then
partially peel back the mudguard.
Rem ova l
Installation
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6 –48 Maintenance and Care
Owner Maintenance 4. Disconnect the connector from the unit
by pressing the tab on the connector
with your finger and pulling the
connector rearward.

5. Turn the socket and bulb assembly
counterclockwise and remove it.
6. Disconnect the bulb from the socket.

7. Install the new bulb in the reverse order
of the removal procedure.
Side turn signal lights
1. Make sure the ignition is switched off,
and the headlight switch is off.
2. If you are changing the right bulb, start
the engine, turn the steering wheel
all the way to the right, and turn off
engine. If you are changing the left
bulb, turn the steering wheel to the left. 3. Pull the center of each plastic retainer
and remove the retainers, and then
partially peel back the mudguard.
Rem ova l
Installation
4. Remove the unit by pressing the tab on
the unit with your finger and pulling the
unit forward.

5. Detach the electrical connector from
the unit by pulling it to the rear.

6. Install the new side turn signal unit
in the reverse order of the removal
procedure.
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