2001 MAZDA MODEL TRIBUTE warning

Reasons given... Consider...
9Belts wrinkle my
clothes9Possibly, but a serious crash can do much more
than wrinkle your clothes, particularly if you are
unbelted.
9The people I'm
with don't wear
belts9Set the example, teen deaths occur 4 times more
often in vehicles with TWO or MORE people.
Children and younger brothers/sisters imitate
behavior they see.
9I have an air bag9Air bags offer greater protection when used with
safety belts. Frontal airbags are not designed to
inflate in rear and side crashes or rollovers.
9I'd rather be
thrown clear9Not a good idea.Peoplewho areejected are 40
times more likely to DIE.Safety belts help
prevent ejection, WE CAN'T9PICK OUR CRASH9.
WARNING: Do not sit on top of a buckled safety belt to avoid
the Safety Belt Warning Light. Sitting on the safety belt will
increase the risk of injury in an accident.
Safety belt maintenance
Inspect the safety belt systems periodically to make sure they work
properly and are not damaged.
NOTE:If unsure about the proper procedures, bring your vehicle to an
authorized Mazda dealership for inspection. Inspect the safety belts to
make sure there are no nicks, tears or cuts, replacing if necessary. All
safety belt assemblies, including retractors, buckles, front seat belt
buckle assemblies, buckle support assemblies (slide bar-if equipped),
shoulder belt height adjusters (if equipped), shoulder belt guide on
seatback (if equipped), child safety seat tether bracket assemblies
(if equipped), LATCH child seat tether anchors and lower anchors
(if equipped), and attaching hardware, should be inspected after a
collision. Mazda recommends that all safety belt assemblies used in
vehicles involved in a collision be replaced. However, if the collision was
minor and an authorized Mazda technician finds that the belts do not
show damage and continue to operate properly, they do not need to be
replaced. Safety belt assemblies not in use during a collision should also
be inspected and replaced if either damage or improper operation is
noted.
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WARNING: Failure to inspect and if necessary replace the
safety belt assembly under the above conditions could result in
severe personal injuries in the event of a collision.
Refer toCleaning and maintaining the safety beltsin the
Maintenance and caresection.
AIR BAG SUPPLEMENTAL RESTRAINT SYSTEM (SRS)
Important supplemental restraint system (SRS) precautions
The supplemental restraint system
is designed to work with the safety
belt to help protect the driver and
right front passenger from certain
upper body injuries.
WARNING: Air bags DO NOT
inflate slowly or gently and the
risk of injury from a deploying
air bag is greatest close to the
trim covering the air bag
module.
E CMPH4x4H
F60
408 7 6
5
4
3
2
12020 406080100
120
140
160
18080100
120km/hRPM X 1000
RSM
CST SET
ACCOFF ON
AM/FMTAPE
CD
SCAN
12 3
45 6
LOADCLOCK
AUTO-MPRORPT
RDM/BS TR/APC TR/APC
FF REW
TUNE
SEEKDISCPUSH
POWER VOLP
U
S
H
A
U
D
IO
C
O
N
T
LOCK
A/COFFMAX
A/C
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83

WARNING: All occupants of the vehicle, including the driver,
should always properly wear their safety belts, even when an
air bag SRS is provided.
WARNING: Always transport children 12 years old and under
in the back seat and always properly use appropriate child
restraints.
WARNING: National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
(NHTSA) recommends a minimum distance of at least 25 cm
(10 inches) between an occupant's chest and the driver air bag
module.
WARNING: Never place your arm over the air bag module as a
deploying air bag can result in serious arm fractures or other
injuries.
Steps you can take to properly position yourself away from the air bag:
²Move your seat to the rear as far as you can while still reaching the
pedals comfortably.
²Recline the seat slightly (one or two degrees) from the upright
position.
WARNING: Do not put anything on or over the air bag module
including hands or feet. Placing objects on or over the air bag
inflation area may cause those objects to be propelled by the
air bag into your face and torso causing serious injury.
WARNING: Do not attempt to service, repair, or modify the Air
Bag Supplemental Restraint System or its fuses. See your
authorized Mazda dealership.
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84

WARNING: Modifications to the front end of the vehicle,
including frame, bumper, front end body structure, tow hooks
and snow plows may effect the performance of the air bag
sensors increasing the risk of injury. Do not modify the front
end of the vehicle.
WARNING: Additional equipment may effect the performance
of the air bag sensors increasing the risk of injury. Consult your
authorized Mazda dealership before installation of additional
equipment.
Children and air bags
For additional important safety
information, read all information on
safety restraints in this guide.
WARNING: Children must
always be properly restrained.
Accident statistics suggest that
children are safer when
properly restrained in the rear
seating positions than in the
front seating position. Failure
to follow these instructions
may increase the risk of injury
in a collision.
WARNING: Air bags can kill or injure a child in a child seat
NEVER place a rear-facing child seat in front of an active air
bag. If you must use a forward-facing child seat in the front
seat, move the seat all the way back and secure it properly.
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85

WARNING: Several air bag system components get hot after
inflation. Do not touch them after inflation or you may be
burned.
WARNING: If the air bag has deployed, the air bag will not
function again and must be replaced immediately. If the air bag
is not replaced, the unrepaired area will increase the risk of
injury in a collision.
The SRS consists of:
²driver and passenger air bag modules (which include the inflators and
air bags),
²one or more impact and safing sensors,
²a readiness light and tone
²diagnostic module
²and the electrical wiring which connects the components.
The diagnostic module monitors its own internal circuits and the
supplemental air bag electrical system warning (including the impact
sensors), the system wiring, the air bag system readiness light, the air
bag back up power and the air bag ignitors.
Determining if the system is operational
The SRS uses a readiness light in the instrument cluster or a tone to
indicate the condition of the system. Refer to theAir bag readiness
section in theInstrumentationchapter. Routine maintenance of the air
bag is not required.
A difficulty with the system is indicated by one or more of the following:
²The readiness light will either
flash or stay lit.
²The readiness light will not
illuminate immediately after
ignition is turned on.
²A series of five beeps will be heard. The tone pattern will repeat
periodically until the problem and/or light are repaired.
If any of these things happen, even intermittently, have the SRS serviced
at your authorized Mazda dealership immediately.
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WARNING: Unless serviced, the system may not function
properly in the event of a collision.
Side air bag system (if equipped)
WARNING: Do not place objects or mount equipment on or
near the air bag cover on the side of the seatbacks of the front
seats or in front seat areas that may come into contact with a
deploying air bag. This is dangerous. In an accident, the object
could interfere with the air bag inflation and injure the
occupants.
WARNING: Side Air Bag Storage Areas:
Attaching things to the seat in such a way as to cover the
outboard side of the seat in any way is dangerous. In an
accident the object could interfere with the side air bag, which
inflates from the outboard side of the front seats, impeding the
added protection of the side air bag system or redirecting the
air bag in a way that is dangerous. Further more, the bag could
be cut open spewing exhaust. Do not hang net bags, map
pouches or back pads with side straps on the front seats.
Always keep the side air bag storage areas in your front seats
free to deploy in the event of a side collision.
WARNING: Using Seat Covers:
Using a seat cover on the front seats could be dangerous. In a
severe side collision, the seat covers could interfere with the
side air bag inflation and serious injuries could result. Never
use seat covers on the front seats.
To prevent damage to the side air bag wiring, don't place luggage
or other objects under the front seats.
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88

WARNING: Seating Position with Side Air Bags
Sitting too close to the side air bag storage compartments or
placing hands on them is extremely dangerous. A side air bag
inflates with great force and speed directly out of the outboard
shoulder of the front seat and expands along the front door on
the side the car is hit. Serious injury could occur if someone is
sitting too close to the door or leaning against a window in the
front seats or if rear seat occupants grab the sides of the front
seatbacks. Furthermore, sleeping up against the door or
hanging out the driver's-side window while driving could block
the side air bag and eliminate the advantages of supplemental
protection. Give the side air bags room to work by sitting in the
center of the seat while the vehicle is moving with seat belts
worn properly.
WARNING: Modification of the Supplemental Restraint System
Modifying the components or wiring of the supplemental
restraint system is dangerous. You could accidentally activate it
or make it inoperable. Don't make any modifications to the
supplemental restraint system. This includes installing trim,
badges, or anything else over the air bag storage areas. It also
includes installing extra electric equipment on or near system
components or wiring.
An Authorized Mazda Dealer can provide the special care
needed in the removal and installation of front seats. It is
important to protect the side air bag wiring and connections to
assure that the bags do not accidently deploy and that the seats
retain an undamaged air bag connection.
WARNING: Do not attempt to service, repair, or modify the air
bag Supplemental Restraint System, its fuses or the seat cover
on a seat containing an air bag. See your authorized Mazda
dealer.
WARNING: All occupants of the vehicle including the driver
should always wear their safety belts even when an air bag SRS
is provided.
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How does the side air bag system work?
The side air bag system consists of
the following:
²An inflatable nylon bag (air bag)
with a gas generator concealed
behind the outboard bolster of
the driver and front passenger
seatbacks.
²A special seat cover designed to
allow airbag deployment.
²The same warning light,
electronic control and diagnostic
unit as used for the front air
bags.
²The two side sensors are located
on the lower portion of the
b-pillar.
NOTE:A side air bag, in combination with seat belts, can help reduce
the risk of severe injuries in the event of a significant side impact
collision.
The side air bags are fitted on the outboard side of the seatbacks of the
front seats. In certain lateral collisions, the air bag on the side affected
by the collision will be inflated, even if the respective seat is not
occupied. The air bag was designed to inflate between the door panel
and occupant to further enhance the protection provided occupants in
side impact collisions.
The air bag SRS is designed to activate when the vehicle sustains lateral
deceleration sufficient to cause the sensors to close an electrical circuit
that initiates air bag inflation.
The fact that the air bags did not inflate in a collision does not mean that
something is wrong with the system. Rather, it means the forces were
not of the type sufficient to cause activation. Side air bags are designed
to inflate in side-impact collisions, not roll-over, rear-impact, frontal,
near-frontal or opposite side collisions, unless the collision causes
sufficient lateral deceleration.
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