Page 14 of 250

2-6
Essential Safety Equipment
Seats
Form No. 8Q50-EA-01G
Rear Seat
Stacking Cargo:Stacking luggage or other cargo
higher than the seatbacks, and
putting things on the rear package
tray is dangerous. During sudden
braking or a collision, objects can
become projectiles that may hit and
injure passengers. Don’t stack things
higher than the seatbacks or put
things on the rear package tray.
Securing Seats:
Adjustable seats and seatbacks that
are not securely locked are
dangerous. In a sudden stop or
collision, the seat or seatback could
move, causing injury. Make sure the
adjustable components of the seat are
locked in place.
Seat Adjustment:
Adjusting the seat while the vehicle is
moving is dangerous. Sudden braking
or a collision could cause serious
injury. Adjust the seat only when the
vehicle is stopped.
WARNINGUnlocked Seatback:A seatback plays an important role in
your protection in a vehicle. Leaving
the seatback unlocked is dangerous as
it can allow passengers to be ejected
or thrown around and baggage to
strike occupants in a sudden stop or
collision, resulting in severe injury.
After adjusting the seatback at any
time, even when there are no other
passengers, rock the seatback to make
sure it is locked in place.
Passenger on the Folded Seatback:
Driving with a passenger on the
folded seatback is dangerous.
Allowing a child to sit up on the
folded seatback while the vehicle is
moving is particularly dangerous. In
a sudden stop or even a minor
collision, a child not in a proper seat
or child-restraint system and seat belt
could be thrown forward, back or
even out of the car resulting in
serious injuries or death. The child or
other objects in the baggage area
could be thrown into other occupants
and cause serious injury. Never allow
a passenger to sit or stand on the
folded seatback while the vehicle is
moving.
WARNING
J94S.book Page 6 Saturday, June 23, 2001 1:04 PM
Page 15 of 250

2-7
Essential Safety Equipment
Seats
Form No. 8Q50-EA-01G
Split-Folding Rear Seatback
To provide more space in the luggage
compartment.
1. Unfasten the lap portion of the rear-
center seat belt (page 2-15). 2. Push the button and fold the seatback
forward.
To return the seatback to its original
position, reverse the procedure.
Rear Seatback Lock
To lock or unlock a seatback, move the
lever.
Children and the Folding Rear Seats:Playing with the folding rear seats is
dangerous. Once the seats are back
up, a child in the trunk would not be
able to get out the way they had
entered. If you have small children,
keep the seatbacks locked. Do not give
the car keys to children and do not
allow them to play in the vehicle.
NOTE
When returning a rear seat to its
original position, also replace the seat
belt to its normal position. Verify that
the seat belt pulls and retracts.
Always unfasten the lap portion of the
belt before folding the rear-left
seatback. Leaving the lap portion of
the belt fastened could cause damage
to the seat belt, buckle and seatback.
WARNING
CAUTION
NOTE
The seatback locks are part of the
trunk security system (page 3-11).
Button
Lock Unlock
Unlock Lock
J94S.book Page 7 Saturday, June 23, 2001 1:04 PM
Page 56 of 250

3-12
Knowing Your Mazda
Doors and Locks
Form No. 8Q50-EA-01G
Your vehicle is equipped with a trunk
release handle that provides a means of
escape for children and adults in the event
they become locked inside the trunk.
No matter how careful adults might be
with keys and locking their cars, parents
should be aware that children may be
tempted to play around vehicles and use
the trunk as a hiding place.
Adults are advised to familiarize
themselves with the operation and
location of the release handle so that all
children can be told about it in an
appropriate way, keeping in mind that
most vehicles don’t have such handles.
Trunk Release Handle
Open Trunk Lid and Children:Leaving the trunk lid open or leaving
children in the vehicle with the keys is
dangerous. Children could open the
trunk lid and climb inside resulting in
possible injury or death from heat
exposure. Close the trunk lid, lock the
rear seatbacks and do not allow
children to play inside the vehicle.
Unattended Children and Pets:
Leaving children or animals
unattended in a parked vehicle is
dangerous. Babies left sleeping and
kids who lock themselves in cars or
trunks can die very quickly from heat
prostration. Don ’t leave your children
or pets alone in a car at any time.
Don’ t leave the car, the rear folding
seats or the trunk unlocked. Always
keep the car from being a tempting
place to play by locking rear seats,
doors and the trunk, and keeping the
keys where children won ’t play with
them.
WARNING
J94S.book Page 12 Saturday, June 23, 2001 1:04 PM