A Word to Mazda Owners
Form No. 8Q44-EA-01K
Thank you for choosing a Mazda. We at Mazda design and build vehicles with complete
customer satisfaction in mind.
To help ensure enjoyable and trouble-free operation of your Mazda, read this manual
carefully and follow its recommendations.
An Authorized Mazda Dealer knows your vehicle best. So when maintenance or service is
necessary, that’s the place to go.
Our nationwide network of Mazda professionals is dedicated to providing you with the best
possible service.
We assure you that all of us at Mazda have an ongoing interest in your motoring pleasure
and in your full satisfaction with your Mazda product.
Mazda Motor Corporation
HIROSHIMA, JAPAN
©2001 Mazda Motor Corporation
Printed in Japan Apr. 2002(Print3) Important Notes About This Manual
Keep this manual in the glove box as a handy reference for the safe and enjoyable use of
your Mazda. Should you resell the vehicle, leave this manual with it for the next owner.
All specifications and descriptions are accurate at the time of printing. Because
improvement is a constant goal at Mazda, we reserve the right to make changes in
specifications at any time without notice and without obligation.
Air Conditioning and the Environment
Your Mazda’s genuine air conditioner is filled with R134a, a refrigerant that has been
found not to damage the earth’s ozone layer. If the air conditioner does not operate
properly, consult an Authorized Mazda Dealer.
Please be aware that this manual applies to all models, equipment and options. As a
result, you may find some explanations for equipment not installed on your vehicle.
J16L_EA.book Page 1 Friday, February 22, 2002 11:34 AM
2-25
Essential Safety Equipment
Form No. 8Q44-EA-01K
Seat Belt Systems
Seat belts help to decrease the possibility of severe injury during accidents and sudden
stops. Mazda recommends that the driver and all passengers always wear seat belts.
All of the outboard seat belt retractors are designed to keep the lap/shoulder belts out of the
way when not in use.
The driver’s seat belt has no provisions for child-restraint systems and has only an
emergency locking mode. The driver may wear it comfortably, and it will lock during a
collision.
However, the front passenger’s seat and rear outboard lap/shoulder belt retractors operate in
two modes: emergency locking mode, and for child-restraint systems, automatic locking mode.
The third-row center seat positions have a lap belt with manual adjustment.
Seat Belt Precautions
Not Wearing Seat Belts:
Not wearing a seat belt is extremely dangerous. During a collision, occupants not
wearing seat belts could hit someone or things inside the vehicle or even be thrown
out of the vehicle. They could be seriously injured or even killed. In the same
collision, occupants wearing seat belts would be much safer. Always wear your seat
belt and make sure all occupants are properly restrained.
Seat Belt Damaged During an Accident:
Using a damaged seat belt is dangerous. An accident could damage the belt webbing
of the seat belt in use. A damaged seat belt cannot provide adequate protection in a
collision. Have an Authorized Mazda Dealer inspect all seat belt systems in use during
an accident before they are used again.
Twisted Seat Belts:
Twisted seat belts are dangerous. In a collision, the full width of the belt isn’t available
to absorb the impact. This puts more force on the bones beneath the belt, which could
break them or cause other serious injury or death. Don’t wear twisted seat belts.
One Belt, One Passenger:
Using one seat belt for more than one person at a time is dangerous. A seat belt used
in this way can’t spread the impact forces properly and the two passengers could be
crushed together and seriously injured or even killed. Never use one belt for more
than one person at a time.
WARNING
J16L_EA.book Page 25 Friday, February 22, 2002 11:34 AM
2-26
Essential Safety Equipment
Seat Belt Systems
Form No. 8Q44-EA-01K
Pregnant Women and Persons with Serious Medical Conditions
Pregnant women should wear seat belts. Ask your doctor for specific recommendations.
The lap belt should be worn SNUGLY AND AS LOW AS POSSIBLE OVER THE HIPS.
Persons with serious medical conditions also should wear seat belts. Check with your
doctor for any special instructions regarding specific medical conditions.
Emergency Locking Mode
If the belt has fully retracted, it will always be in the emergency locking mode until you
move it into automatic locking mode by pulling the belt all the way out to its full length. In
the emergency locking mode, the belt remains comfortable on the occupant and the
retractor will lock in position during a collision.
If the belt feels tight and hinders comfortable movement while the vehicle is stopped or in
motion, you may be in the automatic locking mode because you have pulled the belt too far
out. To return to the more comfortable emergency locking mode, wait until you can stop
the vehicle in a safe area, retract the belt fully to convert it back to emergency locking
mode and then again extend it around you.
Automatic Locking Mode
Always use the automatic locking mode to keep the child-restraint system from shifting to
an unsafe position in the event of an accident. To get the seat belt into the automatic
locking mode, pull it all the way out and connect it as instructed on the child-restraint
system. It will retract down to the child-restraint system and stay locked on it. See the
section on child restraint (page 2-35).Belt retraction may become difficult if the belts and rings are soiled, so try to keep them
clean.
CAUTION
Ring
J16L_EA.book Page 26 Friday, February 22, 2002 11:34 AM
2-29
Essential Safety Equipment
Seat Belt Systems
Form No. 8Q44-EA-01K
For optimum protection, the driver and
front passenger seat belts are equipped
with pretensioner and load limiting
systems.
In moderate or greater frontal or near-
frontal accidents, the front air bag and
pretensioner systems deploy
simultaneously. The pretensioners take up
slack in the front seat belts as the air bags
are expanding. The load limiting system
releases belt webbing in a controlled
manner to reduce belt force on the
occupant’s chest.
Front Seat Belt
Pretensioner and Load
Limiting Systems
Incorrect Positioning of the Driver
and Front Passenger Seat Belts:
Incorrect positioning of the driver
and passenger seat belts is dangerous.
Without proper positioning, the
pretensioner and load limiting
systems cannot provide adequate
protection in an accident and this
could result in serious injury. Wear
seat belts only as recommended in
this owner’s manual.
Expended Seat Belt Pretensioners:
Use of front seat belts with the
pretensioner system expended is
dangerous.
The seat belt pretensioners will only
function once. After they are
expended, they will not work again
and must be replaced immediately,
even if there was no front seat
occupant seated at the time.
If the seat belt pretensioners are not
replaced, the risk of injury in a
collision will increase.
Always have an Authorized Mazda
Dealer inspect and replace the seat
belt pretensioners after a collision.
WARNING
J16L_EA.book Page 29 Friday, February 22, 2002 11:34 AM
2-30
Essential Safety Equipment
Seat Belt Systems
Form No. 8Q44-EA-01K
Air Bag/Front Seat Belt
Pretensioner Systems Warning
Light
If the air bag/front seat belt pretensioner
system is OK, the warning light comes on
when the ignition switch is turned to the
ON position or after the engine is cranked.
After about 6 seconds it goes out.
A system malfunction is indicated when
the warning light constantly flashes, stays
on or doesn’t come on at all. If any of
these occur, consult an Authorized Mazda
Dealer as soon as possible. The system
may not work in an accident.
Modification or Testing of the
Pretensioner System:
Modifying the components or wiring
of the pretensioner system, including
the use of electronic testing devices is
dangerous. You could accidentally
activate it or make it inoperable which
would prevent it from activating in an
accident. The occupants could be
seriously injured. Never modify the
components or wiring, or use
electronic testing devices on the
pretensioner system.
Pretensioner System Disposal:
Improper disposal of the pretensioner
system or a vehicle with non-
deactivated pretensioners is
dangerous. Unless all safety
procedures are followed, injury could
result. Ask an Authorized Mazda
Dealer how to safely dispose of the
pretensioner system or how to scrap a
pretensioner-equipped vehicle.
WARNINGNOTE
•The pretensioner system will only
activate in a moderate or greater
frontal or near-frontal collision. It
will not activate in side or rear
impacts.
•Some smoke (non-toxic gas) will be
released when the air bags and
pretensioners deploy. This does not
indicate a fire. This gas normally
has no effect on occupants,
however, those with sensitive skin
may experience light skin irritation.
If residue from the deployment of
the air bags or the front pretensioner
system gets on the skin or in the
eyes, wash it off as soon as possible.
J16L_EA.book Page 30 Friday, February 22, 2002 11:34 AM
2-38
Essential Safety Equipment
Child Restraint
Form No. 8Q44-EA-01K
Accident statistics reveal that a child is
safer in the rear seats. The front
passenger’s seat is clearly the worst
choice for any child under 12, and with
rear-facing child-restraint systems it is
clearly unsafe due to air bags.
Some child-restraint systems now come
with tethers and therefore must be
installed on the seats that take tethers to
be effective. In your Mazda, tethered
child-restraint systems can only be
accommodated in the three positions on
the rear seats.
Some child-restraint systems also employ
specially designed LATCH attachments;
refer to "LATCH Child-Restraint
Systems" (page 2-44).
Second-Row Seats Child-
Restraint System Installation
Follow these instructions when using a
child-restraint system, unless you are
attaching a LATCH-equipped child-
restraint system to the rear LATCH lower
anchors. Refer to "LATCH Child-
Restraint Systems" (page 2-44).
1. If the seat in which you install a child-
restraint system has a seat slide
function, slide the seat as far back as
possible.
2. Secure the child-restraint system with
the lap portion of the lap/shoulder belt.
See the instructions on the child-
restraint system for belt routing
instructions.
Installing Child-Restraint
Systems
Tethered Child-Restraint Systems
Work Only on Rear Seat:
Installation of a tether equipped
child-restraint system in the front
passenger’s seat or the third-row
outboard seats defeats the safety
design of the system and will result in
an increased chance of serious injury
if the child-restraint system goes
forward without benefit of being
tethered.
Place tether equipped child-restraint
systems where there are tether
anchors.
WARNING
NOTE
Follow the child-restraint system
manufacturer’s instructions carefully.
If you are not sure whether you have a
LATCH system or tether, check in the
child-restraint system manufacturer’s
instructions and follow them
accordingly. Depending on the type of
child-restraint system, it may not
employ seat belts which are in
automatic locking mode.
J16L_EA.book Page 38 Friday, February 22, 2002 11:34 AM
5-20
Driving Your Mazda
Instrument Cluster and Indicators
Form No. 8Q44-EA-01K
Speedometer
The speedometer indicates the speed of
the vehicle.
Odometer and Trip Meter
The ignition switch must be in the ACC or
ON position.
The display mode can be changed from
odometer to trip meter A to trip meter B
and then back to odometer by pressing the
selector. The selected mode will be
displayed.
Odometer
When this mode is selected, ODO will be
displayed.
The odometer records the total distance
the vehicle has been driven.
Tr i p m e t e r
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 meter B is
selected, TRIP B will be displayed.
Selector
Odometer
Trip meter A Press the selector
Press the selector
Press the selector Trip meter B
NOTE
The odometer and Trip meter can be
displayed as follows when the ignition
switch is in the LOCK position.
•Displays for 10 minutes after the
ignition switch is turned to the
LOCK position from the ACC or
ON position.
•Displays for 10 minutes after any
door is opened.
J16L_EA.book Page 20 Friday, February 22, 2002 11:34 AM
6-6
Interior Comfort
Climate Control System
Form No. 8Q44-EA-01K
Mode selector dial
Turn the mode selector dial to select
airflow mode (page 6-4).
A/C switch
Push the switch to turn the air conditioner
on. An indicator light on the switch will
illuminate when the fan control dial is on.
Push the switch once again to turn the air
conditioner off.Air intake selector
This switch controls the source of air
entering the vehicle.
Press the switch to alternate between the
and positions. The indicator
light for the selected mode will
illuminate.
It is recommended that under normal
conditions the switch be kept in the
outside air position.
Outside air position ( )
Outside air is taken into the vehicle. Use
this position for normal ventilation and
heating.
NOTE
The air conditioner may not function
when the outside temperature
approaches 0 °C (32 °F).
J16L_EA.book Page 6 Friday, February 22, 2002 11:34 AM