2002 MAZDA MODEL PROTÉGÉ fold seats

2-5
Essential Safety Equipment
Seats
Form No. 8Q36-EA-01F
Rear Seat
Stacking Cargo:
Stacking luggage or other cargo
higher than the seatbacks, and
putting things on the rear package
tray or on the luggage compartment
cover 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 or on
the luggage compartment cover.
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 by attempting to slide
the seat forward and backward and
rocking the seatback.
Unlocked 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.
WARNING
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.
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 (sedan). 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.
WARNING
J39L(02MY).book Page 5 Thursday, November 1, 2001 10:49 AM

2-6
Essential Safety Equipment
Seats
Form No. 8Q36-EA-01F

Split-Folding Rear Seatback
To provide more space in the luggage
compartment.
1. Unfasten the lap portion of the rear-
center seat belt (page 2-19).
2. Pull the lock release up and fold the
seatback forward.
To return the seatback to its original
position, reverse the procedure.

Rear Seatback Lock (Sedan)
To lock or unlock a seatback, move the
lever.

Folding the Rear Seats Flat
(Hatchback)
The seatbacks can be folded after setting
up the seat bottoms.
1. Unfasten the lap portion of the rear-
center seat belt (page 2-19). 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.
CAUTION
Lock release
NOTE
The seatback locks are part of the
trunk security system (page 3-12).
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.
Lock
Unlock
CAUTION
J39L(02MY).book Page 6 Thursday, November 1, 2001 10:49 AM

2-7
Essential Safety Equipment
Seats
Form No. 8Q36-EA-01F
2. Remove the head restraints (page 2-9).
3. Pull the strap and lift the end of each
seat bottom up and forward.4. Lift the rear of the seat bottoms
forward.
5. Pull the lock release up and fold each
seatback forward.
To return the rear seat to its original
position, reverse the procedure.
NOTE
When raising the seat bottom, hold the
seat belt and clear it from the seat
bottom’s housing space.
Stop-catch release
Strap
Lock release
J39L(02MY).book Page 7 Thursday, November 1, 2001 10:49 AM

2-8
Essential Safety Equipment
Seats
Form No. 8Q36-EA-01F

Removing the Seat Bottoms
(Hatchback)
When flat folding the rear seats, the seat
bottoms can be removed for more room.
To r e m o v e
1. Pull the strap and lift the end of each
seat bottom up and forward.2. Lift the rear of the seat bottoms
forward.
3. Pull the retaining clip to release the
lever. Remove the seat bottom. •Putting your fingers between the
seat bottom and floor is dangerous.
You could injure your fingers.
When replacing the seat bottom, be
careful not to catch your fingers
between the seat bottom and floor.
•After replacing the seat bottom to
its original position, make sure all
seat belt buckles are on top of the
seat bottom and the seat belts are
not twisted. Twisting or placing the
seat belts under the seat bottom
could damage the seat belts.
CAUTION
Strap
NOTE
When raising the seat bottom, hold the
seat belt and clear it from the seat
bottom’s housing space.
Retaining clip
J39L(02MY).book Page 8 Thursday, November 1, 2001 10:49 AM

3-13
Knowing Your Mazda
Doors and Locks
Form No. 8Q36-EA-01F
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
(Sedan)
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
J39L(02MY).book Page 13 Thursday, November 1, 2001 10:49 AM