1-4
Your Vehicle at a Glance
Form No. 8R21-EA-02G
Exterior Overview
Windshield wiper blades
Power windows
Hood
Front fog lights
Front turn signal lights/Side-marker light
Headlights
Fuel-filler lid
Doors and keys
Rear windshield
wiper blades
Liftgate
License plate
lights
Reverse lights
Rear turn signal lights
Tires
Rear window defrosterChild safety lock
Outside mirrors Brake lights/Taillights
Parking lights
Sunroof
High-mount brake light
Power sliding doors
(page 8-32)
(page 8-32)
(page 5-36)
(page 3-11)
(page 8-20)
(page 3-18)
(page 8-32)
(page 8-32)
(page 8-32)
(page 8-18)
(page 3-24)
(page 8-30)
(page 8-30)(page 3-31)
(page 8-23)
(page 3-25)
(page 3-22) (page 3-19)
(page 3-12)
(page 3-2)
(page 8-30)
(page 8-28)
J16L_8R21-EA-02G.book Page 4 Saturday, June 8, 2002 11:16 AM
2-10
Essential Safety Equipment
Seats
Form No. 8R21-EA-02G
Seat Slide
To move the seat forward or backward,
raise the lever and slide the seat to the
desired position.
Make sure the lever returns to its original
position and the seat is locked in place by
attempting to push it forward and
backward.
Side-Sliding Seat (right side)
The second-row seats can be put together
and used as a bench seat. Raise the side
seat-slide lever and slide the seat
sideways.
Make sure the lever returns to its original
position and the seat is locked in place by
attempting to push it from side to side.
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.
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.
During sudden braking 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.
NOTE
When returning a second-row seat to
its original position, also replace the
seat belt to its normal position. Verify
that the seat belt pulls and retracts.
WARNING
Lever
Side seat-slide lever
J16L_8R21-EA-02G.book Page 10 Saturday, June 8, 2002 11:16 AM
2-26
Essential Safety Equipment
Form No. 8R21-EA-02G
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_8R21-EA-02G.book Page 26 Saturday, June 8, 2002 11:16 AM
2-28
Essential Safety Equipment
Seat Belt Systems
Form No. 8R21-EA-02G
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 2-37).
J16L_8R21-EA-02G.book Page 28 Saturday, June 8, 2002 11:16 AM
2-38
Essential Safety Equipment
Child Restraint
Form No. 8R21-EA-02G
Holding a Child While the Vehicle is Moving:
Holding a child in your arms while the vehicle is moving is extremely dangerous. No
matter how strong the person may be, he or she cannot hold onto a child in a sudden
stop or collision and it could result in serious injury or death to the child or other
occupants. Even in a moderate accident, the child may be exposed to air bag forces
that could result in serious injury or death to the child, or the child may be slammed
into the adult, injuring the adult. Always secure a child in a proper child-restraint
system.
Rear-Facing Child-Restraint System:
Rear-facing child-restraint systems on the front seat are particularly dangerous.
The child-restraint system can be hit by a deploying air bag and moved violently
backward resulting in serious injury or death to the child. NEVER use a rear-facing
child-restraint system in the front seat with an air bag that could deploy.
Children and Seating Position with Side Air Bag:
Allowing anyone to lean over or against the front door is dangerous. If the vehicle is
equipped with side air bags, the impact of an inflating side air bag could cause serious
injury or death to the person. Children are more likely to sleep in the vehicle; when
they do, they are more at risk in the front passenger’s seat that has a side air bag
because they may slump over into the path of the seatback-mounted air bag.
Furthermore, leaning over or against the doors could block the side air bag and
eliminate the advantages of supplemental protection. With the front air bag and the
additional side air bag that comes out of the front seat, the rear seat is always a better
location for children who are prone to sleeping. If a child can’t be seated in the rear,
do not allow the child to lean over or against the front door, even if the child is seated
in a child-restraint system.
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
Deploying air bag
J16L_8R21-EA-02G.book Page 38 Saturday, June 8, 2002 11:16 AM
2-40
Essential Safety Equipment
Child Restraint
Form No. 8R21-EA-02G
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 2-47).
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 2-47).
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 Tether-Equipped Rear
Seats:
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_8R21-EA-02G.book Page 40 Saturday, June 8, 2002 11:16 AM
2-41
Essential Safety Equipment
Child Restraint
Form No. 8R21-EA-02G
3. To get the retractor into the automatic
locking mode, pull the shoulder belt
portion of the seat belt until the entire
length of the belt is out of the retractor.
4. Push the child-restraint system firmly
into the vehicle seat. Be sure the belt
retracts as snugly as possible. Adjust
the angle of the seat belt buckle so that
the belt is not loose. Clicking from the
retractor will be heard during retraction
if the system is in the automatic
locking mode. If the belt does not lock
the seat down tight, repeat this step.5. If your child-restraint system requires
the use of a tether strap, hook and
tighten the tether strap by following the
manufacturer’s instructions.NOTE
Inspect this function before each use of
the child-restraint system. You should
not be able to pull the shoulder belt out
of the retractor while the system is in
the automatic locking mode. When
you remove the child-restraint system,
be sure the belt fully retracts to return
the system to emergency locking mode
before occupants use the seat belts.
Anchor bracket
location
Anchor
bracket Tether strap Tether strap position
J16L_8R21-EA-02G.book Page 41 Saturday, June 8, 2002 11:16 AM
2-43
Essential Safety Equipment
Child Restraint
Form No. 8R21-EA-02G
Third-Row Outboard Seats
Child-Restraint System
Installation
Follow these instructions when using a
child-restraint system.
1. 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.2. To get the retractor into the automatic
locking mode, pull the shoulder belt
portion of the seat belt until the entire
length of the belt is out of the retractor.
3. Push the child-restraint system firmly
into the vehicle seat. Be sure the belt
retracts as snugly as possible. Clicking
from the retractor will be heard during
retraction if the system is in the
automatic locking mode. If the belt
does not lock the seat down tight,
repeat this step.
Child-Restraint Tether Usage:
Using the tether to secure anything
but a child-restraint system is
dangerous. This could weaken or
damage the tether or tether anchor
and result in injury. Use the tether
and tether anchor only for a child-
restraint system.
NOTE
Follow the child-restraint system
manufacturer’s instructions carefully.
Depending on the type of child-
restraint system, it may not employ
seat belts which are in automatic
locking mode.
WARNING
J16L_8R21-EA-02G.book Page 43 Saturday, June 8, 2002 11:16 AM