2003 MAZDA MODEL MPV warning

2-19
Essential Safety Equipment
Seats
Form No. 8R21-EA-02G
2. Pull the third-row seat’s flat-folding
strap and push the seatback down until
it locks.

Stowing the Third-Row Seat
More storage space can be created by
folding away the third-row seat into the
rear seat well. With the second-row seats
removed and the third-row seat stowed,
even more space is available.
Flat-folding strap
Riding in the Seat Well:
Riding in the seat well for the third-
row seat is dangerous. Sudden
braking or a collision could cause
serious injury. Do not sit on lie in the
seat well while the vehicle is moving.
Never ride in a vehicle where you
can’t sit in the seat and wear the seat
belt.
Pinching Fingers or Hands:
Placing your hands around the seat
stowage well when stowing the third-
row seat is dangerous. You could
pinch your hands or fingers between
the seat and the well. Hold the handle
when lowering the seat into place.
Never place your hands between the
seat and the seat well.
Unlocked Seatback:
An unlocked seatback is dangerous.
While stowing the seat, the seatback
could suddenly move causing serious
injury. Push the seatback forward and
backward to make sure it is locked in
place.
NOTE
Remove any items from the seat well
for the third-row seat before stowing
the seat. Anything in the baggage area
when the seat is set into the well can
damage the seatback material and
prevent a flat cargo area.
WARNING
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2-22
Essential Safety Equipment
Seats
Form No. 8R21-EA-02G

Third-Row Seat and Open
Liftgate Position
To put the third-row seat in the rear
facing position:
1. Open the liftgate.
2. Clear away all cargo from the seat well.
3. Remove the head restraints.
4. Pull strap B while supporting the
seatback with the other hand and
carefully ease the seatback rearward
and into the seat well.
5. Go inside the vehicle and to the rear.
Rear Facing Third-Row Seat and a
Moving Vehicle:
Driving with the third-row seat facing
rearward is dangerous because the
liftgate cannot be securely closed.
During sudden braking or a collision,
passengers could be thrown out of the
vehicle resulting in serious injury or
death. Place the third-row seat in the
forward-facing position with the
seatback upright before driving the
vehicle.
Support Bar:
Sitting in the rear-facing, third-row
seat position without installing the
support bar is dangerous. Without the
support of the bar, the seatback could
collapse resulting in injury.
Always install the support bar before
sitting in the rear-facing, third-row
seat position.
Third-Row Seat and the Flat-Folding
Strap:
Pulling the flat-folding strap with the
third-row seat facing rearward is
dangerous. The seatback will collapse
into the seat bottom and could result
in injury. Do not pull the flat-folding
strap with the third-row seat facing
rearward.
WARNING
NOTE
•Adjust the seatback to the upright
position when the third-row seat is
facing rearward.
•Remove cargo from the seat well
area before placing the third-row
seat in the rear-facing position.
Strap B
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2-24
Essential Safety Equipment
Seats
Form No. 8R21-EA-02G
4. Place the seat belt buckles face up.
The second-row and front seats can be
folded down for use as beds when the
vehicle is safely parked.

To Fold the Seats Flat
1. Pull the seat slide levers and slide the
second-row seats all the way back
(page 2-10).
2. Raise the recline levers and fold down
the second-row seatbacks rearward
until they lock (page 2-11).
3. Remove the head restraints from the
front seats (page 2-7).
4. Pull the seat slide levers and slide the
front seats all the way forward
(page 2-3).
Flat Folding
Folded-Flat Seats:
Sitting or lying on seats folded flat is
a dangerous way to ride. During
sudden braking or a collision you
could be thrown around inside the
vehicle and seriously injured. Don’t
ride on seatbacks folded flat.
WARNING
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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
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2-29
Essential Safety Equipment
Seat Belt Systems
Form No. 8R21-EA-02G

Fastening the Seat Belts
1. Grasp the buckle and tongue.
2. Slowly pull out the lap/shoulder belt.
3. Insert the tongue into the buckle until
you hear a click.4. Make sure the shoulder belt is snugly
fitted against your body.
3-Point Type Seat Belt
Belt
Tongue
Tongue
Buckle
Positioning the Shoulder Portion of
the Seat Belt:
Improper positioning of the shoulder
portion of the seat belt is dangerous.
An improperly positioned belt will
provide little or no protection in a
collision. Always make sure the
shoulder portion of the seat belt is
positioned across your shoulder and
near your neck, but never under your
arm, on your neck, or on your upper
arm.
Positioning the Lap Portion of the
Seat Belt:
The lap portion of the seat belt worn
too high is dangerous. In a collision,
this would concentrate the impact
force directly on the abdominal area,
causing serious injury. Wear the lap
portion of the belt snugly and as low
as possible.
WARNING
Keep low on
hip bone Take up slack
Too high
WARNING
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2-30
Essential Safety Equipment
Seat Belt Systems
Form No. 8R21-EA-02G

Unfastening the Seat Belts
Depress the button on the buckle.
To secure the outboard-rear seat belts
when not in use, insert the belts in their
seat belt retainers.

Shoulder Belt Adjuster
Adjust the height of the shoulder belt if
the seat belt touches your neck, or if it
crosses your arm instead of your shoulder.
To raise the shoulder belt adjuster, push
the adjuster up. To lower the shoulder belt
adjuster, push the button and slide it
down. Make sure the adjuster is locked.
NOTE
If a belt does not fully retract, inspect it
for kinks and twists.
Retainer
Positioning the Shoulder Portion of
the Seat Belt:
Improper positioning of the shoulder
portion of the seat belt is dangerous.
An improperly positioned belt will
provide little or no protection in a
collision. Always make sure the
shoulder portion of the seat belt is
positioned across your shoulder and
near your neck, but never under your
arm, on your neck, or on your upper
arm.
Sholder belt
adjuster
WARNING
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2-31
Essential Safety Equipment
Seat Belt Systems
Form No. 8R21-EA-02G
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
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2-32
Essential Safety Equipment
Seat Belt Systems
Form No. 8R21-EA-02G

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.
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