2003 MAZDA MODEL PROTÉGÉ Owners Manual (in English)

2-6
Essential Safety Equipment
Seats
Form No. 8Q94-EA-02G

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 3-11).
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
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Essential Safety Equipment
Seats
Form No. 8Q94-EA-02G
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
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2-8
Essential Safety Equipment
Seats
Form No. 8Q94-EA-02G

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
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2-9
Essential Safety Equipment
Seats
Form No. 8Q94-EA-02G
To i n s t a l l
1. Insert the ends of the seat bottom lever
into the holders.
2. Return the seat bottom to its original
position.
Head Restraint
Riding in Area with Rear Seat Bottom
Removed:
Riding in the area where a rear seat
bottom has been removed is
dangerous. Sudden braking or a
collision could cause serious injury.
Do not sit or lie in the area where a
rear seat bottom has been removed
while the vehicle is moving. Never
ride in a vehicle where you can’t sit in
the seat and wear the seat belt.
WARNING
•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.
Head Restraints Adjustment:
Driving with the head restraints
adjusted too low or removed is
dangerous. With no support behind
your head, your neck could be
seriously injured in a collision.
Always drive with the head restraints
inserted when seats are being used
and make sure they are properly
adjusted.
CAUTION
WARNING
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2-10
Essential Safety Equipment
Seats
Form No. 8Q94-EA-02G
Height adjustment
To raise a head restraint, pull it up to the
desired position.
To lower the head restraint, press the stop-
catch release, then push the head restraint
down.
Adjust the head restraint so that the top is
parallel with the top of the passenger’s
ears, never the passenger’s neck.
Removal
To remove the head restraint, press the
stop-catch release, then pull up on the
head restraint.
Stop-catch release
Stop-catch release
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2-11
Essential Safety Equipment
Form No. 8Q94-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 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 lap/shoulder belt retractors operate in two
modes: emergency locking mode, and for child-restraint systems, automatic locking mode.
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.
WARNING
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2-12
Essential Safety Equipment
Seat Belt Systems
Form No. 8Q94-EA-02G

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.
The shoulder belt should be worn across your shoulder properly, but never across the
stomach area.
Persons with serious medical conditions also should wear seat belts. Check with your
doctor for any special instructions regarding specific medical conditions.
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.
Belt retraction may become difficult if the belts and rings are soiled, so try to keep them
clean.
WARNING
CAUTION
Ring
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2-13
Essential Safety Equipment
Seat Belt Systems
Form No. 8Q94-EA-02G

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 2-22).
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