Page 37 of 341

2-28
Essential Safety Equipment
Seats
Form No. 8S06-EA-03H
To return the third-row seat to the road
position (forward facing)
1. Make sure to stow the shoulder belts
away from the seat bottom as it is
lowered.
2. Detach the support bar by following
the reverse procedure for installation.
3. From inside the vehicle, carefully
lower the seat towards the front until it
locks in place. Attempt to move the
seat forward and backward to make
sure it’s securely locked in place.
4. Reinsert the head restraints.
5. Place the seat belt buckles face up.
6. Fasten the shoulder belts and check
that they are routed properly for
passenger use.All seats can be folded down for use as
beds when the vehicle is safely parked.
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
J16R_8S06-EA-03H_Edition1.book Page 28 Wednesday, July 9, 2003 4:19 PM
Page 39 of 341

2-30
Essential Safety Equipment
Form No. 8S06-EA-03H
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 all rear outboard lap/shoulder belt retractors
operate in two modes: emergency locking mode, and for child-restraint systems, automatic
locking mode. While we recommend you put all children in the rear seats, if you must use
the front passenger seat for a child, slide the front passenger seat as far back as possible and
make sure the child-restraint system is secured properly.
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. Whether a front seat was occupied or not, if the front air bags deployed the
seat belt pretensioners also deployed and both front seat belts must be replaced. 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 cause serious injury or death. Don’t wear twisted seat belts.
WARNING
J16R_8S06-EA-03H_Edition1.book Page 30 Wednesday, July 9, 2003 4:19 PM
Page 40 of 341

2-31
Essential Safety Equipment
Seat Belt Systems
Form No. 8S06-EA-03H
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
J16R_8S06-EA-03H_Edition1.book Page 31 Wednesday, July 9, 2003 4:19 PM
Page 42 of 341

2-33
Essential Safety Equipment
Seat Belt Systems
Form No. 8S06-EA-03H
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.
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
J16R_8S06-EA-03H_Edition1.book Page 33 Wednesday, July 9, 2003 4:19 PM
Page 43 of 341

2-34
Essential Safety Equipment
Seat Belt Systems
Form No. 8S06-EA-03H
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. If it is still not
retracting properly, have it inspected at
an Authorized Mazda Dealer.
Retainer
Positioning the Shoulder Portion of
the Seat Belt:
Improper positioning of the shoulder
portion of the seat belt is dangerous.
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
*Some models.
J16R_8S06-EA-03H_Edition1.book Page 34 Wednesday, July 9, 2003 4:19 PM
Page 44 of 341

2-35
Essential Safety Equipment
Seat Belt Systems
Form No. 8S06-EA-03H
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 seat belt pretensioner
system will not activate if the seat belt is
not fastened, only you can be sure it is
worn properly. 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.
If the seat belt pretensioners are not
replaced, the risk of injury in a
collision will increase.
Always have an Authorized Mazda
Dealer inspect the seat belt
pretensioners and air bags after any
collision. The seat belt pretensioners
and air bags must be replaced after
any collision, which causes them to
deploy.
WARNING
J16R_8S06-EA-03H_Edition1.book Page 35 Wednesday, July 9, 2003 4:19 PM
Page 45 of 341

2-36
Essential Safety Equipment
Seat Belt Systems
Form No. 8S06-EA-03H
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 or repairers
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 most rollovers,
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.
J16R_8S06-EA-03H_Edition1.book Page 36 Wednesday, July 9, 2003 4:19 PM
Page 46 of 341

2-37
Essential Safety Equipment
Seat Belt Systems
Form No. 8S06-EA-03H
Air Bag/Front Seat Belt
Pretensioner System Warning
Light
If the air bag/front seat belt pretensioner
system is OK, the warning light
illuminates 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 illuminate at all when the
ignition switch is turned to the ON
position. If any of these occur, consult an
Authorized Mazda Dealer as soon as
possible. The system may not work in an
accident.
Fastening the Seat Belt
1. Pull the tongue to the desired length.
2. Insert it into the buckle until you hear a
click.
3. Adjust the belt length.
To lengthen the belt, hold the tongue
at a right angle to the webbing and
pull.
Self-Servicing the Air Bag/
Pretensioner Systems:
Self-servicing or tampering with the
systems is dangerous. An air bag/
pretensioner could accidentally
activate or become disabled. This
could cause serious injuries. Never
tamper with the systems and always
have an Authorized Mazda Dealer
performs all servicing and repairs.
WARNING
2-Point Type Seat Belt
Tongue
Buckle
Lengthen
J16R_8S06-EA-03H_Edition1.book Page 37 Wednesday, July 9, 2003 4:19 PM