A Word to Mazda Owners
Form No. 8S06-EA-03H
Thank you for choosing a Mazda. We at Mazda design and build vehicles with complete
customer satisfaction in mind.
To help ensure enjoyable and trouble-free operation of your Mazda, read this manual
carefully and follow its recommendations.
An Authorized Mazda Dealer knows your vehicle best. So when maintenance or service is
necessary, that’s the place to go.
Our nationwide network of Mazda professionals is dedicated to providing you with the best
possible service.
We assure you that all of us at Mazda have an ongoing interest in your motoring pleasure
and in your full satisfaction with your Mazda product.
Mazda Motor Corporation
HIROSHIMA, JAPAN
©2003 Mazda Motor Corporation
Printed in Japan Aug. 2003(Print1) Important Notes About This Manual
Keep this manual in the glove box as a handy reference for the safe and enjoyable use of
your Mazda. Should you resell the vehicle, leave this manual with it for the next owner.
All specifications and descriptions are accurate at the time of printing. Because
improvement is a constant goal at Mazda, we reserve the right to make changes in
specifications at any time without notice and without obligation.
Air Conditioning and the Environment
Your Mazda’s genuine air conditioner is filled with HFC134a (R134a), a refrigerant that
has been found not to damage the earth’s ozone layer. If the air conditioner does not
operate properly, consult an Authorized Mazda Dealer.
Please be aware that this manual applies to all models, equipment and options. As a
result, you may find some explanations for equipment not installed on your vehicle.
J16R_8S06-EA-03H_Edition1.book Page 1 Wednesday, July 9, 2003 4:19 PM
1-3
Your Vehicle at a Glance
Form No. 8S06-EA-03H
Interior Overview
Rearview mirrorSeat beltsInterior light
Sunvisors
Front seats
Side air bags*
Second-row seat
Power seat
switches
Third-row seat
Parking brake
Rear climate control panel*
Rear vents*
(page 6-41)(page 2-30)
(page 3-34)
(page 5-5)
(page 2-56)(page 6-42)
(page 6-10)
(page 2-20)
(page 6-12)
(page 2-13) (page 2-8)
(page 2-3)
*Some models.
J16R_8S06-EA-03H_Edition1.book Page 3 Wednesday, July 9, 2003 4:19 PM
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
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
2-45
Essential Safety Equipment
Child Restraint
Form No. 8S06-EA-03H
Accident statistics reveal that a child is
safer in the rear seats (both second-row
seats and third-row center seat). 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 specific
seating positions on the rear seats (both
second-row seats and third-row center
seat).
Some child-restraint systems also employ
specially designed LATCH attachments;
refer to "LATCH Child-Restraint
Systems" (page 2-53).
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 2-53).
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.
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.
WARNING
J16R_8S06-EA-03H_Edition1.book Page 45 Wednesday, July 9, 2003 4:19 PM
2-48
Essential Safety Equipment
Child Restraint
Form No. 8S06-EA-03H
2. If your child-restraint system requires
the use of a tether strap, peel back the
carpeting in the rear luggage
compartment to expose the anchor
bracket (above the marking).
3. Hook the tether strap by following the
child-restraint system manufacturer’s
instructions.
Third-Row Outboard Seats
Child-Restraint System
Installation
The third-row outboard seats cannot
accommodate LATCH-type child-
restraint systems or tethers, therefore
these systems must be installed on the
other seat positions such as the second-
row or third-row center seat. If this not
possible, LATCH-type child-restraint
systems or tethers should be installed
using seat belts depending on whether the
child-restraint manufacturer allows their
use without LATCH attachments and
tether anchors.
Follow these instructions when using a
child-restraint system.
Marking Anchor bracket
location
Tether
strap
Anchor
bracketTether strap position
Child-Restraint Tether Usage:
Using the tether or tether anchor 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
J16R_8S06-EA-03H_Edition1.book Page 48 Wednesday, July 9, 2003 4:19 PM
2-49
Essential Safety Equipment
Child Restraint
Form No. 8S06-EA-03H
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.
If You Must Use the Front Seat
for Children
If you cannot put all children in the rear
seats, at least put the smallest children in
the rear and be sure the largest child up
front uses the shoulder belt over the
shoulder.
Do not put rear-facing child-restraint
systems on the front passenger’s seat.
This seat is also not set up for tethered
child-restraint systems, put them in one of
the rear seat positions set up with tether
anchors.
Likewise the LATCH child-restraint
system cannot be secured in the front
passenger’s seat and should be used in the
second-row seats.
Don’t allow anyone to sleep against the
right front door if you have an optional
side air bag, it could cause serious injuries
to an out of position occupant. As
children more often sleep in cars, it is
better to put them in the rear seat. If
installing the child-restraint system on the
front seat is unavoidable, follow these
instructions when using a front-facing
child-restraint system in the front
passenger’s seat.
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.
J16R_8S06-EA-03H_Edition1.book Page 49 Wednesday, July 9, 2003 4:19 PM
2-56
Essential Safety Equipment
Form No. 8S06-EA-03H
SRS Air Bags
The front and side supplemental restraint systems (SRS) include up to 4 air bags (verify
"SRS AIRBAG" location indicator marks).
They are located in:
•The steering wheel hub (driver air bag)
•The front passenger dashboard (front passenger air bag)
•The outboard sides of the front seatbacks (side air bags)
*
These systems operate independently depending on the type of accident encountered; if
you have side air bags, the side air bags are not likely to deploy on both sides in the same
accident because a vehicle is not often hit from both sides. The side air bags and the frontal
air bag system will not normally deploy during the same type of accident unless a
combination of frontal and side impacts occur.
The air bag supplemental restraint systems are designed to provide supplemental protection
only in the front seats in certain situations, so seat belts become important in the following
ways:
Without seat belt usage, the air bags cannot provide adequate protection during an accident.
Seat belt usage is necessary to:
•Keep the passenger away from an inflating air bag.
•Reduce the possibility of injuries during an accident that is not designed for air bag
inflation, such as roll-over or rear impact.
•Reduce the possibility of injuries in frontal or side collisions that are not severe enough
to activate the air bags.
•Reduce the possibility of being thrown from your vehicle.
•Reduce the possibility of injuries to lower body and legs during an accident because the
air bags provide no protection to these parts.
•Hold the driver in a position which allows better control of the vehicle.
Small children should be protected by a child-restraint system. In certain regions, larger
children must use a child-restraint system (page 2-41).
Carefully consider which child-restraint system is necessary for your child and follow the
installation directions in this Owner’s Manual as well as the child-restraint system
manufacturer’s instructions.
Supplemental Restraint Systems (SRS) Precautions
*Some models.
J16R_8S06-EA-03H_Edition1.book Page 56 Wednesday, July 9, 2003 4:19 PM