2004 MAZDA MODEL RX 8 warning

How to Use This Manual
Form No. 8R65-EA-03C
We want to help you get the most driving
pleasure from your vehicle. Your owner’s
manual, when read from cover to cover,
can do that in many ways.
Illustrations complement the words of the
manual to best explain how to enjoy your
Mazda. By reading your manual, you can
find out about the features, important
safety information, and driving under
various road conditions.
The above symbol in this manual means
"Do not do this " or "Do not let this
happen".Index:
A good place to start is the Index,
an alphabetical listing of all information
in your manual.
You’ll find several WARNINGs,
CAUTIONs, and NOTEs in the manual.
The above symbol, located on some parts
of the vehicle, indicates that this manual
contains information related to the part.
Please refer to the manual for a detailed
explanation.
A WARNING indicates a situation in
which serious injury or death could
result if the warning is ignored.
A CAUTION indicates a situation in
which bodily injury or damage to your
vehicle, or both, could result if the
caution is ignored.
NOTE
A NOTE provides information and
sometimes suggests how to make
better use of your vehicle.
WARNING
CAUTION
J60E_8R65-EA-03C_Edition2.book Page 4 Saturday, April 26, 2003 1:48 PM

1-2
Your Vehicle at a Glance
Form No. 8R65-EA-03C
Dashboard Overview
Climate control system
Glove box
Shift lever Parking brakeAudio system
Passenger-side air bag Hazard warning flasher switch Wiper and washer lever
Ashtray/Lighter Information display
Fog lights switch*
Power window lock switch Lighting control/Turn signals Instrument cluster
Power window switches Driver-side air bag
Ignition switch Hood release handle
Audio control switchCup holder
Steering column release lever
(page 5-51)
(page 2-27)
(page 5-29)
(page 5-48)
(page 5-50)
(page 3-15)
(page 3-14)
(page 3-18)
(page 6-34)
(page 3-25)(page 6-40)
(page 5-5)
(page 5-8)/(page 5-10)
(page 6-43)/(page 6-42)(page 6-44)
(page 5-2) (page 5-55)
(page 6-10)
(page 6-2)
(page 2-27)
(page 6-45)
*Some models.
J60E_8R65-EA-03C_Edition2.book Page 2 Saturday, April 26, 2003 1:48 PM

2-1
Form No. 8R65-EA-03C
2Essential Safety Equipment
Use of safety equipment, including seats, seat belt system, SRS air bags and
child-restraint systems.
Seats
................................................................................................ 2-2
Front Seats ................................................................................. 2-2
Rear Seat .................................................................................... 2-7
Seat Belt Systems
........................................................................... 2-8
Seat Belt Precautions ................................................................. 2-8
3-Point Type Seat Belt ............................................................. 2-11
Front Seat Belt Pretensioner and Load Limiting Systems ...... 2-12
Seat Belt Extender ................................................................... 2-14
Seat Belt Warning Light .......................................................... 2-15
Seat Belt Warning Beep ........................................................... 2-16
Child Restraint
............................................................................ 2-17
Child Restraint Precautions ..................................................... 2-17
Installing Child-Restraint Systems .......................................... 2-20
LATCH Child-Restraint Systems ............................................ 2-25
SRS Air Bags
............................................................................... 2-27
Supplemental Restraint Systems (SRS) Precautions ............... 2-27
Air Bag System Description .................................................... 2-32
J60E_8R65-EA-03C_Edition2.book Page 1 Saturday, April 26, 2003 1:48 PM

2-2
Essential Safety Equipment
Form No. 8R65-EA-03C
Seats
(Manually operated seats)

(Electrically operated seats)


Seat Slide
(Manually operated seats)

To move a seat forward or backward, raise
the lever and slide the seat to the desired
position and release the lever.
Make sure the lever returns to its original
position and the seat is locked in place by
attempting to push it forward and
backward.
Front Seats
Securing the Seats:
Adjustable seats and seatbacks that
are not securely locked are
dangerous. In a sudden stop or
collision, the seat or seatback could
move, causing injury. Make sure the
adjustable components of the seat are
locked in place by attempting to slide
the seat forward and backward and
rocking the seatback.
•The seat-bottom power adjustment
is operated by motors. Avoid
extended operation because
excessive use can damage the
motors.
•To prevent the battery from running
down, avoid using the power
adjustment when the engine is
stopped. The adjuster uses a great
amount of electric power.
•Don’t use the switch to make more
than one adjustment at a time.
WARNING
CAUTION
Driver’s Seat Adjustment:
Adjusting the driver’s seat while the
vehicle is moving is dangerous. The
driver could lose control of the vehicle
and have an accident. Adjust the
driver’s seat only when the vehicle is
stopped.
WARNING
Lever
J60E_8R65-EA-03C_Edition2.book Page 2 Saturday, April 26, 2003 1:48 PM

2-3
Essential Safety Equipment
Seats
Form No. 8R65-EA-03C
(Electrically operated seats)

To slide the seat, move the slide lifter
switch on the outside of the seat to the
front or back and hold it. Release the
switch at the desired position.
Seat Recline
Switch
Reclining:
Sitting in a reclined position while the
vehicle is moving is dangerous
because you don’t get the full
protection from seat belts. During
sudden braking or a collision, you
can slide under the lap belt and suffer
serious internal injuries. For
maximum protection, sit well back
and upright.
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.
WARNING
J60E_8R65-EA-03C_Edition2.book Page 3 Saturday, April 26, 2003 1:48 PM

2-6
Essential Safety Equipment
Seats
Form No. 8R65-EA-03C

Folding the Passenger’s Seat
To fold the seatback, pull the strap and
lower the seatback forward.
To return it to the upright position, lift the
seatback and push it into place. Rock the
seatback to make sure it is locked.

Seat Warmer*
The front seats are electrically heated. The
ignition switch must be in the ON
position.
Press the switch to turn the seat warmer
on or off. When the switch is in the ON
position, the indicator light will come on.
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.
WARNING
Strap
NOTE
The thermostat regulates seat
temperature by turning the current on
and off.
*Some models.
J60E_8R65-EA-03C_Edition2.book Page 6 Saturday, April 26, 2003 1:48 PM

2-7
Essential Safety Equipment
Seats
Form No. 8R65-EA-03C
Rear Seat
Stacking Cargo:
Stacking luggage or other cargo
higher than the seatbacks, and
putting things on the rear package
tray is dangerous. During sudden
braking or a collision, objects can fly
around and become projectiles that
may hit and injure passengers. Don’t
stack things higher than the seatbacks
or put things on the rear package tray.
Do Not Sit on the Rear Center
Console:
Allowing someone to sit on the rear
center console between the rear seats
is dangerous. The rear center console
is not designed for occupant seating.
During a collision, occupants not
wearing a seat belt could be thrown
from the vehicle and seriously injured
or even killed. Do not allow anyone to
sit on the center console between the
rear seats.
WARNING
J60E_8R65-EA-03C_Edition2.book Page 7 Saturday, April 26, 2003 1:48 PM

2-8
Essential Safety Equipment
Form No. 8R65-EA-03C
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 all 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. Whether a front seat was occupied or not, if the front air bags deployed the
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 break them or cause other serious injury or death. Don’t wear twisted
seat belts.
WARNING
J60E_8R65-EA-03C_Edition2.book Page 8 Saturday, April 26, 2003 1:48 PM