Black plate (22,1)
NOTE
To create a flat luggage compartment space
from the rear of the vehicle to the back of the
front seats, fold the second-row and third-row
seats (page 2-11).
Returning seatbacks to their original
positions
1. Return the seatback to its originalposition while raising its lever.
Make sure the seatback is secured by
attempting to lightly move it forward
and back.
2. Return the seat-bottom to its original
position and secure it. After returning
the seat-bottom to its original position,
make sure the seat-bottom is secured
by attempting to lightly move it up and
down.
Third-Row Seat
WARNING
Do not stack cargo higher than the
seatbacks: Stacking luggage or other cargo
higher than the seatbacks is
dangerous. During a sudden stop or
collision, objects can fly around and
become projectiles that could hit and
injure passengers.
Make sure luggage and cargo is
secured before driving: Not securing cargo while driving is
dangerous as it could move or be
crushed during sudden braking or a
collision and cause injury.
Do not drive with the seatback
unlocked: The 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 returning the
seatback at any time, even when
there are no other passengers, rock
the seatback to make sure it is locked
in place.
2-10
Essential Safety Equipment
Seats
Mazda5_8X53-EA-07I_Edition3 Page22
Thursday, March 20 2008 4:10 PM
Form No.8X53-EA-07I
Black plate (24,1)
NOTE
To create a flat luggage compartment space
from the rear of the vehicle to the back of the
front seats, fold the second-row and third-row
seats (page 2-9).
To return third-row seat to its original
position
Return the seatback to its original position
while pulling its strap.
Make sure the seatback is secured by
attempting to lightly move it forward and
back.
Head Restraints
Your vehicle is equipped with head
restraints in all seating positions except
the Third-Row center seat to protect you
and other passengers from neck injury.
WARNING
Always drive with the head restraints
installed when seats are being used
and make sure they are properly
adjusted: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.
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
even with the top of the passenger's ears,
never the passenger's neck to prevent
injury.
Front seat
2-12
Essential Safety Equipment
Seats
Mazda5_8X53-EA-07I_Edition3 Page24
Thursday, March 20 2008 4:10 PM
Form No.8X53-EA-07I
Black plate (25,1)
Second-Row seat
Third-Row seat
Removal/Installation
To remove the head restraint, pull it up
while pressing the stop-catch.
To install the head restraint, press the
uprights into the holes while pressing the
stop-catch.
WARNING
Always drive with the head restraints
set up when seats are being used and
make sure they are properly set up:Driving with the head restraints not
set up is dangerous. With no support
behind your head, your neck could be
seriously injured in a collision.
Essential Safety Equipment
Seats
2-13
Mazda5_8X53-EA-07I_Edition3 Page25
Thursday, March 20 2008 4:10 PM
Form No.8X53-EA-07I
Black plate (27,1)
WARNING
Always wear your seat belt and make sure all occupants are properly restrained: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.
Do not wear twisted seat belts: Twisted seat belts are dangerous. In a collision, the full width of the belt is not
available to absorb the impact. This puts more force on the bones beneath the belt,
which could cause serious injury or death.
Never use one seat belt on more than one person at a time: Using one seat belt for more than one person at a time is dangerous. A seat belt
used in this way cannot 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 and always operate the vehicle with each occupant
properly restrained.
Do not operate a vehicle with a damaged seat belt: 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.
Have your seat belts changed immediately if the pretensioner or load limiter has
been expended: One or both front air bags may deploy, and the corresponding pretensioner(s) may
also deploy at the same time. While it is safer to use a crash-used seat belt that was
used in an accident than no seat belt at all, using a seat belt with an expended
pretensioner or load limiter loaded reduces the safety available to you. Like the air
bags, the seat belt pretensioners will only function once. After they are expended,
they will not function 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. Expended seat belt pretensioners and air bags must be replaced
after any collision which caused them to deploy. Additionally, the load limiter will
only limit loads on the chest once in a collision and this is another reason to have the
front seat belts inspected.
Essential Safety Equipment
Seat Belt Systems
2-15
Mazda5_8X53-EA-07I_Edition3 Page27
Thursday, March 20 2008 4:10 PM
Form No.8X53-EA-07I
Black plate (30,1)
Seat Belt
qFastening the Seat Belt
1. Grasp the tongue.
2. Slowly pull out the lap/shoulder belt.
TongueBelt
3. Insert the tongue into the buckle until
you hear a click.
Buckle Tongue
WARNING
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. 4. Position the lap belt as low as possible,
not on the abdominal area, then adjust
the shoulder belt so that it fits snugly
against your body.
Keep low on
hip bone
Too high
Take up slack
WARNING
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.
2-18
Essential Safety Equipment
Seat Belt Systems
Mazda5_8X53-EA-07I_Edition3 Page30
Thursday, March 20 2008 4:11 PM
Form No.8X53-EA-07I
Black plate (31,1)
qUnfastening the Seat Belt
Depress the button on the buckle. If the
belt does not fully retract, pull it out and
check for kinks or twists. Then make sure
it remains untwisted as it retracts.
Button
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.
To secure the outboard-rear seat belts
when not in use, insert the belts in their
seat belt retainers.
Seat belt
retainer
qFront 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, pull the knob and slide it down.
Make sure the adjuster is locked.
WARNING
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.
Essential Safety Equipment
Seat Belt Systems
2-19
Mazda5_8X53-EA-07I_Edition3 Page31
Thursday, March 20 2008 4:11 PM
Form No.8X53-EA-07I
Black plate (32,1)
Front Seat Belt Pretensioner
and Load Limiting Systems
For optimum protection, the driver and
front passenger seat belts are equipped
with pretensioner and load limiting
systems. For both these systems to work
properly you must wear the seat belt
properly.
Pretensioners:
In moderate or severe frontal or near-
frontal accidents, the front air bag and
pretensioner systems deploy
simultaneously. The front seat belt
retractors remove slack quickly as the air
bags are expanding.
In addition, the pretensioner system for
the front passenger, like the front
passenger air bag, is designed to only
deploy in accordance with the total seated
weight on the front passenger seat. Any
time the air bags and seat belt
pretensioners have fired they must be
replaced. For details, refer to the front
passenger seat weight sensors (page 2-46).
Load limiter:
The load limiting system releases belt
webbing in a controlled manner to reduce
belt force on the occupant's chest. While
the most severe load on a seat belt occurs
in frontal collisions, the load limiter has
an automatic mechanical function and can
activate in any accident mode with
sufficient occupant movement.
Even if the pretensioners have not fired,
the load limiting function must be
checked by an Authorized Mazda Dealer.
WARNING
Wear seat belts only as recommended
in this owner's manual:Incorrect positioning of the driver and
front 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.
For more details about wearing seat
belts, refer to “Fastening the seat
belts ”(page 2-18).
2-20
Essential Safety Equipment
Seat Belt Systems
Mazda5_8X53-EA-07I_Edition3 Page32
Thursday, March 20 2008 4:11 PM
Form No.8X53-EA-07I
Black plate (34,1)
qAir Bag/Front Seat Belt
Pretensioner System Warning Light
If the air bag/front seat belt pretensioner
system is working properly, the warning
light illuminates when the ignition switch
is turned to the ON position or after the
engine is cranked. The warning light turns
off after a specified period of time.
A system malfunction is indicated if the
warning light constantly flashes,
constantly illuminates or does not
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.
WARNING
Never tamper with the air bag/
pretensioner systems and always have
an Authorized Mazda Dealer perform
all servicing and repairs:Self-servicing or tampering with the
systems is dangerous. An air bag/
pretensioner could accidentally
activate or become disabled causing
serious injury or death.
Seat Belt Extender
If your seat belt is not long enough, even
when fully extended, a seat belt extender
may be available to you at no charge from
your Authorized Mazda Dealer.
This extender will be only for you and for
the particular vehicle and seat. Even if it
plugs into other seat belts, it may not hold
in the critical moment of a crash.
When ordering an extender, only order
one that provides the necessary additional
length to fasten the seat belt properly.
Please contact your Authorized Mazda
Dealer for more information.
2-22
Essential Safety Equipment
Seat Belt Systems
Mazda5_8X53-EA-07I_Edition3 Page34
Thursday, March 20 2008 4:11 PM
Form No.8X53-EA-07I