2008 MAZDA MODEL MX-5 MIATA POWER RETRACTABLE HARDTOP Owners Manual

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qAir Bag/Seat Belt Pretensioner
System Warning Light
If the air bag/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.
Essential Safety Equipment
Seat Belt Systems
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WARNING
Do not use a seat belt extender unless
it is necessary:Using a seat belt extender when not
necessary is dangerous. The seat belt
will be too long and not fit properly.
In an accident, the seat belt will not
provide adequate protection and you
could be seriously injured. Only use
the extender when it is required to
fasten the seat belt properly.
Do not use an improper extender: Using a seat belt extender that is for
another person or a different vehicle
or seat is dangerous. The seat belt
will not provide adequate protection
and the user could be seriously
injured in an accident. Only use the
extender provided for you and for the
particular vehicle and seat. NEVER
use the extender in a different vehicle
or seat.
Do not use an extender that is too
long: Using an extender that is too long is
dangerous. The seat belt will not fit
properly. In an accident, the seat belt
will not provide adequate protection
and you could be seriously injured.
Do not use the extender or choose
one shorter in length if the distance
between the extender's buckle and
the center of the user's body is less
than 15cm (6 in). NOTEWhen not in use, remove the seat belt extender
and store it in the vehicle. If the seat belt
extender is left connected, the seat belt
extender might get damaged as it will not
retract with the rest of the seat belt and can
easily fall out of the door when not in use and
be damaged. In addition, the seat belt warning
light will not illuminate and function properly.
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Seat Belt Systems
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Seat Belt Warning Light/Beep
The seat belt warning light illuminates
and a beep sound will be heard if the
driver's seat belt is not fastened when the
ignition switch is turned to the ON
position.
Conditions of operation
ConditionResult
The driver's seat belt is not
fastened when the ignition
switch is turned to the ON
position. The warning light
flashes and a beep
sound will be heard
for about 6 seconds.
The driver's seat belt is
fastened while the warning
light and the beep sound are
activated. The warning light
turns off and the beep
sound stops.
The driver's seat belt is
fastened before the ignition
switch is turned to the ON
position. The warning light will
not illuminate and the
beep sound will not be
heard.
q
Belt Minder
NOTE
The belt minder can be deactivated. Consult an
Authorized Mazda Dealer to deactivate and
restore the seat belt minder.
Driver seated/Passenger not seated
The belt minder is a supplemental
warning to the seat belt warning function.
If the driver's seat belt is not fastened
when the ignition switch is turned to the
ON position, the warning light/beep
operates to give you further reminders
according to the chart below.
Condition Vehicle speed
Between 0 ―20
km/h
(0 ― 12 mph) 20 km/h
(12 mph) or more
Seat belt
Indicator
Beep
: Fastened: Unfastened: Illuminated: Flashing: Beep
Once the beep sound is heard, it continues
sounding even if the vehicle speed lowers
to 20 km/h (12 mph) or less until the
seatbelt is fastened or the beep sound
period has passed.
Essential Safety Equipment
Seat Belt Systems
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Driver seated/Passenger seated
The seat belt warning function reminds
the passenger to fasten the seat belt
according to the chart below.
ConditionVehicle speed
Between 0 ―20
km/h
(0 ― 12 mph) 20 km/h
(12 mph) or more
Seat belt
(Driver)
Seat belt
(Passenger)
Indicator
Beep
: Fastened: Unfastened: Illuminated: Flashing: Beep
Placing heavy items on the passenger seat
may cause the passenger seat belt warning
function to operate depending on the
weight of the item.
Once the beep sound is heard, it continues
sounding even if the vehicle speed lowers
to 20 km/h (12 mph) or less until the
seatbelt is fastened or the beep sound
period has passed.
NOTE
lTo allow the passenger seat weight sensor
to function properly, do not place and sit on
an additional seat cushion on the passenger
seat. The sensor may not function properly
because the additional seat cushion could
cause sensor interference.
lWhen a small child sits on the passenger
seat, it is possible that neither the warning
light nor the warning beep operate.
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Seat Belt Systems
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Child Restraint Precautions
Mazda strongly urges the use of child-restraint systems for children small enough to use
them.
You are required by law to use a child-restraint system for children in the U.S. and Canada.
Check your local and state or provincial laws for specific requirements regarding the safety
of children riding in your vehicle.
Whatever child-restraint system you consider, please pick the appropriate one for the age
and size of the child, obey the law and follow the instructions that come with the individual
child-restraint system.
A child who has outgrown child-restraint systems should use seat belts, both lap and
shoulder. If the shoulder belt crosses the neck or face, move the child closer to the center of
the vehicle .
A rear-facing child-restraint system shouldNEVERbe used on the passenger seat with the
air bag system activated.
If a small child or infant in the passenger seat ―particularly a child secured in a rear-
facing child-restraint system ―it is critically important that you consciously deactivate the
passenger air bag and not simply rely on the passenger air bag deactivation indicator light
being turned on at all times. In a collision, the force of an air bag slamming the child-
restraint system rearwards could result in death to the child even if the child is properly
belted. Be alert to the operation of the indicator light and BE SURE THE PASSENGER
AIR BAG IS ALWAYS DEACTIVATED AS INDICATED BY PASSENGER AIR BAG
DEACTIVATION INDICATOR LIGHT.
Passenger air bag deactivation indicator light
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Child Restraint
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To reduce the chance of injuries caused by the deployment of the passenger air bag, there
are two methods to deactivate the passenger air bag for a child's safety as follows―
however the surest way to avoid the passenger air bag not deploying is to use the key and
turn off the passenger air bag and not rely on the passenger seat weight sensors, which will
also detect other loads or objects on and around the passenger seat;
Passenger air bag deactivation switch
This switch should be used to deactivate the passenger front and side air bags and also the
passenger seat belt pretensioner system if installing a child-restraint system is installed on
the passenger seat.
Make sure the front passenger air bag deactivation switch is in the ON position except
when a child-restraint system is installed on the front passenger seat.
Refer to Passenger Air Bag Deactivation Switch on page 2-32.
Passenger seat weight sensors
These sensors deactivate the passenger front and side air bags and also the passenger seat
belt pretensioner system when the total seated weight on the passenger seat is less than
approximately 30 kg (66 lb).
When an infant or small child is seated on the passenger seat, the system shuts off the
passenger air bag, so make sure the passenger air bag deactivation indicator light
illuminates.
Refer to Passenger seat weight sensors on page 2-38.
LATCH Child-Restraint System
We have installed lower LATCH anchor points for LATCH style junior seats and infant
carriers that work without tethers only. Any other child-restraint system that has an upper
tether cannot be used in this vehicle because there is no tether anchor. A child-restraint
system with a tether cannot be properly mounted in this vehicle unless the child restraint
manufacturer provides instructions on mounting the child-restraint system with only seat
belts in automatic locking mode. Even then, without a tether, the child-restraint system may
move forward more easily in seat belts, further degrading the safety provided if you were to
put the child restraint in a tether anchor equipped rear seat of another vehicle. The seat and
head restraint is designed for maximum adult space utilization in this vehicle. Do not try to
secure the tether to something else in the vehicle, as too much slack will result and the
serious risk of injury or death to the child. Use the seat belts to properly secure the non-
tethered child-restraint systems other than the LATCH junior seats and non-tethered infant
carriers. Turn off the passenger air bag deactivation switch. To expose and use the lower
LATCH anchor points, which are affixed to the body and not the seat, slide the seat all the
way rearward which is the optimal vehicle seat position for all children in this two seat car.
WARNING
Use the correct size child-restraint system: For effective protection in vehicle accidents and sudden stops, a child must be
properly restrained using a seat belt or child-restraint system depending on age and
size. If not, the child could be seriously injured or even killed in an accident.
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Follow the manufacturer's instructions and always keep the child-restraint system
buckled down:An unsecured child-restraint system is dangerous. In a sudden stop or a collision it
could move causing serious injury or death to the child or other occupants. Make
sure any child-restraint system is properly secured in place according to the child-
restraint system manufacturer's instructions. When not in use, remove it from the
vehicle or fasten it with a seat belt, or latch it down to BOTH LATCH lower anchors
for LATCH child-restraint systems.
Always secure a child in a proper child-restraint system: Holding a child in your arms while the vehicle is moving is extremely dangerous. No
matter how strong the person may be, he or she cannot hold onto a child in a
sudden stop or collision and it could result in serious injury or death to the child or
other occupants. Even in a moderate accident, the child may be exposed to air bag
forces that could result in serious injury or death to the child, or the child may be
slammed into an adult, causing injury to both child and adult.
Always make sure the passenger air bag deactivation indicator light is illuminated
when using a rear-facing child-restraint system: Seating a child in a rear-facing child-restraint system that is installed on the
passenger seat with the passenger air bag deactivation indicator light not
illuminated is extremely dangerous. In an accident, a air bag could inflate and cause
serious injuries or even death to the child seated in the rear-facing child-restraint
system. Always make sure the passenger air bag deactivation indicator light is
illuminated using the key to turn the passenger air bag off.
Refer to Passenger Air Bag Deactivation Switch on page 2-32.
Refer to Passenger seat weight sensors on page 2-38.
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Child Restraint
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Seating a child in a child-restraint system on the front passenger seat is dangerous:This vehicle is equipped with both a passenger seat weight sensor and a passenger
air bag deactivation indicator light (page 2-38). Even with the passenger seat weight
sensors, seating a child in a child-restraint system on the passenger seat under the
following conditions increases the danger of the passenger air bag deploying and
could result in serious injury or death to the child. These are among the reasons why
the passenger air bag should be turned off using the key.
ØThe total seated weight of the child with the child-restraint system on the
passenger seat is approximately 30 kg (66 lb) or more with a child in the child-
restraint system.
Ø Luggage or other items are placed on the seat with the child in the child-restraint
system.
Ø The seat is washed.
Ø Liquids are spilled on the seat.
Ø The passenger seat is moved backward, and it is pushed into luggage or other
items placed behind it.
Ø Luggage or other items are placed between the passenger seat and center
console.
Ø Any accessories, which might increase the total seated weight on the passenger
seat, are attached to the passenger seat.
Do not allow a child to lean over or against the side window of a vehicle with side air
bags: Allowing anyone to lean over or against the door is dangerous. If the vehicle is
equipped with side air bags, the impact of an inflating side air bag could cause
serious injury or death to the person. Children are more likely to sleep in the vehicle;
when they do, they are more at risk in the passenger's seat that has a side air bag
because they may slump over into the path of the seatback-mounted air bag.
Furthermore, leaning over or against the doors could block the side air bag and
eliminate the advantages of supplemental protection. Because the side air bag
deploys from the outboard shoulder of the seat, do not allow the child to lean over or
against the side window, even if the child is seated in a child-restraint system.
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.
Always use a child-restraint system designed for use without a tether: Using a child-restraint system that requires a tether is dangerous. Your Mazda does
not have a child-restraint tether. The child-restraint system cannot be properly
secured. In a collision, it could move and injure other occupants as well as result in
serious injuries or death to the child.
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