2008 MAZDA MODEL TRIBUTE HEV airbag

Front crash severity sensor
The front crash severity sensor enhances the ability to detect the
severity of an impact. Positioned up front, it provides valuable
information early in the crash event on the severity of the impact. This
allows your Safety System to distinguish between different levels of crash
severity and modify the deployment strategy of the dual-stage airbag and
seat belt pretensioners.
Driver’s seat position sensor
The driver’s seat position sensor allows your Safety System to tailor the
deployment level of the driver airbag based on seat position. The system
is designed to help protect smaller drivers sitting close to the driver
airbag by providing a lower airbag output level.
Front passenger sensing system
For airbags to do their job they must inflate with great force, and this
force can pose a potentially deadly risk to occupants that are very close
to the airbag when it begins to inflate. For some occupants, like infants
in rear-facing child seats, this occurs because they are initially sitting
very close to the airbag. For other occupants, this occurs when the
occupant is not properly restrained by seat belts or child safety seats and
they move forward during pre-crash braking. The most effective way to
reduce the risk of unnecessary injuries is to make sure all occupants are
properly restrained. Accident statistics suggest that children are much
safer when properly restrained in the rear seating positions than in the
front.WARNING: Airbags can kill or injure a child in a child seat.
NEVER place a rear-facing child seat in front of an active
airbag. If you must use a forward-facing child seat in the front
seat, move the seat all the way back.
WARNING: Always transport children 12 years old and under
in the back seat and always properly use appropriate child
restraints.
The front passenger sensing system can automatically turn off the
passenger front airbag. The system is designed to help protect small
(child size) occupants from airbag deployments when they are
improperly seated or restrained in the front passenger seat contrary to
proper child-seating or restraint usage recommendations. Even with this
2008 Tribute Hybrid (thv)
Owners Guide (post-2002-fmt)
USA (fus)
Seating and Safety Restraints
107

technology, parents areSTRONGLYencouraged to always properly
restrain children in the rear seat. The sensor also turns off the passenger
front airbag and seat-mounted side airbag (if equipped) when the
passenger seat is empty to prevent unnecessary replacement of airbag(s)
after a collision.
When the front passenger seat is occupied and the sensing system has
turned off the passenger’s frontal airbag, the “pass airbag off” indicator
will light and stay lit to remind you that the front passenger frontal
airbag is off. See Front passenger sensing system in the airbags section
of this chapter.
Front seat belt usage sensors
The front seat belt usage sensors detect whether or not the driver and
front outboard passenger seat belts are fastened. This information allows
your Safety System to tailor the airbag deployment and seat belt
pretensioner activation depending upon seat belt usage. Refer to Seat
belt section in this chapter.
Front seat belt pretensioners
The seat belt pretensioners at the front outboard seating positions are
designed to tighten the seat belts firmly against the occupant’s body
during frontal collisions, and in side collisions and rollovers when the
vehicle is equipped with the Safety Canopy™ system. This helps increase
the effectiveness of the seat belts. In frontal collisions, the seat belt
pretensioners can be activated alone or, if the collision is of sufficient
severity, together with the front airbags.
Front seat belt energy management retractors
The front outboard seat belt energy management retractors, once
initiated, allow webbing to be pulled out of the retractor in a gradual and
controlled manner in response to the occupant’s forward momentum.
This helps reduce the risk of force-related injuries to the occupant’s
chest by limiting the load on the occupant. Refer to Energy
management feature section in this chapter.
Determining if the Personal Safety System is operational
The Safety System uses a warning light in the instrument cluster or a
back-up tone to indicate the condition of the system. Refer to the
Warning lights and chimes section in theInstrument Cluster chapter.
Routine maintenance of the Safety System is not required.
The Restraints control module (RCM) monitors its own internal circuits
and the circuits for the airbag supplemental restraints, crash sensor(s),
2008 Tribute Hybrid (thv)
Owners Guide (post-2002-fmt)
USA (fus)
Seating and Safety Restraints
108

WARNING: In a rollover crash, an unbelted person is
significantly more likely to die or be seriously injured than a
person wearing a seat belt.
WARNING: Each seating position in your vehicle has a specific
seat belt assembly which is made up of one buckle and one
tongue that are designed to be used as a pair. 1) Use the
shoulder belt on the outside shoulder only. Never wear the
shoulder belt under the arm. 2) Never swing the seat belt
around your neck over the inside shoulder. 3) Never use a
single belt for more than one person.
WARNING: Placing a child, 12 years or younger, in the front
seat is dangerous. The child could be hit by a deploying airbag
and be seriously injured or even killed. A sleeping child is more
likely to lean against the door and be hit by the side airbag (if
equipped) in a moderate collision. Whenever possible, always
secure a child, 12 years or younger, in the rear seat, with an
appropriate child restraint system for the child’s age and size.
Never use a rear-facing child restraint system in the front seat
with an airbag that could deploy.
Combination lap and shoulder belts 1. Insert the belt tongue into the proper buckle (the buckle
closest to the direction the
tongue is coming from) until
you hear a snap and feel it
latch. Make sure the tongue is
securely fastened in the buckle.
2008 Tribute Hybrid (thv)
Owners Guide (post-2002-fmt)
USA (fus)
Seating and Safety Restraints
110

WARNING: BELT AND RETRACTOR ASSEMBLY MUST BE
REPLACED if the seat belt assembly “automatic locking
retractor” feature or any other seat belt function is not
operating properly when checked by an authorized dealer.
Failure to replace the Belt and Retractor assembly could
increase the risk of injury in collisions. The pretensioners in
the front seats deploy with a related airbag and will only
operate once and must be replaced to provide appropriate
restraint in any future accident.
Seat belt height adjustment
Your vehicle has seat belt height
adjustments at the front outboard
seating positions. Adjust the height
of the shoulder belt so the belt rests
across the middle of your shoulder.
To adjust the shoulder belt height,
squeeze and hold the buttons on the
side and slide the height adjuster up
or down. Release the buttons and
pull down on the height adjuster to
make sure it is locked in place. WARNING: Position the seat belt height adjusters so that the
belt rests across the middle of your shoulder. Failure to adjust
the seat belt properly could reduce the effectiveness of the seat
belt and increase the risk of injury in a collision.
Seat belt pretensioner
Your vehicle is equipped with seat belt pretensioners at the driver and
front passenger seating positions.
The seat belt pretensioners activate during frontal collisions, and in side
collisions and rollovers. A seat belt pretensioner is a device which
tightens the webbing of the lap and shoulder belts in such a way that
they fit more snugly against the body.
2008 Tribute Hybrid (thv)
Owners Guide (post-2002-fmt)
USA (fus)
Seating and Safety Restraints
113

WARNING: The driver and front passenger seat belt system
(including retractors, buckles and height adjusters) must be
replaced if the vehicle is involved in a collision that results in
deployment of front airbags, seat-mounted side airbags and
Safety Canopy™, and seat belt pretensioners.
WARNING: Failure to replace the seat belt assembly under the
above conditions could result in severe personal injuries in the
event of a collision.
Seat belt extension assembly
If the seat belt is too short when fully extended, a 9 inch (23 cm) or
12 inch (31 cm) seat belt extension assembly can be added (part
numbers 611C22–A and 611C22–B respectively). Seat belt extension
assemblies can be obtained from your authorized Mazda dealership.
Use only extensions manufactured by the same supplier as the seat belt.
Manufacturer identification is located at the end of the webbing on the
label. Also, use the seat belt extension only if the seat belt is too short
for you when fully extended.
When you are not using the extensions store them in another location so
that no one will accidentally use them.
NOTE: Do not use extensions to change the fit of the shoulder belt
across the torso.
Seat belt maintenance
Inspect the seat belt systems periodically to make sure they work
properly and are not damaged. Inspect the seat belts to make sure there
are no nicks, tears or cuts. Replace if necessary. All seat belt assemblies,
including retractors, buckles, front seat belt buckle assemblies, buckle
support assemblies (slide bar-if equipped), shoulder belt height adjusters
(if equipped), shoulder belt guide on seatback (if equipped), child safety
seat LATCH and tether anchors, and attaching hardware, should be
inspected after a collision. Mazda Motor Corporation recommends that all
seat belt assemblies in use in vehicles involved in a collision be replaced.
However, if the collision was minor and an authorized dealer finds that
the belts do not show damage and continue to operate properly, they do
not need to be replaced. Seat belt assemblies not in use during a
collision should also be inspected and replaced if either damage or
improper operation is noted.
2008 Tribute Hybrid (thv)
Owners Guide (post-2002-fmt)
USA (fus)
Seating and Safety Restraints
114

The following are reasons most often given for not wearing seat belts
(All statistics based on U.S. data):
Reasons given... Consider...
Crashes are rare
events36700 crashes occur every day.
The more we
drive, the more we are exposed to rareevents,
even for good drivers. 1 in 4 of us will be
seriously injured in a crash during our
lifetime.
I’m not going far 3of4fatal crashes occur within 25miles of home.
Belts are
uncomfortable Your Mazda seat belts are designed to enhance
comfort. If you are uncomfortable - try different
positions for the seat belt upper anchorage and
seatback which should be as upright as possible;
this can improve comfort.
I was in a hurry Prime time for an accident. Belt-Minder
reminds us to take a few seconds to buckle up.
Seat belts don’t
work Seat belts,
when used properly, reduce risk of
death to front seat occupants by 45% in cars,
and by 60% in light trucks.
Traffic is light Nearly 1 of 2 deaths occur in single-vehicle
crashes,many when no other vehicles are around.
Belts wrinkle my
clothes Possibly, but a serious crash can do much more
than wrinkle your clothes, particularly if you are
unbelted.
The people I’m
with don’t wear
belts Set the example, teen deaths occur 4 times more
often in vehicles with TWO or MORE people.
Children and younger brothers/sisters imitate
behavior they see.
I have an airbag Airbags offer greater protection when used with
seat belts. Frontal airbags are not designed to
inflate in rear and side crashes or rollovers.
I’d rather be
thrown clear Not a good idea.
Peoplewho are ejected are 40
times more likely to DIE. Seat belts help
prevent ejection, WE CAN’T PICK OUR CRASH.
2008 Tribute Hybrid(thv)
Owners Guide (post-2002-fmt)
USA (fus)
Seating and Safety Restraints
117

AIRBAG SUPPLEMENTAL RESTRAINT SYSTEM (SRS)
Important supplemental restraint system (SRS) precautions
The supplemental restraint system
is designed to work with the seat
belt to help protect the driver and
right front passenger from certain
upper body injuries.WARNING: Airbags DO NOT
inflate slowly or gently and the
risk of injury from a deploying
airbag is greatest close to the
trim covering the airbag
module.
WARNING: All occupants of the vehicle, including the driver,
should always properly wear their seat belts, even when an air
bag supplemental restraint system (SRS) is provided.
WARNING: Always transport children 12 years old and under
in the back seat and always properly use appropriate child
restraint systems.
WARNING: National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
(NHTSA) recommends a minimum distance of at least 10 inches
(25 cm) between an occupant’s chest and the driver airbag
module.
4X4
2008 Tribute Hybrid (thv)
Owners Guide (post-2002-fmt)
USA (fus)
Seating and Safety Restraints
120

WARNING: The driver should always hold onto only the rim of
the steering wheel. Never place your arm over the airbag
module or anywhere inside the rim as a deploying airbag can
result in serious arm fractures or other injuries.
Steps you can take to properly position yourself away from the airbag:
• Move your seat to the rear as far as you can while still reaching the
pedals comfortably.
• Recline the seat slightly (one or two notches) from the upright
position.
WARNING: Do not put anything on or over the airbag module
including hands or feet. Placing objects on or over the airbag
inflation area may cause those objects to be propelled by the
airbag into your face and torso causing serious injury.
WARNING: Do not attempt to service, repair, or modify the
Airbag Supplemental Restraint Systems or its fuses. See your
authorized Mazda dealership.
WARNING: Modifications to the front end of the vehicle,
including frame, bumper, front end body structure, tow hooks,
and snow plows may affect the performance of the airbag
sensors increasing the risk of injury. Do not modify the front
end of the vehicle.
WARNING: Additional equipment may affect the performance
of the airbag sensors increasing the risk of injury. Consult your
authorized Mazda dealership before installation of additional
equipment.
2008 Tribute Hybrid (thv)
Owners Guide (post-2002-fmt)
USA (fus)
Seating and Safety Restraints
121