2017 MAZDA MODEL MX-5 seats

2–6
Essential Safety Equipment
Seats
Head Restraints
Non-Adjustable Head Restraints
Your vehicle is equipped with non-adjustable head restraints on the driver's and passenger's
seatbacks. The non-adjustable head restraints consist of a trimmed foam covering over the
upper structure of the seatbacks and are intended to help protect you and the passenger from
neck injury. Adjust the seatbacks to their upright, on-road positions so that the head restraint
is positioned as close as possible to the back of your head.
WARNING
Make sure the seatbacks are properly adjusted to their upright, on-road positions
before the vehicle is driven:
Driving with the seatbacks not adjusted properly is dangerous. With no support behind
your head, your neck could be seriously injured in a collision.

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2–7
Essential Safety Equipment
Seat Belt Systems
Seat Belt Precautions
Seat belts help to decrease the possibility of severe injury during accidents and sudden
stops. Mazda recommends that the driver and passengers always wear seat belts.

(Except Mexico)
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 passenger's seat lap/shoulder belt retractor operates in two modes: emergency
locking mode, and for child-restraint systems, automatic locking mode. If you must use the
passenger seat for a child, slide the passenger seat as far back as possible and make sure any
child-restraint system is secured properly.

(Mexico)
All the seats have lap/shoulder belts. These belts have retractors with inertia locks that keep
them out of the way when not in use. The locks allow the belts to remain comfortable on
users, but they will lock in position during a collision.
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. So, if your seat belt is twisted, you must straighten the seat belt to
remove any twists and to allow the full width of the belt to be used.

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.

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2–20
Essential Safety Equipment
Child Restraint
Child-Restraint System
Installation
Child-Restraint System Types
In this owner's manual, explanation of
child-restraint systems is provided for the
following three types of popular child-
restraint systems: infant seat, child seat,
booster seat.
N O T E
 


y Installation position is determined
by the type of child-restraint system.
Always read the manufacturer's
instructions and this owner's manual
carefully.
 


y Due to variations in the design of child-
restraint systems, vehicle seats and
seat belts, all child-restraint systems
may not ¿ t all seating positions. Before
purchasing a child-restraint system, it
should be tested in the speci¿ c vehicle
seating position (or positions) where it
is intended to be used. If a previously
purchased child-restraint system does
not ¿ t, you may need to purchase a
different one that will.

Infant seat
An infant seat provides restraint by
bracing the infant's head, neck and back
against the seating surface.

Child seat
A child seat restrains a child's body using
the harness.


Booster seat
A booster seat is a child restraint accessory
designed to improve the ¿ t of the seat belt
system around the child's body.


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2–21
Essential Safety Equipment
Child Restraint
Installing Child-Restraint
Systems
The passenger lap/shoulder belt can easily
be converted into the automatic locking
mode, which must be done to hold the
child-restraint system.
N O T E
 


y To check if your seats have side air
bags:
  Mazda vehicles equipped with side
air bag will have an embossed "SRS
AIRBAG" marking on the outboard
shoulder of the seats.
 


y 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,
however if it uses an upper tether, it
may not be mounted properly in this
vehicle as there is no safe way to anchor
the tether. Con¿ rm whether the child-
restraint system can be used with seat
belts by reading the child-restraint
system manufacturer's instructions.

WARNING
Do not allow a child or anyone to lean
over or against the side window of a
vehicle with side air bags:
It is dangerous to allow anyone to
lean over or against the side window,
the area of the passenger seat from
which the side air bags deploy, even
if a child-restraint system is used. The
impact of infl ation from a side air bag
could cause serious injury or death to
an out of position child. Furthermore,
leaning over or against the door could
block the side air bags 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.

CAUTION
When moving the seats forward and
rearward, make sure you hold onto
the seatback with your hand while
operating. If the seatback is not held,
the seat will move suddenly and could
cause injury.

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2–25
Essential Safety Equipment
SRS Air Bags
Small children must be protected by a child-restraint system as stipulated by law in every
state and province. In certain states and provinces, larger children must use a child-restraint
system (page 2-15 ).

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.
Do not use a child-restraint system which employs an upper tether because there is no
appropriate means to anchor the tether.
WARNING
Seat belts must be worn in air bag equipped vehicles:
Depending only on the air bags for protection during an accident is dangerous. Alone, air
bags may not prevent serious injuries. The appropriate air bags can be expected to infl ate
only in the fi rst accident, such as frontal, near frontal or side collisions that are at least
moderate. Vehicle occupants should always wear seat belts.

Always make sure the passenger air bag deactivation indicator light is illuminated
when using a child-restraint system (With Passenger Occupant Classifi cation System):
Seating a child in a 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, an air bag could infl ate and cause serious injuries or even death to the child
seated in the child-restraint system. Always make sure the passenger air bag deactivation
indicator light is illuminated.
Refer to Occupant Classifi cation System on page 2-37 .

Do not sit too close to the driver and passenger air bags:
Sitting too close to the driver and passenger air bag modules or placing hands or feet on
them is extremely dangerous. The driver and passenger air bags infl ate with great force
and speed. Serious injuries could occur if someone is too close. The driver should always
hold onto only the rim of the steering wheel. The passenger should keep both feet on
the fl oor. Seat occupants should adjust their seats as far back as possible and always sit
upright against the seatbacks with seat belts worn properly.

Do not sit too close to a door or lean against doors in vehicles with side air bags:
Sitting too close to the side air bag modules or placing hands on them is extremely
dangerous. A side air bag infl ates with great force and speed directly out of the outboard
shoulder of the seat and expands along the door on the side the car is hit. Serious injury
could occur if someone is sitting too close to the door or leaning against a window in the
seats. Furthermore, sleeping up against the door or hanging out the driver-side window
while driving could block the side air bag and eliminate the advantages of supplemental
protection. Give the side air bags room to work by sitting in the center of the seat while
the vehicle is moving with seat belts worn properly.
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2–26
Essential Safety Equipment
SRS Air Bags
Sit in the center of the seat and wear seat belts properly:
Sitting too close to the side air bag modules or placing hands on them, or sleeping up
against the door or hanging out the windows is extremely dangerous. The side air bags
infl ate with great force and speed directly expanding along the door on the side the car is
hit. Serious injury could occur if someone is sitting too close to the door. Give the side air
bags room to work by sitting in the center of the seat while the vehicle is moving with seat
belts worn properly.

Do not attach objects on or around the area where driver and passenger air bags
deploy:
Attaching an object to the driver and passenger air bag modules or placing something in
front of them is dangerous. In an accident, an object could interfere with air bag infl ation
and injure the occupants.

Do not attach objects on or around the area where a side air bag deploys:
Attaching objects to the seat in such a way as to cover the outboard side of the seat in any
way is dangerous. In an accident the object could interfere with the side air bag, which
infl ates from the outboard side of the seats, impeding the added protection of the side air
bag system or redirecting the air bag in a way that is dangerous. Furthermore, the bag
could be cut open releasing the gas.
Do not hang net bags, map pouches or backpacks with side straps on the seats. Never use
seat covers on the seats. Always keep the side air bag modules in your seats free to deploy
in the event of a side collision.

Do not touch the components of the supplemental restraint system after the air bags
have infl ated:
Touching the components of the supplemental restraint system after the air bags have
infl ated is dangerous. Immediately after infl ation, they are very hot. You could get burned.

Never install any front-end equipment to your vehicle:
Installation of front-end equipment, such as frontal protection bar (kangaroo bar, bull
bar, push bar, or other similar devices), snowplow, or winches, is dangerous. The air bag
crash sensor system could be aff ected. This could cause air bags to infl ate unexpectedly,
or it could prevent the air bags from infl ating during an accident. Occupants could be
seriously injured.

Do not modify the suspension:
Modifying the vehicle suspension is dangerous. If the vehicle's height or the suspension is
modifi ed, the vehicle will be unable to accurately detect a collision resulting in incorrect
or unexpected air bag deployment and the possibility of serious injuries.

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2–27
Essential Safety Equipment
SRS Air Bags
Do not modify a door or leave any damage unrepaired. Always have an Authorized
Mazda Dealer inspect a damaged door:
Modifying a door or leaving any damage unrepaired is dangerous. Each door has a side
crash sensor as a component of the supplemental restraint system. If holes are drilled in
a door, a door speaker is left removed, or a damaged door is left unrepaired, the sensor
could be adversely aff ected causing it to not detect the pressure of an impact correctly
during a side collision. If a sensor does not detect a side impact correctly, the side air bags
and the seat belt pretensioner may not operate normally which could result in serious
injury to occupants.

Do not modify the supplemental restraint system:
Modifying the components or wiring of the supplemental restraint system is dangerous.
You could accidentally activate it or make it inoperable. Do not make any modifi cations
to the supplemental restraint system. This includes installing trim, badges, or anything
else over the air bag modules. It also includes installing extra electrical equipment on or
near system components or wiring. An Authorized Mazda Dealer can provide the special
care needed in the removal and installation of seats. It is important to protect the air bag
wiring and connections to assure that the bags do not accidentally deploy, and that the
passenger occupant classifi cation system and the seats retain an undamaged air bag
connection.

Do not place luggage or other objects under the seats:
Placing luggage or other objects under the seats is dangerous. The components essential
to the supplemental restraint system could be damaged, and in the event of a side
collision, the appropriate air bags may not deploy, which could result in death or serious
injury. To prevent damage to the components essential to the supplemental restraint
system, do not place luggage or other objects under the seats.

Do not operate a vehicle with damaged air bag/seat belt pretensioner system
components:
Expended or damaged air bag/seat belt pretensioner system components must be
replaced after any collision which caused them to deploy or damage them. Only a trained
Authorized Mazda Dealer can fully evaluate these systems to see that they will work in
any subsequent accident. Driving with an expended or damaged air bag or pretensioner
unit will not aff ord you the necessary protection in the event of any subsequent accident
which could result in serious injury or death.

Do not remove interior air bag parts:
Removing any components such as the seats, front dashboard, the steering wheel,
containing air bag parts or sensors is dangerous. These parts contain essential air bag
components. The air bag could accidentally activate and cause serious injuries. Always
have an Authorized Mazda Dealer remove these parts.

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2–40
Essential Safety Equipment
SRS Air Bags
 

¾ Luggage or other items placed under the passenger seat or between the passenger
seat and driver seat that push up the passenger seat bottom.
 


¾ An object, such as a seat cushion, is put on the passenger's seat or between the
passenger's back and the seatback.
 


¾ A seat cover is put on the passenger's seat.



¾ Luggage or other items are placed on the seat with the child in the child-restraint
system.
 


¾ The seat is washed.



¾ Liquids are spilled on the seat.



¾ The passenger seat is moved backward, pushing into luggage or other items placed
behind it.
 


¾ Luggage or other items are placed between the passenger seat and driver seat.



¾ An electric device is put on the passenger's seat.



¾ An additional electrical device, such as a seat warmer is installed to the surface of the
passenger seat.

The passenger front and side air bags and seat belt pretensioner systems will deactivate if
the passenger air bag deactivation indicator light turns on.

CAUTION
 


¾ To assure proper deployment of the front air bag and to prevent damage to the sensor in
the seat cushion:
 


¾ Do not place sharp objects on the seat cushion or leave heavy luggage on them.



¾ Do not spill any liquids on the seats or under the seats.

 


¾ To allow the sensors to function properly, always perform the following: 



¾ Adjust the seats as far back as possible and always sit upright against the seatbacks
with seat belts worn properly.
 


¾ If you place your child on the passenger seat, secure the child-restraint system properly
and slide the passenger seat as far back as possible.


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