2017 MAZDA MODEL MX-5 RF Owners Manual (in English)

2–13
Essential Safety Equipment
Seat Belt Systems
Unfastening the Seat Belt
Depress the button on the seat belt 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 expert repairer, we recommend an
Authorised Mazda Repairer.
Seat Belt Warning
Systems
If it detects that the occupant seat belt
is unfastened, the warning light or beep
alerts the occupant.
Refer to Warning/Indicator Lights on page
4-42 .
Refer to Seat Belt Warning Beep on page
7-50 .
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2–14
Essential Safety Equipment
Seat Belt Systems
Seat Belt Pretensioner
and Load Limiting
Systems
For optimum protection, the driver and
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:
When a collision is detected, the
pretensioners deploy simultaneously with
the air bags.
For deployment details, refer to the SRS
Air Bag Deployment Criteria (page
2-44 ).
The seat belt retractors remove slack
quickly as the air bags are expanding.
Any time the air bags and seat belt
pretensioners have ¿ red they must be
replaced.
A system malfunction or operation
conditions are indicated by a warning.
Refer to Warning/Indicator Lights on page
4-42 .
Refer to Air Bag/Seat Belt Pretensioner
System Warning Beep on page 7-49 .
(With Passenger Occupant
Classi¿ cation System)
In addition, the pretensioner system for
the passenger, like the front and side
passenger air bag, is designed to only
deploy when the passenger occupant
classi¿ cation sensor detects a passenger
sitting on the passenger's seat.
For details, refer to the passenger occupant
classi¿ cation sensor (page 2-47 ).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
suf¿ cient occupant movement.
Even if the pretensioners have not ¿ red,
the load limiting function must be checked
by an expert repairer, we recommend an
Authorised Mazda Repairer.
WARNING
Wear seat belts only as recommended
in this owner's manual:
Incorrect positioning of the driver
and 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 2-12 ).
Have your seat belts changed
immediately if the pretensioner or load
limiter has been expended:
Always have an expert repairer, we
recommend an Authorised Mazda
Repairer immediately inspect the
seat belt pretensioners and air bags
after any collision. Like the air bags,
the seat belt pretensioners and load
limiters will only function once and
must be replaced after any collision
that caused them to deploy. If the seat
belt pretensioners and load limiters
are not replaced, the risk of injury in a
collision will increase.
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2–15
Essential Safety Equipment
Seat Belt Systems
WARNING
Do not modify the components or
wiring, or use electronic testing devices
on the pretensioner system:
Modifying the components or wiring
of the pretensioner system, including
the use of electronic testing devices
is dangerous. You could accidentally
activate it or make it inoperable which
would prevent it from activating in an
accident. The occupants or repairers
could be seriously injured.
Properly dispose of the pretensioner
system:
Improper disposal of the pretensioner
system or a vehicle with non-
deactivated pretensioners is dangerous.
Unless all safety procedures are
followed, injury could result. Have
an expert repairer, we recommend an
Authorised Mazda Repairer safely
dispose of the pretensioner system or
scrap a pretensioner system equipped
vehicle.
NOTE
  The pretensioner system may not
operate depending on the type of
the collision. For details, refer to the
SRS Air Bag Deployment Criteria
(page 2-44 ).
  Some smoke (non-toxic gas) will
be released when the air bags and
pretensioners deploy. This does not
indicate a ¿ re. This gas normally has
no effect on occupants, however,
those with sensitive skin may
experience light skin irritation. If
residue from the deployment of the
air bags or the pretensioner system
gets on the skin or in the eyes, wash
it off as soon as possible.
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2–16
Essential Safety Equipment
Child Restraint
Child-Restraint Precautions
Mazda strongly urges the use of child-restraint systems for children small enough to use
them.
Mazda recommends use of a Mazda genuine child-restraint system or one that complies with
the UNECE
*1 44 regulation. If you would like to purchase a Mazda genuine child-restraint
system, please contact an Authorised Mazda Dealer.
Check your local and state or provincial laws for speci¿ c requirements regarding the safety
of children riding in your vehicle.
*1 UNECE stands for United Nations Economic Commission for Europe.
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 centre of
the vehicle.
A rear-facing child-restraint system should NEVER be used on the passenger seat with the
air bag system activated.
(With Passenger Occupant Classi¿ cation System)
To reduce the chance of injuries caused by deployment of the passenger air bag, the
passenger occupant classi¿ cation sensor work as a part of the supplementary restraint
system. This system deactivates the passenger front and side air bags and also the passenger
seat belt pretensioner system when the passenger air bag deactivation OFF indicator light
illuminates.
When an infant or small child sits on the passenger seat, the system shuts off the passenger
front and side air bags and seat belt pretensioner system, so make sure the passenger air bag
deactivation OFF indicator light illuminates.
For more details, refer to "Passenger occupant classi¿ cation sensor" (page 2-47 ).
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2–17
Essential Safety Equipment
Child Restraint
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.
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 ISOFIX anchors, and attach the
corresponding tether anchor.
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 OFF indicator light is illuminated
when using a child-restraint system (With Passenger Occupant Classi¿ cation System):
Seating a child in a child-restraint system that is installed on the passenger seat with
the passenger air bag deactivation OFF indicator light not illuminated is extremely
dangerous. In an accident, an air bag could inÀ 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 OFF indicator light is illuminated.
Refer to Passenger Occupant Classi¿ cation System on page 2-47 .
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2–18
Essential Safety Equipment
Child Restraint
WARNING
Extreme Hazard! Never use a rear-facing child-restraint system on the passenger seat
with an air bag that could deploy:
NEVER use a rearward facing child restraint on a seat protected by an ACTIVE
AIRBAG in front of it, DEATH or SERIOUS INJURY to the CHILD can occur.
Vehicles with a passenger air bag have a warning label attached as shown below. This
warning label is displayed in compliance with regulations.
(Except Taiwan) (Taiwan)
Even in a moderate collision, the child-restraint system can be hit by a deploying air
bag and moved violently backward resulting in serious injury or death to the child.
If your vehicle is equipped with a passenger occupant classi¿ cation system, always
make sure the passenger air bag deactivation OFF indicator light is illuminated, when
installing a rear-facing child-restraint system on the passenger seat.
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2–19
Essential Safety Equipment
Child Restraint
WARNING
Before installing child-restraint system on the passenger seat, move the passenger seat
as far back as possible:
In a collision, the force of a deploying air bag could cause serious injury or death to the
child.
Make sure the passenger air bag deactivation OFF indicator light is illuminated.
Seating a child in a child-restraint system on the passenger seat is dangerous under
certain conditions (With Passenger Occupant Classi¿ cation System):
Your vehicle is equipped with passenger occupant classi¿ cation sensor. Even with
the passenger occupant classi¿ cation sensor, if you must use the passenger seat to
seat a child, using 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.
 
 The passenger air bag deactivation OFF indicator light does not illuminate when
seating a child in the child-restraint system.
  Luggage or other items are placed on the seat with the child in the child-restraint
system.
  The seat is washed. 
 Liquids are spilled on the seat. 
 The passenger seat is moved backward, pushing into luggage or other items placed
behind it.
  Luggage or other items are placed between the passenger seat and driver seat. 
 An electric device is put on the passenger's seat. 
 An additional electrical device, such as a seat warmer is installed to the surface of
the passenger seat.
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2–20
Essential Safety Equipment
Child Restraint
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 inÀ 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 supplementary 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.
Use the tether and tether anchor only for a child-restraint system:
Child-restraint system anchorages are designed to withstand only those loads imposed
by correctly installed child-restraint systems. Under no circumstances are they to be
used for adult seat belts, harnesses, or for attaching other items or equipment to the
vehicle.
CAUTION
A seat belt or child-restraint system can become very hot in a closed vehicle during
warm weather. To avoid burning yourself or a child, check them before you or your child
touches them.
NOTE
(European models)
Your Mazda is equipped with ISOFIX anchors for attachment of ISOFIX child-restraint
systems. When using these anchors to secure a child-restraint system, refer to “Using
ISOFIX Anchor” (page 2-30 ).
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