2018 MAZDA MODEL MX-5 remove seats

Seat Precautions
WA R N I N G
Make sure the adjustable components of a seat are locked in place:
Adjustable seats and seatbacks that are not securely locked are dangerous. In a sudden stop
or collision, the seat or seatback could move, causing injury. Make sure the adjustable
components of the seat are locked in place by attempting to slide the seat forward and
backward and rocking the seatback.
Never allow children to adjust a seat:
Allowing children to adjust a seat is dangerous as it could result in serious injury if a child's
hands or feet become caught in the seat.
Do not drive with the seatback unlocked:
All of the seatbacks play an important role in your protection in a vehicle. Leaving the
seatback unlocked is dangerous as it can a llow passengers to be ejected or thrown around
and baggage to strike occupants in a sudden stop or collision, resulting in severe injury. After
adjusting the seatback at any time, even when there are no other passengers, rock the
seatback to make sure it is locked in place.
Adjust the driver's seat only when the vehicle is stopped:
Adjusting the driver's seat while the vehicle is moving is dangerous. The driver could lose
control of the vehicle and have an accident.
Do not modify or replace the seats:
Modifying or replacing the seats such as repl acing the upholstery or loosening any bolts is
dangerous. The seats contain air bag components essential to the supplemental restraint
system. Such modifications could damage the supplemental restraint system and result in
serious injury. Consult an Author ized Mazda Dealer if there is any need to remove or reinstall
the seats.
Do not drive with damaged seats:
Driving with damaged seats, such as seat cushions torn or damaged down to the urethane, is
dangerous. A collision, even one not strong enough to inflate the air bags, could damage the
seats which contain essential air bag components. If there was a subsequent collision, an air
bag may not deploy which could lead to injuri es. Always have an Authorized Mazda Dealer
inspect the seats, seat belt pretensioners and air bags after a collision.
Essential Safety Equipment
Seats
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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 w ear seat belts.

(Except Mexico)
All of the seat belt retractors are designed to keep the lap/sh oulder belts out of the way when
not in use.
The driver's seat belt has no pr ovisions 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 opera tes in two modes: emergency
locking mode, and for child-res traint systems, automatic lockin g mode. If you must use the
passenger seat for a ch ild, 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 retract ors 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.
WA R N I N G
Always wear your seat belt and make sure all occupants are properly restrained:
Not wearing a seat belt is extremely dangerou s. 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 fu ll 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. Ne ver use one belt for more than one person at a
time and always operate the vehicle wi th each occupant properly restrained.
Essential Safety Equipment
Seat Belt Systems
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Do not touch the components of the supplemental restraint system after the air bags have
inflated:
Touching the components of the supplemental restraint system after the air bags have
inflated is dangerous. Immediately after inflation , 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 affected. This could cause air bags to inflate unexpectedly, or it could
prevent the air bags from inflati ng 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
modified, the vehicle will be unable to accura tely detect a collision resulting in incorrect or
unexpected air bag deployment and the possibility of serious injuries.
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 unrepai red is dangerous. Each door has a side crash
sensor as a component of the supplemental restr aint system. If holes are drilled in a door, a
door speaker is left removed, or a damaged d oor is left unrepaired, the sensor could be
adversely affected causing it to not detect the pressure of an impact correctly during a side
collision. If a sensor does not detect a side impa ct 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 wiri ng of the supplemental restraint system is dangerous. You
could accidentally activate it or make it inoperable. Do not make any modifications to the
supplemental restraint system. This includes inst alling 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 classification 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.
Essential Safety Equipment
SRS Air Bags
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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 depl oy 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 damage d air bag or pretensioner unit will not afford
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 pa rts contain essential air bag components. The
air bag could accidentally activate and cause serious injuries. Always have an Authorized
Mazda Dealer remove these parts.
Properly dispose of the air bag system:
Improper disposal of an air bag or a vehicle with live air bags in it can be extremely
dangerous. Unless all safety procedures are foll owed, injury could result. Have an Authorized
Mazda Dealer safely dispose of the air bag sy stem or scrap an air bag equipped vehicle.
NOTE
If it becomes necessary to have the components or wiring system for the supplementary
restraint system modified to accommodate a person with certain medical conditions in
accordance with a certified physician, contact an Authorized Mazda Dealer, refer to
“Customer Assistance (U.S.A.)” (page 8-2).
When an air bag deploys, a loud inflation noise can be heard and some smoke will be
released. Neither is likely to cause injury, however, the text ure of the air bags may cause
light skin injuries on body parts not covered with clothing through friction.
Should you sell your Mazda, we urge you to tell the new owner of its air bag systems and
that familiarization with all instructions about them, from the Owner's Manual, is
important.
Vehicles with a passenger air bag have a warning label attached as shown in the
following.
(Except Mexico)
This warning label is displayed in compliance with regulations.
Essential Safety Equipment
SRS Air Bags
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NOTE
Moving the seats as far forward as
possible and folding the seatbacks forward
will facilitate the procedure.
Refer to Seat Operation on page 2-4.
1. Remove the antenna if it is installed.Refer to Antenna on page 5-19.
2. Insert the short end of the L-shaped hexagonal wrench (Large) into the
motor bracket bolt.
Bolt
NOTE
If it is difficult to see the bolt, remove
the windblocker and identify the bolt
from the center of the vehicle.
Windblocker
3. Turn the L-shaped hexagonal wrench
(Large) counterclockwise to loosen the
bolt slightly.
4. Remove the L-shaped hexagonalwrench (Large) once from the bolt,
then insert the long end of the wrench
into the bolt.
NOTE
The tip of the long end of the L-shaped
hexagonal wrench can be used at an
angle. Moving the wrench upward
slightly will increase the clearance
between the rear roof and the stored
front roof and facilitate the procedure.
5. Turn the L-shaped hexagonal wrench (Large) counterclockwise 13 times or
more while pressing the wrench
against the bolt.
If Trouble Arises
When the Roof Cannot be Closed
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