MAZDA MODEL MPV 2003 (in English) Service Manual
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Essential Safety Equipment
Seat Belt Systems
Form No. 8R21-EA-02G
Air Bag/Front Seat Belt 
Pretensioner Systems Warning 
Light
If the air bag/front seat belt pretensioner 
system is OK, the warning light comes on 
when the ignition switch is turned to the 
ON position or after the engine is cranked. 
After about 6 seconds it goes out.
A system malfunction is indicated when 
the warning light constantly flashes, stays 
on or doesn’t come on at all. If any of 
these occur, consult an Authorized Mazda 
Dealer as soon as possible. The system 
may not work in an accident.
Modification or Testing of 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 could be 
seriously injured. Never modify the 
components or wiring, or use 
electronic testing devices on the 
pretensioner system.
Pretensioner System Disposal:
Improper disposal of the pretensioner 
system or a vehicle with non-
deactivated pretensioners is 
dangerous. Unless all safety 
procedures are followed, injury could 
result. Ask an Authorized Mazda 
Dealer how to safely dispose of the 
pretensioner system or how to scrap a 
pretensioner-equipped vehicle.
WARNINGNOTE
•The pretensioner system will only 
activate in a moderate or greater 
frontal or near-frontal collision. It 
will not activate in side or rear 
impacts.
•Some smoke (non-toxic gas) will be 
released when the air bags and 
pretensioners deploy. This does not 
indicate a fire. 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 front pretensioner 
system gets on the skin or in the 
eyes, wash it off as soon as possible.
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Essential Safety Equipment
Seat Belt Systems
Form No. 8R21-EA-02G
Fastening the Seat Belt
1. Pull the tongue to the desired length.
2. Insert it into the buckle until you hear a 
click.
3. Adjust the belt length.
To lengthen the belt, hold the tongue 
at a right angle to the webbing and 
pull.
Self-Servicing the Air Bag/
Pretensioner Systems:
Self-servicing or tampering with the 
systems is dangerous. An air bag/
pretensioner could accidentally 
activate or become disabled. This 
could cause serious injuries. Never 
tamper with the systems and always 
have an Authorized Mazda Dealer 
perform all servicing and repairs.
WARNING2-Point Type Seat Belt
Tongue
Buckle
Lengthen
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Essential Safety Equipment
Form No. 8R21-EA-02G
To shorten, pull the loose end of the 
webbing.
4. Make sure the lap belt is snugly fitted 
against your body.Unfastening the Seat Belt
Depress the button on the buckle.
Wearing the Lap Belt:
A lap belt worn too high is dangerous. 
In a collision, this would concentrate 
the impact force directly on the 
abdominal area, causing serious 
injury. Wear the lap belt snugly and 
as low as possible.
Shorten
WARNING
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Essential Safety Equipment
Seat Belt Systems
Form No. 8R21-EA-02G
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.
Seat Belt Extender
Unnecessary Use of an Extender:
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.
Using 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.
Using 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. 
Don’t 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).
WARNING
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Essential Safety Equipment
Seat Belt Systems
Form No. 8R21-EA-02G
If the driver’s seat belt is not fastened 
when the ignition switch is turned to the 
ON position, the seat belt warning light 
will remain on until the belt is fastened.
If the system does not operate correctly, 
consult an Authorized Mazda Dealer.If the driver’s seat belt is not fastened 
when the ignition switch is turned to the 
ON position, a beep will sound for about 
6 seconds.
Seat Belt Warning LightSeat Belt Warning Beep
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Essential Safety Equipment
Form No. 8R21-EA-02G
Child Restraint
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 sit in the rear and 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.
Statistics confirm that the rear seats are the best place for all children up to 12 years of age-
the more so with a supplemental restraint system (air bags).
A rear-facing child-restraint system should NEVER
 be used in the front seat because it 
would be too close to the air bag. The front passenger’s seat is also the least preferred seat 
for other child-restraint systems.
Child Restraint Precautions
Proper Size of 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 
the 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.
WARNING
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Essential Safety Equipment
Child Restraint
Form No. 8R21-EA-02G
Holding a Child While the Vehicle is Moving:
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 the adult, injuring the adult. Always secure a child in a proper child-restraint 
system.
Rear-Facing Child-Restraint System:
Rear-facing child-restraint systems on the front seat are particularly dangerous.
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. NEVER use a rear-facing 
child-restraint system in the front seat with an air bag that could deploy.
Children and Seating Position with Side Air Bag:
Allowing anyone to lean over or against the front 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 front 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. With the front air bag and the 
additional side air bag that comes out of the front seat, the rear seat is always a better 
location for children who are prone to sleeping. If a child can’t be seated in the rear, 
do not allow the child to lean over or against the front door, even if the child is seated 
in a child-restraint system.
One Belt, One Passenger:
Using one seat belt for more than one person at a time is dangerous. A seat belt used 
in this way can’t 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.
WARNING
Deploying air bag
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Essential Safety Equipment
Child Restraint
Form No. 8R21-EA-02G
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
Your Mazda is equipped with LATCH lower anchors for attachment of specially 
designed LATCH child-restraint systems in the rear seats. When using these anchors to 
secure a child-restraint system, refer to "LATCH Child-Restraint Systems" (page 2-47).
CAUTION
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Essential Safety Equipment
Child Restraint
Form No. 8R21-EA-02G
Accident statistics reveal that a child is 
safer in the rear seats. The front 
passenger’s seat is clearly the worst 
choice for any child under 12, and with 
rear-facing child-restraint systems it is 
clearly unsafe due to air bags.
Some child-restraint systems now come 
with tethers and therefore must be 
installed on the seats that take tethers to 
be effective. In your Mazda, tethered 
child-restraint systems can only be 
accommodated in the three positions on 
the rear seats.
Some child-restraint systems also employ 
specially designed LATCH attachments; 
refer to "LATCH Child-Restraint 
Systems" (page 2-47).
Second-Row Seats Child-
Restraint System Installation
Follow these instructions when using a 
child-restraint system, unless you are 
attaching a LATCH-equipped child-
restraint system to the rear LATCH lower 
anchors. Refer to "LATCH Child-
Restraint Systems" (page 2-47).
1. If the seat in which you install a child-
restraint system has a seat slide 
function, slide the seat as far back as 
possible.
2. Secure the child-restraint system with 
the lap portion of the lap/shoulder belt. 
See the instructions on the child-
restraint system for belt routing 
instructions.
Installing Child-Restraint 
Systems
Tethered Child-Restraint Systems 
Work Only on Tether-Equipped Rear 
Seats:
Installation of a tether equipped 
child-restraint system in the front 
passenger’s seat or the third-row 
outboard seats defeats the safety 
design of the system and will result in 
an increased chance of serious injury 
if the child-restraint system goes 
forward without benefit of being 
tethered.
Place tether equipped child-restraint 
systems where there are tether 
anchors.
WARNING
NOTE
Follow the child-restraint system 
manufacturer’s instructions carefully. 
If you are not sure whether you have a 
LATCH system or tether, check in the 
child-restraint system manufacturer’s 
instructions and follow them 
accordingly. Depending on the type of 
child-restraint system, it may not 
employ seat belts which are in 
automatic locking mode.
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Essential Safety Equipment
Child Restraint
Form No. 8R21-EA-02G
3. To get the retractor into the automatic 
locking mode, pull the shoulder belt 
portion of the seat belt until the entire 
length of the belt is out of the retractor.
4. Push the child-restraint system firmly 
into the vehicle seat. Be sure the belt 
retracts as snugly as possible. Adjust 
the angle of the seat belt buckle so that 
the belt is not loose. Clicking from the 
retractor will be heard during retraction 
if the system is in the automatic 
locking mode. If the belt does not lock 
the seat down tight, repeat this step.5. If your child-restraint system requires 
the use of a tether strap, hook and 
tighten the tether strap by following the 
manufacturer’s instructions.NOTE
Inspect this function before each use of 
the child-restraint system. You should 
not be able to pull the shoulder belt out 
of the retractor while the system is in 
the automatic locking mode. When 
you remove the child-restraint system, 
be sure the belt fully retracts to return 
the system to emergency locking mode 
before occupants use the seat belts.
Anchor bracket 
location
Anchor
bracket Tether strap Tether strap position
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