MAZDA MODEL TRIBUTE 2008 Owners Manual (in English)

Seat belt maintenance
Inspect the seat belt systems periodically to make sure they work
properly and are not damaged.
NOTE: If unsure about the proper procedures, bring your vehicle to an
authorized Mazda dealership for inspection. Inspect the seat belts to
make sure there are no nicks, tears or cuts, replacing if necessary. Check
all emergency locking retractors on all outboard seating positions as well
as the automatic locking mode for child safety seats on all seats except
the driver’s seat. 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 tether bracket
assemblies (if equipped), LATCH child seat tether anchors and lower
anchors (if equipped), and attaching hardware, should be inspected after
a collision. Mazda recommends that all seat belt assemblies used in
vehicles involved in a collision be replaced. However, if the collision was
minor and an authorized Mazda technician 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.
The energy absorbing functions may have been activated in a collision so
the restraints should be examined; if the front airbags have deployed, the
pretensioners have also deployed and must be replaced — regardless of
whether there was an occupant in the passenger seat or not. The
optional side airbags are not connected to the pretensioners.
WARNING: Failure to inspect and if necessary replace the seat
belt assembly under the above conditions could result in severe
personal injuries in the event of a collision.
Refer to Interior in theCleaning chapter.
Seat belt warning light and indicator chime
The seat belt warning light illuminates in the instrument cluster and a
chime sounds to remind the occupants to fasten their seat belts.
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Conditions of operation
If... Then...
The driver’s seat belt is not
buckled before the ignition
switch is turned to the ON
position... The seat belt warning light illuminates
1-2 minutes and the warning chime
sounds 4-8 seconds.
The driver’s seat belt is
buckled while the indicator
light is illuminated and the
warning chime is sounding... The seat belt warning light and
warning chime turn off.
The driver’s seat belt is
buckled before the ignition
switch is turned to the ON
position... The seat belt warning light and
indicator chime remain off.
Belt-Minder 
The Belt-Minder feature is a supplemental warning to the seat belt
warning function. This feature provides additional reminders by
intermittently sounding a chime and illuminating the seat belt warning
lamp in the instrument cluster when the driver’s and front passenger’s
seat belt is unbuckled.
The Belt-Minder feature uses information from the front passenger
sensing system to determine if a front seat passenger is present and
therefore potentially in need of a warning. To avoid activating the
Belt-Minder  feature for objects placed in the front passenger seat,
warnings will only be given to large front seat occupants as determined
by the front passenger sensing system.
Both the driver’s and passenger’s seat belt usages are monitored and
either may activate the Belt-Minder feature. The warnings are the same
for the driver and the front passenger. If the Belt-Minder warnings have
expired (warnings for approximately 5 minutes) for one occupant (driver
or front passenger), the other occupant can still activate the
Belt-Minder  feature.
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If... Then...
The driver’s and front
passenger’s seat belts are
buckled before the ignition
switch is turned to the
ON position or less than
1-2 minutes have elapsed since
the ignition switch has been
turned ON... The Belt-Minder
feature will not
activate.
The driver’s or front
passenger’s seat belt is not
buckled when the vehicle has
reached at least 5 km/h (3 mph)
and 1-2 minutes have elapsed
since the ignition switch has
been turned to ON... The Belt-Minder
feature is activated
- the seat belt warning light
illuminates and the warning chime
sounds for 6 seconds every
30 seconds, repeating for
approximately 5 minutes or until the
seat belts are buckled.
The driver’s or front
passenger’s seat belt becomes
unbuckled for approximately
1 minute while the vehicle is
traveling at least 5 km/h (3 mph)
and more than 1-2 minutes
have elapsed since the ignition
switch has been turned to ON...
The Belt-Minder feature is activated
- the seat belt warning light
illuminates and the warning chime
sounds for 6 seconds every
30 seconds, repeating for
approximately 5 minutes or until the
seat belts are buckled.
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 events
36,700 crashes occur every day.
The more we drive, the more we are
exposed to
rare
events, 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
25 miles of home.
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Reasons given... Consider...

Belts are uncomfortable
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. Seat
Belt Warning Chime 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
.
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WARNING: Always wear the seat belt. Do not be tempted to sit
on top of the belt to fool police or to defeat the warning
system. The seat belt and seat belt warning system are there to
protect your life.
One time disable
If at any time the driver/front passenger quickly buckles then unbuckles
the seat belt for that seating position, the Belt-Minder is disabled for
the current ignition cycle. The Belt-Minder feature will enable during
the same ignition cycle if the occupant buckles and remains buckled for
approximately 30 seconds. Confirmation is not given for the one time
disable.
Deactivating/activating the Belt-Minder feature
The driver and front passenger Belt-Minder are
deactivated/activated independently. When deactivating/activating
one seating position, do not buckle the other position as this will
terminate the process.
Read Step s1-4thoroughly before proceeding with the
deactivation/activation programming procedure.
The driver and front passenger Belt-Minder features can be
deactivated/activated by performing the following procedure:
Before following the procedure, make sure that:
• The parking brake is set
• The gearshift is in P (Park) (automatic transmission)
• The gearshift is in N (Neutral) (manual transmission)
• The ignition switch is in the OFF position
• The driver and front passenger seat belts are unbuckled
WARNING: While the design allows you to deactivate your
Belt-Minder , this system is designed to improve your chances
of being safely belted and surviving an accident. We recommend
you leave the Belt-Minder system activated for yourself and
others who may use the vehicle. To reduce the risk of injury, do
not deactivate/activate the Belt-Minder feature while driving
the vehicle.
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1. Turn the ignition switch to the RUN (or ON) position. (DO NOT START THE ENGINE)
2. Wait until the seat belt warning light turns off. (Approximately 1 minute)
• Step 3 must be completed within 50 seconds after the seat belt
warning light turns off.
3. For the seating position being disabled, buckle then unbuckle the seat belt 9 times, ending in the unbuckled state. (Step 3 must be
completed within 50 seconds after the seat belt warning light turns
off.)
• After Step 3, the seat belt warning light will be turned on for three
seconds.
4. Within approximately 7 seconds of the light turning off, buckle then unbuckle the seat belt.
• This will disable the Belt-Minder feature for that seating position if it
is currently enabled. As confirmation, the seat belt warning light will
flash 4 times per second for 3 seconds.
• This will enable the Belt-Minder feature for that seating position if it
is currently disabled. As confirmation, the seat belt warning light will
flash 4 times per second for 3 seconds, followed by 3 seconds with the
light off, then followed by the seat belt warning light flashing 4 times
per second for 3 seconds again.
• After receiving confirmation, the deactivation/activation procedure is
complete.
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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
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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.
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Children and airbags
For additional important safety
information, read all information on
safety restraints in this guide. WARNING: Children must
always be properly restrained.
Accident statistics suggest that
children are safer when
properly restrained in the rear
seating positions rather than
in the front seating position.
Failure to follow these
instructions may increase the
risk of injury in a collision.
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. Secure the seat and the
child in it properly.
How does the airbag supplemental restraint system work?
The airbag SRS is designed to
activate when the vehicle sustains
longitudinal deceleration sufficient
to cause the sensors to close an
electrical circuit that initiates airbag
inflation.
The fact that the airbags did not
inflate in a collision does not mean
that something is wrong with the
system. Rather, it means the forces
were not of the type sufficient to
cause activation. Airbags are designed to inflate in frontal and
near-frontal collisions, not rollover, side-impact, or rear-impacts unless
the collision causes sufficient longitudinal deceleration.
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The airbags inflate and deflate
rapidly upon activation. After airbag
deployment, it is normal to notice a
smoke-like, powdery residue or
smell the burnt propellant. This may
consist of cornstarch, talcum
powder or sodium compounds which
may irritate the skin and eyes, but
none of the residue is toxic.
While the SRS is designed to help
reduce serious injuries, contact with
a deploying airbag may also cause
abrasions, swelling or temporary
hearing loss. Because airbags must
inflate rapidly and with considerable
force, there is the risk of death or
serious injuries such as fractures, facial and eye injuries or internal
injuries, particularly to occupants who are not properly restrained or are
otherwise out of position at the time of airbag deployment. It is
extremely important that occupants be properly restrained as far away
from the airbag module as possible while maintaining vehicle control. WARNING:
Several airbag system components get hot after
inflation. Do not touch them after inflation or you may be burned.
WARNING: If the airbag and seat belt pretensioners have
deployed, the airbag or seat belt pretensioners will not function
again and must be replaced immediately. If the airbag or seat
belt pretensioners are not replaced, the unrepaired area will
increase the risk of injury in a collision.
The SRS consists of:
• driver and passenger airbag modules (which include the inflators and
airbags),
• seat-mounted side airbags (if equipped). Refer to Seat-mounted side
airbag system later in this chapter
• one or more impact and safing sensors,
• a readiness light and tone
• diagnostic module
• and the electrical wiring which connects the components.
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