warning MAZDA MODEL PROTÉGÉ 2003 Owners Manual (in English)

How to Use This Manual
Form No. 8Q94-EA-02G
We want to help you get the most driving
pleasure from your vehicle. Your owner’s
manual, when read from cover to cover,
can do that in many ways.
Illustrations complement the words of the
manual to best explain how to enjoy your
Mazda. By reading your manual, you can
find out about the features, important
safety information, and driving under
various road conditions.
The above symbol in this manual means
"Do not do this " or "Do not let this
happen".Index:
A good place to start is the Index,
an alphabetical listing of all information
in your manual.
You’ll find several WARNINGs,
CAUTIONs, and NOTEs in the manual.
The above symbol, located on some parts
of the vehicle, indicates that this manual
contains information related to the part.
Please refer to the manual for a detailed
explanation.
A WARNING indicates a situation in
which serious injury or death could
result if the warning is ignored.
A CAUTION indicates a situation in
which bodily injury or damage to your
vehicle, or both, could result if the
caution is ignored.
NOTE
A NOTE provides information and
sometimes suggests how to make
better use of your vehicle.
WARNING
CAUTION
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1-2
Your Vehicle at a Glance
Form No. 8Q94-EA-02G
Dashboard Overview
Ashtray Tilt wheel release lever
Climate control system
Lighter
Glove box
Audio system
Passenger-side air bag
Hazard warning flasher switch
Fog light switch
Power window switches
Power window lock switch Light control / Turn signals Instrument cluster Wiper and washer lever
Driver-side air bag
Cruise control switches
Ignition switch
Center console
Hood release handle
Cup holder
Shift lever Parking brake handle
Rear window defroster switch
(page 5-38)
(page 2-36)
(page 5-23)
(page 5-36)
(page 5-37)
(page 3-18)
(page 3-23)
(page 5-2)
(page 5-19)
(page 6-38)(page 5-41)
(page 6-11)
(page 2-36)
(page 6-39)
(page 6-39)
(page 6-37)
(page 5-40)
(page 6-2) (page 3-14)
(page 3-16)(page 5-5)
(page 5-8)
(page 6-38)
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2-1
Form No. 8Q94-EA-02G
2Essential Safety Equipment
Use of safety equipment, including seats, seat belt system, SRS air bags and
child-restraint systems.
Seats
................................................................................................ 2-2
Front Seats ................................................................................. 2-2
Rear Seat .................................................................................... 2-5
Seat Belt Systems
......................................................................... 2-11
Seat Belt Precautions ............................................................... 2-11
3-Point Type Seat Belt ............................................................. 2-14
Front Seat Belt Pretensioner and Load Limiting Systems ...... 2-16
Rear Center Position Seat Belt ................................................ 2-18
Seat Belt Extender ................................................................... 2-20
Seat Belt Warning Light .......................................................... 2-21
Seat Belt Warning Beep ........................................................... 2-21
Child Restraint
............................................................................ 2-22
Child Restraint Precautions ..................................................... 2-22
Installing Child-Restraint Systems .......................................... 2-25
LATCH Child-Restraint Systems ............................................ 2-31
SRS Air Bags
............................................................................... 2-36
Supplemental Restraint Systems (SRS) Precautions ............... 2-36
Air Bag System Description .................................................... 2-40
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2-2
Essential Safety Equipment
Form No. 8Q94-EA-02G
Seats

Seat Slide
To move a seat forward or backward, raise
the lever and slide the seat to the desired
position and release the lever.
Make sure the lever returns to its original
position and the seat is locked in place by
attempting to push it forward and
backward. Front Seats
Securing the Seats:
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.
Driver’s Seat Adjustment:
Adjusting the driver’s seat while the
vehicle is moving is dangerous. The
driver could lose control of the vehicle
and have an accident. Adjust the
driver’s seat only when the vehicle is
stopped.
WARNING
WARNING
Lever
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2-3
Essential Safety Equipment
Seats
Form No. 8Q94-EA-02G

Seat ReclineTo change the seatback angle, lean
forward slightly while raising the lever.
Then lean back to the desired position and
release the lever.
Make sure the lever returns to its original
position and the seatback is locked in
place by attempting to push it forward and
backward.
Reclining:
Sitting in a reclined position while the
vehicle is moving is dangerous
because you don’t get the full
protection from seat belts. During
sudden braking or a collision, you
can slide under the lap belt and suffer
serious internal injuries. For
maximum protection, sit well back
and upright.
Unlocked Seatback:
A seatback plays an important role in
your protection in a vehicle. Leaving
the seatback unlocked is dangerous as
it can allow 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.
WARNING
When returning a rear-reclined
seatback to its upright position, make
sure you support the seatback while
operating the seatback lever. If the
seatback is not supported, it will flip
forward suddenly and could cause
injury.
Lever
CAUTION
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2-4
Essential Safety Equipment
Seats
Form No. 8Q94-EA-02G

Seat Tilt (Driver’s Seat)
The seat-bottom angle can be adjusted by
rotating the dial.

Head Restraint
Height adjustment
To raise a head restraint, pull it up to the
desired position.
To lower the head restraint, press the stop-
catch release, then push the head restraint
down.
Adjust the head restraint so that the top is
parallel with the top of the passenger’s
ears, never the passenger’s neck.
Up
Down
Dial
Front of seat bottom
Up
Down
DialRear of seat bottom
Head Restraints Adjustment:
Driving with the head restraints
adjusted too low or removed is
dangerous. With no support behind
your head, your neck could be
seriously injured in a collision.
Always drive with the head restraints
inserted when seats are being used
and make sure they are properly
adjusted.
WARNING
Stop-catch release
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2-5
Essential Safety Equipment
Seats
Form No. 8Q94-EA-02G
Rear Seat
Stacking Cargo:
Stacking luggage or other cargo
higher than the seatbacks, and
putting things on the rear package
tray or on the luggage compartment
cover is dangerous. During sudden
braking or a collision, objects can
become projectiles that may hit and
injure passengers. Don’t stack things
higher than the seatbacks or put
things on the rear package tray or on
the luggage compartment cover.
Securing Seats:
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.
Unlocked Seatback:
A seatback plays an important role in
your protection in a vehicle. Leaving
the seatback unlocked is dangerous as
it can allow 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.
WARNING
Passenger on the Folded Seatback:
Driving with a passenger on the
folded seatback is dangerous.
Allowing a child to sit up on the
folded seatback while the vehicle is
moving is particularly dangerous. In
a sudden stop or even a minor
collision, a child not in a proper seat
or child-restraint system and seat belt
could be thrown forward, back or
even out of the car resulting in
serious injuries or death. The child or
other objects in the baggage area
could be thrown into other occupants
and cause serious injury. Never allow
a passenger to sit or stand on the
folded seatback while the vehicle is
moving.
Children and the Folding Rear Seats:
Playing with the folding rear seats is
dangerous. Once the seats are back
up, a child in the trunk would not be
able to get out the way they had
entered. If you have small children,
keep the seatbacks locked (sedan). Do
not give the car keys to children and
do not allow them to play in the
vehicle.
NOTE
When returning a rear seat to its
original position, also replace the seat
belt to its normal position. Verify that
the seat belt pulls and retracts.
WARNING
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2-9
Essential Safety Equipment
Seats
Form No. 8Q94-EA-02G
To i n s t a l l
1. Insert the ends of the seat bottom lever
into the holders.
2. Return the seat bottom to its original
position.
Head Restraint
Riding in Area with Rear Seat Bottom
Removed:
Riding in the area where a rear seat
bottom has been removed is
dangerous. Sudden braking or a
collision could cause serious injury.
Do not sit or lie in the area where a
rear seat bottom has been removed
while the vehicle is moving. Never
ride in a vehicle where you can’t sit in
the seat and wear the seat belt.
WARNING
•Putting your fingers between the
seat bottom and floor is dangerous.
You could injure your fingers.
When replacing the seat bottom, be
careful not to catch your fingers
between the seat bottom and floor.
•After replacing the seat bottom to
its original position, make sure all
seat belt buckles are on top of the
seat bottom and the seat belts are
not twisted. Twisting or placing the
seat belts under the seat bottom
could damage the seat belts.
Head Restraints Adjustment:
Driving with the head restraints
adjusted too low or removed is
dangerous. With no support behind
your head, your neck could be
seriously injured in a collision.
Always drive with the head restraints
inserted when seats are being used
and make sure they are properly
adjusted.
CAUTION
WARNING
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2-11
Essential Safety Equipment
Form No. 8Q94-EA-02G
Seat Belt Systems
Seat belts help to decrease the possibility of severe injury during accidents and sudden
stops. Mazda recommends that the driver and all passengers always wear seat belts.
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 front passenger’s seat and rear lap/shoulder belt retractors operate in two
modes: emergency locking mode, and for child-restraint systems, automatic locking mode.
Seat Belt Precautions
Not Wearing Seat Belts:
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. Always wear your seat
belt and make sure all occupants are properly restrained.
Seat Belt Damaged During an Accident:
Using a damaged seat belt is dangerous. An accident could damage the belt webbing
of the seat belt in use. A damaged seat belt cannot provide adequate protection in a
collision. Have an Authorized Mazda Dealer inspect all seat belt systems in use during
an accident before they are used again.
Twisted Seat Belts:
Twisted seat belts are dangerous. In a collision, the full width of the belt isn’t
available to absorb the impact. This puts more force on the bones beneath the belt,
which could break them or cause other serious injury or death. Don’t wear twisted
seat belts.
WARNING
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2-12
Essential Safety Equipment
Seat Belt Systems
Form No. 8Q94-EA-02G

Pregnant Women and Persons with Serious Medical Conditions
Pregnant women should wear seat belts. Ask your doctor for specific recommendations.
The lap belt should be worn SNUGLY AND AS LOW AS POSSIBLE OVER THE HIPS.
The shoulder belt should be worn across your shoulder properly, but never across the
stomach area.
Persons with serious medical conditions also should wear seat belts. Check with your
doctor for any special instructions regarding specific medical conditions.
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.
Belt retraction may become difficult if the belts and rings are soiled, so try to keep them
clean.
WARNING
CAUTION
Ring
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