Essential Safety Equipment; Seat Belt Systems; this owner's manual:- Page 29

2–17

Essential Safety Equipment

Seat Belt Systems

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 
suffi cient occupant movement.
  Even if the pretensioners have not fi red, 
the load limiting function must be checked 
by an Authorized Mazda Dealer.

WARNING

  Wear seat belts only as recommended in 
this owner's manual:

  Incorrect positioning of the driver 
and front 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   2-15 ).
  

  Have your seat belts changed 
immediately if the pretensioner or load 
limiter has been expended:

  Always have an Authorized Mazda 
Dealer immediately inspect the front 
seat belt pretensioners and air bags 
after any collision. Like the air bags, the 
front seat belt pretensioners and load 
limiters will only function once and 
must be replaced after any collision 
that caused them to deploy. A seat 
belt with an expended pretensioner or 
load limiter is still better than wearing 
no seat belt at all; however, if the 
front seat belt pretensioners and load 
limiters are not replaced, the risk of 
injury in a collision will increase.  

  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 Authorized 
Mazda Dealer safely dispose of 
the pretensioner system or scrap a 
pretensioner system equipped vehicle.