2003 Mazda MAZDA6 Owner's Manual - Page 25

shuseizumi_J56J_8R29_EA_02I.book Page 15 Wednesday, October 16, 2002 9:51 AM Essential Safety Equipment Seat Belt Systems Front Seat Belt Pretensioner and Load Limiting Systems For optimum protection, the driver and front passenger seat belts are equipped with pretensioner and load limiting systems. In moderate or greater frontal or nearfrontal accidents, the front air bag and pretensioner systems deploy simultaneously. The pretensioners take up slack in the front seat belts as the air bags are expanding. The load limiting system releases belt webbing in a controlled manner to reduce belt force on the occupant's chest. WARNING Incorrect Positioning of the Driver and Front Passenger Seat Belts: Incorrect positioning of the driver and 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. Wear seat belts only as recommended in this owner's manual. Expended Seat Belt Pretensioners: Use of front seat belts with the pretensioner system expended is dangerous. The seat belt pretensioners will only function once. After they are expended, they will not work again and must be replaced immediately, even if there was no front seat occupant seated at the time. If the seat belt pretensioners are not replaced, the risk of injury in a collision will increase. Always have an Authorized Mazda Dealer inspect and replace the seat belt pretensioners after a collision. 2-15 Form No. 8R29-EA-02I