2003 Mazda Protege Owner's Manual - Page 27

J39L_EA.book Page 16 Saturday, June 8, 2002 5:35 PM 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 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. 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 nondeactivated 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. 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. 2-16 Form No. 8Q94-EA-02G