Mazda 2006 MX-5, Owner'S Manual

Page: 22 / 378

Black plate (22,1)
Seat Belt Pretensioner and
Load Limiting Systems
For optimum protection, the driver and
passenger seat belts are equipped with
pretensioner and load limiting systems.
In moderate or greater frontal or near-
frontal accidents, the air bag and
pretensioner systems deploy
simultaneously. The pretensioners take up
slack in the seat belts as the air bags are
expanding. The seat belt pretensioner
system cannot provide adequate
protection in an accident if the seat belt is
not fastened properly. 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 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
(page 2-8).
WARNING
Expended Seat Belt Pretensioners:
Air bags may deploy, and the
corresponding pretensioner(s) will
also deploy at the same time. Use of
seat belts with the pretensioner system
expended is dangerous. Like the air
bags, the seat belt pretensioners will
only function once. After they are
expended, they will not function again
and must be replaced immediately. If
the seat belt pretensioners are not
replaced, the risk of injury in a
collision will increase. Always have an
Authorized Mazda Dealer inspect the
seat belt pretensioners and air bags
after any collision. Expended seat belt
pretensioners and air bags must be
replaced after any collision which
caused them to deploy. Additionally,
the load limiter will only limit loads on
the chest once in a collision and is
another reason to have the seat belts
inspected.
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 or repairers
could be seriously injured. Never
modify the components or wiring, or
use electronic testing devices on the
pretensioner system.
2-10
Essential Safety Equipment
Seat Belt Systems
MX-5_8U35-EA-05F_Edition2 Page22
Tuesday, June 14 2005 2:31 PM
Form No.8U35-EA-05F