Mazda B3000 (2002 year). Instruction

The following are reasons most often given for not wearing safety belts:
(All statistics based on U.S. data)

Reasons given...

Consider...

9Crashes are rare events9

36,700 crashes occur every day.
The more we drive, the more we are
exposed to

9rare9 events, even for

good drivers. 1 in 4 of us will be
seriously injured in a crash during
our lifetime.

9I’m not going far9

3 of 4 fatal crashes occur within 25
miles of home.

9Belts are uncomfortable9

Safety belts are designed to enhance
comfort. If you are uncomfortable -
try different positions for the safety
belt upper anchorage and seatback
which should be as upright as
possible; this can improve comfort.

9I was in a hurry9

Prime time for an accident. Belt
Minder reminds us to take a few
seconds to buckle up.

9Seat belts don’t work9

Safety belts, when used properly,
reduce risk of death to front seat
occupants by 45% in cars, and by
60% in light trucks.

9Traffic is light9

Nearly 1 of 2 deaths occur in
single-vehicle crashes, many when
no other vehicles are around.

9Belts wrinkle my clothes9

Possibly, but a serious crash can do
much more than wrinkle your clothes,
particularly if you are unbelted.

9The people I’m with don’t
wear belts

Set the example, teen deaths occur 4
times more often in vehicles with
TWO or MORE people. Children and
younger brothers/sisters imitate
behavior they see.

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Reasons given...

Consider...

9I have an air bag9

Air bags offer greater protection when
used with safety belts. Frontal airbags
are not designed to inflate in rear and
side crashes or rollovers.

9I’d rather be thrown clear9

Not a good idea. People who are
ejected are 40 times more likely
to DIE. Safety belts help prevent
ejection, WE CAN’T

9PICK OUR

CRASH

WARNING: Do not sit on top of a buckled safety belt to avoid
the Safety Belt Warning Light. Sitting on the safety belt will
increase the risk of injury in an accident.

One time disable

Any time the safety belt is buckled and then unbuckled during an
ignition ON cycle, BeltMinder will be disabled for that ignition cycle only.

Deactivating/activating the BeltMinder feature

Read steps 1 - 9 thoroughly before proceeding with the
deactivation/activation programming procedure.

The BeltMinder feature can be deactivated/activated by performing the
following procedure:

Before following the procedure, make sure that:
• The parking brake is set.
• The gearshift is in P (Park) (automatic transmission) or the neutral

position (manual transmission).

• The ignition switch is in the OFF position.
• All vehicle doors are closed.
• The driver’s safety belt is unbuckled.
• The parklamps/headlamps are in OFF position (If vehicle is equipped

with Autolamps, this will not affect the procedure).

WARNING: To reduce the risk of injury, do not
deactivate/activate the Belt Minder feature while driving the
vehicle.

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BeltMinder activation and deactivation procedure

1. Turn the ignition switch to the RUN (or ON) position. (DO NOT

START THE ENGINE.)

2. Wait until the safety belt warning light turns off. (Approximately 1–2

minutes.)

• Steps 3–5 must be completed within 60 seconds or the procedure will

have to be repeated.

3. Buckle then unbuckle the safety belt three times, ending with the

safety belt unbuckled. This can be done before or during BeltMinder
warning activation.

4. Turn on the parklamps/headlamps, turn off the

parklamps/headlamps.

5. Buckle then unbuckle the safety belt three times, ending with the

safety belt unbuckled.

• After step 5 the safety belt warning light will be turned on for three

seconds.

6. Within seven seconds of the safety belt warning light turning off,

buckle then unbuckle the safety belt.

• This will disable BeltMinder if it is currently enabled, or enable

BeltMinder if it is currently disabled.

7. Confirmation of disabling BeltMinder is provided by the safety belt

warning light flashing four times per second for three seconds.

8. Confirmation of enabling BeltMinder is provided by:

• The safety belt warning light flashing four times per second for three

seconds.

• Followed by three seconds with the safety belt warning light off.
• Once again, the safety belt warning light will flash four times per

second for three seconds.

9. After receiving confirmation, the deactivation/activation procedure is

complete.

Safety belt maintenance

Inspect the safety belt systems periodically to make sure they work
properly and are not damaged.

NOTE: If unsure about the proper procedures, bring your vehicle to an
authorized Mazda dealership for inspection. Inspect the safety belts to

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make sure there are no nicks, tears or cuts, replacing if necessary. All
safety belt assemblies, including retractors, buckles, front seat belt
buckle assemblies, buckle support assemblies (slide bar-if equipped),
shoulder belt height adjusters (if equipped), shoulder belt guide on
seatback (if equipped), child safety seat tether bracket assemblies (if
equipped), LATCH child seat tether anchors and lower anchors (if
equipped), and attaching hardware, should be inspected after a collision.
Mazda recommends that all safety belt assemblies used in vehicles
involved in a collision be replaced. However, if the collision was minor
and an authorized Mazda technician finds that the belts do not show
damage and continue to operate properly, they do not need to be
replaced. Safety belt assemblies not in use during a collision should also
be inspected and replaced if either damage or improper operation is
noted.

The energy absorbing functions may have been activated in a collision so
the restraints should be examined; if the front air bags have deployed,
the pretensioners have also deployed and must be replaced — regardless
of whether there was an occupant in the passenger seat or not. The
optional side air bags are not connected to the pretensioners.

WARNING: Failure to inspect and if necessary replace the
safety belt assembly under the above conditions could result in
severe personal injuries in the event of a collision.

Refer to Cleaning and maintaining the safety belts in the Cleaning
chapter.

AIR BAG SUPPLEMENTAL RESTRAINT SYSTEM (SRS)

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Important supplemental restraint system (SRS) precautions

The supplemental restraint system
is designed to work with the safety
belt to help protect the driver and
right front passenger from certain
upper body injuries.

WARNING: Air bags DO NOT
inflate slowly or gently and the
risk of injury from a deploying
air bag is greatest close to the
trim covering the air bag
module. Always wear your
safety belt.

WARNING: Airbags have been
known to kill or injure a child
in front facing child restraints.
When placing a child safety
seat in a front seating position
including the center (if
equipped), you should turn off
the passenger air bag switch
after being certain the child is
properly restrained. If the
child safety seat is in the
outboard seating position,
slide the seat all the way back.

WARNING: Do not install a
child seat in a center facing
jump seat.

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WARNING: Rear facing child seats should NEVER be placed in
the front seats unless the passenger airbag switch is turned off.
See Passenger airbag ON/OFF switch in this chapter.

WARNING: All occupants of the vehicle, including the driver,
should always properly wear their safety belts, even when an
air bag (SRS) is provided.

WARNING: National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
(NHTSA) recommends a minimum distance of at least 25 cm (10
inches) between an occupant’s chest and the driver air bag
module.

WARNING: Never place your arm or feet over the air bag
module as a deploying air bag can result in serious arm
fractures or other injuries.

WARNING: Never place a rear facing infant seat in the front
seat unless the passenger air bag is turned off.

Steps you can take to properly position yourself away from the airbag:
• Move your seat to the rear as far as you can while still reaching the

pedals comfortably.

• Recline the seat slightly (one or two degrees) from the upright

position.

WARNING: Do not put anything on or over the air bag module
including hands or feet. Placing objects on or over the air bag
inflation area may cause those objects to be propelled by the
air bag into your face and torso causing serious injury.

WARNING: Do not attempt to service, repair, or modify the Air
Bag Supplemental Restraint System or its fuses. See your
authorized Mazda dealership.

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WARNING: Modifications to the front end of the vehicle,
including frame, bumper, front end body structure, tow hooks
and snow plows may effect the performance of the air bag
sensors increasing the risk of injury. Do not modify the front
end of the vehicle.

WARNING: Additional equipment may effect the performance
of the air bag sensors increasing the risk of injury. Consult your
authorized Mazda dealership before installation of additional
equipment.

WARNING: The front passenger air bag is not designed to offer
protection to an occupant in the center front seating position.

Children and air bags

For additional important safety information, read all information on
safety restraints in this guide.

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WARNING: Never place a rearward facing child safety restraint
in front of an airbag. Airbags have been known to kill or injure
children in front facing child safety restraints. Whenever
placing a child safety seat in a front seating position (including
center if equipped), turn off the passenger side air bag switch
after being certain the child is properly restrained. If using a
forward facing child safety restraint in the front outboard seat,
slide the seat all the way back, and turn off the passenger air
bag. If using a rear facing child safety seat in the front
outboard seating position, make sure the passenger airbag is
turned off and slide the passenger seat all the way forward
until the safety seat rests on the dashboard. See Passenger air
bag on/off switch

in this chapter.

WARNING: Do not install a child seat in a center facing jump
seat.

WARNING: An air bag can kill or injure a child in a child seat.
Child seats should never be placed in the front seats, unless
passenger air bag switch is turned off. See Passenger air bag
on/off switch

in this chapter.

WARNING: Rear facing child seats should NEVER be placed in
the front seats unless the passenger airbag switch is turned off.

WARNING: Booster seats must be installed only in seating
positions equipped with a combination lap/shoulder belt.

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How does the air bag supplemental restraint system work?

The air bag SRS is designed to
activate when the vehicle sustains
sufficient longitudinal deceleration.

The fact that the air bags did not
inflate in a collision does not mean
that something is wrong with the
system. Rather, it means the forces
were not of the type sufficient to
cause activation. Air bags are
designed to inflate in frontal and
near-frontal collisions, not rollover,
side-impact, or rear-impacts.

The air bags inflate and deflate
rapidly upon activation. After air bag
deployment, it is normal to notice a
smoke-like, powdery residue or
smell the burnt propellant. This may
consist of cornstarch, talcum
powder (to lubricate the bag) or
sodium compounds (e.g., baking
soda) that result from the
combustion process that inflates the
air bag. Small amounts of sodium
hydroxide may be present which
may irritate the skin and eyes, but
none of the residue is toxic.

While the system is designed to help
reduce serious injuries, it may also
cause minor abrasions, swelling or temporary hearing loss. Because air
bags must inflate rapidly and with considerable force, there is the risk of
death or serious injuries such as fractures, facial and eye injuries or
internal injuries, particularly to occupants who are not properly
restrained or are otherwise out of position at the time of air bag
deployment. Thus, it is extremely important that occupants be properly
restrained as far away from the air bag module as possible while
maintaining vehicle control.

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WARNING: Several air bag system components get hot after
inflation. Do not touch them after inflation or you may be
burned.

WARNING: If the air bag has deployed, the air bag will not
function again and must be replaced immediately. If the air bag
is not replaced, the unrepaired area will increase the risk of
injury in a collision.

The SRS consists of:
• driver and passenger air bag modules (which include the inflators and

air bags),

• passenger air bag deactivation switch and restraint control module

(RCM)

• a readiness light and tone,
• and the electrical wiring which connects the components.
The RCM (restraints control module) monitors its own internal circuits
and the supplemental air bag electrical system warning (including the
passenger air bag deactivation switch, the system wiring, the air bag
system readiness light, the air bag back up power and the air bag
ignitors).

Determining if the system is operational

The SRS uses readiness lights in the instrument cluster and the
passenger air bag deactivate switch or a tone to indicate the condition of
the system. Refer to the Air bag readiness section in the
Instrumentation chapter or Passenger air bag deactivate switch
section in this chapter. Routine maintenance of the air bag is not
required.

A difficulty with the system is indicated by one or more of the following:
• The readiness lights will either

flash or stay lit.

• The readiness lights will not

illuminate immediately after
ignition is turned on.

• A series of five beeps will be heard. The tone pattern will repeat

periodically until the problem and/or light are repaired.

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If any of these things happen, even intermittently, have the SRS serviced
at your authorized Mazda dealership immediately.

WARNING: Unless serviced, the system may not function
properly in the event of a collision.

Disposal of air bags and air bag equipped vehicles (including
safety belt pretensioners)

For disposal of air bags or air bag equipped vehicles, see your authorized
Mazda dealership or qualified technician. Air bags MUST BE disposed of
by qualified personnel.

Passenger air bag ON/OFF switch

WARNING: An air bag
ON/OFF switch has been
installed in this vehicle. Before
driving, always look at the
face of the switch to be sure
the switch is in the proper
position in accordance with
these instructions and
warnings. Failure to put the
switch in a proper position can
increase the risk of serious
injury or death in a collision.

Turning the passenger air bag off

1. Insert the ignition key, turn the

switch to OFF position and hold
in OFF position while removing
the key.

2. When the ignition switch is

turned to the ON position the
OFF light illuminates briefly,
momentarily shuts off and then
turns back on. This indicates
that the passenger air bag is
deactivated.

OFF

PASSENGER AIRBAG

OFF

PASSENGER AIRBAG

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WARNING: If the OFF light fails to illuminate when the
passenger air bag switch is in the OFF position and the ignition
switch is in ON, have the passenger air bag switch serviced at
you authorized Mazda dealership.

WARNING: In order to avoid inadvertent activation of the
switch, always remove the ignition key from the passenger air
bag ON/OFF switch.

Turning the passenger air bag back on

The passenger air bag remains OFF until you turn it back ON.

1. Insert the ignition key and turn

the switch to ON.

2. The OFF light will briefly

illuminate when the ignition is
turned to ON. This indicates
that the passenger air bag is
operational.

WARNING: If the light is illuminated when the passenger air
bag ON/OFF switch is in the ON position and the ignition switch
is ON, have the passenger air bag ON/OFF switch serviced at
your authorized Mazda dealership immediately.

The passenger side air bag should always be ON (the air bag OFF light
should not be illuminated) unless the passenger is a person who meets
the requirements stated either in Category 1, 2 or 3 of the
NHTSA/Transport Canada deactivation criteria which follows.

OFF

PASSENGER AIRBAG

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WARNING: The safety belts for the driver and right front
passenger seating positions have been specifically designed to
function together with the air bags in certain types of crashes.
When you turn OFF your air bag, you not only lose the
protection of the air bag, you also may reduce the effectiveness
of your safety belt system, which was designed to work with the
air bag. If you are not a person who meets the requirements
stated in the NHTSA/Transport Canada deactivation criteria
turning OFF the air bag can increase the risk of serious injury
or death in a collision.

WARNING: Always use safety belts and child restraints
properly. If a child in a rear facing infant seat must be
transported in front, the passenger air bag must be turned OFF.
This is because the back of the infant seat is too close to the
inflating air bag and the risk of a fatal injury to the infant when
the air bag inflates is substantial.

The vast majority of drivers and passengers are much safer with an air
bag than without. To do their job and reduce the risk of life threatening
injuries, air bags must open with great force, and this force can pose a
potentially deadly risk in some situations, particularly when a front seat
occupant is not properly buckled up. The most effective way to reduce
the risk of unnecessary air bag injuries without reducing the overall
safety of the vehicle is to make sure all occupants are properly
restrained in the vehicle, especially in the front seat. This provides the
protection of safety belts and permits the air bags to provide the
additional protection they were designed to provide. If you choose to
deactivate your air bag, you are losing the very significant risk reducing
benefits of the air bag and you are also reducing the effectiveness of the
safety belts, because safety belts in modern vehicles are designed to
work as a safety system with the air bags.

Read all air bag Warning labels in the vehicle as well as the other
important air bag instructions and Warnings in this Owner’s Guide.

NHTSA deactivation criteria (excluding Canada)

1. Infant. An infant (less than 1 year old) must ride in the front seat

because:

• the vehicle has no rear seat;
• the vehicle has a rear seat too small to accommodate a rear-facing

infant seat; or

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• the infant has a medical condition which, according to the infant’s

physician, makes it necessary for the infant to ride in the front so that
the driver can constantly monitor the child’s condition.

2. Child age 1 to 12. A child age 1 to 12 must ride in the front seat

because:

• the vehicle has no rear seat;
• although children ages 1 to 12 ride in the rear seat(s) whenever

possible, children ages 1 to 12 sometimes must ride in the front
because no space is available in the rear seat(s) of the vehicle; or

• the child has a medical condition which, according to the child’s

physician, makes it necessary for the child to ride in the front seat so
that the driver can constantly monitor the child’s condition.

3. Medical condition. A passenger has a medical condition which,

according to his or her physician:

• causes the passenger air bag to pose a special risk for the passenger;

and

• makes the potential harm from the passenger air bag in a crash

greater than the potential harm from turning OFF the air bag and
allowing the passenger, even if belted, to hit the dashboard or
windshield in a crash.

WARNING: This vehicle has special energy management safety
belts for the driver and/or right front passenger. These
particular belts are specifically designed to work with air bags
to help reduce the risk of injury in a collision. The energy
management safety belt is designed to give or release additional
belt webbing in some accidents to reduce concentration of force
on an occupant’s chest and reduce the risk of certain bone
fractures and injuries to underlying organs. In a crash, if the air
bag is turned OFF, this energy management safety belt might
permit the person wearing the belt to move forward enough to
incur a serious or fatal injury. The more severe the crash, and
the heavier the occupant, the greater the risk is. Be sure the air
bag is turned ON for any person who does not qualify under the
NHTSA deactivation criteria.

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Transport Canada air bag deactivation criteria (Canada Only)

1. Infant: An infant (less than 1 year old) must ride in the front seat

because:

• my vehicle has no rear seat;
• the rear seat in my vehicle cannot accommodate a rear-facing infant

seat; or

• the infant has a medical condition which, according to the infant’s

physician, makes it necessary for the infant to ride in the front seat so
that the driver can monitor the infant’s condition.

2. Child age 12 or under: A child age 12 or under must ride in the

front seat because:

• my vehicle has no rear seat;
• although children age 12 and under ride in the rear seat whenever

possible, children age 12 and under have no option but to sometimes
ride in the front seat because rear seat space is insufficient; or

• the child has a medical condition that, according to the child’s

physician, makes it necessary for the child to ride in the front seat so
that the driver can monitor the child’s condition.

3. Medical condition: A passenger has a medical condition that,

according to his or her physician:

• poses a special risk for the passenger if the air bag deploys; and
• makes the potential harm from the passenger air bag deployment

greater than the potential harm from turning OFF the air bag and
experiencing a crash without the protection offered by the air bag

Transport Canada air bag deactivation criteria (continued)

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SAFETY RESTRAINTS FOR CHILDREN

See the following sections for directions on how to properly use safety
restraints for children. Also see Air bag supplemental restraint system
(SRS) in this chapter for special instructions about using air bags.

Important child restraint precautions

NOTE:You are required by law to use a child-restraint system in the U.S.
and Canada. Check your local and state or provincial laws for specific
requirements regarding the safety of children in your vehicle.

WARNING: Never let a passenger hold a child on his or her lap
while the vehicle is moving. The passenger cannot protect the
child from injury in a collision.

NOTE:Always follow the instructions and warnings that come with any
infant or child restraint you might use.

WARNING: Air bags can kill or injure a child in a child seat.
Never place a rear facing child seat in front of an active air bag.
If you must use a forward facing child seat in the front seat,
position the vehicle seat fully rearward and turn the passenger
air bag off.

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Mazda B3000 (2002 year). Instruction - part 8