2026 Mazda CX-50

This report concerns the design of the front seat belt reminder system, which I believe creates a safety hazard. The audible warning begins the instant the engine starts — while the vehicle is stationary in Park — is very loud, and repeats indefinitely until the belt is latched. Federal Standard No. 208 requires only a short warning (up to 8 seconds); this immediate, persistent chime is a voluntary design choice. Other manufacturers (e.g., Honda) meet the same standard while chiming only once the vehicle is in motion, which is sufficient and far less intrusive. The safety problem: because the warning is so aggravating, owners are defeating their own seat belt systems. Owners across the Mazda lineup — CX-5, CX-30, CX-50, CX-90, Mazda3, and Mazda6 — publicly document this on owner forums ([XXX], [XXX], [XXX], [XXX], [XXX], [XXX]) and in TikTok and YouTube tutorials. Common methods include cutting or de-pinning the buckle-latch wire so the car always reads as belted, and installing uncertified seat belt extenders or dummy buckles. The buckle-latch signal feeds the airbag/SRS control module and affects airbag and pretensioner deployment, so these workarounds degrade crash protection. NHTSA's own research notes that reminders annoying enough to be circumvented reduce seat belt use. Mazda has acknowledged the excessive chime volume in Technical Service Bulletin 09-002-24. The system operates as designed — the design itself is the hazard. Symptom: continuous chime and belt warning light at startup while in Park; vehicle available for inspection on request. I request that NHTSA review whether this reminder design induces unsafe circumvention and should be revised. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)