2003 MAZDA MODEL PROTÉGÉ Owners Manual (in English)

2-30
Essential Safety Equipment
Child Restraint
Form No. 8Q94-EA-02G
NOTE
•Inspect this function before each
use of the child-restraint system.
You should not be able to pull the
shoulder belt out of the retractor
while the system is in the automatic
locking mode. When you remove
the child-restraint system, be sure
the belt fully retracts to return the
system to emergency locking mode
before occupants use the seat belts.
•Follow the child-restraint system
manufacturer’s instruction carefully.
Depending on the type of child-
restraint system, it may not employ
seat belts which are in automatic
locking mode.
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2-31
Essential Safety Equipment
Child Restraint
Form No. 8Q94-EA-02G
Your Mazda is equipped with LATCH lower anchors for attachment of specially designed
LATCH child-restraint systems in the rear seat. Both anchors must be used, otherwise the
seat will bounce around and put the child in danger. Some LATCH child-restraint systems
must also be used in conjunction with a tether to be effective. If they have a tether you must
use it to better assure your child’s safety.
LATCH Child-Restraint Systems
Manufacturer’s Instructions for Child-Restraint System:
An unsecured child-restraint system is dangerous. In a sudden stop or a collision it
could move causing serious injury or death to the child or other occupants. Make sure
the child-restraint system is properly secured in place according to the child-restraint
system manufacturer’s instructions.
Attaching Two Child-Restraint Systems to the Same LATCH Lower Anchor:
Attaching two child-restraint systems to the same LATCH lower anchor is dangerous.
In a collision, one anchor may not be strong enough to hold two child-restraint system
attachments and may break, causing serious injury or death. If you use the seat
position for another child-restraint system when an outboard LATCH position is
occupied, use the center seat belts instead, and the tether if tether-equipped.
Unsecured Child-Restraint System:
An unsecured child-restraint system is dangerous. In a sudden stop or a collision it
could move causing serious injury or death to the child or other occupants. Follow the
child-restraint system manufacturer’s instructions on belt routing to secure the seat
just as you would with a child in it so that nobody is tempted to put a child in an
improperly secured seat later on. When not in use, remove it from the vehicle or fasten
it with a seat belt, or latch it down to BOTH LATCH lower anchors.
LATCH Child-Restraint Systems:
Not following the child-restraint system manufacturer’s instructions when installing
the child-restraint system is dangerous. If seat belts or a foreign object prevent the
child-restraint system from being securely attached to the LATCH lower anchors and
the child-restraint system is installed improperly, the child-restraint system could
move in a sudden stop or collision causing serious injury or death to the child or other
occupants. When installing the child-restraint system, make sure there are no seat
belts or foreign objects near or around the LATCH lower anchors. Always follow the
child-restraint system manufacturer’s instructions.
WARNING
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2-32
Essential Safety Equipment
Child Restraint
Form No. 8Q94-EA-02G

Child-Restraint System
Installation Procedure (Rear
Outboard Seats)
1. Expand the area between the seat
bottom and the seatback slightly to
verify the locations of the LATCH
lower anchors.
2. Secure the child-restraint system using
BOTH LATCH lower anchors,
following the child-restraint system
manufacturer’s instruction.3. If your child-restraint system came
equipped with a tether, that probably
means it is very important to properly
secure the tether for child safety, please
carefully follow the child-restraint
system manufacturer’s instructions
when installing tethers.
NOTE
The markings above the LATCH lower
anchors indicate the locations of
LATCH lower anchors for the
attachment of a child-restraint system.
For rear
right seatFor rear left seat
LATCH
lower anchorMarking
Sedan
For rear right seatFor rear left seat
CoverOpen
Tether strapSedan
Anchor
bracket
Hatchback
(Outboard position)
For rear left seat
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Essential Safety Equipment
Child Restraint
Form No. 8Q94-EA-02G

Child-Restraint System
Installation Procedure (Rear
Center Seat)
The LATCH lower anchors at the center
of the rear seat are much further apart than
the sets of LATCH lower anchors for
child-restraint system installation at other
seating positions. Child-restraint systems
with rigid LATCH attachments cannot be
installed on the center seating position.
Some LATCH equipped child-restraint
systems can be placed in the center
position and will reach the nearest
LATCH lower anchors which are 400 mm
(15.75 in) apart. LATCH compatible
child-restraint systems (with attachments
on belt webbing) can be used at this
seating position only if the child-restraint
system instructions state that the child-
restraint system can be installed to
LATCH lower anchors that are 400 mm
(15.75 in) apart. Do not attach two child-
restraint systems to the same LATCH
lower anchor. If any child-restraint system
has a tether, it must be used also for your
child’s optimum safety.
Child-Restraint Tether Usage:
Using the tether to secure anything
but a child-restraint system is
dangerous. This could weaken or
damage the tether or tether anchor
and result in injury. Use the tether
and tether anchor only for a child-
restraint system.
Incorrect Positioning of the Tether
Strap (Hatchback):
Positioning the tether strap on top of
the head restraint is dangerous. In a
collision, the head restraint could
bend or break. This will cause the
strap to loosen. The child-restraint
system could move and injure the
child or someone else. Always
position the tether strap between the
head restraint and the seatback.
Anchor
bracket Hatchback
(Outboard position)
WARNING
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2-34
Essential Safety Equipment
Child Restraint
Form No. 8Q94-EA-02G
1. Expand the area between the seat
bottom and the seatback slightly to
verify the locations of the LATCH
lower anchors.
2. Secure the child-restraint system using
BOTH LATCH lower anchors,
following the child-restraint system
manufacturer’s instructions.3. If your child-restraint system came
equipped with a tether, that probably
means it is very important to properly
secure the tether for child safety, please
carefully follow the child-restraint
system manufacturer’s instructions
when installing tethers.
NOTE
The markings above the LATCH lower
anchors indicate the locations of
LATCH lower anchors for the
attachment of a child-restraint system.
For rear center seat
LATCH
lower anchorMarking
Sedan
For rear center seat
CoverOpen
Tether strapSedan
Anchor
bracket
Hatchback
(Center position)
For rear center seat
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2-35
Essential Safety Equipment
Child Restraint
Form No. 8Q94-EA-02G
Child-Restraint Tether Usage:
Using the tether to secure anything
but a child-restraint system is
dangerous. This could weaken or
damage the tether or tether anchor
and result in injury. Use the tether
and tether anchor only for a child-
restraint system.
Anchor
bracket Hatchback
(Center position)
WARNING
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Essential Safety Equipment
Form No. 8Q94-EA-02G
SRS Air Bags
Read this owner’s manual carefully to verify what air bags (driver-side air bag, passenger-
side air bag, side air bags) are equipped in your vehicle.
The front and side supplemental restraint systems (SRS) include 4 air bags (verify "SRS
AIR BAG" location indicator marks).
They are located in:
•The steering wheel hub
•The passenger side dashboard
•The outboard sides of the front seatbacks
These systems operate independently depending on the type of accident encountered; if
you have side air bags, the side air bags are not likely to deploy on both sides in the same
accident because a vehicle is not often hit from both sides. The side air bags work together
but they and the frontal air bag system will not normally deploy during the same type of
accident unless a combination of frontal and side impacts occur.
The air bag supplemental restraint systems are designed to provide only supplemental
protection only in the front seats in a few modes, so seat belts become important in the
following ways:
Without seat belt usage, the air bags cannot provide adequate protection during an accident.
Seat belt usage is necessary to:
•Keep the passenger away from an inflating air bag.
•Reduce the possibility of injuries during an accident that is not designed for air bag
inflation, such as roll-over or rear impact.
•Reduce the possibility of injuries in frontal or side collisions that are not severe enough
to activate the air bags.
•Reduce the possibility of being thrown from your vehicle.
•Reduce the possibility of injuries to lower body and legs during an accident because the
air bags provide no protection to these parts.
•Hold the driver in a position which allows better control of the vehicle.
Supplemental Restraint Systems (SRS) Precautions
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Essential Safety Equipment
SRS Air Bags
Form No. 8Q94-EA-02G
Small children, those under 18 kg (40 lb), should be protected by a child-restraint system
(page 2-22).
Carefully consider which child-restraint system is necessary for your child and follow the
installation directions in this Owner’s Manual as well as the child-restraint system
manufacturer’s instructions.
Air Bags without Seat Belts:
Depending only on the air bags for protection during an accident is dangerous.
Alone, air bags may not prevent serious injuries. The appropriate air bags can be
expected to inflate only in collisions with frontal, near frontal or side forces that are at
least moderate. Vehicle occupants should always wear seat belts.
Child in the Front Seat:
Placing a child, 12 years or under, in the front seat is dangerous. The child could be
hit by a deploying air bag and be seriously injured or even killed. A sleeping child is
more likely to lean against the door and be hit by the side air bag in a moderate, right-
side collision. Whenever possible, always secure a child 12 years and under on the
rear seat with an appropriate child-restraint system for the child’s age and size.
Rear-Facing Child-Restraint System:
Rear-facing child-restraint systems on the front seat are particularly dangerous.
The child-restraint system can be hit by a deploying air bag and moved violently
backward resulting in serious injury or death to the child. NEVER use a rear-facing
child-restraint system in the front seat with an air bag that could deploy.
Seating Position with Front Air Bags:
Sitting too close to the air bag storage compartments or placing hands or feet on them
is extremely dangerous. Front Air bags inflate with great force and speed. Serious
injuries could occur if someone is too close. The driver should always hold onto only
the rim of the steering wheel. The front seat passenger should keep both feet on the
floor. Front seat occupants should adjust their seats as far back as possible and
always sit upright against the seatbacks with seat belts worn properly.
WARNING
Deploying air bag
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