2004 MAZDA MODEL 3 4-DOOR Owners Manual

2-29
Essential Safety Equipment
Child Restraint
Form No. 8S18-EA-03I

Front Passenger
’s Seat Child-
Restraint System Installation
1. Slide the seat as far back as possible.
2. Secure the child-restraint system with
the lap portion of the lap/shoulder belt.
See the manufacturer ’s instructions on
the child-restraint system for belt
routing instructions.
3. To get the retractor into the automatic locking mode, pull the shoulder belt
portion of the seat belt until the entire
length of the belt is out of the retractor.
4. Push the child-restraint system firmly into the vehicle seat. Be sure the belt
retracts as snugly as possible. Clicking
from the retractor will be heard during
retraction if the system is in automatic
locking mode. If the belt does not lock
the seat down tight, repeat the previous
step and also this one.Children and Seating Position with
Side and Curtain Air Bags:
Allowing anyone to lean over or
against the front door, the area of
front seat, front and rear window
pillars and the roof edge along both
sides which the side and curtain air
bags deploy even though using a
child-restraint system is dangerous. If
the vehicle is equipped with side and
curtain air bags, the impact of
inflation could cause serious injury
or death to the child. Furthermore,
leaning over or against the front door
could block the side and curtain air
bags and eliminate the advantages of
supplemental protection. With the
front air bag and the additional side
air bag that comes out of the front
seat, the rear seat is always a better
location for children. Do not allow a
child to lean over or against the
doors, even if the child is seated in a
child-restraint system.
WARNING
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2-30
Essential Safety Equipment
Child Restraint
Form No. 8S18-EA-03I
5. Make sure the front passenger air bag deactivation indicator light illuminates
after installing a child-restraint system
on the front passenger seat.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 instructions
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. 8S18-EA-03I
Seating a Child in a Child-Restraint
System on the Front Passenger Seat
With the Front Passenger Air Bag
Deactivation Indicator Light Not
Illuminated:
Seating a child in a child-restraint
system installed on the front
passenger seat with the front
passenger air bag deactivation
indicator light not illuminated is
dangerous. If the front passenger air
bag deactivation indicator light does
not illuminate even when the total
seated weight is less than
approximately 30 kg (66 lb), this
means that the front passenger front
and side air bags, and seat belt
pretensioner are ready for
deployment. If an accident were to
deploy an air bag, a child sitting in
the front passenger seat could be
seriously injured or killed. If the front
passenger air bag deactivation
indicator light does not illuminate
after installing a child-restraint
system on the front passenger seat,
install the child-restraint system on
the rear seat and consult an
Authorized Mazda Dealer as soon as
possible. While it is always better to
install any child-restraint system on
the rear seat, it is essential to do so if
the front passenger air bag
deactivation indicator light does not
illuminate. For further details, refer
to "Front passenger seat weight
sensors (page 2-44)".
WARNING
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2-32
Essential Safety Equipment
Child Restraint
Form No. 8S18-EA-03I
Your Mazda is equipped with LATCH lower anchors for attachment of specially designed
LATCH child-restraint systems in the rear outboard seats. 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 for LATCH child-
restraint systems.
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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2-33
Essential Safety Equipment
Child Restraint
Form No. 8S18-EA-03I

Child-Restraint System
Installation Procedure (Rear
Outboard Seats)
1. Make sure the seatback is securely
latched by pushing it back until it is
fully locked.
2. Expand the area between the seat bottom and the seatback slightly to
verify the locations of the LATCH
lower anchors.
3. Secure the child-restraint system using BOTH LATCH lower anchors,
following the child-restraint system
manufacturer ’s instruction. 4. 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.
LATCH
lower anchor Marking
For rear
right seat For rear
left seat
Cover
For rear right seat
For rear left seat
4 Door
Anchor bracket
location
Anchor
bracket
Anchor
bracket
Tether
strap4 Door
Tether strap
position
For rear left seatFor rear right seat
5 Door
Anchor bracket
location
(Outboard position)
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2-34
Essential Safety Equipment
Child Restraint
Form No. 8S18-EA-03I

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 manufacturer’
s 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 your child-
restraint system has a tether, it must also
be used for your child ’s optimum safety.
1. Make sure the seatback is securely latched by pushing it back until it is
fully locked.
2. Expand the area between the seat bottom and the seatback slightly to verify the
locations of the LATCH lower anchors.
Child-Restraint Tether Usage:
Using the tether or tether anchor 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 Attachment of the Tether
Strap:
Attaching the tether strap on top of
the head restraint is dangerous. In a
collision, the tether strap could slide
off the head restraint, and loosen the
child-restraint system. The child-
restraint system could move and
injure the child or someone else.
Always attach the tether strap
between the head restraint and the
seatback.
5 Door
Tether strap position
(Outboard position)
Tether strap
WARNING
For rear center seat
LATCH
lower anchor Marking
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2-35
Essential Safety Equipment
Child Restraint
Form No. 8S18-EA-03I
3. Secure the child-restraint system using BOTH LATCH lower anchors,
following the child-restraint system
manufacturer ’s instructions.
4. 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.
Cover
4 Door
Anchor bracket
location
Anchor
bracket
For rear center seat
4 Door
Tether strap
position
(Center position)
Anchor
bracket
Tether strap
Child-Restraint Tether Usage:
Using the tether or tether anchor 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.
Cover
5 Door
Anchor bracket
location
(Center position)
For rear
center seat
5 Door
Tether strap
position
(Center position)
Tether
strap
For rear
center seat
WARNING
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2-36
Essential Safety Equipment
Form No. 8S18-EA-03I
SRS Air Bags
The front and side supplemental restraint systems (SRS) include up to 6 air bags (verify
"SRS AIRBAG" location indicator marks).
They are located in:
•The steering wheel hub (driver air bag)
• The front passenger dashboard (front passenger air bag)
• The outboard sides of the front seatbacks (side air bags)
*
•The front and rear window pillars, and the roof edge along both sides (curtain air bags)*
These systems operate independently depending on the type of accident encountered; if
you have side and curtain air bags, the side and curtain 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
and curtain air bags 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 supplemental protection
only in the front seats in certain situations and the rear outside passenger positions only in
same-side collisions, so seat belts are always 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 occupant from being thrown into 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 of the body.
• Hold the driver in a position which allows better control of the vehicle.
Supplemental Restraint Systems (SRS) Precautions
*Some models.
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