2004 MAZDA MODEL RX 8 ECU

2-25
Essential Safety Equipment
Child Restraint
Form No. 8R65-EA-03C
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.
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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2-26
Essential Safety Equipment
Child Restraint
Form No. 8R65-EA-03C

LATCH Child-Restraint System
Installation Procedure (Rear
Seats)
1. Expand the open seams on the rear of
the seat bottom 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.
Marking
LATCH
lower anchor
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 Open Anchor bracket location
For rear right seat For rear left seat
Tether strap Tether strap position
Anchor
bracket
WARNING
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2-28
Essential Safety Equipment
SRS Air Bags
Form No. 8R65-EA-03C
Children should be protected by a child-restraint system. Laws vary on the size a child
must be to use a child-restraint system (page 2-17).
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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2-32
Essential Safety Equipment
SRS Air Bags
Form No. 8R65-EA-03C
The supplemental restraint systems (SRS) have two basic subsystems:
•The air bag system with inflators and air bags.
•The electric system with crash sensors and diagnostic module.
The air bags are mounted in the following locations: the center of the steering wheel, the
passenger-side of the dashboard, in the outboard sides of the front seatbacks and the front
and rear window pillars, along the roof edge. They are out of sight until activated.
*1The driver’s seat slide position sensor determines whether the driver’s seat is fore or aft
of a reference position. The sensor is designed to control the deployment of the driver’s
air bag depending on how close the driver’s seat is to the steering wheel.
*2The buckle switches on the front seat belts determine whether or not the front seat belts
are securely fastened and further control the deployment of the air bags on the front
seats.
*3The front, dual stage air bags control air bag inflation in two energy stages. During an
impact of moderate severity the front air bags deploy with lesser energy, whereas during
more severe impacts, they deploy with more energy.
Deployment of the front air bags may differ between the driver and the front passenger
depending on the driver’s seat position and front seat belt usage, which allow for further
controlling of the system.
Air Bag System Description
Dual stage inflators and air bags*3
Inflators and air bags Seat belt buckle switches*2
Front air bag sensor
Side and curtain air bag
crash sensor
Seat slide position sensor
(only for driver's seat)*1
Inflators and air bags Side and curtain air bag crash sensor Crash sensors and
diagnostic module
(SAS unit)
J60E_8R65-EA-03C_Edition2.book Page 32 Saturday, April 26, 2003 1:48 PM

3-1
Form No. 8R65-EA-03C
3Knowing Your Mazda
Explanation of basic operations and controls; opening/closing and adjustment
of various parts.
Doors and Locks
............................................................................ 3-2
Keys ........................................................................................... 3-2
Keyless Entry System ................................................................ 3-3
Door Locks ................................................................................ 3-7
Trunk Lid ................................................................................. 3-11
Trunk Release Slide Lever ....................................................... 3-13
Power Windows ....................................................................... 3-14
Rear Quarter Windows ............................................................ 3-16
Fuel-Filler Lid and Cap ........................................................... 3-16
Hood ........................................................................................ 3-18
Sunroof* .................................................................................. 3-19
Security System
........................................................................... 3-21
Immobilizer System ................................................................ 3-21
Theft-Deterrent System* ......................................................... 3-23
Steering Wheel and Mirrors
...................................................... 3-25
Steering Wheel ........................................................................ 3-25
Mirrors ..................................................................................... 3-25
*Some models.
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3-2
Knowing Your Mazda
Form No. 8R65-EA-03C
Doors and Locks
Your Mazda has two kinds of keys.
Here’s what the keys are used for:
If you must leave your vehicle with
another person, such as a parking
attendant, protect items by locking the
glove box, storage box and trunk lid with
the master key. Keep that key and give the
other person only the valet key.
A code number is stamped on the plate
attached to the key set; detach this plate
and store it in a safe place (not in the
vehicle) for use if you need to make a
replacement key.
Also write down the code number and
keep it in another safe and handy place,
but not in the vehicle.
If your key is lost, consult your
Authorized Mazda Dealer with the code
number ready.Keys
Keys and Children:
Leaving children in a vehicle with the
ignition key is dangerous. This could
result in someone being badly injured
or even killed. They could play with
power windows or other controls, or
even make the vehicle move. Don’t
leave the keys in your vehicle with
children.
•To avoid damage to the key, do not:
Drop the key.
Get the key wet.
Expose the key to any kind of
magnetic field.
Expose the key to high
temperatures on places such as
the dashboard or hood, under
direct sunlight.
•When starting the engine, do not let
the following materials touch or
come near the key grip. The engine
may not start:
Spare keys.
Keys for other vehicles equipped
with an immobilizer system.
Metal objects that touch or pass
through the hole in the key.
Devices for electronic purchases,
and security passage.
WARNING
CAUTION
Lock Operates Master key
Va l e t k e y
Ignition switch
and steering
column lockYe s Ye s
Doors Yes Yes
Glove box Yes No
Storage box Yes No
Trunk lid Yes No
Key code number plate
Master key
(Black)
Valet key
(Gray)
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3-10
Knowing Your Mazda
Doors and Locks
Form No. 8R65-EA-03C
Closing the freestyle doors
1. Close the rear door first, and then close
the front door.2. Make sure the freestyle doors are
securely closed.
Before closing a front door make sure
other passengers are not operating a
rear door and a rear passenger’s head
or hands are away from the rear door.
If the front door is closed while a
passenger is operating the rear door
handle, a hand or fingers could be
injured if the handle is forced back.
Also, a rear passenger could hit their
head against the door during access to
the rear seat.
NOTE
The front door cannot latch or lock
while the rear door is opened.
Front door
Rear door
CAUTION
Driving with Doors Not Secured:
Driving with the doors not securely
closed is dangerous. If the rear door
is not completely closed, the front
door will not be securely closed. This
could cause the front door to open
unexpectedly while driving and may
result in an accident. Make sure the
rear door is closed securely before
closing the front door.
WARNING
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3-12
Knowing Your Mazda
Doors and Locks
Form No. 8R65-EA-03C
Opening the trunk lid with the remote
release button
Push the release button.
Closing the trunk lid
Grasp the inner handle and pull the trunk
lid down, then push the trunk lid down
until it locks securely. Be careful not slam
it. Pull up on the trunk lid to make sure it
is secured.

Remote Trunk Lid Release Lock-
Out
As an added security feature, the remote
release may be canceled to prevent
anyone from opening the trunk without
the master key.With the switch in the OFF position, the
remote trunk lid release cannot be
operated.
With the switch in the ON position, the
remote trunk lid release can be operated.

Trunk Light
The trunk light is on when the lid is open
and off when it’s closed.
Handle
NOTE
To prevent the battery from being
discharged, do not leave the trunk open
for a long period when the engine is
not running.
OFF position
ON position
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