Page 20 of 402

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WARNING
Do not drive with the seatback
unlocked:
The seatback plays an important role
in your protection in a vehicle.
Leaving the seatback unlocked is
dangerous as it can allow passengers
to be ejected or thrown around and
baggage to strike occupants in a
sudden stop or collision, resulting in
severe injury. After returning the
seatback at any time, even when there
are no other passengers, rock the
seatback to make sure it is locked in
place.
Never allow a passenger to sit or stand
on the folded seatback while the
vehicle is moving:
Driving with a passenger on the folded
seatback is dangerous. Allowing a
child to sit up on the folded seatback
while the vehicle is moving is
particularly dangerous. In a sudden
stop or even a minor collision, a child
not in a proper seat or child-restraint
system and seat belt could be thrown
forward, back or even out of the
vehicle resulting in serious injuries or
death. The child in the baggage area
could be thrown into other occupants
and cause serious injury.
WARNING
Never give the car keys to children and
do not allow them to play in the
vehicle:
Playing with the folding rear seats is
dangerous. The folding rear seatbacks
cannot be folded down from inside the
trunk. Once the seatbacks are back up,
a child in the trunk would not be able
to get out the way they had entered. If
you have small children, keep the
seatbacks locked (sedan).
Always leave your car locked and keep
the car keys safely away from
children:
Leaving your car unlocked or the keys
in reach of children is dangerous.
Children who find their way into the
trunk through an unlocked rear
seatback or an open trunk can become
accidentally locked in the trunk. This
could result in death or brain damage
from heat prostration, particularly in
the summer. Always lock the doors
and the trunk, and as an added
measure, keep the rear seatbacks
locked, whether you have children in
your home or not.
NOTE
When returning a rear seat to its
original position, also replace the seat
belt to its normal position. Verify that
the seat belt pulls out and retracts.
2-6
Essential Safety Equipment
Seats
Mazda3_8V66-EA-06F_Edition3 Page20
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Form No.8V66-EA-06F
Page 21 of 402

Black plate (21,1)
qSplit-Folding Rear Seatback
To fold the seatbacks
CAUTION
When operating the rear seatback knob,
make sure you support the seatback
with your hand. If the seatback is not
supported with your hand, it will flip
forward suddenly and could cause
injury to the finger that pushes the rear
seatback knob down.
1. Unfasten the lap portion of the center-
rear seat belt (page 2-18).
CAUTION
Always unfasten the lap portion of the
belt before folding the rear-left
seatback. Leaving the lap portion of the
belt fastened could cause damage to the
seat belt, buckle and seatback.
2. Position the outboard seat belts to the
side when folding the seatbacks down.
3. Support the seatback with your hand.
4. Push the rear seatback knob down.
To return the seatbacks to the upright
position
1. Position the outboard seat belts to the
side.
2. Lift the seatbacks upright.
3. Make sure the seat belts are fully
pulled out from under the seatbacks.
4. Pull on the top of the seatbacks from
inside the vehicle to make sure they are
locked.
5. Fasten the center-rear lap/shoulder belt
and check that all seat belts are routed
properly for passenger use (page 2-18).
WARNING
Always make sure the seat belts are
fully pulled out from under the
seatbacks:
A seat belt caught under a seatback
after the seatback is returned to its
upright position is dangerous. In a
collision or sudden stop, the seat belt
cannot provide adequate protection.
Essential Safety Equipment
Seats
2-7
Mazda3_8V66-EA-06F_Edition3 Page21
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Form No.8V66-EA-06F
Page 89 of 402

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Trunk Lid (4 Door)
WARNING
Never allow a person to ride in the
trunk:
Allowing a person to ride in the trunk
is dangerous. In addition, the person
in the trunk could be seriously injured
or killed during sudden braking or a
collision.
Keep the trunk closed when driving:
Exhaust gas entering the cabin of a
vehicle through an open trunk is
dangerous. This gas contains CO
(carbon monoxide), which is colorless,
odorless, and highly poisonous. If
inhaled, it can cause loss of
consciousness and death.
qOpening and Closing the Trunk Lid
WARNING
Close the trunk lid, lock the rear
seatbacks and do not allow children to
play inside the vehicle:
Leaving the trunk lid open or leaving
children in the vehicle with the keys is
dangerous. Children could open the
trunk lid and climb inside resulting in
possible injury or death from heat
exposure.
Always keep the car from being a
tempting place to play by locking rear
seats, doors and the trunk, and
keeping the keys where children can
not play with them:
Leaving children or animals
unattended in a parked vehicle is
dangerous. Babies left sleeping and
children who lock themselves in cars
or trunks can die very quickly from
heat prostration. Do not leave your
children or pets alone in a car at any
time. Do not leave the car, the rear
folding seats or the trunk unlocked.
CAUTION
For vehicles equipped with a rear
spoiler, do not lift the trunk lid by the
spoiler. Lifting up the trunk lid by the
rear spoiler could cause damage to the
rear spoiler and the trunk lid.
Knowing Your Mazda
Doors and Locks
3-15
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Form No.8V66-EA-06F
Page 92 of 402

Black plate (92,1)
WARNING
Close the trunk lid, lock the rear
seatbacks and do not allow children to
play inside the vehicle:
Leaving the trunk lid open or leaving
children in the vehicle with the keys is
dangerous. Children could open the
trunk lid and climb inside resulting in
possible injury or death from heat
exposure.
Always keep the car from being a
tempting place to play by locking rear
seats, doors and the trunk, and
keeping the keys where children can
not play with them:
Leaving children or animals
unattended in a parked vehicle is
dangerous. Babies left sleeping and
children who lock themselves in cars
or trunks can die very quickly from
heat prostration. Do not leave your
children or pets alone in a car at any
time. Do not leave the car, the rear
folding seats or the trunk unlocked.
qOpening the Trunk Lid from the
Inside
Slide the inside trunk release lever in the
direction of the arrow. The lever is made
of material that will glow for hours in the
darkness of the trunk following a brief
exposure to ambient light.
The inside trunk release lever is located
on the inside of the trunk lid.
3-18
Knowing Your Mazda
Doors and Locks
Mazda3_8V66-EA-06F_Edition3 Page92
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Form No.8V66-EA-06F