2008 MAZDA MODEL 3 HATCHBACK light

Black plate (48,1)
With seat warmer
Without seat warmer
WARNING
Do not seat a child in a child-restraint
system on the front passenger seat if
the front passenger air bag
deactivation indicator light does not
illuminated:
While it is always better to install any
child-restraint system on the rear
seat, it is imperative that a child-
restraint systemONLYbe used on the
front passenger seat if the
deactivation indicator light
illuminates when the child is seated
in the child-restraint system (page
2-47). 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 this 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 in a child-
restraint system sitting in the front
passenger seat could be seriously
injured or killed. If the indicator light
does not illuminate after seating a
child in a child-restraint system on
the front passenger seat, seat a child
in a child-restraint system on the rear
seat and consult an Authorized
Mazda Dealer as soon as possible.
2-34
Essential Safety Equipment
Child Restraint
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Form No.8X41-EA-07F

Black plate (50,1)
qChild-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.
NOTE
The markings above the LATCH lower anchors
indicate the locations of LATCH lower
anchors for the attachment of a child-restraint
system.
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.Anchor bracket location (4 Door)
Anchor bracket
Tether strap position (4 Door)
Anchor bracketTether
strap
Anchor bracket location (5 Door)
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Essential Safety Equipment
Child Restraint
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Form No.8X41-EA-07F

Black plate (52,1)
WARNING
Use the tether and tether anchor only
for a child-restraint system:
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.
Always attach the tether strap to the
correct tether anchor position:
Attaching the tether strap to the
incorrect tether anchor position is
dangerous. In a collision, the tether
strap could come off and loosen the
child-restraint system. If the child-
restraint system moves it could result
in death or injury to the child.
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.
NOTE
The markings above the LATCH lower anchors
indicate the locations of LATCH lower
anchors for the attachment of a child-restraint
system.
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.
Anchor bracket location (4 Door)
Anchor bracket
Tether strap position (4 Door)
Anchor bracketTether
strap
2-38
Essential Safety Equipment
Child Restraint
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Form No.8X41-EA-07F

Black plate (55,1)
WARNING
Seat belts must be worn in air bag equipped vehicles:
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 the first collision with frontal, near frontal or side forces
that are at least moderate. Vehicle occupants should always wear seat belts.
Children should not ride in the front passenger 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. Even if the front
passenger air bag deactivation indicator light illuminates, always move the front
passenger seat as far back as possible. 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.
Never use a rear-facing child-restraint system in the front seat with an air bag that
could deploy:
Rear-facing child-restraint systems on the front seat are particularly dangerous even
though you may feel assured that a front passenger air bag will not deploy based on
the fact that the front passenger air bag deactivation indicator light illuminates.
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.
Do not sit too close to the driver and front passenger air bags:
Sitting too close to the driver and front passenger air bag modules or placing hands
or feet on them is extremely dangerous. The driver and front passenger 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.
Essential Safety Equipment
SRS Air Bags
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Black plate (57,1)
Do not touch the components of the supplemental restraint system after the air bags
have inflated:
Touching the components of the supplemental restraint system after the air bags
have inflated is dangerous. Immediately after inflation, they are very hot. You could
get burned.
Never install any front-end equipment to your vehicle:
Installation of front-end equipment, such as frontal protection bar (kangaroo bar,
bull bar, push bar, or other similar devices), snowplow, or winches, is dangerous. The
air bag crash sensor system could be affected. This could cause air bags to inflate
unexpectedly, or it could prevent the air bags from inflating during an accident.
Front occupants could be seriously injured.
Do not modify the suspension:
Modifying the vehicle suspension is dangerous. If the vehicle's height or the
suspension is modified, the vehicle will be unable to accurately detect a collision
resulting in incorrect or unexpected air bag deployment and the possibility of serious
injuries.
Do not modify the supplemental restraint system:
Modifying the components or wiring of the supplemental restraint system is
dangerous. You could accidentally activate it or make it inoperable. Do not make
any modifications to the supplemental restraint system. This includes installing trim,
badges, or anything else over the air bag modules. It also includes installing extra
electrical equipment on or near system components or wiring. An Authorized Mazda
Dealer can provide the special care needed in the removal and installation of front
seats. It is important to protect the air bag wiring and connections to assure that the
bags do not accidentally deploy, the driver seat slide position sensor and front
passenger seat weight sensors are not damaged and that the seats retain an
undamaged air bag connection.
NOTE
lWhen an air bag deploys, a loud inflation noise can be heard and some smoke will be released.
Neither is likely to cause injury, however, the texture of the air bags may cause light skin injuries
on body parts not covered with clothing through friction.
lShould you sell your Mazda, we urge you to tell the new owner of its air bag systems and that
familiarization with all instructions about them, from the Owner's Manual, is important.
Essential Safety Equipment
SRS Air Bags
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Form No.8X41-EA-07F

Black plate (59,1)
qFront Air Bag System Components
(1)
(6)
(10)
(7)
(6) (9)(5)(4) (3) (2)
(8)
(1) Driver seat slide position sensor (page 2-47)
(2) Front seats
(3) Front dual stage inflators and air bags
(4) Front air bag sensor
(5) Front passenger air bag deactivation indicator light (page 2-47)
(6) Front seat belt pretensioner and load limiting systems (page 2-16)
(7) Front passenger seat weight sensors (page 2-47)
(8) Front passenger seat weight sensor control module
(9) Crash sensors and diagnostic module (SAS unit)
(10) Driver and front passenger seat belt buckle switches (page 2-47)
Essential Safety Equipment
SRS Air Bags
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Black plate (61,1)
How the Air Bags Work
qHow the Front Air Bags Work
When air bag crash sensors detect a frontal impact of greater than moderate force, an
electrical current is sent to the inflators.
Gases are produced to inflate the front air bags and after the inflation, the front air bags
quickly deflate.
The front air bags will function only once. After that,the front air bags will not work
again and must be replaced.
Only an Authorized Mazda Dealer can replace the system components.
The 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 seat position,
front passenger weight and front seat belt usage, all of which provide data from each sensor
to the air bag system.
The front air bags will deploy only
in a frontal or frontal offset impact.
Driver seat slide position sensor
Your vehicle is equipped with a driver seat slide position sensor as a part of the
supplemental restraint system. The sensor is located under the driver seat. The sensor
determines whether the driver seat is fore or aft of a reference position and sends the seat
position to the diagnostic module (SAS unit). The sensor is also designed to control the
deployment of the driver air bag depending on how close the driver seat is to the steering
wheel.
The air bag/front seat belt pretensioner system warning light flashes if the sensor has a
possible malfunction (page 2-56).
Essential Safety Equipment
SRS Air Bags
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Black plate (62,1)
Front passenger seat weight sensors
Vehicles equipped with front passenger seat weight sensors are also equipped with a front
passenger air bag deactivation indicator light is also equipped (page 2-33). These sensors
are located under both of the front passenger seat rails. These sensors determine the total
seated weight on the front passenger seat. The SAS unit is designed to prevent the front
passenger front and side air bags and seat belt pretensioner system from deploying if the
total seated weight is less than approximately 30 kg (66 lb).
To reduce the chance of injuries caused by deployment of the front passenger air bag, the
system deactivates the front passenger front and side air bags and also the seat belt
pretensioner system when:
lThere is no passenger in the front passenger seat. (The front passenger air bag
deactivation indicator light does not illuminate.)
lThe total seated weight on the front passenger seat is less than approximately 30 kg (66
lb). (The front passenger air bag deactivation indicator light illuminates.)
This system shuts off the front passenger front and side air bags and seat belt pretensioner
system, so make sure the front passenger air bag deactivation indicator light illuminates
according to the following table.
The air bag/front seat belt pretensioner system warning light flashes and the front
passenger air bag deactivation indicator light illuminates if the sensors have a possible
malfunction. If this happens, the front passenger front and side air bags and seat belt
pretensioner system will not deploy.
Front passenger air bag deactivation indicator light
This indicator light illuminates to remind you that the front passenger front and side air
bags and seat belt pretensioner will not deploy during a collision.
With seat warmer Without seat warmer
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Essential Safety Equipment
SRS Air Bags
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Form No.8X41-EA-07F