2008 MAZDA MODEL CX-7 seats

Black plate (40,1)
Child Restraint Precautions
Mazda strongly urges the use of child-restraint systems for children small enough to use
them.
You are required by law to use a child-restraint system for children in the U.S. and Canada.
Check your local and state or provincial laws for specific requirements regarding the safety
of children riding in your vehicle.
Whatever child-restraint system you consider, please pick the appropriate one for the age
and size of the child, obey the law and follow the instructions that come with the individual
child-restraint system.
A child who has outgrown child-restraint systems should sit in the rear and use seat belts,
both lap and shoulder. If the shoulder belt crosses the neck or face, move the child closer to
the center of the vehicle in the outboard seats, and towards the buckle on the right if the
child is seated on the center seat.
Statistics confirm that the rear seat is the best place for all children up to 12 years of age,
and more so with a supplemental restraint system (air bags).
A rear-facing child-restraint system shouldNEVERbe used on the front seat with the air
bag system activated. The front passenger's seat is also the least preferred seat for other
child-restraint systems.
To reduce the chance of injuries caused by deployment of the front passenger air bag, your
vehicle is equipped with the front passenger seat weight sensors. These sensors deactivate
the front passenger front and side air bags and also the front passenger seat belt
pretensioner system when the total seated weight on the front passenger seat is less than
approximately 30 kg (66 lb).
When an infant or small child sits on the front passenger seat, the system shuts off the front
passenger air bag, so make sure the front passenger air bag deactivation indicator light
illuminates.
Even if the front passenger air bag is shut off, Mazda strongly recommends that children be
properly restrained and child-restraint systems of all kinds are properly secured on the rear
seats which are the best place for children.
For more details, refer to “Front passenger seat weight sensors ”(page 2-60).
2-28
Essential Safety Equipment
Child Restraint
CX-7_8X59-EA-07E_Edition3 Page40
Wednesday, July 25 2007 3:17 PM
Form No.8X59-EA-07E

Black plate (42,1)
Do not install a front-facing child-restraint system on the front passenger seat unless
it is unavoidable:In a collision, the force of a deploying air bag could cause serious injury or death to
the child. If installing a front-facing child-restraint system on the front passenger
seat is unavoidable, move the front passenger seat as back as possible.
Seating a child in a child-restraint system on the front passenger seat is dangerous:Your vehicle is equipped with front passenger seat weight sensors. Even with front
passenger seat weight sensors, if you must use the front passenger seat to seat a
child, using a child-restraint system on the front passenger seat under the following
conditions increases the danger of the front passenger air bag deploying and could
result in serious injury or death to the child.
ØThe total seated weight of the child with the child-restraint system on the front
passenger seat is approximately 30 kg (66 lb) or more with a child in the child-
restraint system.
Ø Luggage or other items are placed on the seat with the child in the child-restraint
system.
Ø A rear passenger or luggage pushing or pulling down on the front passenger
seatback.
Ø A rear passenger puts their feet on the front seat rails.
Ø Luggage or other items are placed on the seatback or hung on the head restraint.
Ø The seat is washed.
Ø Liquids are spilled on the seat.
Ø The front passenger seat is moved backward, pushing into luggage or other items
placed behind it.
Ø The front passenger seatback contacts the rear seat.
Ø Luggage or other items are placed between the front passenger seat and driver
seat.
Ø Any accessories increasing the total seated weight on the front passenger seat are
attached to the front passenger seat.
The designated positions with seat belts on the rear seats are the safest places for
children. Always use seat belts and child restraints.
2-30
Essential Safety Equipment
Child Restraint
CX-7_8X59-EA-07E_Edition3 Page42
Wednesday, July 25 2007 3:17 PM
Form No.8X59-EA-07E

Black plate (44,1)
Installing Child-Restraint
Systems
Accident statistics reveal that a child is
safer in the rear seat. The front passenger's
seat is clearly the worst choice for any
child under 12, and with rear-facing child-
restraint systems it is clearly unsafe due to
air bags.
Some child-restraint systems now come
with tethers and therefore must be
installed on the seats that take tethers to
be effective. In your Mazda, tethered
child-restraint systems can only be
accommodated in the three positions on
the rear seat.
Even if your vehicle is equipped with
front passenger seat weight sensors (page
2-60), which automatically deactivates the
front passenger air bag, a rear seat is the
safest place for a child of any age or size.
Some child-restraint systems also employ
specially designed LATCH attachments;
refer to“LATCH Child-Restraint
Systems ”(page 2-41).
WARNING
Tethered Child-Restraint Systems Work
Only on Tether-Equipped Rear Seats:
Installation of a tether equipped
child-restraint system in the front
passenger's seat defeats the safety
design of the system and will result in
an increased chance of serious injury
if the child-restraint system goes
forward without benefit of being
tethered.
Place tether equipped child-restraint
systems where there are tether
anchors.
qRear Outboard Seat Child-
Restraint System Installation
Follow these instructions when using a
child-restraint system, unless you are
attaching a LATCH-equipped child-
restraint system to the rear LATCH lower
anchors. Refer to “LATCH Child-
Restraint Systems ”(page 2-41).
NOTE
Follow the child-restraint system
manufacturer's instructions carefully. If you
are not sure whether you have a LATCH
system or tether, check in the child-restraint
system manufacturer's instructions and follow
them accordingly. Depending on the type of
child-restraint system, it may not employ seat
belts which are in automatic locking mode.
1. Make sure the seatback is securely latched by pushing it back until it is
fully locked.
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.
2-32
Essential Safety Equipment
Child Restraint
CX-7_8X59-EA-07E_Edition3 Page44
Wednesday, July 25 2007 3:17 PM
Form No.8X59-EA-07E

Black plate (49,1)
3. Latch the hook onto the anchorbracket.
4. Push the trunk board down to its
original position, and tighten the tether
strap following the child-restraint
system manufacturer's instructions.
qIf You Must Use the Front Seat
for Children
If you cannot put all children in the rear
seat, at least put the smallest children in
the rear and be sure the largest child up
front uses the shoulder belt over the
shoulder.
NEVER put a rear-facing child-restraint
system on the front passenger seat, even
with a seat weight sensor equipped
vehicle.
This seat is also not set up for tethered
child-restraint systems, put them in one of
the rear seat positions set up with tether
anchors.
Likewise the LATCH child-restraint
system cannot be secured in the front
passenger's seat and should be used in the
rear seat.
Don't allow anyone to sleep against the
side window if you have an optional side
and curtain air bag, it could cause serious
injuries to an out of position occupant. As
children more often sleep in cars, it is
better to put them in the rear seat. If
installing the child-restraint system on the
front seat is unavoidable, follow these
instructions when using a front-facing
child-restraint system in the front
passenger's seat.
NOTE
lTo check if your front seats have side air
bags:
Mazda vehicles equipped with side air bag
will have a “SRS AIRBAG ”tag on the
outboard shoulder of the front seats.
lTo check if your vehicle has curtain air
bags:
Mazda vehicles equipped with curtain air
bag will have an “SRS AIRBAG ”marking
on the window pillars along the roof edge.
Essential Safety Equipment
Child Restraint
2-37
CX-7_8X59-EA-07E_Edition3 Page49
Wednesday, July 25 2007 3:17 PM
Form No.8X59-EA-07E

Black plate (54,1)
qChild-Restraint System Installation
Procedure (Rear Outboard Seats)
1. Make sure the seatback is securelylatched by pushing it back until it is
fully locked.
2. Expand the open seams on the rear of the seat bottom 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 usingBOTH 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
Tether strap position
Tether strap
2-42
Essential Safety Equipment
Child Restraint
CX-7_8X59-EA-07E_Edition3 Page54
Wednesday, July 25 2007 3:17 PM
Form No.8X59-EA-07E

Black plate (60,1)
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 accident, such as frontal, near frontal, side
collisions or roll-over accident 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 seats 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.
2-48
Essential Safety Equipment
SRS Air Bags
CX-7_8X59-EA-07E_Edition3 Page60
Wednesday, July 25 2007 3:17 PM
Form No.8X59-EA-07E

Black plate (61,1)
Sit in the center of the seat and wear seat belts properly:Sitting too close to the side air bag modules or placing hands on them and sleeping
up against the door or hanging out the windows is extremely dangerous. The side
and curtain air bags inflate with great force and speed directly expand along the
door on the side the car is hit. Serious injury could occur if someone is sitting too
close to the door or leaning against a window, or if rear seat occupants grab the
sides of the front seatbacks. Give the side and curtain air bags room to work by
sitting in the center of the seat while the vehicle is moving with seat belts worn
properly.
Do not attach objects on or around the area where driver and front passenger air
bags deploy: Attaching an object to the driver and front passenger air bag modules or placing
something in front of them is dangerous. In an accident, an object could interfere
with air bag inflation and injure the occupants.
Do not attach objects on or around the area where a side air bag deploys: Attaching things to the front seat in such a way as to cover the outboard side of the
seat in any way is dangerous. In an accident the object could interfere with the side
air bag, which inflates from the outboard side of the front seats, impeding the added
protection of the side air bag system or redirecting the air bag in a way that is
dangerous. Furthermore, the bag could be cut open releasing the gas.
Do not hang net bags, map pouches or backpacks with side straps on the front
seats. Never use seat covers on the front seats. Always keep the side air bag modules
in your front seats free to deploy in the event of a side collision.
Do not attach objects on or around the area where a curtain air bag deploys: Attaching objects to the areas where the curtain air bag activates such as on the
windshield glass, side door glass, front and rear window pillars and along the roof
edge and assist grips is dangerous. In an accident the object could interfere with the
curtain air bag, which inflates from the front and rear window pillars and along the
roof edge, impeding the added protection of the curtain air bag system or redirecting
the air bag in a way that is dangerous. Furthermore, the bag could be cut open
releasing the gas.
Do not place hangers or any other objects on the assist grips. When hanging clothes,
hang them on the coat hook directly. Always keep the curtain air bag modules free
to deploy in the event of a side collision or roll-over accident.
Do not place luggage or other objects under the front seats: Placing luggage or other objects under the front seats is dangerous. The components
essential to the supplemental restraint system could be damaged, and in the event of
a side collision, the appropriate air bags may not deploy, which could result in death
or serious injury. To prevent damage to the components essential to the
supplemental restraint system, do not place luggage or other objects under the front
seats.
Essential Safety Equipment
SRS Air Bags
2-49
CX-7_8X59-EA-07E_Edition3 Page61
Wednesday, July 25 2007 3:17 PM
Form No.8X59-EA-07E

Black plate (63,1)
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
2-51
CX-7_8X59-EA-07E_Edition3 Page63
Wednesday, July 25 2007 3:17 PM
Form No.8X59-EA-07E