Black plate (31,1)
WARNING
Always wear your seat belt and make sure all occupants are properly restrained:
Not wearing a seat belt is extremely dangerous. During a collision, occupants not
wearing seat belts could hit someone or things inside the vehicle or even be thrown
out of the vehicle. They could be seriously injured or even killed. In the same
collision, occupants wearing seat belts would be much safer.
Do not wear twisted seat belts:
Twisted seat belts are dangerous. In a collision, the full width of the belt is not
available to absorb the impact. This puts more force on the bones beneath the belt,
which could cause serious injury or death.
Never use one seat belt on more than one person at a time:
Using one seat belt for more than one person at a time is dangerous. A seat belt
used in this way cannot spread the impact forces properly and the two passengers
could be crushed together and seriously injured or even killed. Never use one belt for
more than one person at a time and always operate the vehicle with each occupant
properly restrained.
Do not operate a vehicle with a damaged seat belt:
Using a damaged seat belt is dangerous. An accident could damage the belt
webbing of the seat belt in use. A damaged seat belt cannot provide adequate
protection in a collision. Have an Authorized Mazda Dealer inspect all seat belt
systems in use during an accident before they are used again.
Have your seat belts changed immediately if the pretensioner or load limiter has
been expended:
One or both front air bags may deploy, and the corresponding pretensioner(s) may
also deploy at the same time. Like the air bags, the front seat belt pretensioners will
only function once. While it is safer to use a post-crash (a seat belt that was used in
an accident) than no front seat belt at all, using a front seat belt with an expended
pretensioner or load limiter loaded reduces the safety available to you. If the front
seat belt pretensioners are not replaced, the risk of injury in a collision will increase.
Expended front seat belt pretensioners and air bags must be replaced after any
collision which caused them to deploy. Additionally, the load limiter will only limit
loads on the chest once in a collision and this is another reason to have the front
seat belts inspected. Always have an Authorized Mazda Dealer inspect the front seat
belt pretensioners and air bags after any collision.
Essential Safety Equipment
Seat Belt Systems
2-17
Mazda3_8AR3-EA-09E_Edition2 Page31
Monday, June 1 2009 1:16 PM
Form No.8AR3-EA-09E
Black plate (36,1)
Front Seat Belt Pretensioner
and Load Limiting Systems
For optimum protection, the driver and
front passenger seat belts are equipped
with pretensioner and load limiting
systems. For both these systems to work
properly you must wear the seat belt
properly.
Pretensioners:
In moderate or severe frontal or near-
frontal accidents, the front air bag and
pretensioner systems deploy
simultaneously. The front seat belt
retractors remove slack quickly as the air
bags are expanding.
In addition, the pretensioner system for
the front passenger, like the front
passenger air bag, is designed to only
deploy in accordance with the total seated
weight on the front passenger seat. Any
time the air bags and front seat belt
pretensioners have fired they must be
replaced. For details, refer to the front
passenger seat weight sensors (page 2-55).
Load limiter:
The load limiting system releases belt
webbing in a controlled manner to reduce
belt force on the occupant's chest. While
the most severe load on a seat belt occurs
in frontal collisions, the load limiter has
an automatic mechanical function and can
activate in any accident mode with
sufficient occupant movement.
Even if the pretensioners have not fired,
the load limiting function must be
checked by an Authorized Mazda Dealer
after any collision.
WARNING
Wear seat belts only as recommended
in this owner's manual:
Incorrect positioning of the driver and
front passenger seat belts is
dangerous. Without proper
positioning, the pretensioner and
load limiting systems cannot provide
adequate protection in an accident
and this could result in serious injury.
For more details about wearing seat
belts, refer to“Fastening the seat
belts”(page 2-20).
Have your seat belts changed
immediately if the pretensioner or load
limiter has been expended:
One or both front air bags may
deploy, and the corresponding
pretensioner(s) may also deploy at
the same time. Like the air bags, the
front seat belt pretensioners will only
function once. While it is safer to use
a post-crash (a seat belt that was
used in an accident) than no front
seat belt at all, using a front seat belt
with an expended pretensioner or
load limiter loaded reduces the safety
available to you. If the front seat belt
pretensioners are not replaced, the
risk of injury in a collision will
increase. Expended front seat belt
pretensioners and air bags must be
replaced after any collision which
caused them to deploy. Additionally,
the load limiter will only limit loads
on the chest once in a collision and
this is another reason to have the
front seat belts inspected. Always
have an Authorized Mazda Dealer
inspect the front seat belt
pretensioners and air bags after any
collision.
2-22
Essential Safety Equipment
Seat Belt Systems
Mazda3_8AR3-EA-09E_Edition2 Page36
Monday, June 1 2009 1:16 PM
Form No.8AR3-EA-09E
Black plate (43,1)
WARNING
Use the correct size child-restraint system:
For effective protection in vehicle accidents and sudden stops, a child must be
properly restrained using a seat belt or child-restraint system depending on age and
size. If not, the child could be seriously injured or even killed in an accident.
Follow the manufacturer's instructions and always keep the child-restraint system
buckled down:
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 any child-restraint system is properly secured in place according to the child-
restraint system manufacturer's instructions. 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 and the corresponding tether anchor.
Always secure a child in a proper child-restraint system:
Holding a child in your arms while the vehicle is moving is extremely dangerous. No
matter how strong the person may be, he or she cannot hold onto a child in a
sudden stop or collision and it could result in serious injury or death to the child or
other occupants. Even in a moderate accident, the child may be exposed to air bag
forces that could result in serious injury or death to the child, or the child may be
slammed into an adult, causing injury to both child and adult.
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.
Essential Safety Equipment
Child Restraint
2-29
Mazda3_8AR3-EA-09E_Edition2 Page43
Monday, June 1 2009 1:16 PM
Form No.8AR3-EA-09E
Black plate (70,1)
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.
If the front passenger weight sensors are normal, the indicator light illuminates when the
ignition switch is turned to the ON position. For a specified of time it goes out.
The front passenger air bag deactivation indicator light illuminates or is off under the following conditions:
Total seated weight on the
front passenger seatFront passenger air bag
deactivation indicator lightFront passenger front and
side air bagsFront passenger seat
belt pretensioner
system
Empty (Not occupied)
*OFF Deactivated Deactivated
Less than approx. 30 kg
(66 lbs)ON Deactivated Deactivated
Approx. 42 kg (93 lbs) or
moreOFF Ready Ready
* If the front passenger seat belt is buckled, the front passenger air bag deactivation indicator light illuminates,
however this does not indicate a malfunction.
The curtain air bag is ready for inflating despite the chart above.
If the front passenger air bag deactivation indicator light does not illuminate when the
ignition switch is turned to the ON position and does not illuminate as indicated in the
above chart, do not allow a child to sit in the front passenger seat and consult an
Authorized Mazda Dealer as soon as possible. The system may not work properly in an
accident.
2-56
Essential Safety Equipment
SRS Air Bags
Mazda3_8AR3-EA-09E_Edition2 Page70
Monday, June 1 2009 1:16 PM
Form No.8AR3-EA-09E
Black plate (83,1)
CAUTION
ØBe careful not to allow the rubber
ring shown in the figure to be
scratched or damaged.
ØIf the rubber ring detaches,
reattach it before inserting a new
battery.
Rubber ring
qService
If you have a problem with the advanced
keyless functions, consult an Authorized
Mazda Dealer.
If your advanced key is lost or stolen,
bring all remaining advanced keys to an
Authorized Mazda Dealer as soon as
possible for a replacement and to make
the lost or stolen advanced key
inoperative.
CAUTION
Radio equipment like this is governed
by laws in the United States.
Changes or modifications not
expressly approved by the party
responsible for compliance could void
the user's authority to operate the
equipment.
Operation Using Advanced
Keyless Functions
qOperational Range
The system operates only when the driver
is in the vehicle or within operational
range while the advanced key is being
carried.
NOTE
When the battery power is low, or in places
where there are high-intensity radio waves or
noise, the operational range may become
narrower or the system may not operate.
Locking, unlocking the doors and the
liftgate
The operational range for locking/
unlocking the doors and the liftgate is an
area of up to 80 cm (31 in) from the center
of the front door handles.
The operational range for locking the
doors and the liftgate is within a
maximum radius of 80 cm (31 in) from
the center of the liftgate.
4 door
Operational range Exterior transmitter
Knowing Your Mazda
Advanced Keyless Entry and Start System
3-7
Mazda3_8AR3-EA-09E_Edition2 Page83
Monday, June 1 2009 1:16 PM
Form No.8AR3-EA-09E
Black plate (109,1)
5. Put in the new battery (CR1620 or
equivalent) with the positive pole (
)
facing down.
6. Align the front and back covers and
snap the transmitter shut.
7. Align the key with the transmitter as
shown in the figure, and insert the key
until a click sound is heard.
CAUTION
Insert the key into the transmitter
securely until a click sound is heard.
If it is not inserted securely, it could
detach from the transmitter.
qService
If you have a problem with the keyless
entry system, consult an Authorized
Mazda Dealer.
If your transmitter is lost or stolen, bring
all remaining transmitters to an
Authorized Mazda Dealer as soon as
possible for a replacement and to make
the lost or stolen transmitter inoperative.
CAUTION
Radio equipment like this is governed
by laws in the United States.
Changes or modifications not
expressly approved by the party
responsible for compliance could void
the user's authority to operate the
equipment.
Knowing Your Mazda
Doors and Locks
3-33
Mazda3_8AR3-EA-09E_Edition2 Page109
Monday, June 1 2009 1:17 PM
Form No.8AR3-EA-09E
Black plate (110,1)
Door Locks
WARNING
Always take all children and pets with
you or leave a responsible person with
them:
Leaving a child or a pet unattended
in a parked vehicle is dangerous. In
hot weather, temperatures inside a
vehicle can become high enough to
cause brain damage or even death.
Do not leave the key in your vehicle
with children and keep them in a place
where your children will not find or
play with them:
Leaving children in a vehicle with the
key is dangerous. This could result in
someone being badly injured or even
killed.
Keep all doors locked when driving:
Unlocked doors in a moving vehicle
are dangerous. Passengers can fall
out if a door is accidentally opened
and can more easily be thrown out in
an accident.
Always close all the windows and the
moonroof, lock the doors and take the
key with you when leaving your vehicle
unattended:
Leaving your vehicle unlocked is
dangerous as children could lock
themselves in a hot vehicle, or
become trapped by climbing into the
trunk, which could result in death.
Also, a vehicle left unlocked becomes
an easy target for thieves and
intruders.
qLocking, Unlocking with Key
The driver's door can be locked/unlocked
with the key.
Turn the key toward the front to lock,
toward the back to unlock.
LockUnlock
NOTE
If your vehicle is equipped with a front
passenger door key cylinder, the door can be
locked/unlocked with the key.
qLocking, Unlocking with Request
Switch (with Advanced Key)
The doors can be locked/unlocked by
operating the request switch while
carrying the advanced key outside the
vehicle, refer to Operations Using
Advanced Keyless Functions (page 3-7).
qLocking, Unlocking with
Transmitter (with Advanced Key)
The doors can be locked/unlocked by
operating the keyless entry system
transmitter, refer to Keyless Entry System
(page 3-17).
3-34
Knowing Your Mazda
Doors and Locks
Mazda3_8AR3-EA-09E_Edition2 Page110
Monday, June 1 2009 1:17 PM
Form No.8AR3-EA-09E
Black plate (121,1)
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.
Power Windows
The ignition must be ON for the power
windows to operate.
WARNING
Make sure the opening is clear before
closing a window:
Closing power windows are
dangerous. A person's hands, head,
or even neck could be caught by the
window and result in serious injury
or even death.
This warning applies especially to
children.
Always lock all passenger power
windows with the power window lock
switch on the driver's side while
children are in the vehicle, and never
allow children to play with power
window switches:
Leaving the power window switches
unlocked while children are in the
vehicle is dangerous. Power window
switches that are not locked with the
power window lock switch would
allow children to operate power
windows unintentionally which could
result in serious injury if a child's
hands, head or neck becomes caught
by the window.
CAUTION
To prevent burning out the fuse and
damaging the power window system,
do not open or close more than three
windows at once.
Knowing Your Mazda
Doors and Locks
3-45
Mazda3_8AR3-EA-09E_Edition2 Page121
Monday, June 1 2009 1:17 PM
Form No.8AR3-EA-09E