Black plate (49,1)
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 far back as possible.
Seating a child in a child-restraint system on the front passenger seat is dangerous
under certain conditions (With Driver and Front Passenger Occupant Classification
System):
Your vehicle is equipped with front passenger seat weight sensors. Even with the
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 front passenger air bag deactivation indicator light does not illuminate when
seating a child in the child-restraint system.
ØLuggage or other items are placed on the seat with the child in the child-restraint
system.
ØA rear passenger or luggage pushing or pulling down on the front passenger
seatback.
ØA rear passenger puts their feet on the front seat rails.
ØLuggage or other items are placed on the seatback or hung on the head restraint.
ØHeavy items are placed in the seatback map pocket.
ØThe seat is washed.
ØLiquids are spilled on the seat.
ØThe front passenger seat is moved backward, pushing into luggage or other items
placed behind it.
ØThe front passenger seatback contacts the second-row seat.
ØLuggage or other items are placed between the front passenger seat and driver
seat.
ØAny accessories, which might increase 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.
Essential Safety Equipment
Child Restraint
2-37
CX-9_8BH2-EA-10H_Edition3 Page49
Wednesday, March 23 2011 9:30 AM
Form No.8BH2-EA-10H
Black plate (50,1)
Do not allow a child or anyone to lean over or against the side window of a vehicle
with side and curtain air bags:
It is dangerous to allow anyone to lean over or against the side window, the area of
the front passenger seat, the front and rear window pillars and the roof edge along
both sides from which the side and curtain air bags deploy, even if a child-restraint
system is used. The impact of inflation from a side or curtain air bag could cause
serious injury or death to an out of position child. Furthermore, leaning over or
against the front door could block the side and curtain air bags and eliminate the
advantages of supplemental protection. With the front air bag and the additional
side air bag that comes out of the front seat, the rear seat is always a better location
for children. Take special care not to allow a child to lean over or against the side
window, even if the child is seated in a child-restraint system.
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.
CAUTION
A seat belt or child-restraint system can become very hot in a closed vehicle during
warm weather. To avoid burning yourself or a child, check them before you or your
child touches them.
NOTE
Your Mazda is equipped with LATCH lower anchors for attachment of specially designed LATCH
child-restraint systems in the rear seats. When using these anchors to secure a child-restraint system,
refer to“LATCH Child-Restraint Systems”(page 2-48).
2-38
Essential Safety Equipment
Child Restraint
CX-9_8BH2-EA-10H_Edition3 Page50
Wednesday, March 23 2011 9:30 AM
Form No.8BH2-EA-10H
Black plate (51,1)
Child-Restraint System
Installation Position
In this owner's manual, explanation of
child-restraint systems is provided for the
following three types of popular child-
restraint systems: infant seat, child seat,
booster seat.
NOTE
lInstallation position is determined by the
type of child-restraint system. Always read
the manufacturer's instructions and this
owner's manual carefully.
lDue to variations in the design of child-
restraint systems, vehicle seats and seat
belts, all child-restraint systems may not fit
all seating positions. Before purchasing a
child-restraint system, it should be tested in
the specific vehicle seating position (or
positions) where it is intended to be used. If
a previously purchased child-restraint
system does not fit, you may need to
purchase a different one that will.
Infant seat
An infant seat provides restraint by
bracing the infant's head, neck and back
against the seating surface.
Child seat
A child seat restrains a child's body using
the harness.
Booster seat
A booster seat is a child restraint
accessory designed to improve the fit of
the seat belt system around the child's
body.
Essential Safety Equipment
Child Restraint
2-39
CX-9_8BH2-EA-10H_Edition3 Page51
Wednesday, March 23 2011 9:30 AM
Form No.8BH2-EA-10H
Black plate (52,1)
Installing Child-Restraint
Systems
Accident statistics reveal that a child is
safer in the rear seats. 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.
NOTE
Even if your vehicle is equipped with front
passenger seat weight sensors (page 2-66),
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 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 second-row seats.
Some child-restraint systems also employ
specially designed LATCH attachments;
refer to“LATCH Child-Restraint
Systems”(page 2-48).
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 or the third-row
seats 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.
qSecond-Row Seats 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 2-48).
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 use LATCH
system instead of seat belts or if the belt goes
across the child's chest, may recommend
against using automatic locking mode.
1. When installing the child-restraint
system on the second-row seat, make
sure that the center-rear seat belt is
routed through the seat belt guide.
2-40
Essential Safety Equipment
Child Restraint
CX-9_8BH2-EA-10H_Edition3 Page52
Wednesday, March 23 2011 9:30 AM
Form No.8BH2-EA-10H
Black plate (55,1)
qThird-Row Seats Child-Restraint
System Installation
The third-row seats cannot accommodate
LATCH-type child-restraint systems or
tethers, therefore these systems must be
installed on the other seat positions such
as the second-row seat. If this not
possible, LATCH-type child-restraint
systems should be installed to a third-row
seat using the seat belt depending on
whether the child-restraint manufacturer
allows their use without LATCH
attachments and tether anchors.
Follow these manufacturer's instructions
when using a child-restraint system.
NOTE
Follow the child-restraint system
manufacturer's instructions carefully.
Depending on the type of child-restraint
system, it may not employ seat belts which are
in automatic locking mode.
1. Raise the head restraint to the top
locked position. Refer to Head
Restraints on page 2-15.
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.
4. Push the child-restraint system firmly
into the vehicle seat. Be sure the belt
retracts as snugly as possible. Clicking
from the retractor will be heard during
retraction if the system is in the
automatic locking mode. If the belt
does not lock the seat down tight,
repeat this step.
Essential Safety Equipment
Child Restraint
2-43
CX-9_8BH2-EA-10H_Edition3 Page55
Wednesday, March 23 2011 9:30 AM
Form No.8BH2-EA-10H
Black plate (56,1)
NOTE
Inspect this function before each use of the
child-restraint system. You should not be able
to pull the shoulder belt out of the retractor
while the system is in the automatic locking
mode. When you remove the child-restraint
system, be sure the belt fully retracts to return
the system to emergency locking mode before
occupants use the seat belts.
qIf You Must Use the Front Seat
for Children
If you cannot put all children in the rear
seats, 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
whether your vehicle is equipped with a
seat weight sensor or not.
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
second-row seats.
Do not allow anyone to sleep against the
side window if you have an optional side
and curtain air bags, 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.
WARNING
Always move the front passenger seat
as far back as possible if installing a
front-facing child-restraint system on it
is unavoidable:
As your vehicle has front air bags
and doubly so because your vehicle
has side air bags, a front-facing
child-restraint system should be put
on the front passenger seat only
when it is unavoidable.
Even if the front passenger air bag
deactivation indicator light
illuminates, always move the seat as
far back as possible, because the
force of a deploying air bag could
cause serious injury or death to the
child.
2-44
Essential Safety Equipment
Child Restraint
CX-9_8BH2-EA-10H_Edition3 Page56
Wednesday, March 23 2011 9:30 AM
Form No.8BH2-EA-10H
Black plate (60,1)
LATCH Child-Restraint Systems
Your Mazda is equipped with LATCH lower anchors for attachment of specially designed
LATCH child-restraint systems the second-row seats. Both anchors must be used,
otherwise the seat will bounce around and put the child in danger. Most 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.
WARNING
Follow the manufacturer's instructions for the use of the 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.
Never attach two child-restraint systems to the same LATCH lower anchor:
Attaching two child-restraint systems to the same LATCH lower anchor is dangerous.
In a collision, one anchor may not be strong enough to hold two child-restraint
system attachments, and it may break, causing serious injury or death. If you use the
seat position for another child-restraint system when an outboard LATCH position is
occupied, use the center seat belts instead, and the tether if tether-equipped.
Make sure the child-restraint system is properly secured:
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.
Make sure there are no seat belts or foreign objects near or around the LATCH child-
restraint system:
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.
2-48
Essential Safety Equipment
Child Restraint
CX-9_8BH2-EA-10H_Edition3 Page60
Wednesday, March 23 2011 9:30 AM
Form No.8BH2-EA-10H
Black plate (61,1)
qLATCH Child-Restraint System
Installation Procedure (Second-
Row Outboard Seats)
1. Slide the second-row seat as far back as
possible.
2. Make sure the seatback is securely
latched by pushing it back until it is
fully locked.
3. Expand the area between the seat
bottom and the seatback slightly to
verify the locations of the LATCH
lower anchors.
For rear
right seatFor rear
left seat
NOTE
The markings above the LATCH lower anchors
indicate the locations of LATCH lower
anchors for the attachment of a child-restraint
system.
4. Raise the head restraint to the top
locked position.
Refer to Head Restraints on page 2-15.
5. Secure the child-restraint system using
BOTH LATCH lower anchors,
following the child-restraint system
manufacturer's instruction. Pull on the
child-restraint to be sure both anchors
are engaged.6. If your child-restraint system came
equipped with a tether, that 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
Forward
Essential Safety Equipment
Child Restraint
2-49
CX-9_8BH2-EA-10H_Edition3 Page61
Wednesday, March 23 2011 9:30 AM
Form No.8BH2-EA-10H