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3. While holding the shoulder and
lap belt portions together, route
the tongue through the child
seat according to the child seat
manufacturer’s instructions. Be
sure the belt webbing is not
twisted.
4. Insert the belt tongue into the
proper buckle (the buckle
closest to the direction the
tongue is coming from) for that
seating position until you hear a
snap and feel the latch engage.
Make sure the tongue is latched
securely by pulling on it.
5. To put the retractor in the
automatic locking mode, grasp
the shoulder portion of the belt
and pull downward until all of
the belt is pulled out.
6. Allow the belt to retract to remove slack. The belt will click as it
retracts to indicate it is in the automatic locking mode.
7. Try to pull the belt out of the retractor to make sure the retractor is
in the automatic locking mode (you should not be able to pull more
belt out). If the retractor is not locked, repeat Steps 5 and 6.
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8. Remove remaining slack from
the belt. Force the seat down
with extra weight, e.g., by
pressing down or kneeling on
the child restraint while pulling
up on the shoulder belt in order
to force slack from the belt.
This is necessary to remove the
remaining slack that will exist
once the additional weight of
the child is added to the child
restraint. It also helps to
achieve the proper snugness of
the child seat to the vehicle.
Sometimes, a slight lean towards the buckle will additionally help to
remove remaining slack from the belt.
9. Attach the tether strap (if the
child seat is equipped). Refer to
Attaching child safety seats
with tether strapslater in this
chapter.
10. Before placing the child in the
seat, forcibly move the seat
forward and back to make sure
the seat is securely held in
place. To check this, grab the
seat at the belt path and
attempt to move it side to side and forward and back. There should
be no more than 1 inch (2.5 cm) of movement for proper
installation.
11. Mazda recommends checking with a NHTSA Certified Child
Passenger Safety Technician (CPST) to make certain the child
restraint is properly installed. In Canada, check with your local St.
John Ambulance office for referral to a CPST.
Attaching child safety seats with LATCH (Lower Anchors and
Tethers for Children) attachments for child seat anchors
The LATCH system is composed of three vehicle anchor points: two (2)
lower anchors located where the vehicle seat back and seat cushion meet
(called the “seat bight”) and one (1) top tether anchor located behind
that seating position.
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WARNING:Depending on where you secure a child restraint,
and depending on the child restraint design, you may block
access to certain seat belt buckle assemblies and/or LATCH lower
anchors, rendering those features potentially unusable. To avoid risk of
injury, occupants should only use seating positions where they are able
to be properly restrained.
WARNING: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.
Use of inboard lower anchors from the outboard seating positions
(center seating use)
The lower anchors at the center of the second row rear seat are spaced
400 mm (16 inches) apart. The standardized spacing for LATCH lower
anchors is 280 mm (11 inches) center to center. A child seat with rigid
LATCH attachments cannot be installed at the center seating position.
LATCH compatible child seats (with attachments on belt webbing) can
only be used at this seating position provided that the child seat
manufacturer’s instructions permit use with the anchor spacing stated.
Do not attach a child seat to any lower anchor if an adjacent child seat is
attached to that anchor.
WARNING:The standardized spacing for LATCH lower anchors
is 280 mm (11 inches) center to center. Do not use LATCH
lower anchors for the center seating position unless the child seat
manufacturer’s instructions permit and specify using anchors spaced at
least as far apart as those of this vehicle.
Each time you use the safety seat, check that the seat is properly
attached to the lower anchors and tether anchor, if applicable. Tug the
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child seat from side to side and forward and back where it is secured to
the vehicle. The seat should move less than one inch when you do this
for a proper installation.
If the safety seat is not anchored properly, the risk of a child being
injured in a crash greatly increases.
Combining seat belt and LATCH lower anchors for attaching child
safety seats
When used in combination, either the seat belt or the LATCH lower
anchors may be attached first, provided a proper installation is achieved.
Attach the tether strap afterward, if included with the child seat. Refer
toRecommendations for attaching child safety restraints for children
in this chapter.
Attaching child safety seats with tether straps
Many forward-facing child safety seats include a tether strap which
extends from the back of the child safety seat and hooks to an anchoring
point called the top tether anchor. Tether straps are available as an
accessory for many older safety seats. Contact the manufacturer of your
child seat for information about ordering a tether strap, or to obtain a
longer tether strap if the tether strap on your safety seat does not reach
the appropriate top tether anchor in the vehicle.
The rear seating positions of your vehicle are equipped with built-in
tether strap anchors located behind the seats on the roof panel in the
cargo area.
The tether strap anchors in your vehicle are in the following positions
(shown from top view):
Attach the tether strap only to the
appropriate tether anchor as shown.
The tether strap may not work
properly if attached somewhere
other than the correct tether
anchor.
Once the child safety seat has been
installed, using either the seat belt
or the lower anchors of the LATCH system, you can attach the top tether
strap.
If you install a child seat with rigid LATCH attachments, and have
attached the top tether strap to the proper top tether anchor, do not
tighten the tether strap enough to lift the child seat off the vehicle seat
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If the safety seat is not anchored properly, the risk of a child being
injured in a collision greatly increases.
If your child restraint system is equipped with a tether strap, and the
child restraint manufacturer recommends its use, Mazda also
recommends its use.
Child booster seats
The belt-positioning booster (booster seat) is used to improve the fit of
the vehicle seat belt. Children outgrow a typical child seat (e.g.,
convertible or toddler seat) when they weigh about 40 lb (18 kg) and are
around four (4) years of age. Consult your child safety seat owner
manual for the weight, height, and age limits specific to your child safety
seat. Keep your child in the child safety seat if it properly fits the child,
remains appropriate for their weight, height and age AND if properly
secured to the vehicle.
Although the lap/shoulder belt will provide some protection, children
who have outgrown a typical child seat are still too small for lap/shoulder
belts to fit properly, and wearing an improperly fitted vehicle seat belt
could increase the risk of serious injury in a crash. To improve the fit of
both the lap and shoulder belt on children who have outgrown child
safety seats, Mazda Motor Corporation recommends use of a
belt-positioning booster.
Booster seats position a child so that vehicle lap/shoulder seat belts fit
better. They lift the child up so that the lap belt rests low across the hips
and the knees bend comfortably at the edge of the cushion, while
minimizing slouching. Booster seats may also make the shoulder belt fit
better and more comfortably. Try to keep the belt near the middle of the
shoulder and across the center of the chest. Moving the child closer (a
few centimeters or inches) to the center of the vehicle, but remaining in
the same seating position, may help provide a good shoulder belt fit.
When children should use booster seats
Children need to use booster seats from the time they outgrow the
toddler seat until they are big enough for the vehicle seat and
lap/shoulder belt to fit properly. Generally this is when they reach a
height of at least 4 feet 9 inches (1.45 meters) tall (around age eight to
age twelve and between 40 lb (18 kg) and 80 lb (36 kg) or upward to
100 lb (45 kg) if recommended by your child restraint manufacturer).
Many state and provincial laws require that children use approved
booster seats until they reach age eight, a height of 4 feet 9 inches
(1.45 meters) tall, or 80 lb (36 kg).
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When you believe your system is not operating properly
The main function of the tire pressure monitoring system is to warn you
when your tires need air. It can also warn you in the event the system is
no longer capable of functioning as intended. Please refer to the
following chart for information concerning your tire pressure monitoring
system:
Low tire
pressure
warning lightPossible
causeCustomer action required
Solid warning light Tire(s)
under-inflated1. Check your tire pressure to
ensure tires are properly inflated;
refer toInflating your tiresin
this chapter.
2. After inflating your tires to the
manufacturer’s recommended
inflation pressure as shown on the
Tire Label (located on the edge of
driver’s door or the B-Pillar), the
vehicle must be driven for at least
two minutes over 20 mph
(32 km/h) before the light will
turn off.
Spare tire in
useYour temporary spare tire is in
use. Repair the damaged road
wheel/tire and reinstall it on the
vehicle to restore system
functionality. For a description on
how the system functions, refer to
When your temporary spare tire
is installedin this section.
TPMS
malfunctionIf your tires are properly inflated
and your spare tire is not in use
and the light remains on, contact
your authorized dealer as soon as
possible.
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Low tire
pressure
warning lightPossible
causeCustomer action required
Flashing warning
lightSpare tire in
useYour temporary spare tire is in
use. Repair the damaged road
wheel and re-mount it on the
vehicle to restore system
functionality. For a description of
how the system functions under
these conditions, refer toWhen
your temporary spare tire is
installedin this section.
TPMS
malfunctionIf your tires are properly inflated
and your spare tire is not in use
and the TPMS warning light still
flashes, contact your authorized
dealer as soon as possible.
When inflating your tires
When putting air into your tires (such as at a gas station or in your
garage), the tire pressure monitoring system may not respond
immediately to the air added to your tires.
It may take up to two minutes of driving over 20 mph (32 km/h) for the
light to turn off after you have filled your tires to the recommended
inflation pressure.
How temperature affects your tire pressure
The tire pressure monitoring system (TPMS) monitors tire pressure in
each pneumatic tire. While driving in a normal manner, a typical
passenger tire inflation pressure may increase approximately 2 to 4 psi
(14 to 28 kPa) from a cold start situation. If the vehicle is stationary
over night with the outside temperature significantly lower than the
daytime temperature, the tire pressure may decrease approximately 3 psi
(21 kPa) for a drop of 30°F (17°C) in ambient temperature. This lower
pressure value may be detected by the TPMS as being significantly lower
than the recommended inflation pressure and activate the TPMS warning
for low tire pressure. If the low tire pressure warning light is on, visually
check each tire to verify that no tire is flat. (If one or more tires are flat,
repair as necessary.) Check air pressure in the road tires. If any tire is
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under-inflated, carefully drive the vehicle to the nearest location where
air can be added to the tires. Inflate all the tires to the recommended
inflation pressure.
SNOW TIRES AND CHAINS
WARNING:Snow tires must be the same size, load index, speed
rating as those originally provided by Mazda. Use of any tire or
wheel not recommended by Mazda can affect the safety and
performance of your vehicle, which could result in an increased risk of
loss of vehicle control, vehicle rollover, personal injury and death.
Additionally, the use of non-recommended tires and wheels could
cause steering, suspension, axle or transfer case/power transfer unit
failure.
The tires on your vehicle have all-weather treads to provide traction in
rain and snow. However, in some climates, using snow tires and traction
devices may be necessary. If you need to use snow tires and cables, it is
recommended that steel wheels are used of the same size and
specification as those originally installed.
Note:The suspension insulation and bumpers will help prevent vehicle
damage. Do not remove these components from your vehicle when using
snow tires and chains.
Follow these guidelines when using snow tires and traction devices:
•If possible, avoid fully loading your vehicle.
•SAE Class S cables should ONLY be used on the front axle for
P235/70R16 tires.
•Install cables securely, verifying that the cables do not touch any
wiring, brake lines or fuel lines.
•Do not exceed 30 mph (48 km/h) with tire cables on your vehicle.
Drive cautiously. If you hear the cables rub or bang against the
vehicle, stop and retighten them. If this does not work, remove
the cables to prevent vehicle damage.
•Remove the cables when they are no longer needed. Do not use cables
on dry roads.
VEHICLE LOADING – WITH AND WITHOUT A TRAILER
This section will guide you in the proper loading of your vehicle and/or
trailer, to keep your loaded vehicle weight within its design rating
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