Black plate (52,1)
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
illuminate (With Driver and Front
Passenger Occupant Classification
System):While it is always better to install any
child-restraint system on the rear
seat, it is imperative that a child-
restraint system ONLYbe used on the
front passenger seat if the
deactivation indicator light
illuminates when the child is seated
in the child-restraint system (page
2-57). 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, 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.
2-38
Essential Safety Equipment
Child Restraint
Mazda3_8BY7-EC-11F_Edition1 Page52
Friday, June 17 2011 2:54 PM
Form No.8BY7-EC-11F
Black plate (53,1)
LATCH Child-Restraint Systems
Your Mazda is equipped with LATCH lower anchors for attachment of specially designed
LATCH child-restraint systems in the rear seat. 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.
Essential Safety Equipment
Child Restraint
2-39
Mazda3_8BY7-EC-11F_Edition1 Page53
Friday, June 17 2011 2:54 PM
Form No.8BY7-EC-11F
Black plate (56,1)
qLATCH Child-Restraint System
Installation Procedure (Rear
Center Seat)
The LATCH lower anchors at the center
of the rear seat are much further apart than
the sets of LATCH lower anchors for
child-restraint system installation at other
seating positions. Child-restraint systems
with rigid LATCH attachments cannot be
installed on the center seating position.
Some LATCH equipped child-restraint
systems can be placed in the center
position and will reach the nearest
LATCH lower anchors which are 400 mm
(15.75 in) apart. LATCH compatible
child-restraint systems (with attachments
on belt webbing) can be used at this
seating position only if the child-restraint
system manufacturer's instructions state
that the child-restraint system can be
installed to LATCH lower anchors that are
400 mm (15.75 in) apart. Do not attach
two child-restraint systems to the same
LATCH lower anchor. If your child-
restraint system has a tether, it must also
be used for your child's optimum safety.
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.
2-42
Essential Safety Equipment
Child Restraint
Mazda3_8BY7-EC-11F_Edition1 Page56
Friday, June 17 2011 2:54 PM
Form No.8BY7-EC-11F
Black plate (58,1)
Supplemental Restraint System (SRS) Precautions
The front and side supplemental restraint systems (SRS) include up to 6 air bags.Please
verify the air bags equipped on your vehicle by locating the “SRS AIRBAG ”location
indicators. These indicators are visible in the area where the air bags are installed.
The air bags are installed in the following locations:
lThe steering wheel hub (driver air bag)lThe front passenger dashboard (front passenger air bag)lThe outboard sides of the front seatbacks (side air bags)í
lThe front and rear window pillars, and the roof edge along both sides (curtain air bags)í
The air bag supplemental restraint systems are designed to provide supplemental protection
in certain situations, so seat belts are always important in the following ways:
Without seat belt usage, the air bags cannot provide adequate protection during an accident.
Seat belt usage is necessary to:
lKeep the occupant from being thrown into an inflating air bag.lReduce the possibility of injuries during an accident that is not designed for air bag
inflation, such as roll-over or rear impact.
lReduce the possibility of injuries in frontal, near frontal, side collisions that are not
severe enough to activate the air bags.
lReduce the possibility of being thrown from your vehicle.lReduce the possibility of injuries to lower body and legs during an accident because the
air bags provide no protection to these parts of the body.
lHold the driver in a position which allows better control of the vehicle.
2-44
Essential Safety Equipment
íSome models.
SRS Air Bags
Mazda3_8BY7-EC-11F_Edition1 Page58
Friday, June 17 2011 2:54 PM
Form No.8BY7-EC-11F
Black plate (59,1)
If your vehicle is also equipped with a driver and front passenger occupant
classification system, refer to the Driver and Front Passenger Occupant Classification
System (page 2-57) for details.
If your vehicle is equipped with a driver and front passenger occupant classification
system, the front passenger air bag deactivation indicator light illuminates for a specified
time after the ignition is switched ON.
Small children must be protected by a child-restraint system as stipulated by law in every
state and province. In certain states and provinces, larger children must use a child-restraint
system (page 2-26).
Carefully consider which child-restraint system is necessary for your child and follow the
installation directions in this Owner's Manual as well as the child-restraint system
manufacturer's instructions.
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 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 collision to the front-passenger
side of the vehicle. 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.
Essential Safety Equipment
SRS Air Bags
2-45
Mazda3_8BY7-EC-11F_Edition1 Page59
Friday, June 17 2011 2:54 PM
Form No.8BY7-EC-11F
Black plate (60,1)
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.
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, or 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 expanding 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.
2-46
Essential Safety Equipment
SRS Air Bags
Mazda3_8BY7-EC-11F_Edition1 Page60
Friday, June 17 2011 2:54 PM
Form No.8BY7-EC-11F
Black plate (62,1)
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 a front door or leave any damage unrepaired. Always have an
Authorized Mazda Dealer inspect a damaged front door: Modifying a front door or leaving any damage unrepaired is dangerous. Each front
door has a side crash sensor as a component of the supplemental restraint system. If
holes are drilled in a front door, a door speaker is left removed, or a damaged door is
left unrepaired, the sensor could be adversely affected causing it to not detect the
pressure of an impact correctly during a side collision. If a sensor does not detect a
side impact correctly, the side and curtain air bags and the front seat belt
pretensioner may not operate normally which could result in serious injury to
occupants.
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.
lOn some models, a highly-visible label is displayed which warns against the use of rear-facing
child-restraint systems on the front passenger seat.
2-48
Essential Safety Equipment
SRS Air Bags
Mazda3_8BY7-EC-11F_Edition1 Page62
Friday, June 17 2011 2:54 PM
Form No.8BY7-EC-11F
Black plate (63,1)
Supplemental Restraint System Components
Driver/Front passenger inflators and air bags
Crash sensor, and diagnostic module (SAS unit)
Front seat belt pretensioner and load limiting systems (page 2-20)
Front air bag sensor
Side crash sensorsí
Air bag/front seat belt pretensioner system warning light (page 2-53)
Side and curtain inflators and air bagsí
Front passenger air bag deactivation indicator light (page 2-57)
Front passenger seat weight sensors (page 2-57)
Front passenger seat weight sensor control module
Driver and front passenger seat belt buckle switches (page 2-61)
Driver seat slide position sensor (page 2-57)
NOTE
-are equipped only on models with the driver and front passenger occupant classification
system.
Essential Safety Equipment
SRS Air Bags
2-49íSome models.
Mazda3_8BY7-EC-11F_Edition1 Page63
Friday, June 17 2011 2:54 PM
Form No.8BY7-EC-11F