2015 MAZDA MODEL 3 4-DOOR Owners Manual

2–21
Essential Safety Equipment
Seat Belt Systems
Seat Belt Extender
If your seat belt is not long enough, even
when fully extended, a seat belt extender
may be available to you at no charge from
your Authorized Mazda Dealer.
This extender will be only for you and for
the particular vehicle and seat. Even if it
plugs into other seat belts, it may not hold
in the critical moment of a crash.
When ordering an extender, only order
one that provides the necessary additional
length to fasten the seat belt properly.
Please contact your Authorized Mazda
Dealer for more information.
WARNING
Do not use a seat belt extender unless it
is necessary: Using a seat belt extender when not
necessary is dangerous. The seat belt
will be too long and not fi t properly.
In an accident, the seat belt will not
provide adequate protection and you
could be seriously injured. Only use the
extender when it is required to fasten
the seat belt properly.

Do not use an improper extender: Using a seat belt extender that is for
another person or a diff erent vehicle
or seat is dangerous. The seat belt will
not provide adequate protection and
the user could be seriously injured in
an accident. Only use the extender
provided for you and for the particular
vehicle and seat. NEVER use the
extender in a diff erent vehicle or seat.
If you sell your Mazda, do not leave
your seat belt extender in the vehicle. It
could be used accidentally by the new
owner of the vehicle. After removing
the seat belt extender, discard it. Never
use the seat belt extender in any other
vehicle you may own in the future.

Do not use an extender that is too long: Using an extender that is too long is
dangerous. The seat belt will not fi t
properly. In an accident, the seat belt
will not provide adequate protection
and you could be seriously injured.
Do not use the extender or choose
one shorter in length if the distance
between the extender's buckle and the
center of the user's body is less than 15
cm (6 in).

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2–22
Essential Safety Equipment
Seat Belt Systems
Do not leave a seat belt extender
connected to the buckle: Leaving a seat belt extender connected
to the buckle without using the seat
belt is dangerous. When the seat
belt extender is connected to the
driver's seat belt buckle (or front
passenger) seat, the SRS driver's (or
front passenger's) air bag system will
determine that the driver (or front
passenger) is wearing the seat belt
even if the driver (or front passenger)
is not wearing it. This condition could
cause the driver's (or front passenger's)
air bag to not activate correctly and
result in death or serious injury in the
event of collision. Always wear the seat
belt with the seat belt extender.

Do not use the seat belt extender when
installing a child-restraint system on the
front or rear passenger seat: Using a seat belt extender to fasten
a child-restraint system on any seat
is dangerous. Always follow the
child-restraint system manufacturer's
installation instructions and never use
a seat belt extender.
NOTE
When not in use, remove the seat belt
extender and store it in the vehicle. If the
seat belt extender is left connected, the
seat belt extender might get damaged
as it will not retract with the rest of the
seat belt and can easily fall out of the
door when not in use and be damaged. In
addition, the seat belt warning light will
not illuminate and function properly.
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2–23
Essential Safety Equipment
Child-Restraint
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 t\
he U.S. and Canada.
Check your local and state or provincial laws for specifi c 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 com\
e with the individual
child-restraint system.
A child who has outgrown child-restraint systems should sit in the rear a\
nd 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 buck\
le on the right if the
child is seated on the center seat.
Statistics confi rm 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 should NEVER be 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.
(With Front Passenger Occupant Classifi cation System)
To reduce the chance of injuries caused by deployment of the front passen\
ger air bag, the
front passenger seat weight sensors work as a part of the supplemental r\
estraint system. This
system deactivates the front passenger front and side air bags and also \
the front passenger
seat belt pretensioner system when the front passenger air bag deactivat\
ion indicator light
illuminates.
When an infant or small child sits on the front passenger seat, the syst\
em shuts off the front
passenger front and side air bags and seat belt pretensioner system, 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 properl\
y secured on the rear
seats which are the best place for children.
For more details, refer to "Front passenger seat weight sensors" (page \
2-57 ).
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2–24
Essential Safety Equipment
Child-Restraint
WARNING
Use the correct size child-restraint system: For eff ective 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.
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2–25
Essential Safety Equipment
Child-Restraint
(U.S.A. and Canada)
Vehicles with a front passenger air bag have a warning label attached as shown below.
The warning label reminds you not to put a rear-facing child-restraint system on the front
passenger seat at any time.
(Mexico)
NEVER use a rearward facing child restraint on a seat protected by an ACTIVE AIRBAG in
front of it, DEATH or SERIOUS INJURY to the CHILD can occur.
Vehicles with a front passenger air bag have a warning label attached as shown below.
The warning label reminds you not to put a rear-facing child-restraint system on the front
passenger seat at any time.

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.
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2–26
Essential Safety Equipment
Child-Restraint
Seating a child in a child-restraint system on the front passenger seat is dangerous
under certain conditions (With Front Passenger Occupant Classifi cation 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.


2–27
Essential Safety Equipment
Child-Restraint
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 "Using LATCH Lower Anchor" (page 2-37 ).
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2–28
Essential Safety Equipment
Child-Restraint
Child-Restraint System
Installation
Child-Restraint System Types
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
 y Installation position is determined
by the type of child-restraint system.
Always read the manufacturer's
instructions and this owner's manual
carefully.
 y Due to variations in the design of child-
restraint systems, vehicle seats and
seat belts, all child-restraint systems
may not fi t all seating positions. Before
purchasing a child-restraint system, it
should be tested in the specifi c vehicle
seating position (or positions) where it
is intended to be used. If a previously
purchased child-restraint system does
not fi t, 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 fi t of the seat belt
system around the child's body.
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