2015 MAZDA MODEL 3 4-DOOR Owners Manual

2–37
Essential Safety Equipment
Child-Restraint
Using LATCH Lower Anchor
Your Mazda is equipped with LATCH lower anchors for attachment of specially designed
LATCH child-restraint systems in the rear 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 i\
mproperly 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.
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2–38
Essential Safety Equipment
Child-Restraint
Installation on rear outboard seats
1. First, adjust the front seat to allow clearance between the child-restraint
system and the front seat (page 2-5 ).
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.
NOTE
The markings above the LATCH lower
anchors indicate the locations of the
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 2-11 .
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.
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.

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2–39
Essential Safety Equipment
Child-Restraint
Always route the tether strap between
the head restraint and the seatback: Routing the tether strap on top of
the head restraint is dangerous. In a
collision the tether strap could slide off
the head restraint and loosen the child-
restraint system. The child-restraint
system could move which may result in
death or injury to the child.
Anchor bracket
Tether strap(4-Door)
Tether strap
Forward
(5-Door)
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.
Installation on 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 443 mm
(17.4 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 443 mm
(17.4 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.
The procedure for installation on the rear
outboards seats is the same.
LATCH lower anchor location
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2–40
Essential Safety Equipment
Child-Restraint
WARNING
Always route the tether strap between
the head restraint and the seatback: Routing the tether strap on top of
the head restraint is dangerous. In a
collision the tether strap could slide off
the head restraint and loosen the child-
restraint system. The child-restraint
system could move which may result in
death or injury to the child.
Anchor bracket
Tether strap(4-Door)
Tether strap
Forward
(5-Door)
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.
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*Some models.2–41
Essential Safety Equipment
SRS Air Bags
Supplemental Restraint System (SRS) Precautions
The front and side supplemental restraint systems (SRS) include up to \
6 air bags. Please
verify which kinds of air bags are 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:
 y  The steering wheel hub (driver air bag) y The front passenger dashboard (front passenger air bag) y The outboard sides of the front seatbacks (side air bags) *
 y The front and rear window pillars, and the roof edge along both sides (\
curtain air bags) *
Vehicles with the Front Passenger Occupant Classifi cation System have a sensor which
detects an impending roll-over accident.
The air bag supplemental restraint systems are designed to provide suppl\
emental protection
in certain situations so seat belts are always important in the followin\
g ways:
Without seat belt usage, the air bags cannot provide adequate protection \
during an accident.
Seat belt usage is necessary to:
 y Keep the occupant from being thrown into an infl ating air bag. y Reduce the possibility of injuries during an accident that is not design\
ed for air bag
infl ation, such as rear impact.
 y Reduce the possibility of injuries in frontal, near frontal or side coll\
isions or roll-over
accidents that are not severe enough to activate the air bags.
 y  Reduce the possibility of being thrown from your vehicle. y Reduce the possibility of injuries to lower body and legs during an acci\
dent because the
air bags provide no protection to these parts of the body.
 y  Hold the driver in a position which allows better control of the vehicle\
.
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2–42
Essential Safety Equipment
SRS Air Bags
If your vehicle is also equipped with a front passenger occupant classifi cation system,
refer to the Front Passenger Occupant Classifi cation System (page 2-57 ) for details.
If your vehicle is equipped with a front passenger occupant classifi cation system, the front
passenger air bag deactivation indicator light illuminates for a specifi\
ed time after the
ignition is switched ON.
Small children must be protected by a child-restraint system as stipulat\
ed by law in every
state and province. In certain states and provinces, larger children must use a child-restraint
system (page 2-23 ).
Carefully consider which child-restraint system is necessary for your ch\
ild 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
infl ate only in the fi rst accident, such as frontal, near frontal or side collisions or roll-over
accidents 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. A sleeping child is more
likely to lean against the door and be hit by the side air bag in moderate collision to the
front-passenger side of the vehicle. Whenever possible, always secure a child 12 years and
under on the rear seats with an appropriate child-restraint system for the child's age and
size.

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2–43
Essential Safety Equipment
SRS Air Bags
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 infl ate 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 fl oor. 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 infl ate 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 infl ation and injure the occupants.

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2–44
Essential Safety Equipment
SRS Air Bags
Do not attach objects on or around the area where a side air bag deploys: Attaching objects to the front seat in such a way as to cover the outboard side of the
seat in any way is dangerous. In an accident the object could interfere with the side
air bag, which infl ates from the outboard side of the front seats, impeding the added
protection of the side air bag system or redirecting the air bag in a way that is dangerous.
Furthermore, the bag could be cut open releasing the gas.
Do not hang net bags, map pouches or backpacks with side straps on the front seats.
Never use seat covers on the front seats. Always keep the side air bag modules in your
front seats free to deploy in the event of a side collision.

Do not attach objects on or around the area where a curtain air bag deploys: Attaching objects to the areas where the curtain air bag activates such as on the
windshield glass, side door glass, front and rear window pillars and along the roof edge
and assist grips is dangerous. In an accident the object could interfere with the curtain
air bag, which infl ates from the front and rear window pillars and along the roof edge,
impeding the added protection of the curtain air bag system or redirecting the air bag in
a way that is dangerous. Furthermore, the bag could be cut open releasing the gas.
Do not place hangers or any other objects on the assist grips. When hanging clothes,
hang them on the coat hook directly. Always keep the curtain air bag modules free to
deploy in the event of a side collision or roll-over accident.

Do not touch the components of the supplemental restraint system after the air bags
have infl ated:
Touching the components of the supplemental restraint system after the air bags have
infl ated is dangerous. Immediately after infl ation, they are very hot. You could get burned.

Never install any front-end equipment to your vehicle: Installation of front-end equipment, such as frontal protection bar (kangaroo bar, bull
bar, push bar, or other similar devices), snowplow, or winches, is dangerous. The air bag
crash sensor system could be aff ected. This could cause air bags to infl ate unexpectedly,
or it could prevent the air bags from infl ating during an accident. Front occupants could
be seriously injured.

Do not modify the suspension: Modifying the vehicle suspension is dangerous. If the vehicle's height or the suspension is
modifi ed, the vehicle will be unable to accurately detect a collision or roll-over accident
resulting in incorrect or unexpected air bag deployment and the possibility of serious
injuries.

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