2016 MAZDA MODEL 3 4-DOOR seats

2–8
Essential Safety Equipment
Seats
Rear Seat
Split/One-piece Folding the
Seatback
By lowering the rear seatback(s) the
luggage compartment space can be
expanded.
WARNING
Do not drive the vehicle with occupants
on folded down seatback(s) or in the
luggage compartment.Putting occupants in the luggage
compartment is dangerous because
seat belts cannot be fastened which
could lead to serious injury or death
during sudden braking or a collision.
Do not allow children to play inside the
vehicle with the seatback(s) lowered. Allowing children to play in the
vehicle with the seatback(s) folded
down is dangerous. If a child enters
the luggage compartment and the
seatback(s) were raised back up, the
child may become trapped in the
luggage compartment which could
lead to an accident.
Tightly secure cargo in the luggage
compartment when it is transported
with the seatback(s) folded down. Driving without tightly securing cargo
and luggage is dangerous as it could
move and become an obstruction to
driving during emergency braking or
a collision resulting in an unexpected
accident.
When transporting cargo, do not allow
the cargo to exceed the height of the
seatback(s).Transporting cargo stacked higher
than the seatback(s) is dangerous as
visibility to the rear and sides of the
vehicle is reduced which could interfere
with driving operations and lead to an
accident.
Lowering the seatback(s)
CAUTION
Check the position of a front seat
before folding a rear seatback.
Depending on the position of a front
seat, it may not be possible to fold
a rear seatback all the way down
because it may hit the seatback of
the front seat which could scratch or
damage the front seat or its pocket.
Lower or remove the head restraint on
the rear outboard seat if necessary.
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2–9
Essential Safety Equipment
Seats
(4–Door)
1. (Split-folding type seat)
Open the trunk lid and pull the lever of
the seatback you want to fold down.
(One-piece folding type seat)
Open the trunk lid and pull the lever of
the seatback.

*1: With split-folding type seat only *1
2. Open a rear door and fold the rear seat
forward.
(5–Door)
Press the push knob to fold down the
seatback.
To return the seatback to its upright
position:
WARNING
When returning a seatback to its
upright position, make sure the 3-point
seat belt is not caught in the seatback
and the 3-point seat belt is not twisted. If the seat belt is used while it is twisted
and caught in the seatback, the seat
belt cannot function at its full capacity,
which could cause serious injury or
death.
When returning a seatback to its
upright position, make sure that it is
firmly locked and the red indication is
not visible (5–Door). If the red indication is visible behind
the push knob, it means the seatback
is not locked. If the vehicle is driven
without the seatback locked, it could
fold down suddenly and cause an
accident.
Locked position
Unlocked position Red indication
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2–10
Essential Safety Equipment
Seats
*Some models.
1. Make sure that the seat belt passes
through the seat belt guide correctly
and it is not twisted, then raise the
seatback while preventing the seat belt
from being caught in the seatback.
(4–Door)

Seat belt guides
(5–Door)

Red indication
Seat belt guide
2. Press the seatback rearward and lock it
in place. After returning the seatback
to its upright position, make sure it is
securely locked.
Armrest*
The rear armrest in the center of the rear
seatback can be used (no occupant in the
center seat) or placed upright.
WARNING
Never put your hands and fingers
around the moving parts of the seat and
armrest: Putting your hands and fingers around
the moving parts of the seat and
armrest is dangerous as they could get
injured.
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2–11
Essential Safety Equipment
Seats
*Some models.
Head Restraints
Your vehicle is equipped with head
restraints on all outboard seats and the
rear center seat
*. The head restraints
are intended to help protect you and the
passengers from neck injury.
WARNING
Always drive with the head restraints
installed when seats are being used and
make sure they are properly adjusted: Driving with the head restraints
adjusted too low or removed is
dangerous. With no support behind
your head, your neck could be seriously
injured in a collision.
Height adjustment
To raise a head restraint, pull it up to the
desired position.
To lower the head restraint, press the stop-
catch release, then push the head restraint
down.
Adjust the head restraint so that the center
is even with the top of the passenger's ears.
Front outboard seat
Rear outboard seat
Rear center seat*
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2–12
Essential Safety Equipment
Seats
Removal/Installation
To remove the head restraint, pull it up
while pressing the stop-catch.
To install the head restraint, insert the legs
into the holes while pressing the stop-
catch.
WARNING
Always drive with the head restraints
installed when seats are being used and
make sure they are properly installed:Driving with the head restraints not
installed is dangerous. With no support
behind your head, your neck could be
seriously injured in a collision.
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2–13
Essential Safety Equipment
Seat Belt Systems
Seat Belt Precautions
Seat belts help to decrease the possibility of severe injury during acci\
dents and sudden
stops. Mazda recommends that the driver and all passengers always wear s\
eat belts.
(U.S.A. and Canada)
All of the seat belt retractors are designed to keep the lap/shoulder be\
lts out of the way when
not in use.
The driver's seat belt has no provisions for child-restraint systems and\
has only an
emergency locking mode. The driver may wear it comfortably, and it will lock during a
collision.
However, the front passenger's seat and all rear lap/shoulder belt retractors o\
perate in
two modes: emergency locking mode, and for child-restraint systems, automatic locking
mode. While we recommend you put all children in the rear seats, if you must u\
se the front
passenger seat for a child, slide the front passenger seat as far back a\
s possible and make
sure any child-restraint system is secured properly.
(Mexico)
The front seats and rear outboard seats have lap/shoulder belts. These belts have retractors
with inertia locks that keep them out of the way when not in use. The locks allow the belts
to remain comfortable on users, but they will lock in position during a \
collision.
The rear center seat has a lap belt with manual adjustment.
WARNING
Always wear your seat belt and make sure all occupants are properly restrained:
Not wearing a seat belt is extremely dangerous. During a collision, occupants not
wearing seat belts could hit someone or things inside the vehicle or even be thrown out of
the vehicle. They could be seriously injured or even killed. In the same collision, occupants
wearing seat belts would be much safer.
Do not wear twisted seat belts: Twisted seat belts are dangerous. In a collision, the full width of the belt is not available to
absorb the impact. This puts more force on the bones beneath the belt, which could cause
serious injury or death. So, if your seat belt is twisted, you must straighten the seat belt to
remove any twists and to allow the full width of the belt to be used.
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.
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2–22
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 the U.S. and Canada.
Check your local and state or provincial laws for specific 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 confirm 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 Classification 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 \
2-56).
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2–25
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 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.
 The front passenger air bag deactivation indicator light does not illuminate when
seating a child in the child-restraint system. Luggage or other items are placed on the seat with the child in the child-restraint
system. A rear passenger or luggage pushing or pulling down on the front passenger
seatback. A rear passenger puts their feet on the front seat rails. Luggage or other items are placed on the seatback or hung on the head restraint. Heavy items are placed in the seatback map pocket. The seat is washed. Liquids are spilled on the seat. The front passenger seat is moved backward, pushing into luggage or other items
placed behind it. The front passenger seatback contacts the rear seat. Luggage or other items are placed between the front passenger seat and driver seat. Any 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.
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.
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