2–32
Essential Safety Equipment
Child Restraint
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 infl ation 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.
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.
Always remove the child-restraint syst em from the rear seat before operating the
remote handle for the rear seat: Operating the remote handle while a rear-facing child-restraint system is in the rear seat
is dangerous. It could cause injury to a child seated in the child-restraint system when the
seatback suddenly fl ips forward.
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 2-42 ).
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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
Installation position is determined
by the type of child-restraint system.
Always read the manufacturer's
instructions and this owner's manual
carefully.
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 speci fi 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.
When using a backless booster seat,
always install the vehicle head
restraint to the seat where the
backless booster seat is installed. Backless booster seat
*
1
*1
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Essential Safety Equipment
Child Restraint
Installing Child-Restraint
Systems
Accident statistics reveal that a child is
safer in the rear seat. The front passenger's
seat is clearly the worst choice for any
child under 12, and with rear-facing child-
restraint systems it is clearly unsafe due to
air bags.
NOTE
Even if your vehicle is equipped with
front passenger occupant classifi cation
sensor (page 2-61 ), which automatically
deactivates the front passenger air bag, a
rear seat is the safest place for a child of
any age or size.
Some child-restraint systems now come
with tethers and therefore must be
installed on the seats that take tethers
to be effective. In your Mazda, tethered
child-restraint systems can only be
accommodated in the three positions on
the rear seat.
Some child-restraint systems also employ
specially designed LATCH attachments;
refer to "Using LATCH Lower Anchor"
(page 2-42 ).
WARNING
Tethered Child-Restraint Systems Work
Only on Tether-Equipped Rear Seats: Installation of a tether equipped
child-restraint system in the front
passenger's seat defeats the safety
design of the system and will result in
an increased chance of serious injury if
the child-restraint system goes forward
without benefi t of being tethered.
Place tether equipped child-restraint
systems where there are tether
anchors.
Anchor Bracket
Anchor brackets for securing child-
restraint systems are equipped in the
vehicle. Locate each anchor position using
the illustration.
To install a child-restraint system, remove
the head restraint. Always follow the
instruction manual accompanying the
child-restraint system.
Anchor bracket location
Use the indicated anchor bracket locations
when installing a child-restraint system
equipped with a tether.
For center
For left For right*
*Except Mexico
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Essential Safety Equipment
Child Restraint
*Some models.
WARNING
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.
Always remove the head restraint and
install child-restraint system: Installing a child-restraint system
without removing the head restraint is
dangerous. The child-restraint system
cannot be installed correctly which
may result in death or injury to the
child in a collision.
Tether strap
Forward
Tether strap
Forward
Always install the head restraint and
adjust it to the appropriate position
after removing the child-restraint
system:
Driving with the head restraint
removed is dangerous as impact to the
occupant's head cannot be prevented
during emergency braking or in a
collision, which could result in a serious
accident, injury or death.
Refer to Head Restraints on page
2-17 .
Using Automatic Locking Mode *
Follow these instructions when using
a child-restraint system, unless you are
attaching a LATCH-equipped child-
restraint system to the rear LATCH lower
anchors. Refer to “Using LATCH Lower
Anchor” (page 2-42 ).
NOTE
Follow the child-restraint system
manufacturer's instructions carefully.
If you are not sure whether you have a
LATCH system or tether, check in the
child-restraint system manufacturer's
instructions and follow them accordingly.
Depending on the type of child-restraint
system, it may use LATCH system instead
of seat belts or if the belt goes across the
child's chest, may recommend against
using automatic locking mode.
1. Make sure the seatback is securely latched by pushing it back until it is
fully locked.
2. Remove the head restraint. However, when installing a backless booster seat,
always install the vehicle head restraint
to the seat where the backless booster
seat is installed.
Refer to Head Restraints on page 2-17 .
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Essential Safety Equipment
Child Restraint
3. Secure the child-restraint system with the lap portion of the lap/shoulder belt.
See the manufacturer's instructions
on the child-restraint system for belt
routing instructions.
4. To get the retractor into the automatic locking mode, pull the shoulder belt
portion of the seat belt until the entire
length of the belt is out of the retractor.
5. Push the child-restraint system fi rmly
into the vehicle seat. Be sure the
belt retracts as snugly as possible. A
clicking noise from the retractor will be
heard during retraction if the system is
in the automatic locking mode. If the
belt does not lock the seat down tight,
repeat this step.
NOTE
Inspect this function before each use of
the child-restraint system. You should
not be able to pull the shoulder belt out
of the retractor while the system is in the
automatic locking mode. When you remove
the child-restraint system, be sure the
belt fully retracts to return the system to
emergency locking mode before occupants
use the seat belts.
6. If your child-restraint system requires the use of a tether strap, refer to the
manufacturer's instructions to hook and
tighten the tether strap.
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Essential Safety Equipment
Child Restraint
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 remove the head restraint and
install child-restraint system (except
when installing a backless booster
seat): Installing a child-restraint system
without removing the head restraint is
dangerous. The child-restraint system
cannot be installed correctly which
may result in death or injury to the
child in a collision.
Tether strap
Forward
Tether strap
Forward
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.
Always install the head restraint and
adjust it to the appropriate position
after removing the child-restraint
system: Driving with the head restraint
removed is dangerous as impact to the
occupant's head cannot be prevented
during emergency braking or in a
collision, which could result in a serious
accident, injury or death.
Refer to Head Restraints on page
2-17 .
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Essential Safety Equipment
Child Restraint
If You Must Use the Front Seat for Children
If you cannot put all children in the rear
seat, at least put the smallest children
in the rear and be sure the largest child
up front uses the shoulder belt over the
shoulder.
NEVER put a rear-facing child-restraint
system on the front passenger seat whether
your vehicle is equipped with an occupant
classifi cation sensor or not.
This seat is also not set up for tethered
child-restraint systems, put them in one of
the rear seat positions set up with tether
anchors.
Likewise the LATCH child-restraint
system cannot be secured in the front
passenger's seat and should be used in the
rear seat.
Do not allow anyone to sleep against the
side window since your vehicle has side
and curtain air bags, it could cause serious
injuries to an out of position occupant.
As children more often sleep in cars,
it is better to put them in the rear seat.
If installing the child-restraint system
on the front seat is unavoidable, follow
these instructions when using a front-
facing child-restraint system in the front
passenger's seat.
NOTE
To check if your front seats have side air
bags:
Mazda vehicles equipped with side air bag will have a "SRS AIRBAG" tag on
the outboard shoulder of the front seats.
To check if your vehicle has curtain air
bags:
Mazda vehicles equipped with curtain air bag will have an "SRS AIRBAG"
marking on the window pillars along
the roof edge.
WARNING
Always move the front passenger seat
as far back as possible if installing a
front-facing child-restraint system on it
is unavoidable: As your vehicle has front air bags and
doubly so because your vehicle has
side air bags, a front-facing child-
restraint system should be put on the
front passenger seat only when it is
unavoidable.
Even if the front passenger air
bag deactivation indicator light
illuminates, always move the seat as
far back as possible, because the force
of a deploying air bag could cause
serious injury or death to the child.
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 in a moderate collision, 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.
Even though you may feel assured
that the front passenger air bag will
not deploy based on the fact that the
front passenger air bag deactivation
indicator light illuminates, you should
not use a rear-facing child-restraint
system in the front seat.
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Essential Safety Equipment
Child Restraint
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 infl ation 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.
Always remove the head restraint and
install child-restraint system (except
when installing a backless booster
seat): Installing a child-restraint system
without removing the head restraint is
dangerous. The child-restraint system
cannot be installed correctly which
may result in death or injury to the
child in a collision.
Always install the head restraint and
adjust it to the appropriate position
after removing the child-restraint
system: Driving with the head restraint
removed is dangerous as impact to the
occupant's head cannot be prevented
during emergency braking or in a
collision, which could result in a serious
accident, injury or death.
Refer to Head Restraints on page
2-17 .
Front Passenger's Seat Child-Restraint
System Installation (With Front
Passenger Occupant Classifi cation
System)
1. Make sure the ignition is switched off.
2. Slide the seat as far back as possible.
3. Remove the head restraint. However, when installing a backless booster seat,
always install the vehicle head restraint
to the seat where the backless booster
seat is installed.
4. Place the child-restraint system on the seat without putting your weight on
the seat and fasten the seat belt. See
the manufacturer's instructions on the
child-restraint system for belt routing
instructions.
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