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 pro vincial laws for specific requirements regarding the safety
of children riding in your vehicle.
Whatever child-restraint system you consider, please pick the a ppropriate one for the age
and size of the child, obey the law and follow the instructions that come with the individual
child-restraint system.
A child who has outgrown child-re straint systems should sit in the rear and 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 buckle on th e 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 supplementa l 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 Occupa nt Classification System)
To reduce the chance of injuries caused by deployment of the front passenger air bag, the
front passenger occupant classification sensor works as a part of the supplemental restraint
system. This system deactivates the front passenger front and s ide air bags and also the front
passenger seat belt pretensioner system when the front passenge r air bag deactivation
indicator light illuminates.
When an infant or small child si ts on the front passenger seat, the system shuts off the front
passenger front and side air bags and seat belt pretensioner sy stem, so make sure the front
passenger air bag deactivation indicator light illuminates.
Even if the fron t passenger air bag is shut off, Mazda strongly recommends that children be
properly restrained and child-restraint systems of all kinds are properly secured on the rear
seats which are the best place for children.
For more details, re fer to "Front passeng er occupant classifica tion sensor" (page 2-61).
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Child Restraint
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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 occupant classification sensor. Even with the
front passenger occupant classification sensor, 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 indica tor 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.
Luggage or other items are placed on the seatback or hung on the head restraint.
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.
An electric device is put on the front passenger's seat.
An additional electrical device, such as a seat warmer is installed to the surface of 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 pilla rs 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 ca
use 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 protecti on. 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 no t 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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Child Restraint
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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. Ne ver use one belt for more than one person at a
time and always operate the vehicle wi th each occupant properly restrained.
CAUTION
A seat belt or child-restraint system can beco me 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 on the rear seats. When using these anchors to secure a
child-restraint system, refer to "Using LATCH Lower Anchor" (page 2-41).
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Child Restraint
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Child-Restraint System Installation
▼Categories of Child-Restraint Systems
NOTE
When purchasing, ask the manufacturer of the child-restraint system which type of
child-restraint system is appropriate for your child and vehicle.
(Mexico)
Child-restraint systems are classified into the following 5 gro
ups according to the UNECE
44 regulation.
Group Age Weight
0 Up to about 9 months old Up to 10 kg (up to 22 lb)
0
Up to about 2 years old Up to 13 kg (up to 29 lb)
1 About 8 months to 4 years old 9 kg ― 18 kg (20 lb ― 40 lb)
2 About 3 to 7 years old 15 kg ― 25 kg (33 lb ― 55 lb)
3 About 6 to 12 years old 22 kg ― 36 kg (48 lb ― 79 lb)
(Except Mexico)
Please comply with the legal regulations concerning the use of child-restraint systems in
your country.
▼ Child-Restraint System Types
In this owner's manual, explanation of
child-restraint system
s is provided for the
following three types of popular
child-restraint system s: 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 fit all seating positions. Before
purchasing a child-restraint system, it
should be tested in the specific vehicle
seating position (or positions) where it
is intended to be used. If a previously
purchased child-restraint system does
not fit, you may need to purchase a
different one that will.
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Child Restraint
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Installing Child-RestraintSystems
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 classification 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 2-41).
WA R N I N G
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 benefit 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 leftFor right
For center *
*
Except Mexico
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Child Restraint
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▼If You Must Use th
e 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 shou lder belt over the
shoulder.
NEVER put a rear-fac ing child-restraint
system on the front passenger seat whether
your vehicle is equipped with an occupant
classification 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.
WA R N I N G
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.
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Child Restraint
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▼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.
WA R N I N G
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 accordin g 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 inju ry or death. If you use the seat position for
another child-restraint system when an outboar d 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 routin g 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 manu facturer's instructions when installing the
child-restraint system is dangerous. If seat be lts 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-restr aint system could move in a sudden stop or
collision causing serious injury or death to th e 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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Child Restraint
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Installation on rear outboard seats
1. First, adjust the front seat to allowclearance 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 open seams on the rear of
the seat bottom slig htly 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. 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 Restra ints on page 2-12.
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.
WA R N I N G
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
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Child Restraint
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