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 come with the individual
child-restraint system.
A child who has outgrown child-restraint 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 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 supplementa l restraint system (air bags).
A rear-facing child-res traint 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 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 side air bags and also the front
passenger seat belt pretensioner system when the front passenger air bag deactivation
indicator light illuminates.
When an infant or small child sits on the front passenger seat, the system 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 properly secured on the rear
seats which are the best place for children.
For more details, refer to "Front passenger occupant classification sensor" (page 2-72).
Essential Safety Equipment
Child Restraint
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WA R N I N G
Use the correct size child-restraint system:
For effective 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 attach
it to BOTH ISOFIX/LATCH
*1 lower anchors for ISOFIX/LATCH*1 child-restraint systems and the
corresponding tether anchor.
*1 ISOFIX (Mexico)/LATCH (Except Mexico)
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 ba g 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 viol ently backward resulting in serious injury or
death to the child.
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Child Restraint
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(Except Mexico)
Vehicles with a front passenger air bag have the following warning label. 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 th e following warning label. 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 co uld cause serious injury or death to the child. If
installing a front-facing child-restraint syst em on the front passenger seat is unavoidable,
move the front passenger seat as far back as possible and adjust the seat bottom (height
adjustable seat bottom) to the highest position at which the seat belt fastening the
child-restraint system is securely tightened.
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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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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 2-72), 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 ISOFIX/LATCH
*1
attachments; refer to "Using ISOFIX
Lower Anchor (Mexico)/Using LATCH
Lower Anchor (Excep t Mexico)" (page
2-52).
*1 ISOFIX (Mexico)/LATCH (Except
Mexico)
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 center
For left For right*
*Except Mexico
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Child Restraint
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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 2-20.
▼ 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
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 ISOFIX/LATCH
*1
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-re straint system on the
front seat is unavoidable, follow these
instructions when using a front-facing
child-restraint system in the front
passenger's seat.
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Child Restraint
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*1 ISOFIX (Mexico)/LATCH (ExceptMexico)
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.
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.
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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Child Restraint
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7. Seat your child safely in thechild-restraint system and secure the
child according to the instructions
from the child-restraint system
manufacturer.
8. Switch the ignition ON and make sure the front passenger air bag deactivation
indicator light illuminates after
installing a child-restraint system on
the front passenger seat.
If the front passenger air bag
deactivation indicator light does not
illuminate, remove the child-restraint
system, switch the ignition to OFF, and
then re-install th e child-restraint
system (page 2-72).WA R N I N G
Do not seat a child in a child-restraint
system on the front passenger seat if the
front passenger air bag deactivation
indicator light does not illuminate:
While it is always better to install any
child-restraint system on the rear seat, it is
imperative that a child-restraint system
ONLY be used on the front passenger seat if
the deactivation indica tor light illuminates
when the child is seated in the
child-restraint system (page 2-72). Seating
a child in a child-restraint system installed
on the front passenger seat with the front
passenger air bag deactivation indicator
light not illuminated is dangerous. If this
indicator light does not illuminate, this
means that the front passenger front and
side air bags, and seat belt pretensioners
are ready for deployment. If an accident
were to deploy an air bag, a child in a
child-restraint system sitting in the front
passenger seat could be seriously injured or
killed. If the indicator light does not
illuminate after seating a child in a
child-restraint system on the front
passenger seat, se at a child in a
child-restraint system on the rear seat and
consult an Authorized Mazda Dealer as
soon as possible.
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Child Restraint
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