2021 MAZDA MODEL 3 HATCHBACK light

Child-RestraintPrecautions
▼ 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 speci
fic
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 con firm 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
Classi fication System)
To reduce the chance of injuries
caused by deployment of the front
passenger air bag, the front passenger
seat weight sensors occupant
classi fication sensor works as a part of
the supplemental restraint system. This
system deactivates the front passenger
front and side air bags and knee 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 o ff the front passenger front and
side air bags and knee 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 o ff, 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 seat weight sensors" (page
2-71).

Essential Safety Equipment
Child Restraint
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WARNING
Use the correct size child-restraint
system:
For eff ective 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 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.
Essential Safety Equipment
Child Restraint
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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.
 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.
 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 to or against the side
window of a vehicle with side and
curtain air bags:
It is dangerous to allow anyone to lean
over to 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 in flation from a side or
curtain air bag could cause serious
injury or death to an out of position
child. Furthermore, leaning over to or
against the front door could block the
side and curtain air bags and eliminate
the advantages of supplemental
protection. Because the front seats are
equipped with fron t air bags, the rear
seat is always a better location for
children. Take special care not to allow
a child to lean over to 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.
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.
Essential Safety Equipment
Child Restraint
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▼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 classi
fication 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-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.
*1 ISOFIX (Mexico)/LATCH (Except Mexico)
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.
Essential Safety Equipment
Child Restraint
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5. To get the retractor into theautomatic locking mode, pull the
shoulder belt portion of the seat
belt until the entire length of the
belt is out of the retractor.
6. Push the child-restraint system firmly 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
automatic locking mode. If the belt
does not lock the seat down tight,
repeat the previous step and also
this one.
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.
Follow the child-restraint system
manufacturer's instructions
carefully.
Depending on the type of
child-restraint system, it may not
employ seat belts which are in
automatic locking mode.
7. Seat your child safely in the child-restraint system and secure
the child according to the
instructions from the child-restraint
system manufacturer.
8. Switch the ignition ON and makesure 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
the child-restraint system (page
2-71).
Essential Safety Equipment
Child Restraint
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WARNING
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
indicator light illuminates when the
child is seated in the child-restraint
system (page 2-71). 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 knee 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, seat a child in a
child-restraint system on the rear seat
and consult an Authorized Mazda
Dealer as soon as possible.
▼ Using ISOFIX Lower Anchor
(Mexico)/Using LATCH Lower
Anchor (Except Mexico)
Your Mazda is equipped with ISOFIX/
LATCH*1 lower anchors for attachment
of specially designed ISOFIX/LATCH*1
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 ISOFIX/
LATCH
*1 child-restraint systems must
also be used in conjunction with a
tether to be e ffective. 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.
Essential Safety Equipment
Child Restraint
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If your vehicle is also equipped with a
front passenger occupant
classification system, refer to the Front
Passenger Occupant Classi fication
System (page 2-70) for details.
If your vehicle is equipped with a front
passenger occupant classi fication
system, the front passenger air bag
deactivation indicator light illuminates
for a speci fied time after the ignition is
switched ON.


Small children must be protected by a
child-restraint system as stipulated by
law in every state and province. In
certain states and provinces, larger
children must use a child-restraint
system (page 2-32).

Carefully consider which child-restraint
system is necessary for your child 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 in flate only in the first 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.
Essential Safety Equipment
SRS Air Bags
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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 inflate 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 floor. 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 in flate 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 air bags deploy:
Attaching objects to the air bags or
placing something in the area where
the air bags deploy is dangerous. In an
accident, an object could interfere with
air bag in flation and injure the
occupants. Furthermore, the bag could
be damaged causing gases to release.
Always keep the deployment area of
the air bag modules free of any
obstructions.
For example, you should not do any of
the following as it may interfere with
air bag deployment.
 Do not put a covering on or lean
anything against areas such as the
dashboard and lower portion of the
instrument panel that blocks the
passenger front air bag and knee air
bags.
 Do not use seat covers on the front
seats and rear seats equipped with
in-seat side air bags.
 Do not hang any backpacks, bags or
pouches that cover the sides of the
seats that block the side air bags.
Essential Safety Equipment
SRS Air Bags
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