MAZDA MODEL 3 5-DOOR 2004 Service Manual
Page 41 of 372
2-29
Essential Safety Equipment
Child Restraint
Form No. 8S18-EA-03I
Front Passenger
’s Seat Child-
Restraint System Installation
1. Slide the seat as far back as possible.
2. 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.
3. 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.
4. Push the child-restraint system firmly  into the vehicle seat. Be sure the belt 
retracts as snugly as possible. Clicking 
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.Children and Seating Position with 
Side and Curtain Air Bags:
Allowing anyone to lean over or 
against the front door, the area of 
front seat, front and rear window 
pillars and the roof edge along both 
sides which the side and curtain air 
bags deploy even though using a 
child-restraint system is dangerous. If 
the vehicle is equipped with side and 
curtain air bags, the impact of 
inflation could cause serious injury 
or death to the 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. Do not allow a 
child to lean over or against the 
doors, even if the child is seated in a 
child-restraint system.
WARNING
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Essential Safety Equipment
Child Restraint
Form No. 8S18-EA-03I
5. Make sure the front passenger air bag deactivation indicator light illuminates 
after installing a child-restraint system 
on the front passenger seat.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.
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Essential Safety Equipment
Child Restraint
Form No. 8S18-EA-03I
Seating a Child in a Child-Restraint 
System on the Front Passenger Seat 
With the Front Passenger Air Bag 
Deactivation Indicator Light Not 
Illuminated:
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 the front passenger air 
bag deactivation indicator light does 
not illuminate even when the total 
seated weight is less than 
approximately 30 kg (66 lb), this 
means that the front passenger front 
and side air bags, and seat belt 
pretensioner are ready for 
deployment. If an accident were to 
deploy an air bag, a child sitting in 
the front passenger seat could be 
seriously injured or killed. If the front 
passenger air bag deactivation 
indicator light does not illuminate 
after installing a child-restraint 
system on the front passenger seat, 
install the child-restraint system on 
the rear seat and consult an 
Authorized Mazda Dealer as soon as 
possible. While it is always better to 
install any child-restraint system on 
the rear seat, it is essential to do so if 
the front passenger air bag 
deactivation indicator light does not 
illuminate. For further details, refer 
to "Front passenger seat weight 
sensors (page 2-44)".
WARNING
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Essential Safety Equipment
Child Restraint
Form No. 8S18-EA-03I
Your Mazda is equipped with LATCH lower anchors for attachment of specially designed 
LATCH child-restraint systems in the rear outboard seats. Both anchors must be used, 
otherwise the seat will bounce around and put the child in danger. Some 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.
LATCH Child-Restraint Systems
Manufacturer ’s Instructions for 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.
Attaching 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 may break, causing serious injury or death. If you use the seat 
position for another child-restraint system when an outboard LATCH position is 
occupied, use the center seat belts instead, and the tether if tether-equipped.
Unsecured 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. Follow the 
child-restraint system manufacturer ’s instructions on belt routing 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.
LATCH Child-Restraint Systems:
Not following the child-restraint system manufacturer ’s instructions when installing 
the child-restraint system is dangerous. If seat belts 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-restraint system could 
move in a sudden stop or collision causing serious injury or death to the 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.
WARNING
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Essential Safety Equipment
Child Restraint
Form No. 8S18-EA-03I
Child-Restraint System 
Installation Procedure (Rear 
Outboard Seats)
1. Make sure the seatback is securely 
latched by pushing it back until it is 
fully locked.
2. Expand the area between the seat  bottom and the seatback slightly to 
verify the locations of the LATCH 
lower anchors.
3. Secure the child-restraint system using  BOTH LATCH lower anchors, 
following the child-restraint system 
manufacturer ’s instruction. 4. If your child-restraint system came 
equipped with a tether, that probably 
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.
NOTE
The markings above the LATCH lower 
anchors indicate the locations of 
LATCH lower anchors for the 
attachment of a child-restraint system.
LATCH 
lower anchor Marking
For rear
right seat For rear
left seat
Cover
For rear right seat
For rear left seat
4 Door
Anchor bracket
location
Anchor
bracket
Anchor
bracket
Tether
strap4 Door
Tether strap
position
For rear left seatFor rear right seat
5 Door
Anchor bracket 
location
(Outboard position)
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Essential Safety Equipment
Child Restraint
Form No. 8S18-EA-03I
Child-Restraint System 
Installation Procedure (Rear 
Center Seat)
The LATCH lower anchors at the center 
of the rear seat are much further apart than 
the sets of LATCH lower anchors for 
child-restraint system installation at other 
seating positions. Child-restraint systems 
with rigid LATCH attachments cannot be 
installed on the center seating position. 
Some LATCH equipped child-restraint 
systems can be placed in the center 
position and will reach the nearest 
LATCH lower anchors which are 400 mm 
(15.75 in) apart. LATCH compatible 
child-restraint systems (with attachments 
on belt webbing) can be used at this 
seating position only if the child-restraint 
system manufacturer’
s instructions state 
that the child-restraint system can be 
installed to LATCH lower anchors that are 
400 mm (15.75 in) apart. Do not attach 
two child-restraint systems to the same 
LATCH lower anchor. If your child-
restraint system has a tether, it must also 
be used for your child ’s optimum safety.
1. Make sure the seatback is securely  latched by pushing it back until it is 
fully locked.
2. Expand the area between the seat bottom  and the seatback slightly to verify the 
locations of the LATCH lower anchors.
Child-Restraint Tether Usage:
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. Use the 
tether and tether anchor only for a 
child-restraint system.
Incorrect Attachment of the Tether 
Strap:
Attaching the tether strap on top of 
the head restraint is dangerous. In a 
collision, the tether strap could slide 
off the head restraint, and loosen the 
child-restraint system. The child-
restraint system could move and 
injure the child or someone else. 
Always attach the tether strap 
between the head restraint and the 
seatback.
5 Door
Tether strap position
(Outboard position)
Tether strap
WARNING
For rear center seat
LATCH 
lower anchor Marking
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Essential Safety Equipment
Child Restraint
Form No. 8S18-EA-03I
3. Secure the child-restraint system using BOTH LATCH lower anchors, 
following the child-restraint system 
manufacturer ’s instructions.
4. If your child-restraint system came  equipped with a tether, that probably 
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.
NOTE
The markings above the LATCH lower 
anchors indicate the locations of 
LATCH lower anchors for the 
attachment of a child-restraint system.
Cover
4 Door
Anchor bracket
location
Anchor
bracket
For rear center seat
4 Door
Tether strap
position
(Center position)
Anchor
bracket
Tether strap
Child-Restraint Tether Usage:
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. Use the 
tether and tether anchor only for a 
child-restraint system.
Cover
5 Door
Anchor bracket
location
(Center position)
For rear 
center seat
5 Door
Tether strap 
position
(Center position)
Tether
strap
For rear 
center seat
WARNING
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Essential Safety Equipment
Form No. 8S18-EA-03I
SRS Air Bags
The front and side supplemental restraint systems (SRS) include up to 6 air bags (verify 
"SRS AIRBAG" location indicator marks).
They are located in:
•The steering wheel hub (driver air bag)
• The front passenger dashboard (front passenger air bag)
• The outboard sides of the front seatbacks (side air bags)
*
•The front and rear window pillars, and the roof edge along both sides (curtain air bags)*
These systems operate independently depending on the type of accident encountered; if 
you have side and curtain air bags, the side and curtain air bags are not likely to deploy on 
both sides in the same accident because a vehicle is not often hit from both sides. The side 
and curtain air bags and the frontal air bag system will not normally deploy during the 
same type of accident unless a combination of frontal and side impacts occur.
The air bag supplemental restraint systems are designed to provide supplemental protection 
only in the front seats in certain situations and the rear outside passenger positions only in 
same-side collisions, so seat belts are always important in the following ways:
Without seat belt usage, the air bags cannot provide adequate protection during an accident. 
Seat belt usage is necessary to:
•Keep the occupant from being thrown into an inflating air bag.
• Reduce the possibility of injuries during an accident that is not designed for air bag 
inflation, such as roll-over or rear impact.
• Reduce the possibility of injuries in frontal or side collisions that are not severe enough 
to activate the air bags.
• Reduce the possibility of being thrown from your vehicle.
• Reduce the possibility of injuries to lower body and legs during an accident because the 
air bags provide no protection to these parts of the body.
• Hold the driver in a position which allows better control of the vehicle.
Supplemental Restraint Systems (SRS) Precautions
*Some models.
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Essential Safety Equipment
SRS Air Bags
Form No. 8S18-EA-03I
Small children should be protected by a child-restraint system. In certain regions, larger 
children must use a child-restraint system (page 2-21).
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.
Air Bags without Seat Belts:
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 inflate only in collisions with frontal, near frontal or side forces that are at 
least moderate. Vehicle occupants should always wear seat belts.
Child in the Front 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. Even if the front 
passenger air bag deactivation indicator light illuminates, always move the front 
passenger seat as far back as possible. A sleeping child is more likely to lean against 
the door and be hit by the side air bag in a moderate, right-side collision. Whenever 
possible, always secure a child 12 years and under on the rear seat with an 
appropriate child-restraint system for the child ’s age and size.
Rear-Facing Child-Restraint System:
Rear-facing child-restraint systems on the front seat are particularly dangerous.
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, NEVER use a rear-facing 
child-restraint system in the front seat with an air bag that could deploy even in a 
moderate collision.
WARNING
Deploying air bag
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Essential Safety Equipment
SRS Air Bags
Form No. 8S18-EA-03I
Seating Position with Front Air Bags:
Sitting too close to the air bag modules or placing hands or feet on them is extremely 
dangerous. Front 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.
Seating Position with Side and Curtain Air Bags:
Sitting too close to the side air bag modules or placing hands on them is extremely 
dangerous. The side air bags inflate with great force and speed directly out of the 
outboard side of the front seat and expand along the front 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. 
Furthermore, sleeping up against the door or hanging out the windows in the vehicle 
could block the side and curtain air bags and eliminate the advantages of 
supplemental protection. 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.
Front Air Bag Modules:
Attaching an object to the front air bag modules or placing something in front of them 
is dangerous. In an accident, the object could interfere with front air bag inflation 
and injure the occupants.
Always keep the front air bag modules free of objects.
Side Air Bag Modules:
Attaching things to the front seat in such a way as to cover the outboard side of the 
seat in any way is dangerous. In an accident the object could interfere with the side 
air bag, which inflates from the outboard side of the front seats, impeding the added 
protection of the side air bag system or redirecting the air bag in a way that is 
dangerous. Furthermore, the bag could be cut open spewing exhaust.
Do not hang net bags, map pouches or backpacks with side straps on the front seats. 
Never use seat covers on the front seats. Always keep the side air bag modules in your 
front seats free to deploy in the event of a side collision.
WARNING
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