MAZDA MODEL MPV 2004 (in English) Workshop Manual
Page 51 of 341
2-42
Essential Safety Equipment
Child Restraint
Form No. 8S06-EA-03H
Proper Size of 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 
the 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 latch it down to BOTH LATCH lower anchors for LATCH 
child-restraint systems.
Holding a Child While the Vehicle is Moving:
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 the adult, injuring the adult. Always secure a child in a proper child-restraint 
system.
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
Child Restraint
Form No. 8S06-EA-03H
Seating Children in a Child-Restraint System on the Front Passenger Seat:
If your vehicle is equipped with front passenger seat weight sensors, a front passenger 
air bag deactivation indicator light is also equipped (page 2-51). Even with the front 
passenger seat weight sensors, if you must use the front passenger seat for children, 
seating a child in 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 total seated weight of the child with the child-restraint system on the front 
passenger seat is approximately 30 kg (66 lb) or more.
•Luggage or other items are placed on the seat with the child in the child-restraint 
system.
•A rear passenger or luggage push or pull down on the front passenger seatback.
•A rear passenger steps on the front passenger seat rails with the feet.
•Luggage or other items are placed on the seatback or hung on the assist grip, head 
restraint or armrest.
•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 second-row seat.
•Luggage or other items are placed between the front passenger seat and front 
passenger seat side table.
•Any accessories such as increasing 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.
Children and Seating Position with Side Air Bag:
Allowing anyone to lean over or against the front door is dangerous. If the vehicle is 
equipped with side air bags, the impact of an inflating side air bag could cause serious 
injury or death to the person. Children are more likely to sleep in the vehicle; when 
they do, they are more at risk in the front passenger’s seat that has a side air bag 
because they may slump over into the path of the seatback-mounted air bag. 
Furthermore, leaning over or against the doors could block the side air bag 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 who are prone to sleeping. If a child can’t be seated in the rear, 
do not allow the child to lean over or against the front door, even if the child is seated 
in a child-restraint system.
WARNING
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Page 53 of 341
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Essential Safety Equipment
Child Restraint
Form No. 8S06-EA-03H
One Belt, One Passenger:
Using one seat belt for more than one person at a time is dangerous. A seat belt used 
in this way can’t 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.
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 "LATCH Child-Restraint Systems" (page 2-53).
WARNING
CAUTION
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Essential Safety Equipment
Child Restraint
Form No. 8S06-EA-03H
Accident statistics reveal that a child is 
safer in the rear seats (both second-row 
seats and third-row center 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.
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 specific 
seating positions on the rear seats (both 
second-row seats and third-row center 
seat).
Some child-restraint systems also employ 
specially designed LATCH attachments; 
refer to "LATCH Child-Restraint 
Systems" (page 2-53).
Second-Row Seats Child-
Restraint System Installation
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 "LATCH Child-
Restraint Systems" (page 2-53).
Installing Child-Restraint 
Systems
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 or the third-row 
outboard seats 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.
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 not 
employ seat belts which are in 
automatic locking mode.
WARNING
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Page 55 of 341
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Essential Safety Equipment
Child Restraint
Form No. 8S06-EA-03H
1. If the seat in which you install a child-
restraint system has a seat slide 
function, 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 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. Adjust 
the angle of the seat belt buckle so that 
the belt is not loose. Clicking 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.
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Essential Safety Equipment
Child Restraint
Form No. 8S06-EA-03H
5. If your child-restraint system requires 
the use of a tether strap, hook and 
tighten the tether strap by following the 
manufacturer’s instructions.
Third-Row Center Seat Child-
Restraint System Installation
In the third-row seat, tether equipped 
child-restraint systems belong only in the 
center seat where there is a tether anchor 
available.
Follow these instructions when using a 
child-restraint system.
1. Secure the child-restraint system with a 
lap belt. Adjust for a snug fit by pulling 
on the loose end of the belt webbing.
Anchor bracket 
location
Anchor
bracket Tether strap Tether strap position
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 Positioning of the Tether 
Strap:
Positioning the tether strap on top of 
the head restraint is dangerous. In a 
collision, the head restraint could 
bend or break. This will cause the 
strap to loosen. The child-restraint 
system could move and injure the 
child or someone else. Always 
position the tether strap between the 
head restraint and the seatback.
WARNING
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Essential Safety Equipment
Child Restraint
Form No. 8S06-EA-03H
2. If your child-restraint system requires 
the use of a tether strap, peel back the 
carpeting in the rear luggage 
compartment to expose the anchor 
bracket (above the marking).
3. Hook the tether strap by following the 
child-restraint system manufacturer’s 
instructions.
Third-Row Outboard Seats 
Child-Restraint System 
Installation
The third-row outboard seats cannot 
accommodate LATCH-type child-
restraint systems or tethers, therefore 
these systems must be installed on the 
other seat positions such as the second-
row or third-row center seat. If this not 
possible, LATCH-type child-restraint 
systems or tethers should be installed 
using seat belts depending on whether the 
child-restraint manufacturer allows their 
use without LATCH attachments and 
tether anchors.
Follow these instructions when using a 
child-restraint system.
Marking Anchor bracket 
location
Tether
strap
Anchor
bracketTether strap position
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.
NOTE
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.
WARNING
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Essential Safety Equipment
Child Restraint
Form No. 8S06-EA-03H
1. Secure the child-restraint system with 
the lap portion of the lap/shoulder belt. 
See the instructions on the child-
restraint system for belt routing 
instructions.
2. 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.
3. 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 the 
automatic locking mode. If the belt 
does not lock the seat down tight, 
repeat this step.
If You Must Use the Front Seat 
for Children
If you cannot put all children in the rear 
seats, at least put the smallest children in 
the rear and be sure the largest child up 
front uses the shoulder belt over the 
shoulder.
Do not put rear-facing child-restraint 
systems on the front passenger’s seat.
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 
second-row seats.
Don’t allow anyone to sleep against the 
right front door if you have an optional 
side air bag, 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
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.
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Essential Safety Equipment
Child Restraint
Form No. 8S06-EA-03H
NOTE
To check if your Mazda front seats 
have side air bags:
Every Mazda side air bag will have a 
"SRS-Air Bag" label on the outboard 
shoulder of the front seats.
Front Passenger’s Seat Position:
As your vehicle has front air bags and 
doubly so if your vehicle has side air 
bags, a front-facing child-restraint 
system should be put on the front 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.
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
Children and Seating Position with 
Side Air Bag:
Allowing anyone to lean over or 
against the front door is dangerous. If 
the vehicle is equipped with side air 
bags, the impact of an inflating side 
air bag could cause serious injury or 
death to the person. Children are 
more likely to sleep in the vehicle; 
when they do, they are more at risk in 
the front passenger’s seat that has a 
side air bag because they may slump 
over into the path of the seatback-
mounted air bag. Furthermore, 
leaning over or against the doors 
could block the side air bag 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 who are prone to 
sleeping. If a child can’t be seated in 
the rear, do not allow the child to lean 
over or against the front door, even if 
the child is seated in a child-restraint 
system.
WARNING
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Page 60 of 341
2-51
Essential Safety Equipment
Child Restraint
Form No. 8S06-EA-03H
Front Passenger’s Seat Child-
Restraint System Installation
1. Make sure the front passenger air bag 
deactivation indicator light illuminates 
after installing a child-restraint system 
on the front passenger seat.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 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 
2-63).
WARNING
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