mazda3 model 2010 MAZDA MODEL 3 4-DOOR 2011 Owners Manual

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Thank you for choosing a Mazda. We at Mazda design and build vehicles with complete
customer satisfaction in mind.
To help ensure enjoyable and trouble-free operation of your Mazda, read this manual
carefully and follow its recommendations.
An Authorized Mazda Dealer knows your vehicle best. So when maintenance or service is
necessary, that's the place to go.
Our nationwide network of Mazda professionals is dedicated to providing you with the best
possible service.
We assure you that all of us at Mazda have an ongoing interest in your motoring pleasure
and in your full satisfaction with your Mazda product.Mazda Motor CorporationHIROSHIMA, JAPAN
Important Notes About This Manual
Keep this manual in the glove box as a handy reference for the safe and enjoyable use of your Mazda. Should you
resell the vehicle, leave this manual with it for the next owner.
All specifications and descriptions are accurate at the time of printing. Because improvement is a constant goal at
Mazda, we reserve the right to make changes in specifications at any time without notice and without obligation.
Event Data Recorder
This vehicle is equipped with an event data recorder. In the event of a crash, this device records data related to
vehicle dynamics and safety systems for a short period of time. These data can help provide a better
understanding of the circumstances in which crashes and injuries occur and lead to the designing of safer
vehicles.
Air Conditioning and the Environment
Your Mazda's genuine air conditioner is filled with HFC134a (R134a), a refrigerant that has been found not to
damage the earth's ozone layer. If the air conditioner does not operate properly, consult an Authorized Mazda
Dealer.
Perchlorate
Certain components of this vehicle such as [air bag modules, seat belt pretensioners, lithium batteries, ...] may
contain Perchlorate Material –Special handling may apply for service or vehicle end of life disposal. See
www.dtsc.ca.gov/hazardouswaste/perchlorate.
Please be aware that this manual applies to all models, equipment and options. As a result, you may find
some explanations for equipment not installed on your vehicle.
©2009 Mazda Motor Corporation
Printed in Japan Nov. 2010(Print3)
A Word to Mazda Owners
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Form No.8BM5-EA-10F

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2Essential Safety Equipment
Use of safety equipment, including seats, seat belt system, child-restraint
systems and SRS air bags.
Seats ............................................................................................... 2-2Front Seats (Manually Operated Seats) ..................................... 2-2
Front Seats (Electrically Operated Seats) .................................. 2-4
Rear Seat ................................................................................... 2-7
Head Restraints ....................................................................... 2-10
Seat Warmer
í......................................................................... 2-12
Seat Belt Systems ........................................................................ 2-14 Seat Belt Precautions .............................................................. 2-14
Seat Belt .................................................................................. 2-18
Front Seat Belt Pretensioner and Load Limiting Systems ....... 2-20
Seat Belt Extender ................................................................... 2-23
Seat Belt Warning Light/Beep ................................................ 2-24
Child Restraint ............................................................................ 2-26 Child Restraint Precautions ..................................................... 2-26
Child-Restraint System Installation Position .......................... 2-30
Installing Child-Restraint Systems .......................................... 2-31
LATCH Child-Restraint Systems ............................................ 2-38
SRS Air Bags ............................................................................... 2-43 Supplemental Restraint System (SRS) Precautions ................ 2-43
Supplemental Restraint System Components ......................... 2-48
How the SRS Air Bags Work .................................................. 2-49
SRS Air Bag Deployment Criteria .......................................... 2-53
Limitations to SRS Air Bag .................................................... 2-54
Driver and Front Passenger Occupant Classification
System
í.................................................................................. 2-56
Monitoring and Maintenance .................................................. 2-61
2-1íSome models.
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WARNING
Always make sure the seat belts are
fully pulled out from under the
seatbacks:A seat belt caught under a seatback
after the seatback is returned to its
upright position is dangerous. In a
collision or sudden stop, the seat belt
cannot provide adequate protection.
When returning the seatback to the
upright position, make sure there is no
red indication: A rear seatback not fully returned
and locked in the upright position is
dangerous. Sudden stops or
maneuvering could cause a seatback
to flip forward suddenly resulting in
injury. If the red indicator is visible on
the back of the rear seatback knob,
the seatback is not locked in the
upright position.
Locked position
Unlocked position
Red indicator
q Armrestí
The rear armrest in the center of the rear
seatback can be used (no occupant in the
center seat) or placed upright.
Essential Safety Equipment
Seats
2-9íSome models.
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Folding down/up (5 Door)
The rear seats are equipped with foldable
head restraints.
To fold the head restraint, pull the strap
and fold the head restraint downward. To
return the head restraint to its upright
position, lift it upward.
WARNING
Always drive with the head restraints in
their upright positions when the rear
seats are occupied, and make sure they
are securely locked in place:Driving with the head restraints
folded down is dangerous. With no
support behind your head, your neck
could be seriously injured in a
collision.
qActive Head Restraintsí
The front seats are equipped with active
head restraints.
In a rear-end collision, the active head
restraints use the force applied by the
occupant on the seatback to
instantaneously move the head restraints
in the forward direction, reducing
excessive rearward tilting of the head and
reducing the load on the neck. The active
head restraints are also highly effective at
reducing whip-lash injuries which
commonly occur in rear-end collisions at
low to mid-range vehicle speeds.
WARNING
Ø Always adjust the head restraints
properly as specified in this
section. Failure to do so can
reduce the effectiveness of the
active head restraint.
Ø Do not attach any accessories such
as a TV screen to a front seatback
and/or a front head restraint. Also
do not place heavy items or thick
items, or both in the seatback
pocket. Doing so could reduce the
effectiveness of the active head
restraint in a rear-end collision.
Essential Safety Equipment
Seats
2-11íSome models.
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NOTElThe active head restraints operate in a
rear-end collision. The head restraints
return to their original position after the
collision.
lThe method for adjusting the active head
restraints is the same as non-active head
restraint.
Seat Warmerí
The driver and front passenger seats can
be warmed by rotating the applicable seat
warmer dial while the ignition is switched
ON.
The seat temperature increases as the
number on the dial increases. When the
seat warmers are not in use, rotate the seat
warmer dials to 0.
2-12
Essential Safety Equipment
íSome models.
Seats
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Supplemental Restraint System (SRS) Precautions
The front and side supplemental restraint systems (SRS) include 6 air bags.Please verify
the air bags equipped on your vehicle by locating the “SRS AIRBAG ”location
indicators. These indicators are visible in the area where the air bags are installed.
The air bags are installed in the following locations:
lThe steering wheel hub (driver air bag)lThe front passenger dashboard (front passenger air bag)lThe outboard sides of the front seatbacks (side air bags)í
lThe front and rear window pillars, and the roof edge along both sides (curtain air bags)í
The air bag supplemental restraint systems are designed to provide supplemental protection
in certain situations, 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:
lKeep the occupant from being thrown into an inflating air bag.lReduce the possibility of injuries during an accident that is not designed for air bag
inflation, such as roll-over or rear impact.
lReduce the possibility of injuries in frontal, near frontal, side collisions that are not
severe enough to activate the air bags.
lReduce the possibility of being thrown from your vehicle.lReduce 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.
lHold the driver in a position which allows better control of the vehicle.
Essential Safety Equipment
SRS Air Bags
2-43íSome models.
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Supplemental Restraint System Components
Driver/Front passenger inflators and air bags
Crash sensor, and diagnostic module (SAS unit)
Front seat belt pretensioner and load limiting systems (page 2-20)
Front air bag sensor
Side crash sensorsí
Air bag/front seat belt pretensioner system warning light (page 2-51)
Side and curtain inflators and air bagsí
Front passenger air bag deactivation indicator light (page 2-56)
Front passenger seat weight sensors (page 2-56)
Front passenger seat weight sensor control module
Driver and front passenger seat belt buckle switches (page 2-60)
Driver seat slide position sensor (page 2-56)
NOTE
-are equipped only on models with the driver and front passenger occupant classification
system.
2-48
Essential Safety Equipment
íSome models.
SRS Air Bags
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(With Driver and Front Passenger Occupant Classification System)
In addition, the front passenger air bag is designed to only deploy in accordance with the
total seated weight on the front passenger seat. For details, refer to the driver and front
passenger occupant classification system (page 2-56).
qSide Air Bagsí
The side air bags are mounted in the outboard sides of the front seatbacks.
When the air bag crash sensors detect a side impact of greater than moderate force, the
system inflates the side air bag only on the side in which the vehicle was hit. The side air
bag inflates quickly to reduce injury to the driver or front passenger's chest caused by
directly hitting interior parts such as a door or window.
For more details about air bag deployment, refer to “SRS Air Bag Deployment Criteria ”
(page 2-53).
(With Driver and Front Passenger Occupant Classification System)
In addition, the front passenger side air bag is designed to only deploy in accordance with
the total seated weight on the front passenger seat. For details, refer to the driver and front
passenger occupant classification system (page 2-56).
2-50
Essential Safety Equipment
íSome models.
SRS Air Bags
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qCurtain Air Bagsí
The curtain air bags are mounted in the front and rear window pillars, and the roof edge
along both sides.
When the air bag crash sensors detect a side impact of greater than moderate force, the
curtain air bag inflates quickly and helps to reduce injury mainly to the rear outboard
passenger's head caused by directly hitting interior parts such as a door or window.
For more details about air bag deployment, refer to “SRS Air Bag Deployment Criteria ”
(page 2-53).
In a side impact:
Greater than moderate impact to one side of the vehicle will cause the curtain air bag on
that side only to inflate.
The side and curtain air bags will deploy only on the side the
vehicle receives the force of the impact.
q Air Bag/Front Seat Belt Pretensioner System Warning Light
If the air bag/front seat belt pretensioner system is working properly, the warning light
illuminates when the ignition is switched ON or after the engine is cranked. The warning
light turns off after a specified period of time.
A system malfunction is indicated if the warning light constantly flashes, constantly
illuminates or does not illuminate at all when the ignition is switched ON. If any of these
occur, consult an Authorized Mazda Dealer as soon as possible. The system may not work
in an accident.
Essential Safety Equipment
SRS Air Bags
2-51íSome models.
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SRS Air Bag Deployment Criteria
This chart indicates the applicable SRS equipment that will deploy depending on the type
of collision.
(The illustrations are the representative cases of collisions.)
SRS
equipment Types of collision
A severe frontal/near frontal collision A severe side collision A rear collision
Front seat belt
pretensioner X*1(both sides)
No air bag and front seat
belt pretensioner will be
activated in a rear collision.
Driver air
bag X
Front
passenger air bag X
*1
Side air
bagíX*1(impact side only)
Curtain air bag
íX (impact side only)
X: The SRS air bag equipment is designed to deploy in a collision.
*1: (With Driver and Front Passenger Occupant Classification System)
The front passenger front and side air bags and the seat belt pretensioner are designed
to deploy depending on the condition of the total seated weight on the front passenger
seat.
Essential Safety Equipment
SRS Air Bags
2-53íSome models.
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