belt MAZDA MODEL 3 5-DOOR 2016 User Guide

2–14
Essential Safety Equipment
Seat Belt Systems
Do not operate a vehicle with a damaged seat belt:Using a damaged seat belt is dangerous. An accident could damage the belt webbing
of the seat belt in use. A damaged seat belt cannot provide adequate protection in a
collision. Have an Authorized Mazda Dealer inspect all seat belt systems in use during an
accident before they are used again.
Have your seat belts changed immediately if the pretensioner or load limiter has been
expended: Always have an Authorized Mazda Dealer immediately inspect the seat belt pretensioners
and air bags after any collision. Like the air bags, the seat belt pretensioners and load
limiters will only function once and must be replaced after any collision that caused them
to deploy. A seat belt with an expended pretensioner or load limiter is still better than
wearing no seat belt at all; however, if the seat belt pretensioners and load limiters are
not replaced, the risk of injury in a collision will increase.
Positioning the Shoulder Portion of the Seat Belt: Improper positioning of the shoulder portion of the seat belt is dangerous. Always make
sure the shoulder portion of the seat belt is positioned across your shoulder and near your
neck, but never under your arm, on your neck, or on your upper arm.
Positioning the Lap Portion of the Seat Belt: The lap portion of the seat belt worn too high is dangerous. In a collision, this would
concentrate the impact force directly on the abdominal area, causing serious injury. Wear
the lap portion of the belt snugly and as low as possible.
CAUTION
Belt retraction may become difficult if the belts and rings are soiled, so try to keep them
clean. For more details about cleaning the seat belts, refer to "Seat Belt Maintenance"
(page 6-75).
Ring
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2–15
Essential Safety Equipment
Seat Belt Systems
*Some models.
Pregnant Women and Persons with Serious Medical Conditions
Pregnant women should always wear seat belts. Ask your doctor for specific
recommendations.
The lap belt should be worn SNUGLY AND AS LOW AS POSSIBLE OVER THE HIPS.
The shoulder belt should be worn across your shoulder properly, but never across the
stomach area.
Persons with serious medical conditions also should wear seat belts. Che\
ck with your doctor
for any special instructions regarding specific medical conditions.
Emergency Locking Mode
When the seat belt is fastened, it will always be in the emergency locking mode.
In the emergency locking mode, the belt remains comfortable on the occupant and the\

retractor will lock in position during a collision.
If the belt is locked and cannot be pulled out, retract the belt once, a\
nd then try pulling it out
slowly. If this fails, pull the belt strongly one time and loosen, then pull i\
t out again slowly.
(Seat Belt with Automatic Locking Mode)
When the seat belt is fastened, it will always be in the emergency locking mode until it is
switched to automatic locking mode by pulling it all the way out to its \
full length. If the belt
feels tight and hinders comfortable movement while the vehicle is stoppe\
d or in motion, it
may be in the automatic locking mode because the belt has been pulled to\
o far out. To return
the belt to the more comfortable emergency locking mode, wait until the vehicle has stopped
in a safe, level area, retract the belt fully to convert it back to emer\
gency locking mode and
then extend it around you again.
Automatic Locking Mode*
Always use the automatic locking mode to keep the child-restraint system\
from shifting to
an unsafe position in the event of an accident. To enable seat belt automatic locking mode,
pull it all the way out and connect it as instructed on the child-restra\
int system. It will retract
down to the child-restraint system and stay locked on it. See the sectio\
n on child restraint
(page 2-22).
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2–16
Essential Safety Equipment
Seat Belt Systems
3-Point Type Seat Belt
Fastening the Seat Belt
Seat belt
buckle
Seat belt tongue
Position the lap belt as low as possible,
not on the abdominal area, then adjust the
shoulder belt so that it fits snugly against
your body.
Keep low on
hip bone
Too high
Take up slack
Unfastening the Seat Belt
Depress the button on the seat belt buckle.
If the belt does not fully retract, pull it out
and check for kinks or twists. Then make
sure it remains untwisted as it retracts.
Button
NOTE
If a belt does not fully retract, inspect
it for kinks and twists. If it is still not
retracting properly, have it inspected at an
Authorized Mazda Dealer.
Front Shoulder Belt Adjuster
To raise To lower
Make sure the adjuster is locked.
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2–17
Essential Safety Equipment
Seat Belt Systems
Seat Belt Warning Systems
If it detects that the occupant seat belt
is unfastened, the warning light or beep
alerts the occupant.
Refer to Warning/Indicator Lights on page
4-20.
Refer to Seat Belt Warning Beep on page
7-36.
Front Seat Belt
Pretensioner and Load
Limiting Systems
For optimum protection, the driver and
front passenger seat belts are equipped
with pretensioner and load limiting
systems. For both these systems to work
properly you must wear the seat belt
properly.
Pretensioners:
When a collision is detected, the
pretensioners deploy simultaneously with
the air bags.
For vehicles with the front passenger
occupant classification system, the
pretensioners deploy simultaneously
with the air bags when a roll-over is also
detected.
For deployment details, refer to the SRS
Air Bag Deployment Criteria (page
2-53).
The seat belt retractors remove slack
quickly as the air bags are expanding.
Any time the air bags and seat belt
pretensioners have fired they must be
replaced.
A system malfunction or operation
conditions are indicated by a warning.
Refer to Warning/Indicator Lights on page
4-20.
Refer to Air Bag/Seat Belt Pretensioner
System Warning Beep on page 7-35.
(With Front Passenger Occupant
Classification System)
In addition, the pretensioner system for
the front passenger, like the front and side
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 front passenger
seat weight sensors (page 2-56).
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2–18
Essential Safety Equipment
Seat Belt Systems
Load limiter:
The load limiting system releases belt
webbing in a controlled manner to reduce
belt force on the occupant's chest. While
the most severe load on a seat belt occurs
in frontal collisions, the load limiter has
an automatic mechanical function and
can activate in any accident mode with
sufficient occupant movement.
Even if the pretensioners have not fired,
the load limiting function must be checked
by an Authorized Mazda Dealer.
WARNING
Wear seat belts only as recommended in
this owner's manual:Incorrect positioning of the seat
belts is dangerous. Without proper
positioning, the pretensioner and
load limiting systems cannot provide
adequate protection in an accident
and this could result in serious injury.
For more details about wearing seat
belts, refer to "Fastening the seat belts"
(page 2-16).
Have your seat belts changed
immediately if the pretensioner or load
limiter has been expended: Always have an Authorized Mazda
Dealer immediately inspect the seat
belt pretensioners and air bags after
any collision. Like the air bags, the seat
belt pretensioners and load limiters
will only function once and must be
replaced after any collision that caused
them to deploy. A seat belt with an
expended pretensioner or load limiter
is still better than wearing no seat
belt at all; however, if the seat belt
pretensioners and load limiters are not
replaced, the risk of injury in a collision
will increase. Do not modify the components or
wiring, or use electronic testing devices
on the pretensioner system:
Modifying the components or wiring
of the pretensioner system, including
the use of electronic testing devices
is dangerous. You could accidentally
activate it or make it inoperable which
would prevent it from activating in an
accident. The occupants or repairers
could be seriously injured.
Properly dispose of the pretensioner
system: Improper disposal of the pretensioner
system or a vehicle with non-
deactivated pretensioners is
dangerous. Unless all safety
procedures are followed, injury
could result. Have an Authorized
Mazda Dealer safely dispose of
the pretensioner system or scrap a
pretensioner system equipped vehicle.
NOTE
 The pretensioner system may not
operate depending on the type of the
collision. For details, refer to the SRS
Air Bag Deployment Criteria (page
2-53).
 Some smoke (non-toxic gas) will
be released when the air bags and
pretensioners deploy. This does not
indicate a fire. This gas normally has
no effect on occupants, however, those
with sensitive skin may experience
light skin irritation. If residue from
the deployment of the air bags or the
pretensioner system gets on the skin
or in the eyes, wash it off as soon as
possible.
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2–19
Essential Safety Equipment
Seat Belt Systems
*Some models.
Center-Rear Position
2-Point Type Seat Belt
*
Fastening the Seat Belt
1. Pull the seat belt tongue to the desired
length.
2. Insert it into the seat belt buckle until
you hear a click sound.

Seat belt tongue
Seat belt
buckle
3. Adjust the belt length.
To lengthen the belt, hold the seat belt
tongue at a right angle to the webbing
and pull. To shorten, pull the loose end
of the webbing.
Lengthen

Shorten
4. Make sure the lap belt is snugly fitted
against your body.

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2–20
Essential Safety Equipment
Seat Belt Systems
WARNING
Wearing the Lap Belt:
A lap belt worn too high is dangerous.
In a collision, this would concentrate
the impact force directly on the
abdominal area, causing serious
injury. Wear the lap belt snugly and as
low as possible.
Unfastening the Seat Belt
Depress the button on the seat belt buckle.
Button
Seat Belt Extender
If your seat belt is not long enough, even
when fully extended, a seat belt extender
may be available to you at no charge from
your Authorized Mazda Dealer.
This extender will be only for you and for
the particular vehicle and seat. Even if it
plugs into other seat belts, it may not hold
in the critical moment of a crash.
When ordering an extender, only order
one that provides the necessary additional
length to fasten the seat belt properly.
Please contact your Authorized Mazda
Dealer for more information.
WARNING
Do not use a seat belt extender unless it
is necessary:Using a seat belt extender when not
necessary is dangerous. The seat belt
will be too long and not fit properly.
In an accident, the seat belt will not
provide adequate protection and you
could be seriously injured. Only use the
extender when it is required to fasten
the seat belt properly.
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2–21
Essential Safety Equipment
Seat Belt Systems
Do not use an improper extender:Using a seat belt extender that is for
another person or a different vehicle
or seat is dangerous. The seat belt will
not provide adequate protection and
the user could be seriously injured in
an accident. Only use the extender
provided for you and for the particular
vehicle and seat. NEVER use the
extender in a different vehicle or seat.
If you sell your Mazda, do not leave
your seat belt extender in the vehicle. It
could be used accidentally by the new
owner of the vehicle. After removing
the seat belt extender, discard it. Never
use the seat belt extender in any other
vehicle you may own in the future.
Do not use an extender that is too long: Using an extender that is too long is
dangerous. The seat belt will not fit
properly. In an accident, the seat belt
will not provide adequate protection
and you could be seriously injured.
Do not use the extender or choose
one shorter in length if the distance
between the extender's buckle and the
center of the user's body is less than 15
cm (6 in). Do not leave a seat belt extender
connected to the buckle:
Leaving a seat belt extender connected
to the buckle without using the seat
belt is dangerous. When the seat belt
extender is connected to the driver's
seat belt buckle (or front passenger's
seat belt buckle), the SRS driver's (or
front passenger's) air bag system will
determine that the driver (or front
passenger) is wearing the seat belt
even if the driver (or front passenger)
is not wearing it. This condition could
cause the driver's (or front passenger's)
air bag to not activate correctly and
result in death or serious injury in the
event of collision. Always wear the seat
belt with the seat belt extender.
Do not use the seat belt extender when
installing a child-restraint system on the
front or rear passenger seat: Using a seat belt extender to fasten
a child-restraint system on any seat
is dangerous. Always follow the
child-restraint system manufacturer's
installation instructions and never use
a seat belt extender.
NOTE
When not in use, remove the seat belt
extender and store it in the vehicle. If the
seat belt extender is left connected, the
seat belt extender might get damaged
as it will not retract with the rest of the
seat belt and can easily fall out of the
door when not in use and be damaged. In
addition, the seat belt warning light will
not illuminate and function properly.
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2–22
Essential Safety Equipment
Child-Restraint
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 com\
e with the individual
child-restraint system.
A child who has outgrown child-restraint systems should sit in the rear a\
nd 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 buck\
le 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 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 Classification System)
To reduce the chance of injuries caused by deployment of the front passen\
ger air bag, the
front passenger seat weight sensors work as a part of the supplemental r\
estraint 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 deactivat\
ion indicator light
illuminates.
When an infant or small child sits on the front passenger seat, the syst\
em 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 properl\
y secured on the rear
seats which are the best place for children.
For more details, refer to "Front passenger seat weight sensors" (page \
2-56).
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2–23
Essential Safety Equipment
Child-Restraint
WARNING
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 latch it down to BOTH LATCH lower anchors for LATCH child-restraint
systems and the corresponding tether anchor.
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.
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