belt MAZDA MODEL 3 HATCHBACK 2004 (in English) Owner's Guide

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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 rocking the seatback.
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 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.
5 Door
Tether strap position
(Outboard position)
Tether strap
WARNING
For rear center seat
LATCH
lower anchorMarking
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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 passenger away from 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.
•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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Essential Safety Equipment
SRS Air Bags
Form No. 8S18-EA-03I

Front Air Bag System Components
(1) Front dual stage inflators and air bags
(2) Crash sensors and diagnostic module (SAS unit)
(3) Front air bag sensor
(4) Driver seat slide position sensor (page 2-44)
(5) Front passenger seat weight sensors (page 2-44)
(6) Front seats
(7) Driver and front passenger seat belt buckle switches (page 2-44)
(8) Front seat belt pretensioner and load limiting systems (page 2-14)
(9) Front passenger air bag deactivation indicator light (page 2-44)
(4)
(8)
(7)
(5)
(8) (2)(9)(3) (1) (6)
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Essential Safety Equipment
SRS Air Bags
Form No. 8S18-EA-03I

How the Front Air Bags Work
When air bag crash sensors detect a frontal impact of greater than moderate force, an
electrical current is sent to the inflators.
Gases are produced to inflate the front air bags and after the inflation, the front air bags
quickly deflate.
The front air bags will function only once. After that, the front air bags will not work
again and must be replaced.

Only an Authorized Mazda Dealer can replace the systems.
The front, dual stage air bags control air bag inflation in two energy stages. During an
impact of moderate severity the front air bags deploy with lesser energy, whereas during
more severe impacts, they deploy with more energy. Deployment of the front air bags may
differ between the driver and the front passenger depending on the driver seat position,
front passenger weight and front seat belt usage, which allow for further controlling of the
system.
Driver seat slide position sensor
Your vehicle is equipped with a driver seat slide sensor as a part of the supplemental
restraint system. The sensor is located under the driver seat. The sensor determines whether
the driver seat is fore or aft of a reference position and sends the seat position to the crash
sensors and diagnostic module (SAS unit). The sensor is also designed to control the
deployment of the driver air bag depending on how close the driver seat is to the steering
wheel.
The air bag/front seat belt pretensioner system warning light flashes if the sensor has a
possible malfunction (page 2-53).
How the Air Bags Work
The front air bags will deploy only
in a frontal or frontal offset impact.
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Essential Safety Equipment
SRS Air Bags
Form No. 8S18-EA-03I
Front passenger seat weight sensors
If your vehicle is equipped with front passenger seat weight sensors, a front passenger air
bag deactivation indicator light is also equipped (page 2-29). These sensors are located
under both of the front passenger seat rails. These sensors determine the total seated weight
on the front passenger seat. The sensors are also designed to prevent the front passenger
front and side air bags and seat belt pretensioner system from inflating if the total seated
weight is less than approximately 30 kg (66 lb).
To reduce the chance of injuries caused by deployment of the front passenger air bag, the
system deactivates the front passenger front and side air bags and also the seat belt
pretensioner system when:
•There is no passenger in the front passenger seat. (The front passenger air bag
deactivation indicator light does not illuminate.)
•The total seated weight on the front passenger seat is less than approximately 30 kg (66
lb). (The front passenger air bag deactivation indicator light illuminates.)
This system 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
according to the chart below.
The air bag/front seat belt pretensioner system warning light flashes and the front
passenger air bag deactivation indicator light illuminates if the sensors have a possible
malfunction. If this happens, the front passenger front and side air bags and seat belt
pretensioner system will not deploy.
Front passenger air bag deactivation indicator light
This indicator light illuminates to remind you that the front passenger front and side air
bags and seat belt pretensioner will not deploy during a collision.
If the front passenger weight sensors are normal, the indicator light illuminates when the
ignition switch is turned to the ON position. After about 6 seconds it goes out.
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Essential Safety Equipment
SRS Air Bags
Form No. 8S18-EA-03I
The front passenger air bag deactivation indicator light illuminates or is off under the
following conditions:
*If the front passenger seat belt is buckled, the front passenger air bag deactivation
indicator light illuminates, however this does not indicate a malfunction.
If the front passenger air bag deactivation indicator light does not illuminate when the
ignition switch is turned to the ON position and does not illuminate as indicated in the
above chart, do not allow a child to sit in the front passenger seat and consult an Authorized
Mazda Dealer as soon as possible. The system may not work properly in an accident.
Total seated weight on
the front passenger seatFront passenger air bag
deactivation indicator
lightFront passenger front and
side air bagsSeat belt pretensioner
system
Empty (Not occupied)
*OFF OFF OFF
Less than approx. 30 kg
(66 lb)ON OFF OFF
Approx. 42 kg (93 lb) or
moreOFF ON ON
Decreasing the Total Seated Weight on the Front Passenger Seat:
When an adult or large child sits on the front passenger seat, decreasing the total
seated weight on the front passenger seat from the total seated weight of
approximately 42 kg (93 lb) required for air bag deployment is dangerous. The front
passenger seat weight sensors will detect the reduced total seated weight condition and
the front passenger front and side air bags and seat belt pretensioner system will not
deploy during an accident. The front passenger will not have the supplementary
protection of the air bag, which could result in serious injury. Decreasing the total
seated weight on the front passenger seat from the total seated weight of
approximately 42 kg (93 lb) could result in an air bag not deploying under the
following conditions, for example:
•A rear passenger pushes up on the front passenger seat with the feet.
•Luggage or other items placed under the front passenger seat or between the front
passenger seat and driver seat that push up the front passenger seat bottom.
•The front passenger seat occupant sits in a manner that does not place the entire
weight of the occupant on the seat such as by sitting too close to the door, grasping
the rim of the moonroof.
•The front passenger seatback contacts the rear seat.
•Any accessories which might decrease the total seated weight on the front
passenger seat are attached to the front passenger seat.
WARNING
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Essential Safety Equipment
SRS Air Bags
Form No. 8S18-EA-03I
Increasing the Total Seated Weight on the Front Passenger Seat:
When an infant or small child sits on the front passenger seat, increasing the total
seated weight on the front passenger seat from the total seated weight of
approximately 30 kg (66 lb) is dangerous. The front passenger seat weight sensors will
detect the increased total seated weight, which could result in the unexpected
deployment of the front passenger front and side air bags and seat belt pretensioner
system in an accident and serious injury. Increasing the total seated weight on the
front passenger seat from the total seated weight of approximately 30 kg (66 lb) could
result in the front passenger front and side air bags and seat belt pretensioner system
deployment in an accident under the following conditions, for example:
•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 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.
•Any accessories which might increase the total seated weight on the front
passenger seat are attached to the front passenger seat.
•To assure proper deployment of the front air bag and to prevent damage to the sensors
in the front seat bottoms:
Do not place sharp objects on the front seat bottoms or leave heavy luggage on them.
Do not spill any liquids on the front seats or under the front seats.
•To allow the sensors to function properly, always perform the following:
Adjust the front seats as far back as possible and always sit upright against the
seatbacks with seat belts worn properly.
If you place your child on the front passenger seat, secure the child-restraint system
properly and slide the front passenger seat as far back as possible (page 2-29).
WARNING
CAUTION
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Essential Safety Equipment
SRS Air Bags
Form No. 8S18-EA-03I
Driver and front passenger buckle switches
The buckle switches on the front seat belts detect whether or not the front seat belts are
securely fastened and further control the deployment of the air bags on the front seats.

How the Side and Curtain Air Bags Work*
When air bag crash sensors detect a side impact of greater than moderate force, an
electrical current is sent to the inflators.
Gases are produced to inflate the side and curtain air bags and after the inflation, the side
and curtain air bags quickly deflate.
The side and curtain air bags will function only once. After that, the side and curtain air
bags will not work again and must be replaced.
Only an Authorized Mazda Dealer can
replace the systems.
NOTE
•The system requires about 10 seconds to alternate between turning the front
passenger front and side air bags and seat belt pretensioner system on or off.
•The front passenger air bag deactivation indicator light may illuminate repeatedly if
luggage or other items are put on the front passenger seat, or if the temperature of the
vehicle’s interior changes suddenly.
•The front passenger air bag deactivation indicator light may illuminate for 10 seconds
if the total seated weight on the front passenger seat changes.
•
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.
To prevent damage to the side and curtain air bag wiring, don’t place luggage or other
objects under the front seats.
The side air bag will deploy only on the side
the vehicle receives the force of the impact.The curtain air bag will deploy only on the side
the vehicle receives the force of the impact.
CAUTION
*Some models.
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