Child Restraint

Child-Restraint Precautions

Mazda strongly urges the use of child-restraint systems for children small enough to use them.

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 come with the individual child-restraint system.

 

A child who has outgrown child-restraint systems should sit in the rear and use seat belts.

 

The child-restraint system should be installed on the rear seat.

Statistics confirm that the rear seat is the best place for all children up to 12 years of age-the more so with a supplementary restraint system (air bags).

 

A rear-facing child-restraint system should NEVER be used in the front passenger seat with the air bag system activated. The front passenger's seat is also the least preferred seat for other child-restraint systems.

 

For some models, we have provided a deactivation switch that will disable front passenger air bag inflation. Do not switch off the front passenger air bag without reading the “Front Passenger Air Bag Deactivation Switch” (Search).

 


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 ISOFIX anchors, and attach 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.

Extreme Hazard! Never use a rear-facing child-restraint system on the front passenger seat with an air bag that could deploy:

NEVER use a rearward facing child restraint on a seat protected by an ACTIVE AIRBAG in front of it, DEATH or SERIOUS INJURY to the CHILD can occur.

Vehicles with a front passenger air bag have the following warning label. The warning label reminds you not to put a rear-facing child-restraint system on the front passenger seat at any time.

Even in a moderate collision, 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. When using a rear-facing child-restraint system, always set the front passenger air bag deactivation switch to the OFF position.

Do not install a front-facing child-restraint system on the front passenger seat unless it is unavoidable:

In a collision, the force of a deploying air bag could cause serious injury or death to the child. If installing a front-facing child-restraint system on the front passenger seat is unavoidable, move the front passenger seat as far back as possible and adjust the seat bottom (height adjustable seat bottom) to the highest position at which the seat belt fastening the child-restraint system is securely tightened.

Make sure that the front passenger air bag deactivation switch is in the OFF position. Refer to Front Passenger Air Bag Deactivation Switch (Search).

Do not allow a child or anyone to lean over or against the side window of a vehicle with side and curtain air bags:

It is dangerous to allow anyone to lean over or against the side window, the area of the front passenger seat, the front and rear window pillars and the roof edge along both sides from which the side and curtain air bags deploy, even if a child-restraint system is used. The impact of inflation from a side or curtain air bag could cause serious injury or death to an out of position child. Furthermore, leaning over or against the front door could block the side and curtain air bags and eliminate the advantages of supplementary 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. Take special care not to allow a child to lean over or against the side window, even if the child is seated in a child-restraint system.

Never use one seat belt on more than one person at a time:

Using one seat belt for more than one person at a time is dangerous. A seat belt used in this way cannot 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 and always operate the vehicle with each occupant properly restrained.

WARNING: child restraint anchorages are designed to withstand only those loads imposed by correctly fitted child restraints. Under no circumstances are they to be used for adult seat belts, harnesses or for attaching other items or equipment to the vehicle.

Always remove the head restraint and install child-restraint system (except when installing a backless booster seat):

Installing a child-restraint system without removing the head restraint is dangerous. The child-restraint system cannot be installed correctly which may result in death or injury to the child in a collision.

 


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.

 


Your Mazda is equipped with ISOFIX anchors for attachment of ISOFIX child-restraint systems on the rear seats. When using these anchors to secure a child-restraint system, refer to “Using ISOFIX Anchor” (Search).

Categories of Child-Restraint Systems

 


When purchasing, ask the manufacturer of the child-restraint system which type of child-restraint system is appropriate for your child and vehicle.

(Countries conforming to the UN-R 44 and UN-R 129 regulation)

Child-restraint systems are classified into the following 5 groups according to the UN-R 44 and UN-R 129 regulation.

Group

Age

Weight

Size Classification/Fixture (CRF)

0

Up to about 9 months old

Up to 10 kg (up to 22 lb)

ISO/L1

ISO/L2

ISO/R1

0+

Up to about 2 years old

Up to 13 kg (up to 29 lb)

ISO/R1

ISO/R2

ISO/R3

1

About 8 months to 4 years old

9 kg ― 18 kg (20 lb ― 40 lb)

ISO/R2

ISO/R3

ISO/F2

ISO/F2X

ISO/F3

2

About 3 to 7 years old

15 kg ― 25 kg (33 lb ― 55 lb)

3

About 6 to 12 years old

22 kg ― 36 kg (48 lb ― 79 lb)

(Australia)

Child-restraint systems for Australia must conform to Australian Standard AS 1754/91 or later. Refer to your local state authority for the latest specification.

(Other countries)

Please comply with the legal regulations concerning the use of child-restraint systems in your country.

Child-Restraint System Types

In this owner's manual, explanation of child-restraint systems secured with seat belts is provided for the following 3 types of popular child-restraint systems: baby seat, child seat, booster seat.

 


  • Installation position is determined by the type of child-restraint system. Always read the manufacturer's instructions and this owner's manual carefully.

  • Due to variations in the design of child-restraint systems, vehicle seats and seat belts, all child-restraint systems may not fit all seating positions. Before purchasing a child-restraint system, it should be tested in the specific vehicle seating position (or positions) where it is intended to be used. If a previously purchased child-restraint system does not fit, you may need to purchase a different one that will.

Baby seat

A baby seat provides restraint by bracing the baby's head, neck and back against the seating surface.

 

Child seat

A child seat restrains a child's body using the harness.

 

Booster seat

A booster seat is a child restraint accessory designed to improve the fit of the seat belt system around the child's body.

 

  1. Full booster seat

  2. Backless booster seat

 

When using a backless booster seat, always install the vehicle head restraint to the seat where the backless booster seat is installed.

(Australia)

Child-restraint systems for Australia must conform to Australian Standard AS 1754/91 or later.

(Other countries)

Please comply with the legal regulations concerning the use of child-restraint systems in your country.

Booster Seat Installation Position

A booster seat is used in the front-facing position only.

We recommend the use of the booster seat with backrest to allow simple adjustment of the shoulder belt position and to give your child the best protection.

 

 


Do not install a front-facing child-restraint system on the front passenger seat unless it is unavoidable:

In a collision, the force of a deploying air bag could cause serious injury or death to the child. If installing a front-facing child-restraint system on the front passenger seat is unavoidable, move the front passenger seat as far back as possible and adjust the seat bottom (height adjustable seat bottom) to the highest position at which the seat belt fastening the child-restraint system is securely tightened.

Make sure that the front passenger air bag deactivation switch is in the OFF position. Refer to Front Passenger Air Bag Deactivation Switch (Search).

Installing Child-Restraint Systems

Anchor Bracket

Anchor brackets for securing child-restraint systems are equipped in the vehicle. Locate each anchor position using the illustration.

To install a child-restraint system, remove the head restraint. Always follow the instruction manual accompanying the child-restraint system.

 

Anchor bracket location

Use the indicated anchor bracket locations when installing a child-restraint system equipped with a tether.

  1. For right

  2. For centre

  3. For left

 


WARNING: child restraint anchorages are designed to withstand only those loads imposed by correctly fitted child restraints. Under no circumstances are they to be used for adult seat belts, harnesses or for attaching other items or equipment to the vehicle.

Always attach the tether strap to the correct tether anchor position:

Attaching the tether strap to the incorrect tether anchor position is dangerous. In a collision, the tether strap could come off and loosen the child-restraint system. If the child-restraint system moves it could result in death or injury to the child.

Always remove the head restraint and install child-restraint system:

Installing a child-restraint system without removing the head restraint is dangerous. The child-restraint system cannot be installed correctly which may result in death or injury to the child in a collision.

  1. Tether strap

  2. Anchor bracket

  3. Forward

Always install the head restraint and adjust it to the appropriate position after removing the child-restraint system:

Driving with the head restraint removed is dangerous as impact to the occupant's head cannot be prevented during emergency braking or in a collision, which could result in a serious accident, injury or death.

Refer to Head Restraints (Search).

Page top