Mazda 3 (2024 year). Manual in english

Read This First

Things to Be Observed............... 2-2

Things to Be Observed While
Driving..................................2-2
Things to Be Observed When
Parking or Stopping................2-3

The Data Stored in The
Vehicle.................................... 2-4

Event Data Recorder (EDR) ..........
............................................ 2-4
A computer that records vehicle
data......................................2-5

Data handling........................2-5

Open Source Software
Information..............................2-6

Active Driving Display............ 2-6
Driver Monitoring Camera...........
............................................ 2-6
Cruising & Traﬃc Support
(CTS).................................... 2-7
Center Display.......................2-7

2-1

Mazda3_8LX5-EA-23E_Edition2_new

2023-4-17 20:22:43

Things to Be Observed

While Driving

WARNING

Never stop the engine when going
down a hill.

Stopping the engine when going down
a hill is dangerous. This causes the loss
of power steering and power brake
control, and may cause damage to the
drivetrain. Any loss of steering or
braking control could cause an
accident.

Be extremely careful if it is necessary
to downshift on slippery surfaces.

Downshifting into lower gear while
driving on slippery surfaces is
dangerous. The sudden change in tire
speed could cause the tires to skid.
This could lead to loss of vehicle
control and an accident.

Dry oﬀ brakes that have become wet
by driving slowly, releasing the
accelerator pedal and lightly applying
the brakes several times until the
brake performance returns to normal.

Driving with wet brakes is dangerous.
Increased stopping distance or the
vehicle pulling to one side when
braking could result in a serious
accident. Light braking will indicate
whether the brakes have been
aﬀected.

CAUTION

Do not drive the vehicle on ﬂooded
roads as it could cause short circuiting
of electrical/electronic parts, or engine
damage or stalling from water
absorption. If the vehicle has been
immersed in water, consult an
Authorized Mazda Dealer.

Read This First

Things to Be Observed

2-2

Mazda3_8LX5-EA-23E_Edition2_new

2023-4-17 20:22:43

Things to Be Observed

When Parking or

Stopping

WARNING

Never leave a child alone in the
vehicle.

The temperature inside the cabin could
become extremely hot which could be
life-threatening.
An unattended child could operate
equipment or accelerate the vehicle
resulting in an accident.

CAUTION



Do not leave any items in the vehicle
that could cause a vehicle ﬁre if they
become hot.
The temperature inside the cabin
could become extremely hot.



Stop the vehicle in a place where
there are no ﬂammable objects.



Do not leave the engine running in a
poorly ventilated area, such as in a
garage or in a snow-covered area.
If there is a malfunction in the
exhaust pipe or exhaust noise, have
the vehicle inspected.
There is a risk of carbon monoxide
poisoning.



Do not sleep in the vehicle with the
engine running.
There is a risk that the vehicle may
move unintentionally.

Read This First

Things to Be Observed

2-3

Mazda3_8LX5-EA-23E_Edition2_new

2023-4-17 20:22:43

Event Data Recorder

(EDR)

This vehicle is equipped with an event
data recorder (EDR). The main
purpose of an EDR is to record, in
certain crash or near crash-like
situations, such as an air bag
deployment or hitting a road obstacle,
data that will assist in understanding
how a vehicle’s systems performed.
The EDR is designed to record data
related to vehicle dynamics and safety
systems for a short period of time,
typically 30 seconds or less. The EDR in
this vehicle is designed to record such
data as:



How various systems in your vehicle
were operating;



Whether or not the driver and
passenger safety belts were buckled/
fastened;



How far (if at all) the driver was
depressing the accelerator and/or
brake pedal; and,



How fast the vehicle was traveling.

These data can help provide a better
understanding of the circumstances in
which crashes and injuries occur.
NOTE:
EDR data are recorded by your vehicle
only if a non-trivial crash or near
crash-like situation occurs; no data are
recorded by the EDR under normal
driving conditions and no personal
data (e.g., name, gender, age, and
crash location) are recorded. However,
other parties, such as law
enforcement, could combine the EDR
data with the type of personally
identifying data routinely acquired
during a crash investigation.
To read data recorded by an EDR,
special equipment is required, and
access to the vehicle or the EDR is

needed. In addition to the vehicle
manufacturer, other parties, such as
law enforcement, that have the special
equipment, can read the information if
they have access to the vehicle or the
EDR.

Mazda will not disclose any of the data
recorded in an EDR to a third party
unless:



A written agreement from the vehicle
owner or the lessee is obtained



Oﬃcially requested by the police or
other law enforcement authorities



Used as a defense for Mazda in a
lawsuit, claim, or arbitration



Ordered by a judge or court

However, if necessary Mazda will:



Use the data for research on Mazda
vehicle performance, including
safety.



Disclose the data or the summarized
data to a third party for research
purposes without disclosing vehicle
or owner identiﬁcation information.

Read This First

The Data Stored in The Vehicle

2-4

Mazda3_8LX5-EA-23E_Edition2_new

2023-4-17 20:22:43

A computer that records

vehicle data

A computer is equipped that records
data related to the vehicle control,
operation, and the driving
environment.
This computer records information
such as the following.



Vehicle conditions such as engine
speed and vehicle speed



Driving operation conditions such as
accelerator and brake pedals, and
information related to the
environmental circumstances while
driving the vehicle



Malfunction diagnosis information
from on-vehicle computer



Information related to controls of
other on-vehicle computers

The recorded information diﬀers
depending on the vehicle grade and
the equipment.
Personal information (name, sex, age,
and collision location) is not recorded.

Data handling

Mazda and its contractors may obtain
and use data recorded in EDRs and
computers that record vehicle data for
the purpose of vehicle malfunction
diagnosis, research and development,
and quality improvement.
Mazda will not disclose or provide any
of the obtained data to a third party
unless:



An agreement from the vehicle
owner (agreements from lessor and
lessee for leased vehicle) is obtained



Oﬃcially requested by the police or
other law enforcement authorities



For statistical processing by a
research institution after processing
the data so that identiﬁcation of the
owner or the vehicle is impossible

Read This First

The Data Stored in The Vehicle

2-5

Mazda3_8LX5-EA-23E_Edition2_new

2023-4-17 20:22:43

Equipment to Protect Occupants/
Pedestrians

SRS Air Bags............................. 3-4

SRS Air Bags.......................... 3-4
Warnings and Cautions for Using
the SRS Air Bags.....................3-7
Deployment of SRS air
bags....................................3-12
Driver and Front Passenger
Occupant Classiﬁcation
System

............................... 3-18

Warnings and Cautions for Using
the Front Passenger Occupant
Classiﬁcation System............ 3-19
How to Use the Front Passenger
Occupant Classiﬁcation
System................................ 3-21

Seat Belts............................... 3-24

Seat Belts............................ 3-24
Warnings and Cautions for Using
the Seat Belts.......................3-26
How to Use the Seat Belts.... 3-28
Seat Belt Extender................ 3-30
Warnings and Cautions for Using
the Seat Belt Extender.......... 3-31

Front Seats............................. 3-32

Warnings and Cautions for Using
the Front Seats.....................3-32
How to Use the Front Seats..........
.......................................... 3-34
Driving Position Memory

..... 3-36

Warnings and Cautions for Using
the Driving Position
Memory.............................. 3-36

How to Use the Driving Position
Memory.............................. 3-37

Rear Seats.............................. 3-39

Warnings and Cautions for Using
the Rear Seats......................3-39
How to Use the Rear Seats...........
.......................................... 3-40
Warnings and Cautions for Using
the Armrests........................ 3-41
How to Use the Armrests

.....3-42

Head Restraints...................... 3-43

Head Restraints................... 3-43
Warnings and Cautions for Using
the Head Restraints..............3-43
How to Use the Head
Restraints............................ 3-44

Steering Wheel....................... 3-46

Warnings and Cautions for Using
the Steering Wheel...............3-46
How to Use the Steering
Wheel.................................3-46

Child-restraint Systems............ 3-47

Child-restraint Systems......... 3-47
Warnings and Cautions For Child-
restraint Systems.................. 3-48
Types of Child-restraint
Systems...............................3-51
Child-Restraint System Suitability
for Various Seat Positions
Table...................................3-54

*Some models.

3-1

Mazda3_8LX5-EA-23E_Edition2_new

2023-4-17 20:22:43

Installing Child-Restraint
Systems...............................3-57
Anchor Bracket Overview..... 3-57
Warnings and Cautions for Using
the Anchor Bracket.............. 3-58
How to Use the Automatic
Locking Mode (Except
Mexico).............................. 3-60
If You Must Use the Front Seat for
Children..............................3-61
Warnings and Cautions for Using
the Front Seat for Children...........
.......................................... 3-62
How to Install a Child-Restraint
System on the Front Passenger's
Seat (With Front Passenger
Occupant Classiﬁcation
System)............................... 3-64

Using the ISOFIX Lower Anchor
(Mexico)/LATCH Lower Anchor
(Except Mexico)...................3-66
Warnings and Cautions for Using
the ISOFIX Lower Anchor
(Mexico)/LATCH Lower Anchor
(Except Mexico)...................3-66
How to Use the ISOFIX Lower
Anchor (Mexico)/LATCH Lower
Anchor (Except Mexico)....... 3-67

3-2

Mazda3_8LX5-EA-23E_Edition2_new

2023-4-17 20:22:43

SRS Air Bags

If the vehicle receives a strong impact
from the front or side of the vehicle
when the vehicle power is switched
ON, the air bags inﬂate
instantaneously and lessen the impact
on the head or chest of the driver or
passenger.
The SRS air bag system protects
occupants together with the seat belts
and they are not a substitute for the
seat belts.
There are 5 types of air bags.
Vehicles with the Driver and Front
Passenger Occupant Classiﬁcation
System have a sensor which detects an
impending roll-over accident.
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:



Keep the occupant from being
thrown into an inﬂating air bag.



Reduce the possibility of injuries
during an accident that is not
designed for air bag inﬂation, such as
rear impact.



Reduce the possibility of injuries in
frontal, near frontal or side collisions
or roll-over accidents 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
of the body.

Driver's front air bag

The driver's front air bag is stored in
the center of the steering wheel.
When air bag crash sensors detect a
frontal impact of greater than
moderate force, the driver's air bag
inﬂates quickly helping to reduce injury
mainly to the driver's head or chest
caused by directly hitting the steering
wheel.

(With Driver and Front Passenger
Occupant Classiﬁcation System)

The inﬂation of the driver's dual-stage
air bag is controlled in two energy
stages depending on the driver's seat
position. The driver's seat slide
position sensor is located under the
driver's seat. The sensor determines
whether the driver's seat is forward of
or behind a reference position and
sends the seat position to the
diagnostic module (SAS unit). The SAS
unit is designed to control the
deployment of the driver's air bag
depending on how close the driver's
seat is to the steering wheel.
During an impact of moderate severity,
the driver's air bag deploys with lesser
energy, whereas during more severe
impacts and when the driver's seat is
behind the reference position, it
deploys with more energy.

Equipment to Protect Occupants/Pedestrians

SRS Air Bags

3-4

Mazda3_8LX5-EA-23E_Edition2_new

2023-4-17 20:22:43

Front passenger's front air bag

The front passenger's front air bag is
stored in the dashboard.
The inﬂation mechanism for the front
passenger air bag is the same as the
driver's air bag.

(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.

Driver and Front Passenger Knee Air
Bags

The knee air bag is stored under the
dashboard.
If the air bag crash sensors receive a
frontal impact of greater than
moderate force, the knee air bags
deploy immediately to reduce impact
to the driver and front passenger's
legs.

Side air bags

There are 2 types of side air bags
including the side air bags for the
driver and front passenger and rear
passengers.

Front seat side air bags

The front seat side air bags are installed
in the outboard sides of the driver and
front passenger's 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.

(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.

Equipment to Protect Occupants/Pedestrians

SRS Air Bags

*Some models.

3-5

Mazda3_8LX5-EA-23E_Edition2_new

2023-4-17 20:22:43

Rear seat side air bags

The rear seat side air bags are installed
in rear pillars. The rear seat side air
bags on the side where the vehicle is
hit deploy regardless of whether or not
an occupant is seated.

Curtain air bags

The curtain air bags are stored in the
front pillars, side edges of the roof, and
the rear pillars. The curtain air bag on
the side where the vehicle is hit
deploys regardless of whether or not
an occupant is seated.
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 driver and front and rear
outboard passengers' heads caused by
directly hitting interior parts such as a
door or window.

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.

(With Driver and Front Passenger
Occupant Classiﬁcation System)
In a roll-over:

In response to a vehicle roll-over, both
curtain air bags inﬂate.

Both curtain air bags will deploy after
the roll-over accident is detected.

Constant Monitoring

The following components of the air
bag systems are monitored by a
diagnostic system:



Front air bag sensors



Crash sensors, and diagnostic
module (SAS unit)



Side crash sensors



Air bag modules



Seat belt pretensioners



Air bag/Seat belt pretensioner
system warning light



Related wiring

(With Driver and Front Passenger
Occupant Classiﬁcation System)



Driver seat slide position sensor



Front passenger occupant
classiﬁcation sensor



Front passenger occupant
classiﬁcation module



Front passenger air bag deactivation
indicator light



Front passenger seat belt buckle
switch

The diagnostic module continuously
monitors the system's readiness. This
begins when the vehicle power is

Equipment to Protect Occupants/Pedestrians

SRS Air Bags

3-6

*Some models.

Mazda3_8LX5-EA-23E_Edition2_new

2023-4-17 20:22:43

switched ON and continues while the
vehicle is being driven.

Warnings and Cautions

for Using the SRS Air Bags

WARNING

Seat belts must be worn in air bag
equipped vehicles.

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 the ﬁrst accident, such
as frontal, near frontal or side collisions
or roll-over accidents that are at least
moderate. Vehicle occupants should
always wear seat belts.

Children should not ride in the front
passenger 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. A
sleeping child is more likely to lean
against the door and be hit by the side
air bag in moderate collision to the
front-passenger side of the vehicle.
Whenever possible, always secure a
child 12 years or under on the rear
seats with an appropriate
child-restraint system for the child's
age and size.

Equipment to Protect Occupants/Pedestrians

SRS Air Bags

3-7

Mazda3_8LX5-EA-23E_Edition2_new

2023-4-17 20:22:43

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.

Do not sit too close to the driver and
front passenger air bags.

Sitting too close to the driver and front
passenger air bag modules or placing
hands or feet on them is extremely
dangerous. The driver and front
passenger 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.

Sit in the center of the seat and wear
seat belts properly.

Sitting too close to the side air bag
modules or placing hands on them, or
sleeping up against the door or
hanging out the windows is extremely
dangerous. The side and curtain air
bags inﬂate with great force and speed
directly expanding along the 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. 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.

Do not attach objects on or around
the area where air bags deploy.

Attaching objects to the air bags or
placing something in the area where
the air bags deploy is dangerous. In an
accident, an object could interfere with
air bag inﬂation and injure the
occupants. Furthermore, the bag could
be damaged causing gases to release.
Always keep the deployment area of
the air bag modules free of any
obstructions.
For example, you should not do any of
the following as it may interfere with
air bag deployment.



Do not put a covering on or lean
anything against areas such as the
dashboard and lower portion of the
instrument panel that blocks the
passenger front air bag and knee air
bags.



Do not use seat covers on the front
seats and rear seats equipped with
in-seat side air bags.



Do not hang any backpacks, bags or
pouches that cover the sides of the
seats that block the side air bags.

Equipment to Protect Occupants/Pedestrians

SRS Air Bags

3-8

Mazda3_8LX5-EA-23E_Edition2_new

2023-4-17 20:22:43



Do not place any objects on the
assist grips. Only hang clothes
directly on the coat hooks.

Do not touch the components of the
supplemental restraint system after
the air bags have inﬂated.

Touching the components of the
supplemental restraint system after the
air bags have inﬂated is dangerous.
Immediately after inﬂation, they are
very hot. You could get burned.

Never install any front-end equipment
to your vehicle.

Installation of front-end equipment,
such as frontal protection bar
(kangaroo bar, bull bar, push bar, or
other similar devices), snowplow, or
winches, is dangerous. The air bag
crash sensor system could be aﬀected.
This could cause air bags to inﬂate
unexpectedly, or it could prevent the
air bags from inﬂating during an
accident. Front occupants could be
seriously injured.

Do not modify the suspension.

Modifying the vehicle suspension is
dangerous. If the vehicle's height or
the suspension is modiﬁed, the vehicle
will be unable to accurately detect a
collision or roll-over accident resulting
in incorrect or unexpected air bag
deployment and the possibility of
serious injuries.

To prevent false detection by the air
bag sensor system, heed the
following.



Do not use tires or wheels other than
those speciﬁed for your Mazda:
Use of any tire or wheel other than
those speciﬁed for your Mazda (page
10-69) is dangerous. Use of such
wheels will prevent the vehicle's
accident detections system from
accurately detecting a collision or
roll-over accident resulting in
incorrect or unexpected air bag
deployment and the possibility of
serious injuries.



Do not overload your vehicle:
Overloading your vehicle is
dangerous as it could prevent the air
bag crash sensor system from
accurately detecting a collision or
roll-over accident resulting in
incorrect or unexpected air bag
deployment and the possibility of
serious injuries. The gross axle
weight rating (GAWR) and the gross
vehicle weight rating (GVWR) for
your vehicle are on the Motor
Vehicle Safety Standard Label on the
driver's door frame. Do not exceed
these ratings.



Do not drive the vehicle oﬀ-road.
Driving your Mazda oﬀ-road is
dangerous because the vehicle has
not been designed to do so. Driving
the vehicle oﬀ-road could prevent
the air bag crash sensor system from
accurately detecting a collision or
roll-over accident resulting in
incorrect or unexpected air bag
deployment and the possibility of
serious injuries.

Equipment to Protect Occupants/Pedestrians

SRS Air Bags

3-9

Mazda3_8LX5-EA-23E_Edition2_new

2023-4-17 20:22:43

Do not modify a front door or leave
any damage unrepaired. Always have
an Authorized Mazda Dealer inspect a
damaged front door.

Modifying a front door or leaving any
damage unrepaired is dangerous. Each
front door has a side crash sensor as a
component of the supplemental
restraint system. If holes are drilled in a
front door, a door speaker is left
removed, or a damaged door is left
unrepaired, the sensor could be
adversely aﬀected causing it to not
detect the pressure of an impact
correctly during a side collision. If a
sensor does not detect a side impact
correctly, the side and curtain air bags
and the front seat belt pretensioner
may not operate normally which could
result in serious injury to occupants.

Do not modify the supplemental
restraint system.

Modifying the components or wiring of
the supplemental restraint system is
dangerous. You could accidentally
activate it or make it inoperable. Do
not make any modiﬁcations to the
supplemental restraint system. This
includes installing trim, badges, or
anything else over the air bag modules.
It also includes installing extra
electrical equipment on or near system
components or wiring. An Authorized
Mazda Dealer can provide the special
care needed in the removal and
installation of front seats and rear seats
equipped with in-seat side air bags. It
is important to protect the air bag
wiring and connections to assure that
the bags do not accidentally deploy,
and that the front passenger occupant
classiﬁcation system and the seats
retain an undamaged air bag
connection.

Do not place luggage or other objects
under the front seats and rear seats.

Placing luggage or other objects under
the front or rear seats equipped with
in-seat side air bags is dangerous. The
components essential to the
supplemental restraint system could be
damaged, and in the event of a side
collision, the appropriate air bags may
not deploy, which could result in death
or serious injury. To prevent damage to
the components essential to the
supplemental restraint system, do not
place luggage or other objects under
the front seats.

Do not operate a vehicle with
damaged air bag/seat belt
pretensioner system components.

Expended or damaged air bag/seat
belt pretensioner system components
must be replaced after any collision
which caused them to deploy or
damage them. Only a trained
Authorized Mazda Dealer can fully
evaluate these systems to see that they
will work in any subsequent accident.
Driving with an expended or damaged
air bag or pretensioner unit will not
aﬀord you the necessary protection in
the event of any subsequent accident
which could result in serious injury or
death.

Do not remove interior air bag parts.

Removing any components such as the
front seats, front dashboard, the
steering wheel or parts on the front
and rear window pillars and along the
roof edge, containing air bag parts or
sensors is dangerous. These parts
contain essential air bag components.
The air bag could accidentally activate
and cause serious injuries. Always have
an Authorized Mazda Dealer remove
these parts.

Equipment to Protect Occupants/Pedestrians

SRS Air Bags

3-10

Mazda3_8LX5-EA-23E_Edition2_new

2023-4-17 20:22:43

Deployment of SRS air bags

The driver's and front passenger's front air bags, and the driver’s and front
passenger's knee air bag

deploy when a strong impact is applied to the vehicle in a

frontal collision, and the side and curtain air bags deploy in side collisions.
The air bags do not always deploy even if the vehicle receives an impact.

Conditions in which air bags may not deploy

The air bags may not deploy under the following conditions depending on the level
of the impact.

Driver’s and front passenger’s air bags, driver's and front passenger's knee air bag

(Impacts involving trees or poles)

(Rear-ending or running under a truck's tail gate)

(Frontal oﬀset impact to the vehicle)

Side and curtain air bags

(Frontal oﬀset impact to the vehicle)

Equipment to Protect Occupants/Pedestrians

SRS Air Bags

3-12

*Some models.

Mazda3_8LX5-EA-23E_Edition2_new

2023-4-17 20:22:43

(Pitch end over end)

(Side impacts involving trees or poles from the vehicle side (around driver or front
passenger))

(Side impacts with two-wheeled vehicles)

Conditions in which air bags do not deploy

The air bags do not deploy under the following conditions.

Driver’s and front passenger’s air bags, driver's and front passenger's knee air bag

(Rear impact)

(Roll-over)

Equipment to Protect Occupants/Pedestrians

SRS Air Bags

*Some models.

3-13

Mazda3_8LX5-EA-23E_Edition2_new

2023-4-17 20:22:43

(Frontal impact)

NOTE



If it becomes necessary to have the components or wiring system for the
supplementary restraint system modiﬁed to accommodate a person with certain
medical conditions in accordance with a certiﬁed physician, contact an Authorized
Mazda Dealer, refer to “Customer Assistance (U.S.A.)” (page 10-4).



When an air bag deploys, a loud inﬂation noise can be heard and some smoke will
be released. Neither is likely to cause injury, however, the texture of the air bags
may cause light skin injuries on body parts not covered with clothing through
friction.



Should you sell your Mazda, we urge you to tell the new owner of its air bag
systems and that familiarization with all instructions about them, from the
Owner's Manual, is important.



This highly-visible label is displayed which warns against the use of a rear-facing
child-restraint system on the front passenger seat.

(Mexico)

(Except Mexico)

Equipment to Protect Occupants/Pedestrians

SRS Air Bags

3-15

Mazda3_8LX5-EA-23E_Edition2_new

2023-4-17 20:22:43

Driver and Front

Passenger Occupant

Classiﬁcation System

The Driver and Front Passenger
Occupant Classiﬁcation System
reduces the possibility of injury due to
the deployment of the driver air bag
and the front passenger airbag by
determining the deployment energy of
the driver air bag and whether or not
the front passenger airbag should be
deployed based on the driver seat slide
position sensor and the front
passenger seat weight sensor.

Driver Seat Slide Position Sensor

Your vehicle is equipped with driver
seat slide position sensor as a part of
the supplemental restraint system. The
sensor is located under the driver seat.
The sensor determines whether the
driver's seat is forward of or behind a
reference position and sends the seat
position to the diagnostic module (SAS
unit). The SAS unit is designed to
control the deployment of the driver's
air bag depending on how close the
driver's seat is to the steering wheel.
During an impact of moderate severity,
the driver's air bag deploys with lesser
energy, whereas during more severe
impacts and when the driver's seat is
behind the reference position, it
deploys with more energy.

Front Passenger Seat Weight Sensor

Your vehicle is equipped with a front
passenger seat weight sensors as a part
of the supplemental restraint system.
These sensors are located under both
of the front passenger seat rails. These
sensors determine the total seated
weight on the front passenger seat and
monitor the seat belt buckle for the

front passenger seat. The SAS unit is
designed to prevent the front
passenger front and side air bags and
knee air bags, and seat belt
pretensioner system from deploying if
the front passenger air bag
deactivation indicator light illuminates.
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 knee air bags,
and also the seat belt pretensioner
system when the front passenger air
bag deactivation indicator light
illuminates.

Driver and Front Passenger Buckle
Switches

The buckle switches on the front
passenger seat belt detect whether or
not the front passenger seat belt are
securely fastened and further control
the deployment of the air bags.

Equipment to Protect Occupants/Pedestrians

SRS Air Bags

3-18

*Some models.

Mazda3_8LX5-EA-23E_Edition2_new

2023-4-17 20:22:43

Warnings and Cautions

for Using the Front

Passenger Occupant

Classiﬁcation System

WARNING

Do not decrease 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 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 knee air bags,
and the 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
could result in an air bag not deploying
under the following conditions, for
example.



A front passenger is seated as shown
in the following ﬁgure.



A rear passenger pushes up on the
front passenger seat with their feet.

Equipment to Protect Occupants/Pedestrians

SRS Air Bags

3-19

Mazda3_8LX5-EA-23E_Edition2_new

2023-4-17 20:22:43



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.



Any accessories which might
decrease the total seated weight on
the front passenger seat are attached
to the front passenger seat.
The front passenger front and side air
bags and knee air bags, and the seat
belt pretensioner system will
deactivate if the front passenger air
bag deactivation indicator light
illuminates.

Do not increase 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 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
knee air bags, and seat belt
pretensioner system in an accident and
may cause serious injury. Increasing the
total seated weight on the front
passenger seat could result in the front
passenger front and side air bags and
knee 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 their feet.



Luggage or other items are placed on
the seatback or hung on the head
restraint.



Heavy items are placed in the
seatback map pocket.



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.

CAUTION



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.

Equipment to Protect Occupants/Pedestrians

SRS Air Bags

3-20

Mazda3_8LX5-EA-23E_Edition2_new

2023-4-17 20:22:43



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 3-34).

How to Use the Front

Passenger Occupant

Classiﬁcation System

This system shuts oﬀ the front
passenger front and side air bags and
knee air bags, and seat belt
pretensioner system, so make sure the
front passenger air bag deactivation
indicator light illuminates according to
the following table.
The air bag/seat belt pretensioner
system warning light turns on/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
knee 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 knee air
bags, and seat belt pretensioners will
not deploy during a collision.

If the front passenger weight sensors
are normal, the indicator light
illuminates when the vehicle power is
switched ON. The light turns oﬀ after a
few seconds. Then, the indicator light
illuminates or is oﬀ under the following
conditions:

Equipment to Protect Occupants/Pedestrians

SRS Air Bags

3-21

Mazda3_8LX5-EA-23E_Edition2_new

2023-4-17 20:22:43

Front passenger air bag deactivation
indicator light on/oﬀ condition chart

Condition

detected

by the

front pas-

senger oc-

cupant

classiﬁca-

tion sys-

tem

Front pas-

senger air

bag deacti-

vation indi-

cator light

Front pas-

senger

front and

side and

knee air

bags

Front

passen-
ger seat

belt pre-

tensioner

system

Empty
(Not occu-
pied)

Deactivat-

Deacti-

vated

Child or
child-re-
straint sys-
tem

Deactivat-

Deacti-

vated

Adult

Oﬀ

Ready

If a larger child sits on the front passenger
seat, the sensors might detect the child as
being an adult depending on the child's
physique.

If a smaller adult sits on the front passenger
seat, the sensors might detect the person as
being a child depending on the person's
physique.

The curtain air bag is ready for inﬂating
regardless of what the front passenger air bag
deactivation indicator light on/oﬀ condition
chart indicates.

If the front passenger air bag
deactivation indicator light does not
illuminate when the vehicle power is
switched ON and does not illuminate
as indicated in the front passenger air
bag deactivation indicator light on/oﬀ
condition 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.

NOTE



The system requires about 10
seconds to alternate between turning
the front passenger front and side air
bags and knee 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.



The air bag/seat belt pretensioner
system warning light might illuminate
if the front passenger seat receives a
severe impact.



If the front passenger air bag
deactivation indicator light does not
illuminate after installing a
child-restraint system on the front
passenger seat, ﬁrst, re-install your
child-restraint system according to
the procedure in this owner's
manual. Then, if the front passenger
air bag deactivation indicator light
still does not illuminate, install the
child-restraint system on the rear seat
and consult an Authorized Mazda
Dealer as soon as possible.

Equipment to Protect Occupants/Pedestrians

SRS Air Bags

3-22

Mazda3_8LX5-EA-23E_Edition2_new

2023-4-17 20:22:43

Seat Belts

Seat belts help to decrease the
possibility of severe injury during
accidents and sudden stops. Mazda
recommends that the driver and all
passengers always wear seat belts.

(Mexico)

All the seats have lap/shoulder belts.
These belts have retractors with inertia
locks that keep them out of the way
when not in use. The locks allow the
belts to remain comfortable on users,
but they will lock in position during a
collision.

(Except Mexico)

All of the seat belt retractors are
designed to keep the lap/shoulder
belts out of the way when not in use.
The driver's seat belt has no provisions
for child-restraint systems and has only
an emergency locking mode. The
driver may wear it comfortably, and it
will lock during a collision.
However, the front passenger's seat
and all rear lap/shoulder belt
retractors operate in two modes:
emergency locking mode, and for
child-restraint systems, automatic
locking mode. While we recommend
you put all children in the rear seats, if
you must use the front passenger seat
for a child, slide the front passenger
seat as far back as possible and make
sure any child-restraint system is
secured properly.

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, and
then try pulling it out slowly. If this
fails, pull the belt strongly 1 time and
loosen, then pull it out again slowly.

(Seat belt with automatic lock 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 stopped
or in motion, it may be in the
automatic locking mode because the
belt has been pulled too 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 emergency locking
mode and then extend it around you
again.

Automatic locking mode (Except
Mexico)

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-restraint system. It will retract
down to the child-restraint system and
stay locked on it. See the section on
child restraint (page 3-60).

Pretensioner system

If the vehicle receives a strong impact
from the front or side of the vehicle,
the system retracts the seat belts to
increase their eﬀect.
When a collision is detected, the
pretensioners deploy simultaneously
with the air bags.

Equipment to Protect Occupants/Pedestrians

Seat Belts

3-24

Mazda3_8LX5-EA-23E_Edition2_new

2023-4-17 20:22:43

Mazda 3 (2024 year). Manual in english - page 1