2002 MAZDA MODEL MX-5 MIATA Owners Manual

2-17
Essential Safety Equipment
SRS Air Bags
Form No. 8Q42-EA-01F
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 during a frontal, near-frontal collision of at least moderate
force. Vehicle occupants should always wear seat belts.
Rear-Facing Child-Restraint System:
When a rear-facing child-restraint system is installed on the passenger’s seat and the
passenger-side air bag deactivation switch is not in the OFF position, it is extremely
dangerous. In an accident, the air bag could inflate and cause serious injuries or even
death to the child in the rear-facing child-restraint system. When using a rear-facing
child-restraint system, always set the passenger-side air bag deactivation switch to
OFF position.
Seating Position with Air Bags:
Sitting too close to the air bag storage compartments or placing hands or feet on them
is extremely dangerous. 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 passenger should keep both feet on the floor. Seat
occupants should adjust their seats as far back as possible and always sit upright
against the seatbacks with seat belts worn properly.
Air Bag Storage Areas:
Attaching an object to an air bag storage area or placing something in front of it is
dangerous. In an accident, the object could interfere with air bag inflation and injure
the occupants.
Always keep the air bag storage areas free of objects.
Hot Air Bag Inflators:
Hot air bag inflators are dangerous. Immediately after inflation, the inflators in the
steering wheel or the dashboard are very hot. You could get burned. Don ’
t touch the
internal components of the air bag storage areas after the bags have inflated.
WARNING
Deploying air bag
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2-18
Essential Safety Equipment
SRS Air Bags
Form No. 8Q42-EA-01F
Installation of Front-End Equipment:
Installation of front-end equipment, such as frontal protection bar (kangaroo bar,
bull bar, push bar, etc.), 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. Occupants could be seriously
injured. Never install any front-end equipment to your vehicle.
Suspension Adjustment:
Adjusting the vehicle suspension is dangerous. If the vehicle’s height or the
suspension is changed, the vehicle will be unable to accurately detect a collision
resulting in incorrect or unexpected air bag deployment and the possibility of serious
injuries.
Modification of 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. Don ’t make any
modifications to the supplemental restraint system. This includes installing trim,
badges, or anything else over the air bag storage areas. It also includes installing
extra electric equipment on or near system components or wiring.
NOTE
• 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.
WARNING
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2-19
Essential Safety Equipment
SRS Air Bags
Form No. 8Q42-EA-01F
Your vehicle is equipped with a
passenger-side air bag deactivation
switch. The switch is located in the center
console. The switch must be used to
deactivate the passenger-side air bag
when the occupant of the passenger seat
fits into one of the following categories
(as described in the request form for the
air bag on-off switch, the appendix B to
part 595 of National Highway Traffic
Safety Administration [NHTSA]) :
•Infants (less than one year old; for all
types of restraint, but particularly the
rear-facing child restraint.)
• Children aged 1 to 12
• People with certain medical conditions
which, according to his/her physician,
could be adversely affected by air-bag
activation For more government release information
on air bag deactivation, contact your
Authorized Mazda Dealer for the
occupant categories as described in the
request form for the air bag deactivation
switch in the NHTSA rules. The factory
installed air bag deactivation switch in
your car only works for the passenger-side
air bag.
The air bag deactivation switch turns off
the passenger-side air bag. Make sure the
passenger-side air bag deactivation switch
is in the ON position except when a
passenger fitting the previous categories
occupies the front passenger seat.
Passenger-Side Air Bag
Deactivation Switch
Unnecessary Deactivation of
Passenger-side Air Bag:
Unnecessary deactivation of the
passenger-side air bag is dangerous.
If turned off unnecessarily, the
passenger will not receive the added
protection of the air bag. Serious
injuries or even death could occur.
With the exception of passengers
fitting the categories described below,
do not turn the air bag deactivation
switch to the OFF position.
WARNING
Passenger-
Side Air Bag
Deactivation Switch Passenger-side
Air Bag
Operation Air Bag
Deactivation
Indicator Light
OFF position
Deactivate ON
ON position Activate OFF
ON
OFF
Air bag deactivation switch
Deactivation indicatoir
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2-20
Essential Safety Equipment
SRS Air Bags
Form No. 8Q42-EA-01F
When the ignition switch is turned to the
ON position, the passenger-side air bag
deactivation indicator light comes on for
about 6 seconds.
If the passenger-side air bag deactivation
switch is in the OFF position, the
indicator light remains on to warn that the
passenger-side air bag has been
deactivated.
To Deactivate The Passenger-Side
Air Bag
1. Insert the key into the switch.
2. Turn the key clockwise until the key
points to OFF.
3. Remove the key.
4. Make sure the air bag deactivation indicator light remains on when the
ignition is in the ON position.
The passenger-side air bag will remain
deactivated until the passenger-side air
bag deactivation switch is turned to the
ON position.
NOTE
Have the passenger-side air bag
deactivation switch inspected by an
Authorized Mazda Dealer if any of
these conditions occur:
• The indicator doesn
’t come on
when the ignition switch is turned to
the ON position.
• The indicator doesn
’t remain on
when the ignition switch is in the
ON position and the passenger-side
air bag deactivation switch is in the
OFF position.
• The indicator remains on when the
ignition switch is in the ON position
and the passenger-side air bag
deactivation switch is in the ON
position.
Leaving the Key in the Passenger-
Side Air Bag Deactivation Switch:
Unintentional deactivation of the
passenger-side air bag is dangerous.
In an accident, the passenger will not
be properly protected. Serious injuries
or even death could occur. To avoid
unintentional deactivation, always
use the same key to operate the
passenger-side air bag deactivation
switch and the ignition switch, that
way you won
’t leave the key in the
passenger-side air bag deactivation
switch.
WARNING
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2-21
Essential Safety Equipment
SRS Air Bags
Form No. 8Q42-EA-01F

To Activate The Passenger-Side
Air Bag
1. Insert the key into the switch.
2. Turn the key counterclockwise until the
key points to ON.
3. Remove the key.
4. Make sure the air bag deactivation indicator light goes off after 6 seconds
when the ignition switch is turned to
the ON position.
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2-22
Essential Safety Equipment
SRS Air Bags
Form No. 8Q42-EA-01F
The supplemental restraint systems (SRS) have two basic subsystems:
•The air bag system with inflators and air bags.
• The electric system with crash sensors and diagnostic module.
The air bags are mounted in the following locations: the center of the steering wheel, the
passenger-side of the dashboard. They are out of sight until activated.
The passenger side air bag has a deactivation switch located on the center console
(page 2-19).

How the 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 air bags and after the inflation, the air bags quickly
deflate.
The air bags will function only once. After that, the air bags will not work again and
must be replaced.
Only an Authorized Mazda Dealer can replace the systems.
Air Bag System Description
Crash sensor
Inflators and air bags
Crash sensors and diagnostic
module (SAS unit)
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2-23
Essential Safety Equipment
SRS Air Bags
Form No. 8Q42-EA-01F

Air Bag Activation/Deactivation
Air bag activation
A greater than moderate impact will cause the air bags to inflate in the following cases:
Hitting a solid wall straight on at greater
than about 22 km/h (14 mph). Frontal impact within about a 30 degree
range from head-on to the vehicle.
Driving into a big hole or hitting the far
side of a hole.
Hitting a curb, pavement edge or hard
object.
Landing hard or the vehicle falling.
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2-24
Essential Safety Equipment
SRS Air Bags
Form No. 8Q42-EA-01F
Limitations to air bag activation
Depending on the severity of impact, the air bags may not inflate in the following cases:
Non-activation of air bags
Air bags will not normally inflate in the following cases:
Impacts involving trees or poles cause severe
cosmetic damage but may not have enough
impact to activate the air bag.Rear-ending or running under a truck's tail
gate may not provide the stopping force
necessary for air bag deployment.
Frontal offset impact to the vehicle may not
provide the stopping force necessary for air
bag deployment.
Collision from the rear.
Impact to the side, but it may deploy a side
air bag. Vehicle roll-over, may deploy the side air
bag(s) but not the front air bags.
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