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

2-45
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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Essential Safety Equipment
SRS Air Bags
Form No. 8S18-EA-03I

Air Bag Activation/Deactivation
Front air bag activation
A greater than moderate impact will cause the front air bags to inflate in the following cases:
If the front passenger seat weight sensors detect a total seated weight on the front
passenger seat of less than approximately 42 kg (93 lb), the front passenger front and
side air bags and seat belt pretensioner may not inflate (page 2-44).
CAUTION
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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Essential Safety Equipment
SRS Air Bags
Form No. 8S18-EA-03I
Limitations to front air bag activation
Depending on the severity of impact, the front air bags may not inflate in the following
cases:
Non-activation of front air bags
Front 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 the
side*
and curtain*
air bags.Vehicle roll-over, may deploy the side*
and
curtain*
air bags but not the front air bags.
*Some models.
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Essential Safety Equipment
SRS Air Bags
Form No. 8S18-EA-03I
Side and curtain air bag activation*
Greater than moderate impact to one side of the vehicle (driver or passenger side areas) will
cause the side and curtain air bags to inflate, but it will not normally deploy the front air
bags.
Limitations to side and curtain air bag activation*
Depending on the severity of impact, the side and curtain air bags may not inflate in the
following cases:
Side impacts involving trees or poles can
cause severe cosmetic damage but may not
have enough impact force to activate the
side*
and curtain*
air bags.Side impacts with two-wheeled vehicles
may not provide enough force to deploy the
side*
and curtain*
air bags. Vehicle roll-over may not provide enough
side force to deploy the side*
and curtain*

air bags. Frontal offset impact may not provide
enough side impact to deploy the side*
and
curtain*
air bags.
*Some models.
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Essential Safety Equipment
SRS Air Bags
Form No. 8S18-EA-03I
Non-activation of side and curtain air bag*
The side and curtain air bags will not normally inflate in the following cases:
Collision from the rear. Collision from the front, but it may deploy
the front air bags.
*Some models.
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