2004 MAZDA MODEL 3 HATCHBACK wheel

2-36
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.
J48C_8S18-EA-03I_Edition1.book Page 36 Wednesday, August 6, 2003 8:51 AM

2-38
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
J48C_8S18-EA-03I_Edition1.book Page 38 Wednesday, August 6, 2003 8:51 AM

2-39
Essential Safety Equipment
SRS Air Bags
Form No. 8S18-EA-03I
Curtain Air Bag Modules:
Attaching objects to the areas where the curtain air bag activates such as on the
windshield glass, side door glass, front and rear window pillars and along the roof
edge and assist grips is dangerous. In an accident the object could interfere with the
curtain air bag, which inflates from the front and rear window pillars and along the
roof edge, impeding the added protection of the curtain 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 place hangers or any other objects on the assist grips. When hanging clothes,
hang them on the coat hook directly. Always keep the curtain air bag modules free to
deploy in the event of a side collision.
Hot Air Bag Inflators:
Hot air bag inflators are dangerous. Immediately after inflation, the inflators in the
steering wheel, dashboard, seatbacks, or the front and rear window pillars and along
the roof edge are very hot. You could get burned. Don’t touch the internal components
of the air bag modules after the bags have inflated.
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. Front 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.
WARNING
J48C_8S18-EA-03I_Edition1.book Page 39 Wednesday, August 6, 2003 8:51 AM

2-41
Essential Safety Equipment
SRS Air Bags
Form No. 8S18-EA-03I
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 steering wheel hub
•The front passenger dashboard
•The outboard sides of the front seatbacks
•The front and rear window pillars, and the roof edge along both sides
The air bags are out of sight until activated.
Supplemental Restraint System Components
J48C_8S18-EA-03I_Edition1.book Page 41 Wednesday, August 6, 2003 8:51 AM

2-44
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.
J48C_8S18-EA-03I_Edition1.book Page 44 Wednesday, August 6, 2003 8:51 AM

2-51
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.
J48C_8S18-EA-03I_Edition1.book Page 51 Wednesday, August 6, 2003 8:51 AM

2-55
Essential Safety Equipment
SRS Air Bags
Form No. 8S18-EA-03I
Damaged Air Bag System
Components:
Driving with damaged air bag system
components is dangerous. A collision,
even one not strong enough to inflate
the air bags, could damage the system
components. If there was a
subsequent collision, a damaged
component would not inflate the air
bags. Always have an Authorized
Mazda Dealer inspect the air bag
systems after a collision.
Removing Interior Parts:
Removing any components such as
the front seats (if side air bags are
equipped), 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.
Air Bag Disposal:
Improper disposal of an air bag or a
vehicle with live air bags in it can be
extremely dangerous. Unless all
safety procedures are followed, injury
can result. Ask an Authorized Mazda
Dealer how to safely dispose of an air
bag or how to scrap an air bag
equipped vehicle.
WARNINGNOTE
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 9-2).
J48C_8S18-EA-03I_Edition1.book Page 55 Wednesday, August 6, 2003 8:51 AM

3-1
Form No. 8S18-EA-03I
3Knowing Your Mazda
Explanation of basic operations and controls; opening/closing and
adjustment of various parts.
Doors and Locks
............................................................................ 3-2
Keys ........................................................................................... 3-2
Keyless Entry System* .............................................................. 3-3
Door Locks ................................................................................ 3-7
Liftgate (5 Door) ..................................................................... 3-10
Trunk Lid (4 Door) .................................................................. 3-13
Inside Trunk Release Slide Lever (4 Door) ............................. 3-16
Power Windows* ..................................................................... 3-17
Fuel-Filler Lid and Cap ........................................................... 3-19
Hood ........................................................................................ 3-20
Moonroof* ............................................................................... 3-22
Security System
........................................................................... 3-24
Immobilizer System ................................................................ 3-24
Theft-Deterrent System* ......................................................... 3-27
Steering Wheel and Mirrors
...................................................... 3-29
Steering Wheel ........................................................................ 3-29
Mirrors ..................................................................................... 3-29
*Some models.
J48C_8S18-EA-03I_Edition1.book Page 1 Wednesday, August 6, 2003 8:51 AM