2004 MAZDA MODEL RX 8 Owners Manual (in English)

2-30
Essential Safety Equipment
SRS Air Bags
Form No. 8R65-EA-03C
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 storage areas 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.
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. An Authorized
Mazda Dealer can provide the special care needed in the removal and installation of
front seats. It is important to protect the side and curtain air bag wiring and
connections to assure that the bags do not accidentally deploy and that the seats retain
an undamaged air bag connection.
To prevent damage to the side and curtain air bag wiring, don’t place luggage or other
objects under the front seats.
WARNING
CAUTION
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Essential Safety Equipment
SRS Air Bags
Form No. 8R65-EA-03C
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.
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Essential Safety Equipment
SRS Air Bags
Form No. 8R65-EA-03C
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, in the outboard sides of the front seatbacks and the front
and rear window pillars, along the roof edge. They are out of sight until activated.
*1The driver’s seat slide position sensor determines whether the driver’s seat is fore or aft
of a reference position. The sensor 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.
*2The buckle switches on the front seat belts determine whether or not the front seat belts
are securely fastened and further control the deployment of the air bags on the front
seats.
*3The 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’s seat position and front seat belt usage, which allow for further
controlling of the system.
Air Bag System Description
Dual stage inflators and air bags*3
Inflators and air bags Seat belt buckle switches*2
Front air bag sensor
Side and curtain air bag
crash sensor
Seat slide position sensor
(only for driver's seat)*1
Inflators and air bags Side and curtain air bag crash sensor Crash sensors and
diagnostic module
(SAS unit)
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Essential Safety Equipment
SRS Air Bags
Form No. 8R65-EA-03C

How the Air Bags Work
When air bag crash sensors detect a frontal or side 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.
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.
The front air bags will deploy
only on the frontal impact.
The side and curtain air bags will deploy together
on the same side.
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Essential Safety Equipment
SRS Air Bags
Form No. 8R65-EA-03C

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:
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. 8R65-EA-03C
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.
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Essential Safety Equipment
SRS Air Bags
Form No. 8R65-EA-03C
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.
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Essential Safety Equipment
SRS Air Bags
Form No. 8R65-EA-03C
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.
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