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WARNING
Rear-Facing Child-Restraint System:
Seating a child in a rear-facing child-
restraint system that is installed on the
passenger seat with the passenger air
bag deactivation indicator light not
illuminated is extremely dangerous. In
an accident, a air bag could inflate
and cause serious injuries or even
death to the child seated in the rear-
facing child-restraint system. When
using a rear-facing child-restraint
system, always make sure the
passenger air bag deactivation
indicator light is illuminated by using
the key to turn the passenger air bag
off.
Refer to Passenger seat weight sensors
on page 2-37.
Refer to Passenger Air Bag
Deactivation Switch on page 2-30.
Essential Safety Equipment
Child Restraint
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WARNING
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 in the first collision with frontal, near frontal or side forces that are at
least moderate. Vehicle occupants should always wear seat belts.
Rear-Facing Child-Restraint System:
Seating a child in a rear-facing child-restraint system that is installed on the
passenger seat with the passenger air bag deactivation indicator light not illuminated
is extremely dangerous. In an accident, a air bag could inflate and cause serious
injuries or even death to the child seated in the rear-facing child-restraint system.
When using a rear-facing child-restraint system, always make sure the passenger air
bag deactivation indicator light is illuminated by using the key to turn the passenger
air bag off.
Refer to Passenger Air Bag Deactivation Switch on page 2-30.
Refer to Passenger seat weight sensors on page 2-37.
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. Seat
occupants should adjust their seats as far back as possible and always sit upright
against the seatbacks with seat belts worn properly.
Essential Safety Equipment
SRS Air Bags
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WARNING
Seating Position with Side Air Bags:
Sitting too close to the side air bag modules or placing hands on them is extremely
dangerous. A side air bag inflates with great force and speed directly out of the
outboard shoulder of the seat and expands 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 in the seats. Furthermore, sleeping up against the door or hanging
out the driver's-side window while driving could block the side air bag and eliminate
the advantages of supplemental protection. Give the side 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 Located in the Steering Wheel Hub and the Dashboard:
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 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 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.
Never use seat covers on the seats. Always keep the side air bag modules in your seats
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 or the seatbacks 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. Occupants could be seriously
injured. Never install any front-end equipment to your vehicle.
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SRS Air Bags
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WARNING
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 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. It is important to protect the air bag wiring and connections to assure that the
bags do not accidentally deploy, the driver seat slide position sensor and front
passenger seat weight sensors are not damaged and that the seats retain an
undamaged air bag connection.
NOTE
lWhen 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.
lShould 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.
Essential Safety Equipment
SRS Air Bags
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Supplemental Restraint System Components
The supplemental restraint systems (SRS) have two basic subsystems:
lThe air bag system with inflators and air bags.
lThe electrical system with crash sensors and diagnostic module.
The air bags are mounted in the following locations:
lThe steering wheel hub
lThe passenger dashboard
lThe outboard sides of the seatbacksí
The air bags are out of sight until activated.
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íSome models.
SRS Air Bags
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qFront Air Bag System Components
(4)
(8)
(7) (5) (2)
(9)
(3)
(1)
(6)
(5)
(1) Front dual stage inflators and air bags
(2) Front crash sensor
(3) Passenger air bag deactivation indicator light (page 2-37)
(4) Crash sensor and diagnostic module (SAS unit)
(5) Seat belt pretensioner and load limiting systems (page 2-10)
(6) Passenger seat weight sensors (page 2-37)
(7) Driver and passenger seat belt buckle switches (page 2-37)
(8) Driver seat slide position sensor (page 2-37)
(9) Seats
Essential Safety Equipment
SRS Air Bags
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qSide Air Bag System Componentsí
(2) (1)
(3) (4)
(1) Crash sensor and diagnostic module (SAS unit)
(2) Side crash sensors
(3) Side inflators and air bags
(4) Seats
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íSome models.
SRS Air Bags
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How the Air Bags Work
qHow 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 system components.
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.
The front air bags will deploy only
in a frontal or frontal offset impact.
Driver seat slide position sensor
Your vehicle is equipped with a 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 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/seat belt pretensioner system warning light flashes if the sensor has a possible
malfunction (page 2-45).
Essential Safety Equipment
SRS Air Bags
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