2008 MAZDA MODEL MX-5 MIATA POWER RETRACTABLE HARDTOP Owners Manual

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WARNING
Seat belts must be worn in air bag equipped vehicles: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.
Always make sure the passenger air bag deactivation indicator light is illuminated
when using a 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. Always make sure the passenger air bag deactivation indicator light is
illuminated using the key to turn the passenger air bag off.
Refer to Passenger Air Bag Deactivation Switch on page 2-32.
Refer to Passenger seat weight sensors on page 2-38.
Do not sit too close to the driver and passenger air bags:
Sitting too close to the driver and passenger air bag modules or placing hands or
feet on them is extremely dangerous. The driver and passenger 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 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.
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Do not sit too close to a front door or lean against doors in vehicles 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.
Do not attach objects on or around the area where driver and passenger air bags
deploy: Attaching an object to the driver and passenger air bag modules or placing
something in front of them is dangerous. In an accident, an object could interfere
with air bag inflation and injure the occupants.
Do not attach objects on or around the area where a side air bag deploys: 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 releasing the gas.
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.
Do not place luggage or other objects under the seats: Placing luggage or other objects under the seats is dangerous. The components
essential to the supplemental restraint system could be damaged, and in the event of
a side collision, the appropriate air bags may not deploy, which could result in death
or serious injury. To prevent damage to the components essential to the
supplemental restraint system, do not place luggage or other objects under the
seats.
Do not touch the components of the supplemental restraint system after the air bags
have inflated: Touching the components of the supplemental restraint system after the air bags
have inflated is dangerous. Immediately after inflation, they are very hot. You could
get burned.
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Never install any front-end equipment to your vehicle:Installation of front-end equipment, such as frontal protection bar (kangaroo bar,
bull bar, push bar, or other similar devices), 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.
Do not modify the suspension: Modifying the vehicle suspension is dangerous. If the vehicle's height or the
suspension is modified, the vehicle will be unable to accurately detect a collision
resulting in incorrect or unexpected air bag deployment and the possibility of serious
injuries.
Do not modify 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. Do not 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.
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Passenger Air Bag Deactivation Switch
WARNING
Do not deactivate the passenger air bag unnecessarily:Unnecessary deactivation of the passenger 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.
Your vehicle is equipped with a passenger air bag deactivation switch. The switch is
located in the position shown in the figure below. The switch must be used to deactivate
the passenger front and side air bags and also the passenger seat belt pretensioner system
when the occupant of the passenger seat fits into one of the following categories (as
described in the request form for the passenger air bag deactivation switch, the appendix B
to part 595 of National Highway Traffic Safety Administration [NHTSA]):
lInfants (less than one year old; for all types of restraint, but particularly the rear-facing
child restraint.)
lChildren aged 1 to 12lPeople 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 an Authorized
Mazda Dealer for the occupant categories as described in the request form for the air bag
deactivation switch in the NHTSA rules.
The air bag deactivation switch turns off the passenger front and side air bags and the also
seat belt pretensioner system. Make sure the passenger air bag deactivation switch is in the
ON position except when a passenger fitting the previous categories occupies the front
passenger seat.
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Passenger Air Bag
Deactivation Switch Passenger Air Bag
Deactivation Indicator Light Passenger Front and Side
Air Bag Operation Passenger Seat Belt
Pretensioner System
OFF position
ON Deactivate Deactivate
ON position
OFF ReadyReady
When the ignition switch is turned to the ON position, the passenger air bag deactivation
indicator light comes on for a specified period of time.
If the passenger air bag deactivation switch is in the OFF position, the indicator light
remains on to warn that the passenger front and side air bags and also the seat belt
pretensioner system have been deactivated.
In addition to using the key to deactivate the passenger front and side air bags and the also
seat belt pretensioner system, the passenger front and side air bags and the also seat belt
pretensioner system is also deactivated and the passenger air bag deactivation indicator
light is illuminated automatically when the total seated weight on the passenger seat is less
than 30 kg (66 lb).
NOTE
Have the passenger air bag deactivation switch inspected by an Authorized Mazda Dealer if any of
these conditions occur:
lThe indicator light does not illuminate for a specified period of time when the ignition switch is
turned to the ON position.
lThe indicator light does not remain on when the ignition switch is in the ON position and the
passenger air bag deactivation switch is in the OFF position.
lThe indicator remains on when the ignition switch is in the ON position and the passenger air bag
deactivation switch is in the ON position.
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qTo Deactivate the Passenger Air Bag
Before driving, always confirm that the passenger air bag deactivation switch is in the
appropriate position according to your requirements (page 2-32).
WARNING
Do not leave the key in the passenger air bag deactivation switch:
Unintentional deactivation of the passenger 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 air bag deactivation switch and the ignition switch, that way you will not
leave the key in the passenger air bag deactivation switch.
1. Insert the key into the passenger air bag deactivation switch and turn the key clockwise until the key points to OFF.
2. Remove the key.
3. Make sure the air bag deactivation indicator light remains illuminated when the ignition
is in the ON position.
The passenger front and side air bags and also the seat belt pretensioner system will remain
deactivated until the passenger air bag deactivation switch is turned to the ON position.
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qTo Ready the Passenger Air Bag
Before driving, always confirm that the passenger air bag deactivation switch is in the
appropriate position according to your requirements (page 2-32).
1. Insert the key into the passenger air bag deactivation switch and turn the key
counterclockwise until the key points to ON.
2. Remove the key.
3. Make sure the air bag deactivation indicator light turns off after the ignition switch is
turned to the ON position.
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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 hublThe passenger dashboardlThe outboard sides of the seatbacksí
The air bags are out of sight until activated.
q Front 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 2-38)
(4) Crash sensor and diagnostic module (SAS unit)
(5) Seat belt pretensioner and load limiting systems (page 2-11)
(6) Passenger seat weight sensors (page 2-38)
(7) Driver and passenger seat belt buckle switches (page 2-38)
(8) Driver seat slide position sensor (page 2-38)
(9) Seats
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