2011 MAZDA MODEL RX 8 Owners Manual (in English)

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Driver and front passenger seat belt buckle switches (page 2-46)
Driver seat slide position sensor
Front seats
Essential Safety Equipment
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, all of which provide data from each sensor
to the air bag 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 diagnostic module (SAS unit). The SAS unit 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 2-55).
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Front passenger seat weight sensors
Your vehicle is equipped with a front passenger seat weight sensors as a part of the
supplemental restraint system. (page 2-34). These sensors are located under both of the
front passenger seat rails. These sensors determine the total seated weight on the front
passenger seat and monitor its seat belt buckle. The SAS unit is designed to prevent the
front passenger front and side air bags and seat belt pretensioner system from deploying if
the front passenger air bag deactivation indicator light illuminates.
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 the front passenger air bag deactivation indicator light
illuminates.
Refer to the following table for the front passenger air bag deactivation indicator light
illumination conditions.
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 following table.
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 working properly, the indicator light illuminates
when the ignition is switched ON. After a specified period of time it goes out.
Essential Safety Equipment
SRS Air Bags
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The front passenger air bag deactivation indicator light illuminates or is off under the following conditions:
Condition detected by
front passenger occupant
classification systemFront passenger air bag
deactivation indicator lightFront passenger front and
side air bagsFront passenger seat
belt pretensioner
system
Empty (Not occupied)
*1Off Deactivated Deactivated
Child or child-restraint
system
*2On Deactivated Deactivated
Adult
*3Off Ready Ready
*1 : If the front passenger seat belt is buckled, the front passenger air bag deactivation indicator light illuminates,
however this does not indicate a malfunction.
*2 : If a larger child sits on the front passenger seat, the sensors might detect the child as being an adult depending
on the child's physique.
*3 : If a smaller adult sits on the front passenger seat, the sensors might detect the person as being a child
depending on the person's physique.
The curtain air bag is always ready to inflate and is not deactivated like the front passenger front and side air bags
and seat belt pretensioner systems.
If the front passenger air bag deactivation indicator light does not illuminate when the
ignition is switched ON and does not illuminate as indicated in the above chart, do not
allow a child to sit in the front passenger seat; contact the Authorized Mazda Dealer as
soon as possible. The system may not work properly in an accident.
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WARNING
Do not decrease 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 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 could result in
an air bag not deploying under the following conditions, for example:
ØA rear passenger pushes up on the front passenger seat with their feet.
ØLuggage 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.
ØThe 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 assist grip or the rim of the moonroof and sitting with the seatback
reclined too far.
ØAny accessories which might decrease the total seated weight on the front
passenger seat are attached to the front passenger seat.
ØTension in the upward direction is placed on the seat belt slide bar such as by
pulling up on the seat belt.
The front passenger front and side air bags and seat belt pretensioner systems will
deactivate if the front passenger air bag deactivation indicator light illuminates and
they will reactivate if the front passenger air bag deactivation indicator light turns
off.
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SRS Air Bags
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Do not increase 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 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 may cause serious injury. Increasing the total
seated weight on the front passenger seat 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:
ØLuggage or other items are placed on the seat with the child in the child-restraint
system.
ØA rear passenger or luggage push or pull down on the front passenger seatback.
ØA rear passenger steps on the front passenger seat rails with their feet.
ØLuggage or other items are placed on the seatback or hung on the head restraint.
ØHeavy items are placed in the seatback map pocket.
ØThe seat is washed.
ØLiquids are spilled on the seat.
ØThe front passenger seat is moved backward, pushing into luggage or other items
placed behind it.
ØThe front passenger seatback contacts the rear seat.
ØLuggage or other items are placed between the front passenger seat and driver
seat.
ØAny accessories which might increase the total seated weight on the front
passenger seat are attached to the front passenger seat.
ØFeet or other items are placed on the seat belt slide bar.
The front passenger front and side air bags and seat belt pretensioner systems will
deactivate if the front passenger air bag deactivation indicator light illuminates.
CAUTION
ØTo assure proper deployment of the front air bag and to prevent damage to the
sensors in the front seat bottoms:
ØDo not place sharp objects on the front seat bottoms or leave heavy luggage on
them.
ØDo not spill any liquids on the front seats or under the front seats.
ØTo allow the sensors to function properly, always perform the following:
ØAdjust the front seats as far back as possible and always sit upright against the
seatbacks with seat belts worn properly.
ØIf 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
2-34).
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NOTElThe 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.
lThe 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.
lThe front passenger air bag deactivation indicator light may illuminate for 10 seconds if the total
seated weight on the front passenger seat changes.
lThe air bag/front seat belt pretensioner system warning light might illuminate if the front
passenger seat receives a severe impact.
lIf the front passenger air bag deactivation indicator light does not illuminate after installing a
child-restraint system on the front passenger seat, first, re-install your child-restraint system
according to the procedure in this owner's manual. Then, if the front passenger air bag
deactivation indicator light still does not illuminate, install the child-restraint system on the rear
seat and consult an Authorized Mazda Dealer as soon as possible.
lIf the front passenger air bag deactivation indicator light illuminates when an adult is seated in
the front passenger seat, have the passenger re-adjust their posture by sitting with their feet on the
floor, and then re-fastening the seat belt. If the front passenger air bag deactivation indicator light
still illuminates, move the passenger to the rear seat. If sitting in the rear seat is not possible, slide
the front passenger seat as far back as possible.
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.
Essential Safety Equipment
SRS Air Bags
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qHow 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. However, the side air bag system for the front
passenger is designed to only deploy in accordance with the total seated weight on the front
passenger seat, however the curtains are not deactivated.
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.
The side and curtain air bags will deploy only on the side the
vehicle receives the force of the impact.
qAir Bag Activation/Deactivation
NOTE
If the front passenger air bag deactivation indicator light illuminates, the front passenger front and
side air bags and seat belt pretensioner may not deploy (page 2-46), but the curtain air bags may
deploy.
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