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Reasons given... Consider...
I have an airbagAirbags offer greater protection when
used with seat belts. Frontal airbags
are not designed to inflate in rear and
side crashes or rollovers.
I’d rather be thrown clearNot a good idea.Peoplewho are
ejected are 40 times more likely
to DIE.Seat belts help prevent
ejection, WE CAN’TPICK OUR
CRASH.
WARNING:Do not sit on top of a buckled seat belt or insert a
latchplate into the buckle to avoid the Belt-Minderchime. To
do so may adversely affect the performance of the vehicle’s air bag
system and result in serious injury, ejection and death.
Deactivating/activating the Belt-Minderfeature
The driver and front passenger Belt-Minderare
deactivated/activated independently. When deactivating/activating
one seating position, do not buckle the other position as this will
terminate the process.
Read Steps1-4thoroughly before proceeding with the
deactivation/activation programming procedure.
The driver and front passenger Belt-Minderfeatures can be
deactivated/activated by performing the following procedure:
Before following the procedure, make sure that:
•The parking brake is set
•The gearshift is in P (Park) (automatic transmission)
•The gearshift is in N (Neutral) (manual transmission)
•The ignition switch is in the off position
•The driver and front passenger seat belts are unbuckled
WARNING:While the design allows you to deactivate your
Belt-Minder, this system is designed to improve your chances of
being safely belted and surviving an accident. We recommend you
leave the Belt-Mindersystem activated for yourself and others who
may use the vehicle. To reduce the risk of injury, do not
deactivate/activate the Belt-Minderfeature while driving the vehicle.
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1. Turn the ignition switch to the on position. DO NOT START THE
ENGINE.
2. Wait until the seat belt warning light turns off (Approximately one
minute).
•Step 3 must be completed within 30 seconds after the seat belt
warning light turns off.
3. For the seating position being disabled, buckle then unbuckle the
seat belt three times, ending in the unbuckled state.
•After Step 3, the seat belt warning light will be turned on for three
seconds.
4. Within approximately seven seconds of the light turning off, buckle
then unbuckle the seat belt.
•This will disable the Belt-Minderfeature for that seating position if it
is currently enabled. As confirmation, the seat belt warning light will
flash four times per second for three seconds.
•This will enable the Belt-Minderfeature for that seating position if it
is currently disabled. As confirmation, the seat belt warning light will
flash four times per second for three seconds, followed by three
seconds with the light off, then followed by the seat belt warning light
flashing four times per second for three seconds again.
•After receiving confirmation, the deactivation/activation procedure is
complete.
AIRBAG SUPPLEMENTAL RESTRAINT SYSTEM (SRS)
4X4
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Important supplemental restraint system (SRS) precautions
The supplemental restraint system
is designed to work with the seat
belt to help protect the driver and
right front passenger from certain
upper body injuries.
WARNING:Airbags DO
NOT inflate slowly or gently
and the risk of injury from a
deploying airbag is greatest close
to the trim covering the airbag
module.
WARNING:All occupants of the vehicle, including the driver,
should always properly wear their seat belts, even when an air
bag supplemental restraint system (SRS) is provided.
WARNING:When possible, all children 12 years old and under
should be properly restrained in a rear seating position.
WARNING:National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
(NHTSA) recommends a minimum distance of at least 10 inches
(25 cm) between an occupant’s chest and the driver airbag module.
WARNING:The driver should always hold onto only the rim of
the steering wheel. Never place your arm over the airbag module
or anywhere inside the rim as a deploying airbag can result in serious
arm fractures or other injuries.
Steps you can take to properly position yourself away from the airbag:
•Move your seat to the rear as far as you can while still reaching the
pedals comfortably.
•Recline the seat slightly (one or two notches) from the upright
position.
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WARNING:Do not put anything on or over the airbag module
including hands or feet. Placing objects on or over the airbag
inflation area may cause those objects to be propelled by the airbag
into your face and torso causing serious injury.
WARNING:Do not attempt to service, repair, or modify the
Airbag Supplemental Restraint Systems or its fuses. See your
authorized Mazda dealership.
WARNING:Modifications to the front end of the vehicle,
including frame, bumper, front end body structure, tow hooks,
and snow plows may affect the performance of the airbag sensors
increasing the risk of injury. Do not modify the front end of the
vehicle.
WARNING:Additional equipment may affect the performance of
the airbag sensors increasing the risk of injury. Consult your
authorized Mazda dealership before installation of additional
equipment.
Children and airbags
For additional important safety
information, read all information on
safety restraints in this guide.
WARNING:Children must
always be properly
restrained. Accident statistics
suggest that children are safer
when properly restrained in the
rear seating positions rather than
in the front seating position.
Failure to follow these instructions
may increase the risk of injury in
a collision.
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WARNING:Airbags can kill or injure a child in a child seat.
NEVER place a rear-facing child seat in front of an active airbag.
If you must use a forward-facing child seat in the front seat, move the
seat all the way back. Secure the seat and the child in it properly.
How does the airbag supplemental restraint system work?
The airbag SRS is designed to
activate when the vehicle sustains
longitudinal deceleration sufficient
to cause the sensors to close an
electrical circuit that initiates airbag
inflation.
The fact that the airbags did not
inflate in a collision does not mean
that something is wrong with the
system. Rather, it means the forces
were not of the type sufficient to
cause activation. Airbags are designed to inflate in frontal and
near-frontal collisions, not rollover, side-impact, or rear-impacts unless
the collision causes sufficient longitudinal deceleration.
The airbags inflate and deflate
rapidly upon activation. After airbag
deployment, it is normal to notice a
smoke-like, powdery residue or
smell the burnt propellant. This may
consist of cornstarch, talcum
powder or sodium compounds which
may irritate the skin and eyes, but
none of the residue is toxic.
While the SRS is designed to help
reduce serious injuries, contact with
a deploying airbag may also cause
abrasions, swelling or temporary
hearing loss. Because airbags must
inflate rapidly and with considerable
force, there is the risk of death or
serious injuries such as fractures, facial and eye injuries or internal
injuries, particularly to occupants who are not properly restrained or are
otherwise out of position at the time of airbag deployment. It is
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extremely important that occupants be properly restrained as far away
from the airbag module as possible while maintaining vehicle control.
WARNING:Several airbag system components get hot after
inflation. Do not touch them after inflation or you may be
burned.
WARNING:If the airbag and seat belt pretensioners have
deployed, the airbag or seat belt pretensioners will not function
again and must be replaced immediately. If the airbag or seat belt
pretensioners are not replaced, the unrepaired area will increase the
risk of injury in a collision.
The SRS consists of:
•driver and passenger airbag modules (which include the inflators and
airbags),
•seat-mounted side airbags (if equipped). Refer toSeat-mounted
Seat-mounted side airbag systemlater in this chapter
•one or more impact and safing sensors,
•a readiness light and tone
•diagnostic module
•and the electrical wiring which connects the components.
•Side curtain airbag system. Refer toSide curtain airbag systemlater
in this chapter.
•Front passenger sensing system. Refer toFront passenger sensing
systemlater in this chapter.
•“Passenger airbag off” or “pass airbag off” indicator lamp. Refer to
Front passenger sensing systemlater in this chapter.
•Seat belt pretensioners
The diagnostic module monitors its own internal circuits and the
supplemental airbag electrical system wiring (including the impact
sensors), the system wiring, the airbag system readiness light, the airbag
backup power and the airbag ignitors.
Front passenger sensing system
The front passenger sensing system is designed to meet the regulatory
requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) 208
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and is designed to disable (will not inflate) the front passenger’s frontal
airbag under certain conditions.
The front passenger sensing system works with sensors that are part of
the front passenger’s seat and seat belt. The sensors are designed to
detect the presence of a properly seated occupant and determine if the
front passenger’s frontal airbag should be enabled (may inflate) or
disabled (will not inflate).
The front passenger sensing system will disable (will not inflate) the
front passenger’s frontal airbag if:
•the front passenger seat is unoccupied, or has small/medium objects in
the front seat,
•the system determines that an infant is present in a rear-facing infant
seat that is installed according to the manufacturer’s instructions,
•the system determines that a small child is present in a forward-facing
child restraint that is installed according to the manufacturer’s
instructions,
•the system determines that a small child is present in a booster seat,
•a front passenger takes his/her weight off of the seat for a period of
time,
Note:When the passenger airbag off light is illuminated, the passenger
(seat mounted) side airbag may be disabled to avoid the risk of airbag
deployment injuries.
The front passenger sensing system
uses apassenger airbag offor
pass airbag offindicator which will
illuminate and stay lit to remind you
that the front passenger frontal airbag is disabled. The indicator lamp is
located in the center stack of the instrument panel just above the air
vents.
Note: The indicator lamp will illuminate for a short period of time when
the ignition is turned to the on position to confirm it is functional.
When the front passenger seat is not occupied (empty seat) or in the
event that the front passenger frontal airbag is enabled (may inflate), the
indicator lamp will be unlit.
The front passenger sensing system is designed to disable (will not
inflate) the front passenger’s frontal airbag when a rear facing infant
seat, a forward-facing child restraint, or a booster seat is detected.
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•When the front passenger sensing system disables (will not inflate)
the front passenger frontal airbag, the indicator lamp will illuminate
and stay lit to remind you that the front passenger frontal airbag is
disabled.
•If the child restraint has been installed and the indicator lamp is not
lit, then turn the vehicle off, remove the child restraint from the
vehicle and reinstall the restraint following the child restraint
manufacturer’s instructions.
The front passenger sensing system is designed to enable (may inflate)
the front passenger’s frontal airbag anytime the system senses that a
person of adult size is sitting properly in the front passenger seat.
•When the front passenger sensing system enables the front passenger
frontal airbag (may inflate), the indicator will be unlit and stay unlit.
If a person of adult size is sitting in the front passenger’s seat, but the
passenger airbag offorpass airbag offindicator lamp is lit, it is
possible that the person isn’t sitting properly in the seat. If this happens:
•Turn the vehicle off and ask the person to place the seatback in the
full upright position.
•Have the person sit upright in the seat, centered on the seat cushion,
with the person’s legs comfortably extended.
•Restart the vehicle and have the person remain in this position for
about two minutes. This will allow the system to detect that person
and enable the passenger’s frontal airbag.
•If the indicator lamp remains lit even after this, the person should be
advised to ride in the rear seat, and the system should be taken
promptly to an authorized Mazda dealer for repair before that seat is
occupied again.
OccupantPass Airbag Off
Indicator LampPassenger Airbag
Empty seat Unlit Disabled
Small child in child
safety seat or boosterLit Disabled
Small child with seat
belt buckled or
unbuckledLit Disabled
Adult Unlit Enabled
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