2014 MAZDA MODEL 3 HATCHBACK sensor

2–45
Essential Safety Equipment
SRS Air Bags
Do not place luggage or other objects under the front seats:
Placing luggage or other objects under the front 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 front seats.

Do not operate a vehicle with damaged air bag/seat belt pretensioner system
components:
Expended or damaged air bag/seat belt pretensioner system components must be
replaced after any collision which caused them to deploy or damage them. Only a trained
Authorized Mazda Dealer can fully evaluate these systems to see that they will work in
any subsequent accident. Driving with an expended or damaged air bag or pretensioner
unit will not aff ord you the necessary protection in the event of any subsequent accident
which could result in serious injury or death.

Do not remove interior air bag parts:
Removing any components such as the front seats, front dashboard, the steering wheel
or parts on the front and rear window pillars and along the roof edge, containing air bag
parts or sensors is dangerous. These parts contain essential air bag components. The air
bag could accidentally activate and cause serious injuries. Always have an Authorized
Mazda Dealer remove these parts.

Properly dispose of the air bag system:
Improper disposal of an air bag or a vehicle with live air bags in it can be extremely
dangerous. Unless all safety procedures are followed, injury could result. Have an
Authorized Mazda Dealer safely dispose of the air bag system or scrap an air bag
equipped vehicle.
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*Some models.2–48
Essential Safety Equipment
SRS Air Bags
(Without Front Passenger Occupant Classifi cation System)
Driver/Front passenger infl ators and air bags
Roll-over sensor * , crash sensors, and diagnostic module (SAS unit)
Front seat belt pretensioners (page 2-16 )
Front air bag sensors
Side crash sensors
Air bag/front seat belt pretensioner system warning light (page 4-21 )
Side and curtain infl ators and air bags
Front passenger air bag deactivation indicator light (page 2-56 )
Front passenger seat weight sensors (page 2-56 )
Front passenger seat weight sensor control module
Driver and front passenger seat belt buckle switches (page 2-60 )
NOTE
- are equipped only on models with the front passenger occupant classifi cation system.
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2–49
Essential Safety Equipment
SRS Air Bags
How the SRS Air Bags Work
Your Mazda is equipped with the following types of SRS air bags. SRS air bags are
designed to work together with the seat belts to help to reduce injuries during an accident.
The SRS air bags are designed to provide further protection for passengers in addition to the
seat belt functions. Be sure to wear seat belts properly.
Front Seat Belt Pretensioners
The front seat belt pretensioners are designed to deploy in moderate or severe frontal, near
frontal collisions. In addition, during a side collision, the pretensioner operates on the side in
which the collision occurs.
(With Front Passenger Occupant Classifi cation System)
The front seat belt pretensioners are also designed to deploy in a roll-over accident.
Driver Air Bag
The driver's air bag is mounted in the steering wheel.
When air bag crash sensors detect a frontal impact of greater than moderate force, the
driver's air bag infl ates quickly helping to reduce injury mainly to the driver's head or chest
caused by directly hitting the steering wheel.
For more details about air bag deployment, refer to "SRS Air Bag Deployment Criteria"
(page 2-53 ).
(With Front Passenger Occupant Classifi cation System)
The driver's dual-stage air bag controls air bag infl ation in two energy stages. During an
impact of moderate severity the driver's air bag deploys with lesser energy, whereas during
more severe impacts, it deploys with more energy.
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*Some models.2–50
Essential Safety Equipment
SRS Air Bags
Front Passenger Air Bag
The front passenger air bag is mounted in the front passenger dashboard.
The infl ation mechanism for the front passenger air bag is the same as the driver's air bag, as
mentioned above.
For more details about air bag deployment, refer to "SRS Air Bag Deployment Criteria"
(page 2-53 ).
(With Front Passenger Occupant Classifi cation System)
In addition, the front passenger air bag is designed to only deploy in accordance with the
total seated weight on the front passenger seat. For details, refer to the front passenger
occupant classifi cation system (page 2-56 ).
Side Air Bags *
The side air bags are mounted in the outboard sides of the front seatbacks.
When the air bag crash sensors detect a side impact of greater than moderate force, the
system infl ates the side air bag only on the side in which the vehicle was hit. The side
air bag infl ates quickly to reduce injury to the driver or front passenger's chest caused by
directly hitting interior parts such as a door or window.
For more details about air bag deployment, refer to "SRS Air Bag Deployment Criteria"
(page 2-53 ).
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*Some models.2–51
Essential Safety Equipment
SRS Air Bags
(With Front Passenger Occupant Classifi cation System)
In addition, the front passenger side air bag is designed to only deploy in accordance with
the total seated weight on the front passenger seat. For details, refer to the front passenger
occupant classifi cation system (page 2-56 ).
Curtain Air Bags *
The curtain air bags are mounted in the front and rear window pillars, and the roof edge
along both sides.
When the air bag crash sensors detect a side impact of greater than moderate force, the
curtain air bag infl ates quickly and helps to reduce injury mainly to the rear outboard
passenger's head caused by directly hitting interior parts such as a door or window.
For more details about air bag deployment, refer to "SRS Air Bag Deployment Criteria"
(page 2-53 ).
In a side impact:
Greater than moderate impact to one side of the vehicle will cause the curtain air bag on that
side only to infl ate.
Only one side curtain air bag will deploy on the
side of the vehicle that receives the force of an
impact.
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*Some models.2–56
Essential Safety Equipment
SRS Air Bags
Front Passenger Occupant Classifi cation System *
First, please read "Supplemental Restraint System (SRS) Precautions" (page 2-40 ) carefully.
Front Passenger Seat Weight Sensor
Your vehicle is equipped with a front passenger seat weight sensors as a part of the
supplemental restraint system. 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 the seat belt buckle for the front passenger seat. 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 fl ashes 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.
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2–57
Essential Safety Equipment
SRS Air Bags
If the front passenger weight sensors are normal, the indicator light illuminates when the
ignition is switched ON. The light turns off after a few seconds.
The front/passenger air bag deactivation indicator light illuminates or is off under the
following conditions:
Condition detected by
the front passenger
occupant classifi cation
system Front passenger air bag
deactivation indicator light Front passenger front
and side air bags Front passenger seat
belt pretensioner
system
Empty (Not occupied) On Deactivated Deactivated
Child or child-restraint
system
*1 On Deactivated Deactivated
Adult
*2 Off Ready Ready
*1 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.
*2 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 ready for infl ating regardless of the chart above.
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 and consult an Authorized Mazda Dealer as soon as
possible. The system may not work properly in an accident.
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:
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2–59
Essential Safety Equipment
SRS Air Bags
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:
 


¾ Luggage or other items are placed on the seat with the child in the child-restraint
system.
 


¾ A rear passenger or luggage push or pull down on the front passenger seatback.



¾ A rear passenger steps on the front passenger seat rails with their feet.



¾ Luggage or other items are placed on the seatback or hung on the head restraint.



¾ Heavy items are placed in the seatback map pocket.



¾ The seat is washed.



¾ Liquids are spilled on the seat.



¾ The front passenger seat is moved backward, pushing into luggage or other items
placed behind it.
 


¾ The front passenger seatback contacts the rear seat.



¾ Luggage or other items are placed between the front passenger seat and driver seat.



¾ Any accessories which might increase the total seated weight on the front passenger
seat are attached to the front passenger seat.
CAUTION
 


¾ To assure proper deployment of the front air bag and to prevent damage to the sensors in
the front seat bottoms:
 


¾ Do not place sharp objects on the front seat bottoms or leave heavy luggage on them.



¾ Do not spill any liquids on the front seats or under the front seats.




¾ To allow the sensors to function properly, always perform the following:




¾ Adjust the front seats as far back as possible and always sit upright against the
seatbacks with seat belts worn properly.
 


¾ If 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 2-30 ).
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