2016 MAZDA MODEL 3 4-DOOR 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 afford 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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2–48
Essential Safety Equipment
SRS Air Bags
*Some models.
(Without Front Passenger Occupant Classification System)
Driver/Front passenger inflators and air bags
Roll-over sensor*, crash sensors, and diagnostic module (SAS unit)
Seat belt pretensioners (page 2-17)
Front air bag sensors
Side crash sensors*
Air bag/seat belt pretensioner system warning light (page 4-20)
Side and curtain inflators 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 classification 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, the pretensioners operate when a side collision (only on t\
he side in which the
collision occurs) or a roll-over accident is detected. The pretensioners operate differently
depending on what types of air bags are equipped. For details on the seat belt pretensioner
operation, refer to the SRS Air Bag Deployment Criteria (page 2-53).
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 moder\
ate force, the
driver's air bag inflates 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 Classification System)
The driver's dual-stage air bag controls air bag inflation 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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2–50
Essential Safety Equipment
SRS Air Bags
*Some models.
Front Passenger Air Bag
The front passenger air bag is mounted in the front passenger dashboard.\
The inflation 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 Classification System)
In addition, the front passenger air bag is designed to only deploy in a\
ccordance with the
total seated weight on the front passenger seat. For details, refer to t\
he front passenger
occupant classification system (page 2-56).
Side Air Bags*
The side air bags are mounted in the outboard sides of the front seatbac\
ks.
When the air bag crash sensors detect a side impact of greater than mode\
rate force, the
system inflates the side air bag only on the side in which the vehicle was hit. The side
air bag inflates 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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2–51
Essential Safety Equipment
SRS Air Bags
*Some models.
(With Front Passenger Occupant Classification 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 classification system (page 2-56).
Curtain Air Bags*
The curtain air bags are mounted in the front and rear window pillars, a\
nd the roof edge
along both sides.
When the air bag crash sensors detect a side impact of greater than mode\
rate force, the
curtain air bag inflates quickly and helps to reduce injury mainly to the rear outboard
passenger's head caused by directly hitting interior parts such as a doo\
r 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 inflate.
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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2–56
Essential Safety Equipment
SRS Air Bags
*Some models.
Front Passenger Occupant Classification 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 s\
eat 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 s\
ystem from deploying
if the front passenger air bag deactivation indicator light illuminates.\
To reduce the chance of injuries caused by deployment of the front passen\
ger air bag,
the system deactivates the front passenger front and side air bags and a\
lso the seat
belt pretensioner system when the front passenger air bag deactivation i\
ndicator 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 p\
ossible malfunction.
If this happens, the front passenger front and side air bags and seat be\
lt 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 normal, the indicator light il\
luminates when the
ignition is switched ON. The light turns off after a few seconds. Then, the indicator light
illuminates or is off under the following conditions:
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2–57
Essential Safety Equipment
SRS Air Bags
Front passenger air bag deactivation indicator light on/off condition chart
Condition detected by the front passenger
occupant classification system Front passenger air bag
deactivation indicator light Front passenger front
and side air bags Front passenger seat
belt pretensioner system
Empty (Not occupied) OnDeactivated Deactivated
Child or child-restraint
system
*1On Deactivated Deactivated
Adult
*2Off ReadyReady
*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 d\
etect the person as being a child depending on the person's physique.
The curtain air bag is ready for inflating regardless of what the front passenger air bag
deactivation indicator light on/off condition chart indicates.
If the front passenger air bag deactivation indicator light does not ill\
uminate when the
ignition is switched ON and does not illuminate as indicated in the front passenger air bag
deactivation indicator light on/off condition 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.
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2–58
Essential Safety Equipment
SRS Air Bags
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:
 A front passenger is seated as shown in the following figure:
 A rear passenger pushes up on the front passenger seat with their feet. Luggage 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. Any accessories which might decrease the total seated weight on the front passenger
seat are attached to the front passenger seat.
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.
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