2–26
Essential Safety Equipment
SRS Air Bags
Sit in the center of the seat and wear seat belts properly:
Sitting too close to the side air bag modules or placing hands on them, or sleeping up
against the door or hanging out the windows is extremely dangerous. The side air bags
inflate with great force and speed directly expanding along the door on the side the car is
hit. Serious injury could occur if someone is sitting too close to the door. 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 objects 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.
Do not hang net bags, map pouches or backpacks with side straps on the seats. 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 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.
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.
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Essential Safety Equipment
SRS Air Bags
Do not modify a door or leave any damage unrepaired. Always have an Authorized
Mazda Dealer inspect a damaged door:
Modifying a door or leaving any damage unrepaired is dangerous. Each door has a side
crash sensor as a component of the supplemental restraint system. If holes are drilled in
a door, a door speaker is left removed, or a damaged door is left unrepaired, the sensor
could be adversely affected causing it to not detect the pressure of an impact correctly
during a side collision. If a sensor does not detect a side impact correctly, the side air bags
and the seat belt pretensioner may not operate normally which could result in serious
injury to occupants.
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 seats. It is important to protect the air bag
wiring and connections to assure that the bags do not accidentally deploy, and that the
passenger occupant classification system and the seats retain an undamaged air bag
connection.
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 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 seats, front dashboard, the steering wheel,
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.
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2–30
Essential Safety Equipment
SRS Air Bags
*Some models.
(Without Passenger Occupant Classification System)
Driver/Passenger inflators and air bags
Crash sensors, and diagnostic module (SAS unit)
Seat belt pretensioners (page 2-12)
Front air bag sensors
Side crash sensors
Air bag/seat belt pretensioner system warning light (page 4-16)
Side inflators and air bags
Passenger air bag deactivation indicator light* (page 2-37)
Passenger occupant classification sensor* (page 2-37)
Passenger occupant classification module*
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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 passenge\
rs in addition to the
seat belt functions. Be sure to wear seat belts properly.
Seat Belt Pretensioners
The 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 s\
ide in which the
collision occurs. 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 2-34).
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 2-34).
(With 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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Essential Safety Equipment
SRS Air Bags
SRS Air Bag Deployment Criteria
This chart indicates the applicable SRS equipment that will deploy depen\
ding on the type of
collision.
(The illustrations are the representative cases of collisions.)
SRS equipment
Types of collision
A severe frontal/near frontal collisionA severe side collision*2A rear collision
Seat belt pretensionerX*1 (both sides)X*1 (impact side only)
No air bag and seat belt pretensioner will be activated in a rear collision.
Driver air bagX
Passenger air bagX*1
Side air bagX*1 (impact side only)
X : The SRS air bag equipment is designed to deploy in a collision.
*1 (Passenger Occupant Classification System) The passenger front and side air bags and the seat belt pretensioner are\
designed to deploy when the passenger occupant classification sensor detects a passenger sitting on the passenger's seat.*2 In a side collision, the seat belt pretensioners and the side air bags d\
eploy (only on the side in which the collision occurs).
NOTE
In a frontal offset collision, the equipped air bags and pretensioners may all deploy
depending on the direction, angle, and rate of impact.
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2–37
Essential Safety Equipment
SRS Air Bags
*Some models.
Passenger Occupant Classification System*
First, please read "Supplemental Restraint System (SRS) Precautions" (\
page 2-24)
carefully.
Passenger Occupant Classification Sensor
Your vehicle is equipped with a passenger occupant classification sensor as a part of the
supplemental restraint system. This sensor is equipped in the passenger's seat cushion. This
sensor measures the electrostatic capacity of the passenger's seat. The SAS unit is designed
to prevent the passenger front and side air bags and seat belt pretensio\
ner system from
deploying if the passenger air bag deactivation indicator light turns on\
.
To reduce the chance of injuries caused by deployment of the passenger ai\
r bag, the system
deactivates the passenger front and side air bags and also the seat belt\
pretensioner system
when the passenger air bag deactivation indicator light turns on. Refer \
to the following table
for the passenger air bag deactivation indicator light illumination cond\
itions.
This system shuts off the passenger front and side air bags and seat belt pretensioner syste\
m,
so make sure the passenger air bag deactivation indicator light turns on\
according to the
following table.
The air bag/seat belt pretensioner system warning light flashes and the passenger air bag
deactivation indicator light illuminates if the sensors have a possible \
malfunction. If this
happens, the passenger front and side air bags and seat belt pretensione\
r system will not
deploy.
Passenger air bag deactivation indicator light
This indicator light turns on to remind you that the passenger front and\
side air bags and seat
belt pretensioner will not deploy during a collision.
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Essential Safety Equipment
SRS Air Bags
If the passenger occupant classification sensor is normal, the indicator light turns on when
the ignition is switched ON. The light turns off after a few seconds. Then, the indicator light
turns on or is off under the following conditions:
Passenger air bag deactivation indicator light on/off condition chart
Condition detected by the passenger occupant classification system
Passenger air bag deactivation indicator light
Passenger front and side air bagsPassenger seat belt pretensioner system
Empty (Not occupied)OnDeactivatedDeactivated
A child is seated in a child-restraint system*1OnDeactivatedDeactivated
Adult*2OffReadyReady
*1 The occupant classification sensor may not detect a child seated on the seat, in a child-restraint system, or a junior seat depending on the child's physical size and seated posture.*2 If a smaller adult sits on the passenger seat, the sensors might detect \
the person as being a child depending on the person's physique.
If the passenger air bag deactivation indicator light does not turn on w\
hen the ignition
is switched ON and does not turn on as indicated in the passenger air bag deactivation
indicator light on/off condition chart, do not allow an occupant to sit in the 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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2–40
Essential Safety Equipment
SRS Air Bags
Luggage or other items placed under the passenger seat or between the passenger
seat and driver seat that push up the passenger seat bottom. An object, such as a seat cushion, is put on the passenger's seat or between the
passenger's back and the seatback. A seat cover is put on the passenger's seat. Luggage or other items are placed on the seat with the child in the child-restraint
system. The seat is washed. Liquids are spilled on the seat. The passenger seat is moved backward, pushing into luggage or other items placed
behind it. Luggage or other items are placed between the passenger seat and driver seat. An electric device is put on the passenger's seat. An additional electrical device, such as a seat warmer is installed to the surface of the
passenger seat.
The passenger front and side air bags and seat belt pretensioner systems will deactivate if
the passenger air bag deactivation indicator light turns on.
CAUTION
To assure proper deployment of the front air bag and to prevent damage to the sensor in
the seat cushion:
Do not place sharp objects on the seat cushion or leave heavy luggage on them. Do not spill any liquids on the seats or under the seats.
To allow the sensors to function properly, always perform the following:
Adjust the seats as far back as possible and always sit upright against the seatbacks
with seat belts worn properly. If you place your child on the passenger seat, secure the child-restraint system properly
and slide the passenger seat as far back as possible.
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