2016 MAZDA MODEL MX-5 Owners Manual (in English)

2–29
Essential Safety Equipment
SRS Air Bags
Supplemental Restraint System Components
(With Passenger Occupant Classification System)
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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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2–31
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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2–32
Essential Safety Equipment
SRS Air Bags
Passenger Air Bag
The passenger air bag is mounted in the passenger dashboard.
The inflation mechanism for the 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 2-34).
(With Passenger Occupant Classification System)
In addition, the passenger air bag is designed to only deploy when the p\
assenger occupant
classification sensor detects a passenger sitting on the passenger's seat. For details, refer to
the passenger occupant classification system (page 2-37).
Side Air Bags
The side air bags are mounted in the outboard sides of the seatbacks.
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 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 2-34).
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2–33
Essential Safety Equipment
SRS Air Bags
(With Passenger Occupant Classification System)
In addition, the passenger side bag is designed to only deploy when the \
passenger occupant
classification sensor detects a passenger sitting on the passenger's seat. For details, refer to
the passenger occupant classification system (page 2-37).
Warning Light/Beep
A system malfunction or operation conditions are indicated by a warning.
Refer to Warning/Indicator Lights on page 4-16.
Refer to Warning Sound is Activated on page 7-45.
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2–34
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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2–35
Essential Safety Equipment
SRS Air Bags
Limitations to SRS Air Bag
In severe collisions such as those described previously in "SRS Air Bag Deployment
Criteria", the applicable SRS air bag equipment will deploy. However, in some accidents,
the equipment may not deploy depending on the type of collision and its \
severity.
Limitations to front/near front collision detection:
The following illustrations are examples of front/near front collisions \
that may not be
detected as severe enough to deploy the SRS air bag equipment.
Impacts involving trees or poles Frontal of
fset impact to the v ehicle
Rear-ending or running under a truck's tail gate
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2–36
Essential Safety Equipment
SRS Air Bags
Limitations to side collision detection:
The following illustrations are examples of side collisions that may not\
be detected as severe
enough to deploy the SRS air bag equipment.
Side impacts involving trees or poles Side impacts with two-wheeled v
ehicles
Roll-over
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