2017 MAZDA MX5 MIATA light

2 –24 Essential Safety Equipment
SRS Air Bags
Supplemental Restraint System (SRS) Precautions The front and side supplemental restraint systems (SRS) include different types of air bags.
Please verify which kinds of air bags are equipped on your vehicle by locating the
“SRS AIRBAG” location indicators. These indicators are visible in the area where the air
bags are installed.
The air bags are installed in the following locations: 
The steering wheel hub (driver air bag) 
The passenger dashboard (passenger air bag) 
The outboard sides of the seatbacks (side air bags)
The air bag supplemental restraint systems are designed to provide supplemental protection
in certain situations so seat belts are always important in the following ways:
Without seat belt usage, the air bags cannot provide adequate protection during an accident.
Seat belt usage is necessary to: 
Keep the occupant from being thrown into an inflating air bag. 
Reduce the possibility of injuries during an accident that is n ot designed for air bag
inflation, such as roll-over or rear impact. 
Reduce the possibility of injuries in frontal, near frontal or side collisions that are not
severe enough to activate the air bags. 
Reduce the possibility of being thrown from your vehicle. 
Reduce the possibility of injuries to lower body and legs durin g an accident because the
air bags provide no protection to these parts of the body. 
Hold the driver in a position which allows better control of the vehicle.
If your vehicle is also equipped with a passenger occupant classification system, refer
to the Passenger Occupant Classification System (page 2-37 ) for details.
If your vehicle is equipped with a passenger occupant classifica tion system, the passenger
air bag deactivation indicator light illuminates for a specified time after the ignition is
switched ON.
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2 –25 Essential Safety Equipment
SRS Air BagsSmall children must be protected by a child-restraint system as stipulated by law in every
state and province. In certain states and provinces, larger children must use a child-restraint
system (page 2-15 ).
Carefully consider which child-restraint system is necessary for your child and follow
the installation directions in this Owner's Manual as well as the child-restraint system
manufacturer's instructions.
Do not use a child-restraint system which employs an upper tether because there is no
appropriate means to anchor the tether.
WARNING Seat belts must be worn in air bag equipped vehicles:
Depending only on the air bags for protection during an accident is dangerous. Alone, air
bags may not prevent serious injuries. The appropriate air bags can be expected to inflate
only in the first accident, such as frontal, near frontal or side collisions that are at least
moderate. Vehicle occupants should always wear seat belts.
Always make sure the passenger air bag deactivation indicator light is illuminated
when using a child-restraint system (With Passenger Occupant Classification System):
Seating a child in a child-restraint system that is installed on the passenger seat with the
passenger air bag deactivation indicator light not illuminated is extremely dangerous. In
an accident, an air bag could inflate and cause serious injuries or even death to the child
seated in the child-restraint system. Always make sure the passenger air bag deactivation
indicator light is illuminated.
Refer to Occupant Classification System on page 2-37 .
Do not sit too close to the driver and passenger air bags:
Sitting too close to the driver and passenger air bag modules or placing hands or feet on
them is extremely dangerous. The driver and passenger air bags inflate with great force
and speed. Serious injuries could occur if someone is too close. The driver should always
hold onto only the rim of the steering wheel. The passenger should keep both feet on
the floor. Seat occupants should adjust their seats as far back as possible and always sit
upright against the seatbacks with seat belts worn properly.
Do not sit too close to a door or lean against doors in vehicles with side air bags:
Sitting too close to the side air bag modules or placing hands on them is extremely
dangerous. A side air bag inflates with great force and speed directly out of the outboard
shoulder of the seat and expands along the door on the side the car is hit. Serious injury
could occur if someone is sitting too close to the door or leaning against a window in the
seats. Furthermore, sleeping up against the door or hanging out the driver-side window
while driving could block the side air bag and eliminate the advantages of supplemental
protection. 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.
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2 –28 Essential Safety Equipment
SRS Air Bags 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.
NOTE 
If it becomes necessary to have the components or wiring system for the supplementary
restraint system modified to accommodate a person with certain medical conditions in
accordance with a certified physician, contact an Authorized Mazda Dealer, refer to
“Customer Assistance (U.S.A.)” (page 8-2 ).
When an air bag deploys, a loud inflation noise can be heard and some smoke will be
released. Neither is likely to cause injury, however, the texture of the air bags may cause
light skin injuries on body parts not covered with clothing through friction. 
Should you sell your Mazda, we urge you to tell the new owner of its air bag systems
and that familiarization with all instructions about them, from the Owner's Manual, is
important. 
Vehicles with a passenger air bag have a warning label attached as shown in the
following.
(Except Mexico)
This warning label is displayed in compliance with regulations.
(Mexico)
This warning label reminds you not to put a rear-facing child-restraint system on the
passenger seat at any time.

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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 4-18 )
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 –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 passeng er's seat. For details, refer to
the passenger occupant classification system (page 2-37 ).
Warning Light/BeepA system malfunction or operation conditions are indicated by a warning.
Refer to Warning/Indicator Lights on page 4-26 .
Refer to Warning Sound is Activated on page 7-48 .
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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) Precaut ions" (page 2-24 )
carefully.
Passenger Occupant Classification SensorYour 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 pretensioner 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 air 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 o n. Refer to the following table
for the passenger air bag deactivation indicator light illumination conditions.
This system shuts off the passenger front and side air bags and seat belt pretensioner system,
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 pretensioner 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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2 –38 Essential Safety Equipment
SRS Air Bags If the passenger occupant classification sensor is normal, the i ndicator 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 bags Passenger seat belt
pretensioner system
Empty (Not occupied) On Deactivated Deactivated
A child is seated in a child-
restraint system *1
On Deactivated Deactivated
Adult *2
Off Ready Ready
*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 when the ignition
is switched ON and does not turn on as indicated in the passeng er 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 –39 Essential Safety Equipment
SRS Air Bags
WARNING Do not allow an occupant in the passenger's seat to sit with a posture which makes
it difficult for the passenger occupant classification sensor to detect the occupant
correctly:
Sitting in the passenger's seat with a posture which makes it difficult for the passenger
occupant classification sensor to detect the occupant correctly is dangerous. If the
passenger occupant classification sensor cannot detect the occupant sitting on the
passenger's seat correctly, the passenger front and side air bags and pretensioner system
may not operate (non-deploy) or they may operate (deploy) accidentally. The passenger
will not have the supplementary protection of the air bags or the accidental operation
(deployment) of the air bags could result in serious injury or death.
Under the following conditions, the passenger occupant classification sensor cannot
detect a passenger sitting on the passenger's seat correctly and the deployment/non-
deployment of the air bags cannot be controlled as indicated in the passenger air bag
deactivation indicator light on/off condition chart. For example: 
A passenger is seated as shown in the following figure:
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