Front Seat Belt
Pretensioner and Load Limiting Systems
For optimum protection, the driver and
front passenger seat belts are equipped
with pretensioner and load limiting
systems. For both these systems to work
properly you must wear the seat belt
properly.
Pretensioners:
When a collision is detected, the
pretensioners deploy simultaneously with
the air bags.
For vehicles with t he front passenger
occupant classification system, the
pretensioners deploy simultaneously with
the air bags when a roll-over is also
detected.
For deployment details, refer to the SRS
Air Bag Deployment Criteria (page 2-
70).
The front seat belt retractors remove slack
quickly as the air bags are expanding. Any
time the air bags and seat belt
pretensioners have fired they must be
replaced.
A system malfunction or operation
conditions are indicated by a warning.
Refer to Warning/Indicator Lights on page
4-31.
Refer to Air Bag/Front Seat Belt
Pretensioner System Warning Beep on
page 7-47.
(With Front Passenger Occupant
Classification System)
In addition, the pretensioner system for the
front passenger, like the front and side
passenger air bag, is designed to only
deploy when the front passenger occupant
classification sensor detects a passenger
sitting on the front passenger's seat.
For details, refer to the front passenger
occupant classification sensor (page 2-
73).
Load limiter:
The load limiting system releases belt
webbing in a controlled manner to reduce
belt force on the occupant's chest. While
the most severe load on a seat belt occurs
in frontal collisions, th e load limiter has an
automatic mechanical function and can
activate in any accident mode with
sufficient occupant movement.
Even if the pretensioners have not fired,
the load limiting function must be checked
by an Authorized Mazda Dealer.
WA R N I N G
Wear seat belts only as recommended in
this owner's manual:
Incorrect positioning of the driver and front
passenger seat belts is dangerous. Without
proper positioning, the pretensioner and
load limiting systems cannot provide
adequate protection in an accident and
this could result in serious injury. For more
details about wearing seat belts, refer to
"Fastening the seat belts" (page 2-24).
Essential Safety Equipment
Seat Belt Systems
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Do not leave a seat belt extender
connected to the buckle:
Leaving a seat belt extender connected to
the buckle without using the seat belt is
dangerous. When the seat belt extender is
connected to the driver's seat belt buckle
(or front passenger's seat belt buckle), the
SRS driver's (or front passenger's) air bag
system will determine that the driver (or
front passenger) is wearing the seat belt
even if the driver (or front passenger) is not
wearing it. This condition could cause the
driver's (or front passenger's) air bag to not
activate correctly and result in death or
serious injury in the event of collision.
Always wear the seat belt with the seat belt
extender.
Do not use the seat belt extender when
installing a child-restraint system on the
front or rear passenger seat:
Using a seat belt extender to fasten a
child-restraint system on any seat is
dangerous. Always follow the
child-restraint system manufacturer's
installation instructions and never use a
seat belt extender.
NOTE
When not in use, remove the seat belt
extender and store it in the vehicle. If the
seat belt extender is left connected, the
seat belt extender might get damaged as it
will not retract with the rest of the seat belt
and can easily fall out of the door when
not in use and be damaged. In addition,
the seat belt warning light will not
illuminate and function properly.
Essential Safety Equipment
Seat Belt Systems
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Seating a child in a child-restraint system on the front passenger seat is dangerous under
certain conditions (With Front Passenger Occupant Classification System):
Your vehicle is equipped with front passenger occupant classification sensor. Even with the
front passenger occupant classification sensor, if you must use the front passenger seat to
seat a child, using a child-restraint system on the front passenger seat under the following
conditions increases the danger of the front passenger air bag deploying and could result in
serious injury or death to the child.
The front passenger air bag deactivation indicator light does not illuminate when seating a
child in the child-restraint system.
Luggage or other items are placed on the seat with the child in the child-restraint system.
A rear passenger or luggage pushing or pulling down on the front passenger seatback.
Luggage or other items are placed on the seatback or hung on the head restraint.
The seat is washed.
Liquids are spilled on the seat.
The front passenger seat is moved backward, pushing into luggage or other items placed
behind it.
The front passenger seatback contacts the rear seat.
Luggage or other items are placed between the front passenger seat and driver seat.
An electric device is put on the front passenger's seat.
An additional electrical device, such as a seat warmer is installed to the surface of the front
passenger seat.
The designated positions with seat belts on the rear seats are the safest places for children.
Always use seat belts and child restraints.
Do not allow a child or anyone to lean over or against the side window of a vehicle with side
and curtain air bags:
It is dangerous to allow anyone to lean over or against the side window, the area of the front
passenger seat, the front and rear window pillar s and the roof edge along both sides from
which the side and curtain air bags deploy, even if a child-restraint system is used. The impact
of inflation from a side or curtain air bag could cause serious injury or death to an out of
position child. Furthermore, le aning over or against the front door could block the side and
curtain air bags and eliminate th e advantages of supplemental protection. With the front air
bag and the additional side air bag that comes out of the front seat, the rear seat is always a
better location for children. Take special care not to allow a child to lean over or against the
side window, even if the child is seated in a child-restraint system.
Essential Safety Equipment
Child Restraint
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Supplemental Restraint System (SRS) Precautions
The front and side supplemental restraint systems (SRS) include different types of air bags.
Please verify the different types of air bags which are equippe d 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 i n the following locations:
•The steering wheel hub (driver air bag)
•The front passenger dashboard (front passenger air bag)
•The outboard sides of the fron t seatbacks (side air bags)
•The front and rear window pillar s, and the roof edge along both sides (curtain air bags)
Vehicles with the Front Passenger Occupant Classification Syste m have a sensor which
detects an impending roll-over accident.
The air bag supplemental restraint systems are designed to prov ide 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 p rotection during an accident.
Seat belt usage is necessary to:
•Keep the occupant from being thrown into an inflating air bag.
•Reduce the possibility of injuri es during an accident that is not designed for air bag
inflation, such as rear impact.
•Reduce the possibility of inju ries in frontal, near frontal or side collisions or roll-over
accidents 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 whic h allows better control of the vehicle.
Essential Safety Equipment
SRS Air Bags
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Never use a rear-facing child-restraint system in the front seat with an air bag that could
deploy:
Rear-facing child-restraint systems on the front seat are particularly dangerous even though
you may feel assured that a front passenger air bag will not deploy based on the fact that the
front passenger air bag deactivation indicator light illuminates. The child-restraint system
can be hit by a deploying air bag and moved viol ently backward resulting in serious injury or
death to the child.
Do not sit too close to the driver and front passenger air bags:
Sitting too close to the driver and front passenger air bag modules or placing hands or feet on
them is extremely dangerous. The driver and front passenger air bags inflate with great force
and speed. Serious injuries could occur if someon e is too close. The driver should always hold
onto only the rim of the steering wheel. The front seat passenger should keep both feet on the
floor. Front seat occupants should adjust their seats as far back as possible and always sit
upright against the seatbacks with seat belts worn properly.
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 extrem ely dangerous. The side and curtain 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 or leaning against a
window, or if rear seat occupants grab the side s of the front seatbacks. Give the side and
curtain air bags room to work by sitting in th e 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 front passenger air bags
deploy:
Attaching an object to the driver and front passenger air bag modules or placing something
in front of them is dangerous. In an acci dent, an object could interfere with air bag
inflation
and injure the occupants.
Essential Safety Equipment
SRS Air Bags
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To prevent false detection by the air bag sensor system, heed the following:
Do not use tires or wheels other than those specified for your Mazda:
Use of any tire or wheel other than those specified for your Mazda (page 9-9) is
dangerous. Use of such wheels will prevent the vehicle's accident detections system from
accurately detecting a collision or roll-over acci dent resulting in incorrect or unexpected air
bag deployment and the possibility of serious injuries.
Do not overload your vehicle:
Overloading your vehicle is dangerous as it could prevent the air bag crash sensor system
from accurately detecting a collision or roll-over accident resulting in incorrect or
unexpected air bag deployment and the possibility of serious injuries. The gross axle weight
rating (GAWR) and the gross vehicle weight rati ng (GVWR) for your vehicle are on the Motor
Vehicle Safety Standard Label on the driver's door frame. Do not exceed these ratings.
Do not drive the vehicle off-road:
Driving your Mazda off-road is dangerous beca use the vehicle has not been designed to do
so. Driving the vehicle off-road could prev ent the air bag crash sensor system from
accurately detecting a collision or roll-over acci dent resulting in incorrect or unexpected air
bag deployment and the possibility of serious injuries.
Do not modify a front door or leave any damage unrepaired. Always have an Authorized
Mazda Dealer inspect a damaged front door:
Modifying a front door or leaving any damage unrepaired is dangerous. Each front door has a
side crash sensor as a component of the supplemental restraint system. If holes are drilled in a
front door, a door speaker is le ft 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 and curtain air
bags and the front 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 wiri ng 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 inst alling 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 front seats. It is important to protect the air bag wiring and
connections to assure that the bags do not accidentally deploy, and that the front passenger
occupant classification system and the seats retain an undamaged air bag connection.
Essential Safety Equipment
SRS Air Bags
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(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 2-26)
Front air bag sensors
Side crash sensors
Air bag/front seat belt pretensioner system warning light (page 4-32)
Side and curtain inflators and air bags
Front passenger air bag deactivation indicator light* (page 2-73)
Front passenger occupant classification sensor* (page 2-73)
Front passenger occupant classification module*
Essential Safety Equipment
SRS Air Bags
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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 Bel
t Pretensioners
The front seat belt pretensioners are designed to deploy in mod erate or severe frontal, near
frontal collisions.
In addition, the pretensioners o perate when a side collision (only on the 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 more deta ils about seat belt
pretensioner operation, refer to the SRS Air Bag Deployment Cri teria (page 2-70).
▼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 inflates quickly helping to reduce injury main
ly to the driver's head or chest
caused by directly hitting the steering wheel.
For more details about air bag de ployment, refer to "SRS Air Bag Deployment Criteria"
(page 2-70).
(With Front Passenger Occupa nt Classification System)
The driver's dual-stage air bag controls air bag inflation in t wo 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.
Essential Safety Equipment
SRS Air Bags
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