2020 MAZDA MODEL MX-5 MIATA RF Owners Manual

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.
▼ 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 . The pretensioners operate
differently depending on what types of air bags are equipped. F or more details about seat
belt pretensioner operation, refer to the SRS Air Bag Deployment Criteria (page 2-46).
▼ 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 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 Ba g Deployment Criteria"
(page 2-46).
(Except Mexico)
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.
Essential Safety Equipment
SRS Air Bags
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▼Passenger Air Bag
The passenger air bag is mounted in the passenger dashboard.
The inflation mechanism for the passenger air bag is the same a
s the driver's air bag.
For more details about air bag de ployment, refer to "SRS Air Bag Deployment Criteria"
(page 2-46).
In addition, the passenger air bag is designed to only deploy w hen the passenger occupant
classification sensor detects a passenger sitting on the passen ger's seat. For details, refer to
the passenger occupant classification system (page 2-49).
▼ Side Air Bags
The side air bags are mounted in the outboard sides of the seat
backs.
When the air bag crash sensors detect a side impact of greater than moderate 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 driv er or passenger's head and chest caused by
directly hitting interior pa rts such as a door or window.
For more details about air bag de ployment, refer to "SRS Air Bag Deployment Criteria"
(page 2-46).
In addition, the passenger side air bag is designed to only dep loy when the passenger
occupant classification sensor detects a passenger sitting on t he passenger's seat. For details,
refer to the passenger occupant classification system (page 2-4 9).

Essential Safety Equipment
SRS Air Bags
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▼Warning Light/Beep
A system malfunction or operation conditions are indicated by a
warning.
Refer to Warning/Indicator Lights on page 4-27.
Refer to Warning Sound is Activated on page 7-48.
Essential Safety Equipment
SRS Air Bags
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SRS Air Bag Deployment Criteria
This chart indicates the applicable SRS equipment that will deploy depending on the type of
collision.
(The illustrations are the representative cases of collisions.)
SRS equip‐ ment Types of collision
A severe frontal/near frontal collision A severe side collision
*2A rear collision
Seat belt
pretensioner X*1X*1
No air bag and seat belt
pretensioner will be activat‐ ed in a rear collision.
Driver air
bag X
Passenger air bag X
*1
Side air bag
X*1 (impact side only)
X : The SRS air bag equipment is designed to deploy in a collis ion.*1 The passenger front and side air bags and the seat belt preten sioner are designed to deploy when the passenger
occupant classification sensor d etects a passenger sitting on the passenger's seat.
*2 In a side collision, the seat be lt pretensioners and the side air bags deploy.
NOTEIn a frontal offset collision, the equipped air bags and pretensioners may all deploy depending on the direction,
angle, and rate of impact.
Essential Safety Equipment
SRS Air Bags
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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 fron t/near front collision detection:
The following illustrations are examples of front/near front co llisions that may not be
detected as severe enough to deploy the SRS air bag equipment.

Impacts involving trees or poles Frontal offset impact to the vehicle

Rear-ending or running under a truck's tail gate
Essential Safety Equipment
SRS Air Bags
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Limitations to side collision detection:
The following illustrations are e xamples 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 vehicles

Roll-over
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SRS Air Bags
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Passenger Occupant Classification System
First, please read "Supplemental Restraint System (SRS) Precautions" (page 2-36) carefully.
▼Passenger Occupant Classification Sensor
Your vehicle is equipped with a passenger occupant classificati
on sensor as a part of the
supplemental restraint system. This sensor is equipped in the p assenger's seat cushion. This
sensor measures the electrostatic capacity of the passenger's s eat. 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 b ag 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 illumina tion 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 pretension er system warning light flashes and the passenger air bag
deactivation indicator light illu minates if the sensors have a possible malfunction. If this
happens, the passenger front and side air bags and seat belt pr etensioner 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.
Ty p e A
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 se conds. Then, the indicator light
turns on or is off under the following conditions:
Essential Safety Equipment
SRS Air Bags
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Passenger air bag deactivation indicator light on/off condition chart
Condition detected by the pas‐
senger occupant classification system Passenger air bag de‐
activation 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-re‐
straint system
*1On Deactivated Deactivated
Adult
*2Off Ready Ready
*1 The occupant classification sens or may not detect a child seated on the seat, in a child-restraint system, or a
junior seat depending on the ch ild'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 deactiv ation indicator light does not turn on when 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 occupan t 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.
Ty p e B
Essential Safety Equipment
SRS Air Bags
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