SRS Air Bags
Supplementary Restraint System (SRS) Precautions
The front and side supplementary 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:
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The steering wheel hub (driver air bag)
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The passenger instrument panel (passenger air bag)
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The outboard sides of the seatbacks (side air bags)
The air bag supplementary restraint systems are designed to provide supplementary 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:
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Keep the occupant from being thrown into an inflating air bag.
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Reduce the possibility of injuries during an accident that is not designed for air bag inflation, such as roll-over or rear impact.
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Reduce the possibility of injuries in frontal, near frontal or side collisions that are not severe enough to activate the air bags.
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Reduce the possibility of being thrown from your vehicle.
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Reduce the possibility of injuries to lower body and legs during an accident because the air bags provide no protection to these parts of the body.
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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 (Search) for details.
If your vehicle is equipped with a passenger occupant classification system, the passenger air bag deactivation indicator light illuminates for a specified time after the ignition is switched ON.
A child who is too small to use a seat belt must be properly secured using a child-restraint system (Search).
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.
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 OFF 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 OFF 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 OFF indicator light is illuminated.
Refer to Occupant Classification System (Search).
Extreme Hazard! Never use a rear-facing child-restraint system on the passenger seat with an air bag that could deploy:
NEVER use a rearward facing child restraint on a seat protected by an ACTIVE AIRBAG in front of it, DEATH or SERIOUS INJURY to the CHILD can occur.
Even in a moderate collision, the child-restraint system can be hit by a deploying air bag and moved violently backward resulting in serious injury or death to the child. If your vehicle is equipped with on passenger occupant classification system, always make sure the passenger air bag deactivation OFF indicator light is illuminated.
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 supplementary protection. Give the side air bags room to work by sitting in the centre of the seat while the vehicle is moving with seat belts worn properly.
Sit in the centre 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 centre 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 supplementary restraint system after the air bags have inflated:
Touching the components of the supplementary 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.
Do not modify a door or leave any damage unrepaired. Always have an expert repairer, we recommend an Authorised Mazda Repairer 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 supplementary 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 supplementary restraint system:
Modifying the components or wiring of the supplementary restraint system is dangerous. You could accidentally activate it or make it inoperable. Do not make any modifications to the supplementary 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 expert repairer, we recommend an Authorised Mazda Repairer 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 supplementary 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 supplementary 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 expert repairer, we recommend an Authorised Mazda Repairer 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 instrument panel, 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 Authorised Mazda Repairer remove these parts.
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 expert repairer, we recommend an Authorised Mazda Repairer safely dispose of the air bag system or scrap an air bag equipped vehicle.
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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.
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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.
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Vehicles with a passenger air bag have a warning label attached as shown below. This warning label is displayed in compliance with regulations.
Supplementary Restraint System Components
(With Passenger Occupant Classification System)
(Without Passenger Occupant Classification System)
Driver/Passenger inflators and air bags
Crash sensors, and diagnostic module (SAS unit)
Seat belt pretensioners (Search)
Front air bag sensors
Side crash sensors
Air bag/seat belt pretensioner system warning light (Search)
Side inflators and air bags
Passenger air bag deactivation indicator light (Some Models) (Search)
Passenger occupant classification sensor (Some Models) (Search)
Passenger occupant classification module (Some Models)
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. For more details about seat belt pretensioner operation, refer to the SRS Air Bag Deployment Criteria (Search).
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 Bag Deployment Criteria" (Search).
Passenger Air Bag
The passenger air bag is mounted in the passenger instrument panel.
The inflation mechanism for the passenger air bag is the same as the driver's air bag.
For more details about air bag deployment, refer to "SRS Air Bag Deployment Criteria" (Search).
(With Passenger Occupant Classification System)
In addition, the passenger air 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 (Search).
Side Air Bags
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.)
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SRS equipment |
Types of collision |
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A severe frontal/near frontal collision |
A severe side collision*2 |
A rear collision |
|
 |
 |
 |
|
 |
|||
 |
|||
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Seat belt pretensioner |
X*1 |
X*1 |
No air bag and seat belt pretensioner will be activated in a rear collision. |
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Driver air bag |
X |
||
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Passenger air bag |
X*1 |
||
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Side air bag |
X*1 (impact side only) |
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X : The SRS air bag equipment is designed to deploy in a collision.
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(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.
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In a side collision, the seat belt pretensioners and the side air bags deploy.
In a frontal offset collision, the equipped air bags and pretensioners may all deploy depending on the direction, angle, and rate of impact.
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.
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.
Passenger Occupant Classification System (Some Models)
First, please read "Supplementary Restraint System (SRS) Precautions" (Search) carefully.
Passenger Occupant Classification Sensor
Your vehicle is equipped with a passenger occupant classification sensor as a part of the supplementary 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 OFF 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 OFF indicator light turns on. 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 OFF 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 lights
These indicator lights turn on to remind you that the passenger front and side air bags and seat belt pretensioner will or will not deploy during a collision.
If the passenger occupant classification sensor is normal, both indicator lights turn on when the ignition is switched ON. The lights turn off after a few seconds. Then, the indicator lights turn on or 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) |
 |
Deactivated |
Deactivated |
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A child is seated in a child-restraint system*1 |
|
Deactivated |
Deactivated |
|
Adult*2 |
 Turns off after a short period of time. |
Ready |
Ready |
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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.
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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 both of the passenger air bag deactivation indicator lights do not turn on for a specified period of time when the ignition is switched ON or they do 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 Authorised Mazda Repairer as soon as possible. The system may not work properly in an accident.
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:
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A passenger is seated as shown in the following figure:
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Luggage or other items placed under the passenger seat or between the passenger seat and driver seat that push up the passenger seat bottom.
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An object, such as a seat cushion, is put on the passenger's seat or between the passenger's back and the seatback.
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A seat cover is put on the passenger's seat.
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Luggage or other items are placed on the seat with the child in the child-restraint system.
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The seat is washed.
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Liquids are spilled on the seat.
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The passenger seat is moved backward, pushing into luggage or other items placed behind it.
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Luggage or other items are placed between the passenger seat and driver seat.
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An electric device is put on the passenger's seat.
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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 OFF indicator light turns on.
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To assure proper deployment of the front air bag and to prevent damage to the sensor in the seat cushion:
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Do not place sharp objects on the seat cushion or leave heavy luggage on them.
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Do not spill any liquids on the seats or under the seats.
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To allow the sensors to function properly, always perform the following:
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Adjust the seats as far back as possible and always sit upright against the seatbacks with seat belts worn properly.
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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 within the position in which the child-restraint system can be installed.
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The system requires about 10 seconds to alternate between turning the passenger front and side air bags and seat belt pretensioner system on or off.
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The passenger air bag deactivation OFF indicator light may turn on repeatedly if luggage or other items are put on the passenger seat, or if the temperature of the vehicle's interior changes suddenly.
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The passenger air bag deactivation OFF indicator light may turn on for 10 seconds if the electrostatic capacity on the passenger seat changes.
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The air bag/seat belt pretensioner system warning light might turn on if the passenger seat receives a severe impact.
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If the passenger air bag deactivation OFF indicator light does not turn on after installing a child-restraint system on the passenger seat, first, re-install your child-restraint system according to the procedure in this owner's manual. Then, if the passenger air bag deactivation OFF indicator light still does not turn on, and consult an Authorised Mazda Repairer as soon as possible.
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If the passenger air bag deactivation OFF indicator light turns on when an occupant is seated directly in the passenger seat, have the passenger re-adjust their posture by sitting with their feet on the floor, and then re-fastening the seat belt. If the passenger air bag deactivation OFF indicator light remains turned on, slide the passenger seat as far back as possible. Consult an Authorised Mazda Repairer as soon as possible.
Constant Monitoring
The following components of the air bag systems and the active bonnet are monitored by a diagnostic system:
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Front air bag sensors
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Crash sensors, and diagnostic module (SAS unit)
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Side crash sensors
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Air bag modules
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Seat belt pretensioners
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Air bag/Seat belt pretensioner system warning light
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Related wiring
(With Passenger Occupant Classification System)
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Passenger occupant classification sensor
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Passenger occupant classification module
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Passenger air bag deactivation indicator light
(With Active Bonnet)
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Active bonnet sensors
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Active bonnet modules
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Active bonnet warning light
The diagnostic module continuously monitors the system's readiness. This begins when the ignition is switched ON and continues while the vehicle is being driven.
