Mazda B-Series (2010 year). Instruction

The following are reasons most often given for not wearing seat belts
(All statistics based on U.S. data):

Reasons given...

Consider...

⬙Crashes are rare events⬙

36,700 crashes occur every day.
The more we drive, the more we are
exposed to

⬙rare⬙ events, even for

good drivers. 1 in 4 of us will be
seriously injured in a crash during
our lifetime.

⬙I’m not going far⬙

3 of 4

fatal crashes occur within 25

miles (40 km) of home.

⬙Belts are uncomfortable⬙

Seat belts are designed to enhance
comfort. If you are uncomfortable -
try different positions for the seat belt
upper anchorage and seatback which
should be as upright as possible; this
can improve comfort.

⬙I was in a hurry⬙

Prime time for an accident.

Seat

Belt Warning Chime reminds us to
take a few seconds to buckle up.

⬙Seat belts don’t work⬙

Seat belts,

when used properly,

reduce risk of death

to front seat

occupants by 45% in cars, and by
60% in light trucks.

⬙Traffic is light⬙

Nearly 1 of 2 deaths occur in
single-vehicle crashes,

many when

no other vehicles are around.

⬙Belts wrinkle my clothes⬙

Possibly, but a serious crash can do
much more than wrinkle your clothes,
particularly if you are unbelted.

⬙The people I’m with don’t
wear belts

⬙

Set the example, teen deaths occur 4
times more often in vehicles with
TWO or MORE people. Children and
younger brothers/sisters imitate
behavior they see.

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Reasons given...

Consider...

⬙I have an airbag⬙

Airbags offer greater protection when
used with seat belts. Frontal airbags
are not designed to inflate in rear and
side crashes or rollovers.

⬙I’d rather be thrown clear⬙

Not a good idea. People who are
ejected are 40 times more likely
to DIE.

Seat belts help prevent

ejection, WE CAN’T

⬙PICK OUR

CRASH

⬙.

WARNING:

Do not sit on top of a buckled seat belt or insert a

latchplate into the buckle to avoid the Belt-Minder

威 chime. To

do so may adversely affect the performance of the vehicle’s air bag
system and result in serious injury, ejection and death.

One-time disable

If at any time the driver/front passenger quickly buckles then unbuckles
the seat belt for that seating position, the Belt-Minder

威 is disabled for

the current ignition cycle. The Belt-Minder

威 feature will enable during

the same ignition cycle if the occupant buckles and remains buckled for
approximately 30 seconds. Confirmation is not given for the one-time
disable.

Deactivating/activating the Belt-Minder

姞 feature

The driver and front passenger Belt-Minder

威 are

deactivated/activated independently. When deactivating/activating
one seating position, do not buckle the other position as this will
terminate the process.

Read Steps 1 - 4 thoroughly before proceeding with the
deactivation/activation programming procedure.

Note

: The driver and front passenger Belt-Minder

威 features must be

disabled/enabled separately. Both cannot be disable/enabled during the
same key cycle.

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The driver and front passenger Belt-Minder

威 features can be

deactivated/activated by performing the following procedure:

Before following the procedure, make sure that:
• The parking brake is set
• the gearshift is in P (Park) (automatic transmission) or the neutral

position (manual transmission)

• The ignition switch is in the off position
• The driver and front passenger seat belts are unbuckled

WARNING:

While the design allows you to deactivate your

Belt-Minder

威, this system is designed to improve your chances of

being safely belted and surviving an accident. We recommend you
leave the Belt-Minder

威 system activated for yourself and others who

may use the vehicle. To reduce the risk of injury, do not
deactivate/activate the Belt-Minder

威 feature while driving the vehicle.

1. Turn the ignition switch to the on position. DO NOT START THE

ENGINE.

2. Wait until the seat belt warning light turns off (Approximately one

minute).

• Step 3 must be completed within 50 seconds after the seat belt

warning light turns off.

3. For the seating position being disabled, buckle then unbuckle the

seat belt nine times at a moderate speed, ending in the unbuckled
state. Step 3 must be completed within 50 seconds after the seat
belt warning light turns off.

• After Step 3, the seat belt warning light will be turned on for three

seconds.

4. Within approximately seven seconds of the light turning off, buckle

then unbuckle the seat belt.

• This will disable the Belt-Minder威 feature for that seating position if it

is currently enabled. As confirmation, the seat belt warning light will
flash four times per second for three seconds.

• This will enable the Belt-Minder威 feature for that seating position if it

is currently disabled. As confirmation, the seat belt warning light will
flash four times per second for three seconds, followed by three
seconds with the light off, then followed by the seat belt warning light
flashing four times per second for three seconds again.

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AIRBAG SUPPLEMENTAL RESTRAINT SYSTEM (SRS)

The airbag supplemental restraint system is designed to work in
conjunction with the seat belts to help protect the driver and front
outboard passenger from certain upper body injuries. The term
“supplemental restraint” means the airbags are intended as a supplement
to the seat belts. Airbags alone cannot protect as well as airbags plus
seat belts in impacts for which the airbags are designed to deploy, and
airbags do not offer any protection in crashes for which they do not
deploy.

The airbag supplemental restraint system consists of:
• driver and passenger dual stage airbag modules (which include the

inflators and airbags).

• one or more impact and safing sensors.
• the same indicator light, RCM (Restraints Control Module) and

diagnostic unit used for the Personal Safety system™.

• Front passenger sensing system
• Passenger airbag off indicator light.
The airbag supplemental restraints are an integral part of the Personal
Safety System™. They are designed to be deployed in cases where the
Personal Safety System has determined the occupant conditions and
crash severity are appropriate to activate these devices. Refer to the
Personal Safety System™ section in this chapter.

Important supplemental restraint system (SRS) precautions

The supplemental restraint system is designed to work with the seat belt
to help protect the driver and right front passenger from certain upper
body injuries.

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WARNING:

Airbags DO

NOT inflate slowly or gently

and the risk of injury from a
deploying airbag is greatest close
to the trim covering the airbag
module. Always wear your seat
belt.

WARNING:

Airbags have been known to kill or injure a child in

front facing child restraints. When placing a child safety seat in a

front seating position including the center (if equipped), you should
make sure that the passenger airbag is off. If the child safety seat is in
the outboard seating position, slide the seat all the way back.

WARNING:

Do not install a

child seat in a center facing

jump seat.

WARNING:

Rear facing

child seats should NEVER

be placed in front of an active
airbag.

WARNING:

All occupants of the vehicle, including the driver,

should always properly wear their seat belts, even when an air

bag supplemental restraint system (SRS) is provided.

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WARNING:

National Highway Traffic Safety Administration

(NHTSA) recommends a minimum distance of at least 25 cm

(10 inches) between an occupant’s chest and the driver air bag
module.

WARNING:

Never place your arm or feet over the airbag

module as a deploying airbag can result in serious arm fractures

or other injuries.

Steps you can take to properly position yourself away from the airbag:
• Move your seat to the rear as far as you can while still reaching the

pedals comfortably.

• Recline the seat slightly (one or two degrees) from the upright

position.

WARNING:

Do not put anything on or over the airbag module

including hands or feet. Placing objects on or over the airbag

inflation area may cause those objects to be propelled by the airbag
into your face and torso causing serious injury.

WARNING:

Do not attempt to service, repair, or modify the

Airbag Supplemental Restraint System or its fuses. See your

authorized Mazda dealership.

WARNING:

Modifications to the front end of the vehicle,

including frame, bumper, front end body structure, tow hooks

and snow plows may effect the performance of the airbag sensors
increasing the risk of injury. Do not modify the front end of the
vehicle.

WARNING:

Additional equipment may effect the performance of

the airbag sensors increasing the risk of injury. Consult your

authorized Mazda dealership before installation of additional
equipment.

WARNING:

The front passenger airbag is not designed to offer

protection to an occupant in the center front seating position.

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Children and airbags
For additional important safety information, read all information on
safety restraints in this guide.

WARNING:

Do not install a

child seat in a center facing

jump seat.

WARNING:

Airbags can kill or injure a child in a child seat.

NEVER place a rear-facing child seat in front of an active airbag.

If you must use a forward-facing child seat in the front seat, move the
seat all the way back.

WARNING:

Front seating positions only: If seating two adults

and a child, Mazda recommends properly restraining the child in

the center front seating position, but only if doing so will not interfere
with driving the vehicle. This arrangement provides lap and shoulder
belt and airbag protection for adult occupants and an attachment
method for a child restraint. If the child seat interferes with driving the
vehicle and the child restraint is forward-facing, the child may be
restrained in the passenger seat. Move the seat as far rearward as
possible to minimize the likelihood of interaction with the front
passenger airbag. Never place a rear-facing child seat in front of an
active airbag. Always properly restrain all occupants, including the
child in an appropriate child seat or booster.

WARNING:

Installing a child safety seat in the front row lap

seating position should be avoided if at all possible.

WARNING:

Never place a rear-facing child seat in the front

center seating position of a vehicle with rear seating positions.

WARNING:

Booster seats must be installed only in seating

positions equipped with a combination lap/shoulder belt.

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WARNING:

To reduce the risk of injury, make sure children sit

where they can be properly restrained.

How does the airbag supplemental restraint system work?

The airbag SRS is designed to
activate when the vehicle sustains
sufficient longitudinal deceleration.

The fact that the airbags did not
inflate in a collision does not mean
that something is wrong with the
system. Rather, it means the forces
were not of the type sufficient to
cause activation. Airbags are
designed to inflate in frontal and
near-frontal collisions, not rollover,
side-impact, or rear-impacts.

The airbags inflate and deflate
rapidly upon activation. After airbag
deployment, it is normal to notice a
smoke-like, powdery residue or
smell the burnt propellant. This may
consist of cornstarch, talcum
powder (to lubricate the bag) or
sodium compounds (e.g., baking
soda) that result from the
combustion process that inflates the
airbag. Small amounts of sodium
hydroxide may be present which
may irritate the skin and eyes, but
none of the residue is toxic.

While the system is designed to help
reduce serious injuries, it may also
cause minor abrasions, swelling or temporary hearing loss. Because
airbags must inflate rapidly and with considerable force, there is the risk
of death or serious injuries such as fractures, facial and eye injuries or
internal injuries, particularly to occupants who are not properly
restrained or are otherwise out of position at the time of airbag
deployment. Thus, it is extremely important that occupants be properly
restrained as far away from the airbag module as possible while
maintaining vehicle control.

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WARNING:

Several airbag system components get hot after

inflation. Do not touch them after inflation or you may be

burned.

WARNING:

If the air bag has deployed, the air bag will not

function again and must be replaced immediately. If the air bag

is not replaced, the unrepaired area will increase the risk of injury in a
collision.

Front passenger sensing system

The front passenger sensing system will turn off the front passenger’s
frontal airbag under certain conditions. The driver’s frontal airbag is not
part of the front passenger sensing system. The front passenger sensing
system works with sensors that are part of the front passenger’s seat and
seat belt. The sensors are designed to detect the presence of a properly
seated occupant and determine if the front passenger’s frontal airbag
should be enabled (may inflate) or not.

The front passenger sensing system is designed to meet the regulatory
requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) 208
and is designed to turn off the front passenger’s frontal airbag if:
• the front passenger seat is unoccupied, or has small/medium objects in

the front seat,

• the system determines that a small child is present in a rear-facing

child seat that is installed according to the manufacturer’s instructions.

• the system determines that a small child is present in a forward-facing

child restraint that is installed according to the manufacturer’s
instructions,

• the system determines that a small child is present in a booster seat,
• a front passenger takes his/her weight off of the seat for a period of

time,

When the passenger airbag off light is illuminated, the passenger side
airbag may be disabled to avoid the risk of airbag deployment injuries.

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WARNING:

Even with Advanced Restraints Systems, children

12 and under should be properly restrained in a rear seating

position (if equipped).

When the front passenger seat is occupied and the sensing system has
turned off the passenger’s frontal airbag, the

⬙passenger airbag off⬙ or

⬙pass airbag off⬙ indicator will light and stay lit to remind you that the
front passenger frontal airbag is off. When the front passenger seat is not
occupied (empty seat) or in the event that the front passenger frontal
airbag is enabled (may inflate), the indicator light will be unlit.

The indicator light is located in the
center stack of the instrument
panel. To confirm the

⬙pass airbag

light

⬙ is functional, it will

momentarily illuminate when the
ignition is turned to the on position.

The front passenger sensing system is designed to turn off the front
passenger’s frontal airbag when a rear facing child seat, a forward-facing
child restraint, or a booster seat is detected. If the child restraint has
been installed and the indicator is not lit, then turn the vehicle off,
remove the child restraint from the vehicle and reinstall the restraint
following the child restraint manufacturer’s directions.

The front passenger sensing system is designed to enable (may inflate)
the right front passenger’s frontal airbag anytime the system senses that
a person of adult size is sitting properly in the front passenger seat.
When the passenger sensing system has allowed the airbag to be
enabled, the indicator will be unlit and stay unlit to remind you that the
airbag is enabled (may inflate).

If a person of adult-size is sitting in the front passenger’s seat, but the
⬙passenger airbag off⬙ or ⬙pass airbag off⬙ indicator is lit, it could be that
the person isn’t sitting properly in the seat. If this happens, turn the
vehicle off and ask the person to place the seatback in the full upright
position, then sit upright in the seat, centered on the seat cushion, with
the person’s legs comfortably extended. Restart the vehicle and have the
person remain in this position for about two minutes. This will allow the
system to detect that person and then enable the passenger’s airbag. If
the indicator lamp remains lit even after this, then the occupant should
be advised to ride in the back seat.

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Occupant

Pass Airbag Off
Indicator Lamp

Passenger Airbag

Empty seat

Unlit

Disabled

Small child in child
safety seat or booster

Lit

Disabled

Small child with seat
belt buckled or
unbuckled

Lit

Disabled

Adult

Unlit

Enabled

After all occupants have adjusted their seats and put on seat belts, it’s
very important that they continue to sit upright, with their back against
the seatback, with their feet comfortably extended on the floor while the
vehicle is still in motion. Sitting improperly can increase the chance of
injury in a crash event. For example, if an occupant slouches, lies down,
turns sideways, sits forward, leans forward or sideways, or puts one or
both feet up, the chance of injury during a crash is greatly increased.

WARNING:

Sitting improperly out of position or with the seat

back reclined too far can take off weight from the seat cushion

and affect the decision of the front passenger sensing system, resulting
in serious injury or death in a crash.
Always sit upright against your seatback, with your feet on the floor.

In case there is a problem with the
passenger sensing system, the
airbag readiness lamp in the
instrument cluster will stay lit. Do
NOT attempt to repair or service the system; take your vehicle
immediately to the dealer.

WARNING:

The front passenger airbag is not designed to offer

protection to an occupant in the center seating position.

WARNING:

An out of position front center occupant could

affect the decision of the front passenger sensing system.

If it is necessary to modify an advanced front airbag system to
accommodate a person with disabilities, contact the Mazda Customer
Relationship Center at the phone number shown in the Customer
Assistance section of this owner’s manual.

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The front passenger sensing system may detect small or medium objects
placed on the seat cushion. For most objects that are in the front
passenger seat, the passenger airbag will be disabled. Even though the
passenger airbag is disabled, the

⬙pass airbag off⬙ light may or may not

be illuminated according to the table below.

Objects

Pass Airbag Off
Indicator Lamp

Passenger Airbag

Small (i.e. three-ring
binder, small purse,
bottled water)

Unlit

Disabled

Medium (i.e. heavy
briefcase, fully packed
luggage)

Lit

Disabled

Empty seat, or small
to medium object with
seat belt buckled

Lit

Disabled

WARNING:

Any alteration/modification to the front passenger

seat may affect the performance of the front passenger sensing

system.

Determining if the system is operational

The SRS uses readiness lights in the instrument cluster or a tone to
indicate the condition of the system. Refer to the Airbag readiness
section in the Instrument Cluster chapter. Routine maintenance of the
airbag is not required.

A difficulty with the system is indicated by one or more of the following:
• The readiness lights will either

flash or stay lit.

• The readiness lights will not

illuminate immediately after
ignition is turned on.

• A series of five beeps will be heard. The tone pattern will repeat

periodically until the problem and/or light are repaired.

If any of these things happen, even intermittently, have the SRS serviced
at your authorized Mazda dealership immediately.

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WARNING:

Unless serviced, the system may not function

properly in the event of a collision.

Seat-mounted side airbag system

WARNING:

Do not place objects or mount equipment on or

near the airbag cover on the side of the seatbacks of the front

seats or in front seat areas that may come into contact with a
deploying airbag. Failure to follow these instructions may increase the
risk of personal injury in the event of a collision.

WARNING:

Do not use accessory seat covers. The use of

accessory seat covers may prevent the deployment of the side

airbags and increase the risk of injury in an accident.

WARNING:

Do not lean your head on the door. The side airbag

could injure you as it deploys from the side of the seatback.

WARNING:

Do not attempt to service, repair, or modify the

airbag SRS, its fuses or the seat cover on a seat containing an

airbag. See an authorized dealer.

WARNING:

All occupants of the vehicle should always wear

their seat belts even when an airbag SRS is provided.

How does the side airbag system work?

The design and development of the
side airbag system included
recommended testing procedures
that were developed by a group of
automotive safety experts known as
the Side Airbag Technical Working
Group. These recommended testing
procedures help reduce the risk of
injuries related to the deployment of
side airbags.

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The side airbag system consists of the following:
• An inflatable nylon bag (airbag) with a gas generator concealed behind

the outboard bolster of the driver and front passenger seatbacks.

• A special seat cover designed to allow airbag deployment.
• The same warning light, electronic control and diagnostic unit as used

for the front airbags.

• Two crash sensors located on the front doors (one on each side of the

vehicle).

Side airbags, in combination with seat belts, can help reduce the risk of
severe injuries in the event of a significant side impact collision.

The side airbags are fitted on the outboard side of the seatbacks of the
front seats. In certain lateral collisions, the airbag on the side affected by
the collision will be inflated. The airbag was designed to inflate between
the door panel and occupant to further enhance the protection provided
occupants in side impact collisions.

The airbag SRS is designed to activate when the vehicle sustains lateral
deceleration sufficient to cause the sensors to close an electrical circuit
that initiates airbag inflation.

The fact that the airbags did not inflate in a collision does not mean that
something is wrong with the system. Rather, it means the forces were
not of the type sufficient to cause activation. Side airbags are designed
to inflate in side-impact collisions, not roll-over, rear-impact, frontal or
near-frontal collisions, unless the collision causes sufficient lateral
deceleration.

WARNING:

Several airbag system components get hot after

inflation. Do not touch them after inflation.

WARNING:

If the side

airbag has deployed, the

airbag will not function again. The
side airbag system (including the
seat) must be inspected and
serviced by an authorized dealer.
If the airbag is not replaced, the
unrepaired area will increase the
risk of injury in a collision.

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Determining if the system is operational

The SRS uses a readiness light in the instrument cluster or a tone to
indicate the condition of the system. Refer to Airbag readiness in the
Instrument Cluster chapter. Routine maintenance of the side airbag is
not required.

A difficulty with the system is indicated by one or more of the following:
• The readiness light (same light as for front airbag system) will either

flash or stay lit.

• The readiness light will not illuminate immediately after ignition is

turned on.

• A series of five beeps will be heard. The tone pattern will repeat

periodically until the problem and/or light are repaired.

If any of these things happen, even intermittently, have the SRS serviced
at your authorized dealer immediately. Unless serviced, the system may
not function properly in the event of a collision.

Disposal of airbags and airbag equipped vehicles
(including seat belt pretensioners)

For disposal of seat belt pretensioners, airbags, or airbag equipped
vehicles, see your authorized Mazda dealership or qualified technician.
Airbags MUST BE disposed of by qualified personnel.

SAFETY RESTRAINTS FOR CHILDREN

See the following sections for directions on how to properly use safety
restraints for children. Also see Airbag supplemental restraint system
(SRS) in this chapter for special instructions about using airbags.

Important child restraint precautions

WARNING:

Always make sure your child is secured properly in

a device that is appropriate for their height, age and weight.

Child safety restraints must be purchased separately from the vehicle.
Failure to follow these instructions and guidelines may result in an
increased risk of serious injury or death to your child.

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WARNING:

All children are shaped differently. The

Recommendations for Safety Restraints are based on probable

child height, age and weight thresholds from NHTSA and other safety
organizations or are the minimum requirements of law. Mazda
recommends checking with a NHTSA Certified Child Passenger Safety
Technician (CPST) and consult your pediatrician to make sure your
child seat is appropriate for your child, and is compatible with and
properly installed in the vehicle. To locate a child seat fitting station
and CPST contact the NHTSA toll free at 1-888-327-4236 or on the
internet at http://www.nhtsa.dot.gov. In Canada, check with your local
St. John Ambulance office for referral to a CPST or for further
information, contact your provincial ministry of transportation, your
local St. John Ambulance office at http://www.sfa.ca, or Transport
Canada at 1–800–333–0371 (http://www.tc.gc.ca). Failure to properly
restrain children in safety seats made especially for their height, age,
and weight may result in an increased risk of serious injury or death to
your child.

Recommendations for Safety Restraints for Children

Child size, height, weight, or age

Recommended
restraint type

Infants or
toddlers

Children weighing 40 lb (18 kg) or less
(generally age four or younger)

Use a child safety
seat (sometimes
called an infant
carrier,
convertible seat,
or toddler seat).

Small
children

Children who have outgrown or no
longer properly fit in a child safety
seat (generally children who are less
than 4 feet 9 inches (1.45 meters) tall,
are greater than age four (4) and less
than age twelve (12), and between
40 lbs (18 kg) and 80 lbs (36 kg) and
upward to 100 lbs (45 kg) if
recommended by your child restraint
manufacturer)

Use a
belt-positioning
booster seat.

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Mazda B-Series (2010 year). Instruction - part 6