Mazda MX-5 RF (2017 year). Instruction

2–36

Essential Safety Equipment

SRS Air Bags

WARNING

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 in

À ates 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 in

À ated:

Touching the components of the supplementary restraint system after the air bags have
in

À ated is dangerous. Immediately after inÀ ation, 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 in

À ate

unexpectedly, or it could prevent the air bags from in

À ating 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 modi

¿ ed, 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.

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2–37

Essential Safety Equipment

SRS Air Bags

WARNING

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
modi

¿ cations 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 classi

¿ cation 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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2–38

Essential Safety Equipment

SRS Air Bags

NOTE

When an air bag deploys, a loud in

À ation 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 below. This

warning label is displayed in compliance with regulations.

(Except Taiwan)

(Taiwan)

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2–40

Essential Safety Equipment

SRS Air Bags

*Some models.

(Without Passenger Occupant Classi

¿ cation System)

Driver/Passenger in

À ators and air bags

  Crash sensors, and diagnostic module (SAS unit)
  Seat belt pretensioners (page 2-14 )
  Front air bag sensors
  Side crash sensors
  Air bag/seat belt pretensioner system warning light (page 4-42 )
  Side in

À ators and air bags

Passenger air bag deactivation indicator light

(page 2-47 )

Passenger occupant classi

¿ cation sensor

(page 2-47 )

Passenger occupant classi

¿ cation module

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2–41

Essential Safety Equipment

SRS Air Bags

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 on the side in which the
collision occurs. 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 (page 2-44 ).

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 in

À ates 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"
(page 2-44 ).

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2–42

Essential Safety Equipment

SRS Air Bags

Passenger Air Bag

The passenger air bag is mounted in the passenger instrument panel.
The in

À ation 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"
(page 2-44 ).
(With Passenger Occupant Classi

¿ cation System)

In addition, the passenger air bag is designed to only deploy when the passenger occupant
classi

¿ cation sensor detects a passenger sitting on the passenger's seat. For details, refer to

the passenger occupant classi

¿ cation system (page 2-47 ).

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2–43

Essential Safety Equipment

SRS Air Bags

Side Air Bags

The side air bags are mounted in the outboard sides of the seatbacks.
When the air bag crash sensors detect a side impact of greater than moderate force, the
system in

À ates the side air bag only on the side in which the vehicle was hit. The side air

bag in

À ates quickly to reduce injury to the driver or passenger's head and chest caused by

directly hitting interior parts such as a door or window.
For more details about air bag deployment, refer to "SRS Air Bag Deployment Criteria"
(page 2-44 ).
(With Passenger Occupant Classi

¿ cation System)

In addition, the passenger side bag is designed to only deploy when the passenger occupant
classi

¿ cation sensor detects a passenger sitting on the passenger's seat. For details, refer to

the passenger occupant classi

¿ cation system (page 2-47 ).

Warning Light/Beep

    A system malfunction or operation conditions are indicated by a warning.
  Refer to Warning/Indicator Lights on page 4-42 .
  Refer to Warning Sound is Activated on page 7-49 .

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2–44

Essential Safety Equipment

SRS 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.)

SRS

equipment

Types of collision

A severe frontal/near frontal collision

A severe side collision

A rear collision

Seat belt

pretensioner

(both sides)

(impact side only)

No air bag and seat belt

pretensioner will be

activated in a rear collision.

Driver air

bag

Passenger

air bag

Side air bag

(impact side only)

X : The SRS air bag equipment is designed to deploy in a collision.

*1 (Passenger Occupant Classi

¿ cation System)

The passenger front and side air bags and the seat belt pretensioner are designed to deploy when the passenger
occupant classi

¿ cation sensor detects a passenger sitting on the passenger's seat.

*2 In a side collision, the seat belt pretensioners and the side air bags deploy (only on the side in which the

collision occurs).

NOTE

In a frontal offset collision, the equipped air bags and pretensioners may all deploy
depending on the direction, angle, and rate of impact.

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2–45

Essential Safety Equipment

SRS Air Bags

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.

Impacts involving trees or poles

Frontal offset impact to the vehicle

Rear-ending or running under a truck's tail gate

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2–47

Essential Safety Equipment

SRS Air Bags

*Some models.

Passenger Occupant Classi

¿ cation System

First, please read "Supplementary Restraint System (SRS) Precautions" (page 2-33 )
carefully.

Passenger Occupant Classi

¿ cation Sensor

Your vehicle is equipped with a passenger occupant classi

¿ cation 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

À ashes 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 classi

¿ cation 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:

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2–48

Essential Safety Equipment

SRS Air Bags

Passenger air bag deactivation indicator light on/off condition chart

Condition detected by

the passenger occupant

classi

¿ cation system

Passenger air bag

deactivation indicator

light

Passenger front and

side air bags

Passenger seat belt

pretensioner system

Empty (Not occupied)

Deactivated

A child is seated in a child-
restraint system

Deactivated

Adult

Turns off after a short

period of time.

Ready

*1 The occupant classi

¿ cation 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 both of the passenger air bag deactivation indicator lights do not turn on for a speci

¿ ed

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.

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2–49

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 dif

¿ cult for the passenger occupant classi¿ cation sensor to detect the occupant

correctly:
Sitting in the passenger's seat with a posture which makes it dif

¿ cult for the passenger

occupant classi

¿ cation sensor to detect the occupant correctly is dangerous. If the

passenger occupant classi

¿ cation 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 classi

¿ cation 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

¿ gure:

/:A

2–50

Essential Safety Equipment

SRS Air Bags

WARNING

Luggage or other items placed under the passenger seat or between the passenger

seat and driver seat that push up the passenger seat bottom.

An object, such as a seat cushion, is put on the passenger's seat or between the

passenger's back and the seatback.

A seat cover is put on the passenger's seat.

Luggage or other items are placed on the seat with the child in the child-restraint

system.

The seat is washed.

Liquids are spilled on the seat.

The passenger seat is moved backward, pushing into luggage or other items placed

behind it.

Luggage or other items are placed between the passenger seat and driver seat.

An electric device is put on the passenger's seat.

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.

CAUTION

To assure proper deployment of the front air bag and to prevent damage to the sensor

in the seat cushion:

Do not place sharp objects on the seat cushion or leave heavy luggage on them.

Do not spill any liquids on the seats or under the seats.

To allow the sensors to function properly, always perform the following:

Adjust the seats as far back as possible and always sit upright against the seatbacks

with seat belts worn properly.

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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2–51

Essential Safety Equipment

SRS Air Bags

NOTE

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.

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.

The passenger air bag deactivation OFF indicator light may turn on for 10 seconds if

the electrostatic capacity on the passenger seat changes.

The air bag/seat belt pretensioner system warning light might turn on if the passenger

seat receives a severe impact.

If the passenger air bag deactivation OFF indicator light does not turn on after

installing a child-restraint system on the passenger seat,

¿ rst, 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.

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

À oor, 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.

/:A

Mazda MX-5 RF (2017 year). Instruction - part 4