SRS Air Bags
Supplemental Restraint System (SRS) Precautions
How the SRS Air Bags Work
How the SRS Air Bags Work
Seat Belt Pretensioners
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).
Front
The front seat belt pretensioners are designed to deploy in moderate or severe frontal, near frontal collisions.
In addition, the pretensioners operate when a side collision or a roll-over accident is detected.
Rear Outboard
The rear outboard seat belt pretensioners are designed to deploy in moderate or severe frontal, near frontal collisions.
In addition, the pretensioners operate when a side collision or a roll-over accident is detected.
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).
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.
Driver and Front Passenger Knee Air Bags
The knee air bags are equipped under the instrument panel.
If the air bag crash sensors receive a frontal impact of greater than moderate force, the knee air bags deploy immediately to reduce impact to the driver and front passenger's legs.
For more details about air bag deployment, refer to "SRS Air Bag Deployment Criteria" (Search).
Curtain Air Bags
The curtain air bags are mounted in the front and rear window pillars, and the roof edge along both sides.
When the air bag crash sensors detect a side impact of greater than moderate force, the curtain air bag inflates quickly and helps to reduce injury mainly to the driver and front and rear outboard passengers' heads 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" (Search).
In a side impact:
Greater than moderate impact to one side of the vehicle will cause the curtain air bag on that side only to inflate.
Only one side curtain air bag will deploy on the side of the vehicle that receives the force of an impact.
In a roll-over:
In response to a vehicle roll-over, both curtain air bags inflate.
Both curtain air bags will deploy after the roll-over accident is detected.
SRS Air Bag Deployment Criteria
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 roll-over/near roll-over*2 |
A rear collision |
|
 |
 |
 |
 |
|
 |
 |
|||
 |
||||
|
Front seat belt pretensioner |
X*1 |
X*1 |
X*1 |
No air bag and seat belt pretensioner will be activated in a rear collision. |
|
Rear seat belt pretensioner |
X |
X |
X |
|
|
Driver air bag |
X |
― |
― |
|
|
Front passenger air bag |
X*1 |
― |
― |
|
|
Knee air bag |
X*1 |
― |
― |
|
|
Side air bags for driver and front passenger |
― |
X*1 (impact side only) |
― |
|
|
Side air bags for rear passengers (Some Models) |
― |
X*1 (impact side only) |
― |
|
|
Curtain air bag |
― |
X (impact side only) |
X (both sides) |
|
X: The SRS air bag equipment deploys in a collision.
―:The SRS air bag equipment does not deploy in a collision.
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The front and side air bags for the front passenger and seat belt pretensioner and knee air bag are designed to deploy depending on the condition of the total seated weight on the front passenger seat.
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In a roll-over accident, the seat belt pretensioners and the curtain 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.
-
Some airbags and the pretensioners may not deploy depending on the level of the impact.
Limitations to SRS Air Bag
Driver and Front Passenger Occupant Classification System
Driver and Front Passenger Occupant Classification System
First, please read "Supplemental Restraint System (SRS) Precautions" (Search) carefully.
Front Passenger Seat Weight Sensors
Your vehicle is equipped with a front passenger seat weight sensors as a part of the supplemental restraint system. These sensors are located under both of the front passenger seat rails. These sensors determine the total seated weight on the front passenger seat and monitor the seat belt buckle for the front passenger seat. The SAS unit is designed to prevent the front passenger front and side air bags and knee air bags, and seat belt pretensioner system from deploying if the front passenger air bag deactivation indicator light illuminates.
To reduce the chance of injuries caused by deployment of the front passenger air bag, the system deactivates the front passenger front and side air bags and knee air bags, and also the seat belt pretensioner system when the front passenger air bag deactivation indicator light illuminates. Refer to the following table for the front passenger air bag deactivation indicator light illumination conditions.
This system shuts off the front passenger front and side air bags and knee air bags, and seat belt pretensioner system, so make sure the front passenger air bag deactivation indicator light illuminates according to the following table.
The air bag/ seat belt pretensioner system warning light flashes and the front passenger air bag deactivation indicator light illuminates if the sensors have a possible malfunction. If this happens, the front passenger front and side air bags and knee air bags, and seat belt pretensioner system will not deploy.
Front passenger air bag deactivation indicator light
This indicator light illuminates to remind you that the front passenger front and side air bags and knee air bags, and seat belt pretensioners will not deploy during a collision.
If the front passenger weight sensors are normal, the indicator light illuminates when the power switch is switched ON. The light turns off after a few seconds. Then, the indicator light illuminates or is off under the following conditions:
Front passenger air bag deactivation indicator light on/off condition chart
|
Condition detected by the front passenger occupant classification system |
Front passenger air bag deactivation indicator light |
Front passenger front and side and knee air bags |
Front passenger seat belt pretensioner system |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Empty (Not occupied) |
On |
Deactivated |
Deactivated |
|
Child or child-restraint system*1 |
On |
Deactivated |
Deactivated |
|
Adult*2 |
Off |
Ready |
Ready |
-
If a larger child sits on the front passenger seat, the sensors might detect the child as being an adult depending on the child's physique.
-
If a smaller adult sits on the front passenger seat, the sensors might detect the person as being a child depending on the person's physique.
The curtain air bag is ready for inflating regardless of what the front passenger air bag deactivation indicator light on/off condition chart indicates.
If the front passenger air bag deactivation indicator light does not illuminate when the power switch is switched ON and does not illuminate as indicated in the front passenger air bag deactivation indicator light on/off condition chart, do not allow a child to sit in the front passenger seat and consult an Authorized Mazda Dealer as soon as possible. The system may not work properly in an accident.
Do not decrease the total seated weight on the front passenger seat:
When an adult or large child sits on the front passenger seat, decreasing the total seated weight on the front passenger seat required for air bag deployment is dangerous. The front passenger seat weight sensors will detect the reduced total seated weight condition and the front passenger front and side air bags and knee air bags, and the seat belt pretensioner system will not deploy during an accident. The front passenger will not have the supplementary protection of the air bag, which could result in serious injury. Decreasing the total seated weight on the front passenger seat could result in an air bag not deploying under the following conditions, for example:
-
A front passenger is seated as shown in the following figure:
-
A rear passenger pushes up on the front passenger seat with their feet.
-
Luggage or other items placed under the front passenger seat or between the front passenger seat and driver seat that push up the front passenger seat bottom.
-
Any accessories which might decrease the total seated weight on the front passenger seat are attached to the front passenger seat.
The front passenger front and side air bags and knee air bags, and the seat belt pretensioner system will deactivate if the front passenger air bag deactivation indicator light illuminates.
Do not increase the total seated weight on the front passenger seat:
When an infant or small child sits on the front passenger seat, increasing the total seated weight on the front passenger seat is dangerous. The front passenger seat weight sensors will detect the increased total seated weight, which could result in the unexpected deployment of the front passenger front and side air bags and knee air bags, and seat belt pretensioner system in an accident and may cause serious injury. Increasing the total seated weight on the front passenger seat could result in the front passenger front and side air bags and knee air bags, and seat belt pretensioner system deployment in an accident under the following conditions, for example:
-
Luggage or other items are placed on the seat with the child in the child-restraint system.
-
The front passenger seat contacts the vehicle ceiling.
-
A rear passenger or luggage push or pull down on the front passenger seatback.
-
A rear passenger steps on the front passenger seat rails with their feet.
-
Luggage or other items are placed on the seatback or hung on the head restraint.
-
Heavy items are placed in the seatback map pocket.
-
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.
-
Any accessories which might increase the total seated weight on the front passenger seat are attached to the front passenger seat.
-
To assure proper deployment of the front air bag and to prevent damage to the sensors in the front seat bottoms:
-
Do not place sharp objects on the front seat bottoms or leave heavy luggage on them.
-
Do not spill any liquids on the front seats or under the front seats.
-
-
To allow the sensors to function properly, always perform the following:
-
Adjust the front 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 front passenger seat, secure the child-restraint system properly and slide the front passenger seat as far back as possible (Search).
-
-
The system requires about 10 seconds to alternate between turning the front passenger front and side air bags and knee air bags, and seat belt pretensioner system on or off.
-
The front passenger air bag deactivation indicator light may illuminate repeatedly if luggage or other items are put on the front passenger seat, or if the temperature of the vehicle's interior changes suddenly.
-
The front passenger air bag deactivation indicator light may illuminate for 10 seconds if the total seated weight on the front passenger seat changes.
-
The air bag/seat belt pretensioner system warning light might illuminate if the front passenger seat receives a severe impact.
-
If the front passenger air bag deactivation indicator light does not illuminate after installing a child-restraint system on the front passenger seat, first, re-install your child-restraint system according to the procedure in this owner's manual. Then, if the front passenger air bag deactivation indicator light still does not illuminate, install the child-restraint system on the rear seat and consult an Authorized Mazda Dealer as soon as possible.
-
If the front passenger air bag deactivation indicator light illuminates when an adult is seated in the front 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 front passenger air bag deactivation indicator light still illuminates, move the passenger to the rear seat. If sitting in the rear seat is not possible, slide the front passenger seat as far back as possible. Consult an Authorized Mazda Dealer as soon as possible.
Driver and Front Passenger Buckle Switches
The buckle switches on the front seat belts detect whether or not the front seat belts are securely fastened and further control the deployment of the air bags.
