MAZDA MODEL MX-5 2016 (in English) Service Manual
Page 41 of 526
2–29
Essential Safety Equipment
SRS Air  Bags
Supplemental Restraint System Components
(With Passenger Occupant Classification System)
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Page 42 of 526
2–30
Essential Safety Equipment
SRS Air  Bags
*Some models.
(Without Passenger Occupant Classification System)
 Driver/Passenger inflators and air bags
 Crash sensors, and diagnostic module (SAS unit)
 Seat belt pretensioners (page 2-12)
 Front air bag sensors
 Side crash sensors
 Air bag/seat belt pretensioner system warning light (page 4-16)
 Side inflators and air bags 
 Passenger air bag deactivation indicator light* (page 2-37)
 Passenger occupant classification sensor* (page 2-37)
 Passenger occupant classification module*
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Page 43 of 526
2–31
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 passenge\
rs 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 s\
ide in which the 
collision occurs. The pretensioners operate differently depending on what types of air bags 
are equipped. For details on the seat belt pretensioner operation, refer to the SRS Air Bag 
Deployment Criteria (page 2-34).
 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 moder\
ate 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" 
(page 2-34).
(With Passenger Occupant Classification System)
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.
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Page 44 of 526
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Essential Safety Equipment
SRS Air  Bags
 Passenger  Air  Bag
The passenger air bag is mounted in the passenger dashboard.
The inflation mechanism for the passenger air bag is the same as the driver's air bag, as 
mentioned above.
For more details about air bag deployment, refer to "SRS Air Bag Deployment Criteria" 
(page 2-34).
(With Passenger Occupant Classification System)
In addition, the passenger air bag is designed to only deploy when the p\
assenger occupant 
classification sensor detects a passenger sitting on the passenger's seat. For details, refer to 
the passenger occupant classification system (page 2-37).
 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 mode\
rate 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 driver or passenger's 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 2-34).
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Page 45 of 526
2–33
Essential Safety Equipment
SRS Air  Bags
(With Passenger Occupant Classification System)
In addition, the passenger side 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 (page 2-37).
 Warning  Light/Beep
A system malfunction or operation conditions are indicated by a warning.
Refer to Warning/Indicator Lights on page 4-16.
Refer to Warning Sound is Activated on page 7-45.
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Page 46 of 526
2–34
Essential Safety Equipment
SRS Air  Bags
SRS Air Bag Deployment Criteria
This chart indicates the applicable SRS equipment that will deploy depen\
ding on the type of 
collision.
(The illustrations are the representative cases of collisions.)
SRS equipment
Types of collision
A severe frontal/near frontal collisionA severe side collision*2A rear collision
Seat belt pretensionerX*1 (both sides)X*1 (impact side only)
No air bag and seat belt pretensioner will be activated in a rear collision.
Driver air bagX
Passenger air bagX*1
Side air bagX*1 (impact side only)
X : The SRS air bag equipment is designed to deploy in a collision.
*1 (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.*2 In a side collision, the seat belt pretensioners and the side air bags d\
eploy (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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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 of
fset impact to the v ehicle
Rear-ending or running under a truck's tail gate
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Essential Safety Equipment
SRS Air  Bags
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.
Side impacts involving trees or poles Side impacts with two-wheeled v
ehicles
Roll-over
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Page 49 of 526
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Essential Safety Equipment
SRS Air  Bags
*Some models.
Passenger Occupant Classification System*
First, please read "Supplemental Restraint System (SRS) Precautions" (\
page 2-24) 
carefully.
 Passenger Occupant Classification Sensor
Your vehicle is equipped with a passenger occupant classification sensor as a part of the 
supplemental 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 pretensio\
ner system from 
deploying if the passenger air bag deactivation indicator light turns on\
.
To reduce the chance of injuries caused by deployment of the passenger ai\
r 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 on. Refer \
to the following table 
for the passenger air bag deactivation indicator light illumination cond\
itions.
This system shuts off the passenger front and side air bags and seat belt pretensioner syste\
m, 
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 indicator light illuminates if the sensors have a possible \
malfunction. If this 
happens, the passenger front and side air bags and seat belt pretensione\
r 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.
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Essential Safety Equipment
SRS Air  Bags
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 seconds. Then, the indicator light 
turns on or is 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 bagsPassenger seat belt pretensioner system
Empty (Not occupied)OnDeactivatedDeactivated
A child is seated in a child-restraint system*1OnDeactivatedDeactivated
Adult*2OffReadyReady
*1 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.*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 deactivation indicator light does not turn on w\
hen 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 occupant 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.
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