light MAZDA MODEL B-SERIES 2008 (in English) Owner's Guide

Front seat belt usage sensors
The front seat belt usage sensors detect whether or not the driver and
front outboard passenger seat belts are fastened. This information allows
your Personal Safety System™ to tailor the airbag deployment and seat
belt pretensioner activation depending upon seat belt usage. Refer to
Seat belt usage sensorslater in this chapter.
Front outboard seat belt pretensioners
The seat belt pretensioners at the front outboard seating positions are
designed to tighten the seat belts firmly against the occupant’s body
during frontal collisions. This helps increase the effectiveness of the seat
belts. In frontal collisions, the seat belt pretensioners can be activated
alone or, if the collision is of sufficient severity, together with the front
airbags.
Front outboard seat belt energy management retractors
The front seat belt energy management retractors allow webbing to be
pulled out of the retractor in a gradual and controlled manner in
response to the occupant’s forward momentum. This helps reduce the
risk of force-related injuries to the occupant’s chest by limiting the load
on the occupant. Refer toEnergy management retractorssection in
this chapter.
Determining if the Personal Safety System™ is operational
The Personal Safety System™ uses a warning light in the instrument
cluster or a back-up tone to indicate the condition of the system. Refer
to theWarning lights and chimessection in theInstrument Cluster
chapter. Routine maintenance of the Personal Safety System™ is not
required.
The Restraints Control Module (RCM) monitors its own internal circuits
and the circuits for the airbag supplemental restraints, crash sensor(s),
seat belt pretensioners, front seat belt buckle sensors, front passenger
sensing system, and the driver seat position sensor. In addition, the RCM
also monitors the restraints warning light in the instrument cluster. A
difficulty with the system is indicated by one or more of the following.
•The warning light will either flash or stay lit.
•The warning 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 warning light are repaired.
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make sure there are no nicks, tears or cuts, replacing if necessary. Check
the automatic locking retractor on the passenger outboard seating
position. All seat belt assemblies, including retractors, buckles, front seat
belt buckle assemblies, buckle support assemblies (slide bar-if equipped),
shoulder belt height adjusters (if equipped), shoulder belt guide on
seatback (if equipped), child safety seat tether bracket assemblies (if
equipped), and attaching hardware, should be inspected after a collision.
Mazda recommends that all seat belt assemblies used in vehicles involved
in a collision be replaced. However, if the collision was minor and an
authorized Mazda technician finds that the belts do not show damage
and continue to operate properly, they do not need to be replaced. Seat
belt assemblies not in use during a collision should also be inspected and
replaced if either damage or improper operation is noted.
The energy absorbing functions may have been activated in a collision so
the restraints should be examined; if the front airbags have deployed, the
pretensioners have also deployed and must be replaced — regardless of
whether there was an occupant in the passenger seat or not.
WARNING: Failure to inspect and if necessary replace the seat
belt assembly under the above conditions could result in severe
personal injuries in the event of a collision.
Refer toInteriorin theCleaningchapter.
Seat belt warning light and indicator chime
The seat belt warning light illuminates in the instrument cluster and a
chime sounds to remind the occupants to fasten their seat belts.
Conditions of operation
If... Then...
The driver’s seat belt is not
buckled before the ignition switch
is turned to the ON position...The seat belt warning light
illuminates 1-2 minutes and the
warning chime sounds 4-8
seconds.
The driver’s seat belt is buckled
while the indicator light is
illuminated and the warning chime
is sounding...The seat belt warning light and
warning chime turn off.
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If... Then...
The driver’s seat belt is buckled
before the ignition switch is turned
to the ON position...The seat belt warning light and
indicator chime remain off.
Belt-Minder
The Belt-Minderfeature is a supplemental warning to the seat belt
warning function. This feature provides additional reminders by
intermittently sounding a chime and illuminating the seat belt warning
light in the instrument cluster when the driver’s and front passenger’s
seat belt is unbuckled.
The Belt-Minderfeature uses information from the front passenger
sensing system to determine if a front seat passenger is present and
therefore potentially in need of a warning. To avoid activating the
Belt-Minderfeature for objects placed in the front passenger seat,
warnings will only be given to large front seat occupants as determined
by the front passenger sensing system.
Both the driver’s and passenger’s seat belt usages are monitored and
either may activate the Belt-Minderfeature. The warnings are the same
for the driver and the front passenger. If the Belt-Minderwarnings have
expired (warnings for approximately 5 minutes) for one occupant (driver
or front passenger), the other occupant can still activate the
Belt-Minderfeature.
If... Then...
The driver’s and front passenger’s
seat belts are buckled before the
ignition switch is turned to the ON
position or less than 1-2 minutes
have elapsed since the ignition
switch has been turned ON...The Belt-Minderfeature will not
activate.
The driver’s or front passenger’s
seat belt is not buckled when the
vehicle has reached at least 3 mph
(5 km/h) and 1-2 minutes have
elapsed since the ignition switch
has been turned to ON...The Belt-Minderfeature is
activated - the seat belt warning
light illuminates and the warning
chime sounds for 6 seconds every
30 seconds, repeating for
approximately 5 minutes or until
the seat belts are buckled.
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If... Then...
The driver’s or front passenger’s
seat belt becomes unbuckled for
approximately 1 minute while the
vehicle is traveling at least 3 mph
(5 km/h) and more than 1-2
minutes have elapsed since the
ignition switch has been turned to
ON...The Belt-Minderfeature is
activated - the seat belt warning
light illuminates and the warning
chime sounds for 6 seconds every
30 seconds, repeating for
approximately 5 minutes or until
the seat belts are buckled.
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
3of4fatal crashes occur within25miles 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
deathto front seat occupants by45% in cars,
and by60% 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.
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•The parking brake is set
•The gearshift is in P (Park) (automatic 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, this system is designed to improve your chances
of being safely belted and surviving an accident. We recommend
you leave the Belt-Mindersystem activated for yourself and
others who may use the vehicle. To reduce the risk of injury, do
not deactivate/activate the Belt-Minderfeature while driving
the vehicle.
1. Turn the ignition switch to the RUN (or ON) position. (DO NOT
START THE ENGINE)
2. Wait until the seat belt warning light turns off. (Approximately 1
minute)
•Step 3 must be completed within 50 seconds after the seat belt
warning light turns off.
3. For the seating position being disabled, at a moderate speed, buckle
then unbuckle the seat belt 9 times, 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 7 seconds of the light turning off, buckle then
unbuckle the seat belt.
•This will disable the Belt-Minderfeature for that seating position if it
is currently enabled. As confirmation, the seat belt warning light will
flash 4 times per second for 3 seconds.
•This will enable the Belt-Minderfeature for that seating position if it
is currently disabled. As confirmation, the seat belt warning light will
flash 4 times per second for 3 seconds, followed by 3 seconds with the
light off, then followed by the seat belt warning light flashing 4 times
per second for 3 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 Systemsection 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: 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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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.
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.
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 theAirbag readiness
section in theInstrumentationchapter. Routine maintenance of the
airbag is not required.
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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.
WARNING: 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.
Front passenger sensing system
The front passenger sensing system will turn off the front passenger’s
frontal air bag under certain conditions. The driver’s frontal air bag 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 air bag
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 air bag 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,
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•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,
WARNING: Even with Advanced Restraints Systems, children
12 and under should be properly restrained in the back seat (if
equipped).
When the front passenger seat is occupied and the sensing system has
turned off the passenger’s frontal air bag, the
passenger air bag off
or

pass air bag off
indicator will light and stay lit to remind you that the
front passenger frontal air bag is off. When the front passenger seat is
not occupied (empty seat) or in the event that the front passenger
frontal air bag 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 air bag 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 air bag 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 air bag to be
enabled, the indicator will be unlit and stay unlit to remind you that the
air bag is enabled (may inflate).
If a person of adult-size is sitting in the front passenger’s seat, but the

passenger air bag off
or
pass air bag 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 air bag. If
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