MAZDA MODEL MX-5 RF 2017 (in English) Repair Manual

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 inÀ 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 ).
/:A(.'',A'FKVKQPKPFD

2–42
Essential Safety Equipment
SRS Air Bags
Passenger Air Bag
The passenger air bag is mounted in the passenger instrument panel.
The inÀ 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 ).
/:A(.'',A'FKVKQPKPFD

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 inÀ ates the side air bag only on the side in which the vehicle was hit. The side air
bag inÀ 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 .
/:A(.'',A'FKVKQPKPFD

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
*2 A rear collision
Seat belt
pretensioner X *1 (both sides) X *1 (impact side only)
No air bag and seat belt
pretensioner will be
activated in a rear collision. Driver air
bag X
Passenger
air bag X
*1
Side air bag X *1 (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.
/:A(.'',A'FKVKQPKPFD

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 polesFrontal offset impact to the vehicle
Rear-ending or running under a truck's tail gate
/:A(.'',A'FKVKQPKPFD

2–46
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 polesSide impacts with two-wheeled vehicles
Roll-over
/:A(.'',A'FKVKQPKPFD

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:
/:A(.'',A'FKVKQPKPFD

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 Deactivated
A child is seated in a child-
restraint system
*1 Deactivated Deactivated
Adult
*2
Turns off after a short
period of time. Ready 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.
/:A(.'',A'FKVKQPKPFD

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(.'',A'FKVKQPKPFD

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.
/:A(.'',A'FKVKQPKPFD