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Volvo S60Mazda Mazda6: Supplemental Restraint Systems (SRS) Precautions
Mazda Mazda6: Supplemental Restraint Systems (SRS) Precautions
The front and side supplemental restraint systems (SRS) include 6 air bags. You can locate the various air bags by the use of “SRS AIRBAG” location indicators. These indicators are visible in the area where the air bags are installed.
The air bags are installed in the following locations:
- The steering wheel hub (driver air bag).
- The front passenger dashboard (front passenger air bag).
- The outboard sides of the front seatbacks (side air bags).
- The front and rear window pillars, and the roof edge along both sides (curtain air bags).
These systems operate independently depending on the type of accident encountered; the side and curtain air bags are not likely to deploy on both sides in the same accident because a vehicle is not often hit from both sides. The side and curtain air bags and the frontal air bag system will not normally deploy during the same type of accident unless a combination of frontal and side impacts occur.
The air bag supplemental restraint systems are designed to provide supplemental protection only in the front seats in certain situations and the rear outside passenger positions only in same-side collisions, so seat belts are always important in the following ways:
Without seat belt usage, the air bags cannot provide adequate protection during an accident.
Seat belt usage is necessary to:
- Keep the occupant from being thrown into an inflating air bag.
- Reduce the possibility of injuries during an accident that is not designed for air bag inflation, such as roll-over or rear impact.
- Reduce the possibility of injuries in frontal or side collisions that are not severe enough to activate the air bags.
- Reduce the possibility of being thrown from your vehicle.
- Reduce the possibility of injuries to lower body and legs during an accident because the air bags provide no protection to these parts of the body.
- Hold the driver in a position which allows better control of the vehicle.
Small children must be protected by a child-restraint system as stipulated by law in every state and province. In certain states and provinces, larger children must use a child-restraint system.
Carefully consider which child-restraint system is necessary for your child and follow the installation directions in this Owner's Manual as well as the child-restraint system manufacturer's instructions.
WARNING:
Seat belts must be worn in air bag equipped vehicles:
Depending only on the air bags for protection during an accident is dangerous.
Alone, air bags may not prevent serious injuries. The appropriate air bags can be expected to inflate only in the first collision with frontal, near frontal or side forces that are at least moderate. Vehicle occupants should always wear seat belts.
Children should not ride in the front passenger seat:
Placing a child, 12 years or under, in the front seat is dangerous. The child could be hit by a deploying air bag and be seriously injured or even killed. Even if the front passenger air bag deactivation indicator light illuminates, always move the front passenger seat as far back as possible. A sleeping child is more likely to lean against the door and be hit by the side air bag in a moderate, right-side collision. Whenever possible, always secure a child 12 years and under on the rear seat with an appropriate child-restraint system for the child's age and size.
Never use a rear-facing child-restraint system in the front seat with an air bag that could deploy:
Rear-facing child-restraint systems on the front seat are particularly dangerous even though you may feel assured that a front passenger air bag will not deploy based on the fact that the front passenger air bag deactivation indicator light illuminates.
The child-restraint system can be hit by a deploying air bag and moved violently backward resulting in serious injury or death to the child.
Do not sit too close to the driver and front passenger air bags:
Sitting too close to the driver and front passenger air bag modules or placing hands or feet on them is extremely dangerous. The driver and front passenger air bags inflate with great force and speed. Serious injuries could occur if someone is too close. The driver should always hold onto only the rim of the steering wheel. The front seat passenger should keep both feet on the floor. Front seat occupants should adjust their seats as far back as possible and always sit upright against the seatbacks with seat belts worn properly.
Sit in the center of the seat and wear seat belts properly:
Sitting too close to the side air bag modules or placing hands on them is extremely dangerous. The side air bags inflate with great force and speed directly out of the outboard side of the front seat and expand along the front door on the side the car is hit. Serious injury could occur if someone is sitting too close to the door or leaning against a window, or if rear seat occupants grab the sides of the front seatbacks.
Furthermore, sleeping up against the door or hanging out the windows in the vehicle could block the side and curtain air bags and eliminate the advantages of supplemental protection. Give the side and curtain air bags room to work by sitting in the center of the seat while the vehicle is moving with seat belts worn properly.
Do not attach objects on or around the area where driver and front passenger air bags deploy:
Attaching an object to the driver and front passenger air bag modules or placing something in front of them is dangerous. In an accident, an object could interfere with air bag inflation and injure the occupants.
Do not attach objects on or around the area where a side air bag deploys:
Attaching things to the front 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 inflates from the outboard side of the front 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 front seats. Never use seat covers on the front seats. Always keep the side air bag modules in your front seats free to deploy in the event of a side collision.
Do not attach objects on or around the area where a curtain air bag deploys:
Attaching objects to the areas where the curtain air bag activates such as on the windshield glass, side door glass, front and rear window pillars and along the roof edge and assist grips is dangerous. In an accident the object could interfere with the curtain air bag, which inflates from the front and rear window pillars and along the roof edge, impeding the added protection of the curtain 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 place hangers or any other objects on the assist grips. When hanging clothes, hang them on the coat hook directly. Always keep the curtain air bag modules free to deploy in the event of a side collision.
Do not place luggage or other objects under the front seats:
Placing luggage or other objects under the front seats is dangerous. The components essential to the supplemental 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 supplemental restraint system, do not place luggage or other objects under the front seats.
Do not touch the components of the supplemental restraint system after the air bags have inflated:
Touching the components of the supplemental restraint system after the air bags have inflated is dangerous. Immediately after inflation, 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 inflate unexpectedly, or it could prevent the air bags from inflating during an accident.
Front 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 modified, 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 the supplemental restraint system:
Modifying the components or wiring of the supplemental restraint system is dangerous. You could accidentally activate it or make it inoperable. Do not make any modifications to the supplemental 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 Authorized Mazda Dealer can provide the special care needed in the removal and installation of front seats. It is important to protect the air bag wiring and connections to assure that the bags do not accidentally deploy, the driver seat slide position sensor and front passenger seat weight sensors are not damaged and that the seats retain an undamaged air bag connection.
NOTE:
- When an air bag deploys, a loud inflation 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.
