Seating and Safety Restraints97
Seating 97
Safety restraints 105
Airbags 120
Child restraints 135
Tires, Wheels and Loading147
Tire information 149
Tire inflation 151
Tire Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS) 165
Vehicle loading 170
Trailer towing 176
Recreational towing 181
Driving182
Starting 182
Brakes 187
Transmission operation 191
Roadside Emergencies202
Hazard flasher switch 202
Fuel pump/High voltage shut-off switches 202
Fuses and relays 204
Changing tires 210
Lug nut torque 221
Jump starting 222
Wrecker towing 229
Customer Assistance231
Reporting safety defects (U.S. only) 241
Reporting safety defects (Canada only) 241
Cleaning242
Table of Contents
2
2008 Tribute Hybrid(thv)
Owners Guide (post-2002-fmt)
USA (fus)
Vehicle Symbol Glossary
Rear Window
Defrost/Demist
Power Windows
Power Window LockoutPersonal Alarm System
Feature
Engine OilEngine Coolant
Engine Coolant
TemperatureDo Not Open When Hot
BatteryAvoid Smoking, Flames,
or Sparks
Battery AcidExplosive Gas
Fan WarningPower Steering Fluid
Maintain Correct Fluid
LevelMAX MIN
Service Engine Soon
Engine Air FilterSpeed Control
Passenger Compartment
Air FilterJack
Check Fuel CapLow Tire Pressure
Warning
INFORMATION ABOUT THIS GUIDE
The information found in this guide was accurate at the time of printing.
Mazda may change the contents without notice.
2008 Tribute Hybrid (thv)
Owners Guide (post-2002-fmt)
USA (fus)
Introduction
17
WarningsStatus
Stop safely now Warning returns after 10 minutes if
condition still exists
High engine temperature
High motor temperature
Park brake engaged
XXX miles (km) to empty fuel
level low
Liftgate/Glass ajar Warning returns after the ignition key
is turned from OFF to RUN.
Service brake system
Low brake fluid
Regen brakes disabled
Low tire pressure
Tire pressure monitor fault
Tire pressure sensor fault
XX% oil life change soon
Oil change required
DRIVER DOOR AJAR. Displayed when the driver door is not
completely closed.
PASSENGER DOOR AJAR. Displayed when the passenger door is not
completely closed.
REAR LEFT DOOR AJAR. Displayed when the rear left door is not
completely closed.
REAR RIGHT DOOR AJAR. Displayed when the rear right door is not
completely closed.
STOP SAFELY NOW. Displayed when the Master electrical hazard
warning lamp is illuminated indicating a Hybrid component failure. If this
warning occurs, the vehicle will soon shutdown without further warning,
stop the vehicle as soon as safely possible and contact your authorized
dealer as soon as possible.
HIGH ENGINE TEMPERATURE. Displayed when the engine coolant
is overheating. Engine coolant temperature warning lamp will illuminate
indicating coolant temperature is high. Stop the vehicle as soon as safely
possible, turn off the engine and let it cool. Check the coolant and
coolant level. Refer to Engine coolantin theMaintenance and
Specifications chapter. If the warning stays on or continues to come on,
contact your authorized dealer as soon as possible.
2008 Tribute Hybrid (thv)
Owners Guide (post-2002-fmt)
USA (fus)
Driver Controls
80
WARNING: When the engine and radiator are hot, scalding
coolant and steam may shoot out under pressure and cause
serious injury. Do not remove the cooling system cap when the
engine and radiator are hot.
HIGH MOTOR TEMPERATURE. Displayed when the motor
electronics are overheating. Stop the vehicle as soon as safely possible,
turn off the engine and let it cool. Refer to Engine coolant and
motor/electronics coolant in theMaintenance and Specifications
chapter. If the warning stays on or continues to come on, contact your
authorized dealer as soon as possible.
PARK BRAKE ENGAGED. Displayed when the manual park brake is
set, the engine is running and the vehicle is driven more than 3 mph
(5 km). If the warning stays on after the park brake is released, contact
your authorized dealer as soon as possible.
XXX MILES TO EMPTY FUEL LEVEL LOW. Displayed as an early
reminder of a low fuel condition.
LIFTGATE/GLASS AJAR. Displayed when the liftgate or liftgate glass
is not completely closed. Press RESET to reset display.
SERVICE BRAKE SYSTEM. Displayed when the braking system is not
operating properly. If the warning stays on or continues to come on,
contact your authorized dealer as soon as possible.
LOW BRAKE FLUID. Indicates the brake fluid level is low and the
brake system should be inspected immediately. Refer to Brake fluid
reservoir in theMaintenance and Specifications chapter.
REGEN BRAKES DISABLED. Indicates the regenerative braking
system is disabled at this moment. Please see your authorized dealer if
this warning remains present over several days.
LOW TIRE PRESSURE. Displayed when one or more tires on your
vehicle have low tire pressure. Refer to Inflating Your Tiresin the
Tires, Wheels and Loading chapter.
TIRE PRESSURE MONITOR FAULT. Displayed when the Tire
Pressure Monitoring System is malfunctioning. If the warning stays on or
continues to come on, have the system inspected by your authorized
dealer.
TIRE PRESSURE SENSOR FAULT. Displayed when a tire pressure
sensor is malfunctioning, or your spare tire is in use. For more
information on how the system operates under these conditions, refer to
2008 Tribute Hybrid (thv)
Owners Guide (post-2002-fmt)
USA (fus)
Driver Controls
81
Important:Remember to replace the valve stems when the road tires
are replaced on your vehicle.
Note: The use of a different tire can effect the fuel economy of your
vehicle.
The tire pressure monitoring sensors mounted in the wheels (originally
installed on your vehicle) are not designed to be used in aftermarket
wheels.
The use of wheels or tires not recommended by Mazda Motor
Corporation may affect the operation of your Tire Pressure Monitoring
System.
Safety practices
Driving habits have a great deal to do with your tire mileage and safety.
• Observe posted speed limits
• Avoid fast starts, stops and turns
• Avoid potholes and objects on the road
• Do not run over curbs or hit the tire against a curb when parking
WARNING: If your vehicle is stuck in snow, mud, sand, etc., do
not rapidly spin the tires; spinning the tires can tear the tire
and cause an explosion. A tire can explode in as little as three
to five seconds.
WARNING: Do not spin the wheels at over 35 mph (56 km/h).
The tires may fail and injure a passenger or bystander.
Highway hazards
No matter how carefully you drive there’s always the possibility that you
may eventually have a flat tire on the highway. Drive slowly to the
closest safe area out of traffic. This may further damage the flat tire, but
your safety is more important.
If you feel a sudden vibration or ride disturbance while driving, or you
suspect your tire or vehicle has been damaged, immediately reduce your
speed. Drive with caution until you can safely pull off the road. Stop and
inspect the tires for damage. If a tire is under-inflated or damaged,
deflate it, remove wheel and replace it with your spare tire and wheel. If
you cannot detect a cause, have the vehicle towed to the nearest repair
facility or tire dealer to have the vehicle inspected.
2008 Tribute Hybrid (thv)
Owners Guide (post-2002-fmt)
USA (fus)
Tires, Wheels and Loading
157
TIRE PRESSURE MONITORING SYSTEM (TPMS)
Each tire, including the spare (if
provided), should be checked
monthly when cold and inflated to
the inflation pressure recommended
by the vehicle manufacturer on the
vehicle placard or tire inflation pressure label. (If your vehicle has tires
of a different size than the size indicated on the vehicle placard or tire
inflation pressure label, you should determine the proper tire inflation
pressure for those tires.)
As an added safety feature, your vehicle has been equipped with a tire
pressure monitoring system (TPMS) that illuminates a low tire pressure
telltale when one or more of your tires is significantly under-inflated.
Accordingly, when the low tire pressure telltale illuminates, you should
stop and check your tires as soon as possible, and inflate them to the
proper pressure. Driving on a significantly under-inflated tire causes the
tire to overheat and can lead to tire failure. Under-inflation also reduces
fuel efficiency and tire tread life, and may affect the vehicle’s handling
and stopping ability.
Please note that the TPMS is not a substitute for proper tire
maintenance, and it is the driver’s responsibility to maintain correct tire
pressure, even if under-inflation has not reached the level to trigger
illumination of the TPMS low tire pressure telltale.
Your vehicle has also been equipped with a TPMS malfunction indicator
to indicate when the system is not operating properly. The TPMS
malfunction indicator is combined with the low tire pressure telltale.
When the system detects a malfunction, the telltale will flash for
approximately one minute and then remain continuously illuminated.
This sequence will continue upon subsequent vehicle start-ups as long as
the malfunction exists.
When the malfunction indicator is illuminated, the system may not be
able to detect or signal low tire pressure as intended. TPMS malfunctions
may occur for a variety of reasons, including the installation of
replacement or alternate tires or wheels on the vehicle that prevent the
TPMS from functioning properly. Always check the TPMS malfunction
telltale after replacing one or more tires or wheels on your vehicle to
ensure that the replacement or alternate tires and wheels allow the
TPMS to continue to function properly.
The Tire Pressure Monitoring System complies with part 15 of the FCC
rules and with RSS-210 of Industry Canada. Operation is subject to the
2008 Tribute Hybrid(thv)
Owners Guide (post-2002-fmt)
USA (fus)
Tires, Wheels and Loading
165
any tire is under-inflated, carefully drive the vehicle to the nearest
location where air can be added to the tires. Inflate all the tires to the
recommended inflation pressure.
SNOW TIRES AND CHAINSWARNING: Snow tires must be the same size and grade as the
tires you currently have on your vehicle.
The tires on your vehicle have all weather treads to provide traction in
rain and snow. However, in some climates, you may need to use snow
tires and cables. If you need to use cables, it is recommended that steel
wheels (of the same size and specifications) be used, as cables may chip
aluminum wheels.
Follow these guidelines when using snow tires and traction devices:
• SAE class “S” cables should ONLY be used on the front axle for
P235/70R16 tires.
• Install cables securely, verifying that the cables or chains do not touch
any wiring, brake lines or fuel lines.
• Drive cautiously. If you hear the cables rub or bang against the
vehicle, stop and retighten them. If this does not work, remove the
cables to prevent vehicle damage.
• Avoid overloading your vehicle.
• Remove the cables when they are no longer needed.
• Do not use cables on dry roads.
• Do not exceed 30 mph (48 km/h) with tire cables on your vehicle.
Consult your authorized dealer for information on other Mazda Motor
Corporation approved methods of traction control.
VEHICLE LOADING – WITH AND WITHOUT A TRAILER
This section will guide you in the proper loading of your vehicle and/or
trailer, to keep your loaded vehicle weight within its design rating
capability, with or without a trailer. Properly loading your vehicle will
provide maximum return of vehicle design performance. Before loading
your vehicle, familiarize yourself with the following terms for determining
your vehicle’s weight ratings, with or without a trailer, from the vehicle’s
Tire Label or Safety Compliance Certification Label:
Base Curb Weight – is the weight of the vehicle including a full tank of
fuel and all standard equipment. It does not include passengers, cargo, or
optional equipment.
2008 Tribute Hybrid (thv)
Owners Guide (post-2002-fmt)
USA (fus)
Tires, Wheels and Loading
170
PAINT CHIPS
Your dealer has touch-up paint to match your vehicle’s color. Touch-up
paint can be used to repair minor scratches to painted surfaces.
•Remove particles such as bird droppings, tree sap, insect deposits, tar
spots, road salt and industrial fallout before repairing paint chips.
• Always read the instructions before using the products.
ALUMINUM WHEELS AND COVERS
Aluminum wheel rims or covers are coated with a clearcoat paint finish.
In order to maintain their shine:
• Clean with cool or lukewarm water and a neutral pH shampoo.
• Never apply any cleaning chemical to hot or warm wheel rims or
covers.
• Some automatic car washes may cause damage to the finish on your
wheel rims or covers. Chemical-strength cleaners, or cleaning
chemicals, in combination with brush agitation to remove brake dust
and dirt, could wear away the clearcoat finish over time.
• Do not use hydrofluoric acid-based or high caustic-based wheel
cleaners, steel wool, fuels or strong household detergent.
• To remove tar and grease, use Extra Strength Tar and Road Oil
Remover (0000–77–410E-01), available from your authorized Mazda
dealer.
ENGINE
Engines are more efficient when they are clean because grease and dirt
buildup keep the engine warmer than normal. When washing:
• Take care when using a power washer to clean the engine. The
high-pressure fluid could penetrate the sealed parts and cause
damage.
• Never spray the engine or other engine components with water. Water
will damage the engine or other engine components.
• Spray Engine Shampoo and Degreaser (0000–77–410E-09), available at
your authorized Mazda dealer, on all parts that require cleaning and
pressure rinse clean.
2008 Tribute Hybrid (thv)
Owners Guide (post-2002-fmt)
USA (fus)
Cleaning
243