Maintenance and Specifications247
Engine compartment 250
Engine oil 253
Battery 256
Engine Coolant and Motor/Electronics Coolant 258
Fuel information 264
Air filter(s) 278
Maintenance product specifications and capacities 281
Engine data 283
Accessories 286
Service Maintenance Section 287
Normal scheduled maintenance and log 292
Special operating conditions and log 299
Index303
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Copyright © 2007 MNAO
Table of Contents
3
2008 Tribute Hybrid(thv)
Owners Guide (post-2002-fmt)
USA (fus)
Driving to optimize fuel economy
Your fuel economy should improve throughout your hybrid’s break-in
period. As with any vehicle, fuel economy can be significantly impacted
by your driving habits and accessory usage. For best results, keep in
mind these tips:
Tire Inflation:Keep tires properly inflated and only use recommended
size.
Climate Control: Your hybrid is equipped with an “ECON” button that
offers a more fuel efficient operation of your automatic temperature
control system.
When activated, the “ECON” feature allows the engine to shut down at
low speeds or when your vehicle is stopped.
If cooler temperature is desired, the “ECON” button can be turned off,
for better interior cooling but lower fuel economy.
The “ECON” mode turns itself off when you select defrost or
defrost/floor mode, although on cold days, you may still experience
engine shut-down while in defrost or defrost/floor mode.
Drive Habits: Aggressive driving increases the amount of energy
required to move your vehicle. In general, better fuel economy is
achieved with mild to moderate acceleration and deceleration. Moderate
braking is particularly important since it allows you to maximize the
energy captured by the regenerative braking system.
NOTE: Having your engine running is not always an indication of
inefficiency – in some cases it is actually more efficient than driving in
electric mode.
Additional Tips:
• Do not carry extra loads
• Be mindful of adding external accessories that may increase
aerodynamic drag
• Observe posted speed limits
• Perform all scheduled maintenance
• There is no need to wait for your engine to “warm up”. The vehicle is
ready to drive immediately after starting
2008 Tribute Hybrid (thv)
Owners Guide (post-2002-fmt)
USA (fus)
Introduction
9
QuestionAnswer
What is the fan noise and slight
tapping sound I hear from the rear
of my hybrid? The fan noise comes from two fans
located inside the high voltage
battery. These fans turn on when
the battery requires cooling air.
The fan speed, and associated
noise level, will change according
to the amount of cooling required
to maintain good performance.
How far can I go in Electric Drive
if I run out of gas? Running out of gas is not
recommended. However, you may
be able to go about one mile,
driving at 30 mph (48 km/h), if the
battery has a normal state of
charge.
What is the engine oil change
service interval? The engine oil should be changed
every 10,000 miles (16,000 km)
under normal operating conditions.
See the
Scheduled maintenance
guide chapter.
Can I put E10 or E85 in my
vehicle, and how will it affect my
fuel economy? Your hybrid vehicle can use E10
(10% ethanol, 90% gasoline) fuel,
but you may notice slightly
reduced fuel economy because
ethanol contains less energy per
gallon than gasoline. Your hybrid
vehicle is not designed to use E85
(85% ethanol).
How long will my high voltage
battery last? Does it need
maintenance? The high voltage battery system is
designed to last the life of the
vehicle and requires no
maintenance.
2008 Tribute Hybrid
(thv)
Owners Guide (post-2002-fmt)
USA (fus)
Introduction
12
Tire and wheel alignment
A bad jolt from hitting a curb or pothole can cause the front end of your
vehicle to become misaligned or cause damage to your tires. If your
vehicle seems to pull to one side when you’re driving, the wheels may be
out of alignment. Have an authorized dealer check the wheel alignment
periodically.
Wheel misalignment in the front or the rear can cause uneven and rapid
treadwear of your tires and should be corrected by an authorized dealer.
Front wheel drive (FWD) vehicles and those with an independent rear
suspension (if equipped) may require alignment of all four wheels.
The tires should also be balanced periodically. An unbalanced tire and
wheel assembly may result in irregular tire wear.
Tire rotation
Rotating your tires at the recommended interval (as indicated in the
Scheduled maintenancesection of theMaintenance and
Specifications chapter) will help your tires wear more evenly, providing
better tire performance and longer tire life.
• Front Wheel Drive (FWD)
vehicles (front tires at top of
diagram)
2008 Tribute Hybrid (thv)
Owners Guide (post-2002-fmt)
USA (fus)
Tires, Wheels and Loading
158
Trailer towing puts additional loads on your vehicle’s engine, transaxle,
axle, brakes, tires, and suspension. For your safety and to maximize
vehicle performance, be sure to use the proper equipment while towing.
Follow these guidelines to ensure safe towing procedure:
•Stay within your vehicle’s load limits.
• Thoroughly prepare your vehicle for towing. Refer to Preparing to
tow in this chapter.
• Use extra caution when driving while trailer towing. Refer to Driving
while you tow in this chapter.
• Service your vehicle more frequently if you tow a trailer. Refer to the
severe duty schedule in the service maintenance section.
• Do not tow a trailer until your vehicle has been driven at least
500 miles (800 km).
• Refer to the instructions included with towing accessories for the
proper installation and adjustment specifications.
Do not exceed the maximum loads listed on the Certification label. For
load specification terms found on the label, refer to Vehicle loadingin
this chapter. Remember to figure in the tongue load of your loaded
trailer when figuring the total weight.
FWD
GCWR (Gross Combined Weight Rating)/Trailer Weights Engine Maximum GCWR - lb. (kg) Trailer Weight
Range - lb. (kg) Maximum
frontal area of
trailer - ft
2(m2)
2.3L 4820 (2186) 1000 (454) 24 (2.2)
Notes:For high altitude operation, reduce GCW by 2% per 1000 ft.
(300 meters) elevation. For definitions of terms and instructions on
calculating your vehicle’s load, refer to Vehicle loadingin this chapter.
Maximum trailer weights shown. The combined weight of the completed
towing vehicle and the loaded trailer must not exceed the GCWR.
Your Hybrid vehicle is capable of pulling the maximum trailer weight(s)
as specified above. Certain states require electric trailer brakes for
trailers over a specified weight. Your Hybrid vehicle electrical system is
not equipped to accommodate electric trailer brakes.
2008 Tribute Hybrid (thv)
Owners Guide (post-2002-fmt)
USA (fus)
Tires, Wheels and Loading
177
•Do not exceed the GCWR rating or transmission damage may occur.
Servicing after towing
If you tow a trailer for long distances, your vehicle will require more
frequent service intervals. Refer to your scheduled maintenance
information for more information.
Trailer towing tips
• Practice turning, stopping and backing up before starting on a trip to
get the feel of the vehicle trailer combination. When turning, make
wider turns so the trailer wheels will clear curbs and other obstacles.
• Allow more distance for stopping with a trailer attached.
• If you are driving down a long or steep hill, shift to a lower gear. Do
not apply the brakes continuously, as they may overheat and become
less effective.
• The trailer tongue weight should be 10–15% of the loaded trailer
weight.
• If you will be towing a trailer frequently in hot weather, hilly
conditions, at GCWR, or any combination of these factors, consider
refilling your rear axle with synthetic gear lube if not already so
equipped. Refer to the Maintenance and Specifications chapter for
the lubricant specification. Remember that regardless of the rear axle
lube used, do not tow a trailer for the first 500 miles (800 km) of a
new vehicle, and that the first 500 miles (800 km) of towing be done
at no faster than 70 mph (112 km/h) with no full throttle starts.
• After you have traveled 50 miles (80 km), thoroughly check your
hitch, electrical connections and trailer wheel lug nuts.
• Vehicles with trailers should not be parked on a grade. If you must
park on a grade, place wheel chocks under the trailer’s wheels.
Launching or retrieving a boat
Disconnect the wiring to the trailer before backing the trailer
into the water. Reconnect the wiring to the trailer after the
trailer is removed from the water.
When backing down a ramp during boat launching or retrieval:
• do not allow the static water level to rise above the bottom edge of
the rear bumper.
• do not allow waves to break higher than 6 inches (15 cm) above the
bottom edge of the rear bumper.
2008 Tribute Hybrid (thv)
Owners Guide (post-2002-fmt)
USA (fus)
Tires, Wheels and Loading
180
1. Place tire on end with valvestem facing rearward, away
from vehicle.
2. Place tether into bolt holes in wheel and attach lug nut using
lug wrench.
3. Lay the tire on the ground with the valve stem facing down. If your vehicle is equipped with aluminum wheels, remove the wheel
ornament.
4. Slide the wheel partially under the vehicle and install the retainer through the center of the wheel.
5. Turn the jack handle clockwise until the tire is raised to its original position underneath the vehicle. The effort to turn the jack handle
increases significantly as the tire contacts the frame. The spare tire
carrier will ratchet when the tire is in the fully stowed position. The
spare tire carrier has a built-in ratchet feature that will not allow you
to overtighten. If the spare tire carrier ratchets with very little effort,
take the vehicle to your authorized dealer for assistance at your
earliest convenience. If your vehicle is equipped with a trailer
hitch, guide the tire with one hand; keep the rear of the tire
tilted down until the tire clears the bumper.
6. Check that the tire lies flat against the frame assembly. Push against the tire to make sure it is tightly seated under the vehicle. Loosen
and retighten, if necessary. Failure to properly stow the spare tire
may result in failure of the winch cable and loss of the spare tire.
(Make sure that the tire does not contact the bumper.)
7. Repeat this tightness check procedure (every six months, per scheduled maintenance information), when servicing the spare
tire pressure or at any time that the spare tire is disturbed through
service of other components.
2008 Tribute Hybrid (thv)
Owners Guide (post-2002-fmt)
USA (fus)
Roadside Emergencies
220
SERVICE RECOMMENDATIONS
To help you service your vehicle, we providescheduled maintenance
information which makes tracking routine service easy.
If your vehicle requires professional service, your authorized dealer can
provide the necessary parts and service. Check your Warranty
Information Booklet to find out which parts and services are covered.
Use only recommended fuels, lubricants, fluids and service parts
conforming to specifications. Mazda parts are designed and built to
provide the best performance in your vehicle.
PRECAUTIONS WHEN SERVICING YOUR VEHICLE
• Do not work on a hot engine.
• Make sure that nothing gets caught in moving parts.
• Do not work on a vehicle with the engine running in an enclosed
space, unless you are sure you have enough ventilation.
• Keep all open flames and other burning (cigarettes) material away
from the battery and all fuel related parts.
High Voltage Information WARNING: Exposure to high voltage may result in severe
personal injury or death. High voltage components must be
serviced by a trained service technician.
Your vehicle consists of various high voltage components and wiring. All
of the high voltage power flows through specific wiring assemblies which
are labeled as such and/or are covered with a solid orange convolute or
orange stripe tape. Do not come in contact with these components.
The following are specific locations in the rear cargo area that consist of
high voltage components and/or wiring.
2008 Tribute Hybrid (thv)
Owners Guide (post-2002-fmt)
USA (fus)
Maintenance and Specifications
247