2008 MAZDA MODEL TRIBUTE Owners Manual (in English)

Seat belt height adjustment
Your vehicle has seat belt height
adjustments at the front outboard
seating positions. Adjust the height
of the shoulder belt so the belt rests
across the middle of your shoulder.
To adjust the shoulder belt height,
squeeze and hold the buttons on the
side and slide the height adjuster up
or down. Release the buttons and
pull down on the height adjuster to
make sure it is locked in place. WARNING: Position the seat belt height adjusters so that the
belt rests across the middle of your shoulder. Failure to adjust
the seat belt properly could reduce the effectiveness of the seat
belt and increase the risk of injury in a collision.
Seat belt pretensioner
Your vehicle is equipped with seat belt pretensioners at the driver and
right front passenger seating positions.
The seat belt pretensioner removes some slack from the seat belt system
at the start of a crash. The seat belt pretensioner uses the same crash
sensor system as the front airbags and side-curtain airbags (if equipped).
When the seat belt pretensioner deploys, the lap and shoulder belt are
tightened.
When the side-curtain airbags (if equipped) and/or the front airbags are
activated, the seat belt pretensioners for the driver and right front
passenger seating positions will be activated when the respective seatbelt
is properly buckled. WARNING: The driver and the right front passenger seat belt
system (including retractors, buckles and height adjusters)
must be replaced if the vehicle is involved in a collision that
results in deployment of front airbags, seat-mounted side
airbags, or side-curtain airbags (if equipped) and seat belt
pretensioners.
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WARNING: Failure to replace both front restraints under the
above conditions could result in severe personal injuries in the
event of a collision. The seat belt pretensioners will only
function once. After they are deployed, they will not work again
and must be replaced immediately, even if there was no front
seat occupant seated at the time.
WARNING: Modifying the components or wiring of the
pretensioner system, including the use of electronic testing
devices is dangerous. You could accidentally activate it or make
it inoperable which would prevent it from activating in an
accident. Front occupants could be seriously injured. Never
modify the components or wiring, or use electronic testing
devices on the pretensioner system.
WARNING: Improper disposal of the pretensioner system or a
vehicle with non-deactivated pretensioners is dangerous. Unless
all safety procedures are followed, injury could result. Ask an
authorized Mazda dealer how to safely dispose of the
pretensioner system or how to scrap a front
pretensioner-equipped vehicle.
Refer to the Seat belt maintenance section in this chapter.
Seat belt extension assembly
If the seat belt is too short when fully extended, a 9 inch (23 cm) or 12
inch (31 cm) seat belt extension assembly can be added (part numbers
611C22–A and 611C22–B respectively). Seat belt extension assemblies
can be obtained from your authorized Mazda dealership.
Use only extensions manufactured by the same supplier as the seat belt.
Manufacturer identification is located at the end of the webbing on the
label. Also, use the seat belt extension only if the seat belt is too short
for you when fully extended.
When you are not using the extensions store them in another location so
that no one will accidentally use them.
NOTE: Do not use extensions to change the fit of the shoulder belt
across the torso.
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Seat belt maintenance
Inspect the seat belt systems periodically to make sure they work
properly and are not damaged.
NOTE: If unsure about the proper procedures, bring your vehicle to an
authorized Mazda dealership for inspection. Inspect the seat belts to
make sure there are no nicks, tears or cuts, replacing if necessary. Check
all emergency locking retractors on all outboard seating positions as well
as the automatic locking mode for child safety seats on all seats except
the driver’s seat. 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), LATCH child seat tether anchors and lower
anchors (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. The
optional side airbags are not connected to the pretensioners.
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 to Interior in theCleaning chapter.
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.
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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.
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-Minder feature 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
lamp in the instrument cluster when the driver’s and front passenger’s
seat belt is unbuckled.
The Belt-Minder feature 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-Minder  feature 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-Minder feature. The warnings are the same
for the driver and the front passenger. If the Belt-Minder warnings have
expired (warnings for approximately 5 minutes) for one occupant (driver
or front passenger), the other occupant can still activate the
Belt-Minder  feature.
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Owners Guide (post-2002-fmt)
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Seating and Safety Restraints
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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-Minder
feature will not
activate.
The driver’s or front
passenger’s seat belt is not
buckled when the vehicle has
reached at least 5 km/h (3 mph)
and 1-2 minutes have elapsed
since the ignition switch has
been turned to ON... The Belt-Minder
feature 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 driver’s or front
passenger’s seat belt becomes
unbuckled for approximately
1 minute while the vehicle is
traveling at least 5 km/h (3 mph)
and more than 1-2 minutes
have elapsed since the ignition
switch has been turned to ON...
The Belt-Minder feature 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 within
25 miles of home.
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Reasons given... Consider...

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 death to front seat
occupants by 45% in cars, and by
60% 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.

The people I’m with don’t
wear belts
Set the example, teen deaths occur
4 times more often in vehicles with
TWO or MORE people. Children and
younger brothers/sisters imitate
behavior they see.

I have an airbag
Airbags offer greater protection when
used with seat belts. Frontal airbags
are not designed to inflate in rear and
side crashes or rollovers.

I’d rather be thrown clear
Not a good idea. Peoplewho are
ejected are 40 times more likely
to DIE. Seat belts help prevent
ejection, WE CAN’T
PICK OUR
CRASH
.
2008 Tribute (j14)
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Seating and Safety Restraints
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WARNING: Always wear the seat belt. Do not be tempted to sit
on top of the belt to fool police or to defeat the warning
system. The seat belt and seat belt warning system are there to
protect your life.
One time disable
If at any time the driver/front passenger quickly buckles then unbuckles
the seat belt for that seating position, the Belt-Minder is disabled for
the current ignition cycle. The Belt-Minder feature will enable during
the same ignition cycle if the occupant buckles and remains buckled for
approximately 30 seconds. Confirmation is not given for the one time
disable.
Deactivating/activating the Belt-Minder feature
The driver and front passenger Belt-Minder are
deactivated/activated independently. When deactivating/activating
one seating position, do not buckle the other position as this will
terminate the process.
Read Step s1-4thoroughly before proceeding with the
deactivation/activation programming procedure.
The driver and front passenger Belt-Minder features can be
deactivated/activated by performing the following procedure:
Before following the procedure, make sure that:
• The parking brake is set
• The gearshift is in P (Park) (automatic transmission)
• The gearshift is in N (Neutral) (manual 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-Minder system activated for yourself and
others who may use the vehicle. To reduce the risk of injury, do
not deactivate/activate the Belt-Minder feature while driving
the vehicle.
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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, 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-Minder feature 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-Minder feature 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.
• After receiving confirmation, the deactivation/activation procedure is
complete.
2008 Tribute (j14)
Owners Guide (post-2002-fmt)
USA (fus)
Seating and Safety Restraints
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