2008 MAZDA MODEL TRIBUTE warning

NOTICE TO UTILITY VEHICLE AND TRUCK OWNERS
Utility vehicles and trucks handle
differently than passenger cars in
the various driving conditions that
are encountered on streets,
highways and off-road. Utility
vehicles and trucks are not designed
for cornering at speeds as high as
passenger cars any more than
low-slung sports cars are designed
to perform satisfactorily under
off-road conditions. WARNING: Utility vehicles have a significantly higher rollover
rate than other types of vehicles. To reduce the risk of serious
injury or death from a rollover or other crash you must:
• Avoid sharp turns and abrupt maneuvers;
• Drive at safe speeds for the conditions;
• Keep tires properly inflated;
• Never overload or improperly load your vehicle; and
• Make sure every passenger is properly restrained.
WARNING: In a rollover crash, an unbelted person is
significantly more likely to die than a person wearing a seat
belt. All occupants must wear seat belts and children/infants
must use appropriate restraints to minimize the risk of injury
or ejection.
Study your Owner’s Manual and any supplements for specific
information about equipment features, instructions for safe driving and
additional precautions to reduce the risk of an accident or serious injury.
VEHICLE CHARACTERISTICS
4WD and AWD Systems (if equipped)
A vehicle equipped with AWD or 4WD (when selected) has the ability to
use all four wheels to power itself. This increases traction which may
enable you to safely drive over terrain and road conditions that a
conventional two-wheel drive vehicle cannot.
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Power is supplied to all four wheels through a transfer case or power
transfer unit. 4WD vehicles allow you to select different drive modes as
necessary. Information on transfer case operation and shifting procedures
can be found in the Drivingchapter. Information on transfer case
maintenance can be found in the Maintenance and Specifications
chapter. You should become thoroughly familiar with this information
before you operate your vehicle.
On some 4WD models, the initial shift from two-wheel drive to 4WD
while the vehicle is moving can cause a momentary clunk and ratcheting
sound. These sounds are normal as the front drivetrain comes up to
speed and is not cause for concern.
WARNING: Do not become overconfident in the ability of 4WD
and AWD vehicles. Although a 4WD or AWD vehicle may
accelerate better than two-wheel drive vehicle in low traction
situations, it won’t stop any faster than two-wheel drive
vehicles. Always drive at a safe speed.
How your vehicle differs from other vehicles
SUV and trucks can differ from
some other vehicles in a few
noticeable ways. Your vehicle may
be:
• Higher – to allow higher load
carrying capacity and to allow it
to travel over rough terrain
without getting hung up or
damaging underbody components.
• Shorter – to give it the capability
to approach inclines and drive
over the crest of a hill without
getting hung up or damaging
underbody components. All other
things held equal, a shorter
wheelbase may make your vehicle
quicker to respond to steering inputs than a vehicle with a longer
wheelbase.
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Treadwear
The treadwear grade is a comparative rating based on the wear rate of
the tire when tested under controlled conditions on a specified
government test course. For example, a tire graded 150 would wear one
and one-half (1 1/2) times as well on the government course as a tire
graded 100. The relative performance of tires depends upon the actual
conditions of their use, however, and may depart significantly from the
norm due to variations in driving habits, service practices, and
differences in road characteristics and climate.
Traction AA A B C
The traction grades, from highest to lowest are AA, A, B, and C. The
grades represent the tire’s ability to stop on wet pavement as measured
under controlled conditions on specified government test surfaces of
asphalt and concrete. A tire marked C may have poor traction
performance. WARNING: The traction grade assigned to this tire is based on
straight-ahead braking traction tests, and does not include
acceleration, cornering, hydroplaning or peak traction
characteristics.
Temperature A B C
The temperature grades are A (the highest), B and C, representing the
tire’s resistance to the generation of heat and its ability to dissipate heat
when tested under controlled conditions on a specified indoor laboratory
test wheel. Sustained high temperature can cause the material of the tire
to degenerate and reduce tire life, and excessive temperature can lead to
sudden tire failure. The grade C corresponds to a level of performance
which all passenger car tires must meet under the Federal Motor Vehicle
Safety Standard No. 109. Grades B and A represent higher levels of
performance on the laboratory test wheel than the minimum required by
law. WARNING: The temperature grade for this tire is established
for a tire that is properly inflated and not overloaded.
Excessive speed, underinflation, or excessive loading, either
separately or in combination, can cause heat buildup and
possible tire failure.
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INFLATING YOUR TIRES
Safe operation of your vehicle requires that your tires are properly
inflated. Remember that a tire can lose up to half of its air pressure
without appearing flat.
Every day before you drive, check your tires. If one looks lower than the
others, use a tire gauge to check pressure of all tires and adjust if required.
At least once a month and before long trips, inspect each tire and check
the tire pressure with a tire gauge (including spare, if equipped). Inflate
all tires to the inflation pressure recommended by Mazda Motor
Corporation.
Use a tire gauge to check the tire inflation pressure, including the spare
(if equipped), at least monthly and before long trips. You are strongly
urged to buy a reliable tire pressure gauge, as automatic service station
gauges may be inaccurate. Mazda recommends the use of a digital or
dial-type tire pressure gauge rather than a stick-type tire pressure gauge.
Use the recommended cold inflation pressure for optimum tire
performance and wear. Under-inflation or over-inflation may cause
uneven treadwear patterns. WARNING: Under-inflation is the most common cause of tire
failures and may result in severe tire cracking, tread separation
or blowout, with unexpected loss of vehicle control and
increased risk of injury. Under-inflation increases sidewall
flexing and rolling resistance, resulting in heat buildup and
internal damage to the tire. It also may result in unnecessary
tire stress, irregular wear, loss of vehicle control and accidents.
A tire can lose up to half of its air pressure and not appear to
be flat!
Always inflate your tires to the Mazda recommended inflation pressure
even if it is less than the maximum inflation pressure information found
on the tire. The Mazda recommended tire inflation pressure is found on
the Safety Compliance Certification Label or Tire Label which is located
on the B-Pillar or the edge of the driver’s door. Failure to follow the tire
pressure recommendations can cause uneven treadwear patterns and
adversely affect the way your vehicle handles.
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WARNING: Age
Tires degrade over time depending on many factors such as
weather, storage conditions, and conditions of use (load, speed,
inflation pressure, etc.) the tires experience throughout their
lives.
In general, tires should be replaced after six years regardless of
tread wear. However, heat caused by hot climates or frequent
high loading conditions can accelerate the aging process and
may require tires to be replaced more frequently.
You should replace your spare tire when you replace the road
tires or after six years due to aging even if it has not been
used.
U.S. DOT Tire Identification Number (TIN)
Both U.S. and Canada Federal regulations require tire manufacturers to
place standardized information on the sidewall of all tires. This
information identifies and describes the fundamental characteristics of
the tire and also provides a U.S. DOT Tire Identification Number for
safety standard certification and in case of a recall.
This begins with the letters “DOT” and indicates that the tire meets all
federal standards. The next two numbers or letters are the plant code
designating where it was manufactured, the next two are the tire size
code and the last four numbers represent the week and year the tire was
built. For example, the numbers 317 mean the 31st week of 1997. After
2000 the numbers go to four digits. For example, 2501 means the 25th
week of 2001. The numbers in between are identification codes used for
traceability. This information is used to contact customers if a tire defect
requires a recall.
Tire Replacement Requirements
Your vehicle is equipped with tires designed to provide a safe ride and
handling capability.
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WARNING: Only use replacement tires and wheels that are the
same size, load index, speed rating and type (such as P-metric
versus LT-metric or all-season versus all-terrain) as those
originally provided by Mazda. The recommended tire and wheel
size may be found on either the Safety Compliance Certification
Label or the Tire Label which is located on the B-Pillar or edge
of the driver’s door. If this information is not found on these
labels then you should consult your Mazda dealer. Use of any
tire or wheel not recommended by Mazda can affect the safety
and performance of your vehicle, which could result in an
increased risk of loss of vehicle control, vehicle rollover,
personal injury and death. Additionally the use of
non-recommended tires and wheels could cause steering,
suspension, axle or transfer case/power transfer unit failure. If
you have questions regarding tire replacement, see an
authorized dealer.
WARNING: When mounting replacement tires and wheels, you
should not exceed the maximum pressure indicated on the
sidewall of the tire to set the beads without additional
precautions listed below. If the beads do not seat at the
maximum pressure indicated, re-lubricate and try again.
When inflating the tire for mounting pressures up to 20 psi
greater than the maximum pressure on the tire sidewall, the
following precautions must be taken to protect the person
mounting the tire: 1. Make sure that you have the correct tire and wheel size.
2. Lubricate the tire bead and wheel bead seat area again.
3. Stand at a minimum of 12 feet away from the tire wheel assembly.
4. Use both eye and ear protection. For a mounting pressure more than 20 psi greater than the
maximum pressure, a Mazda Dealer or other tire service
professional should do the mounting.
Always inflate steel carcass tires with a remote air fill with
the person inflating standing at a minimum of 12 ft. away
from the tire wheel assembly.
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Important:Remember to replace the wheel valve stems when the road
tires are replaced on your vehicle.
It is recommended that the two front tires or two rear tires generally be
replaced as a pair.
The tire pressure 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.
If the TPMS indicator is flashing, your TPMS is malfunctioning. Your
replacement tire might be incompatible with your TPMS, or some
component of the TPMS may be damaged.
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.
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13.Maximum Permissible Inflation Pressure: Indicates the tire
manufacturers’ maximum permissible pressure and/or the pressure at
which the maximum load can be carried by the tire. This pressure is
normally higher than the manufacturer’s recommended cold inflation
pressure which can be found on the Safety Compliance Certification
Label or Tire Label which is located on the B-Pillar or the edge of
the driver’s door. The cold inflation pressure should never be set
lower than the recommended pressure on the vehicle label.
The tire suppliers may have additional markings, notes or warnings such
as standard load, radial tubeless, etc.
Additional information contained on the tire sidewall for “LT” type
tires
“LT” type tires have some additional
information beyond those of “P”
type tires; these differences are
described below: 1. LT: Indicates a tire, designated
by the Tire and Rim Association
(T&RA), that is intended for
service on light trucks.
2. Load Range/Load Inflation
Limits: Indicates the tire’s
load-carrying capabilities and its
inflation limits.
3. Maximum Load Dual lb. (kg)
at psi (kPa) cold: Indicates
the maximum load and tire
pressure when the tire is used as a dual; defined as four tires on the
rear axle (a total of six or more tires on the vehicle).
4. Maximum Load Single lb. (kg) at psi (kPa) cold: Indicates the
maximum load and tire pressure when the tire is used as a single;
defined as two tires (total) on the rear axle.
2008 Tribute (j14)
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