tow MAZDA MODEL TRIBUTE 2008 (in English) Owner's Guide
[x] Cancel search | Manufacturer: MAZDA, Model Year: 2008, Model line: MODEL TRIBUTE, Model: MAZDA MODEL TRIBUTE 2008Pages: 288, PDF Size: 3.9 MB
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Launching or retrieving a boat 
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. 
Exceeding these limits may allow water to enter critical vehicle 
components, adversely affecting driveability, emissions, reliability
and causing internal transmission damage. 
Replace the rear axle lubricant any time the axle has been 
submerged in water. Rear axle lubricant quantities are not to be
checked or changed unless a leak is suspected or repair required. 
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. Water entering these areas, while connected, could
short-circuit the system. 
RECREATIONAL TOWING 
An example of “recreational towing” is towing your vehicle behind a 
motorhome. 
If your vehicle is automatic transaxle equipped, with a 4x2 (front-wheel 
drive only) configured powertrain, “recreational towing” is permitted by
trailering the vehicle with its front wheels on a dolly. This protects the
transmission’s internal mechanical components from potential lack of
lubrication damage. 
If your vehicle is automatic transaxle equipped and 4WD (all-wheel 
drive), “recreational towing” is permitted only if the vehicle is trailered
with all four (4) wheels off the ground. Otherwise, no “recreational
towing” is permitted. 
If your vehicle is manual transaxle equipped and 2WD or 4WD, shifting 
the transaxle into neutral permits “flat-towing” (all wheels on the
ground) for pulling behind a motorhome. Your vehicle, with well
designed towing equipment, may be towed up to a speed of 113 km/h
(70 mph) but you should always obey local speed limits. 
For other towing requirements, refer to  Wrecker towingin theRoadside 
Emergencies  chapter.
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Tires, Wheels and Loading
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•Entering a snow-free road from a snow-covered side street, or vice 
versa. 
•  Entering a paved road from a gravel road, or vice versa. 
•  Driving on slick surfaces. 
•  Cornering while towing a heavily loaded trailer (refer to Trailer 
towing  in theTires, Wheels and Loading chapter.) 
Roll Stability Control  (RSC) 
The RSC system works in conjunction with the ESC system to help 
maintain roll stability of the vehicle during aggressive maneuvers by
applying brake force to one or more wheels. 
During Roll Stability Control  (RSC) events the “sliding car” icon in the 
instrument cluster will flash momentarily. 
Driving conditions that may activate ESC include:
•  Emergency lane-change 
•  Taking a turn too fast 
•  Quick maneuvering to avoid an accident, pedestrian or obstacle 
Electronic Stability Control (ESC) button and icon functionality
The ESC system automatically turns on each time the engine is started, 
even if it was turned off when the engine was last shut down. The
“sliding car” icon which is located with the warning lights in the
instrument cluster will illuminate during bulb check at initial start-up and
then go off. This tells you that the system is normal and active. All 
functions of the ESC system (RSC, DSC, and TCS) will be activated at
start up. When the system is left active, the “sliding car” icon will flash
only when any of the components of the system are affecting the
vehicle’s performance, otherwise the light will remain off. Consequently,
the “sliding car” icon will not be illuminated during most of your normal
driving. 
The ESC button, located on the 
center stack of the instrument
panel, allows the driver to control
certain features of the ESC system
below 25 mph (40 km/h). If the
vehicle is below 25 mph (40 km/h),
momentarily pressing the ESC button will disable RSC, DSC and Engine
Traction Control and steadily illuminate the “sliding car” icon. Pressing
and holding the ESC button for more than five seconds will further
disable the brake portion of the Traction Control feature and the “sliding
car” icon will flash momentarily and then illuminate steady.
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Driving
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D (Overdrive) 
The normal driving position for the 
best fuel economy. Transaxle
operates in gears one through four.
D (Overdrive) can be deactivated by
pressing the O/D OFF switch on the
side of the gearshift lever. This will
illuminate the O/D OFF light and
activate Drive. 
Drive (O/D OFF switch pressed) 
Drive is activated when the O/D OFF switch is pressed.
• This position allows for all forward gears except overdrive. 
•  O/D OFF light is illuminated. 
•  Provides engine braking. 
•  Use when driving conditions cause excessive shifting from O/D to 
other gears. Examples: city traffic, hilly terrain, heavy loads, trailer
towing and when engine braking is required. 
•  To return to O/D (overdrive mode), press the O/D OFF switch. The 
O/D OFF light will not be illuminated. 
•  O/D (Overdrive) is automatically returned each time the key is turned 
off. 
2 (Second)
This position allows for second gear only.
•  Provides engine braking. 
•  Use to start-up on slippery roads. 
•  To return to D (Overdrive), move the gearshift lever into the 
D (Overdrive) position. 
•  Selecting 2 (Second) at higher speeds will cause the transaxle to 
downshift to second gear at the appropriate vehicle speed.
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The high-current fuses are coded as follows.
Fuse/Relay Location  Fuse Amp 
Rating  Power Distribution Box 
Description 
A 80A Midi EPAS B 125A Midi SPDJB 1 15A* Heated mirror
2 30A** Rear defroster
3 20A** Rear power point (center console)
4 20A** Fuel pump
5 10A* Powertrain Control Module (PCM)  Keep Alive power 
6 15A* Alternator
7 10A* Reverse lamps
8 20A* Trailer tow parking lamps
9 50A** Anti-lock Brake System (ABS)
10 30A** Front wipers
11 30A** Starter
12 40A** Blower motor
13 10A* A/C clutch
14 15A* Trailer tow turn lamps
15 — Not used
16 40A** Cooling fan 1
17 40A** Cooling fan 2
18 20A** ABS solenoid
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Fuse/Relay Location  Fuse Amp 
Rating  Power Distribution Box 
Description 
19 30A** Power seats
20 — A/C clutch relay
21A — Rear defroster relay 21B — Not used
21C — Blower relay
21D — PCM relay 22 — Not used
23 — Not used
24 10A* PCM transmission
25 — Not used
26 10A* PCM mil
27 10A* PCM non-mil
28 15A* PCM
29 15A* Ignition coils
30A — Cooling fan 1 relay 30B — Starter relay
30C — Cooling fan main relay
30D — Cooling fan 2 relay 31A — Reverse lamp relay31B — Fuel pump relay
31C — Trailer tow left turn relay
31D — Trailer tow right turn relay 31E — Trailer tow park relay 31F — Not used 32 — A/C clutch diode
33 — PCM diode
34 — Start diode
35 10A* Reverse lamp relay, Speed control  module, Rear defrost relay 
36 — Not used
37 — Not used
* Mini fuse ** Cartridge fuse
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If you have a dissimilar spare tire/wheel, then it is intended for 
temporary use only. This means that if you need to use it, you should
replace it as soon as possible with a road tire/wheel that is the same size
and type as the road tires and wheels that were originally provided by
Mazda. If the dissimilar spare tire or wheel is damaged, it should be
replaced rather than repaired. 
A dissimilar spare tire/wheel is defined as a spare tire and/or wheel that 
is different in brand, size or appearance from the road tires and wheels
and can be one of three types: 1.  T-type mini-spare: This spare tire begins with the letter “T” for tire 
size and may have “Temporary Use Only” molded in the sidewall 
2.  Full-size dissimilar spare with label on wheel: This spare tire 
has a label on the wheel that states: “THIS TIRE AND WHEEL FOR
TEMPORARY USE ONLY” 
When driving with one of the dissimilar spare tires listed above,  do not: 
•  Exceed 50 mph (80 km/h) 
•  Load the vehicle beyond maximum vehicle load rating listed on the 
Safety Compliance Label 
•  Tow a trailer 
•  Use snow chains on the end of the vehicle with the dissimilar spare 
tire 
•  Use more than one dissimilar spare tire at a time 
•  Use commercial car washing equipment 
•  Try to repair the dissimilar spare tire 
Use of one of the dissimilar spare tires listed above at any one wheel 
location can lead to impairment of the following: 
•  Handling, stability and braking performance 
•  Comfort and noise 
•  Ground clearance and parking at curbs 
•  Winter weather driving capability 
•  Wet weather driving capability 
For vehicles equipped with 4WD, it is not recommended that the vehicle 
be operated in 4WD modes with a temporary emergency spare tire. If
4WD operation is necessary, do not operate above speeds of 10 mph
(16 km/h) or for distances above 50 miles (80 km).
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3.Full-size dissimilar spare without label on wheel 
When driving with the full-size dissimilar spare tire/wheel,  do not: 
•  Exceed 70 mph (113 km/h) 
•  Use more than one dissimilar spare tire/wheel at a time 
•  Use commercial car washing equipment 
•  Use snow chains on the end of the vehicle with the dissimilar spare 
tire/wheel 
The usage of a full-size dissimilar spare tire/wheel can lead to 
impairment of the following: 
•  Handling, stability and braking performance 
•  Comfort and noise 
•  Ground clearance and parking at curbs 
•  Winter weather driving capability 
•  Wet weather driving capability 
•  All-Wheel driving capability (if applicable) 
•  Load leveling adjustment (if applicable) 
When driving with the full-size dissimilar spare tire/wheel additional 
caution should be given to: 
•  Towing a trailer 
•  Driving vehicles equipped with a camper body 
•  Driving vehicles with a load on the cargo rack 
Drive cautiously when using a full-size dissimilar spare tire/wheel and 
seek service as soon as possible.
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WARNING: To lessen the risk of personal injury, do not put any 
part of your body under the vehicle while changing a tire. Do
not start the engine when your vehicle is on the jack. The jack
is only meant for changing the tire. 4. Remove the lug nuts with the lug nut wrench. 
5. Replace the flat tire with the spare tire, making sure the valve stem  is facing outward. Reinstall lug nuts until the wheel is snug against 
the hub. Do not fully tighten the lug nuts until the wheel has been
lowered. 
6. Lower the wheel by turning the jack handle counterclockwise. 
7. Remove the jack and fully  tighten the lug nuts in the order
shown. Refer to  Wheel lug nut 
torque specifications  later in 
this chapter for the proper lug
nut torque specification. 
Stowing the jack and tools 
•  Make sure the jack is fully 
lowered. 
•  Reclip the tools onto the jack 
making sure that the tools are
fully contained by the clips as
shown. 
•  Reinstall the jack in the pocket 
with the left side first, then snap
the right side down. 
•  Ensure that the hold-strap 
contains the jack and tools before snapping the buckle. 
•  Ensure that the jack and tools are oriented as illustrated. 
Stowing the flat/spare tire 
Note:  Failure to follow spare tire stowage instructions may result in 
failure of cable or loss of spare tire.
1 
4 
3 
2 
5
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If you are stowing a tire that requires reattaching it to the 
vehicle with a tether, perform these steps first, then proceed with 
the steps following. 1. Place tire on end with valve  stem 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 center
cap. 
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 Mazda 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. (Make sure that the tire does not contact
the bumper.) 
WARNING: Failure to stow the spare tire may result in the 
failure of the winch cable and the loss of the spare tire. A loose
tire on the highway is a very dangerous object to other people
on the road. Check to be sure the tire is firmly mounted; go to
an authorized dealer to have it re-mounted if you have any
doubt about spare tire security.
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WRECKER TOWING
If you need to have your vehicle towed, contact a professional towing 
service or, if you are a member of a roadside assistance program, your
roadside assistance service provider. 
It is recommended that your vehicle be towed with a wheel lift and 
dollies or flatbed equipment. Do not tow with a slingbelt. Mazda has not
approved a slingbelt towing procedure. 
On FWD vehicles, if your vehicle is to be towed from the front, ensure 
proper wheel lift equipment is used to raise the front wheels off the
ground. The rear wheels can be left on the ground when towed in this
fashion. 
If your vehicle is to be towed from the rear using wheel lift equipment, it 
is required that the front wheels (drive wheels) be placed on a dolly to 
prevent damage to the automatic transaxle. 
On 4WD vehicles, it is  requiredthat your vehicle be towed with a wheel 
lift and dollies or flatbed equipment with all the wheels off the ground.
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