warning light 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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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
following two conditions: (1) This device may not cause harmful
interference, and (2) This device must accept any interference received,
including interference that may cause undesired operation. WARNING: The Tire Pressure Monitoring System is NOT a 
substitute for manually checking tire pressure. The tire
pressure should be checked periodically (at least monthly)
using a tire gauge, see  Inflating your tiresin this chapter. 
Failure to properly maintain your tire pressure could increase
the risk of tire failure, loss of control, vehicle rollover and
personal injury. 
Changing tires with TPMS 
Each road tire is equipped with 
a tire pressure sensor fastened
to the inside rim of the wheel.
The pressure sensor is covered
by the tire and is not visible
unless the tire is removed. The
pressure sensor is located
opposite (180 degrees) from the
valve stem. Care must be taken
when changing the tire to avoid
damaging the sensor.
It is recommended that you always
have your tires serviced by an
authorized dealer. 
The tire pressure should be checked 
periodically (at least monthly) using
an accurate tire gauge, refer to 
Inflating your tires  in this chapter. 
Understanding your Tire Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS) 
The Tire Pressure Monitoring System measures pressure in your four 
road tires and sends the tire pressure readings to your vehicle. The Low
Tire Warning Lamp will turn ON if the tire pressure is significantly low.
Once the light is illuminated, your tires are under inflated and need to be
inflated to the manufacturer’s recommended tire pressure. Even if the 
light turns ON and a short time later turns OFF, your tire pressure still
needs to be checked.
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Low Tire Pressure 
Warning Light Possible cause Customer Action Required 
Solid Warning Light Tire(s)  under-inflated 1. Check your tire pressure to 
ensure tires are properly
inflated; refer to 
Inflating 
your tires  in this chapter. 
2. After inflating your tires to
the manufacturer’s
recommended inflation
pressure as shown on the Tire
Label (located on the edge of
driver’s door or the B-Pillar),
the vehicle must be driven for
at least two minutes over
20 mph (32 km/h) before the
light will turn OFF. 
Spare tire in use Your temporary spare tire is in  use. Repair the damaged road
wheel/tire and reinstall it on
the vehicle to restore system
functionality. For a description
on how the system functions,
refer to When your temporary 
spare tire is installed  in this 
section. 
TPMS 
malfunction  If your tires are properly 
inflated and your spare tire is
not in use and the light
remains ON, have the system
inspected by your authorized
dealer.
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Low Tire Pressure 
Warning Light Possible cause Customer Action Required 
Flashing Warning 
Light  Spare tire in use Your temporary spare tire is in 
use. Repair the damaged road
wheel and re-mount it on the
vehicle to restore system
functionality. For a description
of how the system functions
under these conditions, refer to
When your temporary spare
tire is installed in this section. 
TPMS 
malfunction  If your tires are properly 
inflated and your spare tire is
not in use and the TPMS
warning light still flashes, have
the system inspected by your
authorized dealer. 
When inflating your tires 
When putting air into your tires (such as at a gas station or in your 
garage), the Tire Pressure Monitoring System may not respond
immediately to the air added to your tires. 
It may take up to two minutes of driving over 20 mph (32 km/h) for the 
light to turn OFF after you have filled your tires to the recommended
inflation pressure. 
How temperature affects your tire pressure 
The Tire Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS) monitors tire pressure in 
each pneumatic tire. While driving in a normal manner, a typical
passenger tire inflation pressure may increase approximately 2 to 4 psi
(14 to 28 kPa) from a cold start situation. If the vehicle is stationary
over night with the outside temperature significantly lower than the
daytime temperature, the tire pressure may decrease approximately 3 psi
(20.7 kPa) for a drop of 30° F (16.6°C) in ambient temperature. This
lower pressure value may be detected by the TPMS as being significantly
lower than the recommended inflation pressure and activate the TPMS
warning for low tire pressure. If the low tire pressure warning light is
ON, visually check each tire to verify that no tire is flat. (If one or more
tires are flat, repair as necessary.) Check air pressure in the road tires.
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Hitches 
Do not use hitches that clamp onto the vehicle bumper. Use a load 
carrying hitch. You must distribute the load in your trailer so that
10–15% of the total weight of the trailer is on the tongue. 
Safety chains 
Always connect the trailer’s safety chains to the frame or hook retainers 
of the vehicle hitch. To connect the trailer’s safety chains, cross the 
chains under the trailer tongue and allow slack for turning corners. 
If you use a rental trailer, follow the instructions that the rental agency 
gives to you. 
Do not attach safety chains to the bumper. 
Trailer brakes 
Electric, manual, automatic or surge-type brakes, if compatible with the 
vehicle, are safe if installed properly and adjusted to the manufacturer’s
specifications. The trailer brakes must meet local and Federal
regulations. WARNING: Do not connect a trailer’s hydraulic brake system 
directly to your vehicle’s brake system. Your vehicle may not
have enough braking power and your chances of having a
collision greatly increase. 
The braking system of the tow vehicle is rated for operation at the 
GVWR not GCWR. 
Trailer lamps 
Trailer lamps are required on most towed vehicles. Make sure all running 
lights, brake lights, turn signals and hazard lights are working. Do not
connect trailer lamps directly to your vehicle’s tail lamps. This can cause
damage to your vehicle’s electrical system. See your authorized Mazda
dealer or trailer rental agency for proper instructions and equipment for
hooking up trailer lamps. 
Driving while you tow 
When towing a trailer:
•  Keep your speed no faster than 70 mph (112 km/h) during the first 
500 miles (800 km) of towing a trailer, and don’t make full throttle
starts.
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STARTING 
Positions of the ignition 1. LOCK, locks the gearshift lever  and steering column and allows
key removal. 
2. ACCESSORY, allows the  electrical accessories such as
the radio to operate while the
engine is not running. 
3. RUN, all electrical circuits  operational and warning lights
will illuminate. This is the
position the key is in when you’re driving. 
4. START, cranks the engine. Release the key as soon as the engine  starts. 
Preparing to start your vehicle 
Engine starting is controlled by the powertrain control system. 
Note:  This system meets all Canadian Interference-Causing Equipment 
standard requirements regulating the impulse electrical field strength of
radio noise. 
When starting a fuel-injected engine, avoid pressing the accelerator 
before or during starting. Only use the accelerator when you have
difficulty starting the engine. For more information on starting the
vehicle, refer to  Starting the engine in this chapter. 
WARNING: Extended idling at high engine speeds can produce 
very high temperatures in the engine and exhaust system,
creating the risk of fire or other damage. 
WARNING: Do not park, idle, or drive your vehicle in dry grass 
or other dry ground cover. The emission system heats up the
engine compartment and exhaust system, which can start a fire. 
WARNING: Do not start your vehicle in a closed garage or in 
other enclosed areas. Exhaust fumes can be toxic. Always open
the garage door before you start the engine. See  Guarding 
against exhaust fumes  in this chapter for more instructions.
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•Make sure the gearshift is in 
P (Park). 
If starting a vehicle with a manual 
transmission: 
•  Make sure the parking brake is 
set. 
•  Push the clutch pedal to the 
floor. 
3. Turn the key to 3 (ON) without  turning the key to 4 (START). 
Some warning lights will briefly illuminate. See  Warning lights and 
chimes  in theInstrument Cluster chapter for more information 
regarding the warning lights.
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BRAKES 
Occasional brake noise is normal. If a metal-to-metal, continuous grinding 
or continuous squeal sound is present, the brake linings may be worn-out
and should be inspected by an authorized dealer. If the vehicle has
continuous vibration or shudder in the steering wheel while braking, the
vehicle should be inspected by an authorized dealer. 
Refer to Brake system warning 
light  in the Instrument Cluster 
chapter for information on the brake
system warning light. 
Four-wheel anti-lock brake system (ABS) 
Since your vehicle is equipped with an Anti-lock Braking System (ABS), 
a noise from the hydraulic pump motor and pulsation in the pedal may
be observed during ABS braking events. Pedal pulsation coupled with
noise while braking under panic conditions or on loose gravel, bumps,
wet or snowy roads is normal and indicates proper functioning of the
vehicle’s anti-lock brake system. 
NOTE:  The ABS performs a self-check after you start the engine and 
begin to drive away. 
A brief mechanical noise may be heard during this test. This is normal. If 
a malfunction is found, the ABS warning light will come on. If the vehicle
has continuous vibration or shudder in the steering wheel while braking,
the vehicle should be inspected by an authorized dealer. 
The ABS operates by detecting the 
onset of wheel lockup during brake
applications and compensates for
this tendency. The wheels are
prevented from locking even when
the brakes are firmly applied. The
accompanying illustration depicts
the advantage of an ABS equipped
vehicle (on bottom) to a non-ABS
equipped vehicle (on top) during hard braking with loss of front braking
traction. 
WARNING: The Anti-Lock system does not decrease the time 
necessary to apply the brakes or always reduce stopping
distance. Always leave enough room between your vehicle and
the vehicle in front of you to stop.
P!
BRAKE
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Using ABS 
When hard braking is required, apply continuous force on the brake 
pedal; do not pump the brake pedal since this will reduce the
effectiveness of the ABS and will increase your vehicle’s stopping
distance. The ABS will be activated immediately, allowing you to retain
steering control during hard braking and on slippery surfaces. However,
the ABS does not decrease stopping distance. 
ABS warning lamp 
The ABS lamp in the instrument 
cluster momentarily illuminates
when the ignition is turned on. If
the light does not illuminate during
start up, remains on or flashes, the
ABS may be disabled and may need to be serviced. 
Even when the ABS is disabled, 
normal braking is still effective. (If
your BRAKE warning lamp
illuminates with the parking brake
released, have your brake system
serviced immediately by an authorized dealer.) 
Parking brake 
Apply the parking brake whenever 
the vehicle is parked. To set the
parking brake, press the parking
brake pedal down until the pedal
stops. 
The BRAKE warning lamp in the 
instrument cluster illuminates and
remains illuminated (when the
ignition is turned ON) until the
parking brake is released.
ABS
P!
BRAKE
P!
BRAKE
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WARNING: Always set the parking brake fully and make sure 
that the gearshift is securely latched in P (Park) (automatic
transmission) or in 1 (First) (manual transmission). 
NOTE:  The parking brake is not recommended to stop a moving vehicle. 
However, if the normal brakes fail, the parking brake can be used to stop
your vehicle in an emergency. Since the parking brake applies only the
rear brakes, the vehicle’s stopping distance will increase greatly and the
handling of your vehicle will be adversely affected. 
Pull the release lever to release the 
brake. 
Driving with the parking brake 
on will cause the brakes to wear
out quickly and reduce fuel
economy. 
ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC) SYSTEM 
The Electronic Stability Control (ESC) system provides stability 
enhancement features such as Roll Stability Control  (RSC), Dynamic 
Stability Control (DSC) and Traction Control (TCS) for certain driving
situations. The system includes an on/off button, and a “sliding car” icon
in the instrument cluster. 
Some drivers may notice a slight movement of the brake pedal when the 
ESC system performs a system self-check. During ESC system operation
you may experience the following: 
•  A rumble, grunting, or grinding noise after startup and when driving 
off 
•  A slight deceleration of the vehicle 
•  The ESC system indicator light will flash when the system is activated. 
•  If your foot is on the brake pedal, you will feel a vibration in the 
pedal.
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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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