mazda tribute wheels and tyres

As an old Triibute owner, I think the dealer has taken the cheap way, just like Mazda has done with your spare, which is really a Gloryfied run flat, totally useless.

We bought the top of the range, and the dealer claimed that full sized 235 spare would not fit in the tray.. We insisted he supply the correct spare and just load it on delivery in the cargo area. Needless to say the full size spare with minor mods would travel in the boot.

Now to your problem, I have a Tribute parts CD, and it shows no changes in any of the areas that you have mentioned. Also if you study the Escape, same car really and in RHD come out of the same factory, they too have the same parts.

The Tribute Limited, has a brother that was introduced for marketing purposes, it was called the sport, it too came the distributor with mags on, but even though they were Mazda mags, they did not have the same spoke profile. I believe Mazda bought these in bulk and fitted them here.

I suggest that you get your tyre dealer, to fit one tyre to the front and whilst it is on the hoist, check the clearances. I can see no reason for them to foul. Or you could ask the Maxda dealer to show in the parts CD, where the parts are different, because I cannot find any changes.

I suspect the dealer has done the tyre change on the cheap, if you check your spare you will find that whilst it may be 215, the tread pattern is low, and it should be marked, speed linited to 80 KMPH.

Regards

Col Tigwell

Thanks Col
I thought they had did something shifty.
I will take on your suggestion and speak to a tyre retailer.
I smell a rat when I speak with the mazda people.
Tell me how to obtain a tribute parts CD.

My CD has already gone to a good home.

If you find a friendly parts man at a Mazda dealership, that is the only way you will get one.

Ask him when he gets a new issue, if you can have his old one.

Beware use a Ford dealer as a source of parts, only in an emergency. There prices are out of this world. Mazda oil filters for example are only 40% of the price of the ford ones. Also the Mazda filter removal tool, does not fit the motorcraft one off the excape.

DO NOT UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES, use a auto transmission fluid which is better quality than standard. We used synthetic oil in ours from new, with both the blessing of Mazda and the dealer.

At 24,000 kms both clutch packs failed, and luckly Maxda remembered the inquirey and changed out the transmission under warranty.

The Tribute has a FORD CD4 transmission in them, and my source in the USA, states that they are only just a transmission.

Regards

Col Tigwell

The Dealer put the product in after consultation with Mazda. I do not know whose and what it was.

I was told by a contact I made with Ford USA, that the CD4 transmission is not to use synthetic oil at all.

The dealer claimed he did not know that it was a Ford transmission.

I would not have purchased the car, if I had been told of this situation.

Whole situation left a bad tast in my mouth.

Regards

Col

Hi Domino. What does the tyre placard say? By my calcs there's 4% increase in diameter going to the 235s (and a 28mm increase, over the 15mm limit depending what state). Might have to recalibrate your speedo perhaps too.