231 of the
2,831 complaints filed about the Mazda Tribute
are about the transmission —
8% of everything owners reported.
The worst model year for it is 2001.
231
Complaints
8%
Share of all complaints
5
Crashes
0
Fires
Transmission & Drivetrain complaints by model year
The contact owns a 2002 Mazda Tribute. The contact stated that the check engine warning light was illuminated. Additionally, the contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the transmission was shifting erratically and made an abnormal rumbling sound. The contact stated that the vehicle hesitated to respond and was jerking upon depressing the accelerator pedal. The contact who is an independent mechanic had replaced the transmission speed sensor, the transmission shift position sensor, the vehicle speed sensor, the shift solenoid block, the transmission fluid, the transmission clutch solenoid, and the wheel speed sensor; however, the failure persisted. The contact used an OBD scanner and retrieved DTC codes indicating that the ABS wiring was overheating. The contact later became aware that the VIN was included in NHTSA Campaign Number: 12V016000 (Service Brakes, Hydraulic). The vehicle was taken to the dealer for the recall repair; however, the dealer bypassed the ABS module. The contact stated that while driving 40 MPH to the residence after the repair, the failure recurred. The contact stated that the recall repair did not involve bypassing the ABS module. The dealer was contacted, but no further assistance was provided. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, and several cases were opened; however, no assistance was provided. The failure mileage was approximately 162,000.
NHTSA complaint #11556495 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
AutoZone said that the part is called steering angle sensor and is locking up my car I am not able to press the gas as it only accelerates the engine and nothing else and the steering wheel lock I usually have my car turn on in the middle of traffic the part number they gave me is SU14859
NHTSA complaint #11486133 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
The contact owned a 2002 Mazda Tribute. The contact stated that while driving at 30 mph, a pop noise was heard, the vehicle had unintended acceleration; the engine revved and sped up to 80 - 90 mph, inadvertently, and the brakes failed to engage after the contact had depressed with both feet on the brake pedal. The contact made a turn into a park and the vehicle slid, then crashed into a tree. There was smoke coming from under the hood and the contact turned off the vehicle before exiting and walking until she got assistance from a bystander, who called the police. A police report was filed. The contact did not receive medical attention at the scene but later went to the emergency room for injuries sustained with six broken ribs. The vehicle was towed to a tow yard. The dealer and manufacturer were not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 230,000.
NHTSA complaint #11433315 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
2008 MAZDA TRIBUTE, ALL SCHEDULED MAINTENANCE DONE ON TIME. AT 118,110 MILES TRANSMISSION WENT OUT WITHIN A DAY NO WARNING. THE TRIBUTE, JUST STARTED LOSING POWER ON MY WAY HOME, THEN IN MY DRIVEWAY WOULD GO INTO ANY OF THE AUTOMATIC GEARS.
NHTSA complaint #11386250 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
I WAS DRIVING AROUND 50MPH AND COMNG UP TO A STOP LIGHT, AS I BEGAN TO SLOW DOWN IN THE LEFT TURNING LANE FOR THE RED LIGHT GOING LEFT, MY TRIBUTE SUDDENLY STALLED.THE LIGHT THEN OF COURSE TURNED GREEN AND THIS WAS NOT GOOD, CAUSE ALL THE CARS COMING UP FROM BEHIND ME WERE NOW INTENDING TO NO SLOW DOWN AND BEGIN TO SPEED UP, TO CARRY ON THROUGH THE VERY BUSY INTERSECTION. WHICH ALMOST CREATED A PILE UP, BEGINNING AT MY REAR BUMPER, OR ANOTHER SUDDEN COLLISION NEAR BY. LUCKILY ALL THE CARS HAD EITHER SWERVED AROUND MINE, OR MANAGED TO STOP BEHIND ME. I THEN PUT MINE IN PARK AND TRIED TO START IT, THE ENGINE STARTED BUT I WAS UNABLE TO SHIFT OUT OF PARK. SO I SHUT IT OFF, PUT IT IN NEUTRAL AND TRIED STARTING IT, IT STARTED AND SHIFTED OUT OF PARK BUT WOULD NOT MOVE WHILE IN DRIVE. SO I TRIED IN ONE OF THE LOWER GEARS AND IT VERY SLOWLY, ABOUT 5 MPH BEGAN TO MOVE, GETTING ME OFF THE MAJOR ST AND ON TO A SIDE STREET. I THEN CHECKED REVERSE, WHICH WORKED JUST FINE AND ALLOWED ME TO PULL INTO A NEARBY STORE TO WAIT FOR A TOW TRUCK. I PUT IT IN PARK AND SHUT IT OFF, TOO WAIT FOR IT TO BE TOWED HOME. THE NEXT DAY I TRIED TO USE IT, BUT STILL NOTHING IN DRIVE, NO CHECK ENGINE LIGHT AND ITS BEEN PARKED EVER SINCE, ABOUT 5 MONTHS NOW.
NHTSA complaint #11365995 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
CAR STALLED WHEN SLOWING TO STOP IN LEFT TURNING LANE DOING AROUND 45MPH, APPROACHING THE LIGHT IN A BUSY INTERSECTION AND VEHICLES APPROACHING MINE FROM BEHIND. IT WOULD NO LONGER START IN PARK OR MOVE IN DRIVE, TO GET OUR OF THE WAY AND OFF THE STREET I HAD TO WAIT AND THE MOVE IT IN REVERSE. GOT TOWED HOME AND IT STILL SITS.
NHTSA complaint #11365999 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
I WAS COMING UP TO A STOP LIGHT AND AS I SLOWED DOWN MY 03 MAZDA TRIBUTE STALLED, LEAVING ME STOPPED IN THE MIDDLE OF 5 LANES. AS THE LIGHT WAS TURNING GREEN & THE CARS NEARING MY REAR, HAD TO SWERVE AROUND TO AVOID A COLLISION. I HAD PLACED MY SHIFTER INTO PARK AND WAS ABLE TO RESTART MY VEHICLE, BUT IT STILL WOULD NOT MOVE AFTER SHIFTING INTO D(DRIVE). SO I SHIFTED INTO ONE OF THE LOWER GEARS, TO SLOWLY GET OFF THE STREET AND INTO THE NEAREST PARKING LOT. I PARKED AND SHUT MY VEHICLE OFF, MADE SURE ALL WAS INTACT THEN RESTARTING MY VEHICLE. I SHIFTED INTO R(REVERSE) AND BACKED UP NORMALLY, I THEN SHIFTED INTO D(DRIVE) BUT MY CAR ONLY ROLLED AS THOUGH IT WAS IN N(NEUTRAL). SO I SHIFTED INTO R(REVERSE), BACKED DIRECTLY INTO MY PARKING SPACE AND CALLED MY ROADSIDE ASSIST. TO BE TOWED HOME.
NHTSA complaint #11319553 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
AFTER DRIVING AROUND FOR ABOUT AN HOUR, I STOPPED AT A STORE AND AFTER THAT THE VEHICLE WOULDN'T EXCEL CORRECTLY. VEHICLE WOULDN'T SHIFT INTO 2ND OR 4TH GEARS. SHOP SAID IT WAS A 2/4 BELT OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT WHICH HAD TO BE REPLACED. THEY HAD CALLED MAZDA TO DETERMINE WHICH TRANSMISSION MY VEHICLE HAD, THANKFULLY IT WAS THE ONE THAT COULD BE REPLACED WITHOUT TEARING DOWN THE WHOLE TRANSMISSION. SOUNDS LIKE THIS WAS A COMMON ISSUE FOR THIS TRANSMISSION.
NHTSA complaint #11310716 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
GOT IN CAR TO DRIVE MONDAY 02/03/2020 MORNING, CAR WAS EXTREMELY HARD TO TURN. ABLE TO DRIVE VEHICLE BUT TURNING IS EXTREMELY HARD. TOOK IT TO MECHANIC AND THEN TO AUTOZONE TO PRICE PART AND WAS TOLD THIS VEHICLE WAS PART OF A RECALL. I CALLED MAZDA AND WAS TOLD RECALL WAS NO LONGER OPEN, WAS CLOSED IN 2014. THE RECALL IS WHAT IS WRONG WITH MY VEHICLE. I HAVE CALLED MAZDA WITH NO RESOLUTION, IS THERE ANY WAY TO MAKE THEM RESPONSIBLE FOR THIS ISSUE, SINCE THERE WAS A RECALL FOR IT, MINE JUST DID NOT HAVE ISSUE IN THAT TIME FRAME.
NHTSA complaint #11307511 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
MY 2008 TRIBUTE HAS HAD 3 TRANSMISSIONS REPLACED BEFORE THE 4TH WAS A BRAND NEW TRANSMISSION THAT WAS PUT IN. LAST NIGHT MY TRIBUTE WAS IN PARK AND KEYS OUT OF THE IGNITION AND IT ROLLED DOWN MY DRIVEWAY OUT IN TO THE MIDDLE OF THE ROAD. MY HUSBAND WAS ABLE TO GET OUT OF THE WAY BEFORE IT RAN OVER HIM. HE PULLED IT BACK IN THE DRIVEWAY AND SET THE PARKING BRAKE. IT ROLLED DOWN THE DRIVEWAY AGAIN. THIS DEATH TRAP OF A VEHICLE IS LISTED IN ONE OF THE RECALLS ON THE SHIFT LINKAGE. MY TRANSMISSIONS WERE REPLACED IN KILLEEN, TEXAS IN 2012. THE 3RD REBUILT TRANSMISSION WAS INSTALLED AND PULLED RIGHT BACK OUT. THAT'S HOW THE DEALERSHIP WAS ABLE TO REPLACE IT WITH A BRAND NEW ONE. LAST NIGHT MY HUSBAND PULLED IN FORWARD INTO ARE DRIVEWAY AND PUT THE SUV IN PARK, TURNED IT OFF, AND GOT OUT OF THE SUV AND WENT TO GET A CEILING FAN BOX OUT OF THE BACK AND HE FELT THE SUV ROLLING BACK ON HIM. HE THANKFULLY WAS ABLE TO MOVE TO THE SIDE AS IT ROLLED BACK OUT OF OUR DRIVEWAY TO THE MIDDLE OF OUR STREET. HE GOT THE KEYS FROM ME AND DROVE IT BACK INTO OUR DRIVEWAY AND SET THE PARKING BREAK. WE WALKED OUT FRONT THIS MORNING AND IT ROLLED BACK DOWN TO THE BOTTOM OF OUR DRIVEWAY. HE PUT CHALK BLOCKS BEHIND THE TIRES AND SET THE PARK BACK BRAKE AGAIN. MY HUSBAND IS AN ACTIVE DUTY SOLDIER. WE BOUGHT THE SUV WHILE WE WERE STATIONED AT FT. HOOD AND NOW WE ARE STATIONED AT FT. CARSON IN COLORADO SPRINGS, COLORADO. I'M LEAVING HIS CONTACT INFORMATION FOR YOU. I WILL ALSO INCLUDE MY RING DOORBELL VIDEO FROM LAST NIGHT. THANK YOU, [XXX] MY HUSBAND [XXX] MY EMAIL ([XX] HUSBAND'S EMAIL [XXX]. LINK FROM RING DOORBELL : [XXX] VIN # [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *CC
NHTSA complaint #11182140 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
STEERING WHEEL VIOLENTLY JERKS & VIBRATES WHILE DRIVING AND IN IDLE. STEERING COLUMN / WHEEL MAKES A GRINDING NOISE WHEN IT JERKS & VIBRATES. ACCELERATOR PEDAL STICKS, ESPECIALLY IN COLDER WEATHER, MAKING IT HARD TO CONTROL VEHICLE...IE ACCELERATING TO GET ONTO A HIGHWAY OR EVEN COMING OUT OF A SIDE STREET ONTO A MAIN ROAD. RECALL FOR ELECTRIC POWER ASSIST SYSTEM WAS "FIXED" BY MAZDA IN 2018, BUT I FEEL A MAJOR PROBLEM STILL EXISTS. THIS IS A DANGEROUS MIX FOR DRIVING SAFELY. I AM FEARFUL OF DRIVING THIS VEHICLE DUE TO THE FACT THAT I CANNOT ACCELERATE PROPERLY OR HOLD ONTO MY WHEEL WITHOUT IT JERKING.
NHTSA complaint #11181117 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
TAKATA RECALL, LIGHT CONTINUES TO FLASH WHILE DRIVING AND SITTING IN PARK, GOING DOWN THE HIGHWAY OR CITY STREETS.DRIVING DOWN THE HIGHWAY THE CAR STOPPED PULLING WITH TRAFFIC SPEED OF 65 MPH HAD TO MANEUVER OFF THE HIGHWAY. WOULDN'T PULL IN ANY GEAR, SHIFTER ONLY HAD ONE GEAR IT WOULD SIT IN WILL SLIDE FROM NEUTRAL TO DRIVE 2. COST $224.00 TO TOW WHICH I HAD TO BORROW.
NHTSA complaint #11114420 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
THIS INVOLVES MY DRIVERS SIDE DOOR THAT CAN NO LONGER BE OPENED BY MY REMOTE..IT ALL STARTED AFTER GETTING A NEW BATTERY INSTALLED..ALL THE OTHER DOORS ON MY SUV OPEN AND LOCK WITH THE REMOTE. THE DRIVERS SIDE DOOR IS THE ONLY DOOR THAT I HAVE TO USE MY CAR KEY TO OPEN. THERE MUST BE SOME DEFECT. I'VE READ THAT OTHERS WHO HAVE MAZDA TRIBUTES HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM AFTER A NEW BATTERY IS INSTALLED.
NHTSA complaint #11109964 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
I'M DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD AND WHEN TRYING TO RIDE IN 5TH GEAR SINCE ITS A MANUAL TRANSMISSION IT KEEPS POPPING OUT OF 5TH GEAR EVERY TIME I'M DRIVING DOWN HIGHWAY NO MATTER WHAT I'M DOING I GO TO PUT IN 5TH GEAR AND IT POPS BACK OUT EVERY TIME UNLESS I HOLD THE GEAR SHIFT IN PLACE....I JUST HAD BOUGHT THIS VEHICLE T SWARTZ AUTO SALES IN HARRISONBURG VA AND I BROUGHT IT TO THEIR ATTENTION FOR WHICH THEY'RE NOT WANTING TO HELP ON THIS ISSUE EVEN THOUGH I HAVE JUST GOTTEN IT LITERALLY LAST WEEK N ONLY HAVE PUT MAYBE 250 MILES AND NOT ONLY THAT THE FIRST DAY I BOUGHT IT BROUGHT IT UP HOME WASHED IT UP I THEN REALIZED THAT THE TIRES ARE DRY ROTTED WHICH I HAVE ATTACHED PICTURES IT HAS AN INSPECTION STICKER STATING ITS GOOD TIL MARCH 18 NOT SURE HOW THESE TIRES EVEN PASSED INSPECTION I TOOK TO MY REGULAR MECHANIC AND HE ADVISED ME THAT THEY SHOULDN'T HAVE BEEN PASSED. AND WHILE TAKING OFF IN 1ST GEAR ITS A RATTLING OR MORE LIKE A SQUEEKING TO IT? COULD YOU PLEASE LET ME KNOW WHAT I CAN DO ABOUT THESE ISSUES AND ALSO MAYBE THE TRANSMISSION IS NO GOOD? IT DOES HAVE A RECALL ON IT WHICH I WILL ATTACH THAT AS WELL THANK YOU
NHTSA complaint #11012892 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
WHILE DRIVING I STOPPED AT A STOP SING, WHEN I WENT TO TAKE OFF THE VEHICLE STARTED ROLLING BACKWARDS. I STOPPED TURNED OFF THE CAR. THEN WHEN I STARTED IT AGAIN AND PUT IT IN REVERSE IT WENT FORWARDS. WHEN I PUT IT IN DRIVE IT WAS IN NEUTRAL, AND NATURAL WAS REVERSE. AFTER TURNING IT OFF AGAIN AND RESTARTING IT ALL GEAR POSITIONS DID NOT FUNCTION AND ACTED AS IF THEY WERE IN NEUTRAL. NOW EVERY TIME I TRY TO PUT IT IN A GEAR IT MAY BE THE RIGHT GEAR AND SOMETIMES ITS NOT AND SOME TIMES IT JUMPS TO NEUTRAL OUT OF NO WHERE. THERE IS A RECALL ON THIS EXACT ISSUE, WHEN I CONTACTED MAZDA I WAS INFORMED THAT MY CAR WAS NOT COVERED IN THE RECALL AND THERE WAS NOTHING THEY WOULD ABOUT IT.
NHTSA complaint #10945222 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
VEHICLE WITH ODOMETER ~102500 MILES LOST ALL POWER CLIMBING A BRIDGE AT HIGHWAY SPEED CAUSING FOLLOWING TRAFFIC TO STOP ABRUPTLY. ENGINE RE-STARTED BUT RUNS ROUGH DUE TO MISFIRE, ACCELERATES POORLY. DIAGNOSED BY MAZDA DEALER AS PCM FAILURE. ESTIMATED REPLACEMENT COST = $2600 USD WHICH MAKES THIS FAILURE A TOTAL LOSS OF THIS VEHICLE. THIS IS A WIDELY KNOWN AND EXPERIENCED ISSUE AMONG 2001 - 2006 MAZDA TRIBUTES FOR THIS FORD MANUFACTURED ENGINE. SIDE NOTE, CLASS ACTION SUIT FILED AGAINST FORD MOTOR COMPANY FOR SAME ISSUES WITH 5.1L ENGINES.
NHTSA complaint #10935207 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ELECTRONIC THROTTLE BODY FAILURE. THE SUV CONSIDERS THE THROTTLE BODY TO BE CLOSED. ITS CLEAN AS A WHISTLE AND CAN BE MOVED WITHOUT ANY PROBLEMS. FORD ESCAPES HAVE THIS PROBLEM AND USE THE SAME PART. ITS COVERED UNDER A WARRANTY. THIS PROBLEM CAUSES THE CAR TO GO INTO LIMP MODE AND LOSE ALL POWER WHILE TRAVELING AT ANY SPEED. COULD BE DANGEROUS FOR ME AND MY FAMILY.
NHTSA complaint #10873842 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.