2002 MAZDA TRIBUTE Complaints

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 MAZDA TRIBUTE. THE CONTACT WAS INVOLVED IN A HEAD ON CRASH AND THE AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED AND TOWED TO A BODY SHOP. THE MANUFACTURER STATED THAT THEY WERE NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR THE AIR BAGS NOT DEPLOYING. THE CONTACT SUSTAINED MAJOR CHEST INJURIES. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE SPEED WAS UNKNOWN. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 110,000.

THE SPARK PLUG IN MY MAZDA TRIBUTE 2002 BLEW OUT OF THE SOCKET CAUSING ME TO HUNT DOWN A VALVE COVER. THE MECHANIC SAID I DIDN'T TIGHTEN IT ENOUGH WHICH IS FALSE I BELIEVE THERE IS A EQUIPMENT DEFECT WITH THE COMPRESSING SOMEHOW. I PURPOSEFULLY RETIGHTINENED THE REMAINING TWO THAT I COULD GET AT AND THE MECHANIC SAID THE VERY NEXT DAY THAT THEY WHERE LOOSE. I USED A TORQUE SPECIFIED WRENCH TO THE MANUALS DESCRIPTION IS THERE A PROBLEM WITH THAT YEARS FORD MADE MAZDAS. A FIRE COULD BREAK OUT OR AN EXPLOSION. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 MAZDA TRIBUTE. THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT THE FRONT AIR BAG INDICATOR REMAINED ILLUMINATED. HE TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER FOR A DIAGNOSTIC, AND ERROR CODES WERE PRODUCED FOR THE FRONT PASSENGER AIR BAG RETRACTOR CIRCUIT AND THE SEAT BELT LIGHT DEVICE. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 107,000 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 108,640. UPDATED 02/05/09 *BF UPDATED 02/09/09. *JB

DRIVER'S DOOR CAN NO LONGER BE OPENED FROM THE INSIDE. THE INTERIOR HANDLE NO LONGER ACTUATES THE LATCH. ONE HAS TO ROLL DOWN THE WINDOW AND USE THE EXTERIOR HANDLE. IN THE EVENT OF AN EMERGENCY, THIS COULD BE A SAFETY ISSUE - ESPECIALLY WITH ELECTRIC WINDOWS. IT IS MY UNDERSTANDING THAT THIS CAN ONLY BE FIXED BY REPLACING THE INTERIOR HANDLE UNIT WHERE A PLASTIC PART HAS BROKEN. *TR

2002 MAZDA TRIBUTE INNER DOOR HANDLE BROKE. VERY POOR PLASTIC DESIGN. SEEMS TO BE A COMMON PROBLEM WITH THESE VEHICLES. DEALER WANTS OVER $100.00 FOR THE CHEAP PLASTIC REPLACEMENT. *TR

2002 MAZDA TRIBUTE DRIVER'S SIDE DOOR HANDLE WILL NOT OPEN FROM INSIDE THE VEHICLE WHEN THE CAR IS UNLOCKED AND IT DOESN'T MATTER IF THE KEY IS IN OR OUT OF THE IGNITION LOCKING THE DRIVER INSIDE THE VEHICLE. *TR

2002 TRIBUTE FROM THE FIRST WEEK THERE HAVE BEEN PROBLEMS. 1ST THE DRIVER SIDE INTERIOR DOOR HANDLE STOPPED WORKING. PLASTIC PIECE THAT ALLOWS HANDLE TO OPEN THE DOOR HAD BROKEN. REPAIRED $$$ PAID! 2ND THE DRIVER SIDE ELECTRIC WINDOWS STOPPED WORKING. MOTOR HAD TO BE REPLACED. REPAIRED $$$ PAID! *** WE ARE NOW FACED WITH THE PASSENGER SIDE INTERIOR DOOR HANDLE NOT WORKING, THE MASTER CYLINDER LEAKING BRAKE FLUID, AN ISSUE WITH THE 5 AND 6 SPARK PLUGS FALLING OUT FOR THE 3RD TIME IN 4 MONTHS, THE BATTERY CABLES STAYING CORRODED AND SLOW TO START, THERE IS SOME SORT OF KNOCKING IN THE FRONT PASSENGER WHEEL. I HAVE REPLACED THE ROTORS AND HAD OTHER SIMILIAR ISSUES WITH THIS VEHICAL THAT SEEM TO BE VERY COMMON PROBLEMS. I HAVE SPENT THE LAST 4 HOURS DOING MY RESEARCH AND SEE THAT THERE ARE COMPLAINTS OF THIS SAME NATURE ON ALMOST EVERY WEB SITE. I DON'T KNOW HOW LONG THE AVERAGE PERSON WILL WAIT ON AN 'ISSUE' TO BECOME A RECALL. I DON'T HAVE THE PATIENCE TO UNROLL THE WINDOW EVERY TIME I WANT TO EXIT THE VEHICLE. NOT TO MENTION HAVING TO ASK MY PASSENGER TO LET THEMSELVES OUT IN THE SAME MANNER. I AM NOT GOING TO PAY ANOTHER PENNY ON FIXING THIS VEHICLE. I HAVE PAID FOR SO MANY MAINTENANCE ISSUES THAT NOW THAT I THINK MAZDA SHOULD HAVE FIXED. WHEN DO THESE COMPLAINTS BECOME RECALL REALITY? WHAT IS MY NEXT OPTION? I CAN'T IMAGINE HOW BAD IT WOULD BE TO HAVE MY FAMILY IN THE CAR, THE ENGINE FOULS OUT BECAUSE OF THE SPARK PLUG ISSUE, THE BRAKES WON'T WORK BECAUSE OF THE MASTER CYLINDER LEAK, THE BATTERY CABLES CORRODED AND PREVENTING THE WINDOWS BEING ABLE TO LET DOWN TO OUT. I WILL CONTACT MY DEALER TOMORROW AND WORK OUT THE RECALLS I WAS NOT AWARE OF, HOPEFULLY WE CAN GET OUR DOOR LOCKS FIXED TOO! *TR

INTERIOR DOOR HANDLE ON DRIVER'S SIDE IS BROKEN. HAVE HAD TO OPEN THE WINDOW TO GET OUT OF THE CAR, (OPEN BY EXTERIOR HANDLE). REPAIR COSTS OVER $150.00 DUE TO MANUAL LABOR INVOLVED. ALSO, STEERING BECAME VERY NOISY WITH SCREECHING ON TURNING AT SLOW SPEEDS. THE OUTER TIE, TYE (SPELLING?) RODS HAD TO BE REPLACED BECAUSE THE ONE'S ON THERE COULD NOT BE RE-GREASED. COST: $210.00. *TR

2002 MAZDA TRIBUTE INNER DOOR HANDLE BROKE. VERY POOR PLASTIC DESIGN AND FROM READING THE INTERNET A VERY COMMON PROBLEM WITH THESE VEHICLES. DEALER WANTS OVER $100.00 FOR THE CHEAP PLASTIC REPLACEMENT. ALSO HAD PLASTIC RADIO KNOB CRACK DEALERS WANTS ALMOST $20 FOR SPARE PART. *TR

MAY 4, 2008 MY 2002 MAZDA TRIBUTE (PURCHASED NEW- AND HAD 60,000 MILES) EXPERIENCED AN AIR INTAKE EXPLOSION FOR NO APPARENT REASON AND WITHOUT WARNING.. I'VE HAD REGULAR MAINTENANCE AND HAD NO PROBLEMS STARTING THE VEHICLE PRIOR TO THE EXPLOSION. MAZDA CAN'T TELL ME WHY THIS OCCURRED AND CAN'T TELL ME IF IT WILL OCCUR IN THE FUTURE. I FEEL THIS IS A VERY DANGEROUS THING TO OCCUR FOR NO APPARENT REASON. THE EXPLOSION OCCURRED UNDER THE HOOD, PLASTIC PIECES BROKE AND TRIED TO GO THROUGH THE HOOD OF THE CAR AND THE EXPLOSION WAS VERY LOUD AND BLACK SMOKE BILLOWED OUT FROM UNDER THE HOOD. MAZDA WAS NOT WILLING TO COVER THE COST OF THE EXPLOSION AND DIDN'T SEEM CONCERNED WHEN I REPORTED THIS INCIDENT TO THEM. I WROTE THE CEO OF THE COMPANY BUT REC'D A RESPONSE FROM HIS SUBORDINATE THAT DIDN'T ADDRESS MY SAFETY CONCERNS AT ALL. AFTER MY SECOND CORRESPONDENCE, MAZDA TOLD ME THAT THEY WOULD CONSIDER THAT MY LAST CORRESPONDENCE ON THIS MATTER. I HAD THE DAMAGE REPAIRED AT THE DEALERSHIP AND THEY CHECKED OUT THE CAR AND COULD NOT FIND A CAUSE FOR THE EXPLOSION. AFTER THE REPAIR, THE DEALERSHIP SAID THEY FOUND NOTHING FURTHER WRONG. *TR