2003 MAZDA TRIBUTE Complaints

I PURCHASED A 2003 MAZDA TRIBUTE ON JUNE 26, 2008. THE CAR WAS WRECKED TODAY 7/1/08. THE BRAKES FAILED TO OPERATE AND RAN INTO THE BACK OF A VAN IN FRONT OF US. I TOOK THE VEHICLE BACK TO THE AUTO DEALER, EXPLAINED WHAT HAPPENED ( I HAD A 5 DAY RETURN POLICY) I WAS TOLD THE VEHICLE IS NO LONGER ABLE TO RETURN BECAUSE IT WAS WRECKED. THE DEALER ALSO SAID THAT THEY WERE NOT LIABLE FOR ANY FACTORY RECALLS. THE DEALER GAVE ME THE TOLL FREE NUMBER TO CALL MAZDA. IT TURNS OUT THAT THERE WAS A RECALL ON ABS BRAKES FOR MY VEHICLE AND IT WAS NEVER BROUGHT IN TO BE SERVICED. I'M THANKFUL NO ONE WAS HURT. I HAD DRIVEN 500 MILES PRIOR TO THE ACCIDENT AT SPEEDS FROM 5-70MPH. WE COULD HAVE BEEN KILLED!!!!!!! *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 MAZDA TRIBUTE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE REAR HATCH DOOR WOULD NOT LOCK. HE MADE SEVERAL UNSUCCESSFUL ATTEMPTS TO LOCK THE REAR HATCH. HE CALLED THE MAZDA DEALER IN REGARDS TO NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 04V605000 (LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES:HATCHBACK/LIFTGATE:LOCK) AND THEY STATED THAT HIS VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 72,000 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 75,000.

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 MAZDA TRIBUTE. WHILE DRIVING BETWEEN 45-65 MPH, THE VEHICLE MAKES A LOUD VIBRATING SOUND AS IF THE TRANSMISSION WAS FAILING. THE CONTACT FEELS THAT THE DRIVESHAFT WILL SPIT IN HALF. THE FINAL ASSESSMENT WAS THAT THE TORQUE CONVERTER NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE PURCHASE DATE WAS UNKNOWN. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 91,000 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 87,000.

WHENEVER I DRIVE MY VEHICLE FOR ANY EXTENDED AMOUNT OF TIME IT SMELLS AS THOUGH SOMETHING IS BURNING WHEN I STOP. THE SMELL SEEMS TO BE COMING FROM AROUND THE FRONT WHEELS. THE SMELL IS ESPECIALLY STRONG ON THE DRIVERS SIDE. I RECEIVED A RECALL NOTICE EARLIER ON THIS YEAR FOR A FAULTY BRAKE/ABS SWITCH. I TOOK THE VEHICLE IN TO A LOCAL MAZDA DEALER WHO SAID THERE WAS NOTHING WRONG WITH THE VEHICLE HENCE THEY REPLACED NOTHING. I AM FILING THIS COMPLAINT AS THERE MIGHT BE OTHERS HAVING THIS SAME PROBLEM. *TR

(1) AIRBAG LIGHT ILLUMINATED ON 2003 MAZDA TRIBUTE DASHBOARD DURING RETURN TRIP HOME FROM FAMILY GATHERING. (2) TROUBLE CODES IDENTIFIED AT MAZDA DEALERSHIP WHERE CAR WAS PURCHASED: B1994 DRIVER-SIDE SIDE AIR BAG MODULE CIRCUIT RESISTANCE HIGH B1998 PASSENGER-SIDE SIDE AIR BAG MODULE CIRCUIT RESISTANCE HIGH INFORMED BY DEALERSHIP THAT AIRBAGS MAY DEPLOY AT ANY TIME OR MAY NOT DEPLOY IN CASE OF A COLLISION. REPAIRS NECESSARY FOR PROPER AIRBAG FUNCTION. (3) AS PER TSB 0800205 AND SERVICE KIT 1L84-14293-AA PROBLEMS ADDRESSED BY DEALERSHIP TECHNICIAN AND AIRBAG LIGHT NO LONGER ILLUMINATED. CHARGE $338.37 PARTS AND LABOR. MAZDA AND IT'S DEALERSHIPS HAVE PROFITED BY REPAIRING, WITH MAZDA CERTIFIED PARTS, A KNOWN SAFETY ISSUE THAT COULD ENDANGER THE LIVES AND SAFETY OF MAZDA OWNERS AND THEIR PASSENGERS IF NOT ADDRESSED. THERE IS A TSB AND SERVICE KIT DESIGNED TO ADDRESS THIS EXACT PROBLEM. THIS INDICATES MAZDA IS AWARE OF THE PROBLEM AND IS PREPARED TO REPAIR IT AT THE COST OF IT'S CUSTOMERS. WHEN BUYING A PRODUCT (A VEHICLE ESPECIALLY) SAFETY IS ASSUMED. WHEN THERE IS A KNOWN SAFETY HAZARD CAUSED BY THE PRODUCT, DUE TO MALFUNCTION OR NEGLIGENCE, IT IS THE MANUFACTURER'S TO CORRECT THE HAZARD. NOT THE CUSTOMER. *TR

OIL PAN GASKET IS LEAKING. I CALLED MAZDA CUSTOMER SERVICE, RECEIVED A FILE #115785220. MY 2003 MAZDA TRIBUTE (5 YEARS OLD WITH 35,000 MILES) IS LEAKING OIL FROM THE OIL PAN GASKET. MY VEHICLE IS NO LONGER UNDER WARRANTY. SINCE I PURCHASED MY VEHICLE, MAZDA HAS REDESIGNED THE OIL PAN WITH AN EMBEDDED O RING IN LIEU OF A GASKET. THE LOCAL MAZDA SERVICE CENTER (MAZDA 112) DOES NOT REPLACE THE GASKET; THEY FIX THE VEHICLE BY SELLING AND INSTALLING THE REDESIGNED OIL PAN FOR $440 + TAX (MEDFORD, NY). YOU CAN BUY A GASKET FOR THE ORIGINAL PAN AND DO IT YOURSELF OR MAYBE HAVE A LOCAL MECHANIC DO IT (I DON'T KNOW IF IT'S WORTH IT). MAZDA 112 TOLD ME THEY CALLED THE REGIONAL MAZDA REPRESENTATIVE AND THEY WOULD SAVE ME THE PRICE OF THE PARTS BUT THE COST OF REPAIR WILL STILL BE OVER $300. I BELIEVE THIS PROBLEM IS DUE TO A MANUFACTURER DEFECT AND MAZDA IS NOT ADDRESSING THE ISSUE." I HAVE CALLED MAZDA TWICE AND EMAILED THEM. THE REPRESENTATIVES ARE POLITE BUT COULD NOT TELL ME IF THE OIL PAN WAS REDESIGNED BECAUSE THE ORIGINAL DESIGN WAS DEFECTIVE??? THEN WHY THE REDESIGN? ON THE INTERNET I HAVE VIEWED MANY COMPLAINTS OF LATE MODEL MAZDA TRIBUTE OWNERS WITH "OIL PAN LEAKS." *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 MAZDA TRIBUTE. THE CONTACT RECEIVED RECALL NOTICE # 07V157000 (SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK:CONTROL UNIT/MODULE). HE TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER TO INSPECT THE AIR BAGS BECAUSE THE INDICATOR LIGHT CONTINUED TO ILLUMINATE ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. HE BELIEVES THIS FAILURE IS SIMILAR TO THE FAILURE STATED IN THE RECALL. THE MAZDA DEALER WILL NOT DO ANYTHING BECAUSE THE MANUFACTURER MUST ISSUE THE RECALL. MAZDA WILL NOT ISSUE A RECALL UNLESS THEY ARE PRESSURED TO DO SO BY NHTSA. THE CONTACT HAS TO PAY $375 FOR THE AIR BAG INDICATOR LIGHT. THE MECHANIC REPLACED THE WIRING HARNESS. WHEN THE LIGHT WAS ILLUMINATED, THE AIR BAGS WOULD NOT DEPLOY DUE TO THE FAILED CONNECTION. THE ENGINE SIZE WAS UNKNOWN. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 50,000.

ON FEBURARY 5,2007 THE TRANSMISSION IN MY MAZDA TRIBUTE WENT. I HAVE ONLY 61,000 MILES ON THE VEHICLE AT THE TIME AND HAVE OWNED THE VEHICLE SINCE 11/2002. THE REASON FOR MY FILING THE COMPLIANT IS THE RECALL SHOWN IN DATA REGARDING THE TRIBUTE TRANSMISSION. I HAD TO REPLACE THE TRANSMISSION AT MY OWN COST. I WAS NEVER INFORMED ABOUT THIS RECALL BY MAZDA.*AK

WIFE DROVE 2003 MAZDA TRIBUTE TO ARBY'S (I WAS MEETING HER THERE), GOT OUT OF CAR AND WALKED UP TO THE ENTRANCE. AS SHE GOT TO ARBY'S DOOR, SOMEONE OUTSIDE MENTIONED TO HER THAT HER CAR WAS SMOKING. SHE CAME INSIDE TO GET ME AND AS I CAME OUT A LOT OF SMOKE WAS COMING OUT OF THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. I UNLOCKED THE CAR CRACKED THE HOOD SLIGHTLY WHERE I SAW FLAMES CLOSE TO THE FIREWALL. USED FIRE EXTINGUISHER TO PUT OUT FLAMES. FIRE SEEMED TO ORIGINATE TOWARDS THE BACK OF THE ENGINE CLOSE TO BRAKE MASTER CYLINDER. I HAVE MANY PICTURES OF THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT IF NEEDED. SEEMS SIMILAR TO NHTSA ACTION # PE06048. *JB

2003 MAZDA TRIBUTE CAUGHT ON FIRE WHILE PARKED IN FRONT OF HOUSE. IT HAD NOT BEEN DRIVEN SINCE THE NIGHT BEFORE. DAMAGE WAS LIMITED TO ENGINE COMPARTMENT. IT APPEARED TO HAVE ORIGINATED FROM THE ANTI-LOCK BRAKING ELECTONIC CONTROL MODULE DIRECTLY BELOW THE POWER STEERING RESERVOIR. THE CAR HORN/ALARM STARTED BEEPING, AND OWNER OF CAR RESPONDED TO SEE SMOKE COMING FROM THE HOOD. OWNER OPENED THE HOOD AND OBSERVED FIRE FROM THE ELECTRICAL COMPONENTS. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT WAS IMMEDIATELY CALLED.*AK