2003 MAZDA TRIBUTE Complaints

ACCELLATOR PEDAL IS HARDER TO PRESS DOWN, THEN IT WAS 15,000 MILES AGO. IT DOES RETURN TO A PROPER IDLE SPEED AT THIS TIME. PER MAZDA SERIVCE DEPARTMENT TECH, THE THROTTLE BODY COLLECTS A "SOOT", OR OILY EXHAUST OVER TIME, CAUSING THE THROTTLE BODY BUTTERFLY VALVE TO NOT MOVE FREELY. THE CAUSE OF THIS CONDITION IN MAZDA TRIBUTE AND IN FORD ESCAPES IS A POOR DESIGN OF THE ENTRANCE OF EXHAUST GASSES TO BE REBURNED. THE EXHAUST GASSES ARE RETURNED JUST IN BACK OF THE THROTTLE BODY, THEREBY CAUSING THE BUILDUP AND POSSIBLE MALFUNCTION OF THE THROTTLE BODY IN THE OPEN POSITION. RECALL CAMPAIGN NUMBER 04V583000 DOES NOT COVER THIS PROBLEM, AS IT COVERS THE VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL CABLES.*AK

WHILE DRIVING 40 MPH VEHICLE COMMENCED TO ACCELERATE. CONSUMER WAS ABLE TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE TO A SERVICE STATION. WHILE PARKED AND IDLING THE PROBLEM RECURRED. THIS TIME THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL WAS DOWN TO THE FLOOR. VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER, WHO INFORMED THE CONSUMER ACCELERATOR ASSEMBLY BURNED OUT AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED.*AK

CONSUMER STATES THAT HER AIR BAG LIGHTS STAYS ON ALL OF THE TIME. SHE STATES SHE HAS TAKEN THIS VEHICLE BACK TO THE DEALER 6-7 TIMES, AND HAS BEEN TOLD SEVERAL DIFFERENT THINGS THAT CAUSES THIS PROBLEM. ONCE SHE SAYS SHE WAS TOLD THAT SOMETHING IS WRONG WITH THE RETENTIONER, AND THEY WENT IN AND RESET THE COMPUTER. *NM

INTERMITTENTLY, THE VEHICLE HESITATES BEFORE STARTING WHEN THE KEYS ARE TURNED IN THE IGNITION. ALSO, THE VEHICLE LOSES POWER WHILE DRIVING. THE DEALERSHIP INDICATED THAT THEY ARE AWARE OF THIS PROBLEM AND PERFORMED THE REPAIRS INDICATED BY THE MANUFACTURER. THE DEALERSHIP ALSO TEST DROVE THE VEHICLE AND THE FAILURE DIDN'T OCCUR IN THEIR PRESENCE SO THEY ARE REFUSING TO SERVICE THE VEHICLE. *LA *SC

THE TRANSMISSION FAILED WITH LESS THAN 600 MILES ON THE CAR DUE TO A HOSE CLAMP NOT BEING SECURED DURING MANUFACTURE. EVER SINCE THEN I HAVE HAD PROBLEMS WITH THE CAR HESITATING AND ALMOST STALLING WHEN ACCELERATING FROM A STOP JUST AFTER STARTING THE CAR. IT ALSO HAPPENS MORE OFTEN IF THE CAR IS NOT LEVEL AT THE TIME, EITHER ON AN INCLINE OR DECLINE. IF I LET THE CAR WARM UP FOR A FEW MINUTES, I GENERALLY DO NOT HAVE THIS PROBLEM. I HAVE ALSO HAD A PROBLEM WITH THE GAS PEDAL FEELING LIKE IT STICKS OR IS CATCHING ON SOMETHING, I HAVE NOTICED THIS PROBLEM MORE OFTEN WHEN THE OUTSIDE TEMPERATURE IS BELOW 75 DEGREES. WHEN THE ACCELERATOR FINALLY ACTIVATES, THE CAR GENERAL LUNGES FORWARD OR WILL SPIN THE TIRES, I HAVE LEARNED TO LET MY FOOT OFF OF THE ACCELERATOR TO KEEP THE CAR UNDER CONTROL. I HAVE ALSO HAD PROBLEMS WITH THE CAR SHIFTING ABRUPTLY BETWEEN GEARS, BUT THIS HAS SUBSIDED QUITE A BIT. I HAVE ALSO FELT A VIBRATION IN THE CAR AROUND 45 AND 70 MPH. I DON'T FEEL THE VIBRATION IN THE STEERING WHEEL, IT FEELS LIKE IT IS COMING FROM THE MIDDLE OF THE CAR, MORE IN THE TRANSMISSION/DRIVETRAIN AREA. I HAVE HAD THE TIRES ROTATED A BALANCED 3 TIMES AND ALSO HAD THE ALIGNMENT CHECKED, BUT THE VIBRATION STILL OCCURS. I HAVE TAKEN THE CAR BACK TO THE DEALERSHIP NUMEROUS TIMES AND THEY ALWAYS SAY THEY CAN NOT DUPLICATE THE PROBLEMS. I HAVE RESEARCHED ALL OF THE COMPLAINTS AND RECALLS FOR THE TRIBUTE AND THE FORD ESCAPE, SINCE THEY ARE BASICALLY THE SAME VEHICLE, AND THERE ARE QUITE A FEW SIMILAR COMPLAINTS. I THINK THE HESITATING PROBLEM IS RELATED TO THE RECALL FOR THE "STALLING" PROBLEM, I THINK THE PROBLEM IS MORE WIDESPREAD THAN THEY THOUGHT OR THE FIX FOR THE RECALL DID NOT SOLVE THE PROBLEM ENTIRELY.*AK

AIR BAG LIGHT COMES ON AND STAYING ON FOR OVER A PERIOD 6MONTHS EVEN WITH SEVERAL SERVICES CALLS WITH THIS PROBLEM THE AIR BAG WILL NOT EVN WORK IN AN ACCIDENT SITUATION. *AK

DROVE MY 03 MAZDA TRIBUTE IN TYPICAL FLORDA AFTERNOON RAINSTORM VEHICLE STALLED IN MIDDLE OF ROAD ALMOST CAUSING VEHICLES FOLLOWING TO CRASH FROM BEHIND LUCKILY I COASTED OFF TO THE SIDE QUICKLY AFTER FEW TRIES RESTARTED VEHICLE HOWEVER AFTER RESTARTED VEHICLE NOW MAKING LOUD RATTLING SOUND FROM ENGINE PROCEEDED TO DRIVE REST OF WAY HOME-ABOUT A MILE FROM WHERE STALLED PRIOR TO PULLING INTO DRIVEWAY LOUD POP & GRINDING FROM ENGINE COASTED INTO DRIVEWAY & REALIZED ENGINE BLOWN-OIL POURING OUT UNDERNEATH THINKING THIS WAS WARRANTY ISSUE (VEHICLE WELL MAINTAINED & ONLY YEAR OLD) TOOK VEHICLE TO LOCAL MAZDA DEALER FOR REPAIR AFTER HAVING VEHICLE 3 WEEKS THEY NOW TOLD ME THAT CAUSE OF STALL & BLOWING OF ENGINE WAS WATER FROM RAIN OR PUDDLES SPLASHING UP GOT INTO AIR INTAKE OF ENGINE WATER WAS PULLED INTO CYLINDERS WHERE IT CANT BE COMPRESSED & PISTON RODS BENT & BROKE UNTIL THEY PUNCTURED THROUGH BLOWING ENGINE DEALERS SERVICE DEPT STATED AIR INTAKE FOR VEHICLE IS LOCATED BEHIND FRONT GRILLE ABOUT HEADLIGHT LEVEL RIGHT WHERE MOST RAIN & SPLASHING WOULD END UP AT FRONT OF VEHICLE-SO NOT VERY WELL PROTECTED-WOULD NOT TAKE MUCH FOR WATER TO GET INTO CAUSING FAILURE MAZDA WOULD NOT REPAIR VEHICLE UNDER WARRANTY-RECOMMENDED MY AUTO INS WOULD PAY FOR REPAIR I FEEL THIS IS SERIOUS DESIGN FLAW WITH VEHICLE ESP CONSIDERING MANY SMALLER VEHICLES WERE DRIVING AROUND IN SAME CONDITIONS WITHOUT INCIDENT & IF THIS CAN HAPPEN TO ME IN THE CONDITIONS & SPEEDS I WAS DRIVING I WOULD THINK IT COULD BE POTENTIAL CAUSE OF FUTURE ACCIDENTS FROM THESE VEHICLES STALLING IN WET CONDITIONS NOT ONLY IS IT SAFETY CONCERN-ALSO WOULD BE CONSUMER CONCERN BECAUSE IT CAN BLOW ENGINE & IF MAZDA WONT REPAIR VEHICLES WHEN THIS HAPPENS THERE WILL BE MANY UPSET CONSUMERS MAZDA TRIBUTE & FORD ESCAPE ESSENTIALLY SAME VEHICLE SO THIS WOULD APPLY THERE ALSO I FEEL BOTH FORD & MAZDA SHOULD RECALL THESE VEHICLES & EITHER RELOCATE OR BETTER PROTECT AIR INTAKE SO THIS KIND OF THING SHOULD NOT HAPPEN. *AK

CONSUMER RECEIVED NHTSA RECALL 04V175000 CONCERNING ENGINE STALLING. THREE WEEKS AFTER HAVING RECALL REPAIRS PERFORMED AND WHILE DRIVING AT LOW SPEEDS VEHICLE STALLED. CONSUMER RESTARTED VEHICLE, AND TOOK IT BACK TO DEALER FOR INSPECTION. HOWEVER, MECHANIC COULD NOT DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. *AK

CONSUMER COMPLAINED ABOUT AN IGNITION PROBLEM. WHILE DRIVING 40 MPH, THE VEHICLE STALLED IN TRAFFIC. *AK THIS PARTICULAR MODEL WITH 4 WHEEL DRIVE, WOULD STOP WHEN STARTED AND WOULD INTERMITTENTLY STOP IN TRAFFIC. *SC *JB

WHEN ACCELERATING THE VEHICLE FIRST HESITATED AND THEN ACCELERATED. THE DEALERSHIP WAS NOTIFIED BUT DID NOT RESOLVE THE PROBLEM. *AK *NM