2005 MAZDA TRIBUTE Complaints

BOUGHT CAR FOR MY SON. NOTICED A BAMGING NOISE IN REAR RIGHT BACK SOME OF CAR. LOOKED AT WHEEL WELL, COMPLETELY RUSTED THROUGH, A BIG HOLE. OTHER UNDER BODY RUST. THE 2000-2004 CARS WERE RECALLED FOR THIS EXACT SAME PROBLEM. THEY CONTINUED TO APPLY DEFECT. AM AFRAID THE SHOCK ABSORBER WILL FALL OFF.MANY, MANY COMPLAINTS ABOUT THE EXACT SAME THING. MAZDA SHOULD RECALL THIS VEHICLE, IT IS A DANGEROUS DEFECT THEY NEVER FIXED AFTER RECALL. THIS IS MY SON'S FIRST CAR, WORRIED ABOUT HIS SAFETY.

VEHICLE WAS TRAVELING ON A FOUR-LANE HIGHWAY WITH CRUISE CONTROL ON. THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY BEGAN TO ACCELERATE UNCONTROLLABLY; TRIED APPLYING THE BRAKE, TURNING OFF THE CRUISE CONTROL, PRESSING THE DECELERATE BUTTON, NOTHING WORKED. I HAD TO APPLY A GREAT DEAL OF FORCE TO THE BRAKES IN ORDER TO SLOW THE VEHICLE ENOUGH TO GET IT OFF THE ROAD. I SHIFTED THE TRANSMISSION INTO NEUTRAL AND THE ENGINE BEGAN TO REV UNCONTROLLABLY. I TURNED THE IGNITION SWITCH OFF AND OPENED THE HOOD TO INVESTIGATE. THE THROTTLE CABLE ON THE CRUISE CONTROL SERVO HAD ROTATED UP TO ABOUT A 30-DEGREE ANGLE AND HAD THE THROTTLE HELD OPEN. I ROTATED THE CABLE BACK DOWN TO ITS NORMAL POSITION AND THE THROTTLE SNAPPED FREE. I WILL NOT USE THE CRUISE CONTROL AGAIN UNTIL THE ISSUE IS RESOLVED. I WAS TRAVELING AT 65 MPH WHEN THE INCIDENT OCCURRED, THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED TO OVER 80 MPH WHILE I WAS TRYING TO GET IT UNDER CONTROL. *TR

THE PASSENGER SIDE REAR WHEEL WELL HAS RUSTED OUT SUCH THAT THE SUSPENSION IS NOW PROTRUDING INTO THE INTERIOR OF THE VEHICLE. THIS WAS DISCOVERED WHEN REGULAR RATTLING FROM THE AREA PROGRESSED INTO LOUD BANGS WITH EACH BUMP. THE MECHANIC WHO DISCOVERED STATED THAT THE RUST WAS ABNORMAL, EVEN FOR THE GEOGRAPHIC AREA, AND THAT NONE OF THE OTHER WHEEL WELLS EXHIBITED ANY SIGNS OF RUSTING. HE STATED IT WAS NO LONGER SAFE TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE AND THAT THIS CONDITION WAS MOST LIKELY THE RESULT OF SOME SORT OF MANUFACTURING DEFECT (AS OPPOSED TO REGULAR AND EXPECTED OXIDATION).

MY 2005 MAZDA TRIBUTE HAS BEEN TAKEN VERY GOOD CARE OF SINCE IT WAS BOUGHT NEW. THE CAR HAS BEEN RUST PROOFED SEVERAL TIMES, SERVICED REGULARLY AND ALWAYS WASHED AND WAXED SEVERAL TIMES, AND BEYOND, SINCE OWNERSHIP. THAT BEING SAID, MY 2005 VEHICLE LOOKS QUITE IMMACULATE FOR ITS AGE, EXCEPT FOR THE EVER-INCREASING SEVERE RUST ISSUE ON THE RIGHT REAR RIGHT WHEEL WELL, WHICH I HAVW TRIED TO FIX, AND KEEP UP ON, BUT HAS NOW RUSTED RIGHT THROUGH, AND CAUSED THE SHOCK TO PROTRUDE INTO THE INTERIOR OF THE VEHICLE. NOW MY MECHANIC CLAIMS HE CANNOT SERVICE MY VEHICLE FOR ANYTHING ELSE (EVEN THOUGH THE SERVICE ISSUES I NEED TO ADDRESS ARE IMPORTANT AND CRITICAL TO THE USE OF MY VEHICLE. I AM NOW IN A PREDICAMENT, SINCE THE COST TO REPAIR THIS DAMAGE IS VERY HIGH, SO HIGH, IT EXCEEDS THE CURRENT VALUE OF THE VEHICLE, AND I AM ENRAGED THAT MAZDA HAS NOT TAKEN ACCOUNTABILITY FOR THIS CLEAR FACTORY DEFECT. I SAY A CLEAR FACTORY DEFECT, SINCE THIS EXACT ISSUE WAS ADDRESSED, AND RECALLED, IN THE SAME VEHICLE FOR YEARS 2001-2004, BUT NOT FOR 2005. IN ADDITION, I HAVE MET SEVERAL OTHER OWNERS OF THE SAME VEHICLE WHO HAVE/ARE EXPERIENCING THE EXACT SAME ISSUE, REGARDLESS OF HOW WELL THEY HAVE MAINTAINED THEIR VEHCILE. MOREOVER, I CAN FIND THE EXACT SAME ISSUE FOR THIS VEHICLE ON ENDLESS WEBSITES ONLINE, HUNDREDS, MORE ACCURATELY, THOUSANDS OF TIMES! FOR MAZDA TO STILL NOT HAVE RECALLED THIS ISSUE IS UNFAIR, RIDICULOUS AND VERY WRONG TO LOYAL MAZDA CUSTOMERS. I AM NOW STUCK WITH A VEHICLE I CANNOT DRIVE DUE TO A REPAIR I CANNOT AFFORD, BUT A REPAIR THAT I SHOULD NOT BE RESPONSIBLE FOR ALL THE TIME, MONEY, MAINTENANCE AND CARE IVE PUT INTO THE OWNERSHIP OF MY CAR. IN ADDITION, THIS ISSUE IS A HUGE SAFETY CONCERN AND COULD EASILY CAUSE HARM TO A PERSON DRIVING THIS VEHICLE, A PASSENGER, OR EVEN AN INNOCENT PEDESTRIAN WHEN POPPING THROUGH THE FLOOR, OR AT ANY OTHER STAGE OF WEARING.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 MAZDA TRIBUTE. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING 35 MPH, THERE WAS AN ABNORMAL SOUND COMING FROM THE PASSENGER'S SIDE REAR WHEEL WELL. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO WOODHOUSE MAZDA LOCATED AT 6603 L ST, OMAHA, NE 68117, (402) 592-1000, TO BE DIAGNOSED. THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT REAR SUB FRAME WAS RUSTED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS INFORMED OF THE FAILURE AND A CASE WAS FILED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 97,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 MAZDA TRIBUTE. WHILE DRIVING, THE LIFTGATE FLEW OPEN AND SEVERAL GROCERY ITEMS FELL ONTO THE STREET. THE CONTACT PULLED OVER AND CLOSED THE LIFTGATE. THE CONTACT DROVE HOME WITHOUT ANY FURTHER ISSUES. IN ADDITION, THE VEHICLE SURGED FORWARD WHEN THE CONTACT ATTEMPTED TO SLOW DOWN. THE DEALER AND MANUFACTURER WERE NOT NOTIFIED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 149,000.

HAVE HAD VEHICLE SINCE NEW IN 2005. PASSENGER SIDE REAR WELL SEVERELY RUSTED OUT, UPPER PORTION OF SHOCK HAS BECOME DETACHED FROM THE VEHICLE FRAME AND MOUNTING BRACKET DISINTEGRATED. SHOCK SWAYING FROM BEING DETACHED AND BODY SHOPS WILL NOT TOUCH DUE TO LIABILITY ISSUES. VEHICLE UNABLE TO BE SAFELY DRIVEN. PLEASE ISSUE A RECALL.

WHILE DRIVING MY 2005 MAZDA TRIBUTE ON A PAVED CITY STREET, I NOTICED A SUDDEN LOUD CLANKING/POUNDING IN THE PASSENGER SIDE, REAR WHEEL WELL AREA. ASSUMED IT WAS A BAD SHOCK BUT SOON DISCOVERED THAT THE THE WHEEL WELL HAD RUSTED COMPLETELY OUT, THERE IS NOW A HOLE TO THE INSIDE OF MY CAR. SOME, BUT NOT MUCH RUST ELSEWHERE ON THE VEHICLE (THE OTHER THREE WHEEL WELLS LOOK GREAT), BUT THAT PART OF THE VEHICLE RUSTED THROUGH TO THE INSIDE OF THE VEHICLE. NOT DRIVEABLE ANYMORE UNTIL THIS IS ADDRESSED. THE VEHICLE ITSELF IS VERY MECHANICALLY SOUND AND WILL CARED FOR. THERE ARE LOTS OF EXAMPLES ON ONLINE FORUMS OF THIS EXACT ISSUE, ON BOTH TRIBUTES AND FORD ESCAPES. APPARENTLY THERE IS A RECALL FOR THESE VEHICLES 01-04, BUT NO FURTHER. EXACT SAME ISSUE, EXACT SAME WHEEL WELL. PLEASE HELP!

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 MAZDA TRIBUTE. WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS, A LOUD CLANKING NOISE WAS PRESENT COMING FROM THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE PASSENGER SIDE WHEEL WELL WAS RUSTED AND CORRODED, CAUSING THE METAL TO SEPARATE FROM THE FRAME OF THE VEHICLE. THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE WAS NOT DETERMINED. THE MANUFACTURER AND LOCAL DEALER WERE NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 200,000.

BEGAN HEARING LOUD BANGING NOISE IN THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE WHILE DRIVING ON CITY STREETS. UPON INSPECTION, THE PASSENGER SIDE REAR SHOCK MOUNT IN THE WHEEL WELL WAS COMPLETELY BROKEN FREE AND THE SHOCK BANGING AROUND. IT HAD PINCHED THE BRAKE LIGHTS AND THEY STOPPED WORKING AS WELL. UPON RESEARCH ON THE INTERNET THIS HAS BEEN A COMMON ISSUE WITH FORD ESCAPES AND MAZDA TRIBUTES OF THIS VINTAGE BUT ONLY ON THE RIGHT REAR. SO MUCH SO COMPANIES LIKE DORMAN MAKE A REPLACEMENT PART FOR IT TO REPLACE THE WHEEL WELL WHICH REQUIRES WELDING. THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE THE MANUFACTURER SHOULD ADDRESS. NEVER HAD THIS HAPPENED TO ANY OTHER VEHICLE.