2002 MAZDA TRIBUTE Complaints

I OWN A 2002 MAZDA TRIBUTE. I AM CONTINUALLY TAKING THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALERSHIP FOR THE AIR BAG LIGHT. THE LIGHT STAYS ON, THEN GOES OFF FOR A DAY OR SO, THEN BACK ON. I HAVE VISITED THE DEALERSHIP ON FOUR OCCASSIONS FOR THIS PROBLEM. THE LAST TIME THE VEHICLE WAS IN FOR THE AIR BAG LIGHT, THEY SAID THAT THERE WAS A LOOSE WIRE UNDER THE DRIVER'S SEAT. WELL, GUESS WHAT? AS SOON AS I DROVE IT HOME FROM THE DEALERSHIP, THE AIRBAG LIGHT CAME ON AGAIN. I HAVE NOTICED SEVERAL COMPLAINTS ON THE SAME PROBLEM. I AM CONCERNED THAT IF OR WHEN I NEED THE AIRBAG, IT WON'T WORK. PLEASE CHECK INTO A RECALL ON THIS PROBLEM.*AK

WHILE DRIVING AT 30 MPH CONSUMER'S VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN A FRONT END COLLISION. UPON IMPACT, NEITHER THE AIR BAGS DID DEPLOYED, NO WARNING LIGHT APPEARED PRIOR TO THE CRASH. *AK

CONSUMER HAD THE SPEED CONTROL FUNCTION ON. WHILE DRIVING AT 75 MPH VEHICLE SUDDENLY ACCELERATED UP TO 90 MPH. BRAKES WERE APPLIED TO DECELERATE VEHICLE WHICH DEACTIVATED THE CRUISE CONTROL. *AK

I WAS DRIVING UP 101 NORTH AT 45-50 MPH WHEN THE DRIVER'S FRONT TIRE BLEW OUT. I IMMEDIATELY FIRMED MY GRIP ON THE STEERING WHEEL, AND BRAKED IN A SAFE MANNER, BUT THEN THE CAR STARTED VIOLENTLY SHAKING, AND VEERING TOWARDS THE LEFT TO THE POINT WHERE I COULD NOT CONTROL IT, EVEN THOUGH THE CAR HAD SLOWED TO AROUND 20 MPH. I GRAZED THE CENTER MEDIAN, SCRATCHING THE SIDE OF THE CAR, THEN WAS ABLE TO REGAIN CONTROL. I THEN HAD TO PULL OVER ON THE FREEWAY GOING ABOUT 5 MPH. I THEN GOT OUT OF THE CAR, CALLED AAA, AND LOOKED AT THE DAMAGE. TO MY AMAZEMENT, THREE OF THE FIVE SPOKES ON THE RIM HAD CRACKED SEVERELY, AND THE WHEEL WAS WOBBLING BADLY. A CHP OFFICER STOPPED AT THE SCENE, AND WAS LIKEWISE AMAZED AT THE BROKEN WHEEL. HE CHECKED THE ROAD FOR DEBRIS, BUT FOUND NONE, CONFIRMING THAT THE TIRE HAD BLOWN ON ITS OWN. THE TOW TRUCK DRIVER THEN ARRIVED, AND HELPED PUT THE SPARE ON, WHICH ALSO WOBBLED AND WAS UNSAFE TO DRIVE ON. IT TURNS OUT THAT SOME SUSPENSION COMPONENTS HAD BROKEN ALONG WITH THE WHEEL. HE LATER TOWED THE CAR TO MAZDA OF MARIN, WHERE THEY BLAMED US FOR THE DAMAGE. THE BOTTOM LINE IS THAT WHEELS DON'T JUST BREAK FROM BLOUOUTS, AND THAT WHEELS LIKE THIS POSE A THREAT TO MOTORISTS.*AK

6 MONTHS AFTER I PURCHASED THE VEHICLE, THE COOLANT LIGHT CAME ON. AFTER THAT, THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT KEPT COMING ON AND NEEDLESS TO SAY, THE BIGGEST PROBLEM I'VE HAD HAS BEEN THE AIRBAG LIGHT. THIS VEHICLE HAS BEEN TO THE SERVICE DEPT. FOR THE AIRBAG LIGHT BEING ON @ 7 TIMES W/IN THE LAST YEAR. SOMETIMES THE AIRBAG LIGHT COMES ON AND OFF BY ITSELF W/OUT ME HAVING TO TAKE IT TO THE DEALER. THIS IS AN ONGOING PROBLEM.*AK

RIM FAILED ON FRONT DRIVER'S SIDE TIRE.*MR WHILE DRIVING THE RIM FAILED ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE FRONT OF THE VEHICLE WHICH CAUSED A SUDDEN AND TOTAL LOSS OF AIR FROM THE TIRE. THE DRIVER WAS ABLE TO MAINTAIN CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE AFTER THE FAILURE. UPON INSPECTION THE DRIVER NOTICED A ONE INCH WIDE BY 3 INCH LONG CRACK ALONG THE INSIDE OF THE RIM. THE RIM WAS TAKEN TOT HE DEALER TO REQUEST A WARRANTY REPAIR. AFTER THE RIM WAS INSPECTED THEY CONCLUDED THAT THE CONSUMER PROBABLY HIT SOMETHING TO CAUSE THE DAMAGE. AT THAT POINT THE CONSUMER WAS TOLD THAT THE DEALER WASN'T GOING TO HONOR THE WARRANTY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO ANOTHER FACILITY TO BE INSPECTED. THEY DETERMINED THE RIM WAS INDEED THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE. BASED ON THE INDEPENDENT EVALUATION THE CONSUMER REQUEST THAT MAZDA HONOR THE WARRANTY. *NM

THE AIR BAG LIGHT GOES OFF IN THE CAR. THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT AT THE DEALERSHIP INFORMED ME THAT MEANT THE AIR BAG DOES NOT WORK. I HAVE HAD IT REPAIRED 5 TIMES AND IT CONTINUES TO GO ON. *LA

CONTINENTAL TIRES, MODEL CONTITRAC SUV. SIZE P235/70R16. BOTH FRONT TIRES SHOWED SIGNS OF EXCESSIVE WEAR. VEHICLE HAD VERY LOW MILEAGE. CONSUMER REPORTED TO THE MANUFACTURER AND DEALERSHIP, BUT DID RECEIVE A SATISFACTORY RESPONSE FROM THEM.*AK

WHEN THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS APPLIED, IT WENT TO THE FLOOR. THE CONSUMER PRESSED DOWN ON THE BRAKE PEDAL HARD IN ORDER TO STOP AND A SQUEAKING NOSE WAS HEARD COMING FROM THE REAR. THE CONSUMER WAS ABLE TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION AND THE MECHANIC DETERMINED THAT BOTH FRONT ROTORS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED DUE TO CORROSION. *AK ON 02/04/03 THE BRAKES, ROTORS AND PADS HAD TO BE REPLACED 11 MONTHS AFTER PURCHASE, 03/10/04 THE ROTORS AND PADS HAD TO BE REPAIRED A YEAR LATER, 05/27/04 BRAKE SQUEALING 2 MONTHS AFTER REPAIR THE FRONT ROTORS WERE REPLACED AND PADS SANDED, 06/13/04. *SC *JB

THE AXLE SEPARATED AND FELL OFF VEHICLE WHILE DRIVING. THIS RESULTED IN THE CONSUMER LOSING STEERING CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE AND CRASHING INTO THE SIDE OF THE BRIDGE. *AK