2003 MAZDA TRIBUTE Complaints

ON MAY 11, 2013 MY WINDSHIELD WIPERS STOP WORKING DURING RAINY STORMING DAY. AT FIRST THE WIPERS SLOWED DOWN AND WOULD MOVE EVERY 5 TO 10 MINUTES; THUS, THEY STOPPED COMPLETELY. I HAD A HOUR AND HALF COMMUTE HOME BEFORE I COULD PARK THE VEHICLE. THINKING THAT IT WAS THE WIPER THAT NEED TO BE REPLACED, I HAD A MECHANIC TO LOOK AT IT; HOWEVER, IT WAS DISCOVERED THAT THE WINDSHIELD WIPER LINKAGE WAS BROKEN IN HALF. I CALLED MAZDA ABOUT THE RECALL ON IT THE ITEM AND WAS TOLD THAT THE RECALL DOES NOT APPLY TO MY VIN NUMBER. MAZDA WILL NOT REPAIR THE PROBLEM. THE RECALL WAS FOR 2003 MAZDA TRIBUTE HOWEVER MAZDA STATES THAT IT DOES NOT APPLY TO MY 2003 VIN NUMBER. PLEASE ASSIST. ITEM AFFECTED: VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD WIPER/WASHER:LINKAGES DATE ANNOUNCED: 11/29/2000 DESCRIPTION OF RECALL: VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES. THE WINDSHIELD WIPER LINKAGE CAN DISENGAGE DUE TO A BROKEN BALL SOCKET. ACTION NEEDED TO FIX IT: DEALERS WILL INSPECT AND, IF NECESSARY, REPLACE THE WIPER MODULE.01. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 MAZDA TRIBUTE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT AFTER STARTING THE IGNITION, THE AIR BAG WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED CONTINUOUSLY UNTIL THE ENGINE WAS TURNED OFF. WHENEVER THE ENGINE WAS OPERABLE THE FAILURE OCCURRED. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE DEFECT. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNAVAILABLE.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 MAZDA TRIBUTE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE PARKED, HE NOTICED THAT THE FRONT DRIVER'S SIDE SEAT BELT WOULD NOT LATCH. ADDITIONALLY, THE SEAT BELT COULD NOT BE UNLATCHED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR DIAGNOSIS. THE TECHNICIAN STATED THAT THE SEAT BELT BUCKLE WOULD HAVE TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 90,000. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 MAZDA TRIBUTE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE TRAVELING 20 MPH, THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE WAS CRASHED INTO BY ANOTHER VEHICLE. UPON IMPACT, THE HATCH OPENED INADVERTENTLY. THE CONTACT SUSTAINED NECK AND BACK INJURIES. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A PRIVATE MECHANIC WHERE THE FAILURE COULD NOT BE DIAGNOSED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED AND INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 04V605000 (LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES). THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 87,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 MAZDA TRIBUTE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS SERVICED IN NOVEMBER 2012 UNDER NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER: 12V357000 (SPEED CONTROL) HOWEVER, PRIOR TO THE REPAIR, THE CONTACT HAD NO ISSUES WITH SUDDEN ACCELERATION. THE CONTACT WAS TRAVELING AT AN UNKNOWN SPEED WITH THE CRUISE CONTROL ACTIVATED. THE BRAKES WERE DEPRESSED AND THE CRUISE CONTROL ACTIVATION LIGHT WAS TURNED OFF HOWEVER, THE VEHICLE DID NOT DECELERATE. THE CONTACT MENTIONED THAT WITH THE BRAKES STILL DEPRESSED, HE WAS ABLE TO MOVE INTO THE EMERGENCY LANE AND STOP THE VEHICLE. THE ENGINE RPMS CONTINUED TO EXCESSIVELY FLUCTUATE AS IF THE CONTACT WAS STILL DRIVING AND AT RAPID SPEEDS. THE CONTACT POWERED THE VEHICLE ON AND OFF SEVERAL TIMES BEFORE IT WOULD PERFORM NORMALLY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER AND THE CONTACT WAS TOLD THAT THE DEALER COULD NOT DUPLICATE THE FAILURE. THERE WERE NO REPAIRS PERFORMED ON THE VEHICLE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED BUT CONFIRMED THAT THE VEHICLE COULD NOT BE REPAIRED BECAUSE THE FAILURE COULD NOT BE DIAGNOSED. THE CONTACT BELIEVED THAT EITHER THE RECALL REPAIR WAS INEFFECTIVE OR WAS PERFORMED IMPROPERLY. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 94,500 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 96,400.

I HAVE A 2003 MAZDA TRIBUTE V6. AFTER TAKING THE VEHICLE IN FOR A RECALL, THEY NOTICED THAT MY FRONT PASSENGER SIDE SUBFRAME WAS ROTTED. THE DRIVERS SIDE IS FINE. THE EXHAUST GOES THRU THAT AREA - IT APPEARS THAT THE HEAT FROM THE EXHAUST CAUSED THE PAINT ON THE SUBFRAME TO 'BURN' OFF AND THUS ALLOW IT TO BE EXPOSED TO THE ELEMENTS AND ROT. I HAVE READ OTHER CASES OF THIS SAME THING HAPPENING TO OTHER PEOPLE WITH THIS VEHICLE. THERE ARE OTHER MANUFACTURERS WHO HAVE RECALLS ON THIS SAME ITEM FOR THEIR VEHICLES - WHY DOESN'T MAZDA? IT IS NOT AN EASY OR CHEAP FIX! *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 MAZDA TRIBUTE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT WAS ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO A DEALER AND WAS TOLD THAT THE SPRING TENSIONER FOR THE AIR BAG NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 98,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 110,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 MAZDA TRIBUTE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 40 MPH, THE BRAKE WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT MERGED TO THE SHOULDER OF THE ROAD AND NOTICED THAT THE BRAKE MASTER CYLINDER RESERVOIR CAP WAS LEAKING BRAKE FLUID. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 55,000. UPDATED 1/29/13 *CN THE BRAKE FLUID RESERVOIR WAS RE-FILLED. A NEW BRAKE RESERVOIR CAP WAS PURCHASED FROM THE MAZDA DEALER. THE ORIGINAL CAP WAS FOUND TO BE LEAKING. UPDATED 02/06/13

MY WIFE WAS IN THE PARKING LOT AT CHURCH WAITING FOR A CAR TO PULL AWAY SO SHE COULD PARK. THE CAR STARTED TO ROLL FORWARD SO SHE STEPPED HARDER ON THE BRAKE. THE CAR LURCHED AHEAD CRASHING INTO THE CAR IN FRONT OF HER. MY WIFE IS QUITE SURE SHE HAD HER FOOT ON THE BRAKE. AS SHE TOLD ME ABOUT THIS I STARTED REMEMBERING AN EVENT. THIS CAR HAD BELONGED TO MY FATHER WHO HAS SINCE PASSED AWAY. HE PURCHASED IT NEW. I'M NOT EXACTLY SURE OF THE DATE, BUT I BELIEVE IT WAS IN THE FIRST YEAR OF OWNERSHIP. HE WAS PARKING AT A HOSPITAL WHEN ALL OF A SUDDEN THE VEHICLE WAS TAKING OFF AND PUSHING THE CAR IN FRONT OF HIM. I FIGURED HE WAS HAVING A SENIOR MOMENT AND HAD HIS FOOT ON THE WRONG PEDAL. I DID SOME QUICK RESEARCH TODAY AND FOUND THAT OTHERS HAVE HAD THIS PROBLEM. MAYBE MY FATHER WAS DOING ALL THE RIGHT THINGS AND IT REALLY WAS THE CARS FAULT. I ALSO SEE THAT THERE HAVE BEEN RECALLS ON THIS MATTER. I'M NOT SURE IF ANY OF THESE ISSUES WERE ADDRESSED WHEN MY FATHER HAD THE CAR, BUT I WILL BE CHECKING IT OUT. I HOPE YOU WILL BE CONTINUING TO FOLLOW UP ON THIS. THIS IS A SCARY AND DANGEROUS ISSUE THAT DESERVES YOUR ATTENTION. WHEN THINGS START EFFECTING YOUR DRIVING RECORD, INSURANCE COSTS, AND MAKE YOU PAY DEDUCTIBLES WHEN IT IS NOT YOUR FAULT SOMETHING NEEDS TO CHANGE! *TR

DURING THE RECALL REPAIRS, IT WAS NOTED THAT THE CRUISE CONTROL CABLE WAS DAMAGED. WHEN I REQUESTED THAT THE DEALER REPLACE THE CABLE CAUSED BY THE HOLDING BRACKET AS COVERED UNDER MAZDA RECALL DATED 7/12 I WAS TOLD THAT THEY ARE ONLY REPLACING THE HOLDING BRACKET AND NOT THE CABLE EVEN THOUGH THE CABLE WAS DAMAGED BY THE DEFECTIVE HOLDING BRACKET. SO, WHAT GOOD IS THE RECALL? I WAS TOLD IT WOULD COST ME APPROXIMATELY $100 PLUS TO GET IT REPLACED. *TR