Owner-reported complaints naming the electrical system, filed with NHTSA
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Reports naming the electrical system — wiring, battery, charging, control modules, infotainment and electrical accessories. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 2001 Mazda Tribute submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 78 reports on file name it.
Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.
The 25 most recent of 78, in the owner's own words
THE CAR STALLS ALOT AND THE OIL AND BATTERY LIGHT FLASHES WHEN COMING TO A STOP THEN U DRIVE AGAIN AND IT GOES OFF. IT WILL DO IT FOR A COUPLE OF DAYS THEN STOP THEN START UP AGAIN. HAS TO BE SOME TYPE OF WIRING ISSUE HAD THE OIL CHANGE SO THATS FINE AND THE BATTERY TESTED AND THATS ALL GOOD. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 MAZDA TRIBUTE. WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS STOPPED AT A RED LIGHT, IT COMPLETELY SHUT OFF. THE FAILURE RECURRED ON MULTIPLE OCCASIONS. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC, BUT WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 120,000.
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 MAZDA TRIBUTE. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 50 MPH THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY STALLED. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO MANEUVER THE VEHICLE ONTO THE SHOULDER OF THE ROAD. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE CONTACTS HOME. THE DEALER WAS CONTACTED AND ADVISED THE CONTACT TO BRING THE VEHICLE IN FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO THE DEALER. THE CONTACT ALSO STATED THERE WAS DIFFICULTY WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS STARTED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 140,000.
DRIVERS SIDE FRONT DOOR HANDLE STOPPED WORKING, WINDOW NEEDS TO BE DOWN IN ORDER TO OPEN DOOR. IF IN AN ACCIDENT OR FIRE DRIVER WILL NEED ASSISTANCE IN EXITING CAR. THIS IS PROVEN BY ALL OTHER COMPLAINTS TO BE COMMON WITH THIS VEHICLE AND IN HAZARDOUS SITUATIONS POTENTIALLY FATAL UNLESS GOVERNMENT STEPS IN AND DEMANDS RECALL. DEALER WANTS $300.00+ TO FIX, HAVE ALREADY SPENT $3000.00+ AT DEALER ON COMPUTER FAILURES AND LEFT SIDE DRIVER DOOR WINDOW ASSEMBLY FAILURE. *TR
INDIVIDUAL COIL OVER PACK FAILURE. THIS WILL BE THE 3RD COIL PACK FAILURE IN 3 YEARS. SYMPTOMS ARE MISSING OR BAD IDLE AT LOW RPM. *TR
VERY ROUGH RUNNING MOTOR, LOSS OF POWER. REPLACED EGR VALVE 3 TIMES. FOUND LETTER FROM MAZDA STATING EXTENDED WARRANTY ON EGR VALVE SENSOR UP TO 75K MILES. 101,000 ON OUR TRIBUTE. MAZDA SHOULD OF RECALLED THE SENSOR! *TR
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 MAZDA TRIBUTE. THE VEHICLE CAUGHT FIRE UNDER THE HOOD AFTER BEING PARKED FOR APPROXIMATELY TWO HOURS. AS OF OCTOBER 9, 2007, THE DEALER OR MANUFACTURER HAD NOT INSPECTED THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM CAUSED THE FIRE. THERE WERE NO INJURIES OR PROPERTY DAMAGE. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 73,000. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. CHARLESTON POLICE REPORT. UPDATED 10/31/07 *TR
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 MAZDA TRIBUTE. WHILE DRIVING 45 MPH UPHILL, THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY LOST POWER. THE EXTERIOR AND INTERIOR LIGHTS REMAINED ILLUMINATED, BUT THERE WAS NO ENGINE POWER. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO PULL OFF THE ROAD. THERE WERE NO WARNING LIGHTS PRESENT. THE LOCAL MECHANIC WAS UNABLE TO REPAIR THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS THEN TAKEN TO A MAZDA DEALER AND THEY STATED THAT THE COMPUTER FAILED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE MILEAGE INFORMATION WAS UNAVAILABLE.
TL*- THE CONTACT COMPLAINED AGAINST HONDA MOTORS ABOUT A 2001 MAZDA TRIBUTE THAT CAUSED A FIRE AT THE SAN FRANCISCO EMBARCADERO UNDERGROUND PARKING GARAGE. THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED ON THE LOWER LEVEL OF THE GARAGE AT 7:00 AM WEDNESDAY 3-28-07. AT ABOUT 8:30 AM THE PARKING ATTENDANT NOTICED SMOKE COMING FROM UNDER THE HOOD OF THE VEHICLE, THEN CALLED THE FIRE DEPARTMENT. THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT DISPLAYED SIGNS THAT THE FIRE ORIGINATED FROM THIS AREA OF THE VEHICLE. THE FIRE CAUSED DAMAGE TO ONE OTHER VEHICLE PARKED NEXT TO IT. THE CONTACT WANTED TO FILE A COMPLAINT AGAINST HONDA MOTORS SINCE THE VEHICLE HAD ONLY 70,000 MILES AND HAD A SERVICE CHECK ABOUT 4 MONTHS PRIOR TO THIS INCIDENT. THE CONTACT BELIEVED THAT THIS WAS RELATED TO CURRENT COMPLAINTS ABOUT THE ABS SYSTEM ON THESE VEHICLES.*AK
OUR 2001 MAZDA TRIBUTE WAS PARKED IN THE GARAGE AT THE EMBARCADERO CENTER IN SF ON WEDNESDAY 03/28/07 AT 7:00 AM AND IT WAS LATER REPORTED TO US BY THE GARAGE PERSONNEL THAT AT ABOUT 8:30 AM IT STARTED SMOKING THEN CAUGHT FIRE. EVERYTHING UNDER THE HOOD BURNED TO THE GROUND AND INSIDE THE CAR THE DASH WAS COMPLETELY BURNED AS WELL - IT LOOKED LIKE A SINK-HOLE. THE TIRES WERE MELTED, THE ENGINE OOZED ALL OVER THE GROUND, THE FENDERS MELTED, AND THE WINDSHIELD WAS BROKEN. *JB
I FILED A COMPLAINT YESTERDAY. MY COMPLAINT # WAS 10163178. THIS THE DEALERSHIP HAS FINALLY DIAGNOSED THE PROBLEM WITH THE CAR AS A BAD ALTERNATOR. WE HOPE THAT THIS WILL FIX THE PROBLEMS WE HAVE EXPERIENCED TO DATE. HOWEVER, THE SITUATION WAS DANGEROUS, WITH THE CAR SHUTTING OFF WHILE RUNNING. IN ALL FAIRNESS TO THE DEALERSHIP, THE SERVICE TECHNICIANS HAVE BEEN VERY NICE AND THEY DID GIVE US A LOANER CAR. WE STILL HAVE A CONCERN ABOUT THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM OF THE CAR IN GENERAL (WITH ALL THE THINGS GOING WRONG AT ONE TIME). HOWEVER, WE TRUST THAT WE WILL NOT BE HEADING TO THE DEALER ANY TIME SOON. *NM
ON JULY 3, THE IGNITION, STEERING WHEEL, AND WHEELS OF OUR 2001 MAZDA TRIBUTE FROZE WHEN WE TRIED TO START THE CAR. THE CAR WAS TOWED TO SENATOR IMPORTS, ON FLORIN ROAD, IN SACRAMENTO, CALIFORNIA. ON JULY 7, ALTHOUGH THE DEALERSHIP SAID THAT THE CAR WAS FIXED, THEY COULDN'T GET THE CAR TO WORK WHEN WE TRIED TO PICK IT UP. ON THE EVENING OF JULY 12, WE STARTED THE CAR. THE LIGHT ILLUMINATING THE GEAR SELECTION WAS UNTIL, SO WE COULDN'T SEE WHAT GEAR WE WERE IN. ON THURSDAY EVENING, JULY 13, WE STARTED THE CAR AND THE BATTERY WAS TOTALLY DEAD. WE RE-CHARGED THE BATTERY, BUT IT WAS DEAD AGAIN IN 2 HOURS. WE TOOK THE CAR IN TO HAVE THE BATTERY PROFESSIONALLY CHARGED. THE BATTERY WAS PURCHASED IN APRIL OF 2005. ON THURSDAY, JULY 20, THE CAR WAS RUNNING AND JUST STOPPED DEAD. WE AGAIN JUMPED IT AND TOOK IT TO OUR PRIVATE MECHANIC. ON FRIDAY, JULY 21, OUR MECHANIC DID A DIAGNOSTIC TEST ON THE CAR. IT CAME UP WITH A DIAGNOSTIC TEST CODE ERROR THAT SAID THAT THE KEY PROGRAM CODE WAS ENTERED IN ERROR. OUR MECHANIC REBOOTED THE COMPUTER, TO ENSURE THAT THE PROBLEM WAS NOT RELATED TO A TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN ABOUT THE TRIBUTE JUST SHUTTING OFF. WHEN HE TRIED TO RESTART THE CAR, THE CAR WOULD NOT START. (LONG STORY SHORT, THE DEALER LOST OUR SPARE KEY. WE HAD TO COME BACK FOR IT ON JULY 11, AND THEY REPROGRAMMED BOTH OUR KEYS TO THE NEW IGNITION.) OUR MECHANIC SUGGESTED THAT WE HAVE THE CAR TOWED TO THE DEALERSHIP, AS HE CONSIDERED IT UNSAFE TO DRIVE. TODAY, JULY 22, THE DEALERSHIP SAID THAT ALL THEY COULD FIND WRONG WITH THE CAR WAS A DEAD BATTERY. WE ARE BEGINNING TO LOSE CONFIDENCE THAT THEY ACTUALLY KNOW HOW TO FIX THE VEHICLE. *NM
THE DRIVER SIDE DOOR HANDLE FAILED, I WAS TRAPPED INSIDE THE CAR ON THE DRIVER SIDE. I HAD TO LOWER THE POWER WINDOW, REACH OUTSIDE OF THE CAR AND OPEN THE DOOR. I PURCHASED A HANDLE AND PAID TO HAVE THE DOOR HANDLE REPLACED ON 6/29/2005. THE PASSENGER SIDE DOOR HANDLE FAILED , LEAVING THE PASSENGER TRAPPED INSIDE THE CAR ON THE PASSENGER SIDE. PASSENGERS HAD TO LOWER THE POWER WINDOW, REACH OUTSIDE THE CAR AND OPEN THE DOOR. I PURCHASED A HANDLE AND PAID TO HAVE THE DOOR HANDLE REPLACED ON 3/13/2006. RECENTLY, EVERY TIME I CRANK MY CAR A LARGE CLOUD OF GRAY SMOKE COMES FROM THE TAILPIPE. TODAY, 6/16/2006, I WENT TO PUT THE KEY INTO THE IGNITION AND THE KEY WOULD NOT GO IN. AFTER SEVERAL ATTEMPTS THE KEY WENT INTO THE IGNITION BUT, THE KEY WOULD NOT TURN. I WAS UNABLE TO START THE CAR. WITH ASSISTANCE FROM A LOCAL MECHANIC, AFTER NUMEROUS ATTEMPTS, THE KEY WENT IN, TURNED AND THE CAR STARTED. IT WAS SUGGESTED TO ME, DO NOT MAKE ANY STOPS ON THE WAY HOME THAT WOULD REQUIRE TURNING THE CAR OFF. ONCE I ARRIVED AT HOME I TURNED THE CAR OFF AND ATTEMPTED TO START THE CAR AGAIN. THE KEY WILL GO IN BUT, AFTER SEVERAL ATTEMPTS, THE KEY WILL NOT TURN TO START THE CAR. WITH THE MAZDA BEING MY ONLY VEHICLE I FEEL THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE FOR MY SON AND I. WHILE DRIVING THE MAZDA THE REAR GLASS ON THE HATCH OPENED. I PULLED OVER TO CLOSE THE GLASS AND IT WOULD NOT CLOSE AND LATCH. WITH THE HELP OF A LOCAL MECHANIC HE WAS ABLE TO CLOSE AND ENGAGE THE LATCH ON THE GLASS DOOR. WE AVOID OPENING THE REAR GLASS BUT ON ACCIDENT THE GLASS DOOR WAS OPENED AND IT WAS THE SAME SCENARIO. *NM
THE VEHICLE SHUT OFF (ENGINE STOPPED) WHEN COASTING DOWNHILL TOWARD CONSTRUCTION BARRELS. WAS ABLE TO AVOID BARRELS BY TURNING INTO UNOCCUPIED TURN LANE. POWER STEERING HAD GONE OUT. POWER BRAKES HAD GONE OUT. HAVE OWNED THE CAR FOR THREE WEEKS. OCCURRED ONCE. NOTICED THAT A RECALL (CAMPAIGN ID # 04V175000) THAT REQUIRED REPROGRAMMING OF THE PCM MODULE, AND THE SYMPTOMS OF WHICH EXACTLY DESCRIBED THIS PROBLEM, EXISTED FOR THIS VEHICLE MODEL YEAR. MADE AN APPOINTMENT WITH DEALER TO CHECK THE CAR THE FOLLOWING DAY. THE DEALER TOLD ME THAT THERE WERE NO OPEN RECALLS ON MY VEHICLE SO I DECIDED TO PAY FOR A DIAGNOSTIC TEST. THE TEST UNCOVERED THAT THE PCM MODULE DID NEED THE REPROGRAMMING WHICH THE DEALER DID, BUT THEY ALSO TOLD ME THAT THE CAR NEEDED ADDITIONAL PARTS TO COMPLETELY RESOLVE THE PROBLEM WHICH I HAD TO PAY FOR. FROM WHAT I CAN TELL THE RANGE OF MY VEHICLE ID DOES FALL WITHIN THE RANGE OF VIN NUMBERS AFFECTED BY THIS RECALL AND THE ASSEMBLY DATE(12/00) ALSO FALLS WITHIN THE DATE RANGE FOR THIS RECALL. I DO NOT UNDERSTAND WHY THE DEALER DOES NOT SEE THIS AS A VEHICLE THAT SHOULD HAVE AN 'OPEN RECALL' AND WHY THE ENTIRE SOLUTION TO THE PROBLEM WAS NOT TAKEN CARE OF TO REMEDY THIS. WHEN THE VEHICLE SHUTS OFF THE DRIVER HAS NO CONTROL AND THIS IS AN EXTREME SAFETY ISSUE. *JB
(1) 2001 MAZDA TRIBUTE/DX-V6: NORMAL CITY/HIGHWAY DRIVING WITHIN PAST SIX MONTHS (2) CAR WOULD STALL WHEN APPROACHING STOP SIGN/STOP LIGHT (RPMS TOO LOW) (3) REPLACED IGNITION COIL VIA MAZDA DEALERS (SEATTLE, WA, PASENDA, MD, PENSACOLA, FL). *NM
(1)EVENTS LEADING TO FAILURE: DURING NORMAL DRIVING, PRESSING THE BRAKE PEDAL, ROLLING DOWN A WINDOW, OR USING TURN SIGNAL. (2)FAILURE: ENGINE DIES, LOSS OF POWER STEERING, POWER BRAKES, ETC... (3)VEHICLE HAS BEEN BROUGHT TO DEALER SEVERAL TIMES, ISSUE HAS NOT BEEN IMPROVED/CORRECTED. *NM
I BOUGHT A 2001 MAZDA TRIBUTE (USED) IN MARCH 2003. ABOUT A MONTH LATER, IT BEGAN STALLING FREQUENTLY - MOSTLY WHEN I WAS BACKING OUT OF A DRIVEWAY/PARKING SPOT. I TOOK IT TO THE LOCAL MAZDA DEALERSHIP IN JULY 2003 AND THEY LOOKED IT OVER AND COULD FIND NO EXPLANATION, BUT THEY DID A PCM UPDATE ON IT ANYWAY. IT CONTINUED STALLING INTERMITENTLY - NO PATTERN TO THE STALLING. I TOOK IT BACK IN DECEMBER 2003 AND THEY AGAIN LOOKED IT OVER AND COULD FIND NO REASON FOR IT TO BE STALLING. SINCE DECEMBER, I'VE TAKEN IT TO THE DEALERSHIP IN APRIL AND TWICE IN MAY 2004. IN MAY, WHEN MAZDA RECALLED THE TRIBUTE FOR THE STALLING ISSUE, I TOOK IT IN FOR THE RECALL - THE STALLING BECAME 10 TIMES WORSE, NOW STALLING AT STOP LIGHTS AND AT RANDOM TIMES DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD. WE'VE REPLACED THE IDLE SPEED MOTOR, THIS DID NOT HELP. I'VE CONTACTED MAZDA DIRECTLY AND EXPLAINED TO THEM, IN EXACTING DETAIL, THE ISSUES I'VE BEEN HAVING. THEIR SUGGESTION WAS TO TAKE IT TO THE SAME DEALERSHIP THAT HAS ALREADY TRIED TO FIX IT 5 TIMES. THE WARRANTY IS NO LONGER IN EFFECT AND THE DEALERSHIP CHARGES ME WHEN I BRING IT IN, ALTHOUGH THIS PROBLEM WAS PRESENTED WELL BEFORE THE END OF THE WARRANTY DATE. I LOVE THE TRIBUTE, BUT WOULD LOVE IT MORE IF I COULD GET THE STALLING FIXED.*AK
THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN BACK TO THE DEALER 5 TIMES DUE TO THE HORN BLOWING ON ITS ON ACCORD. UNABLE TO STOP IT FROM BLOWING. THE HORN WAS BLOWING ON ITS OWN AGAIN TODAY. TODAY, THE VEHICLE HAS STARTED ON ITS OWN ACCORD 2 TIMES SITTING IN THE DRIVEWAY WITHOUT ANY PERSONAL INTERVENTION.*AK
THIS VEHICLE HAS STALLED ON NUMEROUS OCASSIONS WHEN BEING DRIVEN, THIS USUALLY OCCURS WHEN BEING DRIVEN BELOW 35 MILES PER HOUR DRIVING DOWN A HILL. EACH TIME THE VEHICLE HAS STALLED IT HAS CAUSED MY HUSBAND AND I TO HAVE NO CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE AT ALL. *AK
UPON STARTING THE VEHICLE, THE KEYS FAILED TO TURN IN THE IGNITION. THE VEHICLE WILL BE TOWED TO A DEALERSHIP. *JB
LONG CRANK TIME AT COLD START. *LA
2001 MAZDA TRIBUTE 4WD DX 4 CYL. MANUAL TRANSMISSION. DRIVING ABOUT 30 MPH, STARTING TURN. ALL POWER SHUT OFF. LOST POWER STEERING, INSTRUMENT PANEL, ENGINE. ENGINE RESTARTED FROM MOTION OF CAR WHEN CAR WAS PUT BACK INTO GEAR. *AK
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM IS DANGEROUS. KEY IGNITION PROBLEM - BACK TWICE TO DEALER TO FIX THIS. STALLED DURING A TURN - WHOLE CAR DIED, HAD TO USE THE EMERGENCY BREAK TO STOP AND THEN PUT INTO NEUTRAL TO RESTART. PCM DIED TOTALLY AND HAD TO BE REPLACED - HAD TO BE TOWED FROM MY DRIVEWAY (THANK GOD OR I MIGHT BE DEAD) TO NEAREST DEALER - I AM AWAITING RESPONSE ON FULL CORRECTION TO PROBLEM. I BELIEVE THE NHTSA WOULD BE DOING A DISSERVICE TO AMERICAN CONSUMERS FOR NOT PRESSING THE MANUFACTURER TO RECALL, DUE TO THE LIFE THREATENING SITUATIONS REGARDING THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM OF THE 2001 TRIBUTE. DOES SOMEONE HAVE TO HAVE A 10 CAR PILE UP ON A FREEWAY OR HWY BEFORE THEY BELIEVE THE URGENCY OF THIS PROBLEM?
THE MADZA TRIBUTE 2001 STALLS WITHOUT WARNING, AT VARYING SPEEDS. BOTH THE BRAKES AND THE STEERING SYSTEM ARE INOPERABLE. THE CAR STARTS AGAIN AFTER THIS OCCURS. THIS HAS HAPPENED 5 TIMES! LUCKILY, MY SON WHO DRIVES THIS CAR HASN'T BEEN INJURED. BUT WHAT ABOUT THE NEXT TIME? WHAT IF HE IS DRIVING ON THE EXPRESSWAY AT 55 OR 65 MILES AN HOUR? CAN MAZDA ASSURE ME THAT HE WON'T BE SERIOUSLY INJURED OR KILLED? THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT HAS OFFERED SEVERAL EXPLANATIONS AFTER VERIFYING THAT THIS IS A ON GOING PROBLEM WITH THIS VEHICLE. WE HAVE BEEN TOLD THAT THE AIR INTAKE VALVE STICKS WHEN CARBON BUILDS UP ON IT. NOW WE ARE TOLD IT IS A FLAW IN THE COMPUTER. CLEARLY THERE IS A SERIOUS DESIGN FLAW WHICH THE SERVICE DEPARTMENTS HAVE BEEN UNABLE TO REPAIR. THIS CAR IS A DISASTER WAITING TO HAPPEN! HOW CAN I POSSIBLY ALLOW MY SON TO DRIVE THIS VEHICLE?!! *LA
MAZDA TIRBUTE ESV6 HAS LOST ALL POWER UNDER NORMAL DRIVING CONDITIONS; NO POWER STEERING OR BRAKES AND ALL INDICATOR LIGHTS CAME ON. WHICH IS VERY DIFFICULT TO STEER OUT OF ONCOMING TRAFFIC TO GET OUT TO SAFETY. THE MECHANIC FROM JIM ELLIS MAZDA AT MARIETTA, GA TOLD THAT THIS CASE ALREADY HAPPENED TWICE (ONE FROM A DIFFERENT CAR). IN ADDITION, IT WAS REPORTED THAT THE VALVE GETS "CARBED UP." THIS OCCURS WHEN A DRIVER IS COASTING BETWEEN ACCELERATING AND BRAKING. ALSO, THE TRANSMISSION AND ELECTRICAL SYSTEMS ARE ALREADY GOING HAYWIRE ON THIS VEHICLE WITH NO WIPERS, AIRBAG LIGHT CONSTANTLY ON OR BLINKING, TRANSMISSION SLIPPING AND GRINDING. *LA
Higher-selling and older vehicles accumulate more reports. Counts are not failure rates and are not directly comparable between vehicles that sold in very different numbers.
Categories with enough reports to have a page of their own
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