2003 Mazda Tribute Suspension Problems

NOTHING HAPPENED. I HAVE BEEN EXPERIENCING FRONT END ISSUES FOR SOME TIME NOW.

NHTSA ID

11205991

Incident

May 15, 2010

Mileage

179,000 mi

HELP PLEASE? I PURCHASED MY 2003 MAZDA TRIBUTE IN OCTOBER, 2016. I RECENTLY NEEDED REPAIRS DONE (NEW MUFFLER SYSTEM WAS INSTALLED) BUT WAS TOLD MY LOWER CONTROL ARM ASSEMBLIES COULDN'T BE REPLACED BECAUSE OF THE HUGE CRACK IN THE SUB-FRAME. THE RECALL ON THE SUB-FRAME WAS DONE IN JULY, 2014 (BEFORE MY PURCHASE) ' BY INSTALLING A CROSS-BRACE. WHEN MAZDA MADE THE RECALL, OWNERS WERE INFORMED THAT THE PARTS TO REPAIR THE SUSPENSION PROBLEM WERE NOT YET AVAILABLE' AND A SECOND LETTER WOULD BE MAILED ONCE PARTS WERE AVAILABLE. A 'NEWLY DESIGNED' REINFORCEMENT CROSS-BRACE WAS THE FIX?... OR JUST A BAND-AID THAT DELAYED THE INEVITABLE?... BECAUSE EVEN WITH THE CROSS-BRACE INSTALLED, MY PROBLEM IS STILL HERE ' MY SUBFRAME IS SEVERELY CRACKED AND NOT SAFE' IT COULD SNAP SUDDENLY FROM SOMETHING AS SIMPLE AS HITTING A POTHOLE. I AM ATTACHING PICTURES TO THIS E-MAIL OF THE SUBFRAME SHOWING WHERE IT IS RUSTED THROUGH. YOU CAN SEE HOW WIDE THAT CRACK IS... YOU CAN SEE WHERE THE REINFORCEMENT CROSS-BRACE FIX IS ATTACHED... AND WHY THE CONTROL ARM ASSEMBLY CANNOT BE REPLACED. IF THE PICTURES AREN'T ACCEPTABLE, I WOULD BE HAPPY TO HAVE THE MAZDA DEALERSHIP HERE IN WOOSTER (330) 804-1000 VERIFY MY CLAIM. I AM 72 AND ONLY GET $700 A MONTH SS ' WHICH I AM BARELY GETTING BY ON. I HAD TO SAVE TO GET THE NEW MUFFLER AND CONTROL ARMS SO A MECHANIC FRIEND COULD INSTALL THEM. I REALLY NEED MAZDA TO COVER THIS EXPENSIVE REPAIR' AND I HAVE ASKED MAZDA FOR AN EXCEPTION (OR EXTENSION) TO THE RECALL THAT WAS DONE ON MY CAR. I CONTACTED MAZDA IN AN EMAIL ON 10/5/18' AND RECEIVED A REPLY BACK THE 'SAME' DAY ASSIGNING ME AN SR NUMBER: 1-1768908199' BUT I HAVEN'T HEARD FROM THEM AGAIN. IS THERE ANY WAY YOUR AGENCY CAN ASSIST ME HERE?... MAYBE THEY'LL RESPOND TO YOU? THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND ANY EFFORTS ON MY BEHALF. (XX) PARTS OF THIS DOCUMENT HAVE BEEN REDACTED TO PROTECT PERSONALLY IDENTIFIABLE INFORMATION PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

NHTSA ID

11139903

Incident

Oct 5, 2018

AIRBAGS SIGN ACTIVE

NHTSA ID

11129166

Incident

Jul 1, 2017

WHILE DRIVING MY 2003 MAZDA TRIBUTE I HEARD A FEW STRANGE SOUNDS. SEVERAL TIMES THE CAR SUDDENLY PULLED TO THE RIGHT. THERE WAS ALSO A SOUND OF SOMETHING RUBBING THAT GOT FASTER AND FASTER AS I ACCELERATED. THEN WHEN THE CAR PULLED SUDDENLY TO THE RIGHT MY SON AND I HEARD A LOUD SOUND. FORTUNATELY, I WAS FAIRLY CLOSE TO OUR MECHANIC SO I SLOWLY DROVE THE CAR THERE. UPON INSPECTION THE MECHANIC FOUND THE SUB FRAME OF MY 2003 MAZDA TRIBUTE WAS COMPLETELY CORRODED AND IS NOW DEEMED UNSAFE TO DRIVE. THE COST TO REPAIR IT WAS ESTIMATED AT $5,000.00 PLUS. THE CAR HAS APPROXIMATELY 95,000 MILES ON IT AND HAS BEEN OTHERWISE A TROUBLE-FREE VEHICLE THAT WAS ROUTINELY MAINTAINED. I AM VERY FORTUNATE THAT MY SON AND I WERE NOT INJURED IN AN ACCIDENT CAUSED BY THE SUDDEN VEERING OF THE CAR ' OR BY THE FRONT END FRAME COMPLETELY COLLAPSING FROM BENEATH US AS WE WERE DRIVING. MAZDA ISSUED A RECALL FOR THIS ISSUE (7514D) IN MAY OF 2014. THE NHTSA CAMPAIGN NO. IS 14V174000. I ENTERED THE VIN NO. FOR MY CAR AT SAFER CAR.GOV AND IT SHOWS 0 RECALLS. (WE WERE ISSUED A RECALL NOTICE FOR A DIFFERENT PROBLEM WHICH WE DID GET CORRECTED BY MAZDA A FEW YEARS AGO.) I WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THIS RECALL.

NHTSA ID

11042213

Incident

Nov 1, 2017

Mileage

95,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 MAZDA TRIBUTE. WHILE PULLING OUT OF A PARKING SPACE, A SCREECHING NOISE STARTED. AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC DIAGNOSED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS UNABLE TO BE DRIVEN DUE TO SEVERE RUST IN THE SUBFRAME AND SUSPENSION COMPONENTS. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE VIN WAS INVALID. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 143,000.

NHTSA ID

10929881

Incident

Dec 1, 2016

Mileage

143,000 mi

" TAKATA RECALL" IT HAPPENED ON THE TWO LANE HIGHWAY ON BRIGHT SUNNY DAY AT AROUND 1 PM. CAR DRIFTED THE MIDDLE LANE AND I COULDN'T BRING IT BACK IN THE LANE. I FELT SOMEBODY WAS CONTROLLED THE STEERING WHEEL. I HOLD THE STEERING WHEEL WITH BOTH HANDS BUT I COULDN'T DIRECT THE CAR. IT DID SWING AROUND 4 TIMES AND HIT THE ON COMING CAR.

NHTSA ID

10845568

Incident

Feb 21, 2016

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 MAZDA TRIBUTE. WHILE DRIVING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY STALLED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED AND REPAIRED. THE DIAGNOSTIC RESULTS WERE UNKNOWN. THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS LEAKING OIL FROM THE LOWER CONTROL ARM AND THE AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT RECIEVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 14V174000 (STRUCTURE), WHICH STATED THAT THE LOWER CONTROL ARM COULD DETACH AND CAUSE A LOSS OF STEERING CONTROL. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER AND INFORMED THEM OF THE RECALL. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED AND BECAME INOPERABLE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 98,000.

NHTSA ID

10811701

Incident

Jun 1, 2014

Mileage

98,000 mi

2003 MAZDA TRIBUTE WITH A RECALL THAT MAZDA REFUSED TO REPAIR. THE VEHICLE HAS A RECALL FOR CORROSION TO THE SUB-FRAME RESULTING IN SEPARATION OF THE LOWER CONTROL ARM INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH. INSTEAD OF REPLACING RECALLED SUB-FRAME THEY PUT AN INEXPENSIVE BRACE UNDERNEATH THE CORRODED PART FOR THE RECALL. MAZDA SAID IF THE CORRODED PART HASN'T ACTUALLY SNAPPED IN HALF THEN THEY PUT A CHEAP BRACE UNDERNEATH IT. NOW 8 MONTHS LATER THE CORRODED PART SNAPPED IN HALF AND MAZDA SAYS THEY ARE OFF THE HOOK SINCE THEY PUT A CHEAP BRACE UNDER THE CORRODED SUB-FRAME. I HAVE BEEN INFORMED THAT IF THE VEHICLE IS DRIVEN NOW THE WHEELS WILL FALL OFF. HOW CAN THEY JUSTIFY FIXING A RECALL BY INSTALLING A MEANINGLESS SO CALLED BRACE UNDER THE CORRODED PART WHEN IT DOES NOTHING. ONCE THE SUB-FRAME BRAKES THE LOWER CONTROL ARM STILL SEPARATES AND YOU STILL ARE IN RISK OF A CRASH.

NHTSA ID

10716570

Incident

May 12, 2015

Mileage

112,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 MAZDA TRIBUTE. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED ACCORDING TO NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 04V583000 (VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL), BUT THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE CONTACT EXPERIENCED NO FAILURES WITH THE VEHICLE PRIOR TO THE RECALL REPAIR. AFTER THE REPAIR, THE CONTACT HEARD AN INTERMITTENT SQUEAKING SOUND COMING FROM THE STEERING WHEEL. IN ADDITION, THE STEERING WHEEL WAS EXTREMELY DIFFICULT TO TURN. THE DEALER WAS NOTIFIED SEVERAL TIMES AND STATED THAT THE COIL SPRING NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED AGAIN AND THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 5,000.

NHTSA ID

10607765

Incident

Feb 22, 2005

Mileage

5,000 mi

RIGHT FRONT WHEEL FOLDED BACK AND UNDER VEHICLE. WAS ABLE TO JUST GET OFF ROADWAY. VEHICLE IS NOW UNUSABLE AS THE FRONT CROSS MEMBER HAS RUSTED AWAY AND ALLOWED FRONT SUSPENSION TO COLLAPSE (INCLUDING THE ENGINE AND TRANSMISSION). *TR

NHTSA ID

10594144

Incident

May 26, 2014

Mileage

101,682 mi

TIRES BEGAN MAKING EXTREMELY LOUD ROAD NOISE ABOVE 30 MPH. I WAS TOLD AT THE TIME THAT THE TIRES WERE "CUPPED" PROBABLY THE RESULT OF DEFECTIVE TIRES. I HAD THE MAZDA 2003 TRIBUTE SERVICED AT THE LOCAL DEALERSHIP, "JAY MAZDA" IN COLUMBUS, GA AND THE TIRES WERE REPLACED AT APPROXIMATELY 84978 MILES ON THE VEHICLE ON 04-22-11. AROUND APPROX 112000 MILES ON THE VEHICLE I BEGAN EXPERIENCING THE SAME ROAD NOISE I HAD EXPERIENCED EARLIER ON 04-22-2011. I BEGAN HEARING THE LOUD ROAD NOISE AGAIN. I AGAIN HAD MY MAZDA 2003 TRIBUTE SERVICED AT "JAY MAZDA" IN COLUMBUS, GA ON 08-31-2013 AT APPROXIMATELY 114190 MILES WHERE I HAD MY OIL CHANGED, BRAKES REPLACED , & SPOKE WITH THE MAZDA TECH ABOUT THE EXTREMELY LOUD ROAD NOISE I WAS AGAIN EXPERIENCING SINCE I PURCHASED THE TIRES ON THE VEHICLE FROM JAY MAZDA ON 04-22-2011 FOR THE SAME TROUBLE. UPON PICKING UP MY VEHICLE THE TECHNICIAN TOLD ME THAT MY TIRES WERE AGAIN "CUPPED" AND THAT WAS WHAT WAS CAUSING THE LOUD VEHICLE NOISE AND THEY WERE "CUPPED" DUE TO ME NOT HAVING MY TIRES ROTATED AT THE PROPER INTERVAL. I TOLD THE TECHNICIAN THAT I NEVER EXPERIENCED THE NOISE UNTIL SOMETIME AFTER HAVING THE TIRES ROTATED THE 1ST TIME. THE TECHNICIAN SAID HE FOUND NO PROBLEMS WITH THE VEHICLES SUSPENSION THAT "LACK" OF ROTATION WAS THE ONLY CAUSE. I BELIEVE THAT THERE IS A PROBLEM WITH THE REAR SUSPENSION THAT CAUSES THE REAR TIRES ON MAZDA 2003 TRIBUTES TO "CUP" & THAT ROTATION OF THE TIRES ONLY WORSENS THE PROBLEM. I BELIEVE THIS BECAUSE THE MAZDA TECHNICIAN TOLD ME THAT IF I HAD MY TIRES ROTATED NOW THAT THE NOISE WOULD ONLY GET "WORSE". *TR

NHTSA ID

10547842

Incident

Apr 22, 2011

Mileage

84,978 mi

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING 40 MPH, A HUMMING NOISE WAS HEARD FROM UNDER THE FRONT OF THE VEHICLE FOR TWO MONTHS. THE VEHICLE WAS DRIVEN TO THE DEALER WHO REPLACED THE FRONT BEARINGS.

NHTSA ID

10169329

Incident

Sep 5, 2006

Mileage

70,495 mi

I OWN AN 2003 ES 4X4; DURING MY LAST TWO SCHEDULED MAINTENANCE INSPECTIONS I NOTICED THE REAR SHOCKS STARTED LEAKING. THEY HAVE BEEN REPLACED TWICE AND ARE GETTING READY TO BE REPLACED AGAIN. WE DON'T GO OFF ROAD WITH THIS VEHICLE SO THE ONLY THING I COULD THINK IS THAT THE FACTORY MOTORCRAFT PARTS ARE DEFECTIVE OR NOT PROPERLY MATCHED TO THIS VEHICLE. IF YOU SEE AN OILY RESIDUE ON YOUR SHOCKS THEY NEED TO BE REPLACED DUE TO LEAKAGE. *JB

NHTSA ID

10118302

Incident

Apr 22, 2005

Mileage

20,000 mi

CONSUMER STATES THAT WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE OVER A METAL BRIDGE VEHICLE WOULD MOVE LEFT TO RIGHT. DEALER NOTIFIED.*AK

NHTSA ID

10026587

Incident

May 14, 2003