2003 Mazda Tribute Transmission Problems

ON JUNE 25, 2013 @ 11:00AM I CALLED MAZDA CORPORATION (REFERENCE CALL NUMBER: [XXX]) ABOUT RECALLS ASSOCIATED WITH MY MAZDA TRIBUTE 2003 AND WAS TOLD THAT THE RECALLS WERE NOT ASSIGNED TO THE VIN NUMBER OF MY VEHICLE. THE MAZDA REPRESENTATIVE STATED THAT ONLY THE SEAT BEAT ADJUSTMENT HAS BEEN ASSIGNED TO MY VEHICLE AND THAT I DO NOT QUALIFY FOR THE RECALL. MAZDA WILL NOT HONOR THE RECALL. I BOUGHT THE TRIBUTE IN 2010 FROM A DEALERSHIP; THUS, WAS NOT AWARE OF THE RECALLS. I HAVE BEEN HAVING A LOT OF PROBLEMS WITH THE VEHICLE AND HAVE SPENT A LOT OF MONEY TRYING TO FIX IT. I HAVE A 13 AND 14 YEAR OLD GIRLS AND AM A SINGLE PARENT. ACCORDING TO THE RECALL, THE VEHICLE IS NOT SAFE. I CANNOT AFFORD RIGHT NOW TO PURCHASE ANOTHER VEHICLE. I AM ONLY ASKING MAZDA TO HONOR THE RECALLS. PLEASE SEE THE RECALL NOTICE BELOW FROM MAZDA: 2003 MAZDA TRIBUTE RECALL ITEM AFFECTED: POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:CONTROL MODULE (TCM, PCM) DATE ANNOUNCED: 4/14/2004 DESCRIPTION OF RECALL: ON CERTAIN SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH 3.0L V6 DURATEC ENGINES , DURING DECELERATION, THE ENGINE CAN STALL. ACTION NEEDED TO FIX IT: DEALERS WILL REPROGRAM THE POWER CONTROL MODULE (PCM) WITH THE APPROPRIATE CALIBRATION. THE RECALL BEGAN ON MAY 3, 2004. OWNERS SHOULD CONTACT MAZDA AT 1-800-222-5500. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

NHTSA ID

10522667

Incident

Jun 17, 2013

Mileage

261,556 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 MAZDA TRIBUTE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE TRANSMISSION WAS DEFECTIVE AND WOULD NEED TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED BUT OFFERED NO ASSISTANCE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 55,913. UPDATED 5/9/11 *CN THE TRANSMISSION WAS REPLACED. UPDATED 05/16/11

NHTSA ID

10394430

Incident

Sep 28, 2010

Mileage

55,913 mi

VEHICLE STALLS WITHOUT WARNING ON OCCASIONS WHEN I STOP AT LIGHTS OR STOP SIGNS. IT RESTARTS EACH TIME. II TOOK MY CAR TO THE DEALER. LEFT IT THERE 3-4 DAYS AND THE DEALER COULD NOT EXPLAIN WHAT IS WRONG OR FIX THE PROBLEM. *TR

NHTSA ID

10393795

Incident

Mar 20, 2010

MY 2003 MAZDA TRIBUTE JUST RECENTLY BEGAN LOSING POWER. LATE LAST WEEK I NOTICED IT WASN'T GRABBING AS IT SHOULD SHIFTING (AUTOMATIC) BETWEEN THIRD AND FOURTH GEAR. TOOK IT TOOK RECOMMENDED REPAIR SHOW AND THEY ARE INDICATING TRANSMISSION REBUILD IS REQUIRED. I JUST CHECKED THE FLUID LEVEL LAST WEEK AND ABOUT TWO OR THREE WEEKS PRIOR AND ALL WAS WELL THERE. ENGINE BLEW ON SAME VEHICLE AT 70K MILES DESPITE OIL CHANGES EVERY 3000 MILES. REPAIR SHOP ESTIMATE: $3500 FOR THE FOLLOWING: FILTER, OVERDRIVE BAND, BUSHING KIT, BEARINGS, DRIVE CHAIN, TORQUE CONVERTER, SOLENOID BLOCK, MLP SWITCH, FORWARD PLANETARY GEAR, AND FLUID. I CANNOT BELIEVE A VEHICLE THIS AGE WITH LESS THAN 80,000 MILES HAS LOST AN ENGINE AND TRANSMISSION UNDER NORMAL WEAR AND TEAR, WHEN PROPER MAINTENANCE HAS BEEN PERFORMED. CARMAX DID HONOR THE WARRANTY FOR THE ENGINE FAILURE, BUT THE EXTENDED WARRANTY COVERAGE ONLY EXTENDS TO 75K. *TR

NHTSA ID

10327059

Incident

Apr 17, 2010

Mileage

77,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 MAZDA TRIBUTE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHEN DRIVING UPHILL OR APPROACHING A STOP SIGN, THE VEHICLE WOULD STALL. THE VEHICLE HAD BEEN TO THE DEALER SEVERAL TIMES; HOWEVER, THE FAILURE COULD NOT BE DUPLICATED. THE DEALER REPLACED THE BATTERY BUT TO NO AVAIL. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO LOCATE A RECALL, IN WHICH SHE BELIEVED TO BE DIRECTLY RELATED TO THE FAILURE (NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 04V175000: POWER TRAIN: AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION: CONTROL MODULE TCM, PCM), HOWEVER HER VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED. THE MANUFACTURER WOULD NOT PROVIDE ANY ASSISTANCE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 60,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE 82,000. UPDATED 11/03/10 *BF THE CONSUMER ALSO STATED THE VEHICLE WOULD STALL WHILE BACKING UP, AND WHEN IT STALLED, IT COULDN'T BE RESTARTED. UPDATED 11/04/10*JB

NHTSA ID

10323775

Incident

Mar 28, 2008

Mileage

60,000 mi

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 MAZDA TRIBUTE. WHILE DRIVING BETWEEN 45-65 MPH, THE VEHICLE MAKES A LOUD VIBRATING SOUND AS IF THE TRANSMISSION WAS FAILING. THE CONTACT FEELS THAT THE DRIVESHAFT WILL SPIT IN HALF. THE FINAL ASSESSMENT WAS THAT THE TORQUE CONVERTER NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE PURCHASE DATE WAS UNKNOWN. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 91,000 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 87,000.

NHTSA ID

10221177

Incident

May 15, 2007

Mileage

87,000 mi

ON FEBURARY 5,2007 THE TRANSMISSION IN MY MAZDA TRIBUTE WENT. I HAVE ONLY 61,000 MILES ON THE VEHICLE AT THE TIME AND HAVE OWNED THE VEHICLE SINCE 11/2002. THE REASON FOR MY FILING THE COMPLIANT IS THE RECALL SHOWN IN DATA REGARDING THE TRIBUTE TRANSMISSION. I HAD TO REPLACE THE TRANSMISSION AT MY OWN COST. I WAS NEVER INFORMED ABOUT THIS RECALL BY MAZDA.*AK

NHTSA ID

10187753

Incident

Feb 5, 2007

Mileage

60,000 mi

AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION FAILURE ON 2003 MAZDA TRIBUTE ES (AWD & 4WD) WITH 100,000 MILES. TRANSMISSION CUT OUT WHILE DRIVING AND WOULD NOT SHIFT INTO ANY FORWARD GEAR. ONLY REVERSE WAS FUNCTIONAL AND APPARENTLY NOT AFFECTED BY FAILURE. HAD SUV HAULED ON FLAT-BED TO DEALER WHO INITIALLY INDICATED THAT IT WAS PROBABLY THE LINKAGE, BUT THEY COULD NOT GET IT TO SHIFT INTO ANY FORWARD GEAR EITHER (ONLY REVERSE). UPON FURTHER INSPECTION DEALER INDICATED TRANSMISSION WAS BLOWN, REQUIRING A COMPLETE REPLACEMENT, COSTING ALMOST $4K. *NM

NHTSA ID

10174888

Incident

Nov 17, 2006

Mileage

101,000 mi

ON 8-25-2006 MY TRIBUTE WAS TOWED TO STAR MAZDA OF GLENDALE. THE PCM WAS RECALLED AND NEEDED TO BE REPAIRED, BUT THE BATTERY AND ALTERNATOR WHERE RUINED. ROUGHLY TWO WEEKS PRIOR TO TODAY, THESE TWO ITEMS HAD BEEN REPLACED AT A COST OF $900. THESE REPAIRS WHERE MADE BY MY MECHANIC WITHOUT MY AUTHORIZATION, WHILE I WAS ATTEMPTING TO VERIFY THE WARRANTY ON THE TRIBUTE. ONCE THE VEHICLE ARRIVED AT STAR MAZDA, I WAS TOLD I NEEDED TO AUTHORIZE AN EIGHTY FIVE DOLLAR EXAMINATION FEE BECAUSE THE BATTERY WAS NOW DEAD. AN EXPLANATION INDICATED THAT THIS FEE WAS APPLIED BECAUSE THE BATTERY WAS NOT A MAZDA BATTERY AND HAD NOT BEEN INSTALLED BY A MAZDA MECHANIC. AN EMPLOYEE THEN PROCEEDED TO TELL ME THAT ALTHOUGH MY VEHICLE WAS UNDER WARRANTY, I WAS GOING TO BE CHARGED $1,100 TO REPLACE BOTH THE BATTERY AND THE ALTERNATOR. ON TOP OF THAT I WAS TOLD THAT THE PCM WOULD NOT BE REPAIRED UNTIL THE NON-MAZDA PRODUCTS WERE REMOVED AND REPLACED. FOLLOWING THAT LAST BIT OF NEWS, I WAS INFORMED THAT I WAS NOT ENTITLED TO A RENTAL. I AM OUTRAGED OVER THE FACT THAT I WAS NEVER NOTIFIED BY WEST COVINA MAZDA OF THESE RECALLS! THEY ARE CLEARLY SERIOUS DEFECTS AND COULD HAVE RESULTED IN A COLLISION. IT IS MY OPINION THAT THE FAULTY PCM DESTROYED A BRAND NEW ALTERNATOR AND BATTERY IN LESS THAN TWO WEEKS. *JB

NHTSA ID

10166652

Incident

Aug 25, 2006

Mileage

32,000 mi

VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: 2003 MAZDA TRIBUTE LX AWD - PURCHASED BRAND NEW FROM ROTO MAZDA OF ARLINGTON HEIGHTS, IL. ALL SERVICES LIKE REGULAR OIL CHANGES WERE DONE WITHIN THE RECOMMENDED TIME. COMPLAINT: THE VEHICLE STALLS WITHOUT ANY WARNING. WE TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER FEW TIMES WHILE IT WAS IN WARRANTY (LESS THAN 36000 MILES). THE DEALER ASSURED THAT THE SAFETY RECALL FOR MAZDA TRIBUTE IS ALREADY IN PLACE. THEY COULDN'T FIND ANYTHING WRONG WITH THE SUV. THE VEHICLE STALLED AGAIN YESTERDAY WHILE I WAS PULLING OUT OF THE DRIVEWAY (ON REVERSE) IT CAME TO A STOP AND DIED.(THIS IS THE SECOND TIME IN LAST SIX MONTHS) I HAD TO RESTART THE CAR. IT STARTS IMMEDIATELY. IT STALLED TODAY. I WAS WAITING AT A TRAFFIC SIGNAL AND WHEN IT TURNED GREEN, I STARTED TO ACCELERATE AND IT DIED. (THIS HAPPENED ABOUT 4 TIMES IN LAST SIX MONTHS) I AM AFRAID THAT ONE OF THESE DAYS I AM GOING TO GET REAR ENDED. WE TOOK IT TO THE DEALER TWO TIMES WITH THE SAME COMPLAINT AND THEY COULDN'T FIND ANY THING WRONG WITH THE VEHICLE. DO I HAVE A LEMON? DID YOU RECEIVE SIMILAR COMPLAINTS ? MY CAR HAS 36300 MILES NOW AND OTHERWISE EXCELLENT CONDITION. THANK YOU.*JB

NHTSA ID

10140002

Incident

Oct 17, 2005

VEHICLE HAS STALLED IN MAJOR INTERSECTIONS ON AT LEAST 10 OCCASIONS WHEN REMOVING FOOT FROM GAS. VEHICLE HAS BEEN REPAIRED BY DEALER ON 4 OCCASIONS, REPLACING THE IAC VALVE WITH UPDATED MODELS ON AT LEAST TWO SEPARATE OCCASIONS. NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBERS: 04V583000 AND/OR 04V175000 HAVE DEALT WITH SIMILAR COMPLAINTS. MAZDA NORTH AMERICA IS NOW REQUIRING ME TO DO AN "EXTENSIVE TEST DRIVE ON PUBLIC ROADS IN VERO BEACH, FLORIDA WITH THEIR REPRESENTATIVE IN ORDER TO DUPLICATE MY CONCERN". I HAVE INFORMED MAZDA NORTH AMERICA BY MAIL ON TWO OCCASIONS AND BY TELEPHONE ON FOUR OCCASIONS THAT THIS VEHICLE IS INHERENTLY DANGEROUS AND WILL CAUSE INJURY TO SOMEONE. I HOLD MAZDA NORTH AMERICA RESPONSIBLE FOR ANY SUCH INJURIES. RUSH D. LAWSON. I ASK THE NHTSA TO INVESTIGATE THIS COMPLAINT AND TO INQUIRE AS TO WHY MAZDA NORTH AMERICA IS KNOWINGLY PLACING CONSUMERS AND INNOCENT INDIVIDUALS ON THE STREETS AT RISK IN A VEHICLE WHICH IS KNOWN TO BE INHERENTLY DANGEROUS. *NM *JB

NHTSA ID

10132490

Incident

Mar 1, 2005

Mileage

30,000 mi

THE TRANSMISSION FAILED WITH LESS THAN 600 MILES ON THE CAR DUE TO A HOSE CLAMP NOT BEING SECURED DURING MANUFACTURE. EVER SINCE THEN I HAVE HAD PROBLEMS WITH THE CAR HESITATING AND ALMOST STALLING WHEN ACCELERATING FROM A STOP JUST AFTER STARTING THE CAR. IT ALSO HAPPENS MORE OFTEN IF THE CAR IS NOT LEVEL AT THE TIME, EITHER ON AN INCLINE OR DECLINE. IF I LET THE CAR WARM UP FOR A FEW MINUTES, I GENERALLY DO NOT HAVE THIS PROBLEM. I HAVE ALSO HAD A PROBLEM WITH THE GAS PEDAL FEELING LIKE IT STICKS OR IS CATCHING ON SOMETHING, I HAVE NOTICED THIS PROBLEM MORE OFTEN WHEN THE OUTSIDE TEMPERATURE IS BELOW 75 DEGREES. WHEN THE ACCELERATOR FINALLY ACTIVATES, THE CAR GENERAL LUNGES FORWARD OR WILL SPIN THE TIRES, I HAVE LEARNED TO LET MY FOOT OFF OF THE ACCELERATOR TO KEEP THE CAR UNDER CONTROL. I HAVE ALSO HAD PROBLEMS WITH THE CAR SHIFTING ABRUPTLY BETWEEN GEARS, BUT THIS HAS SUBSIDED QUITE A BIT. I HAVE ALSO FELT A VIBRATION IN THE CAR AROUND 45 AND 70 MPH. I DON'T FEEL THE VIBRATION IN THE STEERING WHEEL, IT FEELS LIKE IT IS COMING FROM THE MIDDLE OF THE CAR, MORE IN THE TRANSMISSION/DRIVETRAIN AREA. I HAVE HAD THE TIRES ROTATED A BALANCED 3 TIMES AND ALSO HAD THE ALIGNMENT CHECKED, BUT THE VIBRATION STILL OCCURS. I HAVE TAKEN THE CAR BACK TO THE DEALERSHIP NUMEROUS TIMES AND THEY ALWAYS SAY THEY CAN NOT DUPLICATE THE PROBLEMS. I HAVE RESEARCHED ALL OF THE COMPLAINTS AND RECALLS FOR THE TRIBUTE AND THE FORD ESCAPE, SINCE THEY ARE BASICALLY THE SAME VEHICLE, AND THERE ARE QUITE A FEW SIMILAR COMPLAINTS. I THINK THE HESITATING PROBLEM IS RELATED TO THE RECALL FOR THE "STALLING" PROBLEM, I THINK THE PROBLEM IS MORE WIDESPREAD THAN THEY THOUGHT OR THE FIX FOR THE RECALL DID NOT SOLVE THE PROBLEM ENTIRELY.*AK

NHTSA ID

10090701

Incident

Sep 9, 2004

Mileage

567 mi

AFTER SITTING FOR 2 DAYS IN FEBURARY OF 2003, MY 2001 MAZDA TRIBUTE HAS A HARD START AND EXTRAME HESITATION WHEN DRIVING. LATER THE ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON. I HAD THE VEHICLE TOWED TO MAZDA DEALERSHIP WHO SAID IT WAS CAUSED BY BUSTED SPARK PLUG. I OKED A TUNE UP. IN MARCH 2003 AFTER SITTING TWO DAYS, THE SAME PROBLEM OCCURRED. I CALLED THE DEALERSHIP AND WAS TOLD THEY FOUND A CALLAPSED HOSE. I HAVE NOT ALLOWED THE VEHICLE TO SIT FOR 2 DAYS AGAIN BUT DID NOTICE A SLIGHT HESITATION OFF AND ON AND IT IS NOW DECEMBER 2003 AND THE PROBLEM HAS GOTTEN WORSE. AND LIKE OTHER COMPLAINTS, IT STARTS AT ELEVATION BETWEEN 45-50 MPH. AFTER 55 IT'S FINE. IT DOES THIS ALL THE TIME. AS OF 1-2-04 I HAVE A SCHEDULED APPOINTMENT TO HAVE IT CHECKED OUT. I ALSO WANT TO MENTION THAT ABOUT 4 MONTHS AGO AS I WAS DRIVING TO WORK, THE VEHICLE STALLED WITH NO WARNING HOWEVER, I WAS ABLE TO COAST TO THE SHOULDER WITH NO PROBLEMS. AFTER ABOUT 15 MINUTES THE VEHICLE STARTED WITH NO PROBLEM.*AK

NHTSA ID

10051474

Incident

Feb 12, 2003

Mileage

50,000 mi

I RECENTLY PURCHASED A NEW 2003 MAZDA TRIBUTE SUV. AT TIMES IT IS DIFFICULT TO GET IT OUT OF THE PARK POSITION AFTER I START THE ENGINE. AT OTHER TIMES IT WILL NOT START UNTIL I FORCE THE STEERING WHEEL TO MOVE. IS THIS INHERENT IN THIS MODEL? *NLM

NHTSA ID

10049131

Incident

Nov 27, 2003

WHEN THE CONSUMER APPLIED PRESSURE TO THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL THE VEHICLE DID NOT MOVE. *NLM

NHTSA ID

10019409

Incident

May 7, 2003

#1-TRANSMISSION FAILURE @ 3617 MILES. VEHICLE 3 MONTHS OLD. MFG SOLUTION/REMANUFACTURED TRANSMISSION VS NEW..#2-REQUESTED REPAIR OF SMART UNLOCKING FEATURE AS STATED IN OWNERS MANUAL ON PAGE 70 OF PART #9999-95-014C-03..MFG SOLUTION/WILL CORRECT OWNERS MANUAL..SOMETHING ISN'T RIGHT WITH THESE SOLUTIONS..SERVICING DEALER HAS DONE EVERYTHING IN IT'S POWER TO CORRECT TO CORRECT THESE ISSUES & MAINTAIN GOOD RELATIONS..MAZDA MFG IS RELUCTANT TO MOVE BEYOND THESE SOLUTIONS...... *NLM

NHTSA ID

10013681

Incident

Mar 21, 2003

Mileage

3,617 mi