2004 Mazda Tribute

On July 8, 2012, The Center for Auto Safety has petitioned NHTSA to open defect investigations on Model Year (MY) 2002 ? 2004 Ford Escape and Mazda Tribute vehicles with certain cruise control cables.The Center for Auto Safety has also petitioned for a hearing to address whether Ford Motor Company (Ford) and Mazda North American Operations (Mazda) met their obligations to notify owners and correct a defect in certain Ford Escape and Mazda Tribute vehicles.The petitions to open investigations are denied as unnecessary and the petitions to conduct hearingsare denied.ODI IDs referenced above are: 10109921, 10116267, 10116574,10121108, 10125928, 10128545, 10130133,10137520, 10153327, 10155295, 10155817, 10159048, 10164205, 10165007, 10177337, 10184382, 10195378,10199728, 10201424, 10203178, 10204179, 10207677, 10214472, 10218668, 10222869, 10229600, 10255417,10256387, 10258046, 10259777, 10260591, 10266150, 10273613, 10291508, 10303282, 10303434, 10316154,10321828, 10323339, 10325817, 10331278, 10334038, 10335779, 10341773, 10342450, 10345004, 10363982,10370338, 10379444, 10432635, 10451652, 10466261, 891605, 10053779, 10125132, 10146998, 10149101,10160004, 10161052, 10170988, 10178811, 10204780, 10215610, 10222996, 10239609, 10252790, 10253666,10262773, 10264280, 10280669, 10289784, 10294932, 10312464, 10316440, 10343662, 10354530, 10413665,10461195

In a letter dated July 25, 2012 Ford Motor Company (Ford) submitted a Defect Information Report (DIR), NHTSA Recall No. 12V-353 to NHTSA identifying a safety defect involving inadequate clearance between the engine cover and the speed control cable connector, which could result in a stuck throttle condition.The vehicles involved are model year (MY) 2001 through MY 2004 Ford Escape vehicles equipped with 3.0L V6 engines and speed (cruise) control.A redesigned engine cover was implemented in production beginning in MY 2005, which provided additional clearance of the speed control cable to the engine cover.Similarly on July 26, 2012 Mazda North American Operations (Mazda) on behalf of Mazda Motor Corporation of Hiroshima, Japan submitted a DIR to NHTSA, NHTSA Recall No. 12V-357, identifying the safety defect described above in MY 2001 through MY 2006 and MY 2008 Mazda Tribute vehicles (no Tribute vehicles were produced in MY 2007) equipped with 3.0L V6 engines and speed control.Unlike the Ford Escape recall scope, the Mazda Tribute scope is broader as Mazda Tribute vehicles incorporated a similar engine cover design as related to the clearance to the speed control cable in MYs 2001 through 2006 and MY 2008.The failure report summary above reflects reports identified by ODI in review of data submitted to the Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) and reports submitted to Ford and to Mazda.ODI identified 44 reports likely related to the safety defect described in the DIRs; 39 involving Ford Escape vehicles and 5 involving Mazda Tribute vehicles. This Preliminary Evaluation is closed.The ODI report cited above can be reviewed at www-odi.nhtsa.dot.gov/owners/SearchNHTSAID under the following identification (ODI) numbers: 10116267, 10128545, 10128681, 10137520, 10153327, 10165007, 10199728, 10234846, 10335779, 10466261, and 10468307.

Ford and Mazda recalled model year (MY) 2001 through 2004 Ford Escape (07V-156) and Mazda Tribute (07V-157) vehicles due to non-crash fires or non-fire thermal events originating in the engine compartment at or near the ABS control module.Approximately 545,700 vehicles were subject to the initial safety recalls and approximately 424,700 vehicles were serviced under those campaigns. The campaigns addressed potentially damaged, missing or misplaced seals in the ABS control module wiring harness electrical connector that could allow brake fluid to enter the connector, possibly resulting in corrosion, short-circuit, melting, smoke and/or fire.Since the recall, the agency is aware of 260 subject vehicles that have reportedly experienced non-crash fires or non-fire thermal events originating at or near the ABS control module in vehicles some time after being serviced under the campaign. The post-recall repair incident rates for MY 2001 and 2002 subject vehicles are 90.9 and 126.7 (normalized per 100,000 vehicles serviced under the recall campaigns), respectively.These rates are much higher than the post-recall repair incident rate for MY 2003 and 2004 subject vehicles, which are 5.0 and 3.7 per 100K, respectively.Similarly, the post-recall repair key-off fire incident rates in the MY 2001 and 2002 subject vehicles is 54.3 per 100K, compared to 0.5 per 100K for the MY 2003 and 2004 subject vehicles.The agency is aware of 12 key-off fire incidents, all involving MY 2001 and 2002 subject vehicles, where the vehicle was parked inside a structure when the fire started.In five of those incidents, the fire spread from the vehicle to the structure itself.Ford has identified the brake master cylinder reservoir cap in certain MY 2001 and 2002 subject vehicles as a potential source for brake fluid leaks that could affect ABS module connector integrity.The reservoir caps used on the MY 2003 and 2004 subject vehicles are reportedly an improved design from those used on the earlier models.By letter dated January 4, 2012, Ford notified the agency that it would conduct another safety recall (identified by NTHSA Recall No. 12V-005 and Ford Recall No. 11S24) of certain MY 2001 and 2002 Ford Escape vehicles to perform a more thorough remedy to address the risk of fire originating at the ABS control module.In addition to double-checking the ABS control module wiring harness electrical connector weather seal (which should have been addressed under the previous recall campaign), Ford will replace brake master cylinder reservoir caps to address the leaking cap problem and reduce the risk of brake fluid entering the subject electrical connector.Ford will also modify the electrical system such that the ABS control module is de-energized when the ignition key is switched off to further reduce the risk of an unattended vehicle fire in units that may have sustained some small loss of connector integrity that may not be evident upon visual examination.Similarly, Mazda notified the agency by letter dated January 19, 2012, that it would also conduct a safety recall (identified by NTHSA Recall No. 12V-016 and Mazda Recall No. 6712A) of certain MY 2001 and 2002 Mazda Tribute vehicles.Ford estimates repair parts will be available beginning the second quarter of 2012. Until recall repairs are made both Ford and Mazda are advising owners of affected vehicles to reduce the safety concern by parking their vehicles outdoors away from structures to prevent a potential fire from spreading.Accordingly, this investigation is closed.

IN LETTERS DATED MARCH 30, 2007, FORD MOTOR COMPANY (FORD) AND MAZDA NORTH AMERICAN OPERATIONS (MAZDA) NOTIFIED THE AGENCY THAT THEY WILL CONDUCT RECALLS 07V-156 AND 07V-157, RESPECTIVELY, TO REMEDY A SAFETY DEFECT THAT MAY RESULT IN FIRE IN A WIRING CONNECTOR USED IN CERTAIN MODEL YEAR (MY) 2001-2004 FORD ESCAPE AND MAZDA TRIBUTE VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH ABS.THE RECALL CAMPAIGN PRESCRIBES AN INSPECTION OF THE SUBJECT COMPONENTS, WHICH SHALL BE REPAIRED OR REPLACED ONLY IF NECESSARY.IF THE SUBJECT VEHICLE PASSES THE VISUAL INSPECTION THEN THE RECALL INSTRUCTS THE TECHNICIAN TO APPLY ELECTRICAL GREASE (FORD PART NUMBER XG-12) TO THE ABS MODULE CONNECTOR AND VERIFY SYSTEM OPERATION.TO DATE, APPROXIMATELY 388,500 SUBJECT VEHICLES (71.7% OF THE TOTAL RECALL POPULATION) HAVE BEEN SERVICED UNDER THE RECALL CAMPAIGN, THE VAST MAJORITY OF WHICH (373,985) PASSED THE VISUAL INSPECTION AND RECEIVED ONLY THE ELECTRICAL GREASE APPLIED TO THE ABS MODULE CONNECTOR. THE AGENCY IS AWARE OF AT LEAST 86 UNIQUE SUBJECT VEHICLES THAT HAVE REPORTEDLY EXPERIENCED NON-CRASH FIRE INCIDENTS ORIGINATING IN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT AT OR NEAR THE ABS CONTROL MODULE SOME TIME AFTER THE VEHICLE WAS SERVICED UNDER THE SUBJECT RECALL.THE MANUFACTURER HAS PROVIDED SOME INFORMATION THAT INDICATES CERTAIN VEHICLES WERE IMPROPERLY SERVICED UNDER THE SUBJECT RECALL AS EVIDENCED BY THE FACTORY WIRE TIE-WRAP NOT BEING REMOVED FROM THE WIRING HARNESS (WHICH INDICATES A PROPER INSPECTION COULD NOT HAVE BEEN PERFORMED) AND BY INCORRECT GREASE BEING APPLIED, INCORRECT AMOUNTS OF GREASE, AND EVEN INSTANCES WHERE NO GREASE WAS APPLIED TO THE ABS MODULE CONNECTOR.ALSO, THERE REMAIN SOME QUESTIONS REGARDING THE SEVERITY OF THE REPORTED FIRE INCIDENTS.THE MANUFACTURER CONTENDS THAT MOST REPORTED FIRES WERE ACTUALLY NON-FIRE THERMAL EVENTS WITH DAMAGE LIMITED TO THE SUBJECT COMPONENTS AND THAT MOST VEHICLES ARE REPAIRED AND RETURNED TO SERVICE.HOWEVER, THE TREND APPEARS TO BE ONGOING WITH 5 REPORTED INCIDENTS HAVING OCCURRED IN THE PAST 6 MONTHS.ACCORDINGLY, THIS RECALL QUERY HAS BEEN UPGRADED TO AN ENGINEERING ANALYSIS TO FURTHER ASSESS THE EFFECTIVENESS OF THE RECALL REMEDY.

I am submitting this formal complaint regarding a potential recall failure involving a 2005 Mazda Tribute driven by my fiancé, [XXX], who died following a crash on [XXX]. Mazda has opened Case #[XXX] in response to my inquiry, and I am requesting federal oversight of this investigation. Joey’s vehicle may have been affected by NHTSA Recall 12V357000, which addresses throttle body malfunction and unintended acceleration. Service records show that a dealership performed a recall service, but the parts used may have been ineffective or incomplete. The crash sequence—rear-ending a stopped vehicle followed by veering into oncoming traffic—matches known symptoms of this defect. I am requesting: •A formal review of Mazda’s handling of Recall 12V357000 •Verification of Joey’s VIN-specific recall compliance •Investigation into the dealership’s repair actions and part quality •Oversight of Mazda’s internal case (#[XXX]) and its findings This issue raises serious concerns about manufacturer accountability and public safety. I am submitting supporting documentation and service records for review. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

NHTSA ID

11696863

Incident

Jun 17, 2025

The driver air bag light on the instrument panel has been illuminated since 2004, repair had been attempted several times but has failed. A bulletin has been sent by the manufacture to the dealership regarding steering wheel airbag light being illuminated giving a false warning, due to defective electrical wiring that cannot be repaired.

NHTSA ID

11608821

Incident

May 15, 2004

The contact owns a 2004 Mazda Tribute. The contact stated while driving approximately 35 MPH, there was an abnormal rattling sound detected. There were no warning lights illuminated. The contact stopped and noticed there was rust on the vehicle. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer where it was diagnosed that the rear shock had detached due to rust. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 203,350.

NHTSA ID

11520878

Incident

May 1, 2023

Mileage

203,350 mi

The contact owns a 2004 Mazda Tribute. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the air bag warning light illuminated. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired by an independent mechanic or dealer. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 212,900.

NHTSA ID

11509822

Incident

Feb 27, 2023

Mileage

212,900 mi

rear passenger side wheel well ,shock tower mount ,and sub frame .shock tower mount broke fell off hit the cement , chipped my rim and crushed my break lines i took it to lafountaine mazda and they have done an estimate for repairs and damage

NHTSA ID

11488275

Incident

Sep 30, 2022

The contact owns a 2004 Mazda Tribute. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle would accelerate unintendedly, and the brakes would fail during the unintended acceleration. The ABS and check engine warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, but the code reader was not able to read any codes. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure but informed the contact that the accelerator and brakes were repaired years prior and would not cover the cost for repair. The failure mileage was 189,000.

NHTSA ID

11427833

Incident

Jul 17, 2021

Mileage

189,000 mi

I WAS DRIVING DOWN THE HIGHWAY WHEN I HEARD A NOISE LIKE THE ROOF WAS BEING RIPPED OFF. WHEN I PULLED OVER TO INSPECT I NOTICED THAT THE GLASS FROM MY SKYLIGHT WAS GONE. APPEARS THE GLUE DETERIORATED LETTING WINDOW BECOME LOOSE AND THEREFORE BLOWING OFF. GOOD THING DIDNT HIT ANY OTHER VEHICLES.

NHTSA ID

11403297

Incident

Mar 10, 2021

Mileage

176,000 mi

DRIVING ONE DAY, THE CAR VEERED SUDDENLY INTO THE ONCOMING TRAFFIC LANE. FORTUNATELY NO CARS WERE THERE. I TOOK IT TO MY MECHANIC WHO TOLD ME THE FRONT SUSPENSION WAS CRACKED AND THE CAR'S FRAME WAS RUSTED SO BADLY THE CAR COULD NOT BE JACKED UP.

NHTSA ID

11355270

Incident

Sep 2, 2020

Mileage

110,000 mi

This bulletin supersedes the previously issued bulletin(s) listed below. The changes are noted in Red text. 09-042/04 12/10/04 DESCRIPTION Some vehicles may exhibit inoperative electric rear window defroster grid lines, integral antenna concerns causing radio reception issues or terminal tabs pulled from the rear window glass. Follow the diagnostic and repair procedures included in this service information to inspect and service rear defroster grid lines, integral antenna concerns or broken terminal tabs.

This Service Alert supersedes the previously issued SA listed below: The changes are noted in Red. SA-011/24 02/12/24, 06/06/24, 07/29/24 DESCRIPTION Mazda has developed factory recommended scheduled maintenance services that support all major vehicle systems. Mazda recommends dealers follow the scheduled maintenance tables as cited in the vehicle-specific workshop manual or owner's manual. Services performed outside of Mazda's factory scheduled maintenance are not recommended. These services are unnecessary and create unneeded expenses for your customers. SCHEDULED MAINTENANCE Refer to the applicable Workshop Manual or Owner's Manual for vehicle -specific manufacturer scheduled maintenance. Workshop Manual - Refer to section 00-00 SCHEDULED MAINTENANCE. Owner's Manual - Refer to section 8 Maintenance and Care. b. Note: Please refer to the information below outlining the services not included in Mazda's Factory Scheduled Maintenance: IMPORTANT: Recommending fluid flushes when not necessary can lead to customer confusion and dissatisfaction. Fluid flushing for preventive maintenance purposes is strongly discouraged, unless otherwise specified in a published procedure (Owner’s Manual, Workshop Manual, Technical Service Bulletin, etc.).

In accordance with Federal regulations, follow the procedure listed below when replacing a speedometer. NOTE: Tampering with a motor vehicle odometer is strictly prohibited by Federal, and State laws. It is the dealer’s responsibility to comply with Federal, State, and local laws concerning odometer and related documentation requirements when providing a repair or replacement. Mazda vehicles are manufactured with tamper-proof speedometers. When a speedometer is replaced, the new speedometer will read zero (0) miles. This procedure is extremely important to accurately represent actual vehicle mileage. Prior to speedometer removal, complete the information required on the “Speedometer Replacement Label”. Labels can only be ordered through Mazda eStore. In an effort to achieve a higher level of Customer Experience and retain the value of Mazda’s vehicles, MNAO Warranty Operations is allowing all Mazda dealers to utilize a third party, SPECMO Enterprises, Inc., for Instrument Panel Cluster (IPC) odometer setting service. With the use of SPECMO’s services, it is possible that the odometer will be set between 10 to 31 miles over the odometer mileage at the time of replacement for both warranty and customer pay repairs. Please make sure that the customer is aware that there may be a slight variance to the odometer, in which case the customer may have to accept the slightly higher mileage. Since odometer setting service is not part of the warranty repair, it is not warrantable nor required, but optional. However, Mazda Warranty policy provides after- warranty assistance (AWA) or DSA that can be utilized to cover this service expense.

Mazda has developed factory recommended scheduled maintenance services that support all major vehicle systems. Mazda recommends dealers follow the scheduled maintenance tables as cited in the vehicle-specific workshop manual or owner's manual. Services performed outside of Mazda's factory scheduled maintenance are not recommended. These services are unnecessary and create unneeded expenses for your customers.

Mazda has developed factory recommended scheduled maintenance services that support all major vehicle systems. Mazda recommends dealers follow the scheduled maintenance tables as cited in the vehicle-specific workshop manual or owner's manual. Services performed outside of Mazda's factory scheduled maintenance are not recommended. These services are unnecessary and create unneeded expenses for your customers.

Mazda has developed factory recommended scheduled maintenance services that support all major vehicle systems. Mazda recommends dealers follow the scheduled maintenance tables as cited in the vehicle-specific workshop manual or owner's manual. Services performed outside of Mazda's factory scheduled maintenance are not recommended. These services are unnecessary and create unneeded expenses for your customers.