2004 Mazda Tribute Owner Complaints

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

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 MAZDA TRIBUTE. WHILE DRIVING 65 MPH, THE VEHICLE MADE AN ABNORMAL THUMPING NOISE. THE CONTACT LATER NOTICED THAT THE REAR PASSENGER WHEEL WELL WAS RUSTED OUT AND THE SHOCK MOUNT WAS FRACTURED. THERE WERE NO WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. THE LOCAL DEALER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED, THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED AND PROVIDED CASE NUMBER: 1-2341658425. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 181,000.

NHTSA ID

11257292

Incident

Sep 22, 2019

Mileage

181,000 mi

I OWN A 2004 MAZDA TRIBUTE FROM NEW. IT CURRENTLY HAVE AROUND 94000 MILES, MECHANICALLY AND COSMETICALLY MAINTAINED. JUST RECENTLY I STARTED HEARING A BANGING NOISE FROM THE PASSENGER REAR AREA. I HAVE SOME STUFF IN THE CARGO AREA ON THAT SIDE SO I FIGURED IT WAS BOUNCING AROUND. SO I REMOVED EVERYTHING AND STILL HAD THE BANGING. UPON FURTHER INSPECTION I DISCOVERED A PASSENGER SIDE REAR WHEEL WELL AND SHOCK TOWER ROTTING AWAY...THIS IS NOT ACCEPTABLE...IT PRESENTS MUCH DANGER TO ALL OCCUPANTS AND OTHER VEHICLES OCCUPANTS!!! THIS SHOULD NEVER BE AND SHOULD BE TAKEN SERIOUSLY BY THE MANUFACTURER BUT IT IS NOT. LOTS OF 2001 TO 2010 MAZDA TRIBUTES, FORD ESCAPES AND MERCURY MARINERS, ARE AFFECTED BY THIS PROBLEM. PLEASE HAVE THE MANUFACTURER MAKE GOOD ON THIS DEFECT.

NHTSA ID

11253127

Incident

Jul 20, 2019

Mileage

94,000 mi

RUSTED OFF RIGHT REAR STRUT MOUNT, REAR FRAME. CASUES BRAKE LINE TO SEVERE AND BRAKES TO GO OUT WHILE DRIVING. CAR IS NON-REPARABLE AND MUST BE TOTALLED. SEEMS LIKE THIS HAS HAPPENED ALOT AND THEY ALREADY HAD A RECALL ON FOR RUST ISSUE IN FRONT OF THE CAR. ?????

NHTSA ID

11252268

Incident

Aug 28, 2019

Mileage

170,000 mi

"TAKATA RECALL" MY CAR IS RUSTED UNDERNEATH FROM THE GAS PUMP AND UNDER. ON JULY 11TH, 2019 . I WAS DRIVING MY VEHICLE ON A STREET WHEN MY PASSENGER SIDE REAR STRUT CAME OUT FROM THE RUST. SOMETIMES AFTER PUTTING GAS IN MY CAR AND DRIVING OFF INSIDE OF MY CAR WILL START TO SMELL LIKE GAS. SINCE IT IS RUSTED UNDER AND AROUND.

NHTSA ID

11231662

Incident

Jul 11, 2019

Mileage

238,564 mi

RUSTED OFF RIGHT REAR STRUT MOUNT. DRIVING IN CITY, STARTED HEARING BANGING NOISE FROM RIGHT REAR.

NHTSA ID

11218727

Incident

May 20, 2019

Mileage

170,000 mi

TAKATA RECALL WE WERE ON INTERSTATE WHEN WE HEARD A THUD AND OUR VEHICLE LOST POWER ALMOST CAUSING US TO BE REAR ENDED. WE STEERED OFF FREEWAY AND WHEN IT CAME TO A STOP IT WOULD NOT GO INTO ANY GEAR EXCEPT NEUTRAL. WE HAD IT TOWED TO HOUSE. AFTER LOTS OF RESEARCH IT SEEMS IT COULD BE THE TRANSMISSION MODULE OR PCM.

NHTSA ID

11193688

Incident

Apr 3, 2019

Mileage

137,501 mi

UNDERCARRIAGE CORROSION HAS CAUSED TOTAL CORROSION TO RIGHT REAR WHEEL, WHICH AS CAUSED THE RIGHT REAR SHOCK TO BREAK OFF. THE CORROSION IS NOT NORMAL AND SEEMS TO BE A MANUFACTURING DEFECT

NHTSA ID

11153698

Incident

Nov 26, 2018

Mileage

92,600 mi

WHEN DRIVING OR STOPPING AT RED LIGHT THE VEHICLE WILL SHUT OFF, BEFORE IT SHUTS OFF THE OIL LIGHT FLICKERS AND THERE'S A BURNING SMELL FROM UNDER THE HOOD. I TOOK IT TO MULTIPLE AUTO SHOPS AND HAVE GOT THE CATALYTIC CONVERTERS REPLACE, TRANSMISSION, MASS AIR FLOW AND A HOST OF OTHER THINGS AT A COSTLY PRICE AND THE PROBLEM IS NOT FITS. THERE IS SOMETHING TERRIBLE WRONG WITH THE 2004 MAZDA TRIBUTE, I HAVE BEEN IN ALMOST 2 ACCIDENT BECAUSE THE VEHICLE SHUTS OFF WHILE DRIVING. PLEASE FIX THIS!!

NHTSA ID

11144839

Incident

Oct 2, 2018

Mileage

165,000 mi

TOP OF WHEEL WELL ON BOTH SIDES IN THE BACK OF THE VEHICLE IS ALMOST COMPLETELY ROTTED OUT - THIS IS AN ON GOING ISSUE AND APPARENTLY HAS BEEN HAPPENING FOR A WHILE BUT IT IS HARD TO NOTICE SINCE IT IS BEHIND THE CLOSED DOOR THAT IT IS APPARENT AND SINCE I AM USUALLY DRIVING, I WOULD NOT HAVE NOTICED IT. I WAS HAVING MY FLEX PIPE REPLACED AND HAVE BEEN NOTICING SOME ANGING IN THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE. AT THIS POINT, I AM ASSUMING IT IS COMING FROM THE BODY ROTT WHICH I BELIEVE TO BE A DRIVING HAZARD AT THIS POINT. I SAW THAT SOME VEHICLES IN 2004 AND PRIOR WERE RECALLED FOR THIS ISSUE, BUT APPARENTLY NOT MINE PR MADZA. APPARENTLY IT SHOULD HAVE BEEN!

NHTSA ID

11114728

Incident

Jul 31, 2018

Mileage

155,000 mi

SUBFRAME CORRODED AND A PIECE OF IT FELL OFF COMPROMISING THE AXLE, WHEEL BEARING, AND SEIZED THE RIGHT REAR ROTER. UPON MAZDA TAKING THE TRUCK TO REPAIR THE SUBFRAME THEY NOTED THAT THE ENTIRE UNDERCARRIAGE HAD CORRODED RIGHT WITH THE SUBFRAME BEYOND REPAIR. SO FAR I HAVE BEEN DENIED A LOANER VEHICLE EVEN THOUGH THERE IS A CURRENT RECALL ON SUBFRAME FOR CORROSION. I AM STILL WAITING TO SEE WHAT THE OUTCOME IS GOING TO BE. I'VE MISSED 2 DAYS OF WORK ALREADY DUE TO THIS

NHTSA ID

11076778

Incident

Mar 2, 2018

Mileage

170,000 mi

ENGINE WILL NOT TURN OVER. GAS IS NOT BEING CIRCULATED

NHTSA ID

11073731

Incident

Feb 19, 2018

ADDING MY TRIBUTE TO THE LIST OF REAR PASSENGER SIDE SHOCK/STRUT RUSTING THROUGH THE BODY..VERY DANGEROUS

NHTSA ID

11053321

Incident

Oct 10, 2016

Mileage

119,364 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 MAZDA TRIBUTE. WHILE DRIVING 50 MPH, THE SUBFRAME FRACTURED. THE FAILURE CAUSED THE CONTACT TO MOMENTARILY LOSE CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT REGAINED CONTROL AND BROUGHT THE VEHICLE TO A STOP. THERE WERE NO WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT SUSTAINED SOME MINOR BRUISING AND SWELLING TO THE LOWER PORTION OF THE BODY, BUT DID NOT RECALL HOW THEY OCCURRED. MEDICAL ATTENTION WAS NOT REQUIRED. THE VEHICLE WAS LEFT AT THE SCENE AND RETRIEVED BY AN EYEWITNESS. THE CONTACT LATER VERIFIED THAT THE SUBFRAME WAS FRACTRURED. THE VEHICLE WAS DRIVEN HOME VERY SLOWLY. THE LOCAL DEALER (OAK LAWN MAZDA, 6750 95TH ST, OAK LAWN, IL, 60453) WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS DRIVEN VERY SLOWLY TO THE DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE SUBFRAME HAD FRACTURED. A REMEDY WAS NOT PROVIDED DUE TO THE DEALER AWAITING A RESPONSE FROM THE MANUFACTURER. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED AND STATED THAT THEY WOULD NOT COVER THE REPAIR COST BECAUSE THE VEHICLE WAS REMEDIED PER NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 14V174000 (STRUCTURE) ON JULY 11, 2014, AND THE CROSS BRACE (BRACKET) WAS REINFORCED AT THAT TIME. THE REMEDY FAILED TO RECTIFY THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 165,000. *BF CONSUMER STATED ALMOST GOT INTO AN ACCIDENT DUE TO DEALER CJ WILSON NOT REPLACING THE SUB-FRAME AND ONLY REINFORCING IT WITH A BRACKET. UPDATED 9/13/18*JB

NHTSA ID

11052303

Incident

Nov 30, 2017

Mileage

165,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 MAZDA TRIBUTE. WHILE DRIVING 10 MPH, THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED, BUT THE VEHICLE LOST POWER WITHOUT WARNING. THE CONTACT PULLED THE VEHICLE OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND PARKED THE VEHICLE IN A NEARBY PARKING LOT. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO THE DEALER. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 130,000.

NHTSA ID

11016125

Incident

Aug 17, 2017

Mileage

130,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 MAZDA TRIBUTE. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 20 MPH, THERE WAS AN ABNORMAL NOISE COMING FROM THE REAR PASSENGER SIDE WHEEL WELL. THE CONTACT OBSERVED THAT THE PASSENGER SIDE SHOCK MOUNT HAD DETACHED FROM THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT CALLED AN UNKNOWN DEALER WHERE AN APPOINTMENT WAS SCHEDULED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 155,826. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE.

NHTSA ID

11013329

Incident

Aug 5, 2017

Mileage

155,826 mi

RIGHT REAR WHEEL RUSTED OUT, REAR STRUT COMPLETELY DISCONNECTED. DEALER WONT REPAIR.

NHTSA ID

10947525

Incident

Jan 18, 2017

Mileage

240,000 mi

MY 2004 MAZDA TRIBUTE HAS LESS THAN 100,000 MILES AND THIS PAST WEEK WHILE LEAVING A LOCAL MALL THERE SEEMED TO BE MORE ROAD NOISE THAN USUAL COMING FROM THE REAR. A VISUAL INSPECTION OF THE REAR PASSENGER SIDE WHEEL WELL REVEALED THAT THE TOP OF THE STRUT, ALONG WITH A PORTION OF THE METAL MOUNT WAS BROKEN AWAY FROM THE BODY. THE MOUNT HAD COMPLETELY RUSTED AWAY FROM THE WHEEL WELL EXPOSING THE INTERIOR OF THE CARGO AREA. MOST OF MY DRIVING IS DONE EITHER IN TOWN OR HIGHWAY. IT IS VERY DISAPPOINTING THAT MAZDA (AND FORD) HAS FAILED TO TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR ITS POOR ENGINEERING. I HOPE IT DOESN'T TAKE A FATALITY OR INJURY FOR EITHER THE MANUFACTURER OR THE GOVERNMENT TO ADDRESS THIS ISSUE.

NHTSA ID

10909568

Incident

Sep 23, 2016

Mileage

95,000 mi