10.0

really awful
Crashes / Fires:
1 / 0
Injuries / Deaths:
0 / 0
Average Mileage:
119,084 miles

About These NHTSA Complaints:

This data is from the NHTSA — the US gov't agency tasked with vehicle safety. Complaints are spread across multiple & redundant categories, & are not organized by problem.

So how do you find out what problems are occurring? For this NHTSA complaint data, the only way is to read through the comments below. Any duplicates or errors? It's not us.

2003 Mazda Tribute drivetrain problems

drivetrain problem

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2003 Mazda Tribute Owner Comments

problem #8

May 012020

Tribute

  • miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

Car stalled when slowing to stop in left turning lane doing around 45mph, approaching the light in a busy intersection and vehicles approaching mine from behind. It would no longer start in park or move in drive, to get our of the way and off the street I had to wait and the move it in reverse. Got towed home and it still sits.

- Hesperia, CA, USA

problem #7

May 012020

Tribute

  • 140,000 miles
I was driving around 50mph and comng up to a stop light, as I began to slow down in the left turning lane for the red light going left, my Tribute suddenly stalled.the light then of course turned green and this was not good, cause all the cars coming up from behind me were now intending to no slow down and begin to speed up, to carry on through the very busy intersection. Which almost created a pile up, beginning at my rear bumper, or another sudden collision near by. Luckily all the cars had either swerved around mine, or managed to stop behind me. I then put mine in park and tried to start it, the engine started but I was unable to shift out of park. So I shut it off, put it in neutral and tried starting it, it started and shifted out of park but would not move while in drive. So I tried in one of the lower gears and it very slowly, about 5 mph began to move, getting me off the major St and on to a side street. I then checked reverse, which worked just fine and allowed me to pull into a nearby store to wait for a tow truck. I put it in park and shut it off, too wait for it to be towed home. The next day I tried to use it, but still nothing in drive, no check engine light and its been parked ever since, about 5 months now.

- Hesperia, CA, USA

problem #6

Feb 272020

Tribute

  • 149,374 miles
I was coming up to a stop light and as I slowed down my 03 Mazda Tribute stalled, leaving me stopped in the middle of 5 lanes. As the light was turning green & the cars nearing my rear, had to swerve around to avoid a collision. I had placed my shifter into park and was able to restart my vehicle, but it still would not move after shifting into D(drive). So I shifted into one of the lower gears, to slowly get off the street and into the nearest parking lot. I parked and shut my vehicle off, made sure all was intact then restarting my vehicle. I shifted into R(reverse) and backed up normally, I then shifted into D(drive) but my car only rolled as though it was in N(neutral). So I shifted into R(reverse), backed directly into my parking space and called my roadside assist. To be towed home.

- Hesperia, CA, USA

problem #5

Jun 112018

Tribute

  • 135,440 miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

Takata recall, light continues to flash while driving and sitting in park, going down the highway or city streets.driving down the highway the car stopped pulling with traffic speed of 65 mph had to maneuver off the highway. Wouldn't pull in any gear, shifter only had one gear it would sit in will slide from neutral to drive 2. cost $224 to tow which I had to borrow.

- Austin, TX, USA

problem #4

Jul 082014

Tribute 6-cyl

  • 147,302 miles
Coil failure, replaced and same coil failures reoccur. PCM failure causing coil failure.

- Cape Coral, FL, USA

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problem #3

Jun 172013

Tribute 6-cyl

  • 261,556 miles
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).

- Stockbridge, GA, USA

problem #2

Dec 162012

Tribute 6-cyl

  • 112,000 miles
My wife was in the parking lot at church waiting for a car to pull away so she could park. The car started to roll forward so she stepped harder on the brake. The car lurched ahead crashing into the car in front of her. My wife is quite sure she had her foot on the brake. As she told me about this I started remembering an event. This car had belonged to my father who has since passed away. He purchased it new. I'm not exactly sure of the date, but I believe it was in the first year of ownership. He was parking at a hospital when all of a sudden the vehicle was taking off and pushing the car in front of him. I figured he was having a senior moment and had his foot on the wrong pedal. I did some quick research today and found that others have had this problem. Maybe my father was doing all the right things and it really was the cars fault. I also see that there have been recalls on this matter. I'm not sure if any of these issues were addressed when my father had the car, but I will be checking it out. I hope you will be continuing to follow up on this. This is a scary and dangerous issue that deserves your attention. When things start effecting your driving record, insurance costs, and make you pay deductibles when it is not your fault something needs to change!

- Bettendorf, IA, USA

problem #1

Jan 142004

Tribute 6-cyl

  • 7,000 miles
The RPM on this vehicle jumps even if I am at a full stop sometimes it races even if the car is in park took the car to several shops had severely parts replaced.

- Mcdonough, GA, USA

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