1.8

hardly worth mentioning
Crashes / Fires:
0 / 0
Injuries / Deaths:
0 / 0
Average Mileage:
93,290 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 steering problems

steering problem

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2003 Mazda Tribute Owner Comments

problem #7

May 152010

Tribute

  • 179,000 miles

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

Nothing happened. I have been experiencing front end issues for some time now.

- Evansville, IN, USA

problem #6

Feb 172019

Tribute

  • 160,000 miles
Driving in green bay wi 2/17/2019 and went through a roundabout, felt something giving out in steering" pulled into a parking lot near by and had no control over car? found out there is a recall on the Mazda Tribute subframe which gets corroded with salt and rusts out? Mazda fixed this recall on this car 12/18/2015 and performed the subframe recall on this car. Now the parts gave out again and broke so the parts do not last like they think they do? people will probably die in this car, thinking these parts are made to last and they dont.? this vehicle is a danger to all who drive it this way, not knowing the parts will not last? Mazda claims they fixed it, it lasted 40,000 miles, wont fix it again, but how long does a recall part last? especially since the previous owner took care of this car, went through all the necessary repairs and then we lost steering and had no idea that this was a severe danger? we are lucky to be alive. If this happens on a freeway this car can roll and people will be killed, not knowing about the parts failure? please help, we have no car for work and are scared to even fix it? it only has 160,000 miles on it? I honestly need the right people to examine this? I dont have a picture yet, but would gladly provide them when you contact me with a case number and what we can do? yikes thanks for the help"

- Oconto, WI, USA

problem #5

Nov 012017

Tribute

  • 95,000 miles
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 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.

- Hopkins, MN, USA

problem #4

Feb 222005

Tribute

  • 5,000 miles

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

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.

- Bay City, MI, USA

problem #3

May 262014

Tribute

  • 101,682 miles
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).

- Galway, NY, USA

problem #2

Aug 282012

Tribute 6-cyl

  • 112,345 miles
Every time it rains really hard or there's flooding in the streets the car starts showing the battery light like it is going to die on me and as a precaution I try to pull out of the street to any place and while turning the steering wheel the car looses power and the wheels won't turn. Driving no more than 5mph while slowing down from a normal 35mph without warning my engine shut off and I lost power to my steering wheel and brakes. I was able to get the car to off the road after applying all my weight to the brakes and steering wheel. I missed an oncoming car and a tree by an inch. I decided to do some online research and it seems I am not the only one with this problem with a Mazda Tribute 2003. I am very worried because it hurricane season here in fl and the rain is not something I can predict, besides it seems absurd that I would even have to watch the weather to see if I should or not drive the car. This is an accident waiting to happen!! I drive my 2 year old every day and it is not right that Mazda would have cars with this issues out in the street. If feels like by signing a purchase contract on it. I had signed a death with it. Please do something. I haven't found that there is a recall for this issue.

- Greenacres, FL, USA

problem #1

Apr 212003

Tribute

  • miles
While driving the steering went out.

- Blue Jay, CA, USA

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