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.
The contact owns a 2004 Mazda Tribute. The contact stated that while driving, the vehicle had an abnormal loud sound. The contact stated that the rear passenger side shock support in the wheel well had rotted. The vehicle was not repaired. The approximate failure mileage was unknown.
The contact owns a 2004 Mazda Tribute. While driving approximately 40 mph, there was an abnormal noise coming from the rear passenger side of the vehicle and the check engine warning light illuminated. In addition, the contact mentioned a burning odor inside the vehicle. The contact pulled over and discovered that part of the frame was fractured from the vehicle. The vehicle was taken to a dealer where it was diagnosed that the rear passenger side of the frame was rusted and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 140,000.
The contact owns a 2004 Mazda Tribute. While driving approximately 15 mph, there was an abnormal noise coming from the rear passenger side of the vehicle. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic who stated that the entire passenger side wheel well was rusted and corroded. In addition, the bracket was fractured. The vehicle was unable to be driven. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 108,000.
Right rear shock has broken through wheel panel and can be seen from the trunk area. Left rear side has stress fractures and I assume will also break through eventually. Took car to body shop and was told that the wheel panel has rusted through and that it would be too expensive to fix because to properly fix the car one would have to replace the wheel panel and any other metal area on both sides of the car that is rusted. Is NHTSA willing to take the car to test the undercoating and metal to determine if they meet proper standards" I went online and have seen that this same problem with other madza Tributes and even Ford escapes. Can you help"
The contact owns a 2004 Mazda Tribute. While driving at an unknown speed, a loud abnormal noise emitted from the front of the vehicle. The contact inspected the vehicle and found that the passenger side wheel house panel and shock were severely corroded. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic for further inspection, whom also confirmed that the front passenger wheel house panel and shock were severely corroded due to defective material. The technician advised that the rear passenger side wheel house panel and shock and the driver side wheel house panel needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was 81,000.
- Berea, OH, USA
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The rear passenger wheel well has excessive corrosion through the frame of my vehicle. The corrosion has split my frame in half and left wholes surrounding the split. My shock tower is exposed and corroded making it unsafe to drive. The rear driver side is splitting in the same exact place.this is a serious safety hazard and obvious defect. The front end of my vehicle was just recalled and repaired for the same issue. I don't understand why Mazda has not addressed this issue already. Excessive corrosion has also occurred on the Ford escape made from the same line. Mazda needs to be responsible and correct this before a serious injury or fatality occurs.
The contact owns a 2004 Mazda Tribute. The contact stated that the rear passenger side wheel was rusting causing the strut brace to rust. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The contact referenced a manufacturers recall that was related to the failure. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The VIN was not available. The approximate failure mileage was 110,000.
While looking for a knocking sound in the passenger side rear found that the shock mount assembly was broken loose from the body of the vehicle. You could see through to the interior fabric, leaving shock and mount attached to nothing. Serious design flaw.
This was not an accident. I recently have had to have the right and left inner wheelhouse panels on my 2004 Mazda Tribute replaced due to excessive corrosion. The inner wheelhouse panels were rusted thru and the shocks that were attached to those panels were loose due to cracks in the panels and were banging up against the car. I don't consider that much corrosion that caused the panels to break loose from the car body as normal wear & tear nor part of something that should be watched under routine maintenance. I have kept cars longer than 10 years and never had this problem! it was definitely a safety hazard and someone could have been hurt in a serious auto accident. Please recommend a recall on 2004 Mazda Tributes due to excessive corrosion due to the manufacturer's defect in their quality control and processes.
The contact owns a 2004 Mazda Tribute. The contact stated that the frame, rear shock tower, and wheel well were completely corroded. The contact referenced NHTSA campaign number: 14V174000 (suspension) and stated that the manufacturer was not providing a sufficient remedy. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The failure mileage was 150,000.
I noticed the problem when I was driving down the road and heard a knocking coming from the rear of the vehicle I thought it was a bad shock at first so I pulled over to check it out and the rear shock brackets are completely rusted through and are breaking away from the main frame. I contacted Mazda on April 10 2014 and they said they heard of this happening to many of their vehicles as well as many Ford escapes. They havent provided any other info on assitance with repairs or a recall. The car is no longer driveable until it goes through massive reconstruction of the sheet metal and framing in the rear wheel well.
Inside both rear wheel wells, the body is rusting out substantially around the shock tower bracket. It is so bad that the shock tower can break lose and the car will be a danger to drive. This is documented to have happened to many similar 2004-2006 Mazda Tributes and Ford escapes (made on same factory line). It is a difficult and costly repair. Https://www.facebook.com/pages/2005-Ford-escape-2004-2006/397923900236108.
Took vehicle to dealer and had them check out some noise coming from rear of vehicle. Dealer says the rear passenger wheel well is very rusted (actually rusted through in spots) and not stable. Noise is coming from around the rear shock area which is very deteriorated around the shock mount and it looks like the shock may not be adequately secured. The same thing is starting to happen on the other rear wheel well but most of the damage is on the passenger side. There is no visible rust on the exterior of the vehicle. We were referred to a local body shop but the repair would be too expensive too fix. We've regularly serviced this vehicle at the dealer since we bought it new. I've checked on-line and have found many other instances of this type of damage occurring in Mazda Tributes and Ford escapes in the 2004-2005 model years. The vehicle is not being repaired due to cost.
The right wheel well is completely rusted through including the rear shock mounts. The only thing holding the metal together was the outer undercoating spray. My 18 year old son was driving on the interstate in this condition. I searched the internet and see that other Mazda Tribute and Ford escape owners have the same problem. It's an obvious manfacture's defect that is occurring nationally and is a serious safety issue. Department of transportation federal highway administration.
A D V E R T I S E M E N T S
- Wareham , MA, USA