10.0
really awful- Crashes / Fires:
- 3 / 0
- Injuries / Deaths:
- 1 / 0
- Average Mileage:
- 121,150 miles
About These NHTSA Complaints:
The NHTSA is the US gov't agency tasked with vehicle safety. Complaints can be spread across multiple & redundant categories, & are not organized by problem. See the Back button — blue bar at the very top of the page — to explore more.
owned since day one, bought brand new, religiously maintained, perfect shape other than completely rusted wheel house back left passenger side. Shock went through rusted area all the way to trunk. Mazda recalled models 2003 to 2004 for this problem yet so many 2005 Mazda Tribute owners are having exact problem especially when manufactured in 2004! This is serious and I had my granddaughter with me when this happened and yet Mazda wants to do nothing about it when it-??s a serious hazard and ongoing problem with the 2005-??s. It is always the back passenger side with this problem! I have no money to purchase a car and now my lifeline to support my family is broke!
- Ellettsville , IN, USA
As a problem with many other Mazda trubutes, the wheel well is rusted through and the strut is no longer held in place, yet protruding into the interior of the car. This has been an issue that required a recall for other Mazda Tributes, but not the 2005 version. According to many forums, this is a problem with many other 05 Tributes.
- Taunton, MA, USA
Right rear shock tower rusted out and shock broke through and into the passenger compartment. Sever rust on right side of front sub frame as well. I came across this performing general maintenance.
- Manawa, WI, USA
Right rear frame has rusted out enough to cause brake and shock issues causing a perfectly good vehicle to become unsafe and dangerous for my family and others. The shock and brake line broke and the vehicle slid to a stop.
- Villa Ridge, MO, USA
Bought car for my son. Noticed a bamging noise in rear right back some of car. Looked at wheel well, completely rusted through, a big hole. Other under body rust. The 2000-2004 cars were recalled for this exact same problem. They continued to apply defect. Am afraid the shock absorber will fall off.many, many complaints about the exact same thing. Mazda should recall this vehicle, it is a dangerous defect they never fixed after recall. This is my son's first car, worried about his safety.
- Washington, NJ, USA
The passenger side rear wheel well has rusted out such that the suspension is now protruding into the interior of the vehicle. This was discovered when regular rattling from the area progressed into loud bangs with each bump. The mechanic who discovered stated that the rust was abnormal, even for the geographic area, and that none of the other wheel wells exhibited any signs of rusting. He stated it was no longer safe to drive the vehicle and that this condition was most likely the result of some sort of manufacturing defect (as opposed to regular and expected oxidation).
- Long Grove, IL, USA
My 2005 Mazda Tribute has been taken very good care of since it was bought new. The car has been rust proofed several times, serviced regularly and always washed and waxed several times, and beyond, since ownership. That being said, my 2005 vehicle looks quite immaculate for its age, except for the ever-increasing severe rust issue on the right rear right wheel well, which I havw tried to fix, and keep up on, but has now rusted right through, and caused the shock to protrude into the interior of the vehicle. Now my mechanic claims he cannot service my vehicle for anything else (even though the service issues I need to address are important and critical to the use of my vehicle. I am now in a predicament, since the cost to repair this damage is very high, so high, it exceeds the current value of the vehicle, and I am enraged that Mazda has not taken accountability for this clear factory defect. I say a clear factory defect, since this exact issue was addressed, and recalled, in the same vehicle for years 2001-2004, but not for 2005. In addition, I have met several other owners of the same vehicle who have/are experiencing the exact same issue, regardless of how well they have maintained their vehcile. Moreover, I can find the exact same issue for this vehicle on endless websites online, hundreds, more accurately, thousands of times! for Mazda to still not have recalled this issue is unfair, ridiculous and very wrong to loyal Mazda customers. I am now stuck with a vehicle I cannot drive due to a repair I cannot afford, but a repair that I should not be responsible for all the time, money, maintenance and care ive put into the ownership of my car. In addition, this issue is a huge safety concern and could easily cause harm to a person driving this vehicle, a passenger, or even an innocent pedestrian when popping through the floor, or at any other stage of wearing.
- Hamilton, AA, USA
The contact owns a 2005 Mazda Tribute. The contact stated while driving 35 mph, there was an abnormal sound coming from the passenger's side rear wheel well. The vehicle was taken to woodhouse Mazda located at 6603 L St, omaha, ne 68117, (402) 592-1000, to be diagnosed. The contact was informed that rear sub frame was rusted and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was informed of the failure and a case was filed. The failure mileage was 97,000.
- Omaha, NE, USA
While driving my 2005 Mazda Tribute on a paved city street, I noticed a sudden loud clanking/pounding in the passenger side, rear wheel well area. Assumed it was a bad shock but soon discovered that the the wheel well had rusted completely out, there is now a hole to the inside of my car. Some, but not much rust elsewhere on the vehicle (the other three wheel wells look great), but that part of the vehicle rusted through to the inside of the vehicle. Not driveable anymore until this is addressed. The vehicle itself is very mechanically sound and will cared for. There are lots of examples on online forums of this exact issue, on both Tributes and Ford escapes. Apparently there is a recall for these vehicles 01-04, but no further. Exact same issue, exact same wheel well. Please help!
- Cottage Grove, MN, USA
The contact owns a 2005 Mazda Tribute. While driving various speeds, a loud clanking noise was present coming from the rear of the vehicle. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic who diagnosed that the passenger side wheel well was rusted and corroded, causing the metal to separate from the frame of the vehicle. The cause of the failure was not determined. The manufacturer and local dealer were not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 200,000.
- Kansas City, MO, USA
Began hearing loud banging noise in the rear of the vehicle while driving on city streets. Upon inspection, the passenger side rear shock mount in the wheel well was completely broken free and the shock banging around. It had pinched the brake lights and they stopped working as well. Upon research on the internet this has been a common issue with Ford escapes and Mazda Tributes of this vintage but only on the right rear. So much so companies like dorman make a replacement part for it to replace the wheel well which requires welding. This is a safety issue the manufacturer should address. Never had this happened to any other vehicle.
- Eureka, MO, USA
The contact owns a 2005 Mazda Tribute. The contact stated that there was rust accumulation on the rear passenger side wheel well. As a result, the contact experienced rough driving and heard banging noises coming from the rear passenger side wheel. The contact drove to an independent mechanic who informed her of the rust. The contact was informed that the vehicle was not included in a recall; therefore, the contact would be responsible for the repair cost. The manufacturer was contacted and did not assist. The contact associated the failure with NHTSA campaign number: 14V174000 (structure: Frame and members), which was related to the 2001-2004 models. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was 200,000.
- West St. Paul, MN, USA
Many complaints of the rear frame of vehicle completely rusting out. The mechanics said it is unsafe to drive and costs thousands to fix. Most people will not notice this until it's too late.
- Saint Joseph, MN, USA
The contact owns a 2005 Mazda Tribute. The contact stated that the rear passenger subframe and shock mount were extremely corroded. Halbinsel Volkswagen Mazda (located at 200 N 30th St, escanaba, mi 49829, (906) 789-9650) was notified, but the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not contacted. The approximate failure mileage was 136,000.
- Negaunee, MI, USA
The entire passenger side wheel well is completely rusted out. When compared to the other wheel wells you can see the white foam that is supposed to be on the inside of my car. There is also a plastic piece missing due to the screws loosing their hold. The car makes a noise that sounds like there is something bouncing around in the back when in reality it is the suspension.
- Lakeville, MN, USA
The rear wheel well is extremely rusted to the point of the shock being loose. Their is a recall for 01-04 but doesn't appear to offer same recall although numerous complaints from other owners with same issue. My wife recently noticed car made a lot of noise lately from rear wheel. When I investigated it, I noticed large rust issues all over rear wheel area and shock barely holding to frame. My wife's car has been garaged all its life. We bought it new off the show room. Doesn't make sense to have so much rust and now a huge safety concern. Undercarriage was even cleaned throughout winter months. We can't drive vehicle because it might fall apart on road and the car could lose control.
- East Hartford, CT, USA
My mechanic noticed the shock support on the passenger side rear wheel well was badly rusted and said the shock could rust completely through and enter the rear of the car. I took the car to a body shop and they told me the same thing. They see it all the time in Mazda and Ford escapes and it would cost more to repair than the vehicle is worth. Basically this is a major problem with this model car and could potentially be very dangerous to continue driving the car and have the shock rust completely off.
- Madison, WI, USA
The rear wheel well rusted out causing the shock to poke a hole thru the back of my cargo area. This created a very dangerous situation for driving. My son was driving the vehicle and almost lost complete control over the car due to this. Mazda has recalled 2004 and older for this exact problem but they have not recalled 2005.
- Olathe, KS, USA
Our 2005 Mazda Tribute passenger side rear wheel well is rusted out to the point the strut has detached from it's mounting making it unsafe to drive the vehicle. This vehicle has been garage kept. A thumping noise was noticed while driving on a city street. This is what prompted me to take a look in the wheel well. The other 3 wheel wells have no rust. After doing some research, I found this is a common problem with other 2005S as well as previous model years that have a recall for the same issue. I don't understand why this year hasn't been included in the recall when it's the same issue that was occurring in earlier model years. I contacted the Mazda dealership, and they reported not hearing of this issue with any 05S but they are currently fixing a 2003 with the same issue. They reported because there isn't a recall there wasn't anything they could do to help me out other than for me bringing it in to determine if they could fix it at my cost. Without seeing the vehicle, they said it would likely cost at least $700 to fix depending on how extensive the rust is. I'm concerned about the safety of driving this vehicle and don't feel this is a normal occurrence for a vehicle
- Fairfield, OH, USA
- West Union, WV, USA