2005 Mazda Tribute

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 MAZDA TRIBUTE. WHILE DRIVING, THE LIFTGATE FLEW OPEN AND SEVERAL GROCERY ITEMS FELL ONTO THE STREET. THE CONTACT PULLED OVER AND CLOSED THE LIFTGATE. THE CONTACT DROVE HOME WITHOUT ANY FURTHER ISSUES. IN ADDITION, THE VEHICLE SURGED FORWARD WHEN THE CONTACT ATTEMPTED TO SLOW DOWN. THE DEALER AND MANUFACTURER WERE NOT NOTIFIED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 149,000.

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!

TL* 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.

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.

TL* 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. *BF*JB

TL* 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.

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.

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.