2005 Mazda Tribute

THE PASSENGER REAR WHEEL WELL RUSTED OUT ALMOST ALLOWING THE SHOCK ABSORBER TO BREAK FREE WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS IN OPERATION. HEARD A TAPPING SOUND WHILE DRIVING THAT BECAME LOUDER. I CHECKED THE WHEEL WELL TO SEE IF ANYTHING WAS WRONG AND SAW A SMALL PIECE OF RUSTED METAL HAD BROKEN AWAY. THE TAPPING BECAME A BANGING AND THEN I FELT A SWAY. WHEN I GOT HOME I FOUND THAT THE SHOCK HAD ALMOST BROKE FREE. THE VEHICLE IS UNDRIVABLE NOW.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 MAZDA TRIBUTE. WHILE DRIVING 65 MPH, THE CONTACT HEARD AN ABNORMAL BANGING/CLACKING NOISE AND THE VEHICLE SWAYED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A LOCAL DEALER (KINGS FORD INC., 9555 KINGS AUTO MALL RD, CINCINNATI, OHIO 45249) WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE WHEEL WELL ON THE REAR PASSENGER SIDE WAS RUSTED AND REFERRED THE CONTACT TO A BODY SHOP. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE ISSUE AND DID NOT ASSIST. THE VIN WAS UNKNOWN. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 157,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 MAZDA TRIBUTE. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 30 MPH, A LOUD NOISE WAS HEARD UNDERNEATH THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT CHECKED AND FOND THAT THE REAR PASSENGER WHEEL WELL WAS RUSTED OUT. THE DEALER WAS CONTACTED (OAKLAWN MAZDA IN OAKLAWN, ILLINOIS) WHO STATED THAT THERE WAS NO RECALL. THE MANUFACTURER ALSO STATED THAT THERE WAS NO RECALL. THE FAILURE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 60,000. THE VIN WAS NOT PROVIDED.

THIS VEHICLE IS OWNED BY ME BUT USED BY MY SON IN COLORADO. ON A RECENT TRIP NEAR MOAB, UT ON THE WAY TO A CAMP SITE, MY SON HEARD A STRANGE NOISE. UPON INVESTIGATION HE NOTED THE FRAME IN THE RIGHT REAR WHEEL WELL HOLDING THE UPPER END OF THE SHOCK ABSORBER HAD BROKEN IN TWO PLACES FROM RUST INTRUSION. AN INSPECTION OF THE LEFT REAR WHEEL WELL INDICATED MINIMAL RUSTING. SINCE THE TIRES WERE RECENTLY REPLACED THIS FAILURE WAS A SURPRISE AS THE MECHANIC DIDN'T NOTE EXCESSIVE RUST, CRACKING OR SIGNS OF METAL FATIGUE. WHEN THE INCIDENT OCCURED MY SON WAS DRIVING ON A GRAVEL ROAD TOWARD A DESIGNATED CAMPGROUND JUST A SHORT DISTANCE FROM A PAVED HIGHWAY. ALTHOUGH THE VEHICLE HAS 4 WHEEL DRIVE, IT WAS NEVER USED IN A ROUGH MANNER SUCH AS FOR 4 WHEELING OR ON ROUGH UNEVEN SURFACES. THIS WAS MY PERSONAL VEHICLE UNTIL A YEAR AGO. WE HAD JUST SPENT $1,500 FOR NEW TIRES, A CARBURATOR REPAIR AND A NEW WINDSHIELD THAT A ROCK HAD CRACKED. IT WAS OUR INTENT TO OWN THE VEHICLE A FEW YEARS LONGER SINCE IT HAS ONLY 135,000 AND IS IN GOOD CONDITION. MY SON WAS ABLE TO SAFELY RETURN TO STEAMBOAT, A 5 HOUR DRIVE FROM MOAB, BUT WAS VERY CONCERNED THE ENTIRE SHOCK WOULD PUSH THROUGH THE WHEEL WELL CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO LIST OR DRIFT RESULTING IN LOSS OF CONTROL OR A ROLLOVER, I.E. SERIOUS INJURY OR DEATH. A LOCAL BODY SHOP REFUSED TO MAKE REPAIRS DUE TO THE EXTENSIVE DAMAGE. TO MAKE THE VEHICLE SALVAGE BASED ON ITS CURRENT VALUE AND CONDITION IS UNTHINKABLE, YET IF REPAID CANNOT BE MADE AT A REASONABLE COST, THIS MAY BE OUR ONLY CHOICE. MY RESEARCH SUGGEST THE RIGHT REAR WHEEL RUST IS FAIRLY COMMON IN TRIBUTES AND ESCAPES, YET NO RECALL.

THE RIGHT, REAR WHEEL WELL IS COMPLETELY RUSTED THROUGH AND LOOKS LIKE A MAJOR ACCIDENT WAITING TO HAPPEN. THE SHOCK MOUNT IS CONNECTED TO THIS PORTION OF THE FRAME AND WILL MORE THAN LIKELY SHEAR OFF SOON. UPON SEARCHING THIS ISSUE, IT APPEARS THAT SEVERAL OTHER 2005 MAZDA TRIBUTE AND FORD ESCAPE OWNERS HAVE EXPERIENCED THE SAME DEFECT. MAZDA/FORD RECALLED 2001-2004 MODELS FOR THE SAME PROBLEM, BUT HAS YET TO ADDRESS THE PROBLEM FOR THE 2005 MODEL YEAR. BASED ON THE WIDESPREAD NATURE OF THE PROBLEM, IT IS OBVIOUS THAT THIS A FACTORY DEFECT AND SHOULD BE RECALLED EITHER WILLINGLY OR UNWILLINGLY.