2005 Mazda Tribute

MY MAZDA 2005, HAS TOTALLY RUSTED OUT ON THE PASSENGER BACK WHEEL WELL. THE SUSPENSION IS AFFECTED AS WELL. THE REPAIRS ARE GOING TO BE VERY COSTLY AND I FOUND OUT THAT THE 01-04 MODELS HAVE DONE THE SAME AND THERE WAS A RECALL FOR THE SAME EXACT ISSUE. MAZDA NEEDS TO EXTEND THE RECALL TO INCLUDE THE 05 MODEL AS WELL. I AM ALSO FILING A REPORT WITH MAZDA.

PASSENGER BACK WHEEL CARRIAGE IS COMPLETELY RUSTED OUT. SUSPENSION IS EXPOSED ALONG WITH SHOCKS. MADE LOUD NOISES WHILE DRIVING OVER BUMPS - I HAD NO IDEA THAT MY ENTIRE WHEEL CARRIAGE WAS COMPLETED RUSTED. THIS WILL COST HUNDREDS IF NOT THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS TO FIX. WORST CAR I HAVE HAD. WILL NEVER EVER PURCHASE ANOTHER MAZDA. I AM AMAZED AND DISGUSTED THAT MAZDA HAS NOT RECALLED THESE CARS. WHAT A DISGRACE TO OWNERS OF THESE CARS.

LEFT REAR SHOCK ABSORBER MOUNT SEPARATED FROM THE VEHICLE FRAME DURING NORMAL DRIVING (SLOW SPEED - 25MPH) DUE TO WHAT APPEARS TO BE A FAULTY DESIGN. ALL CONNECTING BOLTS, WASHERS AND NUTS ARE INTACT AND SECURE IN THE SHOCK ABSORBER AND MOUNT AREA. THIS HAS RESULTED IN A SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUE WHEN DRIVING THE VEHICLE AND IT WAS FORTUITOUS THAT THE DRIVER WAS NOT OPERATING IN HIGHWAY OR MORE INTENSE CONDITIONS WHEN THE VEHICLE FAILED. I HAVE CONTACTED MAZDA NORTH AMERICA AND HAVE RECEIVED A SERVICE REPORT FROM THE LOCAL MAZDA DEALER IN CHARLOTTE, NC. (INFORMATION AVAILABLE IF NEEDED). WHILE THE VEHICLE IS 10 YEARS OLD, A FAILURE OF THIS TYPE IS UNUSUAL AND RARE BUT IDENTIFIED FROM MULTIPLE SOURCES AS CORROSION ISSUES THAT FORD / MAZA HAVE ON THE 03 TO 05 MODELS WHICH SHOULD RESULT IN A RECALL AND REMEDY BY THE MANUFACTURER. HAVING RESEARCHED THIS ISSUE IT'S CLEARLY A MANUFACTURE FLAW IN THE DESIGN OF THIS MODEL, NOT JUST BECAUSE AS AN OWNER I HAVE AN ISSUE TO DEAL WITH, BUT AS A CONSUMER WITH KNOWLEDGE OF THE UNUSUAL NATURE OF THIS FAILURE. *TR

THE ENTIRE REAR PASSENGER WHEEL WELL HAS RUSTED AWAY AND THE SHOCK IS COMPLETELY DETACHED FROM THE FRAME ON OUR TRIBUTE. THIS IS OBVIOUSLY NOT NORMAL WEAR AND TEAR AS THE VEHICLE IS ONLY 10 YEARS OLD AND IT IS ONLY HAPPENING ON THE REAR PASSENGER. IT IS GOING TO COST ME A LOT TO FIX AND WILL DEFINITELY BE THE LAST MAZDA I BUY (UNLESS BY CHANCE MAZDA SEES HOW THIS IS A MAJOR PROBLEM WITH TRIBUTES/ESCAPES AND MAKES IT RIGHT). *TR

I PURCHASED MY 2005 MAZDA TRIBUTE BRAND NEW FROM MARTIN MAZDA, LOCATED IN NEWARK, DE. MY VEHICLE HAS NEVER BEEN IN AN ACCIDENT AND I JUST DRIVE IT BACK AND FORTH TO WORK. IN JANUARY I STARTED HEARING A LOUD NOISE IN THE REAR OF MY VEHICLE WHICH STARTED TO GET LOUDER AND LOUDER. IT SOUNDED LIKE SOMETHING IN THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE WAS BOUNCING/RATTLING AROUND. ON FEBRUARY 10, 2015 I TOOK MY CAR TO NUCAR MAZDA IN NEW CASTLE WHO HAS SERVICED MY VEHICLE SINCE 2005. [XXX] , MAZDA SERVICE ADVISOR INFORMED ME THAT THE RIGHT REAR SUBFRAME AND WHEELWELL HAD RUSTED AWAY AND THAT IT WAS UNSAFE FOR ME TO DRIVE. THE BRAKE LINE HAD STARTED TO RUST, AS WELL. THE SHOCK ATTACHED T THE VEHICLE HAD RUSTED AWAY, AS WELL. HE EXPLAINED THAT THE REAR COULD COLLAPSE. I CONTACTED MAZDA HEADQUARTERS AND THEY SAID THAT DUE TO THE WAY THAT DELAWARE SALTS THEIR ROADS IS WHY THIS RUST OCCURRED ONLY ON THE RIGHT SIDE. A FAMILY MEMBER SUGGESTED THAT I GET AN ESTIMATE FROM A BODY SHOP. NORTHEAST BODY SHOP WAS ABLE TO REPAIR ALL OF THE PARTS THAT HAD RUSTED OUT AT A COST OF $2,710.00. [XXX] , OWNER STATED THAT THIS RUSTING OUT WAS DUE TO THE UNDERCOATING WAS NOT COVERING THE PARTS THAT RUSTED OUT. HE PROVIDED ME WITH THE ENTIRE PIECE THAT HAD TO BE REPLACED AND YOU CAN CLEARLY SEE WHAT THE PROBLEM IS. I FEEL THAT MAZDA SHOULD TAKE SOME RESPONSIBILITY FOR THIS DEFECT ON MY VEHICLE. I BELIEVED IN MAZDA AND I AM VERY UPSET THAT I WAS DRIVING AN UNSAFE VEHICLE FOR THIS PERIOD OF TIME. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR