2005 Mazda Tribute

WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE AT A SPEED OF ABOUT 35 MPH I FELT WHAT APPEARED TO BE A FLAT TIRE. AFTER CHECKING THE TIRE, THERE WAS NOTHING OBVIOUS SHOWING. AT SPEEDS ABOUT 55 MPH THE SENSATION OF A FLAT TIRE CEASED, HOWEVER, AS SOON AS I WOULD SLOW DOWN, IT WOULD RETURN, ALONG WITH A LOUD NOISE. I TOOK THE CAR IN TO FIRESTONE TIRE. THEY DISCOVERED THAT THE PASSENGER SIDE REAR WHEEL WELL IS COMPLETELY RUSTED OUT. THE STRUT HOUSING IS EXPOSED AND THE WHEEL IS AT RISK FOR LITERALLY SEPARATING FROM THE VEHICLE. WE WERE TOLD THAT ANY SMALL REAR IMPACT COULD CAUSE THE REAR END OF THE VEHICLE TO COMPLETELY SEPARATE FROM THE REST OF THE CAR. AFTER HAVING THE VEHICLE CHECKED BY SEVERAL DIFFERENT MECHANICS AND BODY SHOPS WE WERE TOLD THAT THE VEHICLE IS UNSAFE TO DRIVE AND REQUIRES OVER $5800 IN REPAIRS. AFTER CONTACTING MAZDA, THEY REFUSE TO ACKNOWLEDGE THIS AS A RECALL AND THE ONLY OFF THEY MADE WAS FOR $1,500-$3,000 OFF THE PURCHASE OF A BRAND NEW MAZDA. WE HAVE CARED FOR OUR VEHICLE IMPECCABLY. IT ONLY HAS 135,000 MILES ON IT AND HAS ALWAYS HAD ALL MAINTENANCE PERFORMED. ALL OTHER AREAS OF THE VEHICLE ARE IN GOOD CONDITION. THIS IS OBVIOUSLY AN ISSUE WITH THE PARTS THAT WERE USED ON THE ASSEMBLY LINE DURING PRODUCTION. I FIND IT VERY HARD TO BELIEVE THAT ONLY ONE SIDE IN ONE AREA OF THE VEHICLE WOULD RUST OUT LIKE THIS. MAZDA SHOULD TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR THIS BEFORE SOMEONE IS SERIOUSLY HURT OR KILLED.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 MAZDA TRIBUTE. WHILE DRIVING 30 MPH, THERE WAS AN ABNORMAL SOUND COMING FROM THE REAR PASSENGER SIDE OF THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THERE WAS A GRINDING SOUND COMING FROM THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC TO BE DIAGNOSED. THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE SUBFRAME AND SHOCK MOUNTS FRACTURED FROM EXCESSIVE CORROSION. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 131,000.

PASSENGER SIDE REAR WHEEL WELL COMPLETELY RUSTED OUT, EXPOSING AND CAUSING FAILURE IN THE ASSOCIATED SHOCK. THE REAR BUMPER NOW RATTLES OVER EVEN THE TINIEST BIT OF UNEVEN PAVEMENT AND THE CAR WILL SWAY IN THE BACK REAR OVER LARGER BUMPS HIT WITH THAT BACK WHEEL. FIRST NOTICED GOING OVER UNEVEN PAVEMENT AFTER BEING PARKED FOR ABOUT 4 HOURS. NOTHING PROMPTED IT OTHER THAN A PIECE OF UNEVEN ROAD MAY HAVE BEEN THE FINAL STRAW. THIS IS APPARENTLY BECOMING A COMMON PROBLEM IN THE 2005 MAZDA TRIBUTES AND WAS ADDRESSED IN A RECALL FOR 2001-2004 TRIBUTES. SAME PROBLEM, SAME AREA (PASSENGER SIDE REAR WHEEL WELL) THIS IS NOT SAFE!

LOUD CLUNKING ON BUMPS AND A TENDENCY FOR AN UNUSUAL SWAY IN SOME CIRCUMSTANCES WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY LED TO TAKING A LOOK UNDER THE RIGHT REAR OF THE CAR. A WHOLE 8"X12" ROUGHLY OVAL PIECE OF THE RIGHT REAR INNER WHEEL WELL HAS RUSTED THROUGH WHERE THE UPPER SHOCK MOUNT IS ATTACHED. RIGHT REAR SHOCK IS NO LONGER ATTACHED TO THE CAR AT THE TOP. VEHICLE IS NOT SAFE TO DRIVE. IT APPEARS THIS WAS A RECALL ISSUE IN PRIOR YEARS, WHICH WAS NOT CORRECTED FOR THE 2005 YEAR.

MY RIGHT REAR WHEEL WELL IS COMPLETELY ROTTED OUT. MY BODY SHOP TOLD ME THIS SHOULD NOT EVER HAPPEN. ALSO TOLD ME IT WAS A BAD PIECE OF STEEL USED IN THE MANUFACTURE AND I COULD HAVE BEEN KILLED IF IT HAD NOT BEEN DETECTED AND I KEPT DRIVING IT. THE REST OF MY SUV IS IMMACULATE. I HAVE SEEN OTHER COMPLAINTS ON THIS. IT IS COSTING ME $1500.00 TO REPAIR. I WAS DRIVING AND STARTED HEARING A RATTLING SOUND AND STOPPED AT A MECHANIC. MY MECHANIC TOLD ME THANK GOD YOU STOPPED BEFORE YOU GOT HURT.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 MAZDA TRIBUTE. WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED, THE VEHICLE MADE A LOUD BUMPING NOISE. THE DEALER DIAGNOSED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS CORRODED NEAR THE REAR PASSENGER SIDE SUSPENSION AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 97,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 MAZDA TRIBUTE. WHILE DRIVING 40 MPH, THE REAR PASSENGER SIDE TIRE FELT LIKE IT WAS FLAT. THE CONTACT HAD TO STEER THE VEHICLE IN EXCESS TO KEEP IT IN POSITION. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THERE WAS CORROSION AT THE FORWARD ATTACHMENT OF THE LOWER CONTROL ARM. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE VIN WAS UNKNOWN. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 115,000.

2005 MAZDA WHILE DRIVING ON A CITY STREET I HEARD A LOUD CLUNK COMING FROM THE RIGHT REAR OF THE VEHICLE. I DISCOVERED THAT THE RIGHT REAR WHEELHOUSE HAD RUSTED OUT AND THE SHOCK TOWER HAD COMPLETELY BROKEN OFF. THE LEFT WHEELHOUSE IS CLOSE BEHIND. THIS IS THE SAME PROBLEM ADDRESSED BY A MAZDA RECALL FOR 2001-2004 MODELS. WHY HASN'T MAZDA BEEN FORCED TO ADDRESS THE PROBLEM WITH THE 2005 MODEL?