2005 Mazda Tribute

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

AFTER HEARING RATTLING FROM THE REAR PASSENGER-SIDE WHEN GOING OVER POTHOLES, I TOOK MY CAR IN FOR SHOCK/STRUTS. I WAS TOLD THAT THE NOISE WAS NOT MY SHOCKS, BUT THAT THE WHEEL WELL WAS RUSTED OUT. THE SHOCKS WERE OK, BUT THERE WAS NOTHING TO ATTACH THEM TO. I WAS FURTHER TOLD BY THE MECHANIC THAT HE HAD NEVER SEEN CORROSION THIS BAD ON A 10YR OLD CAR WITH 50,000 MILES. ADVICE WAS TO FIND A BODY SHOP TO FABRICATE A PART. I'VE READ THAT THIS IS OCCURRING WITH LOTS OF MAZDA TRIBUTES AND FORD ESCAPE IN DIFFERENT YEARS. SO WHY ISN'T MAZDA/FORD MAKING THESE REPAIRS. THIS IS A DEFECT. I SHOULD HAVE GOTTEN A HONDA: SOMETHING I TRUST. *TR

I HAD A RATTLING NOISE THAT STARTED COMING FROM THE RIGHT REAR AND SOUNDED LIKE SOMETHING WAS BOUNCING AROUND IN THE BACK COMPARTMENT. IT GOT WORSE FAST. I WAS STUNNED TO FIND NOT ONLY THE RIGHT WHEEL WELL, BUT BOTH SIDES COMPLETELY RUSTED THROUGH AND THE SHOCKS WERE READY TO BREAK AWAY FROM THE MOUNTS. BOTH MY MECHANIC SHOP AND A REPUTABLE BODY SHOP INDEPENDENTLY TOLD ME THAT THIS VEHICLE IS NOT SAFE TO DRIVE. THE BODY SHOP IS HESITANT TO TOUCH IT. THEY SAID THAT THEY CAN TRY TO FABRICATE AND FIX IT, BUT THE PROBLEM IS WHEN THERE IS RUST INVOLVED, WHERE DO THEY STOP? I BOUGHT THIS VEHICLE LESS THAN A YEAR AGO, SUPPOSEDLY TAKEN VERY GOOD CARE OF, AS I DO. I STILL OWE THOUSANDS ON IT AND I'M NOT HAPPY! MY 2002 ESCAPE DIDN'T HAVE RUST PROBLEMS ... THE MOTOR WENT OUT BEFORE IT HAD RUST! *TR

DRIVING CROSS COUNTRY AND HEARD A LOUD THUMP IN RT REAR WHEEL WELL. AFTER THAT EVERY BUMP NO MATTER HOW SMALL THE THUMP BECAME MORE PRONOUNCED. STOPPED TO CHECK THINGS OUT, RT REAR WHEEL WELL COMPLETELY RUSTED THROUGH EXPOSING SUSPENSION AND CORROSION ON ATTACHMENT TO FRAME. ABLE TO DRIVE HOME SAFELY, HAD DEALERSHIP CHECK IT OVER AND COST OF REPAIR TO FRAME DAMAGE OVER COST OF VEHICLE. DEALERSHIP REPORTS ONGOING ISSUE WITH RT REAR WHEEL WELL ON 2005 YEAR. WAY TO EARLY FOR THIS MUCH CORROSION. *TR