Steering. Review the 94 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
Vehicle Speed Control. Review the 53 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
Power Train. Review the 25 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

6 crash reports1 fire reports6 injury reports

Electrical System complaints

15 reports

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90,000 miles · Jul 8, 2013

Electrical System

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 MAZDA TRIBUTE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE INTERMITTENTLY FAILED TO START. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER FOR DIAGNOSTICS, WHO STATED THAT THE KEY WAS NOT REACHING THE IGNITION. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE FAILURE WAS REPORTED TO THE MANUFACTURER. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 90,000. THE CURRE…

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NHTSA ODI #10523662

510,000 miles · Jul 29, 2012

Electrical SystemEngineVehicle Speed Control

FROM A STOP SWITCHING TO GAS PEDAL OR ACCELERATOR THE PEDAL STICKS AND HARD TO PRESS AND DOES IT BACK TO BACK FOR A FEW MINUTES. ALSO IT CAN DO IT AT RANDOM AFTER DRIVING FOR AWHILE AND STOP AT A LIGHT IT WILL STICK WHEN TRYING TO GO. ONCE IT STOPS STICKING I HAVE TO QUICKLY HIT THE BRAKES TO NOT CAUSE OVER ACCELERATION. *JS

NHTSA ODI #10468148

60,000 miles · May 18, 2012

Electrical SystemVisibility

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LOCK ISSUE - HATCHBACK AND BACK WINDOW ONLY THIS IS AN ISSUE THAT I HAVE ALWAYS HAD, AND IT IS A PAIN IN THE NECK. THE HATCHBACK DOOR OR WINDOW WILL NOT OPEN USING EITHER THE REMOTE OR THE DOOR UNLOCK BUTTON IN THE CAR. AFTER HAVING GROCERIES IN THE BACK, PIZZA, MATERIAL BEING MOVED, ETC. ONE HAS TO DO THE FOLLOWING TO ACCESS THAT AREA OF THE VEHICLE: 1.) CLIMB OVER THE SEAT - MANY TIMES NOT POSSIBLE TO REALLY GET AT ITEMS IN THE BACK. 2.) WAIT ABOUT 5 MINS OR SO, AND THEN THE REMOTE WILL UNLOCK THE DOOR/WINDOW. 3.) DISCOVERED THAT PUTTING THE KEY BACK IN AND TURNING IT TO ACCESSORY AND THEN REMOVING THE KEY, THE DOOR/WINDOW CAN BE UNLOCKED. NOT SURE WHAT THE STORY IS OR EXACTLY WHAT STEPS MUST BE DONE FOR THIS ISSUE TO OCCUR, BUT IT OCCURS OFTEN. USUALLY THE SEQUENCE IS, SHUT THE CAR ENGINE OFF, REMOVE THE KEY, SHUT OFF THE CARS LIGHTS, THEN TRY TO ACCESS THE BACK WITH THE REMOTE. WHEN THAT DOESN'T WORK, TRY OPENING THE CAR DOOR AND UNLOCKING ALL THE DOORS AGAIN. THIS WON'T WORK EITHER. TRY LOCKING THE VEHICLE AGAIN USING THE REMOTE AND TRY OPENING UP THE DOORS AND THE BACK. I BELIEVE THAT THE 'DOORS' WILL UNLOCK AT ALL TIMES, BUT NOT THE BACK OR THE BACK WINDOW. REALLY A PAIN......AND EMBARRASSING TO HAVE PEOPLE WATCH YOU TRY TO GET INTO THE BACK OF THE CAR, WHEN THERE SHOULD BE NO PROBLEM. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10458905

41,000 miles · May 17, 2012

Electrical SystemSteering

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WHILE DRIVING ON THE ROAD, THE POWER STEERING FAILED IN THE MIDDLE. THERE WAS NO POWER TO THE STEERING ET ALL. PULLED OVER, STOPPED THE CAR AND RESTARTED IT WENT AWAY. DROVE COUPLE OF MORE MILES, AGAIN WHEN THE CAR WENT BACK TO DRIVE ON BATTERY POWER THE POWER STEERING FAILED AGAIN.HAD TO STOP AND RESTART AGAIN. THE "WRENCH" SYMBOL CAME ON THE DASHBOARD. TOOK IT TO THE MECHANIC , HE SAID THE CODE SHOWS POWER STEERING MODULE INSIDE THE STEERING IS "BAD", CHECKED WITH MAZDA AND THEY SAID THERE IS NO RECALL ON POWER STEERING FOR MAZDA TRIBUTE , BUT ONLY TO MAZDA 3 AND 5. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10458851

55,000 miles · May 13, 2010

Electrical System

VEHICLE ENGINE STOPPED RUNNING AT HIGHWAY SPEED. DANGEROUS TOTAL SHUT-OFF OF ENGINE WHILE DRIVING. COULD NOT RE-START VEHICLE. STARTER WOULD TURN ENGINE BUT ENGINE WOULD NOT START. VEHICLE TOWED TO INDEPENDENT REPAIR SHOP. SHOP RETRIEVED CODE P1260 "ANTI-THEFT SYSTEM SIGNAL DETECTED - ENGINE DISABLED". MOST TOW VEHICLE TO …

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NHTSA ODI #10330239

Official recalls

15V677000 · Power Train:automatic Transmission:gear Position Indication (prndl); Power Train:automatic Transmission:lever And Linkage:floor Shift

Oct 19, 2015

Mazda North American Operations (Mazda) is recalling certain model year 2008 Tribute vehicles manufactured February 9, 2007 to April 22, 2008. The affected vehicles have had their CD4E transmission replaced with remanufactured one that was rebuilt between June 11, 2015 through July 15, 2015. These service repair part transmissions have a shift lever bolt that may not be properly tightened. As a result, the shift control lever could disengage from the transmission without warning.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: If the shift lever disengages from the transmission, a driver may be unable to shift gear positions and the indicated shift position may not represent the gear position the vehicle is in. Should a disengagement occur while the vehicle is being driven, when the driver goes to stop and park the vehicle, the gear selection indicator may show that the transmission is in the "PARK" position, but the vehicle transmission may not actually be in the "PARK" gear position. If the vehicle is not in the "PARK" position there is a risk the vehicle will roll away as the driver and other occupants exit the vehicle or anytime thereafter. A vehicle rollaway increases the risk of injury to exiting occupants and bystanders.

Remedy: Mazda will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the transmission and if necessary tighten the manual shift lever bolt or replace the manual shift lever assembly, free of charge. The recall began on November 30, 2015. Owners may contact Mazda Customer Experience Center at 1-800-222-5500, option#6. Mazda's number for this recall is 8815J.

Additional source detail variants (2)

Power Train:automatic Transmission:lever And Linkage:floor Shift

Consequence: If the shift lever disengages from the transmission, a driver may be unable to shift gear positions and the indicated shift position may not represent the gear position the vehicle is in. Should a disengagement occur while the vehicle is being driven, when the driver goes to stop and park the vehicle, the gear selection indicator may show that the transmission is in the "PARK" position, but the vehicle transmission may not actually be in the "PARK" gear position. If the vehicle is not in the "PARK" position there is a risk the vehicle will roll away as the driver and other occupants exit the vehicle or anytime thereafter. A vehicle rollaway increases the risk of injury to exiting occupants and bystanders.

Remedy: Mazda will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the transmission and if necessary tighten the manual shift lever bolt or replace the manual shift lever assembly, free of charge. The recall began on November 30, 2015. Owners may contact Mazda Customer Experience Center at 1-800-222-5500, option#6. Mazda's number for this recall is 8815J.

Power Train:automatic Transmission:gear Position Indication (prndl)

14V552000 · Hybrid Propulsion System

Sep 10, 2014

Mazda North American Operations (Mazda) is recalling certain model year 2008 Mazda Tribute Hybrid vehicles manufactured October 10, 2006, to May 23, 2008. The coolant pump for the hybrid system may fail, resulting in the hybrid electronics overheating.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: If the hybrid electronics system overheats, it may shut down the powertrain, resulting in a stall-like condition, increasing the risk of a crash.

Remedy: Mazda will notify owners, and dealers will replace the original Motor Electronics Coolant (MEC) Pump with an improved brushless pump, free of charge. The recall began November 5, 2014. Owners may contact Mazda customer service at 1-800-222-5500. Mazda's number for this recall is 7814I.

14V282000 · Steering:electric Power Assist System

May 29, 2014

Mazda North American Operations (Mazda) is recalling certain model year 2008-2011 Tribute vehicles manufactured October 5, 2006, through September 11, 2010. The affected vehicles have a steering torque sensor that may not be able to properly detect driver steering input. As a result, the system could remove the Electric Power Steering (EPS) assist.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: If power steering assist is lost, greater driver effort would be required to steer the vehicle at low speeds, increasing the risk of a crash.

Remedy: Mazda will notify owners and dealers will update the software for the power steering control module (PSCM) and the instrument cluster module, free of charge. If a vehicle shows a history of a loss of the torque sensor signal or fault codes relating to the PSCM when the vehicle is brought in for the recall remedy, the affected components will be replaced, free of charge. The recall began in July 2014. Owners may contact Mazda customer service at 1-800-222-5500. Mazda's number for this recall is 7614E.

12V357000 · Engine And Engine Cooling; Vehicle Speed Control:cables

Jul 27, 2012

Mazda is recalling certain model year 2001 through 2006, and 2008, Tribute vehicles equipped with 3.0L V6 engines and speed control. Inadequate clearance between the engine cover and the speed control cable connector could result in a stuck throttle when the accelerator pedal is fully or almost-fully depressed. This risk exists regardless of whether or not speed control (cruise control) is used.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: A stuck throttle may result in very high vehicle speeds and make it difficult to stop or slow the vehicle, which could cause a crash, serious injury or death.

Remedy: Mazda will notify owners, and dealers will repair the vehicles by increasing the engine cover clearance, free of charge. Remedy parts are now available. The safety recall began on September 13, 2012. Owners may contact Mazda Customer Assistance Center at 1-800-222-5500, option #6.

Additional source detail variants (2)

Vehicle Speed Control:cables

Consequence: A stuck throttle may result in very high vehicle speeds and make it difficult to stop or slow the vehicle, which could cause a crash, serious injury or death.

Remedy: Mazda will notify owners, and dealers will repair the vehicles by increasing the engine cover clearance, free of charge. Remedy parts are now available. The safety recall began on September 13, 2012. Owners may contact Mazda Customer Assistance Center at 1-800-222-5500, option #6.

Engine And Engine Cooling

Consequence: A stuck throttle may result in very high vehicle speeds and make it difficult to stop or slow the vehicle, which could cause a crash, serious injury or death.

Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗

NHTSA investigations

No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.