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2010 Mazda Tribute

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

Fewer warning signs than most model years

Owner complaints for the 2010 Mazda Tribute are lower than the model-year median of 143.5.

About this comparison →

How this year compares

Owner complaints by model year

Other model years Selected year
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Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.

What owners reported most

All reported categories

Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.

When problems were reported

Mileage at the reported incident

30 reports with mileage · 9 unknown

NHTSA’s mileage field refers to the reported incident, not necessarily the filing date. This shows report counts, not the likelihood of a failure.

What to inspect

Issues worth paying extra attention to based on owner reports.

  • Power Train. Review the 13 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Steering. Review the 11 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Engine. Review the 7 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

0 crash reports0 fire reports2 injury reports

What owners actually said

39 reports
60,000 miles · Jun 18, 2014
Vehicle Speed Control

MY 17 YEAR OLD DAUGHTER WAS PULLING OUT OF A PARKING LOT TO CROSS 4 LANES OF TRAFFIC AND LOST ALL ACCELERATION! STOPPING IN THE MIDDLE OF THE HIGHWAY. I WAS IN THE TURNING LANE WATCHING A SEMI AND 20 CARS HEADED STRAIGHT FOR MY DAUGHTER. LUCKILY SHE THOUGHT QUICK ENOUGH TO PUT THE CAR IN REVERSE, SINCE SHE WAS ON A SLIGHT HILL…

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MY 17 YEAR OLD DAUGHTER WAS PULLING OUT OF A PARKING LOT TO CROSS 4 LANES OF TRAFFIC AND LOST ALL ACCELERATION! STOPPING IN THE MIDDLE OF THE HIGHWAY. I WAS IN THE TURNING LANE WATCHING A SEMI AND 20 CARS HEADED STRAIGHT FOR MY DAUGHTER. LUCKILY SHE THOUGHT QUICK ENOUGH TO PUT THE CAR IN REVERSE, SINCE SHE WAS ON A SLIGHT HILL, SHE ROLLED BACK INTO THE PARKING LOT. FORD HAS ISSUED AN EXTENDED WARRANTY FOR THE THROTTLE BODY ON THE ESCAPES (SISTER TO THE TRIBUTE) FOR THIS VERY ISSUE. MAZDA HAS ONLY ISSUED A SPECIAL BULLETIN THAT THE TRIBUTE CAN LOOSE ACCELERATION, BUT DID NOT SAY HOW TO FIX IT. I FOUND ALL THIS INFORMATION AFTER THAT FACT THAT MY DAUGHTER ALMOST DIED!!! WE HAD THE VEHICLE AT A MAZDA DEALERSHIP THE FRIDAY & SATURDAY BEFORE. THEY APPARENTLY DID NOT KNOW ABOUT THE ISSUE AND ALL THEY DID WAS CLEAN OUT THE THROTTLE BODY, AND SAID THAT SHOULD TAKE CARE OF IT. WHY DID MAZDA NOT HAVE TO DO THE SAME AS FORD? WE SHOULD NOT HAVE TO WAIT UNTIL SOMEONE DIES. IT IS A VERY SERIOUS PROBLEM WITH THESE VEHICLES! CONSUMERS WITH THESE AUTOS NEED TO BE NOTIFIED!!! FORD HAS NOT NOTIFIED ANYONE EITHER, WE ALSO HAVE A 2011 FORD ESCAPE WHICH HAS NOT HAD THE ISSUE, BUT WE ARE TAKING IT TO THE DEALERSHIP TODAY JUST TO CHECK IT. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10599070

47,000 miles · May 23, 2014
Steering

POWER STEERING INTERMITTENTLY CUTS OUT DUE TO POWERSTEERING SENSOR WITHIN COLUMN. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10593675

58,269 miles · May 21, 2014
EnginePower TrainSteering

WAS DRIVING ON LARGE BLVD THRU TOWN AT APPROX. 45+ MPG, THE CAR ALL OF A SUDDEN QUIT ACCELERATING, THE WRENCH LIGHT CAME ON, ALL POWER TO CAR WAS ESSENTIALLY LOSS AND IT BEGAN CONVULSING ABRUPTLY AS A I MANEUVERED IT OFF THE ROAD TO A SAFE STOPPING SPOT. I CALLED AAA AND HAD IT TOWED TO DEALER. DEALER HAD THE CAR FOR 3 DAYS, C…

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WAS DRIVING ON LARGE BLVD THRU TOWN AT APPROX. 45+ MPG, THE CAR ALL OF A SUDDEN QUIT ACCELERATING, THE WRENCH LIGHT CAME ON, ALL POWER TO CAR WAS ESSENTIALLY LOSS AND IT BEGAN CONVULSING ABRUPTLY AS A I MANEUVERED IT OFF THE ROAD TO A SAFE STOPPING SPOT. I CALLED AAA AND HAD IT TOWED TO DEALER. DEALER HAD THE CAR FOR 3 DAYS, COULD NEVER FIND ANYTHING OR GET IT TO REPRODUCE WHAT I EXPERIENCED, SO I WAS CHARGED THE $120 DIAGNOSTIC FEE WITHOUT IT BEING FIXED AND SENT HOME WITH MY FINGERS CROSSED. THE CAR BEHAVED FOR AWHILE, BUT THEN IT STARTED DOING IT AGAIN ON AND OFF OVER THE NEXT 6 MONTHS. BECAUSE OF THE $120 FEE FOR NOTHING I HAD BEEN HESITANT TO GO BACK UNTIL RECENTLY WHEN I WAS ON THE FREEWAY (A COUPLE OF TIMES) AND THE CAR DID THE SAME THING! LUCKILY I WAS IN THE SLOW LANE AND COULD PULL OVER QUICKLY, TURN OFF THE CAR, COUNT TO 10 AND THEN START IT UP AGAIN AND GO. THESE LAST FEW TIMES IT WAS SEVERAL TIMES A DAY, SO I TOOK IT BACK TO THE DEALER (CAR IS SUPPOSEDLY CERTIFIED) AS OF THIS WRITING THEY HAVE HAD THE CAR AGAIN FOR 3 DAYS, AND JUST NOW, AT THE END OF THE WORK DAY HAVE DECIDED IT IS THE THROTTLE BODY THAT NEEDS REPLACING. IT IS "CONVENIENTLY" NOT LISTED IN THE "COVERED COMPONENTS" OF THE CERTIFIED WARRANTY. ITS GOING TO COST $500+ TO GET MY CAR BACK + THE COST OF THE RENTAL CAR I'VE HAD TO GET BECAUSE THEY DON'T HAVE LOANERS, JUST A SHUTTLE, WHICH DOES ME NO GOOD ON A DAILY BASIS. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10593298

48,684 miles · May 21, 2014
EnginePower Train

FIRST OCCURRENCE WAS WHILE BACKING OUT OF A PARKING SPOT AND PUT THE VEHICLE INTO DRIVE. I ACCELERATED AND THE CAR HESITATED, CHUGGED, THE WRENCH LIGHT ON DASH ILLUMINATED WITH VERY SLOW FORWARD MOMENTUM. TURNED VEHICLE OFF AND BACK ON WITH NO PROBLEM UNTIL THE END OF THE PARKING ROW WHEN I STOPPED FOR TRAFFIC, IT CHUGGED AND …

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FIRST OCCURRENCE WAS WHILE BACKING OUT OF A PARKING SPOT AND PUT THE VEHICLE INTO DRIVE. I ACCELERATED AND THE CAR HESITATED, CHUGGED, THE WRENCH LIGHT ON DASH ILLUMINATED WITH VERY SLOW FORWARD MOMENTUM. TURNED VEHICLE OFF AND BACK ON WITH NO PROBLEM UNTIL THE END OF THE PARKING ROW WHEN I STOPPED FOR TRAFFIC, IT CHUGGED AND WOULDN'T ACCELERATE, WRENCH INDICATOR ON AGAIN. TURNED VEHICLE OFF AND COASTED TO A PARKING SPOT. RESTARTED A FEW MINUTES LATER WITH NO PROBLEMS FOR ALMOST A WEEK. NEXT TIME IT HAPPENED I ACCELERATED FROM A STOP SIGN AND ONLY HAD CRAWLING SPEED NO MATTER WHAT I DID WITH THE GAS PEDAL. THE WRENCH LIGHT WAS AGAIN ON WITH THE VEHICLE CHUGGING AND HESITATING. DUE TO PARKED VEHICLES I HAD TO DRIVE ALMOST THE LENGTH OF THE BLOCK IN THIS CONDITION BEFORE HAVING A PLACE TO PULL OVER AND MOVE OUT OF THE LONG LINE OF TRAFFIC I HAD CREATED. ONCE AGAIN AFTER A BRIEF WAITING PERIOD I RESTARTED THE VEHICLE, THE WRENCH LIGHT WENT OUT AND IT HAS BEEN DRIVING OKAY. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10593196

61,000 miles · Mar 10, 2014
Power Train

WHILE STOPPED AT A TRAFFIC LIGHT THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO SURGE AS IF THE ACCELERATOR WAS BEING PRESSED AND RELEASED, THE CAR STARTED RUNNING ROUGH AND THE ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON. AFTER DRIVING THROUGH THE INTERSECTION THE CAR RAN NORMALLY FOR SEVERAL WEEKS. THE CAR HAS REPEATEDLY HAD THIS SYMPTOM ALONG WITH FAILURE TO RESPOND TO THE …

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WHILE STOPPED AT A TRAFFIC LIGHT THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO SURGE AS IF THE ACCELERATOR WAS BEING PRESSED AND RELEASED, THE CAR STARTED RUNNING ROUGH AND THE ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON. AFTER DRIVING THROUGH THE INTERSECTION THE CAR RAN NORMALLY FOR SEVERAL WEEKS. THE CAR HAS REPEATEDLY HAD THIS SYMPTOM ALONG WITH FAILURE TO RESPOND TO THE ACCELERATOR AND SHUTTING OFF. THE LAST INCIDENT HAPPENED ON MARCH 9TH OF 2014 WHILE TURNING RIGHT IN AN INTERSECTION THE CAR FAILED TO RESPOND TO THE ACCELERATOR AND JUST QUIT. I ALLOWED THE CAR TO DRIFT TO A CENTER AREA OF THE ROAD AND WAS ABLE TO RESTART IT. THE DEALER HAS ONCE TOLD US WE WERE PROBABLY OVER FILLING (TOPPING OFF) THE TANK, WE HAVE MADE SURE THAT WE LET THE PUMP STOP AFTER IF CLICKS OFF THE FIRST TIME YET THE INCIDENTS CONTINUE AND AT AN INCREASED RATE. THE CAR HAS BEEN TAKEN TO THE DEALER A SECOND TIME TO ATTEMPT TO DIAGNOSE THIS ISSUE. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10568203

62,500 miles · Feb 13, 2014
Power TrainVehicle Speed Control

I WAS DRIVING WITH MY FAMILY ON HIGHWAY AT 70 MPH WHEN I LOST POWER TO MY ACCELERATOR. I WAS ABLE TO COAST TO THE SIDE OF THE HIGHWAY, THEN THE SUV SHOOK WITH THE WRENCH LIGHT ON DASH ILLUMINATED. I TURNED THE CAR OFF AND THEN BACK ON AGAIN. THE WRENCH LIGHT WAS OFF AND I RESUMED DRIVING. THE NEXT DAY, DURING CITY DRIVING MY SUV…

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I WAS DRIVING WITH MY FAMILY ON HIGHWAY AT 70 MPH WHEN I LOST POWER TO MY ACCELERATOR. I WAS ABLE TO COAST TO THE SIDE OF THE HIGHWAY, THEN THE SUV SHOOK WITH THE WRENCH LIGHT ON DASH ILLUMINATED. I TURNED THE CAR OFF AND THEN BACK ON AGAIN. THE WRENCH LIGHT WAS OFF AND I RESUMED DRIVING. THE NEXT DAY, DURING CITY DRIVING MY SUV DID EXACTLY THE SAME THING AT 40MPH. I BROUGHT THE MAZDA TO MY MECHANIC AND THEY ARE HAVING DIFFICULTY DIAGNOSING THE PROBLEM. ALONG WITH THE OTHER CONSUMERS WITH THIS ISSUE, I AM AFRAID OF THIS CONTINUING AND RESULTING IN A SERIOUS INJURY OR CASUALTY. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10564162

34,144 miles · Jan 20, 2014
Power TrainVehicle Speed Control

WHILE DRIVING ON FREEWAY DURING PEAK TRAFFIC (STOP AND GO) ALL OF A SUDDEN MY CAR WOULD NOT GO WHEN PRESSING ON GAS PEDAL AND WRENCH LIGHT CAME ON. BECAUSE I WAS ON A SLIGHT DECLINE MY CAR VERY SLOWLY CROSSED TWO LANES OF ONCOMING TRAFFIC AND FINALLY MADE IT ON THE SIDE OF THE FREEWAY. CAR STARTED TO SHAKE REALLY BAD BEFORE TU…

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WHILE DRIVING ON FREEWAY DURING PEAK TRAFFIC (STOP AND GO) ALL OF A SUDDEN MY CAR WOULD NOT GO WHEN PRESSING ON GAS PEDAL AND WRENCH LIGHT CAME ON. BECAUSE I WAS ON A SLIGHT DECLINE MY CAR VERY SLOWLY CROSSED TWO LANES OF ONCOMING TRAFFIC AND FINALLY MADE IT ON THE SIDE OF THE FREEWAY. CAR STARTED TO SHAKE REALLY BAD BEFORE TURNING OFF IGNITION. GOT CAR TOWED TO DEALER AND THEY COULDN'T FINE ANYTHING WRONG AFTER KEEPING CAR FOR ONE WEEK. PICKED UP CAR ON 12/12/13 AND SAME EXACT PROBLEM HAPPEN AGAIN ON 1/8/14, HAD CAR TOWED TO DEALER AND THEY COULDN'T FIND ANYTHING WRONG AFTER KEEPING CAR FOR ONE WEEK. PICKED UP CAR ON 1/18/14. THEY SAID THEY CAN'T DO ANYTHING UNLESS THE WRENCH COMES OUT. MY CONCERN IS WHEN I'M DRIVING ON THE FREEWAY AND CARS ARE GOING 45 - 60 MPH, I'LL GET HIT FROM THE BACK AND PROBABLY GET BADLY INJURED OR MAY EVEN DIE! *TR

NHTSA ODI #10560653

52,000 miles · Jan 2, 2014
Power Train

DRIVING ON THE INTERSTATE AT 70 MPH FOR THE HOLIDAYS WHEN I LOST ALL ACCELERATION. PULLED OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND A WRENCH LIGHT WAS DISPLAYED ON THE DASH BOARD. ENGINE WAS IDLING VERY RUFF AND VEHICLE WOULD NOT MOVE IN FORWARD OR REVERSE LIKE THE POWER TRAIN WAS BROKEN. PUT THE CAR IN PARK, TURN OFF ENGINE, WAIT A FEW …

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DRIVING ON THE INTERSTATE AT 70 MPH FOR THE HOLIDAYS WHEN I LOST ALL ACCELERATION. PULLED OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND A WRENCH LIGHT WAS DISPLAYED ON THE DASH BOARD. ENGINE WAS IDLING VERY RUFF AND VEHICLE WOULD NOT MOVE IN FORWARD OR REVERSE LIKE THE POWER TRAIN WAS BROKEN. PUT THE CAR IN PARK, TURN OFF ENGINE, WAIT A FEW SECONDS AND RESTARTED ENGINE. WHEN THE ENGINE RESTARTED, WRENCH LIGHT WAS OFF AND FINISHED DRIVING HOME. SINCE THEM THE SAME THING HAS HAPPENED TO ME ON THREE MORE DIFFERENT OCCASIONS AND SEEMS TO BE HAPPENING MORE OFTEN. THE CAR WAS BROUGHT IN FOR REPAIR BUT THE MECHANICS COULD NOT FIND ANYTHING WRONG AS NO ENGINE LIGHT OR WRENCH LIGHT WERE DISPLAYED. I FEEL THIS CAR IS UNSAFE TO DRIVE AND AN ACCIDENT JUST WAITING TO HAPPEN YET NO ONE KNOWS HOW TO CORRECT PROBLEM. I BELIEVE THAT MAZDA SHOULD TAKE OWNERSHIP, BE MADE TO RECALL THESE DEFECTIVE VEHICLES AND MAKE THEM SAFE TO DRIVE AGAIN. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10558167

63,000 miles · Dec 14, 2013
Visibility/wiperInjury

I CLOSED THE REAR LIFTGATE AND THE REAR GLASS SHATTERED EVERYWHERE. NOTHING WAS IN THE BACK AND NOTHING TOUCHED THE GLASS, IT JUST SHATTERED NIGH SPONTANEOUSLY. IT WAS 21 DEGREES OUTSIDE AT THE TIME. THE VEHICLE HAD THE REAR WIPER MOTOR MOUNTED TO THE GLASS LIKE IN THE SIMILAR 2010 FORD ESCAPE AND MERCURY MARINER SEE HTTP://WWW-…

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I CLOSED THE REAR LIFTGATE AND THE REAR GLASS SHATTERED EVERYWHERE. NOTHING WAS IN THE BACK AND NOTHING TOUCHED THE GLASS, IT JUST SHATTERED NIGH SPONTANEOUSLY. IT WAS 21 DEGREES OUTSIDE AT THE TIME. THE VEHICLE HAD THE REAR WIPER MOTOR MOUNTED TO THE GLASS LIKE IN THE SIMILAR 2010 FORD ESCAPE AND MERCURY MARINER SEE HTTP://WWW-ODI.NHTSA.DOT.GOV/ACMS/CS/JAXRS/DOWNLOAD/DOC/ACM17844975/INCLA-PE11016-3909.PDF. THE SHARDS OF GLASS RESULTED IN CUTS ON MY HANDS. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10556091

28,000 miles · Aug 28, 2013
Electrical System

FOR THE PAST 6 MONTHS MY CAR WILL PERIODICALLY LOOSE POWER, I WOULD BE IN THE MIDDLE OF A BUSY STREET, IN STOP AND GO TRAFFIC, OR ANYWHERE, AND SUDDENLY HAVE NO ACCELERATION AT ALL. IT WOULD THEN JERK VERY VIOLENTLY UNTIL I JUST SHUT IT OFF. AFTER 2 OR 3 EPISODES, MY CAR WOULD BE FINE FOR SEVERAL WEEKS, BEFORE HAPPENING AGAIN…

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FOR THE PAST 6 MONTHS MY CAR WILL PERIODICALLY LOOSE POWER, I WOULD BE IN THE MIDDLE OF A BUSY STREET, IN STOP AND GO TRAFFIC, OR ANYWHERE, AND SUDDENLY HAVE NO ACCELERATION AT ALL. IT WOULD THEN JERK VERY VIOLENTLY UNTIL I JUST SHUT IT OFF. AFTER 2 OR 3 EPISODES, MY CAR WOULD BE FINE FOR SEVERAL WEEKS, BEFORE HAPPENING AGAIN. EARLY ON THERE WERE NO DASH LIGHTS THAT CAME ON AND THE DEALERSHIP COULD NOT IDENTIFY ANY PROBLEM. AFTER ABOUT 4 MONTHS THERE WAS FINALLY AN ENGINE LIGHT AND A CODE THAT INDICATED AN ISSUE WITH THE ELECTRONIC THROTTLE BODY. BUT THE DEALERSHIP SAYS THEY ARE STILL NOT SURE WHAT IS WRONG WITH MY CAR, BECAUSE THEY COULD NOT DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. NOW MY CAR IS OUT OF WARRANTY, AND I AM STILL HAVING THE SAME ISSUE, HOWEVER IT IS OCCURRING MORE FREQUENTLY, TO THE POINT IT IS NOT SAFE TO DRIVE MY CAR ANYMORE. WHEN MY HUSBAND LOOKED UP THE PART 2 WEEKS AGO THE PRICE WAS $176.00 ' YESTERDAY HE CALLED TO GET A PRICE AND THEY ARE NOW $350.00 OR MORE AT DEALERSHIPS,(GRAPEVINE FORD) THAT HAVE THEM IN STOCK, OR DEALERSHIPS THAT HAVEN'T JACKED UP THE PRICE (HILEY MAZDA), THEY ARE OUT OF STOCK AND ON BACK ORDER. *TT

NHTSA ODI #10537729

Official recalls

2

16V788000 · Fuel System, Gasoline:delivery:fuel Pump

Oct 28, 2016

Mazda North American Operations (Mazda) is recalling certain model year 2010-2011 Tribute vehicles manufactured March 3, 2009, to May 26, 2011. On vehicles with a 3.0L engine, the Fuel Delivery Module (FDM) may crack, causing a fuel leak.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: A fuel leak in the presence of an ignition source increases the risk of a fire.

Remedy: Mazda will notify owners, and dealers will replace the FDM flange with one that has a redesigned fuel supply port, free of charge. Remedy parts are currently unavailable. Interim notices informing owners of the safety recall were mailed on December 23, 2016. Owners will receive a second notice when remedy parts are in stock. Owners may contact Mazda customer service at 1-800-222-5500. Mazda's number for this recall is 0416J.

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.

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

0

No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.