2005 Mazda Tribute problems
Owners have filed 542 complaints with NHTSA about the 2005 Mazda Tribute. Suspension is the most reported problem area, at 25% of complaints. Next are body & structure (23%) and cruise control (16%).
At a glance
- Complaints
- 542 filed with NHTSA
- Most reported
- Suspension 25% of complaints
- Crashes and fires
- 22 and 4
- Injuries and deaths
- 16 and 0
- Typical mileage
- 107,000 miles 453 complaints with mileage
Source: NHTSA owner complaints
Where the complaints are
Share of this model year's complaints by the part of the car involved. One complaint can name more than one part, so the shares can add up to more than 100%.
When problems show up
View the numbers
| Mileage | Complaints |
|---|---|
| 0k to 20k miles | 30 |
| 20k to 40k miles | 24 |
| 40k to 60k miles | 29 |
| 60k to 80k miles | 36 |
| 80k to 100k miles | 76 |
| 100k to 120k miles | 68 |
| 120k to 140k miles | 83 |
| 140k to 160k miles | 55 |
| 160k to 180k miles | 19 |
| 180k to 200k miles | 20 |
| 200k+ miles | 13 |
What the data shows
Of the 453 complaints that include odometer readings, half describe a problem before roughly 107,000 miles. For suspension specifically, the median reported mileage is about 124,000 miles (120 complaints with mileage).
Safety-related details: 22 complaints mention a crash; 4 complaints mention a fire; 16 injuries reported.
Looking only at complaints filed within five years of the model year (so older and newer years are comparable), the 2005 ranks 3rd most-complained-about out of 9 model years of the Mazda Tribute with enough data (132 complaints in that window). It is also covered by 3 safety recall campaigns.
What owners wrote
A few complaints as filed, shortened and with personal details removed. The first ones are among the most serious reports for this model year; the rest are typical.
Tl*the contact owns a 2005 mazda tribute. While stopped in traffic, the contact looked in her rear view mirror and noticed a vehicle approaching. She moved the vehicle slightly to the left, but it was still struck. Both the driver and passenger seats failed. The seat belt on the driver side did not fail, but it did not hold the contact down. The sunroof buckled and the vehicle was split in half. The contact's vehicle then spun in a circle.
I had a 2005 mazda tribute I, bought in march 2005. In december 2005 I ran off the road and the vehicle rolled twice. I was not seriously injured, but the air bags failed to deploy in the accident. Further, the car radio came loose from its mountings, and whipped around on its antenna cable. I'm not certain, but I think the loose radio hit me in the side of the head causing bruises and contusions.
Tl* the contact owns a 2005 mazda tribute. The contact stated that the passenger side rear wheel weld was rusted and as a result, the struts fractured from the frame. The dealer was notified of the problem. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The VIN was not available. The approximate failure mileage was 125,000.
Tl* the contact owns a 2005 mazda tribute. While driving at an undisclosed speed, there was an abnormal noise coming from the rear passenger side of the vehicle. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic to be diagnosed. The contact was informed that there was severe corrosion on the a-frame and rear suspension support of the vehicle. The contact was informed that the rear suspension support fractured. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure.