While driving at approx. 45mph, the vehicle suddenly quits, making it very difficult to control. After managing to pull off of the road, I put the vehicle into park, turned off the ignition, then restarted with no problem. Called mazda dealership. They were very aware of the problem and had many other tribute owners calling them with the exact same problem. His response was that he wished he could tell me there was a replacement part available to fix the problem, but honestly, there isn't a fix. Mazda has not corrected the problem. Thousands of people are driving these vehicles, and many of them have experienced the same problem I have just described. This is a serious safety hazard, potentially deadly. Because it randomly re-occurs, you never know what the driving situation will be when it happens again. Because there is no corrective action available, we are told nothing can be done, and we must continue putting our families at risk. This is unacceptable. I propose we sell our vehicles back to mazda , and be given the opportunity to select a differenct vehicle that does not pose this hazard.
2001 Mazda Tribute electrical complaints
Page 3 of 4: complaints 41 to 70 of 81, newest first, as owners wrote them.
Problems with vehicle jerking, problem believed to be the result of a defective transmission. *mr the transmission was flushed but the problem remained the same. The dealer later replaced the transmission. (the vehicle would jerk between the speeds of 45-50, but after the replacement, down to 35-45 MPH. The vehicle stalled while approaching a traffic light with no warning. The manufacturer refused liability. *scc
Vehicle would stall only when driving down hills. Vehicle been to dealer and problem reoccurring. *ak the vehicle stalled three times before consumer took to have the vehicle repaired. The technician informed consumer that once the computer was reinstalled or reprogrammed it stuck. No one needing this repair has been back with the same issue. The vehicle stalled, this time on a flat road. Consumer took vehicle back and was informed mazda and the dealership would be working on a resolution. The problem could not be duplicated. The problem is still reoccurring.
May 23, 2002 - cruise control stopped working. Light on console comes on but doesn't engage. June 01, 2002 - lost all power while going approx 35 MPH around a slight curve. Pulled to the side, put in neutral and started again.
Electrical system works intermittently. Dealership is aware of problem.*ak consumer stated that the vehicle dies at 40-45 MPH while driving. Also, vehicle would not start after sitting for several hours. Brakes and steering failed and it was hard to control the vehicle.
I was accelerating at approximately 60 MPH and vehicle completely shut down. Pulled to the side of the road and restarted the car immediately. Took it took the dealer and they said they had several other vehicles brought in with same problem. Mazda knoxville told me that I was in range of a cell phone tower and that it had shut my computer down which caused my vehicle to stall. They reset my computer and sent me on my way saying I should not have anymore problems.
This is the second time my car stalled while driving at around 40mph. Again I was going down a hill, around a bend just like the first time. The car dies, all power goes out, leaving me to try to get my car to the side of the road. No power steering, no power brakes. The first complaint, the dealership replaced the whole ignition, they said this would fix the problem. I spoke to a zone representative on 4/17/02, the day of the second complaint, who told me back when the first problem occurred, mazda really didn't know how to solve the problem. Recently, they discovered it was a computer chip/software problem so when I called in to the dealership today, they said they knew of the problem and they just had to fix it. They had gotten a letter from mazda stating that there were complaints about this and now they knew what the problem was. They did not attempt to contact me to let me know that when they originally fixed the problem, it wasn't complete. Further, I just had my car in for a regular service check up/oil change yesterday, 4/16/02, a day before the problem. Also, I had just had a service check up previously before the first problem when they knew about it then. So, today, the problem happened again and now, I feel unsafe driving this vehicle. How do I know there isn't something else mazda is not telling me? I would like to see a recall on this vehicle and to have a full inspection on this part and all its components. Thank you. Nlm
While driving, air bag light illuminated, resulting in engine to stall and shut down. Dealership has been notified.*ak dealer replaced the cut off relay.
Vehicle would stall while driving, vehicle at dealer. Dealer informed consumer of a faulty relay ignition switch. *ak the consumer lost power steering and brakes when the vehicle stalled without warning. He took the vehicle to dealer and told him probably had bad gas. Finally the problem was diagnosed as a computer problem.
Vehicle has stalled four times, mazda north america contacted by my atty after the third incident. We have received no response. Car stalls when coasting down hill going 20 to 30 miles per hour. According to last work order from dealership on 1/28/02: program p.c.m. As per tech line.
The coolant indicator lamp illuminated, the vehicle was taken to the dealer where they found that the coolant sensor was defective, the consumer later found out that the vehicles coolant sensor had aleady been replaced dec 2000 prior to purchase, this information was never disclosed to the consumer. Nlm
The tribute stalled while driving 20 MPH. When I got it restarted, the trip odometer was reset and the radio station presets were lost. I also have intermittent problems starting the car - it makes a rattling sound and the battery light goes on.
After the vehicle sits for a period of 5-8 hours, it will not start up. It takes several times to get the vehicle started. It was taken to the dealer, where they could not replicate the problem. The vehicle seems to do this only if it is parked outside for long periods of time. When it is parked in the garage, it does not have any problems starting up, no matter how long it sits. If the vehicle is parked outdoors for several hours, it will not start easily.
Three times the car has lost power, including steering and brakes.
This is a second failure, the first occurring on 05/30/01. The engine quit while crossing railroad tracks with two passengers. I coasted almost clear of tracks, stopped the vehicle, put it in park and restarted the engine after two or three attempts. This same type of failure occurred, at the same location, when my wife was driving the vehicle about a little more than a week earlier.
Was going down a slight hill at about 40-45 MPH when I noticed the steering became stiff. Discovered the engine had quit. Braked (with some difficulty) and pulled over to a stop. Shifted into park and restarted. I am concerned that this will probably happen again, possibly in heavy traffic and could be a safety concern. I note there have been numerous complaints made to the federal safety agency about stalling problems in the 2001 tribute. I have not yet notified the dealer but will do so next week.
I bought my tribute in august and just had the first service done recently so when I was driving on friday, november 16, 2001, I was not expecting any problem. I was going about 45 MPH and all of a sudden I couldn't steer the car. The power steering had ceased and I believe the brakes also. I veered off the side of the road and stopped the car. I proceeded to find a phone to call for assistance and when I got the car towed to ridgefield mazda I spoke with the service manager. We had a conversation about what the problem could be and he was almost certain he knew what the problem was. He told me mazda had gotten several tributes come in for the same problem which is the ignition fails and everything goes out like the steering etc. Just what happened to me. Obviously, mazda knew of the problem, and I questioned how they could not notify other drivers of this malfunction. He told me it wasn't considered a recall as of yet even though they had several customers come in with the same problem. I believe this is a major problem with the vehicle and it should be recalled. The tribute is a new vehicle and I understand there may still be kinks/bugs to work out with a new vehicle but this isn't a minor problem. I would like this checked into and if possible, make it a recall so this won't happen to other drivers. Luckily, I was able to steer the car to a safe location, but it could have been worse. I would not want to see this happen to someone else. Thank you..
I purchased my tribute new in oct, 2001. Since that time it has stalled out 6 times. This has occurred when traveling between 35 and 45 MPH while slowing down going down hill or around the corner. The truck has been taken to the shop 2 times for this problem. The dealer states they are unable to duplicate the problem. Luckily this has not occured in a high traffic situation as the truck would be uncontrollable due to the power steering and brakes not functioning. I believe this is a safety issue that needs to be investigated.
The truck stalled (complete electrical shutdown) while driving, no steering and no brakes, narrowly missing another truck coming towards me.
Travelling on major highway at the height of rush hour traffice when vehicle lost all power. Could not restart for 10-15 minutes. Dealer could not find the problem, so they called in a "special" technician from mazda who claimed the problem was with the PCM or "computer" of the vehicle, this part was replaced. The vehicle stalled again 4 days later. Funny how there are so many complaints about the exact same problem yet mazda claims to know nothing about the problem! Does someone have to die before they will admit that this problem with the tributes is dangerous and potentially deadly?
Vehicle stopped & could not accelerate. Dash panel lights all came on. I was going slightly downhill & also car would not brake, so had to pull the emergency brake when I managed to pull to the right/side in order to stop vehicle.
I purchased the car on 8/12/01 from brown's mazda in alexandria, va. The car currently has 3000 miles on it and has stalled twice while driving. The car stalls on a decline between 30-40 MPH. When the car stalls, the stereo is still on, but the engine goes out and the power steering and power brakes go out, which makes the car hard to drive. To fix this, you have to put the car in neutral and restart the engine (all while you are moving). I contacted the dealer and they are aware of the problem, they have said that the majority of tribute's and ford escape's have this problem and they do not have a fix for the car. Originally, they did not even want me to bring the car in because they said there's nothing they can do until mazda comes up with a "fix". I called the mazda USA hotline and they called the dealership and informed them they have to look at the car. The car is now at the dealership (to be picked up today), but when dropping the car off, they informed me again that there is nothing they can do for me and I shouldn't have brought the car in. The dealership would also not comment on if they thought this was a "safety" issue and said that they are waiting to hear back from their "representative". I have had the car for less than two months, does this qualify as a lemon since it is unsafe to drive? Am I entitled to my money back (I know the dealer will not give me my money back because they say it is a mazda issue)?
Vehicle feels sluggish while accelerating, transmission is not catching when the gears should change, dealer can not remedy problem and has offered consumer the option to return the vehicle and accept the rollover amount.
When driving at highway speeds speedometer goes up and down. When driving and letting up on accelerator pedal, vehicle shifts into lower gear. Feels like brakes were applied very hard. Vehicle taken to dealer 3 times, cannot find cause of problem. *ak consumer states the cluster gauges are erratic, then the transmission shifts long or slow, on three different occasions, the transmission shifted from over drive to first, when letting up on the gas pedal it felt like the brakes were applied very hard, dealer stated the transmission was replaced. Vehicle has been worked on for water intrusion, carpet had to be replaced, dealer removed and resealed the windshield and repaired the rust in the windshield frame, rust also formed on the mounting brackets under the dash due to water leak, dealer removed and refit the left front fender to gain access to water leakage through the missed body seam and wiring harness. Dealer replaced the fuse box to repair the radio and cluster gauges. Turn signals are inoperable. Consumer states the only repair completed was the replacement of the carpet.
While driving vehicle stalls and I lose power/steering. After safely getting my car to the side of the road I am able to restart the car. The dealer has seen my car twice now and finds nothing wrong with it, and expects me to drive the defective vehicle. This stalling has happened twice now.
This is the second time the car has died on me when I was driving; the first time was on april 20 right after I purchased the car.
Vehicle stalled without warning when accelerating from a stop sign. The next failure occured when traveling at 40 MPH accelerating on an entrance ramp. Third failure occurred when decelerating to a stop sign. All dash lights come on and steering goes out, however, the vehicle will immediately start after placed in neutral. This vehicle has been to the dealer one time but the service department was unable to duplicate problem. Dealer has been notified of the current failure but can offer no solutions. Dealer has advised will contact their service rep.
Vehicle has stalled 5 times, always around 30-40 MPH. Taken to dealer 4 times, replaced ignition switch once. Cannot remedy.
Car caught on fire and burned to the point of it being totaled.
The tribute loss all power coming down a mountain pass, I stopped it on side of road turned off, checked oil, it was ok, so I started it up and drove to the mazda dealer. They put it in for service, when I picked it up they said there was nothing wrong with it. There was no paperwork. This happened coming down a mountain pass which is has several sharp turns. I travel this pass often and feel this is a safty issue that should be addressed. I could have been on a turn when this happened. Thank you for your time. Judy & bill whitney.
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