My ABS keeps locking up and Ive almost wrecked multiple times. I changed brakes and rotors and still the problem is on-going. Its dangerous and Ive read others saying the same thing online.
2003 Mazda Tribute acceleration problems
34 complaints (17% of all complaints for this car). Typical mileage when it fails: 61,000. 5 crashes reported.
- owner complaints
- 34
- of this car's complaints
- 17%
- typical mileage
- 61,000
- crashes
- 5
- recalls
- 2
Which part fails
- Cables8
- Accelerator pedal7
- Cruise control2
At what mileage
Complaints by mileage at the time of the problem.
Mazda Tribute acceleration problems in other years
Specific symptoms reported on the 2003 Mazda Tribute acceleration
Phrases found in the owners' own descriptions, so one complaint can mention several symptoms.
Related recalls
Vehicle speed control: cables
- What is wrong
- 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.
- Risk
- 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.
Recall number 12V357000 · Recall details
Vehicle speed control: cables
- What is wrong
- On certain sport utility vehicles, the accelerator cable may prevent the throttle from returning to the idle position.
- Risk
- An unexpected increase in engine idle speed may increase stopping distance and may result in a vehicle crash.
- Remedy
- Dealers will replace the accelerator cable. The recall began on january 28, 2005. Owners should contact mazda at 1‑800‑222‑5500, option #4.
Recall number 04V583000 · Recall details
Related investigations
Cruise Control Cable
On July 8, 2012, The Center for Auto Safety has petitioned the federal safety agency to open defect investigations on Model Year (MY) 2002 ? 2004 Ford Escape and Mazda Tribute vehicles with certain cruise control cables.The Center for Auto Safety has also petitioned for a hearing to address whether Ford Motor Company (Ford) and Mazda North American Operations (Mazda) met their obligations to notify owners and correct a defect in certain Ford Escape and Mazda Tribute vehicles.The petitions to open investigations are denied as unnecessary and the petitions to conduct hearingsare denied.ODI IDs referenced above are: 10109921, 10116267, 10116574,10121108, 10125928, 10128545, 10130133,10137520, 10153327, 10155295, 10155817, 10159048, 10164205, 10165007, 10177337, 10184382, 10195378,10199728, 10201424, 10203178, 10204179, 10207677, 10214472, 10218668, 10222869, 10229600, 10255417,10256387, 10258046, 10259777, 10260591, 10266150, 10273613, 10291508, 10303282, 10303434, 10316154,10321828, 10323339, 10325817, 10331278, 10334038, 10335779, 10341773, 10342450, 10345004, 10363982,10370338, 10379444, 10432635, 10451652, 10466261, 891605, 10053779, 10125132, 10146998, 10149101,10160004, 10161052, 10170988, 10178811, 10204780, 10215610, 10222996, 10239609, 10252790, 10253666,10262773, 10264280, 10280669, 10289784, 10294932, 10312464, 10316440, 10343662, 10354530, 10413665,10461195
DP12005
Stuck Throttle
In a letter dated July 25, 2012 Ford Motor Company (Ford) submitted a Defect Information Report (DIR), the federal safety agency Recall No. 12V‑353 to the federal safety agency identifying a safety defect involving inadequate clearance between the engine cover and the speed control cable connector, which could result in a stuck throttle condition.The vehicles involved are model year (MY) 2001 through MY 2004 Ford Escape vehicles equipped with 3.0L V6 engines and speed (cruise) control.A redesigned engine cover was implemented in production beginning in MY 2005, which provided additional clearance of the speed control cable to the engine cover.Similarly on July 26, 2012 Mazda North American Operations (Mazda) on behalf of Mazda Motor Corporation of Hiroshima, Japan submitted a DIR to the federal safety agency, the federal safety agency Recall No. 12V‑357, identifying the safety defect described above in MY 2001 through MY 2006 and MY 2008 Mazda Tribute vehicles (no Tribute vehicles were produced in MY 2007) equipped with 3.0L V6 engines and speed control.Unlike the Ford Escape recall scope, the Mazda Tribute scope is broader as Mazda Tribute vehicles incorporated a similar engine cover design as related to the clearance to the speed control cable in MYs 2001 through 2006 and MY 2008.The failure report summary above reflects reports identified by ODI in review of data submitted to the Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) and reports submitted to Ford and to Mazda.ODI identified 44 reports likely related to the safety defect described in the DIRs; 39 involving Ford Escape vehicles and 5 involving Mazda Tribute vehicles. This Preliminary Evaluation is closed.The ODI report cited above can be reviewed at www-odi.the federal safety agency.dot.gov/owners/Searchreference under the following identification (ODI) numbers: 10116267, 10128545, 10128681, 10137520, 10153327, 10165007, 10199728, 10234846, 10335779, 10466261, and 10468307.
PE12019
What 2003 Mazda Tribute owners say
Most recent owner complaints, unedited.
The sensor does not send the speed to the speedometer
Car stalled when slowing to stop in left turning lane doing around 45mph, approaching the light in a busy intersection and vehicles approaching mine from behind. It would no longer start in park or move in drive, to get our of the way and off the street I had to wait and the move it in reverse. Got towed home and it still sits.
I was driving around 50mph and comng up to a stop light, as I began to slow down in the left turning lane for the red light going left, my tribute suddenly stalled.the light then of course turned green and this was not good, cause all the cars coming up from behind me were now intending to no slow down and begin to speed up, to carry on through the very busy intersection. Which almost created a pile up, beginning at my rear bumper, or another sudden collision near by. Luckily all the cars had either swerved around mine, or managed to stop behind me. I then put mine in park and tried to start it, the engine started but I was unable to shift out of park. So I shut it off, put it in neutral and tried starting it, it started and shifted out of park but would not move while in drive. So I tried in one of the lower gears and it very slowly, about 5 MPH began to move, getting me off the major st and on to a side street. I then checked reverse, which worked just fine and allowed me to pull into a nearby store to wait for a tow truck. I put it in park and shut it off, too wait for it to be towed home. The next day I tried to use it, but still nothing in drive, no check engine light and its been parked ever since, about 5 months now.
Takata recall, light continues to flash while driving and sitting in park, going down the highway or city streets.driving down the highway the car stopped pulling with traffic speed of 65 MPH had to maneuver off the highway. Wouldn't pull in any gear, shifter only had one gear it would sit in will slide from neutral to drive 2. Cost $224.00 to tow which I had to borrow.
After finishing a road trip, we parked the car and the rpms began to move higher and higher. We put the vehicle in neutral, but the rpms began to drastically rise. The vehicle was then put into park and once again the RPM's continued to rise. We then turned the vehicle off and the problem stopped.
Tl* the contact owns a 2003 mazda tribute. The contact received a recall notice for the federal safety agency campaign number: 12v357000 (engine and engine cooling, vehicle speed control); however, the part for the repair was unavailable. The manufacturer was notified. The contact had not experienced a failure.
Tl* the contact owns a 2003 mazda tribute. The vehicle was repaired according to the federal safety agency campaign number: 04v583000 (vehicle speed control), but the failure recurred. The contact experienced no failures with the vehicle prior to the recall repair. After the repair, the contact heard an intermittent squeaking sound coming from the steering wheel. In addition, the steering wheel was extremely difficult to turn. The dealer was notified several times and stated that the coil spring needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired again and the manufacturer was notified. The approximate failure mileage was 5,000.
On june 25, 2013 @ 11:00am I called mazda corporation (reference call number:[xxx]) about recalls associated with my mazda tribute 2003 and was told that the recalls were not assigned to the VIN number of my vehicle. The mazda representative stated that only the seat beat adjustment has been assigned to my vehicle and that I do not qualify for the recall. Mazda will not honor the recall. I bought the tribute in 2010 from a dealership; thus, was not aware of the recalls. I have been having a lot of problems with the vehicle and have spent a lot of money trying to fix it. I have a 13 and 14 year old girls and am a single parent. According to the recall, the vehicle is not safe. I cannot afford right now to purchase another vehicle. I am only asking mazda to honor the recalls. Please see the recall notice below from mazda. 2003 mazda tribute recall item affected: vehicle speed control:cables date announced: 7/27/2012 description of recall: 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. Action needed to fix it: 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. Information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u.s.c. 552(b)(6).
Tl* the contact owns a 2003 mazda tribute. The contact stated that the vehicle was serviced in november 2012 under the federal safety agency campaign id number: 12v357000 (speed control) however, prior to the repair, the contact had no issues with sudden acceleration. The contact was traveling at an unknown speed with the cruise control activated. The brakes were depressed and the cruise control activation light was turned off however, the vehicle did not decelerate. The contact mentioned that with the brakes still depressed, he was able to move into the emergency lane and stop the vehicle. The engine rpms continued to excessively fluctuate as if the contact was still driving and at rapid speeds. The contact powered the vehicle on and off several times before it would perform normally. The vehicle was taken to the dealer and the contact was told that the dealer could not duplicate the failure. There were no repairs performed on the vehicle. The manufacturer was contacted but confirmed that the vehicle could not be repaired because the failure could not be diagnosed. The contact believed that either the recall repair was ineffective or was performed improperly. The failure mileage was 94,500 and the current mileage was 96,400.
Questions about the 2003 Mazda Tribute acceleration
Does the 2003 Mazda Tribute have acceleration problems?
Owners have filed 34 complaints about the acceleration of the 2003 Mazda Tribute, 17% of all its complaints.
At what mileage do 2003 Mazda Tribute acceleration problems start?
The typical (median) mileage in owner complaints is 61,000 miles.
Was there a recall on the 2003 Mazda Tribute acceleration?
Yes, 2 recalls: 12V357000, 04V583000. Check your VIN to see if your car still needs the free repair.
What year does the Mazda Tribute have the most acceleration problems?
The Mazda Tribute model years with the most acceleration complaints are 2005 (85 complaints), 2008 (53 complaints) and 2006 (49 complaints).
Other 2003 Mazda Tribute problems
Airbags 35Brakes 32Body 29Engine 28Transmission 24Electrical 15Suspension 14Fuel system 9Steering 9Tires 4Locks 3Seats 2Seat belts 1Visibility 1Wheels 1
VIN decoder
See the problems and recalls for an exact car
Buying a used 2003 Mazda Tribute?
Check the exact car before you pay: accidents, salvage or flood titles, odometer readings and previous owners.
Check its history