2003 Mazda Tribute: sudden unintended acceleration

Filed Jul 19, 2025 · Fuel system · WA · crash · 1 injury

the federal safety agency report 7.19.2015 July 19, 2025 NHSTA Report This is what happened to me [XXX]: I was at an off ramp stop waiting for cars to pass. I eased forward to see if everyone had passed. The car accelerated on its own and I tried to stop. When I braked it accelerated faster. I had both feet on the brakes and tried to stop, but each time the car accelerated. It accelerated three times until I crashed. I crashed into a utility trailer and the wheel well of the trailer caught on my front left bumper on the driver's side. I was drug along the road around 60 miles per hour until the bumper bent and I could pull over onto the side of the road. The car was a total loss. The attached notice from Mazda matches the uncontrollable acceleration of my car. I contacted Mazda Corporation on the same day ([XXX]) and was told there is no VIN record of the car since I owned it. Additionally, they told me it was repaired in 2005 as a throttle recall. But there is a subsequent notice attached dated July, 2012 and no record of that recall repair. I called WA state Dept of Licensing to see if there is a new owner. They do not have a record of such. I contacted Copart in Arlington WA today to find out if the car was there for parts so nobody would buy the accelerator cable. Copart told me today they sold the car in 2024 but cannot release the name of whoever bought it. They said my insurance company would know. Whoever owns the car now needs to know there is a faulty accelerator cable causing a accident and they need to have it examined and replaced correctly. Please help find who owns this car and remedy a potential crash. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

Filed Apr 29, 2014 · 107,500 miles · DC

I have just purchased this car used for my mother in law the day before. I was exiting expressway ramp and I came to a light. When I took my foot off the accelerator the car surged. I started hitting the brakes but the car continued to accelerate. I pushed car in neutral and applied brakes to stop car. I was in the middle of traffic. I started car and it immediately accelerated to 3000 RPM while in park. I turned it back off and on again and it did the same thing. I called for a tow and had it towed to the dealer. I researched problem online and saw the recalls for the tribute. I figured it hadn't been done yet. On monday the service dept. Opened and they said when they started vehicle it revved up to 3000 RPM. They were able to get vehicle to stop accelerating. They looked up vehicle and saw that it already had the sudden acceleration recall work completed. Car was there for 3 days as they checked everything on vehicle as well as drove it to see if it would repeat the problem. They eventually took iac valve off, cleaned it and let it sit overnight in cleaner along with cleaning the throttle body. They could not get vehicle to repeat acceleration after work was completed. I believe recall issue is still not fixed.

Filed Feb 20, 2013 · Acceleration · 94,500 miles · PA

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.

Filed Dec 8, 2009 · Acceleration · 78,000 miles · WI

Vehicle is a 2003 mazda tribute, which had a recall 04v583000 for vehicle speed control cables. Was told this recall was fixed on 8/11/2005. This vehicle has horrible issues with sudden acceleration while driving down the highway, it will not slow down, the accelerator is stuck wide open and braking will not slow the vehicle down. These incidents happen at least three times a week, and at various speeds (25 MPH-55mph), it can suddenly be driving down the road up to 85 and 90 MPH. Happens both in rural and city driving. Was told by mazda dealer recall is closed and will not consider this as anything to do with the recall. There were two recalls on this vehicle for this issue, and I feel this issue is still related to the same problem. The incident is ongoing and has been since february, 2009.

Filed Jan 5, 2006 · Acceleration · 37,000 miles · FL

Dt*: the contact stated while driving home at 25 MPH the vehicle suddenly accelerated without warning. The emergency brake had to be engaged and the keys removed from the ignition before the vehicle stopped. When the vehicle was restarted the engine revved to the maximum rpms. After five minutes the vehicle restarted and it operated normally. After the vehicle was driven home it was towed to the local dealer. When the tow truck operator started the vehicle he experienced the same problem with the engine revving to the maximum rpms. At the dealership the mechanic also observed the engine revving at the highest rpms. This vehicle was repaired under the federal safety agency recall campaign 04v583000 concerning the vehicle speed control in march 2005. The contact was concerned that recall repairs did not remedy the problem. The vehicle is currently undergoing diagnostic testing.