2008 Mazda Tribute: ABS light or ABS activating

6 of the 202 complaints about the 2008 Mazda Tribute describe ABS light or ABS activating.

owner complaints: 6
of this car's complaints: 3%
typical mileage: 102,403
recalls: 0

Is there a fix? 4 service bulletins cover this area of the car. See below

ABS light or ABS activating by model year

2010
1
2009
1
2008
6
2006
4
2005
4
2004
3
2003
16
2002
26
2001
9

What owners say

Filed Apr 5, 2025 · Brakes, Electrical · TN

Unknown, Electric steering no longer works, ABS light, traction control light engine light air bag light and tool light are on the, brakes will be faulty at times mainly when ABS and traction control light turn on. There is Google fact that 2008 Mazda had recall for EPS, also faulty air bag and more the vehicle recalls need to be fixed desperately it's going to cause safety problems while driving if not took care of.

Filed Feb 15, 2021 · Acceleration, Driver assistance · 100,000 miles · KY · crash

As I am driving the ABS and traction control lights come on and the car will start kicking like something is trying to in gage itself this has caused the transmission to go out so I have had it rebuilt thinking maybe the transmission was bad I have the car back now and the car is doing the same thing as it was doing before transition went out it has done it almost every time I drive it dry pavement city and or country roads worried to drive it now don't want to have to replace transmission again over 3000 dollars to repair any suggestions would be greatly appreciated

Filed Oct 3, 2020 · Brakes, Driver assistance · 145,600 miles · KS

Issue #1 - left front caliper locks up preventing vehicle to move. On multiple occasions the left front brake caliper has locked up after the vehicle had been traveling at several different speeds and coming to either a complete or sudden stop after hard braking. The issue makes it extremely difficult to drive the vehicle which causes the brake pads to overheat and smoke. I've replaced the caliper 3 times and have had the same issue with each new caliper. The underlying cause for the brake lock up has been a malfunction in the ABS and traction control unit and sensors. Temporary remedy has been to remove the 50amp ABS fuse for 24 hours and replace. System works like it is designed to do afterwards. Issue #2 - power assisted steering. The vehicle had shown systems of a vibrating and twitching steering wheel while at idle in park and while in gear while sitting at a stop. After 2 days of the moving steering wheel the vehicle was turned off and then restarted 5 hours later with no more jumping steering wheel but now with no power assisted steering at all. Making it extremely difficult to steer while under no to very low speed. The vehicle continues to have no power assisted steering as there is no consistent resource on what to do for those vehicles that have already been through the recall for this issue.

Filed Dec 1, 2015 · Brakes · 102,403 miles · MD

At various times between august 2015 and november 2015, my brakes did not respond properly. At about 3-week intervals, my brake pedal would go farther down toward the floorboard than it usually takes for me to stop. This usually happened at low speeds (5mph to 40mph), usually when I am approaching a stoplight or stop sign. After all of these instances, whenever I parked my car and started a new trip, the brakes would go back to normal. However, on 11/10/15, the brake pedal went all the way to the floor when I tried to stop at 15-20mph. This was on a busy city street, and I had to drive up on the median to avoid hitting the car in front of me. I took it to sears and was told there was no problem with the brakes; however, they bled the brake line, changed the brake fluid. Then, I took it to the mazda dealer and was told there was no problem with the brakes, but that the fluid needed to be changed. When I took it to carmax, they told me it was the master cylinder, and they replaced it along with the front ABS tone rings. On 11/25/15, two days after getting my car back from the carmax mechanics, the brake pedal was again feeling like it was going farther down than necessary, and then it went to the floor again. That time, I was approaching a stop sign in a residential neighborhood, so it was at a low speed. The car is now back at carmax, and they have called to say that they cannot find any problem. The scariest things about this (besides the obvious fear that my car will cause an accident) are: 1) the random nature of these brake problems; 2) the fact that the brake pedal goes back to normal after one of these events; 3) mechanics were not spotting a problem with my brakes; and 4) when a problem was specified and supposedly fixed, the brakes still went out.

Filed Jun 16, 2015 · Brakes · 143,000 miles · LA

Tl* the contact owns a 2008 mazda tribute. While driving 55 MPH, the brake pedal extended to the floorboard when depressed. The dealer diagnosed that the ABS module needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 143,000. The VIN was invalid.

Filed Jun 23, 2014 · Brakes · 33,000 miles · IN

This is the third time in 5 years that we have had to replace the ABS tone ring because it has broken/crumbled and caused our brakes to go out while driving! There seems to be some serious issues with the quality of this product?? I fear for my life at all times, never knowing when its going to decide to break again.