Ignition switch not working. Transmission 2nd and 5th gear not working and control arms for all 4 wheels seem to be going bad
2008 Mazda Tribute: ball joint or control arm failure
5 of the 202 complaints about the 2008 Mazda Tribute describe ball joint or control arm failure.
- owner complaints
- 5
- of this car's complaints
- 2%
- typical mileage
- 90,000
- recalls
- 0
Ball joint or control arm failure by model year
What owners say
Went to get ice cream shut off the vehicle and when the vehicle was restarted the power steering was not working I checked the fuses they were all fine drove home without powersteering the next day the vehicle was started the steering is now working but the steering wheel rattles right to left unless your turning and continues to rattle when the vehicle is turned off. The steering operation is intermittent when starting the vehicle, when it doesn't work you have to start it and turn the steering wheel to the right then it will work. The steering wheel also wanders when driving similar to a worn out tie rod but only when the steering is working. Mileage is 52354.
The lower steering universal joint and 2 inner tie rods 1 outer were all found to contribute to poor alignment-the steering u-joint was improperly installed[mazda] when new --as the joint was supposed to move freely in 4 directions fluidly--but, when removed it was frozen;----and u- joint movement wasn't possible in two points or direction ; I.e. Found loose -not greased--leading to slack and failure of the other named parts--which caused excessive slack overall in steering wheel! Overall the warranty --was worthless and costs 2500.00 of sell price-so between these failures and a previous report we've spent over 2500.00 on repairs that should have been on mazda--these are repairs that were supposedly covered by warranty!
Tl* the contact owns a 2008 mazda tribute. The contact stated that transmission fluid was leaking from the front of the vehicle. The contact stated that he believe that the transmission cooler was cracked and causing the leak. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure and the vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was 90,000 and the current mileage was 108,000. Updated 05/08/12*lj the consumer also stated the front wheel bearings were noisy, and had been since the day the vehicle was purchased and the outer tie rods needed to be replaced. Updated 05/30/12
I have a 2008 mazda tribute with 13,000 miles on it. Last week I noticed the right rear wheel was tilted out or in technical terms it had extreme negative camber. I got underneath the vehicle and saw that the lower ball joint had come out of the control arm. The lower control arm is designed for the ball joint to fit in a stamped steel sleeve then bolt tight to the rear spindle once the ball joint is dislodged from the control arm the integrity of the ball joint and the control arm are compromised. I called the dealer and explained what had happened and he told me to bring it in right away for fear that the rear wheel could collapse under the vehicle. I'm well aware of what could happen but I'm more concerned that a warranty repair would not solve the cause of the problem. I'm also concerned the problem would die at the dealership and not be brought to the proper personnel attention. I'm going to take pictures of the ball joint and control arm before I take it in for the repair. I really don't feel safe driving the vehicle now that I know what could possibly happen. I can't believe that this has never happened to any other tribute or escape. I don't plan on driving this vehicle until I receive a return response from your department.
Service bulletins that may apply
Related recalls
No recalls on record for this model year.
Questions about the 2008 Mazda Tribute ball joint
Is ball joint or control arm failure a common problem on the 2008 Mazda Tribute?
5 of 202 owner complaints about the 2008 Mazda Tribute (2%) mention ball joint or control arm failure. The model year with the most reports is 2002.
Is there a recall or service bulletin for this on the 2008 Mazda Tribute?
There are 0 recalls and 5 service bulletins for the same area of the car. Check them below with your VIN.
Other symptoms on the 2008 Mazda Tribute
Power steering loss 32Jerking 10Loss of power 10ABS 6Engine failure 5Steering lock-up 5
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