We purchased a used 2006 mazda tribute with about 83,000 miles on it from a car dealer. Less than 2 months after purchasing it, the timing chain broke and the engine failed. The engine failed after the car was parked and we attempted to restart it.
Mazda Tribute engine failure problems
39 of the 2,102 owner complaints about the Mazda Tribute describe engine failure, most of them for the 2001 model year.
- owner complaints
- 39
- worst model year
- 2001
- typical mileage
- 94,000
Is there a fix? No recall or service bulletin covers this area of the car yet.
By model year
Often reported together
Stalling 6Loss of power 5Won't start 3Steering lock-up 3Knocking 3Check engine light 3Power steering loss 2Ball joint 2
What owners say
Heard noise of knocking rattling 2014-15 had it towed to machanic and they informed me of I needed a new engine. Got it replaced with a jasper rebuilt. Right at 4 years it happens again, one yr after warranty. Researching for either resell value or new engine game across a pleathera of seezed engines and thrown rods. Most vehicles has great body but blown engine.
Tl* the contact owns a 2008 mazda tribute. The contact stated that the steering wheel seized. There was no warning indicator illuminated. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The vehicle was excluded from the federal safety agency campaign number: 14v282000 (steering). The dealer was not notified. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was not available.
Tl* the contact owns a 2008 mazda tribute. While driving approximately 45 MPH, a loud banging sound was heard from the front end of the vehicle without warning. The vehicle was pulled over to the side of the roadway and turned off. The vehicle was towed to the contact's residence. The dealer was not called. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and stated that there was no recall. The contact took the vehicle to an independent mechanic and it was diagnosed that a piston shot through the back of the engine. The engine was replaced. The failure mileage was approximately 118,000.
Subframe corroded and a piece of it fell off compromising the axle, wheel bearing, and seized the right rear roter. Upon mazda taking the truck to repair the subframe they noted that the entire undercarriage had corroded right with the subframe beyond repair. So far I have been denied a loaner vehicle even though there is a current recall on subframe for corrosion. I am still waiting to see what the outcome is going to be. I've missed 2 days of work already due to this
Tl* the contact owns a 2008 mazda tribute. While driving 35 MPH, the steering wheel became difficult to turn and seized without warning. The vehicle was taken to a dealer where it was diagnosed that the steering column needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was 100,090.
Tl* the contact owns a 2004 mazda tribute. The contact stated that while driving approximately at 40 MPH, there was an abnormal snapping sound. The brake pedal was applied, but the vehicle hesitated to stop and the front passenger tire seized. The vehicle was towed to a dealer for where the mechanic replaced the sub frame, cv joint, and the lower control arm. The contact stated that while driving, the vehicle started to make a vibrating motion. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 120,000.
Tl* the contact owns a 2002 mazda tribute. The contact stated that the front passenger's side seat belt seized. The contact also stated that he attempted to switch the rear seat belt with the front passenger's side seat belt and discovered that both rear seat belts were seized as well. The vehicle was was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 166,000.
Tl* the contact owns a 2005 mazda tribute. The contact stated that while driving approximately 45 MPH, the engine seized and the check engine light illuminated. The vehicle was not taken to the dealer. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was 90,000.
Tl* the contact owns a 2008 mazda tribute. The contact stated that the power steering suddenly seized making the steering wheel very difficult to turn. The contact stated that the failure had occurred on multiple occasions. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, who was unable to diagnose the failure. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 79,000.
Related recalls
No recalls on record for this model year.
Questions about the Mazda Tribute engine failure
Which Mazda Tribute years have engine failure problems?
The model years with the most reports are 2001 (12 complaints), 2002 (7 complaints) and 2006 (5 complaints).
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