2001 Mazda TRIBUTE problems and owner complaints
Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.
Key facts
563 owner complaints analyzed
13 distinct recall campaigns
68,538 mi median reported failure mileage
Scope: 2001 model year. Data snapshot: . 233 complaints include usable failure mileage.
Most common problems
Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine:Gasoline is the most frequently named component, appearing in 95 of 563 complaints (16.9%). A complaint can name multiple components.
| Topic | Matching reports | Share of complaints |
|---|---|---|
| Engine operation | 145 | 25.8% |
| Braking behavior | 125 | 22.2% |
| Steering behavior | 99 | 17.6% |
| Transmission and shifting | 55 | 9.8% |
| Electrical and battery issues | 27 | 4.8% |
| Fuel system concerns | 11 | 2.0% |
Topic matches use published keyword rules. They describe mentions, including negations or comparisons, and do not confirm a diagnosis. Read the matching rules.
Component breakdown
Number of unique complaints naming each component. Top eight shown.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine:Gasoline | 95 |
| Electrical System:Ignition | 35 |
| Power Train:Automatic Transmission | 33 |
| Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine | 32 |
| Latches/Locks/Linkages | 30 |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 28 |
| Latches/Locks/Linkages:Doors:Latch | 27 |
| Electrical System | 25 |
Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine:Gasoline: 95; Electrical System:Ignition: 35; Power Train:Automatic Transmission: 33; Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine: 32; Latches/Locks/Linkages: 30; Vehicle Speed Control: 28; Latches/Locks/Linkages:Doors:Latch: 27; Electrical System: 25
Reported problems by failure mileage
Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Under 25,000 | 34 |
| 25,000 to 49,999 | 50 |
| 50,000 to 74,999 | 43 |
| 75,000 to 99,999 | 41 |
| 100,000 to 149,999 | 43 |
| 150,000 and above | 22 |
Under 25,000: 34; 25,000 to 49,999: 50; 50,000 to 74,999: 43; 75,000 to 99,999: 41; 100,000 to 149,999: 43; 150,000 and above: 22
25,000 to 49,999 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (50). 330 complaints have missing, zero or invalid mileage.
Complaints over time
Year the complaint was filed, not the vehicle model year or incident year. The snapshot year is partial.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| 2000 | 18 |
| 2001 | 117 |
| 2002 | 110 |
| 2003 | 56 |
| 2004 | 55 |
| 2005 | 26 |
| 2006 | 24 |
| 2007 | 26 |
| 2008 | 30 |
| 2009 | 22 |
| 2010 | 13 |
| 2011 | 5 |
| 2012 | 18 |
| 2013 | 6 |
| 2014 | 9 |
| 2015 | 9 |
| 2016 | 4 |
| 2017 | 5 |
| 2018 | 3 |
| 2019 | 2 |
| 2020 | 2 |
| 2021 | 1 |
| 2022 | 1 |
| 2024 | 1 |
2000: 18; 2001: 117; 2002: 110; 2003: 56; 2004: 55; 2005: 26; 2006: 24; 2007: 26; 2008: 30; 2009: 22; 2010: 13; 2011: 5; 2012: 18; 2013: 6; 2014: 9; 2015: 9; 2016: 4; 2017: 5; 2018: 3; 2019: 2; 2020: 2; 2021: 1; 2022: 1; 2024: 1
Pattern summary
Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine:Gasoline leads the component reports. Engine operation appears in 145 complaint narratives. Braking behavior appears in 125 complaint narratives. Steering behavior appears in 99 complaint narratives. Use these patterns to inspect individual reports and prepare questions for a mechanic.
Calculated from recorded counts. An AI narrative has not been published for this selection.
Complaint evidence
Examples provide context, not a representative sample or a verified diagnosis.
Owner report 10000360 · 2002-12-25 (December 25, 2002)
OWNED MY TRIBUTE FOR A YEAR BEFORE THE PROBLEMS BEGAN. ON 3/15/02 I TOOK IT IN BECAUSE THE LOW COOLANT LIGHT KEPT COMING ON. THE DEALERSHIP COULDN'T FIND A PROBLEM, BUT I HAD THEM DO A 30K MILE SERVICE AND CHECK EVERYTHING FROM FRONT TO BACK. HAD A RENTAL FOR TWO DAYS. ON 6/10/02 I TOOK IT IN BECAUSE IT SUDDENLY STARTED STALLING DEAD AT STOPS AND YIELDS. I ALMOST WRECKED DUE TO THIS. CAUSE: INTERNAL FAILURE. THE DEALERSHIP REPLACED THE CONTROL UNIT, IDLE AIR VALVE, COOLANT FAN RELAY. I HAD A RENTAL FOR THREE DAYS. ON 8/5/02 IT HAD TO B…
Owner-reported narrative. 30 miles reported. Look up ODI 10000360 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10003803 · 2003-01-14 (January 14, 2003)
WHEN CONSUMER DEPRESSED BRAKE PEDAL THERE WAS NO STEERING POWER, AND VEHICLE STALLED. DEALERSHIP REPLACED AIR FLOW SENSOR. PLEASE PROVIDE MORE DETAILS.*JB...*AK
Owner-reported narrative. 39,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10003803 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10008007 · 2003-02-24 (February 24, 2003)
I WAS CONSTANTLY HAVING PROBLEMS STOPPING ON ICE/SNOW. IT SEEMED THAT NO MATTER HOW I BRAKED MY ABS SYSTEM WOULD ACTIVATE AND THE VEHICLE WOULD ROLL THROUGH STOP LIGHTS AND STOP SIGNS. AT FIRST I THOUGHT IT WAS THE BRAND OF TIRES THAT CAME WITH THE TRIBUTE, SO PURCHASE A NEW SET OF GOODYEAR SNOW AND MUD TIRES AFTER ONLY 12,000 AT A COST OF $300. BUT THE PROBLEM PERSISTED THE NEXT WINTER. THAT'S WHEN I DECIDED TO FINALLY TAKE IT TO MY MECHANIC AND WAS TOLD THAT THE MASTER CYLINDER CAP WAS CRACKED AND THAT MY REAR BRAKES WERE NOT BEING USED H…
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10008007 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10005188 · 2003-02-03 (February 3, 2003)
VEHICLE STALLED WHILE DRIVING, NO STEERING. EVERYTHING ELECTRICAL STOPPED WORKING. THIS IS THE SECOND TIME THIS INCIDENT HAS TAKEN PLACE. ANY SUGGESTIONS ON HOW TO RESOLVE THIS PROBLEM? IS FORD/MAZDA GOING TO RECALL THESE VEHICLES (ESCAPE/TRIBUTE) AND FIX THEM?
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10005188 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10025520 · 2003-07-07 (July 7, 2003)
AT 36000 MILES AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION FAILED, AT 4500 MILES AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION FAILED. AT 45K000 MILES ALTENATOR FAILED.*AK
Owner-reported narrative. 36,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10025520 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10031524 · 2002-07-28 (July 28, 2002)
PROBLEMS WITH VEHICLE JERKING, PROBLEM BELIEVED TO BE THE RESULT OF A DEFECTIVE TRANSMISSION. *MR THE TRANSMISSION WAS FLUSHED BUT THE PROBLEM REMAINED THE SAME. THE DEALER LATER REPLACED THE TRANSMISSION. (THE VEHICLE WOULD JERK BETWEEN THE SPEEDS OF 45-50, BUT AFTER THE REPLACEMENT, DOWN TO 35-45 MPH. THE VEHICLE STALLED WHILE APPROACHING A TRAFFIC LIGHT WITH NO WARNING. THE MANUFACTURER REFUSED LIABILITY. *SCC *JB
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10031524 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10041294 · 2003-10-06 (October 6, 2003)
MAZDA TIRBUTE ESV6 HAS LOST ALL POWER UNDER NORMAL DRIVING CONDITIONS; NO POWER STEERING OR BRAKES AND ALL INDICATOR LIGHTS CAME ON. WHICH IS VERY DIFFICULT TO STEER OUT OF ONCOMING TRAFFIC TO GET OUT TO SAFETY. THE MECHANIC FROM JIM ELLIS MAZDA AT MARIETTA, GA TOLD THAT THIS CASE ALREADY HAPPENED TWICE (ONE FROM A DIFFERENT CAR). IN ADDITION, IT WAS REPORTED THAT THE VALVE GETS "CARBED UP." THIS OCCURS WHEN A DRIVER IS COASTING BETWEEN ACCELERATING AND BRAKING. ALSO, THE TRANSMISSION AND ELECTRICAL SYSTEMS ARE ALREADY GOING HAYWIRE ON THI…
Owner-reported narrative. 29,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10041294 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10167054 · 2006-08-30 (August 30, 2006)
ON 11/07/05 VEHICLE WAS BROUGHT IN DUE TO STALLING WHEN SLOWING AND STOPPING. THE ENGINE SENSOR WAS REPLACED. ON 11/08/05 VEHICLE WAS BOUGHT BACK STILL STALLING. AC GASKET AND IDLE VALVE WERE REPLACED. WE WERE TOLD OUR ENGINE WAS DAMAGED AND DEALER WOULD NOT FIX. THE DAY I PICKED UP THE VEHICLE IT STALLED AT 60 MPH. THREE DAYS LATER IT WOULD NOT START. BROUGHT VEHICLE TO LOCAL MECHANIC, FUEL PUMP HAD TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE IS UNDRIVABLE. THIS IS THE SECOND TIME I HAVE FILED A COMPLAINT ABOUT THIS VEHICLE. *JB
Owner-reported narrative. 91,185 miles reported. Look up ODI 10167054 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10543966 · 2013-09-17 (September 17, 2013)
WIFE STOPPED AT GAS STATION TO FILL UP. CAR WOULD NOT START AFTER FILLUP. HAD CAR TOWED HOME. DETERMINED IT WAS A BAD FUEL PUMP. REPLACED FUEL PUMP. SHOULD HAVE BEEN A SIMPLE REPAIR, BUT IT WAS ANYTHING BUT SIMPLE. COMPLETED FUEL PUMP REPLACEMENT, WITH NO FURTHER PROBLEMS. ABOUT TWO WEEKS AFTER REPLACING THE FUEL PUMP, MY WIFE AND I STARTED SMELLING FUEL OUTSIDE OF THE CAR. I REMOVED THE COVER OVER THE FUEL PUMP, BUT COULD NOT FIND A LEAK. I LOOKED UNDER THE CAR, AND OBSERVED A GAS SPOT ON THE GROUND JUST FORWARD OF THE FUEL TANK, BUT STILL CAN…
Owner-reported narrative. 150,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10543966 at NHTSA ↗