U.S. public vehicle records

2010 Mazda TRIBUTE problems and owner complaints

Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.

Key facts

39 owner complaints analyzed

2 distinct recall campaigns

57,635 mi median reported failure mileage

Scope: 2010 model year. Data snapshot: 2026-09-12 (September 12, 2026). 30 complaints include usable failure mileage.

Owner-reported patterns

Most common problems

Steering is the most frequently named component, appearing in 11 of 39 complaints (28.2%). A complaint can name multiple components.

Recurring terms in complaint narratives
Topic	Matching reports	Share of complaints
Steering behavior	10	25.6%
Engine operation	4	10.3%
Transmission and shifting	3	7.7%
Braking behavior	3	7.7%
Electrical and battery issues	2	5.1%
Fuel system concerns	2	5.1%

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.

Steering

Power Train

Engine

Fuel/Propulsion System

Vehicle Speed Control

Electrical System

Power Train:Automatic Transmission

Service Brakes

Steering: 11; Power Train: 10; Engine: 7; Fuel/Propulsion System: 6; Vehicle Speed Control: 6; Electrical System: 3; Power Train:Automatic Transmission: 3; Service Brakes: 2

Reported problems by failure mileage

Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.

Under 25,000

25,000 to 49,999

50,000 to 74,999

75,000 to 99,999

100,000 to 149,999

150,000 and above

Under 25,000: 5; 25,000 to 49,999: 8; 50,000 to 74,999: 9; 75,000 to 99,999: 2; 100,000 to 149,999: 5; 150,000 and above: 1

50,000 to 74,999 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (9). 9 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.

2010

2011

2012

2013

2014

2016

2017

2018

2019

2020

2021

2025

2010: 2; 2011: 1; 2012: 3; 2013: 5; 2014: 9; 2016: 1; 2017: 5; 2018: 3; 2019: 3; 2020: 2; 2021: 3; 2025: 2

Pattern summary

Steering leads the component reports. Steering behavior appears in 10 complaint narratives. Engine operation appears in 4 complaint narratives. Transmission and shifting appears in 3 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 10593675 · 2014-05-23 (May 23, 2014)

POWER STEERING INTERMITTENTLY CUTS OUT DUE TO POWERSTEERING SENSOR WITHIN COLUMN. *TR

Owner-reported narrative. 47,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10593675 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 11065831 · 2018-01-30 (January 30, 2018)

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2010 MAZDA TRIBUTE. WHILE DRIVING 30 MPH, THE POWER STEERING FAILED TO OPERATE. THE CONTACT DROVE SLOWLY AND PARKED THE VEHICLE. THE FAILURE RECURRED SEVERAL TIMES. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO CAPITAL MAZDA OF CARY (525 CROSSROADS BLVD, CARY, NC 27511, [phone removed]) WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED, BUT NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 100,000.

Owner-reported narrative. 100,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 11065831 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10659189 · 2014-11-19 (November 19, 2014)

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2010 MAZDA TRIBUTE. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 30 TO 65 MPH, THE VEHICLE STALLED. THE CONTACT HAD TO PULL OFF THE ROAD AND RESTART THE VEHICLE. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS PERFORMING NORMALLY. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE ISSUE. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE.

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10659189 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 11015843 · 2017-08-16 (August 16, 2017)

HATCH DOES NOT OPEN CONSISTENTLY. VEHICLE STALLS THEN ACCELERATES ON ITS OWN, IN ADDITION, THROTTLE BODY LIGHT STAYS ON. POWER WINDOWS FAIL TO COME UP AND DOWN.

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 11015843 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10325450 · 2010-04-13 (April 13, 2010)

A PROBLEM HAS DEVELOPED WITH MY 2010 MAZDA TRIBUTE PURCHASED NOV. 2010 SYMPTOM OF WHICH IS A SQUEAL EMANATING FROM THE BACK END UPON ACCELERATION FROM A FULL STOP. THE DRIVE SHAFT, TRANSFER CASE & TRANSMISSION HAVE BEEN REPLACED BUT THE PROBLEM PERSISTS. MAZDA IS UNABLE TO DIAGNOSE THE PROBLEM, UNABLE TO FIX IT AND UNABLE ASSURE THAT THE PROBLEM DOES NOT REPRESENT A SAFETY ISSUE. *TR

Owner-reported narrative. 2,400 miles reported. Look up ODI 10325450 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10328319 · 2010-05-01 (May 1, 2010)

I PURCHASED A 2010 MAZDA I GRAND TOURING 10/21/09. ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL WAS DEFECTIVE BY 10/24/09. THE DEALER COULD NOT GET THE PART . I WAS TOLD THAT THE CAR WAS TOO NEW. A NEW MAZDA WAS BROUGHT IN AND THE PART WAS TAKEN FROM IT AFTER 29 DAYS AT THE DEALER. I HAVE A SQUEAL NOISE COMING FROM THE REAR UPON ACCELERATION FROM A FULL STOP. MAZDA SAYS IT IS THE TRANSFER CASE THAT RUBS AND MAKES THE NOISE. NOTHING TO WORRY NOT A SAFETY ISSUE. CAR HAS 1500 MILES ON IT. CAR HAS NEVER BEEN THE SAME SINCE THE ECS WAS REPLACED 1/9/10. NOT SURE W…

Owner-reported narrative. 744 miles reported. Look up ODI 10328319 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10456769 · 2012-04-28 (April 28, 2012)

VEHICLE LURCHED FORWARD EVEN THOUGH I WAS APPLYING THE BRAKE ON THE HIGHWAY. TRANSMISSION IS SLIPPING IN DRIVE AND THE VEHICLE LURCHES FORWARD WITH THE BRAKE APPLIED MOVING FROM PARK OR REVERSE TO DRIVE. I'M WORRIED ABOUT DRIVING THE VEHICLE AS THE LURCHING OCCURS FREQUENTLY WHEN COMING TO A STOP. I ONLY OWN ONE VEHICLE AND HAVE TO DRIVE TO WORK. *TR

Owner-reported narrative. 22,232 miles reported. Look up ODI 10456769 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 11204178 · 2019-04-27 (April 27, 2019)

WHILE THE CAR WAS IN USE AND RUNNING, THE TIMING CHAIN COVER FAILED RESULTING IN THE SERPENTINE BELT TENSIONER COMING DETACHED. THE SERPENTINE TENSIONER MOUNT BROKE OFF THE TIMING CHAN COVER, RESULTING IN THE LOSS OF ALL LOADS DRIVEN FROM THE SERPENTINE BELT. THIS FAILURE PRESENTS A SEVERE SAFETY ISSUE AS WITHOUT THE SERPENTINE BELT PROPERLY FUNCTIONING THE ALTERNATOR WILL NOT GENERATE ELECTRICITY, THE BATTERY WILL BE DRAINED AND THEN THE ELECTRIC POWER STEERING WILL FAIL. AN AVERAGE DRIVER WILL NOT BE ABLE TO CONTROL THE VEHICLE WITHOUT POWER …

Owner-reported narrative. 62,156 miles reported. Look up ODI 11204178 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 11657107 · 2025-04-27 (April 27, 2025)

Two years ago my vehicle started loosing electrical power steering.. there is a recall for this issue… my vehicle was not experiencing this issue at the time of the recall. I have not been able to drive my vehicle because it randomly looses power steering deeming it extremely dangerous to drive.. I informed mazda who stated there system shows it was repaired during the recall will not cover the cost, but this is not true. I’m the only owner and I can’t drive it due to this issue

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 11657107 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 11092585 · 2018-05-08 (May 8, 2018)

2010 MAZDA TRIBUTE WITH 57K ON IT JUST DIED WHILE DOING 80 DOWN THE FREEWAY, HAD TO GET IT TOWED. IT SIMPLY SHUTOFF. I THINK ITS THE FUEL PUMP BUT I AM NOT REALLY SURE. PLUGGED IT INTO A SCANNER AND NO CODES. IT STARTED UP AFTER THE TOW. THE GOOGLES SAYS THIS IS COMMON IN THE TRIBUTE/ FORD ESCAPES. NOT SAFE AT ALL.

Owner-reported narrative. 57,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 11092585 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 11694516 · 2025-10-20 (October 20, 2025)

Everytime I fill the car up with gas it does this thing where I lose power when I stop or when I turn the wheel. So I have to stop and start the car. Its very dangerous because it has cut off while I was making a turn. We have tried to fix it several times. We replaced the fuel pump and that helped for a month or two but then it goes right back to cutting off after it is filled up with gas.

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 11694516 at NHTSA ↗