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U.S. public vehicle records

2004 Mazda TRIBUTE: complaints, problems and recalls

Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.

Key facts

157 owner complaints analyzed

5 distinct recall campaigns

100,000 mi median reported failure mileage

Scope: 2004 model year. Data snapshot: . 130 complaints include usable failure mileage.

Owner-reported patterns

Most common problems

Suspension is the most frequently named component, appearing in 48 of 157 complaints (30.6%). A complaint can name multiple components.

Recurring terms in complaint narratives
TopicMatching reportsShare of complaints
Braking behavior2415.3%
Transmission and shifting1811.5%
Engine operation63.8%
Steering behavior53.2%
Electrical and battery issues42.5%
Fuel system concerns31.9%

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.

Suspension
48
Structure:Body
36
Vehicle Speed Control
24
Air Bags
15
Power Train:Automatic Transmission
11
Engine And Engine Cooling
10
Wheels
10
Vehicle Speed Control:Cables
7
Component breakdown data
CategoryCount
Suspension48
Structure:Body36
Vehicle Speed Control24
Air Bags15
Power Train:Automatic Transmission11
Engine And Engine Cooling10
Wheels10
Vehicle Speed Control:Cables7

Suspension: 48; Structure:Body: 36; Vehicle Speed Control: 24; Air Bags: 15; Power Train:Automatic Transmission: 11; Engine And Engine Cooling: 10; Wheels: 10; Vehicle Speed Control:Cables: 7

Reported problems by failure mileage

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

Under 25,000
13
25,000 to 49,999
5
50,000 to 74,999
21
75,000 to 99,999
25
100,000 to 149,999
35
150,000 and above
31
Reported problems by failure mileage data
CategoryCount
Under 25,00013
25,000 to 49,9995
50,000 to 74,99921
75,000 to 99,99925
100,000 to 149,99935
150,000 and above31

Under 25,000: 13; 25,000 to 49,999: 5; 50,000 to 74,999: 21; 75,000 to 99,999: 25; 100,000 to 149,999: 35; 150,000 and above: 31

100,000 to 149,999 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (35). 27 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.

2003
2
2004
9
2005
11
2006
4
2007
5
2008
11
2009
11
2010
5
2011
2
2012
8
2013
9
2014
16
2015
27
2016
13
2017
5
2018
5
2019
6
2020
1
2021
2
2022
1
2023
2
2024
1
2025
1
Complaints over time data
CategoryCount
20032
20049
200511
20064
20075
200811
200911
20105
20112
20128
20139
201416
201527
201613
20175
20185
20196
20201
20212
20221
20232
20241
20251

2003: 2; 2004: 9; 2005: 11; 2006: 4; 2007: 5; 2008: 11; 2009: 11; 2010: 5; 2011: 2; 2012: 8; 2013: 9; 2014: 16; 2015: 27; 2016: 13; 2017: 5; 2018: 5; 2019: 6; 2020: 1; 2021: 2; 2022: 1; 2023: 2; 2024: 1; 2025: 1

Pattern summary

Suspension leads the component reports. Braking behavior appears in 24 complaint narratives. Transmission and shifting appears in 18 complaint narratives. Engine operation appears in 6 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.

Examples from the source records

Examples provide context, not a representative sample or a verified diagnosis.

Owner report 10046790 · 2003-11-12 (November 12, 2003)

ACCELERATOR PEDAL STUCK ON 2004 MAZDA TRIBUTE. *LA

Owner-reported narrative. 2,200 miles reported. Look up ODI 10046790 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10049421 · 2003-12-08 (December 8, 2003)

HARD SHIFTING TRANSMISSION ON NEW 2004 MAZDA MPV. *AK

Owner-reported narrative. 10 miles reported. Look up ODI 10049421 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10052847 · 2004-01-11 (January 11, 2004)

GAS TANK SPEWS GASOLINE OVER CAR AND OPERATOR WHEN REFILLING. OCCURS WITH REGULARITY WHEN PUMP AUTOMATIC SHUT-OFF ACTIVATES FOR THE FIRST TIME.*AK

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10052847 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10056631 · 2004-02-05 (February 5, 2004)

DRIVER'S SIDE MIRROR VIBRATES WHILE DRIVING. OBJECTS LOOK BLURRY. *JB

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10056631 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10057721 · 2004-02-09 (February 9, 2004)

DURING A FRONTAL COLLISION FRONT AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. *AK

Owner-reported narrative. 801 miles reported. Look up ODI 10057721 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10058546 · 2004-02-20 (February 20, 2004)

THIS IS BASICALLY A DESIGN FLAW. OUR 2004 MAZDA TRIBUTE SUFFERED "HYDRO-LOCK" AFTER TRAVERSING A FLOODED PAVED ROAD DRIVING ALONG THE ROAD CROWN. THE ROAD CONDITIONS WERE SUCH THAT THE CENTER YELLOW LINE WAS VISIBLE THROUGH THE MUDDY WATER AND THE WATER LEVEL WAS BELOW THE RUNNING BOARDS. THE VEHICLE STALLED NEAR THE END OF THE FLOODED CONDITION AND WAS ABLE TO RESTART SEVERAL TIMES BUT WOULD STALL AGAIN. WHILE STALLED IN THE FLOODED ROADWAY, SEVERAL OTHER VEHICLES INCLUDING PASSENGER CARS (CHEVY MALIBU, NISSAN MURANO) PAST BY OUR STALLED T…

Owner-reported narrative. 4,500 miles reported. Look up ODI 10058546 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10058756 · 2004-02-23 (February 23, 2004)

I JUST PURCHASED A NEW 2004 MAZDA MPV, VIN [XXX]. I NOTICE THE OWNER'S MANUAL SPECIFIES A TIRE INFLATION PRESSURE OF 240 KPA (35 PSI), BUT THE VEHICLE PLACARD STATES 240 KPA (32 PSI). SINCE THE CORRECT CONVERSION FROM 240 KPA TO PSI IS 35 PSI, IT APPEARS THE VEHICLE PLACARD IS INCORRECT. MOST USERS IN THE USA WILL USE THE PSI AMOUNT TO DETERMINE PROPER INFLATION PRESSURE. THEREFORE, THE INCORRECT PLACARD INFLATION PRESSURE OF 32 PSI WILL CAUSE UNDERINFLATION OF THE TIRE WHICH CAN LEAD TO TIRE FAILURE AND VEHICLE ACCIDENT.*AK UPDATED 07/26/…

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10058756 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10072443 · 2004-05-11 (May 11, 2004)

2004 MAZDA TRIBUTE WHEN PLACED IN REVERSE WILL NOT HOLD AND GOES FORWARD.

Owner-reported narrative. 500 miles reported. Look up ODI 10072443 at NHTSA ↗

Recall history

5 distinct campaigns affect this selection. Announcement dates below are different from vehicle model years. A campaign may cover multiple years.

04V583000 · Vehicle Speed Control:Cables

Reported: 2004-12-10 (December 10, 2004)

ON CERTAIN SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES, THE ACCELERATOR CABLE MAY PREVENT THE THROTTLE FROM RETURNING TO THE IDLE POSITION.

Consequence: AN UNEXPECTED INCREASE IN ENGINE IDLE SPEED MAY INCREASE STOPPING DISTANCE AND MAY RESULT IN A VEHICLE CRASH.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE ACCELERATOR CABLE. THE RECALL BEGAN ON JANUARY 28, 2005. OWNERS SHOULD CONTACT MAZDA AT 1-800-222-5500, OPTION #4.

NHTSA campaign record ↗
04V605000 · Latches/Locks/Linkages:Hatchback/Liftgate:Lock

Reported: 2004-12-23 (December 23, 2004)

CERTAIN 2004-2005 SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES AND CERTAIN 2001-2003 SPORT UTILITY VEHICLE HAVING REAR LIFTGATE COMPONENTS SERVICED WITH 2004 EQUIVALENT COMPONENTS FAIL TO COMPLY WITH THE REQUIREMENTS OF FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 206, 'DOOR LOCKS AND DOOR RETENTION COMPONENTS.' THE REAR LIFTGATE LATCHING SYSTEM DOES NOT MEET THE INERTIA LOAD REQUIREMENT IN ONE DIRECTION.

Consequence: IF THE LIFTGATE IS LEFT UNLOCKED, THERE IS THE POTENTIAL THAT IT MAY OPEN DURING A CRASH.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE REAR LIFTGATE LATCH RELEASE ROD, THE RELEASE ROD ATTACHMENT CLIP AND THE DOOR HANDLE RETURN SPRING. THE RECALL BEGAN ON MARCH 31, 2005. OWNERS SHOULD CONTACT MAZDA AT 1-800-222-5500.

NHTSA campaign record ↗
07V157000 · Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Antilock/Traction Control/Electronic Limited Slip:Control Unit/Module

Reported: 2007-04-10 (April 10, 2007)

ON CERTAIN SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH ANTILOCK BRAKES (ABS), THE ABS MODULE CONNECTOR MAY HAVE MISSING OR DISLODGED WIRE SEALS. THIS CONDITION COULD ALLOW CONTAMINATION TO ENTER THE MODULE CONNECTOR, CREATING A POTENTIAL FOR AN ELECTRICAL SHORT.

Consequence: AN ELECTRICAL SHORT MIGHT CAUSE AN ABS MALFUNCTION THAT WOULD ILLUMINATE THE ABS WARNING LIGHT, AND IN SOME CASES, THE MODULE MAY OVERHEAT RESULTING IN BURNING ODOR, SMOKE, AND/OR FIRE. THIS CONDITION COULD OCCUR EITHER WHEN THE VEHICLE IGNITION SWITCH IS IN THE OFF POSITION OR WHILE THE VEHICLE IS BEING OPERATED.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSPECT THE WIRE HARNESS CONNECTOR TO THE ABS MODULE FOR MISSING OR DISLODGED WIRE SEALS, AND REPAIR OR REPLACE THE HARNESS CONNECTOR AS APPROPRIATE. THE DEALER WILL ALSO INSPECT THE CONNECTOR ON THE ABS MODULE AND REPLACE IT IF IT IS FOUND TO BE CORRODED OR DAMAGED. THE RECALL BEGAN ON MAY 9, 2007. OWNERS MAY CONTACT MAZDA AT 1-800-222-5500.

NHTSA campaign record ↗
12V357000 · Vehicle Speed Control:Cables | Engine And Engine Cooling

Reported: 2012-07-27 (July 27, 2012)

Mazda is recalling certain model year 2001 through 2006, and 2008, Tribute vehicles equipped with 3.0L V6 engines and speed control. Inadequate clearance between the engine cover and the speed control cable connector could result in a stuck throttle when the accelerator pedal is fully or almost-fully depressed. This risk exists regardless of whether or not speed control (cruise control) is used.

Consequence: A stuck throttle may result in very high vehicle speeds and make it difficult to stop or slow the vehicle, which could cause a crash, serious injury or death.

Remedy: Mazda will notify owners, and dealers will repair the vehicles by increasing the engine cover clearance, free of charge. Remedy parts are now available. The safety recall began on September 13, 2012. Owners may contact Mazda Customer Assistance Center at 1-800-222-5500, option #6.

NHTSA campaign record ↗
14V174000 · Structure:Frame And Members

Reported: 2014-04-04 (April 4, 2014)

Mazda North American Operations (Mazda) is recalling certain model year 2001-2004 Tribute vehicles manufactured May 22, 2000, through December 19, 2003, originally sold, or currently registered in, Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, West Virginia, Wisconsin and the District of Columbia. These vehicles may experience excessive corrosion at the forward attachment of the lower control arm.

Consequence: A separation of the lower control arm can result in a significant loss of steering control, increasing the risk of a crash.

Remedy: Mazda will notify owners, and dealers will install a newly designed reinforcement cross-brace, free of charge. The recall began on May 29, 2014. Owners may contact Mazda at 1-800-222-5500. Mazda's number for this recall is 7514D.

NHTSA campaign record ↗