2006 Mazda TRIBUTE: complaints, problems and recalls
Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.
Key facts
130 owner complaints analyzed
2 distinct recall campaigns
76,000 mi median reported failure mileage
Scope: 2006 model year. Data snapshot: . 107 complaints include usable failure mileage.
Most common problems
Vehicle Speed Control is the most frequently named component, appearing in 44 of 130 complaints (33.8%). A complaint can name multiple components.
| Topic | Matching reports | Share of complaints |
|---|---|---|
| Braking behavior | 21 | 16.2% |
| Transmission and shifting | 9 | 6.9% |
| Engine operation | 5 | 3.8% |
| Electrical and battery issues | 4 | 3.1% |
| Steering behavior | 3 | 2.3% |
| Fuel system concerns | 2 | 1.5% |
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 |
|---|---|
| Vehicle Speed Control | 44 |
| Engine | 16 |
| Power Train | 12 |
| Suspension | 12 |
| Structure:Body | 10 |
| Electrical System | 9 |
| Fuel System, Gasoline | 8 |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic | 7 |
Vehicle Speed Control: 44; Engine: 16; Power Train: 12; Suspension: 12; Structure:Body: 10; Electrical System: 9; Fuel System, Gasoline: 8; Service Brakes, Hydraulic: 7
Reported problems by failure mileage
Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Under 25,000 | 18 |
| 25,000 to 49,999 | 13 |
| 50,000 to 74,999 | 21 |
| 75,000 to 99,999 | 19 |
| 100,000 to 149,999 | 27 |
| 150,000 and above | 9 |
Under 25,000: 18; 25,000 to 49,999: 13; 50,000 to 74,999: 21; 75,000 to 99,999: 19; 100,000 to 149,999: 27; 150,000 and above: 9
100,000 to 149,999 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (27). 23 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 |
|---|---|
| 2006 | 8 |
| 2007 | 5 |
| 2008 | 2 |
| 2009 | 9 |
| 2010 | 14 |
| 2011 | 12 |
| 2012 | 12 |
| 2013 | 9 |
| 2014 | 18 |
| 2015 | 9 |
| 2016 | 8 |
| 2017 | 10 |
| 2018 | 7 |
| 2019 | 4 |
| 2020 | 2 |
| 2023 | 1 |
2006: 8; 2007: 5; 2008: 2; 2009: 9; 2010: 14; 2011: 12; 2012: 12; 2013: 9; 2014: 18; 2015: 9; 2016: 8; 2017: 10; 2018: 7; 2019: 4; 2020: 2; 2023: 1
Pattern summary
Vehicle Speed Control leads the component reports. Braking behavior appears in 21 complaint narratives. Transmission and shifting appears in 9 complaint narratives. Engine operation appears in 5 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 10150780 · 2006-02-21 (February 21, 2006)
DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WITHOUT WARNING THE VEHICLE STALLED WHILE DECELERATING AT 40 MPH. THE DEALERSHIP WAS UNABLE TO DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. *NM
Owner-reported narrative. 4,123 miles reported. Look up ODI 10150780 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10154379 · 2006-04-03 (April 3, 2006)
MAZDA TRIBUTE CRUISE CONTROL FAILURE ENGINE PROBLEMS MY NAME NAGESWAR KARRI I HAVE A MAZDA TRIBUTE, 2006 MODEL. AFTER 2500 MILES,FIRST TIME I TRIED CRUISE CONTROL FOR 2 MINUTE THEN MY CAR CAN NOT GO FORWARD ON THE FREE WAY IN THE MIDDLE OF THE FREEWAY I TRY TO PULL OVER BUT I COULDN'T SLOWLY I PULL OVER LEFT LINE. I HAVE 3 YEARS BABY IN MY TRIBUTE I WAS SCARED. I CALLED MAZDA 1800 NUMBER THE ANSWER IS THEY CAN NOT DO ANYTHING BECAUSE SATURDAY, AND I HAVE FULL COVERAGE 50,000 MILES BUMPER TO BUMPER AND NEW SUV. THANK FOR CHP OFFICER …
Owner-reported narrative. 2,500 miles reported. Look up ODI 10154379 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10154380 · 2006-04-03 (April 3, 2006)
I BOUGHT NEW MAZDA TRIBUTE V#4F2YZ02Z3614682 IN JANUARY 17TH 2006, YESTERDAY 04/01/2006 WHEN I DRIVING TRIBUTE WITH MY WIFE AND MY DAUGHTER 3 YEARS OLD GOING NORTH BOND FROM FREEMONT TO LIVERMORE, I DID NOT TRY CRUISE CONTROL SO FAR SO I TURNED ON CRUISE CONTROL AFTER 2 MINUTES MY TRIBUTE NOT GOING FORWARD, I WAS IN 2ND LINE FROM LEFT,,,,KEEP GIVING GAS TO MOVE FORWARD BECAUSE I AM IN THE MIDDLE OF THE FREE WAY...BUT GAS PEDAL ALL THE WAY DOWN AND MY TRIBUTE NOT MOVING ANY WAY,,,SLOWLY I MAINTAIN PULL OVER LEFT SIDE IN EMERGENCY AREA STOPPED...…
Owner-reported narrative. 2,350 miles reported. Look up ODI 10154380 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10154381 · 2006-04-03 (April 3, 2006)
I BOUGHT NEW MAZDA TRIBUTE IN 1/17/2006 FIRST TIME DRIVING IN CRUISE CONTROL ON FREEWAY SUDDENLY MY CRUISE CONTROL NOT WORKING IN THE MIDDLE OF THE FREEWAY, LUCKILY CHP OFFICER WAS THERE WITH IN MINUTE HE HELP ME.... MY MILEAGE WAS ONLY 2300 SOMETHING THIS IS REALLY CRAZY THING BECAUSE I HAVE WIFE AND 3 YEAR OLD DAUGHTER IN THE SUV....I CALLED MAZDA THEY SAID THEY CAN NOT HELP BECAUSE 7:20PM ON SATURDAY..AND I HAVE 50,000 MILE WARRANTY PLUS 24X7 DAYS A WEEK ROAD SIDE ASSISTANCE ALSO,,,SO WHAT HAPPENED ALL THE ASSISTANCE....IF POLICE OFFICER NOT…
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10154381 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10155257 · 2006-04-13 (April 13, 2006)
PURCHASED THE VEHICLE ON 4/7/06 AND ON 4/8/06 I OBSERVED THE FOLLOWING CONDITIONS. VEHICLE PRODUCES A NOTICEABLE WHINING/HUMMING NOISE AND VIBRATION THAT IS FELT THROUGH THE STEERING WHEEL DURING THE FOLLOWING SITUATIONS: 1) WHEN THE CAR IS INITIALLY STARTED, 2) WHEN THE GAS PEDAL IS SLIGHTLY PRESSED WHILE THE GEAR IS IN THE PARK POSITION 3) WHEN THE VEHICLE IS COMING TO A STOP WITH OR WITHOUT PUSHING ON THE BRAKES, 4) WHEN THE STEERING WHEEL IS TURNED EITHER TO THE LEFT OR RIGHT. UPON NOTICING NOISE AND VIBRATION, I TOOK IT TO BACK TO THE …
Owner-reported narrative. 24 miles reported. Look up ODI 10155257 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10156360 · 2006-04-28 (April 28, 2006)
VEHICLE MAKES A LOUD HIGH PITCH WHINING NOISE WHEN ENGINE IS AROUND 1000 RPM BUT DISAPPEARS WHEN THE ENGINE IS BELOW OR ABOVE THE 1000 RPM. THIS OCCURS REGARDLESS OF WHETHER THE CAR IS PARKED OR DURING NORMAL DRIVING CONDITIONS SO LONG AS THE ENGINE IS AROUND 1000RPM. IN ADDITION TO THE HIGH PITCH WHINING NOISE, THERE IS A NOTICEABLE AMOUNT OF VIBRATION THAT IS FELT. ALSO, AFTER COMING TO A FULL STOP, WITHOUT THE GAS PEDAL BEING PRESSED, AFTER HAVING REVVED DOWN TO ABOUT 650 RPM, THE ENGINE SOMETIMES REVS BACK UP TO ABOUT 1000 RPM AND PRODUC…
Owner-reported narrative. 24 miles reported. Look up ODI 10156360 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10156361 · 2006-04-28 (April 28, 2006)
AFTER COMING TO A STOP AT AN UPHILL GRADE--APPROX A 20 DEGREE INCLINE, AS SOON AS THE BRAKE IS RELEASED, THE VEHICLE ROLLS BACKWARDS. THE ONLY MEANS TO PREVENT THE VEHICLE FROM ROLLING BACK IS TO PRESS ON THE BRAKE AGAIN OR TO IMMEDIATELY PRESS HARD ON THE GAS PEDAL. HOWEVER, ALTHOUGH THE VEHICLE EVENTUALLY STARTS MOVING UPHILL, THERE IS A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF BACKWARD TRAVEL PRIOR TO THE ENGINE PRODUCING ENOUGH POWER TO OVERCOME THE BACKWARD ROLL. THIS IS A SAFETY CONCERN SINCE THERE MIGHT BE VEHICLES DIRECTLY BEHIND ME WHEN THIS OCCURS. …
Owner-reported narrative. 100 miles reported. Look up ODI 10156361 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10172878 · 2006-11-07 (November 7, 2006)
I PURCHASED A MAZDA TRIBUTE 2006 MODEL ON 9/4/06 AND I TOOK IT IN ON 11/1/06 FOR WATER IN HEADLAMP, WATER WAS GETTING DOWN THE IN WINDOWS, AND TIRE PRESSURE LIGHT BLINKING. I WAS TOLD AT THE END OF THE DAY THAT THE CAR WAS NOT READY BECAUSE THEY COULD NOT FIGURE OUT THE TIRE PRESSURE LIGHT PROBLEM AND THEY ORDERED A PART. WELL, THE NEXT DAY IT WAS THE SAME THING, NEEDED ANOTHER PART AND THEY HAVE BEEN ON THE PHONE WITH MAZDA TECH SUPPORT. WELL TODAY IS 11/7/06 AND I STILL DO NOT HAVE MY VEHICLE BACK. THEY ARE NOW SAYING THAT THEY HAVE ORDERE…
Owner-reported narrative. 10 miles reported. Look up ODI 10172878 at NHTSA ↗
Recall history
2 distinct campaigns affect this selection. Announcement dates below are different from vehicle model years. A campaign may cover multiple years.
05V525000 · Visibility:Windshield Wiper/Washer:Motor
Reported: 2005-11-17 (November 17, 2005)
ON CERTAIN TRUCKS AND SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES, THE WINDSHIELD WIPER MOTOR MAY HAVE BEEN PRODUCED WITHOUT GREASE APPLIED TO THE OUTPUT SHAFT GEAR.
Consequence: AFTER A PERIOD OF CONTINUOUS USE ON THE HIGH SPEED SETTING, LACK OF GREASE ON THE OUTPUT SHAFT GEAR MAY CAUSE THE GEAR TEETH TO DISTORT OR FRACTURE DURING OPERATION RESULTING IN THE LOSS OF WIPER FUNCTION. INOPERATIVE WIPERS UNDER INCLEMENT WEATHER CONDITIONS COULD CAUSE A CRASH DUE TO IMPAIRED VISIBILITY.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSPECT THE WIPER MOTOR FOR THE PRESENCE OF GREASE AND GREASE THE WIPER MOTOR GEARS IF NECESSARY. THE RECALL BEGAN ON NOVEMBER 28, 2005. 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 ↗