2002 Mazda Tribute Problems and Recalls (376 Complaints)
The most-reported problem on the 2002 Mazda Tribute is Engine (29% of 376 owner reports). There are 9 safety recalls. Check the VIN and inspect Engine — this is the NHTSA file, not a score.
NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation Snapshot 2026-09-07 376 complaints · 9 recalls
What problems show up on the 2002 Mazda Tribute?
108 of 376 filings named Engine (29% of the file). That is what owners wrote, not a shop diagnosis of the vehicle in the driveway.
Second is Brakes (70 reports).
There are 9 official safety recalls on this year. They were filed about Transmission / driveline, Cruise / speed control, Brakes, Body / frame, and Suspension. Check the VIN at nhtsa.gov — a campaign on this page can still be open on a specific truck.
The 2001 has 550 reports on file; this year has 376. A smaller lifetime total is not a clean bill of health. If you need a fairer comparison, use the equal-time view.
What owners reported
System named most often: Engine 108 complaints · 28.7% of the file
Crashes, fires, injuries and deaths in those filings:
- Crashes 18
- Fires 24
- Injuries 13
- Deaths 0
NHTSA Consumer Complaints Snapshot 2026-09-07 Open source record Read our complete data methodology →
Complaint counts reflect self-selected reports and are not normalised for production sales volume. We publish no reliability scores, superlatives, or vehicle rankings.
Which systems owners named
Share of owner complaints filed against each vehicle system. These shares are not adjusted for how many vehicles were sold.
“Unclassified NHTSA leftover” is not a car part. It is a filing bucket and always sits last.
View component data as a table
| System / Component | Complaints | Share of Reports | Safety Reports (Crashes / Fires) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Engine (ENGINE) | 108 | 28.7% | 1 crashes · 6 fires |
| Brakes (SERVICE BRAKES) | 70 | 18.6% | 0 crashes · 12 fires |
| Airbags (AIR BAGS) | 33 | 8.8% | 6 crashes · 0 fires |
| Electrical (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM) | 29 | 7.7% | 1 crashes · 3 fires |
| Transmission / driveline (POWER TRAIN) | 27 | 7.2% | 2 crashes · 0 fires |
| Cruise / speed control (VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL) | 27 | 7.2% | 7 crashes · 1 fires |
| Body / frame (STRUCTURE) | 19 | 5.0% | 0 crashes · 0 fires |
| Steering (STEERING) | 9 | 2.4% | 1 crashes · 0 fires |
| Suspension (SUSPENSION) | 8 | 2.1% | 0 crashes · 0 fires |
| Unclassified NHTSA leftover | 223 | 59.3% | 5 crashes · 12 fires |
NHTSA Consumer Complaints, NHTSA Safety Recalls, and NHTSA Defect Investigations Snapshot 2026-09-07 Open source record
Complaint counts reflect self-selected reports and are not normalised for production sales volume. We publish no reliability scores, superlatives, or vehicle rankings.
When reports and recalls showed up
When owners filed reports, and when recall campaigns showed up.
- Campaign 04V175000 was reported 729 days after the first earlier complaint mapped to its component.
- Campaign 04V583000 was reported 1,031 days after the first earlier complaint mapped to its component.
- Campaign 04V605000 was reported 1,143 days after the first earlier complaint mapped to its component.
- Campaign 07E023000 was reported 1,969 days after the first earlier complaint mapped to its component.
- Campaign 07V157000 was reported 1,981 days after the first earlier complaint mapped to its component.
- Campaign 12V016000 was reported 3,727 days after the first earlier complaint mapped to its component.
- Campaign 14V174000 was reported 4,390 days after the first earlier complaint mapped to its component.
- Campaign 15E045000 was reported 4,674 days after the first earlier complaint mapped to its component.
View timeline records as a table
| Date | Record type | Count | Record identifier |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2001-Q4 | Owner reports | 8 | |
| 2002-Q1 | Owner reports | 11 | |
| 2002-Q2 | Owner reports | 27 | |
| 2002-Q3 | Owner reports | 38 | |
| 2002-Q4 | Owner reports | 12 | |
| 2003-Q1 | Owner reports | 13 | |
| 2003-Q2 | Owner reports | 15 | |
| 2003-Q3 | Owner reports | 21 | |
| 2003-Q4 | Owner reports | 4 | |
| 2004-Q1 | Owner reports | 8 | |
| 2004-Q2 | Owner reports | 7 | |
| 2004-Q3 | Owner reports | 6 | |
| 2004-Q4 | Owner reports | 7 | |
| 2005-Q1 | Owner reports | 11 | |
| 2005-Q2 | Owner reports | 5 | |
| 2005-Q3 | Owner reports | 6 | |
| 2005-Q4 | Owner reports | 2 | |
| 2006-Q1 | Owner reports | 4 | |
| 2006-Q2 | Owner reports | 5 | |
| 2006-Q3 | Owner reports | 3 | |
| 2006-Q4 | Owner reports | 7 | |
| 2007-Q1 | Owner reports | 2 | |
| 2007-Q2 | Owner reports | 2 | |
| 2007-Q3 | Owner reports | 7 | |
| 2007-Q4 | Owner reports | 1 | |
| 2008-Q1 | Owner reports | 3 | |
| 2008-Q2 | Owner reports | 4 | |
| 2008-Q3 | Owner reports | 4 | |
| 2008-Q4 | Owner reports | 7 | |
| 2009-Q1 | Owner reports | 6 | |
| 2009-Q2 | Owner reports | 4 | |
| 2009-Q3 | Owner reports | 2 | |
| 2009-Q4 | Owner reports | 3 | |
| 2010-Q1 | Owner reports | 3 | |
| 2010-Q2 | Owner reports | 4 | |
| 2010-Q3 | Owner reports | 2 | |
| 2010-Q4 | Owner reports | 1 | |
| 2011-Q1 | Owner reports | 2 | |
| 2011-Q2 | Owner reports | 1 | |
| 2011-Q3 | Owner reports | 6 | |
| 2011-Q4 | Owner reports | 4 | |
| 2012-Q1 | Owner reports | 11 | |
| 2012-Q2 | Owner reports | 11 | |
| 2012-Q3 | Owner reports | 7 | |
| 2012-Q4 | Owner reports | 4 | |
| 2013-Q1 | Owner reports | 1 | |
| 2013-Q2 | Owner reports | 5 | |
| 2013-Q3 | Owner reports | 1 | |
| 2013-Q4 | Owner reports | 3 | |
| 2014-Q1 | Owner reports | 1 | |
| 2014-Q2 | Owner reports | 2 | |
| 2014-Q3 | Owner reports | 3 | |
| 2014-Q4 | Owner reports | 6 | |
| 2015-Q1 | Owner reports | 6 | |
| 2015-Q2 | Owner reports | 3 | |
| 2015-Q3 | Owner reports | 2 | |
| 2015-Q4 | Owner reports | 1 | |
| 2016-Q1 | Owner reports | 1 | |
| 2016-Q2 | Owner reports | 2 | |
| 2016-Q3 | Owner reports | 1 | |
| 2017-Q2 | Owner reports | 1 | |
| 2017-Q3 | Owner reports | 1 | |
| 2017-Q4 | Owner reports | 1 | |
| 2018-Q1 | Owner reports | 1 | |
| 2018-Q2 | Owner reports | 2 | |
| 2018-Q4 | Owner reports | 2 | |
| 2019-Q3 | Owner reports | 3 | |
| 2020-Q2 | Owner reports | 1 | |
| 2021-Q3 | Owner reports | 1 | |
| 2022-Q1 | Owner reports | 1 | |
| 2022-Q4 | Owner reports | 1 | |
| 2023-Q4 | Owner reports | 2 | |
| Recall campaign | 1 | 04V175000 | |
| Recall campaign | 1 | 04V583000 | |
| Recall campaign | 1 | 04V605000 | |
| Recall campaign | 1 | 07E023000 | |
| Recall campaign | 1 | 07V157000 | |
| Recall campaign | 1 | 12V016000 | |
| Recall campaign | 1 | 12V357000 | |
| Recall campaign | 1 | 14V174000 | |
| Recall campaign | 1 | 15E045000 | |
| Defect investigation | 1 | PE01043 | |
| Defect investigation | 1 | EA02027 | |
| Defect investigation | 1 | PE06048 | |
| Defect investigation | 1 | DP09003 | |
| Defect investigation | 1 | RQ09002 | |
| Defect investigation | 1 | EA10002 | |
| Defect investigation | 1 | DP12005 | |
| Defect investigation | 1 | PE12019 |
Safety Recalls (9)
Official campaigns. Each one says what could go wrong and what the dealer was told to fix.
In short, these campaigns were filed about Transmission / driveline, Cruise / speed control, Brakes, Body / frame, and Suspension.
-
Recall campaign 04V175000
Transmission / driveline
- Report date
- Component:
- Transmission / driveline (POWER TRAIN)
- Consequence:
- SHOULD THE ENGINE STALL, A VEHICLE CRASH COULD OCCUR.
- Remedy:
- DEALERS WILL REPROGRAM THE POWER CONTROL MODULE (PCM) WITH THE APPROPRIATE CALIBRATION. THE RECALL BEGAN ON MAY 3, 2004. OWNERS SHOULD CONTACT MAZDA AT 1-800-222-5500.
-
Recall campaign 04V583000
Cruise / speed control
- Report date
- Component:
- Cruise / speed control (VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL)
- 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.
-
Recall campaign 04V605000
Safety recall 04V605000
- Report date
- Component:
- Unclassified NHTSA leftover
- 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.
-
Recall campaign 07E023000
Brakes
- Report date
- Component:
- Brakes (SERVICE BRAKES)
- Consequence:
- LOSS OF BRAKE FLUID CAN RESULT IN POOR BRAKING PERFORMANCE, POSSIBLY RESULTING IN A VEHICLE CRASH.
- Remedy:
- CARDONE WILL NOTIFY OWNERS AND OFFER TO REPURCHASE ANY DEFECTIVE MASTER CYLINDERS. THE RECALL BEGAN DURING APRIL 2007. OWNERS CAN CONTACT CARDONE AT 1-800-777-4780.
-
Recall campaign 07V157000
Brakes
- Report date
- Component:
- Brakes (SERVICE BRAKES)
- 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.
-
Recall campaign 12V016000
Brakes
- Report date
- Component:
- Brakes (SERVICE BRAKES)
- Consequence:
- CORROSION MAY DEVELOP IN THE ELECTRICAL CONNECTOR LEADING MELTING, SMOKING OR POSSIBLE FIRE.
- Remedy:
- MAZDA WILL NOTIFY OWNERS, AND DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE VEHICLE'S BRAKE MASTER CYLINDER RESERVOIR CAP AND MODIFY THE ABS ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, FREE OF CHARGE. UNTIL THE REPAIR HAS BEEN PERFORMED, VEHICLE OWNERS SHOULD PARK THEIR VEHICLES OUTSIDE. THE SAFETY RECALL BEGAN ON JUNE 22, 2012. OWNERS MAY CONTACT MAZDA AT 1-800-222-5500, OPTION 6.
-
Recall campaign 12V357000
Safety recall 12V357000
- Report date
- Component:
- Not available in the source record
- 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.
-
Recall campaign 14V174000
Body / frame
- Report date
- Component:
- Body / frame (STRUCTURE)
- 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.
-
Recall campaign 15E045000
Suspension
- Report date
- Component:
- Suspension (SUSPENSION)
- Consequence:
- Use of an incorrectly sized wheel bearing can adversely affect the braking and steering of the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.
- Remedy:
- Timken has begun notifying distributors who will offer purchasers replacement wheel bearings, free of charge. The recall began on May 21, 2015. Owners may contact Timken customer service at 1-866-984-6536.
Complaint counts reflect self-selected reports and are not normalised for production sales volume. We publish no reliability scores, superlatives, or vehicle rankings.
What owners actually wrote
Short excerpts from the public NHTSA file. Look for the same symptom repeating.
Data: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation · snapshot 2026-09-07
Showing 4 of 376 complaints · page 1 of 16
CrashFireInjuryDeath
The contact owns a 2002 Mazda Tribute. The contact stated that the check engine warning light was illuminated. Additionally, the contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the transmission was shifting erratically and made an abnormal rumbling sound. The contact stated that the vehicle hesitated to respond and was jerking upon depressing the accelerator pedal. The contact who is an independent mechanic had replaced the transmission speed sensor, the transmission shift position sensor, the vehicle speed sensor, the shift solenoid block, the transmission fluid, the transmission clutch solenoid, and the wheel speed sensor; however, the failure persisted. The contact used an OBD scanner and retrieved DTC codes indicating that the ABS wiring was overheating. The contact later became aware that the VIN was included in NHTSA Campaign Number: 12V016000 (Service Brakes, Hydraulic). The vehicle was taken to the dealer for the recall repair; however, the dealer bypassed the ABS module. The contact stated that while driving 40 MPH to the residence after the repair, the failure recurred. The contact stated that the recall repair did not involve bypassing the ABS module. The dealer was contacted, but no further assistance was provided. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, and several cases were opened; however, no assistance was provided. The failure mileage was approximately 162,000.
CrashFireInjuryDeath
My car has had a abs engine code for a year that I have spent a lot of money trying to get it off because, I can’t renew my tag because it failed emissions vehicle safety test . So I was notified by my insurance company that my vehicle was under recall. I read it and called Mazda and it was confirmed and I went to the shop and I waited 6 hours for the installation of a new abs module and wire harness. Hennesy Mazda of morrow Georgia bypassed the abs system but replaced my voltage regulator with out my consent. The recall recommended repair is to replace the abs module and harness. The dealership refused to comply and neither offered a tow back to Newnan Georgia where I live. So they placed me and others at risk by failing to comply. I have been ignored even after speaking with 3 customer service representatives and I was given a call [XXX] 10/11/23. I was told that I had to get it to Marietta Jim Ellis Mazda and that they would contact me but know one has called. I need your help to resolve this serious violation of the recall and the altering of my vehicles abs by bypassing it 😳🙄. I have lost a total of $2,367 in parts lost wages and anguish due to their lack of compliance of the recall of my 2002 Mazda tribute es abs module and harness. The abs module and wiring to ECM gets the voltage regulator hot and causes abs engine light to illuminate and malfunction. This my work vehicle I need it to make a living. The abs module and harness wasn’t changed but was bypassed 😳. The recall clearly states the issue and recommended repairs by vehicle manufacturer or authorized dealer. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
CrashFireInjuryDeath
My vehicle took off and accelerated without me depressing the gas pedal and it was very scary and hard to get stopped I was doing almost 80 mph. It had a safety recall for the throttle cable for this but you show no open recalls yet Mazda does and told me if recalls we're taken care of they would show up on the car fax which they do not my vehicle is a 2002 but this doesn't mean it was ever fixed has several other issues also the front lower control arm which is also on a recall and does not show on the car fax the entire front end on the passenger side sounds like it's really loose and could break and my tire come loose as others have reported when filing same complaint. This has happened more than once to me. I call it now a death trap I need help to get this safe to drive thank you.
CrashFireInjuryDeath
The contact owns a 2002 Mazda Tribute. The contact stated while driving approximately 45 MPH, the steering wheel felt as if it was detached from the steering column. Additionally, there was a grinding noise coming from the passenger’s side front wheel well. The contact did not notice any warning lights. The contact was able to drive the vehicle safely back to his residence. The vehicle was not taken to the local dealer. The contact referenced NHTSA Campaign Number: 14V174000 (Structure) however, the VIN was not included in the recall. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer had not been informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 95,000.
Frequently asked questions
What are the most common problems on the 2002 Mazda Tribute?
Owners named Engine most often — 108 of 376 reports (29%). That is the NHTSA file, not a diagnosis of every vehicle.
Are there recalls for the 2002 Mazda Tribute?
NHTSA lists 9 safety recall campaigns. They were filed about Transmission / driveline, Cruise / speed control, Brakes, Body / frame, and Suspension. Check the VIN at nhtsa.gov; a campaign on this page can still be open on a specific vehicle.
What should I inspect before buying a 2002 Mazda Tribute?
Look up the VIN for open recalls. Have a shop check for oil consumption, coolant leaks, rough idle and unusual engine noise. Then skim owner filings for the same symptom and take that list to a mechanic.
Does a high complaint count mean I should skip this year?
No. Counts are reports people chose to file and they are not adjusted for sales volume. YearTell does not publish scores or a list of years to skip. Inspect the vehicle.
Estimated Ownership Cost
EPA fuel economy ratings and annual operating cost estimates
Data: US EPA Fuel Economy Guide · snapshot 2026-08-21
Adjacent Model Years
Immediate preceding and succeeding model year records
Complaint counts reflect self-selected reports and are not normalised for production sales volume. We publish no reliability scores, superlatives, or vehicle rankings.
Methodology & Data Integrity
Source: NHTSA ODI / recalls, snapshot 2026-09-07. YearTell is not a government agency.