2003 Mazda Tribute Problems and Recalls (195 Complaints)
The most-reported problem on the 2003 Mazda Tribute is Airbags (15% of 195 owner reports). There are 8 safety recalls. Check the VIN and inspect Airbags — this is the NHTSA file, not a score.
NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation Snapshot 2026-09-07 195 complaints · 8 recalls
What problems show up on the 2003 Mazda Tribute?
29 of 195 filings named Airbags (15% of the file). That is what owners wrote, not a shop diagnosis of the vehicle in the driveway.
Second is Cruise / speed control (29 reports).
There are 8 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 2002 has 376 reports on file; this year has 195. 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: Airbags 29 complaints · 14.9% of the file
Crashes, fires, injuries and deaths in those filings:
- Crashes 17
- Fires 9
- Injuries 16
- 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) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Airbags (AIR BAGS) | 29 | 14.9% | 5 crashes · 0 fires |
| Cruise / speed control (VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL) | 29 | 14.9% | 5 crashes · 0 fires |
| Body / frame (STRUCTURE) | 27 | 13.8% | 2 crashes · 0 fires |
| Engine (ENGINE) | 24 | 12.3% | 1 crashes · 2 fires |
| Brakes (SERVICE BRAKES) | 20 | 10.3% | 0 crashes · 3 fires |
| Transmission / driveline (POWER TRAIN) | 16 | 8.2% | 0 crashes · 0 fires |
| Electrical (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM) | 10 | 5.1% | 0 crashes · 2 fires |
| Suspension (SUSPENSION) | 10 | 5.1% | 1 crashes · 0 fires |
| Fuel system (FUEL SYSTEM) | 8 | 4.1% | 2 crashes · 2 fires |
| Unclassified NHTSA leftover | 97 | 49.7% | 8 crashes · 6 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 338 days after the first earlier complaint mapped to its component.
- Campaign 04V583000 was reported 399 days after the first earlier complaint mapped to its component.
- Campaign 04V605000 was reported 645 days after the first earlier complaint mapped to its component.
- Campaign 07E023000 was reported 1,438 days after the first earlier complaint mapped to its component.
- Campaign 07V157000 was reported 1,450 days after the first earlier complaint mapped to its component.
- Campaign 14V174000 was reported 3,988 days after the first earlier complaint mapped to its component.
- Campaign 15E045000 was reported 4,349 days after the first earlier complaint mapped to its component.
View timeline records as a table
| Date | Record type | Count | Record identifier |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2003-Q1 | Owner reports | 4 | |
| 2003-Q2 | Owner reports | 6 | |
| 2003-Q3 | Owner reports | 3 | |
| 2003-Q4 | Owner reports | 5 | |
| 2004-Q1 | Owner reports | 3 | |
| 2004-Q2 | Owner reports | 5 | |
| 2004-Q3 | Owner reports | 3 | |
| 2004-Q4 | Owner reports | 3 | |
| 2005-Q1 | Owner reports | 6 | |
| 2005-Q2 | Owner reports | 3 | |
| 2005-Q3 | Owner reports | 3 | |
| 2005-Q4 | Owner reports | 1 | |
| 2006-Q1 | Owner reports | 5 | |
| 2006-Q2 | Owner reports | 5 | |
| 2006-Q3 | Owner reports | 2 | |
| 2006-Q4 | Owner reports | 3 | |
| 2007-Q1 | Owner reports | 3 | |
| 2007-Q2 | Owner reports | 2 | |
| 2007-Q4 | Owner reports | 3 | |
| 2008-Q1 | Owner reports | 1 | |
| 2008-Q2 | Owner reports | 1 | |
| 2008-Q3 | Owner reports | 4 | |
| 2008-Q4 | Owner reports | 5 | |
| 2009-Q1 | Owner reports | 2 | |
| 2009-Q2 | Owner reports | 2 | |
| 2009-Q3 | Owner reports | 1 | |
| 2009-Q4 | Owner reports | 1 | |
| 2010-Q1 | Owner reports | 3 | |
| 2010-Q2 | Owner reports | 2 | |
| 2010-Q3 | Owner reports | 2 | |
| 2011-Q1 | Owner reports | 4 | |
| 2011-Q2 | Owner reports | 3 | |
| 2011-Q3 | Owner reports | 2 | |
| 2012-Q1 | Owner reports | 2 | |
| 2012-Q2 | Owner reports | 3 | |
| 2012-Q3 | Owner reports | 5 | |
| 2012-Q4 | Owner reports | 3 | |
| 2013-Q1 | Owner reports | 3 | |
| 2013-Q2 | Owner reports | 4 | |
| 2013-Q3 | Owner reports | 10 | |
| 2013-Q4 | Owner reports | 3 | |
| 2014-Q2 | Owner reports | 3 | |
| 2014-Q3 | Owner reports | 5 | |
| 2014-Q4 | Owner reports | 2 | |
| 2015-Q1 | Owner reports | 3 | |
| 2015-Q2 | Owner reports | 3 | |
| 2015-Q3 | Owner reports | 3 | |
| 2015-Q4 | Owner reports | 2 | |
| 2016-Q1 | Owner reports | 6 | |
| 2016-Q2 | Owner reports | 2 | |
| 2016-Q3 | Owner reports | 1 | |
| 2016-Q4 | Owner reports | 3 | |
| 2017-Q1 | Owner reports | 1 | |
| 2017-Q2 | Owner reports | 2 | |
| 2017-Q3 | Owner reports | 3 | |
| 2017-Q4 | Owner reports | 1 | |
| 2018-Q1 | Owner reports | 2 | |
| 2018-Q2 | Owner reports | 1 | |
| 2018-Q3 | Owner reports | 2 | |
| 2018-Q4 | Owner reports | 3 | |
| 2019-Q1 | Owner reports | 1 | |
| 2019-Q2 | Owner reports | 1 | |
| 2019-Q3 | Owner reports | 3 | |
| 2020-Q1 | Owner reports | 1 | |
| 2020-Q4 | Owner reports | 2 | |
| 2021-Q1 | Owner reports | 1 | |
| 2021-Q3 | Owner reports | 2 | |
| 2023-Q3 | Owner reports | 1 | |
| 2025-Q3 | Owner reports | 1 | |
| Recall campaign | 1 | 04V175000 | |
| Recall campaign | 1 | 04V583000 | |
| Recall campaign | 1 | 04V605000 | |
| Recall campaign | 1 | 07E023000 | |
| Recall campaign | 1 | 07V157000 | |
| Recall campaign | 1 | 12V357000 | |
| Recall campaign | 1 | 14V174000 | |
| Recall campaign | 1 | 15E045000 | |
| 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 (8)
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 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 7 of 195 complaints · page 1 of 8
CrashFireInjuryDeath
NHTSA report 7.19.2015 July 19, 2025 NHSTA Report This is what happened to me [XXX]: I was at an off ramp stop waiting for cars to pass. I eased forward to see if everyone had passed. The car accelerated on its own and I tried to stop. When I braked it accelerated faster. I had both feet on the brakes and tried to stop, but each time the car accelerated. It accelerated three times until I crashed. I crashed into a utility trailer and the wheel well of the trailer caught on my front left bumper on the driver's side. I was drug along the road around 60 miles per hour until the bumper bent and I could pull over onto the side of the road. The car was a total loss. The attached notice from Mazda matches the uncontrollable acceleration of my car. I contacted Mazda Corporation on the same day ([XXX]) and was told there is no VIN record of the car since I owned it. Additionally, they told me it was repaired in 2005 as a throttle recall. But there is a subsequent notice attached dated July, 2012 and no record of that recall repair. I called WA state Dept of Licensing to see if there is a new owner. They do not have a record of such. I contacted Copart in Arlington WA today to find out if the car was there for parts so nobody would buy the accelerator cable. Copart told me today they sold the car in 2024 but cannot release the name of whoever bought it. They said my insurance company would know. Whoever owns the car now needs to know there is a faulty accelerator cable causing a accident and they need to have it examined and replaced correctly. Please help find who owns this car and remedy a potential crash. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
CrashFireInjuryDeath
My ABS keeps locking up and Ive almost wrecked multiple times. I changed brakes and rotors and still the problem is on-going. Its dangerous and Ive read others saying the same thing online.
CrashFireInjuryDeath
The sensor does not send the speed to the speedometer
CrashFireInjuryDeath
The contact owns a 2003 Mazda Tribute. The contact had taken his vehicle to an independent mechanic and was informed that there was severe corrosion on the lower control arm. Upon investigation, the contact discovered NHTSA Campaign Number: 14V174000 (Structure) which he linked to the failure. After performing a VIN search, the contact also discovered that his vehicle was not included in the recall. The dealer was notified of the failure and confirmed that the VIN was not under recall. The manufacture had yet to be notified of the failure. The vehicle had yet to be repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 138,000.
CrashFireInjuryDeath
DURING A FREE, AAA INSPECTION, THE AUTO SHOP TOLD ME THAT THE VEHICLE IS DANGEOUS DUE TO STRUCTURAL DAMAGE OR BODY DAMAGE. I DON'T KNOW HOW LONG THIS BEEN A PROBLEM
CrashFireInjuryDeath
CAR STALLED WHEN SLOWING TO STOP IN LEFT TURNING LANE DOING AROUND 45MPH, APPROACHING THE LIGHT IN A BUSY INTERSECTION AND VEHICLES APPROACHING MINE FROM BEHIND. IT WOULD NO LONGER START IN PARK OR MOVE IN DRIVE, TO GET OUR OF THE WAY AND OFF THE STREET I HAD TO WAIT AND THE MOVE IT IN REVERSE. GOT TOWED HOME AND IT STILL SITS.
CrashFireInjuryDeath
I WAS DRIVING AROUND 50MPH AND COMNG UP TO A STOP LIGHT, AS I BEGAN TO SLOW DOWN IN THE LEFT TURNING LANE FOR THE RED LIGHT GOING LEFT, MY TRIBUTE SUDDENLY STALLED.THE LIGHT THEN OF COURSE TURNED GREEN AND THIS WAS NOT GOOD, CAUSE ALL THE CARS COMING UP FROM BEHIND ME WERE NOW INTENDING TO NO SLOW DOWN AND BEGIN TO SPEED UP, TO CARRY ON THROUGH THE VERY BUSY INTERSECTION. WHICH ALMOST CREATED A PILE UP, BEGINNING AT MY REAR BUMPER, OR ANOTHER SUDDEN COLLISION NEAR BY. LUCKILY ALL THE CARS HAD EITHER SWERVED AROUND MINE, OR MANAGED TO STOP BEHIND ME. I THEN PUT MINE IN PARK AND TRIED TO START IT, THE ENGINE STARTED BUT I WAS UNABLE TO SHIFT OUT OF PARK. SO I SHUT IT OFF, PUT IT IN NEUTRAL AND TRIED STARTING IT, IT STARTED AND SHIFTED OUT OF PARK BUT WOULD NOT MOVE WHILE IN DRIVE. SO I TRIED IN ONE OF THE LOWER GEARS AND IT VERY SLOWLY, ABOUT 5 MPH BEGAN TO MOVE, GETTING ME OFF THE MAJOR ST AND ON TO A SIDE STREET. I THEN CHECKED REVERSE, WHICH WORKED JUST FINE AND ALLOWED ME TO PULL INTO A NEARBY STORE TO WAIT FOR A TOW TRUCK. I PUT IT IN PARK AND SHUT IT OFF, TOO WAIT FOR IT TO BE TOWED HOME. THE NEXT DAY I TRIED TO USE IT, BUT STILL NOTHING IN DRIVE, NO CHECK ENGINE LIGHT AND ITS BEEN PARKED EVER SINCE, ABOUT 5 MONTHS NOW.
Frequently asked questions
What are the most common problems on the 2003 Mazda Tribute?
Owners named Airbags most often — 29 of 195 reports (15%). That is the NHTSA file, not a diagnosis of every vehicle.
Are there recalls for the 2003 Mazda Tribute?
NHTSA lists 8 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 2003 Mazda Tribute?
Look up the VIN for open recalls. Confirm the airbag light behaves normally and that open airbag recalls are closed. 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.