2005 Mazda Tribute Body & Structure Problems

The rear wheel well was completely rusted out while the other side is fine. The shock broke loose causing the vehicle to drop down. I have a 17 year old that is not an experienced driver and this could have resulted in her getting seriously hurt. From what I read they recalled the vehicle to to 2004 and I don’t understand why they did not recall this one. They should have and this is a serious safety issue. Does someone have to die before they see that this needs to be fixed?

owned since day one, bought brand new, religiously maintained, perfect shape other than completely rusted wheel house back left passenger side. Shock went through rusted area all the way to trunk. Mazda recalled models 2003 to 2004 for this problem yet so many 2005 Mazda Tribute owners are having exact problem especially when manufactured in 2004! This is serious and I had my granddaughter with me when this happened and yet Mazda wants to do nothing about it when it’s a serious hazard and ongoing problem with the 2005’s. It is always the back passenger side with this problem! I have no money to purchase a car and now my lifeline to support my family is broke!

RIGHT REAR SHOCK TOWER RUSTED OUT AND SHOCK BROKE THROUGH AND INTO THE PASSENGER COMPARTMENT. SEVER RUST ON RIGHT SIDE OF FRONT SUB FRAME AS WELL. I CAME ACROSS THIS PERFORMING GENERAL MAINTENANCE.

BOUGHT CAR FOR MY SON. NOTICED A BAMGING NOISE IN REAR RIGHT BACK SOME OF CAR. LOOKED AT WHEEL WELL, COMPLETELY RUSTED THROUGH, A BIG HOLE. OTHER UNDER BODY RUST. THE 2000-2004 CARS WERE RECALLED FOR THIS EXACT SAME PROBLEM. THEY CONTINUED TO APPLY DEFECT. AM AFRAID THE SHOCK ABSORBER WILL FALL OFF.MANY, MANY COMPLAINTS ABOUT THE EXACT SAME THING. MAZDA SHOULD RECALL THIS VEHICLE, IT IS A DANGEROUS DEFECT THEY NEVER FIXED AFTER RECALL. THIS IS MY SON'S FIRST CAR, WORRIED ABOUT HIS SAFETY.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 MAZDA TRIBUTE. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING 35 MPH, THERE WAS AN ABNORMAL SOUND COMING FROM THE PASSENGER'S SIDE REAR WHEEL WELL. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO WOODHOUSE MAZDA LOCATED AT 6603 L ST, OMAHA, NE 68117, (402) 592-1000, TO BE DIAGNOSED. THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT REAR SUB FRAME WAS RUSTED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS INFORMED OF THE FAILURE AND A CASE WAS FILED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 97,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 MAZDA TRIBUTE. WHILE DRIVING, THE LIFTGATE FLEW OPEN AND SEVERAL GROCERY ITEMS FELL ONTO THE STREET. THE CONTACT PULLED OVER AND CLOSED THE LIFTGATE. THE CONTACT DROVE HOME WITHOUT ANY FURTHER ISSUES. IN ADDITION, THE VEHICLE SURGED FORWARD WHEN THE CONTACT ATTEMPTED TO SLOW DOWN. THE DEALER AND MANUFACTURER WERE NOT NOTIFIED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 149,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 MAZDA TRIBUTE. WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS, A LOUD CLANKING NOISE WAS PRESENT COMING FROM THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE PASSENGER SIDE WHEEL WELL WAS RUSTED AND CORRODED, CAUSING THE METAL TO SEPARATE FROM THE FRAME OF THE VEHICLE. THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE WAS NOT DETERMINED. THE MANUFACTURER AND LOCAL DEALER WERE NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 200,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 MAZDA TRIBUTE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THERE WAS RUST ACCUMULATION ON THE REAR PASSENGER SIDE WHEEL WELL. AS A RESULT, THE CONTACT EXPERIENCED ROUGH DRIVING AND HEARD BANGING NOISES COMING FROM THE REAR PASSENGER SIDE WHEEL. THE CONTACT DROVE TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO INFORMED HER OF THE RUST. THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN A RECALL; THEREFORE, THE CONTACT WOULD BE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE REPAIR COST. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED AND DID NOT ASSIST. THE CONTACT ASSOCIATED THE FAILURE WITH NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 14V174000 (STRUCTURE: FRAME AND MEMBERS), WHICH WAS RELATED TO THE 2001-2004 MODELS. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 200,000. *BF*JB

MY 2005 MAZDA TRIBUTE HAS BEEN TAKEN VERY GOOD CARE OF SINCE IT WAS BOUGHT NEW. THE CAR HAS BEEN RUST PROOFED SEVERAL TIMES, SERVICED REGULARLY AND ALWAYS WASHED AND WAXED SEVERAL TIMES, AND BEYOND, SINCE OWNERSHIP. THAT BEING SAID, MY 2005 VEHICLE LOOKS QUITE IMMACULATE FOR ITS AGE, EXCEPT FOR THE EVER-INCREASING SEVERE RUST ISSUE ON THE RIGHT REAR RIGHT WHEEL WELL, WHICH I HAVW TRIED TO FIX, AND KEEP UP ON, BUT HAS NOW RUSTED RIGHT THROUGH, AND CAUSED THE SHOCK TO PROTRUDE INTO THE INTERIOR OF THE VEHICLE. NOW MY MECHANIC CLAIMS HE CANNOT SERVICE MY VEHICLE FOR ANYTHING ELSE (EVEN THOUGH THE SERVICE ISSUES I NEED TO ADDRESS ARE IMPORTANT AND CRITICAL TO THE USE OF MY VEHICLE. I AM NOW IN A PREDICAMENT, SINCE THE COST TO REPAIR THIS DAMAGE IS VERY HIGH, SO HIGH, IT EXCEEDS THE CURRENT VALUE OF THE VEHICLE, AND I AM ENRAGED THAT MAZDA HAS NOT TAKEN ACCOUNTABILITY FOR THIS CLEAR FACTORY DEFECT. I SAY A CLEAR FACTORY DEFECT, SINCE THIS EXACT ISSUE WAS ADDRESSED, AND RECALLED, IN THE SAME VEHICLE FOR YEARS 2001-2004, BUT NOT FOR 2005. IN ADDITION, I HAVE MET SEVERAL OTHER OWNERS OF THE SAME VEHICLE WHO HAVE/ARE EXPERIENCING THE EXACT SAME ISSUE, REGARDLESS OF HOW WELL THEY HAVE MAINTAINED THEIR VEHCILE. MOREOVER, I CAN FIND THE EXACT SAME ISSUE FOR THIS VEHICLE ON ENDLESS WEBSITES ONLINE, HUNDREDS, MORE ACCURATELY, THOUSANDS OF TIMES! FOR MAZDA TO STILL NOT HAVE RECALLED THIS ISSUE IS UNFAIR, RIDICULOUS AND VERY WRONG TO LOYAL MAZDA CUSTOMERS. I AM NOW STUCK WITH A VEHICLE I CANNOT DRIVE DUE TO A REPAIR I CANNOT AFFORD, BUT A REPAIR THAT I SHOULD NOT BE RESPONSIBLE FOR ALL THE TIME, MONEY, MAINTENANCE AND CARE IVE PUT INTO THE OWNERSHIP OF MY CAR. IN ADDITION, THIS ISSUE IS A HUGE SAFETY CONCERN AND COULD EASILY CAUSE HARM TO A PERSON DRIVING THIS VEHICLE, A PASSENGER, OR EVEN AN INNOCENT PEDESTRIAN WHEN POPPING THROUGH THE FLOOR, OR AT ANY OTHER STAGE OF WEARING.

MY MECHANIC NOTICED THE SHOCK SUPPORT ON THE PASSENGER SIDE REAR WHEEL WELL WAS BADLY RUSTED AND SAID THE SHOCK COULD RUST COMPLETELY THROUGH AND ENTER THE REAR OF THE CAR. I TOOK THE CAR TO A BODY SHOP AND THEY TOLD ME THE SAME THING. THEY SEE IT ALL THE TIME IN MAZDA AND FORD ESCAPES AND IT WOULD COST MORE TO REPAIR THAN THE VEHICLE IS WORTH. BASICALLY THIS IS A MAJOR PROBLEM WITH THIS MODEL CAR AND COULD POTENTIALLY BE VERY DANGEROUS TO CONTINUE DRIVING THE CAR AND HAVE THE SHOCK RUST COMPLETELY OFF.

THE REAR WHEEL WELL IS EXTREMELY RUSTED TO THE POINT OF THE SHOCK BEING LOOSE. THEIR IS A RECALL FOR 01-04 BUT DOESN'T APPEAR TO OFFER SAME RECALL ALTHOUGH NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS FROM OTHER OWNERS WITH SAME ISSUE. MY WIFE RECENTLY NOTICED CAR MADE A LOT OF NOISE LATELY FROM REAR WHEEL. WHEN I INVESTIGATED IT, I NOTICED LARGE RUST ISSUES ALL OVER REAR WHEEL AREA AND SHOCK BARELY HOLDING TO FRAME. MY WIFE'S CAR HAS BEEN GARAGED ALL ITS LIFE. WE BOUGHT IT NEW OFF THE SHOW ROOM. DOESN'T MAKE SENSE TO HAVE SO MUCH RUST AND NOW A HUGE SAFETY CONCERN. UNDERCARRIAGE WAS EVEN CLEANED THROUGHOUT WINTER MONTHS. WE CAN'T DRIVE VEHICLE BECAUSE IT MIGHT FALL APART ON ROAD AND THE CAR COULD LOSE CONTROL.

OUR 2005 MAZDA TRIBUTE PASSENGER SIDE REAR WHEEL WELL IS RUSTED OUT TO THE POINT THE STRUT HAS DETACHED FROM IT'S MOUNTING MAKING IT UNSAFE TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE. THIS VEHICLE HAS BEEN GARAGE KEPT. A THUMPING NOISE WAS NOTICED WHILE DRIVING ON A CITY STREET. THIS IS WHAT PROMPTED ME TO TAKE A LOOK IN THE WHEEL WELL. THE OTHER 3 WHEEL WELLS HAVE NO RUST. AFTER DOING SOME RESEARCH, I FOUND THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH OTHER 2005S AS WELL AS PREVIOUS MODEL YEARS THAT HAVE A RECALL FOR THE SAME ISSUE. I DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY THIS YEAR HASN'T BEEN INCLUDED IN THE RECALL WHEN IT'S THE SAME ISSUE THAT WAS OCCURRING IN EARLIER MODEL YEARS. I CONTACTED THE MAZDA DEALERSHIP, AND THEY REPORTED NOT HEARING OF THIS ISSUE WITH ANY 05S BUT THEY ARE CURRENTLY FIXING A 2003 WITH THE SAME ISSUE. THEY REPORTED BECAUSE THERE ISN'T A RECALL THERE WASN'T ANYTHING THEY COULD DO TO HELP ME OUT OTHER THAN FOR ME BRINGING IT IN TO DETERMINE IF THEY COULD FIX IT AT MY COST. WITHOUT SEEING THE VEHICLE, THEY SAID IT WOULD LIKELY COST AT LEAST $700 TO FIX DEPENDING ON HOW EXTENSIVE THE RUST IS. I'M CONCERNED ABOUT THE SAFETY OF DRIVING THIS VEHICLE AND DON'T FEEL THIS IS A NORMAL OCCURRENCE FOR A VEHICLE

ENTIRE UPPER MOUNTING AREA FOR RIGHT REAR SHOCK RUSTED AWAY; SHOCK INSECURE AT TOP INNER FENDER. REATTACHMENT NOT POSSIBLE DUE TO EXTENSIVE RUST; EXTENSIVE REPAIRS REQUIRED THAT WOULD EXCEED VEHICLE VALUE. OUR MECHANIC WAS SHOCKED WHEN HE SAW THE LEVEL OF RUST. WE WERE TOLD BY OUR AUTO SHOP THAT THIS WAS NOT NORMAL & WE SHOULD CONTACT MAZDA. MAZDA DID NOT RESOLVE. WE BELIEVE THAT THIS DEFECT IS SIMILAR TO THE DEFECT THAT CAUSED THE RECALL OF MAZDA TRIBUTES THROUGH YEAR 2004 - THE YEAR BEFORE OUR TRIBUTE WAS MANUFACTURED. OUR VEHICLE CANNOT BE REPAIRED. WE DID NOT TAKE PHOTOS AT THE SHOP & CANNOT GET A GOOD PICTURE OF THE UNDERCARRIAGE. WE CAN SUBMIT THE DOCUMENTS WE RECEIVED FROM OUR MECHANIC OR TAKE THE TRUCK BACK TO THE SHOP FOR A PICTURE OF THE UNDERCARRIAGE. THANK YOU FOR HELPING US ADDRESS OUR CONCERN.

MOUNT SHOCK COMPLETELY DESTROYED BY RUST. I DID NOT KNOW THIS UNTIL IT BEGAN CREATING STRANGE NOISES. ITS DANGEROUS TO DRIVE LIKE THAT. ITS IMPOSSIBLE TO KNOW UNTIL IT COLLAPSED.

THE PASSENGER REAR WHEEL WELL RUSTED OUT ALMOST ALLOWING THE SHOCK ABSORBER TO BREAK FREE WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS IN OPERATION. HEARD A TAPPING SOUND WHILE DRIVING THAT BECAME LOUDER. I CHECKED THE WHEEL WELL TO SEE IF ANYTHING WAS WRONG AND SAW A SMALL PIECE OF RUSTED METAL HAD BROKEN AWAY. THE TAPPING BECAME A BANGING AND THEN I FELT A SWAY. WHEN I GOT HOME I FOUND THAT THE SHOCK HAD ALMOST BROKE FREE. THE VEHICLE IS UNDRIVABLE NOW.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 MAZDA TRIBUTE. WHILE DRIVING 65 MPH, THE CONTACT HEARD AN ABNORMAL BANGING/CLACKING NOISE AND THE VEHICLE SWAYED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A LOCAL DEALER (KINGS FORD INC., 9555 KINGS AUTO MALL RD, CINCINNATI, OHIO 45249) WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE WHEEL WELL ON THE REAR PASSENGER SIDE WAS RUSTED AND REFERRED THE CONTACT TO A BODY SHOP. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE ISSUE AND DID NOT ASSIST. THE VIN WAS UNKNOWN. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 157,000.

THE REAR RIGHT WHEEL WELL IS COMPLETELY RUSTED OUT AND CRACKING. AS THE BODY SHOP OWNER EXPLAINED TO ME THAT THIS IS A HUGE PROBLEM WITH THE TRIBUTES. I THEN LOOKED ONLINE TO FIND MANY COMPLAINTS ABOUT THE SAME PROBLEM. THIS IS NOT SAFE TO DRIVE ON

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 MAZDA TRIBUTE. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 30 MPH, A LOUD NOISE WAS HEARD UNDERNEATH THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT CHECKED AND FOND THAT THE REAR PASSENGER WHEEL WELL WAS RUSTED OUT. THE DEALER WAS CONTACTED (OAKLAWN MAZDA IN OAKLAWN, ILLINOIS) WHO STATED THAT THERE WAS NO RECALL. THE MANUFACTURER ALSO STATED THAT THERE WAS NO RECALL. THE FAILURE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 60,000. THE VIN WAS NOT PROVIDED.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 MAZDA TRIBUTE. WHILE THE CONTACT WAS CLEANING OUT THE VEHICLE, HE NOTICED THAT THE FRAME WAS COMPLETELY RUSTED. THE DEALER AND MANUFACTURER WERE NOT NOTIFIED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 109,000.

RUST INSIDE THE REAR RIGHT WHEEL WELL HAS CORRODED THE FRAME AND METAL. NOW IT HAS STARTED TO RATTLE AND I'M AFRAID MY CAR WILL DETACH FROM THAT AREA. I'VE HEARD OF MANY COMPLAINTS ABOUT THIS PROBLEM. THE MANUFACTURER BUILT IT VERY POORLY AND EASY FOR WATER AND SALT TO GET IN THAT AREA AND RUST IT OUT. THERE SHOULD BE A RECALL ON THIS. THE FORD ESCAPE AND THE MAZDA TRIBUTE ARE KNOW FOR THESE PROBLEMS. I SEE THAT FOR DID A RECALL ON THEIR ESCAPE. MAZDA SHOULD DO THE SAME.