2005 Mazda Tribute

COMPLETELY RUSTED OUT RIGHT SIDE REAR WHEEL WELL AND SUSPENSION SUPPORT. SEEMS TO BE A COMMON AND DANGEROUS PROBLEM. VISUAL INSPECTION OF THE REAR PASSENGER SIDE WHEEL WELL REVEALED THAT THE SUSPENSION ARM WAS BROKEN AWAY FROM THE BODY OF THE VEHICLE, MAKING IT UNSAFE TO DRIVE BASED ON A MECHANIC'S OPINION. THE SUSPENSION MOUNT RUSTED COMPLETELY AWAY FROM THE WHEEL WELL AND HAS NOW EXPOSED THE INTERIOR PORTION OF THE REAR CARGO AREA. THERE WAS A RECALL ON THE FRONT SIDE FOR THIS ISSUE FOR UP TO MODEL YEAR '04, BUT NOT INCLUDING '05 WHICH HAS THE SAME BODY??

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 MAZDA TRIBUTE. WHILE DRIVING 65 MPH, THERE WAS A LOUD NOISE COMING FROM THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE. IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE REAR TAIL PIPE HAD FALLEN OFF AND THE PASSENGER SIDE WHEEL WELL WAS RUSTED OUT. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE ISSUE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 150,000.

WE HEARD A LOUD DRUBBING SOUND, LIKE THE BACK SEAT HAD COME UNDONE. IN FACT, THE UNDERNEATH OF THE SEAT, UNDER THE CAR HAD BECOME SO RUSTED THAT THE SHOCK WAS DETACHED FROM THE REST OF THE CAR, WHICH WAS MAKING THAT SOUND. I WAS DRIVING WITH MY KIDS IN THE CAR FOR 100'S OF MILES LIKE THIS! MAZDA HAD A RECALL ON 2002-2004 MAZDA TRIBUTES BUT DID NOT INCLUDE MY MAZDA 2005, THOUGH MADE IN 2004 AND HAS THE SAME ISSUES AS THE RECALL, RUST IN THE WHEEL WELL. MAZDA WILL NOT FIX IT AND WILL NOT PAY FOR IT SINCE I HAD TO FIX IT. I PAID $1,086 TO FIX THIS, BEING WITHOUT A CAR FOR A MONTH. I WAS LUCKY THAT IT WAS THIS CHEAP, ONLY BECAUSE THEY GAVE ME A BREAK. IT WAS ESTIMATED TO BE OVER $2K. EVEN THE CLERK AT MAZDA SAID THESE VEHICLES "ARE ALL KNOWN TO RUST", SO I CAN OBVIOUSLY SUE MAZDA ON JUST THAT TESTIMONY, BUT OTHERWISE, I HAVE NO RECOURSE EXCEPT TO PAY FOR THIS AND WAIT AND HOPE THAT A RECALL WILL PAY ME BACK SOME DAY.

WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE AT A SPEED OF ABOUT 35 MPH I FELT WHAT APPEARED TO BE A FLAT TIRE. AFTER CHECKING THE TIRE, THERE WAS NOTHING OBVIOUS SHOWING. AT SPEEDS ABOUT 55 MPH THE SENSATION OF A FLAT TIRE CEASED, HOWEVER, AS SOON AS I WOULD SLOW DOWN, IT WOULD RETURN, ALONG WITH A LOUD NOISE. I TOOK THE CAR IN TO FIRESTONE TIRE. THEY DISCOVERED THAT THE PASSENGER SIDE REAR WHEEL WELL IS COMPLETELY RUSTED OUT. THE STRUT HOUSING IS EXPOSED AND THE WHEEL IS AT RISK FOR LITERALLY SEPARATING FROM THE VEHICLE. WE WERE TOLD THAT ANY SMALL REAR IMPACT COULD CAUSE THE REAR END OF THE VEHICLE TO COMPLETELY SEPARATE FROM THE REST OF THE CAR. AFTER HAVING THE VEHICLE CHECKED BY SEVERAL DIFFERENT MECHANICS AND BODY SHOPS WE WERE TOLD THAT THE VEHICLE IS UNSAFE TO DRIVE AND REQUIRES OVER $5800 IN REPAIRS. AFTER CONTACTING MAZDA, THEY REFUSE TO ACKNOWLEDGE THIS AS A RECALL AND THE ONLY OFF THEY MADE WAS FOR $1,500-$3,000 OFF THE PURCHASE OF A BRAND NEW MAZDA. WE HAVE CARED FOR OUR VEHICLE IMPECCABLY. IT ONLY HAS 135,000 MILES ON IT AND HAS ALWAYS HAD ALL MAINTENANCE PERFORMED. ALL OTHER AREAS OF THE VEHICLE ARE IN GOOD CONDITION. THIS IS OBVIOUSLY AN ISSUE WITH THE PARTS THAT WERE USED ON THE ASSEMBLY LINE DURING PRODUCTION. I FIND IT VERY HARD TO BELIEVE THAT ONLY ONE SIDE IN ONE AREA OF THE VEHICLE WOULD RUST OUT LIKE THIS. MAZDA SHOULD TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR THIS BEFORE SOMEONE IS SERIOUSLY HURT OR KILLED.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 MAZDA TRIBUTE. WHILE DRIVING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS, A POPPING SOUND EMITTED FROM THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT PULLED OVER AND DISCOVERED THAT THE REAR PASSNEGER SIDE WHEEL WELL WAS RUSTED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED NOR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 150,720.