2005 Mazda Tribute

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.

BEGAN HEARING LOUD BANGING NOISE IN THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE WHILE DRIVING ON CITY STREETS. UPON INSPECTION, THE PASSENGER SIDE REAR SHOCK MOUNT IN THE WHEEL WELL WAS COMPLETELY BROKEN FREE AND THE SHOCK BANGING AROUND. IT HAD PINCHED THE BRAKE LIGHTS AND THEY STOPPED WORKING AS WELL. UPON RESEARCH ON THE INTERNET THIS HAS BEEN A COMMON ISSUE WITH FORD ESCAPES AND MAZDA TRIBUTES OF THIS VINTAGE BUT ONLY ON THE RIGHT REAR. SO MUCH SO COMPANIES LIKE DORMAN MAKE A REPLACEMENT PART FOR IT TO REPLACE THE WHEEL WELL WHICH REQUIRES WELDING. THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE THE MANUFACTURER SHOULD ADDRESS. NEVER HAD THIS HAPPENED TO ANY OTHER VEHICLE.

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

TAKATA RECALL THE REAR PASSENGER SHOCK MOUNT HAS RUSTED TO THE POINT TO WHERE IT MAKES A HORRIBLE CLUNK SEVERE METAL TO METAL RATTLE WHILE DRIVING. I REFUSE TO ALLOW MY WIFE TO DRIVE IT DUE TO SAFETY CONCERNS OF THE SHOCK COMING LOOSE AND CAUSING AN ACCIDENT. THIS NOISE CAN BE HEARD DRIVING AS SLOWLY AS 5MPH WHILE DRIVING STRAIGHT AND TURNING ON A FLAT SMOOTH ROAD. PLEASE MAKE A RECALL FOR THIS YEAR OF MAZDA TRIBUTE AS THIS IS A MAJOR SAFETY ISSUE

REAR PASSENGER SIDE WHEEL WELL IS RUSTED OUT SO THE SHOCK THAT IS MOUNTED TO SAID WHEEL WELL IS FREELY SWINGING AROUND. MAZDA RECALLED TRIBUTES UP TO THE YEAR 2004 BUT THE 2005 WHICH HAS ESSENTIALLY THE EXACT SAME DESIGN WAS NOT RECALLED. THIS IS A KNOWN PROBLEM AND A COMMON PROBLEM FOR THE 2005 MAZDA TRIBUTE. THE WHEEL WELL IS DESIGNED WITH THIN SHEET METAL AND NEITHER THE GRADE NOR THICKNESS PREVENT RUSTING. WHILE THE WHEEL WELL IS DESIGNED TO WITHSTAND THE FORCES GENERATED BY THE SHOCK IT DOES NOT SEEM TO BE DESIGNED TO WITHSTAND THOSE FORCES UNDER CONDITIONS IN WHICH THE WHEEL WELL HAS RUSTED. THIS IS EXTREMELY UNSAFE AND VERY EASY TO OVER LOOK OR NOT NOTICE ON A DAY TO DAY BASIS WHICH COULD LEAD TO A FAILURE AT MEDIUM TO LOW SPEEDS.

TRUCK STARTED MAKING A LOUD NOISE COMING FROM THE REAR PASSENGER SIDE. UPON INSPECTION IT WAS DISCOVERED THAT THE INNER WHEEL HAD RUSTED BADLY AND LEFT SHOCK MOUNT HANGING ON BY A SMALL METAL BAND. TOOK IT TO A BODY SHOP THEY SAID BECAUSE OF THE WAY THE VEHICLE WAS CONSTRUCTED THAT IT WAS IMPOSSIBLE TO FIX. I HAVE NOTICED THERE WAS A RECALL FOR THIS VEHICLE FOR 2001-2004 MODELS AND IT APPEARS FOR THE NUMBER OF COMPLAINTS ABOUT THIS MODEL ON THIS REGISTRY THAT 2005 SHOULD BE NEXT.