Mazda Tribute Complaints (2008)

202 consumer complaints on file.

#11725529March 19, 2026
STEERING
The contact owns a 2008 Mazda Tribute. The contact stated that while the vehicle was parked, the steering wheel became difficult to turn and inoperable, with the maintenance warning light illuminated. The contact stated that the steering wheel became difficult to turn. The dealer was not contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 274,300.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11718610February 17, 2026
AIR BAGS
The contact owned a 2008 Mazda Tribute. The contact stated that while driving at approximately 20 MPH and attempting to make a turn, another vehicle unexpectedly T-boned the vehicle, impacting the passenger front side. The contact and a passenger sustained minor injuries, and the passenger was taken to a local emergency room. The contact suffered a back injury and was placed on medical leave from employment due to the accident. The passenger sustained bruises and lacerations. The contact stated that the driver and side curtain deployed; however, the front passenger airbag failed to deploy. A police report was filed. The vehicle was towed and deemed a total loss. The dealer was contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The dealer referred the contact to the manufacturer for further assistance. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 245,000.
Crash:
Yes
Fire:
No
Injuries:
2
Deaths:
0
#11660221May 11, 2025
SERVICE BRAKES
My brakes went out with no warning, or light on dashboard. I had the master cylinder changed and all brakes bled. The brakes went out 2months later,so changed the master cylinder again. 1 month after the brakes went out again. So I called Mazda service department and the gentleman told me to try and change the brake booster. So I changed the brake booster and master cylinder. 6 days later my brakes went out again, mazda told me they having issues with older model mazda tribute brakes going out. I have to get a rebuilt master cylinder for my car. My brakes have gone out on me 4 times and I almost wrecked each time. This is ridiculous I am scared to drive my car now and I have to keep paying a mechanic to do the repair and it's not working.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11652901April 5, 2025
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, STEERING, SERVICE BRAKES
Unknown, Electric steering no longer works, ABS light, traction control light engine light air bag light and tool light are on the, brakes will be faulty at times mainly when ABS and traction control light turn on. There is Google fact that 2008 Mazda had recall for EPS, also faulty air bag and more the vehicle recalls need to be fixed desperately it's going to cause safety problems while driving if not took care of.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11545165September 18, 2023
STEERING
The contact owns a 2008 Mazda Tribute. The contact stated while driving at low speeds and making a turn, the vehicle lost power steering functionality. The power steering warning light was illuminated. The contact veered to the side of the roadway. The contact turned off and restarted the vehicle, and the vehicle operated as needed; however, the failure recurred while making a turn. The contact stated that the failure had been recurring while driving and making a turn and had become a persistent failure after turning off and restarting the vehicle. The dealer was notified of the failure and informed the contact that he would be charged a fee for a diagnostic test. The vehicle was not diagnosed nor repaired. The contact related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 14V282000 (Steering); however, the VIN was not included. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 125,000.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11544127September 12, 2023
STEERING
The steering is very tight, and sometimes the wheel gets stripped out of your hands, vehicle has been brought to the dealer for a diagnosis
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11518769April 24, 2023
STEERING
The contact's son owns a 2008 Mazda Tribute. The contact stated while her son was driving and making a turn, the vehicle lost power steering functionality. There was no warning light illuminated. The contact's son was able to veer to the side of the road by using physical force to steer the vehicle. The vehicle was towed to the dealer, where it was diagnosed that the Power Steering Control Module (PSCM) needed to be replaced. The dealer informed the contact the vehicle was previously repaired under NHTSA Campaign Number: 14V282000 (Steering), and any additional repair was at the owner's expense. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 150,000.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11507472February 15, 2023
STEERING
The contact owns a 2008 Mazda Tribute. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the steering wheel was shaking uncontrollably. There was a lot of tension in the steering wheel. While driving approximately 45 mph and making a turn, the steering wheel jerked but went in the other direction. While driving at high speeds, the tires were riding roughly. The TPMS warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic who stated that the failure was due to the brake pads. The contact called the local dealer who informed her about an unknown steering wheel component replacement. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was contacted and stated that the vehicle was previously repaired under NHTSA Campaign Number: 14V282000 (Steering) but no additional assistance was provided. The approximate failure mileage was 180,000.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11498758December 24, 2022
POWER TRAIN, STEERING
Power steering failed all of a sudden without warning. Lost almost all control of steering. PSCM
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11488049October 5, 2022
STEERING, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, UNKNOWN OR OTHER
I have to put the key in the ignition a certain way and press on it to get the car to start and was told it is a pin that gets stuck in the steering column and it won't let the vehicle start and they said it is a Steering column lock module and there should be a recall on it. This is a big problem my fiance' has cancer and needs to be at her appointments when she has them not when the vehicle decides to let me get her there. It won't start all the time.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11463031May 2, 2022
STEERING
The contact owns a 2008 Mazda Tribute. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the steering wheel became difficult to turn. There were no warning lights illuminated. The contact called the local dealer but the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 218,100.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11451491February 11, 2022
STEERING
Driving my car pulling out of driveway when power steering cut out and steering became very difficult Had car brought to mechanic and he found there was a recall on steering torque sensor. Mazda said that was replaced on 8/10/2016 but the part they replaced it with failed just like the original recalled part did. They refused to fix it again saying they completed the recall on this car. Wouldn’t even have a next level supervisor call me to talk about fixing the safety issue
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11443278December 9, 2021
STEERING
It just hard and cant really drive it
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11422956June 30, 2021
STEERING
The contact owns a 2008 Mazda Tribute. The contact stated that while driving at 70 mph, the power steering failed which caused the steering wheel to shake. The vehicle became difficult to steer. The vehicle was taken to the dealer and diagnosed that the steering shaft torque sensor malfunctioned, there was an open or short in the power steering control module, and an internal failure with the torque sensor. The vehicle was not repaired and remained at the dealer. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure but informed the contact that there was a recall repair for the electronic power steering performed in 2014, and that was a one-time recall repair. The failure mileage was 167,968.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11406329April 4, 2021
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
IN COLDER FLORIDA WEATHER, FREEZING ISN'T REQUIRED, UPON START UP AND DRIVING FOR SEVERAL MINUTES BEFORE EVERYTHING IS WARMED UP THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL WILL STICK AND BE VERY HARD TO PUSH DOWN. WHEN IT DOES BREAK FREE IT CAN BE SUDDEN WHICH RESULTS IN EXCESSIVE ACCELERATION FOR A MOMENT. THERE IS NO PEDAL OBSTRUCTION, SUCH AS A FLOOR MAT. THIS HAPPENS WHEN COOLER WEATHER, STATIONARY OR IN MOTION ON STREET, HIGHWAY ETC UNTIL IT WARMS UP. NOT LONG AFTER BUYING THIS USED CAR, THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL CABLE BROKE WHILE DRIVING. HAD TO HAVE IT TOWED TO DEALER FOR A NEW CABLE. THEY SAID THEY HAD NEVER SEEN THIS HAPPEN. THIS STICKING PEDAL HAS BEEN GOING ON FOR A LONG TIME. MY DAUGHTER DRIVES THIS CAR SO I WAS UNAWARE OF THE ISSUE UNTIL TODAY WHEN I WENT TO FILL IT UP WITH GAS. I'M A GROWN MAN AND I HAD TO PUSH DOWN VERY HARD TO GET IT TO MOVE.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11398710March 2, 2021
STEERING, UNKNOWN OR OTHER, LANE DEPARTURE: ASSIST
POWER STEERING BECAME UNUSEABLE COULD NOT CONTROL AUTO WAS IN MOTION ON CITY STREET HAD IT TOWED TO TWO SERVICE CENTER COULD NOT FIX. ; MAVIS TIRE & REPAIR, LACKAWANNA, NY AND LUKES ENTERPRISE SOUTHWESTERN BLVD ORCHARD PARK,NY
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11396225February 15, 2021
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL, WHEELS, FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: AUTOMATIC EMERGENCY BRAKING
AS I AM DRIVING THE ABS AND TRACTION CONTROL LIGHTS COME ON AND THE CAR WILL START KICKING LIKE SOMETHING IS TRYING TO IN GAGE ITSELF THIS HAS CAUSED THE TRANSMISSION TO GO OUT SO I HAVE HAD IT REBUILT THINKING MAYBE THE TRANSMISSION WAS BAD I HAVE THE CAR BACK NOW AND THE CAR IS DOING THE SAME THING AS IT WAS DOING BEFORE TRANSITION WENT OUT IT HAS DONE IT ALMOST EVERY TIME I DRIVE IT DRY PAVEMENT CITY AND OR COUNTRY ROADS WORRIED TO DRIVE IT NOW DON'T WANT TO HAVE TO REPLACE TRANSMISSION AGAIN OVER 3000 DOLLARS TO REPAIR ANY SUGGESTIONS WOULD BE GREATLY APPRECIATED
Crash:
Yes
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11395483February 9, 2021
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
STEERING WHEEL RANDOMLY LOCKS WHILE DRIVING AND SOMETIMES IN THE MIDDLE OF A TURN. DEALERSHIP SAYS THAT RECALL IS CLOSED.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11386250January 3, 2021
POWER TRAIN
2008 MAZDA TRIBUTE, ALL SCHEDULED MAINTENANCE DONE ON TIME. AT 118,110 MILES TRANSMISSION WENT OUT WITHIN A DAY NO WARNING. THE TRIBUTE, JUST STARTED LOSING POWER ON MY WAY HOME, THEN IN MY DRIVEWAY WOULD GO INTO ANY OF THE AUTOMATIC GEARS.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11375310November 18, 2020
SERVICE BRAKES, STEERING
MY WHEEL STARTED VIBRATING BACK AND FORTH WHILE IN PARK AND I STARTED AND THE POWER STEERING WORKED FINE. THEN TURNED CAR OFF WENT IN THE STORE AND CAME OUT AND IT DIDN'T WANNA WORK. TURNED CAR OFF AND BACK ON IT WORKED FINE. ON THE WAY HOME COMING AROUND A SHARP CURVE IT DECIDED TO GO OUT AND THE WHEEL TIGHTENED AT 45. I HAD TO SLAM ON MY BRAKES AND TRY MY HARDEST TO KEEP FROM GOING OFF THE ROAD. TOOK IT TO THE MECHANIC AND HE SAID IT'S A RECALL TO TAKE IT TO THE DEALERSHIP. WELL IN 2014 A MONTH AFTER THE RECALL WE TOOK THE CAR TO THE DEALER FOR AIR FILTERS AND THEY HAPPENED TO "FIX" THE SOLUTION WHILE THERE WITHOUT NOTIFYING US. THEY NEVER FIXED IT BECAUSE THERE WAS NEVER AN ISSUE UNTIL NOW. AND THEY WONT FIX IT BECAUSE THEY SAID THAT IT WAS ALREADY REPAIRED. IN FACT IT WASN'T. THE ELECTRIC POWER STEERING SYSTEM IS VERY DANGEROUS AND I PRAY THAT MAZDA CONTACTS DEALERSHIPS AND HAS THEM ACTUALLY REPLACE THE COLUMN AS NEEDED AND NOT JUST CLEAR CODES. IT DOES NOTHING BUT RESET IT FOR IT TO HAPPEN AT A LATER DATE. I ALMOST RAN OFF THE ROAD!
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0

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