Problems · NHTSA complaints
2001 Mazda Tribute problems
Owners filed 564 complaints about the 2001 Mazda Tribute with NHTSA between Sep 2000 and Jul 2024. The most-cited component is engine and engine cooling (167).
Complaints
564
Filed with NHTSA
Crashes
21
Reported by owners
Fires
13
Reported by owners
Injuries
15
People reported injured
Deaths
0
Reported to NHTSA
Complaints by component
One complaint can cite several components
- Engine and engine cooling167
- Electrical system80
- Power train67
- Latches/locks/linkages59
- Service brakes, hydraulic46
- Structure45
- Vehicle speed control40
- Steering35
- Fuel system, gasoline31
- Visibility25
- Air bags22
- Suspension19
- Tires11
- Service brakes8
Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.
Data from NHTSA Complaints API · synced Oct 28, 2026NHTSA vehicle page
When complaints were filed
Does it get worse with age? Complaints per calendar year filed
18
117
110
56
56
26
24
26
30
22
13
5
18
6
9
9
4
5
3
2
2
1
1
0
1
View as table
| Model year | Complaints filed per calendar year |
|---|---|
| 2000 | 18 |
| 2001 | 117 |
| 2002 | 110 |
| 2003 | 56 |
| 2004 | 56 |
| 2005 | 26 |
| 2006 | 24 |
| 2007 | 26 |
| 2008 | 30 |
| 2009 | 22 |
| 2010 | 13 |
| 2011 | 5 |
| 2012 | 18 |
| 2013 | 6 |
| 2014 | 9 |
| 2015 | 9 |
| 2016 | 4 |
| 2017 | 5 |
| 2018 | 3 |
| 2019 | 2 |
| 2020 | 2 |
| 2021 | 1 |
| 2022 | 1 |
| 2023 | 0 |
| 2024 | 1 |
Mileage at failure isn’t a structured field in NHTSA complaint data, so we don’t chart it. Some owners mention it in their reports below.
Top problems in owners’ words
Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first
Engine and engine cooling
167 reports4 fires1 related recall
“The contact owns a 2001 Mazda Tribute. The contact stated that while the vehicle was idling and occasionally while attempting to accelerate, the vehicle would stall with the check engine warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic to be diagnosed. The contact was informed that the ECM needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and referenced an unknown recall that had since been expired. The failure mileage was 132,923.”
Electrical system
80 reports4 fires
“THE CAR STALLS ALOT AND THE OIL AND BATTERY LIGHT FLASHES WHEN COMING TO A STOP THEN U DRIVE AGAIN AND IT GOES OFF. IT WILL DO IT FOR A COUPLE OF DAYS THEN STOP THEN START UP AGAIN. HAS TO BE SOME TYPE OF WIRING ISSUE HAD THE OIL CHANGE SO THATS FINE AND THE BATTERY TESTED AND THATS ALL GOOD. *TR”
Power train
67 reports1 related recall
“PUT THE CAR IN REVERSE AND COULD NOT GET IT OUT OF REVERSE. STEERING TOTALLY LOCKED UP. I LOOKED ON GOOGLE AND THIS SEEMS TO BE HAPPENING QUITE A BIT AND A FEW YEARS HAVE ALREADY BEEN RECALLED. I WAS IN A CVS PARKING LOT WHEN THIS HAPPENED. BLOCKED TRAFFIC AND PEOPLE WERE NOT HAPPY.”
Latches/locks/linkages
59 reports1 related recall
“THE DOOR LATCH ON THE DRIVERS DOOR WON'T OPEN AND I DON'T FEEL SAFE. IF SOMETHING HAPPENED AND I HAD TO GET OUT, I WOULD BE IN TROUBLE. A FRIEND RECENTLY TAUGHT ME HOW TO OPEN THE DOOR BY PUSHING THE LATCH BACKWARDS. IT HAS TO BE DONE BY REACHING ACROSS MY BODY WITH MY RIGHT HAND AND PUSHING THE LOCK BACKWARDS (EX: LIKE YOU'RE PINCHING SOMETHING). THERE ARE TOO MANY COMPLAINTS ON THIS WEBSITE CONCERNING THIS SAME PROBLEM. WHY HASN'T THERE BEEN A RECALL ON THIS PROBLEM??? THE ONLY BENEFIT FOR THIS IS IF SOMEONE STEALS MY VEHICLE AND CAN'T GET OUT, RESULTING IN BEING CAUGHT. *TR”
Service brakes, hydraulic
46 reports4 crashes6 fires3 related recalls
“2001 MAZDA TRIBUTE. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO THE VEHICLE SUBFRAME CORROSION RECALL NOTICE. *SMD THE CONSUMER RECEIVED A RECALL NOTICE IN EARLY JUNE. HOWEVER, SHE HAD ALREADY PAID FOR THE REPAIRS. SO, SHE SUBMITTED A REQUEST FOR REIMBURSEMENT, ALONG WITH A SYNOPSIS OF THE TROUBLE SHE EXPERIENCED. THE CONSUMER RECEIVED A LETTER OF DENIAL FROM MAZDA, STATING THE PARTS THAT WERE REPLACED OR SERVICE COMPLETED, WERE NOT CONSIDERED COVERED ITEMS UNDER THE SUBFRAME CORROSION RECALL. ON DECEMBER 26, 2012 WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY, THE CONSUMER NOTICED A DECREASED CONTROL OVER THE STEERING. THE VEHICLE FISH-TAILED MULTIPLE TIMES IN LIGHT SNOW, WHICH HAD NEVER OCCURRED BEFORE. DUE TO HER STEERING DIFFICULTIES, SHE DROVE AT 30 MPH, YET STILL SPUN OUT FOR NO APPARENT REASON. NO ONE WAS INJURED AND SHE ONLY HIT A MEDIAN WHICH CAUSED DAMAGE TO THE REAR PASSENGER SIDE TAIL LIGHT AND BODY DAMAGE. AT THE TIME, SHE ATTRIBUTED THE INCIDENT TO WINTER WEATHER CONDITIONS. HOWEVER, IT MADE FAR MORE SENSE IN THE CONTEXT OF THE RECALL. IN JANUARY 2013, SHE CONTINUED TO EXPERIENCE STEERING PROBLEMS. SHE ATTEMPTED TO GET AN ALIGNMENT, BUT RAN INTO PROBLEMS DUE TO THE SUBFRAME;…”
Structure
45 reports3 crashes1 related recall
“I WENT IN THE STORE FOR A FEW MINUTES AND I CAN OUT AND THE CAR WOULD NOT SHIFT INTO GEAR AT ALL IT SHIFTED OUT OF PARK AND ALL IT DID WAS THE SHIFTER JUST STOPPED AND WAS LOOSE IT WOULD NOT INGAGE IN ANOTHER GEAR”
Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Oct 28, 2026
Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.