59 owner complaints to NHTSA about the 2001 Mazda Tribute cite latches/locks/linkages, 10% of all 564 complaints for this model year. NHTSA also lists 1 recall on this component.
“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”
“THE INSIDE DRIVER SIDE DOOR HANDLE OF MY 2001 MAZDA TRIBUTE COMPLETELY STOPPED FUNCTIONING. THIS WAS SUDDEN, WITHOUT WARNING, AND PERMANENT. THE ONLY WAY TO OPEN THE DOOR AT THIS POINT IS TO ROLL DOWN THE WINDOW AND OPEN THE DOOR USING THE OUTSIDE DOOR HANDLE. THUS, THE DRIVER IS ESSENTIALLY TRAPPED INSIDE THE VEHICLE UNLESS THEY CAN ACCESS THE OUTSIDE OF THE CAR OR EXIT USING ANOTHER DOOR. THIS SEEMS TO BE A VERY PREVALENT PROBLEM WITH 2001 MAZDA TRIBUTES BASED ON A BRIEF INTERNET SEARCH. *TR”
“2001 MAZDA TRIBUTE DRIVER'S INTERIOR DOOR HANDLE BROKEN. CAN'T GET OUT OF THE CAR WITHOUT PUTTING THE WINDOW DOWN. VERY BAD SAFETY CONCERN IF THERE IS AN ACCIDENT. *TR”
“WE OWN A 2001 MAZDA TRIBUTE ES V6 [XXX] . SINCE PURCHASING THE VEHICLE IN AUGUST 2001 THERE HAVE BEEN THREE INCIDENCES OF THE INSIDE DOOR HANDLES BECOMING NON-FUNCTIONAL AND CREATING A HAZARDOUS CONDITION WHERE THE DOORS CANNOT BE OPENED FROM THE INSIDE (SOMEONE MUST OPEN FROM THE OUTSIDE OR YOU NEED TO OPEN THE WINDOW AND REACH OUT TO USE THE EXTERIOR HANDLE TO OPEN THE DOOR). THIS CREATES A DANGEROUS CONDITION SHOULD THE CAR BE INVOLVED IN A FIRE OR ACCIDENT WHERE THE OCCUPANT MUST QUICKLY EXIT THE VEHICLE. THE INTERIOR DOOR HANDLE PLACES A GREAT DEAL OF SHEAR FORCE ON A SMALL PLASTIC PIN THAT CONNECTS THE DOOR LEVER TO THE LATCH/LOCK/ACTUATOR. THE DRIVER'S SIDE HANDLE HAS BROKEN TWICE SINCE 2001 AND THE PASSENGER SIDE DOOR HANDLE BROKE THIS WEEK. I LOOKED AT THE DRIVERS SIDE AND THE HANDLE IS SHOWING SIGNS OF FATIGUE (STRESS CRACKS) IN THE PLASTIC PIN, SO I WILL NEED TO REPLACE THAT BEFORE IT BREAKS DURING A POTENTIAL EMERGENCY. *TR”
“DRIVERS SIDE FRONT DOOR HANDLE STOPPED WORKING, WINDOW NEEDS TO BE DOWN IN ORDER TO OPEN DOOR. IF IN AN ACCIDENT OR FIRE DRIVER WILL NEED ASSISTANCE IN EXITING CAR. THIS IS PROVEN BY ALL OTHER COMPLAINTS TO BE COMMON WITH THIS VEHICLE AND IN HAZARDOUS SITUATIONS POTENTIALLY FATAL UNLESS GOVERNMENT STEPS IN AND DEMANDS RECALL. DEALER WANTS $300.00+ TO FIX, HAVE ALREADY SPENT $3000.00+ AT DEALER ON COMPUTER FAILURES AND LEFT SIDE DRIVER DOOR WINDOW ASSEMBLY FAILURE. *TR”
“I HAVE A 2001 MAZDA TRIBUTE WITH THE FRONT DOORS NOT PROPERLY OPENING WHEN THE HANDLE IS PULLED TO OPEN THE DOOR. I FEEL IT IS A SAFETY CONCERN BECAUSE IN CASE OF AN EMERGENCY IT IS HARD TO GET OUT OF THE CAR. THE PROBLEM STARTED WITH THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE ABOUT A YEAR AGO, AND THE DRIVER SIDE DOOR STARTED THE PROBLEM ABOUT 2 MONTHS AGO. I TOOK IT TO THE DEALER TODAY AND THEY SAID IT WAS GOING TO COST OVER 200.00 TO FIX, AND THEY WERE GOING TO HAVE TO ORDER THE PART. *TR”
Showing 6 of 59 reports. Read every report on NHTSA.gov.
CERTAIN 2004-2005 SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES AND CERTAIN 2001-2003 SPORT UTILITY VEHICLE HAVING REAR LIFTGATE COMPONENTS SERVICED WITH 2004 EQUIVALENT COMPONENTS FAIL TO COMPLY WITH THE REQUIREMENTS OF FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 206, 'DOOR LOCKS AND DOOR RETENTION COMPONENTS.' THE REAR LIFTGATE LATCHING SYSTEM DOES NOT MEET THE INERTIA LOAD REQUIREMENT IN ONE DIRECTION.
Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.