Problems · NHTSA complaints

2003 Mazda Tribute problems

Owners filed 200 complaints about the 2003 Mazda Tribute with NHTSA between Mar 2003 and Jul 2025. The most-cited component is air bags (35).

Complaints
200
Filed with NHTSA
Crashes
17
Reported by owners
Fires
9
Reported by owners
Injuries
16
People reported injured
Deaths
0
Reported to NHTSA
01 —By component

Complaints by component

One complaint can cite several components
  1. Air bags35
  2. Vehicle speed control34
  3. Structure29
  4. Power train24
  5. Engine and engine cooling23
  6. Service brakes, hydraulic21
  7. Electrical system15
  8. Suspension14
  9. Service brakes10
  10. Steering9
  11. Engine6
  12. Fuel system, gasoline5
  13. Equipment5
  14. Tires4

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
02 —Trend

When complaints were filed

Does it get worse with age? Complaints per calendar year filed
View as table
Model yearComplaints filed per calendar year
200320
200415
200513
200616
20078
200811
20096
20107
20119
201213
201320
201411
201511
201612
20177
20188
20195
20203
20213
20220
20231
20240
20251

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.

03 —Owner reports

Top problems in owners’ words

Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first

Air bags

35 reports5 crashes
“EVERY TIME I START MY 2003 MAZDA TRIBUTE AND EVERY 30 MINUTES OF OPERATION THEREAFTER, THE CAR MAKES 5 SETS OF 5 BEEPS. AN INTERNET SEARCH TOLD ME THAT THIS IS BECAUSE OF A MALFUNCTIONING INSTRUMENT PANEL LIGHT TO INDICATE THAT THE AIRBAGS ARE ALSO MALFUNCTIONING. A MAZDA MECHANIC INFORMED ME THAT THIS IS A CHRONIC PROBLEM WITH MY MAKE AND MODEL VEHICLE. AND EVEN IF I HAVE THE VERY EXPENSIVE JOB DONE TO REPLACE THE ENTIRE AIRBAG SYSTEM, THE REPLACEMENT PARTS DON'T WORK EITHER. I HAVE OWNED THIS VEHICLE FOR OVER 3 YEARS AND THIS HAS BEEN GOING ON ALMOST THE ENTIRE TIME. MAZDA NEEDS TO PROVIDE A GOOD WORKING SOLUTION TO THIS PROBLEM AND SOON.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Oct 1, 2018Air bagsODI 11132802

Vehicle speed control

34 reports5 crashes1 related recall
“My ABS keeps locking up and Ive almost wrecked multiple times. I changed brakes and rotors and still the problem is on-going. Its dangerous and Ive read others saying the same thing online.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Sep 4, 2023Vehicle speed control, Service brakesODI 11542450

Structure

29 reports2 crashes1 related recall
“The contact owns a 2003 Mazda Tribute. The contact had taken his vehicle to an independent mechanic and was informed that there was severe corrosion on the lower control arm. Upon investigation, the contact discovered NHTSA Campaign Number: 14V174000 (Structure) which he linked to the failure. After performing a VIN search, the contact also discovered that his vehicle was not included in the recall. The dealer was notified of the failure and confirmed that the VIN was not under recall. The manufacture had yet to be notified of the failure. The vehicle had yet to be repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 138,000.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Sep 14, 2021StructureODI 11432893

Power train

24 reports1 crash1 related recall
“I WAS DRIVING AROUND 50MPH AND COMNG UP TO A STOP LIGHT, AS I BEGAN TO SLOW DOWN IN THE LEFT TURNING LANE FOR THE RED LIGHT GOING LEFT, MY TRIBUTE SUDDENLY STALLED.THE LIGHT THEN OF COURSE TURNED GREEN AND THIS WAS NOT GOOD, CAUSE ALL THE CARS COMING UP FROM BEHIND ME WERE NOW INTENDING TO NO SLOW DOWN AND BEGIN TO SPEED UP, TO CARRY ON THROUGH THE VERY BUSY INTERSECTION. WHICH ALMOST CREATED A PILE UP, BEGINNING AT MY REAR BUMPER, OR ANOTHER SUDDEN COLLISION NEAR BY. LUCKILY ALL THE CARS HAD EITHER SWERVED AROUND MINE, OR MANAGED TO STOP BEHIND ME. I THEN PUT MINE IN PARK AND TRIED TO START IT, THE ENGINE STARTED BUT I WAS UNABLE TO SHIFT OUT OF PARK. SO I SHUT IT OFF, PUT IT IN NEUTRAL AND TRIED STARTING IT, IT STARTED AND SHIFTED OUT OF PARK BUT WOULD NOT MOVE WHILE IN DRIVE. SO I TRIED IN ONE OF THE LOWER GEARS AND IT VERY SLOWLY, ABOUT 5 MPH BEGAN TO MOVE, GETTING ME OFF THE MAJOR ST AND ON TO A SIDE STREET. I THEN CHECKED REVERSE, WHICH WORKED JUST FINE AND ALLOWED ME TO PULL INTO A NEARBY STORE TO WAIT FOR A TOW TRUCK. I PUT IT IN PARK AND SHUT IT OFF, TOO WAIT FOR IT TO BE TOWED HOME. THE NEXT DAY I TRIED TO USE IT, BUT STILL NOTHING IN DRIVE, NO CHECK…”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Oct 23, 2020Power train, Vehicle speed control, Unknown or otherODI 11365995

Engine and engine cooling

23 reports1 fire1 related recall
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 MAZDA TRIBUTE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE MADE ABNORMALLY LOUD SOUNDS WHEN STARTED AND WHILE DRIVING. THE SOUNDS BEGAN AFTER THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED ACCORDING TO NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 14V174000 (STRUCTURE: FRAME AND MEMBERS). THE DEALER STATED THAT THE EXHAUST BOLTS WERE NOT TIGHTENED AND THE FRONT DRIVER SIDE TIE ROD END WAS LOOSE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED AND THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 117,685.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Sep 8, 2014Steering, Engine and engine coolingODI 10631498

Service brakes, hydraulic

21 reports2 crashes3 fires2 related recalls
“ON JUNE 25, 2013 @ 11:00AM I CALLED MAZDA CORPORATION (REFERENCE CALL NUMBER: [XXX]) ABOUT RECALLS ASSOCIATED WITH MY MAZDA TRIBUTE 2003 AND WAS TOLD THAT THE RECALLS WERE NOT ASSIGNED TO THE VIN NUMBER OF MY VEHICLE. THE MAZDA REPRESENTATIVE STATED THAT ONLY THE SEAT BEAT ADJUSTMENT HAS BEEN ASSIGNED TO MY VEHICLE AND THAT I DO NOT QUALIFY FOR THE RECALL. MAZDA WILL NOT HONOR THE RECALL. I BOUGHT THE TRIBUTE IN 2010 FROM A DEALERSHIP; THUS, WAS NOT AWARE OF THE RECALLS. I HAVE BEEN HAVING A LOT OF PROBLEMS WITH THE VEHICLE AND HAVE SPENT A LOT OF MONEY TRYING TO FIX IT. I HAVE A 13 AND 14 YEAR OLD GIRLS AND AM A SINGLE PARENT. ACCORDING TO THE RECALL, THE VEHICLE IS NOT SAFE. I CAN NOT AFFORD RIGHT NOW TO PURCHASE ANOTHER VEHICLE. I AM ONLY ASKING MAZDA TO HONOR THE RECALLS. PLEASE SEE THE RECALL NOTICE BELOW FROM MAZDA. 2003 MAZDA TRIBUTE RECALL ITEM AFFECTED: SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK:CONTROL UNIT/MODULE DATE ANNOUNCED: 4/11/2007 DESCRIPTION OF RECALL: ON CERTAIN SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH ANTILOCK BRAKES (ABS), THE ABS MODULE CONNECTOR MAY HAVE MISSING OR DISLODGED WIRE SEALS. THIS CONDITION COULD ALLOW CONTAMINATION TO ENTER THE MODULE…”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jul 1, 2013Service brakes, hydraulic, Service brakesODI 10522641
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.