Problems · by component

2008 Mazda Tribute power train problems

25 owner complaints to NHTSA about the 2008 Mazda Tribute cite power train, 12% of all 202 complaints for this model year. NHTSA also lists 1 recall on this component.

Complaints
25
12% of all complaints
Crashes
0
Reported by owners
Fires
0
Reported by owners
Injuries
0
Reported by owners
01 —Owner reports

What owners say about the power train

Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first
“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.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jan 3, 2021Power trainODI 11386250
“AFTER DRIVING AROUND FOR ABOUT AN HOUR, I STOPPED AT A STORE AND AFTER THAT THE VEHICLE WOULDN'T EXCEL CORRECTLY. VEHICLE WOULDN'T SHIFT INTO 2ND OR 4TH GEARS. SHOP SAID IT WAS A 2/4 BELT OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT WHICH HAD TO BE REPLACED. THEY HAD CALLED MAZDA TO DETERMINE WHICH TRANSMISSION MY VEHICLE HAD, THANKFULLY IT WAS THE ONE THAT COULD BE REPLACED WITHOUT TEARING DOWN THE WHOLE TRANSMISSION. SOUNDS LIKE THIS WAS A COMMON ISSUE FOR THIS TRANSMISSION.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Feb 22, 2020Power trainODI 11310716
“GOT IN CAR TO DRIVE MONDAY 02/03/2020 MORNING, CAR WAS EXTREMELY HARD TO TURN. ABLE TO DRIVE VEHICLE BUT TURNING IS EXTREMELY HARD. TOOK IT TO MECHANIC AND THEN TO AUTOZONE TO PRICE PART AND WAS TOLD THIS VEHICLE WAS PART OF A RECALL. I CALLED MAZDA AND WAS TOLD RECALL WAS NO LONGER OPEN, WAS CLOSED IN 2014. THE RECALL IS WHAT IS WRONG WITH MY VEHICLE. I HAVE CALLED MAZDA WITH NO RESOLUTION, IS THERE ANY WAY TO MAKE THEM RESPONSIBLE FOR THIS ISSUE, SINCE THERE WAS A RECALL FOR IT, MINE JUST DID NOT HAVE ISSUE IN THAT TIME FRAME.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Feb 6, 2020Power trainODI 11307511
“MY 2008 TRIBUTE HAS HAD 3 TRANSMISSIONS REPLACED BEFORE THE 4TH WAS A BRAND NEW TRANSMISSION THAT WAS PUT IN. LAST NIGHT MY TRIBUTE WAS IN PARK AND KEYS OUT OF THE IGNITION AND IT ROLLED DOWN MY DRIVEWAY OUT IN TO THE MIDDLE OF THE ROAD. MY HUSBAND WAS ABLE TO GET OUT OF THE WAY BEFORE IT RAN OVER HIM. HE PULLED IT BACK IN THE DRIVEWAY AND SET THE PARKING BRAKE. IT ROLLED DOWN THE DRIVEWAY AGAIN. THIS DEATH TRAP OF A VEHICLE IS LISTED IN ONE OF THE RECALLS ON THE SHIFT LINKAGE. MY TRANSMISSIONS WERE REPLACED IN KILLEEN, TEXAS IN 2012. THE 3RD REBUILT TRANSMISSION WAS INSTALLED AND PULLED RIGHT BACK OUT. THAT'S HOW THE DEALERSHIP WAS ABLE TO REPLACE IT WITH A BRAND NEW ONE. LAST NIGHT MY HUSBAND PULLED IN FORWARD INTO ARE DRIVEWAY AND PUT THE SUV IN PARK, TURNED IT OFF, AND GOT OUT OF THE SUV AND WENT TO GET A CEILING FAN BOX OUT OF THE BACK AND HE FELT THE SUV ROLLING BACK ON HIM. HE THANKFULLY WAS ABLE TO MOVE TO THE SIDE AS IT ROLLED BACK OUT OF OUR DRIVEWAY TO THE MIDDLE OF OUR STREET. HE GOT THE KEYS FROM ME AND DROVE IT BACK INTO OUR DRIVEWAY AND SET THE PARKING BREAK. WE WALKED OUT FRONT THIS MORNING AND IT ROLLED BACK DOWN TO THE BOTTOM OF OUR DRIVEWAY.…”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Feb 23, 2019Power train, Unknown or otherODI 11182140
“STEERING WHEEL VIOLENTLY JERKS & VIBRATES WHILE DRIVING AND IN IDLE. STEERING COLUMN / WHEEL MAKES A GRINDING NOISE WHEN IT JERKS & VIBRATES. ACCELERATOR PEDAL STICKS, ESPECIALLY IN COLDER WEATHER, MAKING IT HARD TO CONTROL VEHICLE...IE ACCELERATING TO GET ONTO A HIGHWAY OR EVEN COMING OUT OF A SIDE STREET ONTO A MAIN ROAD. RECALL FOR ELECTRIC POWER ASSIST SYSTEM WAS "FIXED" BY MAZDA IN 2018, BUT I FEEL A MAJOR PROBLEM STILL EXISTS. THIS IS A DANGEROUS MIX FOR DRIVING SAFELY. I AM FEARFUL OF DRIVING THIS VEHICLE DUE TO THE FACT THAT I CANNOT ACCELERATE PROPERLY OR HOLD ONTO MY WHEEL WITHOUT IT JERKING.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Feb 19, 2019Steering, Power train, Electronic stability control (esc)ODI 11181117
“I'M DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD AND WHEN TRYING TO RIDE IN 5TH GEAR SINCE ITS A MANUAL TRANSMISSION IT KEEPS POPPING OUT OF 5TH GEAR EVERY TIME I'M DRIVING DOWN HIGHWAY NO MATTER WHAT I'M DOING I GO TO PUT IN 5TH GEAR AND IT POPS BACK OUT EVERY TIME UNLESS I HOLD THE GEAR SHIFT IN PLACE....I JUST HAD BOUGHT THIS VEHICLE T SWARTZ AUTO SALES IN HARRISONBURG VA AND I BROUGHT IT TO THEIR ATTENTION FOR WHICH THEY'RE NOT WANTING TO HELP ON THIS ISSUE EVEN THOUGH I HAVE JUST GOTTEN IT LITERALLY LAST WEEK N ONLY HAVE PUT MAYBE 250 MILES AND NOT ONLY THAT THE FIRST DAY I BOUGHT IT BROUGHT IT UP HOME WASHED IT UP I THEN REALIZED THAT THE TIRES ARE DRY ROTTED WHICH I HAVE ATTACHED PICTURES IT HAS AN INSPECTION STICKER STATING ITS GOOD TIL MARCH 18 NOT SURE HOW THESE TIRES EVEN PASSED INSPECTION I TOOK TO MY REGULAR MECHANIC AND HE ADVISED ME THAT THEY SHOULDN'T HAVE BEEN PASSED. AND WHILE TAKING OFF IN 1ST GEAR ITS A RATTLING OR MORE LIKE A SQUEEKING TO IT? COULD YOU PLEASE LET ME KNOW WHAT I CAN DO ABOUT THESE ISSUES AND ALSO MAYBE THE TRANSMISSION IS NO GOOD? IT DOES HAVE A RECALL ON IT WHICH I WILL ATTACH THAT AS WELL THANK YOU”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Aug 4, 2017Power train, WheelsODI 11012892

Showing 6 of 25 reports. Read every report on NHTSA.gov.

Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Oct 28, 2026NHTSA vehicle page
02 —Related recalls

1 recall on this component

Power train: gear position indication (prndl)

Free remedy

Mazda North American Operations (Mazda) is recalling certain model year 2008 Tribute vehicles manufactured February 9, 2007 to April 22, 2008. The affected vehicles have had their CD4E transmission replaced with remanufactured one that was rebuilt between June 11, 2015 through July 15, 2015. These service repair part transmissions have a shift lever bolt that may not be properly tightened. As a result, the shift control lever could disengage from the transmission without warning.

Power trainReported Oct 19, 2015NHTSA 15V677000
Data from NHTSA Recalls API · synced Oct 28, 2026

Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.

Other 2008 Tribute problem areas