Problems · by component

2008 Mazda Tribute vehicle speed control problems

53 owner complaints to NHTSA about the 2008 Mazda Tribute cite vehicle speed control, 26% of all 202 complaints for this model year.

Complaints
53
26% of all complaints
Crashes
1
Reported by owners
Fires
0
Reported by owners
Injuries
0
Reported by owners
01 —Owner reports

What owners say about the vehicle speed control

Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first
“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.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Apr 4, 2021Vehicle speed controlODI 11406329
“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”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Feb 15, 2021Vehicle speed control, Wheels, Forward collision avoidanceCrash reportedODI 11396225
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 MAZDA TRIBUTE. WHILE OPERATING THE VEHICLE, THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL BECAME STUCK AND COULD NOT BE DEPRESSED. THE FAILURE ALSO OCCURRED WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS FIRST STARTED IN COLD TEMPERATURES. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE THROTTLE WAS FAULTY. THE VEHCILE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 12V357000 (ENGINE), ALTHOUGH THE FAILURES WERE IDENTICAL. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 50,000.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jan 26, 2017Vehicle speed control, EngineODI 10947708
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 MAZDA TRIBUTE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT AT VARIOUS SPEEDS WHILE DEPRESSING THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL, THE VEHICLE FAILED TO ACCELERATE WITHOUT ANY WARNING INDICATOR. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE THE FAILURE WAS NOT DETERMINED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 65,000.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Dec 13, 2016Vehicle speed controlODI 10935017
“I WAS TURNING INTO A PARKING SPOT AND OF A SUDDEN I COULDN'T TURN MY STEERING WHEEL. I GOT IT TOWED TO A DEALERSHIP THEY SAID IT WAS THE POWER STEERING. THEY REPLACED THE TORQGUE SENSOR. THEN MY NEXT PROBLEM WAS MY GAS PEDAL SOMETIMES JUST WOULDN'T ACCELERATE. I WAS DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY IN THE FAST LANE WITH CRUISE CONTROL ON I TURNED IT OFF. THEN I TRIED TO PUSH MY GAS PEDAL IT WOULDN'T ACCELERATE SO I HAD TO HURRY UP AND PULL ON THE SIDE OF THE HIGHWAY BECAUSE CARS WHERE BEHIND ME. IT EVENTUALLY JUST STARTED BACK AND ANOTHER TIME IT WAS 3 AM AND I WAS DRIVING ON A BACK ROAD. I PUSHED MY GAS PEDAL BUT IT WOULDN'T ACCELERATE SO I STARTED HITTING IT AS HARD AS I COULD. IT STILL WASN'T WORKING SO I PULLED OVER AND PUT IT IN PARK. I JUST KEPT ON PUSHING THE GAS PEDAL AND AFTER 15 MINS IT STARTED BACK WORKING. I TOOK MY TUCK TO ANOTHER MAZDA DEALERSHIP AND THEY REPLACE THE THROTTLE CABLE AND RETAINER. A MONTH LATER I STARTED HAVING THE SAME PROBLEM AGAIN. I WAS TURNING ON TO A HIGHWAY RAMP AND IT WOULDN'T ACCELERATE. SINCE I WAS TURNING I WASN'T GOING THAT FAST SO I HAD TO JUST LET MY TRUCK ROLL TO THE SIDE OF THE HIGHWAY UNTIL IT STARTED BACK WORKING. I CALLED…”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Mar 22, 2016Steering, Vehicle speed controlODI 10851110
“THE GAS THROTTLE STICKS, YOU CAN'T GIVE IT GAS, EVEN AFTER DRIVING IT FOR 15 MINS, IT WILL STILL GET STUCK AGAIN. ALMOST CAUSED ME TO HAVE SEVERAL ACCIDENTS. THE POWER STEERING ALSO GOES OUT AND YOU HAVE TO TURN THE CAR OFF AND BACK ON TO GET IT TO WORK AGAIN. I DID HAVE THE SPRING ON THE GAS PEDAL REPLACED ABOUT 5 YRS AGO, BECAUSE IT GOT STUCK AND I KEPT PUSHING ON IT TILL IT BROKE. THERE NEEDS TO BE A RECALL ON THESE VEHICLES DUE TO THESE PROBLEMS. THANK YOU. [XXX] *TR”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jan 26, 2016Vehicle speed controlODI 10822271

Showing 6 of 53 reports. Read every report on NHTSA.gov.

Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Nov 11, 2026NHTSA vehicle page

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