Problems · NHTSA complaints

2010 Mazda Tribute problems

Owners filed 39 complaints about the 2010 Mazda Tribute with NHTSA between Apr 2010 and Oct 2025. The most-cited component is power train (13).

Complaints
39
Filed with NHTSA
Crashes
0
Reported by owners
Fires
0
Reported by owners
Injuries
2
People reported injured
Deaths
0
Reported to NHTSA
01 —By component

Complaints by component

One complaint can cite several components
  1. Power train13
  2. Steering11
  3. Engine7
  4. Fuel/propulsion system6
  5. Vehicle speed control6
  6. Electrical system3
  7. Service brakes2
  8. Structure2
  9. Air bags2
  10. Visibility/wiper2
  11. Parking brake1
  12. Electronic stability control (esc)1
  13. Other / unknown1

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 Nov 11, 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
20102
20111
20123
20135
20149
20150
20161
20175
20183
20193
20202
20213
20220
20230
20240
20252

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

Power train

13 reports
“FIRST OCCURRENCE WAS WHILE BACKING OUT OF A PARKING SPOT AND PUT THE VEHICLE INTO DRIVE. I ACCELERATED AND THE CAR HESITATED, CHUGGED, THE WRENCH LIGHT ON DASH ILLUMINATED WITH VERY SLOW FORWARD MOMENTUM. TURNED VEHICLE OFF AND BACK ON WITH NO PROBLEM UNTIL THE END OF THE PARKING ROW WHEN I STOPPED FOR TRAFFIC, IT CHUGGED AND WOULDN'T ACCELERATE, WRENCH INDICATOR ON AGAIN. TURNED VEHICLE OFF AND COASTED TO A PARKING SPOT. RESTARTED A FEW MINUTES LATER WITH NO PROBLEMS FOR ALMOST A WEEK. NEXT TIME IT HAPPENED I ACCELERATED FROM A STOP SIGN AND ONLY HAD CRAWLING SPEED NO MATTER WHAT I DID WITH THE GAS PEDAL. THE WRENCH LIGHT WAS AGAIN ON WITH THE VEHICLE CHUGGING AND HESITATING. DUE TO PARKED VEHICLES I HAD TO DRIVE ALMOST THE LENGTH OF THE BLOCK IN THIS CONDITION BEFORE HAVING A PLACE TO PULL OVER AND MOVE OUT OF THE LONG LINE OF TRAFFIC I HAD CREATED. ONCE AGAIN AFTER A BRIEF WAITING PERIOD I RESTARTED THE VEHICLE, THE WRENCH LIGHT WENT OUT AND IT HAS BEEN DRIVING OKAY. *TR”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled May 21, 2014Power train, EngineODI 10593196

Steering

11 reports1 related recall
“Two years ago my vehicle started loosing electrical power steering.. there is a recall for this issue… my vehicle was not experiencing this issue at the time of the recall. I have not been able to drive my vehicle because it randomly looses power steering deeming it extremely dangerous to drive.. I informed mazda who stated there system shows it was repaired during the recall will not cover the cost, but this is not true. I’m the only owner and I can’t drive it due to this issue”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Apr 27, 2025SteeringODI 11657107

Engine

7 reports
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2010 MAZDA TRIBUTE. WHILE DRIVING 55 MPH UP A MOUNTAIN, THE ENGINE STALLED. THE VEHICLE WAS ABLE TO RESTART. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO SERRA MAZDA (1503 GADSDEN HWY, BIRMINGHAM, AL 35235, (205) 304-4075) WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE THROTTLE WAS FAILING. THE DEALER STATED THAT THEY COULD NOT REPAIR THE VEHICLE BECAUSE THE WARNING INDICATOR DID NOT ILLUMINATE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE AND DID NOT ASSIST. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 88,000.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled May 30, 2018EngineODI 11098755

Fuel/propulsion system

6 reports
“Everytime I fill the car up with gas it does this thing where I lose power when I stop or when I turn the wheel. So I have to stop and start the car. Its very dangerous because it has cut off while I was making a turn. We have tried to fix it several times. We replaced the fuel pump and that helped for a month or two but then it goes right back to cutting off after it is filled up with gas.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Oct 20, 2025Electrical system, Fuel/propulsion systemODI 11694516

Vehicle speed control

6 reports
“FUEL FILL NECK DIAGNOSTIC CODE PO457 OCCURRED AND THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON WHICH SEEMED TO CAUSE THE VEHICLE TO SPUTTER, AND TO HAVE LOSS OF POWER WHILE DRIVING. UPON INSPECTION THERE IS NOTHING WRONG WITH THE PART. UPON A GOOGLE SEARCH OTHER HAVE HAD THE SAME PROBLEM AND IT APPEARS THEY RECALLED THIS SAME VEHICLE WITH THE 3.0 ENGINE (MINE HAS THE 2.5).”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Sep 11, 2017Vehicle speed control, Engine, Fuel/propulsion systemODI 11022669

Electrical system

3 reports
“WHILE THE CAR WAS IN USE AND RUNNING, THE TIMING CHAIN COVER FAILED RESULTING IN THE SERPENTINE BELT TENSIONER COMING DETACHED. THE SERPENTINE TENSIONER MOUNT BROKE OFF THE TIMING CHAN COVER, RESULTING IN THE LOSS OF ALL LOADS DRIVEN FROM THE SERPENTINE BELT. THIS FAILURE PRESENTS A SEVERE SAFETY ISSUE AS WITHOUT THE SERPENTINE BELT PROPERLY FUNCTIONING THE ALTERNATOR WILL NOT GENERATE ELECTRICITY, THE BATTERY WILL BE DRAINED AND THEN THE ELECTRIC POWER STEERING WILL FAIL. AN AVERAGE DRIVER WILL NOT BE ABLE TO CONTROL THE VEHICLE WITHOUT POWER STEERING AND BRAKE ASSISTANCE. UNTIL ALMOST ALL OF THE OIL HAS BEEN THROWN FROM THE ENGINE OR THE BATTERY DIES, THERE IS NO WARNING TO THE DRIVER -- THE DRIVER KNOWS NOTHING OF THIS FAILURE UNTIL THE LOW OIL PRESSURE, ALTERNATOR OR CHECK ENGINE LIGHT COMES ON. THE VEHICLE HAD ONLY 62156 MILES WHEN THIS EXTRAORDINARY FAILURE OCCURRED.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Apr 27, 2019Steering, Electrical system, Service brakesODI 11204178
Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Nov 11, 2026

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