There are 20 owner-reported powertrain & transmission complaints for the 2003 Mazda Tributein NHTSA's database. These are unverified consumer reports and may not reflect confirmed defects.
CAR STALLED WHEN SLOWING TO STOP IN LEFT TURNING LANE DOING AROUND 45MPH, APPROACHING THE LIGHT IN A BUSY INTERSECTION AND VEHICLES APPROACHING MINE FROM BEHIND. IT WOULD NO LONGER START IN PARK OR MOVE IN DRIVE, TO GET OUR OF THE WAY AND OFF THE STREET I HAD TO WAIT AND THE MOVE IT IN REVERSE. GOT TOWED HOME AND IT STILL SITS.
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 ENGINE LIGHT AND ITS BEEN PARKED EVER SINCE, ABOUT 5 MONTHS NOW.
I WAS COMING UP TO A STOP LIGHT AND AS I SLOWED DOWN MY 03 MAZDA TRIBUTE STALLED, LEAVING ME STOPPED IN THE MIDDLE OF 5 LANES. AS THE LIGHT WAS TURNING GREEN & THE CARS NEARING MY REAR, HAD TO SWERVE AROUND TO AVOID A COLLISION. I HAD PLACED MY SHIFTER INTO PARK AND WAS ABLE TO RESTART MY VEHICLE, BUT IT STILL WOULD NOT MOVE AFTER SHIFTING INTO D(DRIVE). SO I SHIFTED INTO ONE OF THE LOWER GEARS, TO SLOWLY GET OFF THE STREET AND INTO THE NEAREST PARKING LOT. I PARKED AND SHUT MY VEHICLE OFF, MADE SURE ALL WAS INTACT THEN RESTARTING MY VEHICLE. I SHIFTED INTO R(REVERSE) AND BACKED UP NORMALLY, I THEN SHIFTED INTO D(DRIVE) BUT MY CAR ONLY ROLLED AS THOUGH IT WAS IN N(NEUTRAL). SO I SHIFTED INTO R(REVERSE), BACKED DIRECTLY INTO MY PARKING SPACE AND CALLED MY ROADSIDE ASSIST. TO BE TOWED HOME.
TAKATA RECALL, LIGHT CONTINUES TO FLASH WHILE DRIVING AND SITTING IN PARK, GOING DOWN THE HIGHWAY OR CITY STREETS.DRIVING DOWN THE HIGHWAY THE CAR STOPPED PULLING WITH TRAFFIC SPEED OF 65 MPH HAD TO MANEUVER OFF THE HIGHWAY. WOULDN'T PULL IN ANY GEAR, SHIFTER ONLY HAD ONE GEAR IT WOULD SIT IN WILL SLIDE FROM NEUTRAL TO DRIVE 2. COST $224.00 TO TOW WHICH I HAD TO BORROW.
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 CANNOT 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: POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:CONTROL MODULE (TCM, PCM) DATE ANNOUNCED: 4/14/2004 DESCRIPTION OF RECALL: ON CERTAIN SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH 3.0L V6 DURATEC ENGINES , DURING DECELERATION, THE ENGINE CAN STALL. ACTION NEEDED TO FIX IT: DEALERS WILL REPROGRAM THE POWER CONTROL MODULE (PCM) WITH THE APPROPRIATE CALIBRATION. THE RECALL BEGAN ON MAY 3, 2004. OWNERS SHOULD CONTACT MAZDA AT 1-800-222-5500. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR
MY WIFE WAS IN THE PARKING LOT AT CHURCH WAITING FOR A CAR TO PULL AWAY SO SHE COULD PARK. THE CAR STARTED TO ROLL FORWARD SO SHE STEPPED HARDER ON THE BRAKE. THE CAR LURCHED AHEAD CRASHING INTO THE CAR IN FRONT OF HER. MY WIFE IS QUITE SURE SHE HAD HER FOOT ON THE BRAKE. AS SHE TOLD ME ABOUT THIS I STARTED REMEMBERING AN EVENT. THIS CAR HAD BELONGED TO MY FATHER WHO HAS SINCE PASSED AWAY. HE PURCHASED IT NEW. I'M NOT EXACTLY SURE OF THE DATE, BUT I BELIEVE IT WAS IN THE FIRST YEAR OF OWNERSHIP. HE WAS PARKING AT A HOSPITAL WHEN ALL OF A SUDDEN THE VEHICLE WAS TAKING OFF AND PUSHING THE CAR IN FRONT OF HIM. I FIGURED HE WAS HAVING A SENIOR MOMENT AND HAD HIS FOOT ON THE WRONG PEDAL. I DID SOME QUICK RESEARCH TODAY AND FOUND THAT OTHERS HAVE HAD THIS PROBLEM. MAYBE MY FATHER WAS DOING ALL THE RIGHT THINGS AND IT REALLY WAS THE CARS FAULT. I ALSO SEE THAT THERE HAVE BEEN RECALLS ON THIS MATTER. I'M NOT SURE IF ANY OF THESE ISSUES WERE ADDRESSED WHEN MY FATHER HAD THE CAR, BUT I WILL BE CHECKING IT OUT. I HOPE YOU WILL BE CONTINUING TO FOLLOW UP ON THIS. THIS IS A SCARY AND DANGEROUS ISSUE THAT DESERVES YOUR ATTENTION. WHEN THINGS START EFFECTING YOUR DRIVING RECORD, INSURANCE COSTS, AND MAKE YOU PAY DEDUCTIBLES WHEN IT IS NOT YOUR FAULT SOMETHING NEEDS TO CHANGE! *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 MAZDA TRIBUTE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE TRANSMISSION WAS DEFECTIVE AND WOULD NEED TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED BUT OFFERED NO ASSISTANCE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 55,913. UPDATED 5/9/11 *CN THE TRANSMISSION WAS REPLACED. UPDATED 05/16/11
MY 2003 MAZDA TRIBUTE JUST RECENTLY BEGAN LOSING POWER. LATE LAST WEEK I NOTICED IT WASN'T GRABBING AS IT SHOULD SHIFTING (AUTOMATIC) BETWEEN THIRD AND FOURTH GEAR. TOOK IT TOOK RECOMMENDED REPAIR SHOW AND THEY ARE INDICATING TRANSMISSION REBUILD IS REQUIRED. I JUST CHECKED THE FLUID LEVEL LAST WEEK AND ABOUT TWO OR THREE WEEKS PRIOR AND ALL WAS WELL THERE. ENGINE BLEW ON SAME VEHICLE AT 70K MILES DESPITE OIL CHANGES EVERY 3000 MILES. REPAIR SHOP ESTIMATE: $3500 FOR THE FOLLOWING: FILTER, OVERDRIVE BAND, BUSHING KIT, BEARINGS, DRIVE CHAIN, TORQUE CONVERTER, SOLENOID BLOCK, MLP SWITCH, FORWARD PLANETARY GEAR, AND FLUID. I CANNOT BELIEVE A VEHICLE THIS AGE WITH LESS THAN 80,000 MILES HAS LOST AN ENGINE AND TRANSMISSION UNDER NORMAL WEAR AND TEAR, WHEN PROPER MAINTENANCE HAS BEEN PERFORMED. CARMAX DID HONOR THE WARRANTY FOR THE ENGINE FAILURE, BUT THE EXTENDED WARRANTY COVERAGE ONLY EXTENDS TO 75K. *TR
VEHICLE STALLS WITHOUT WARNING ON OCCASIONS WHEN I STOP AT LIGHTS OR STOP SIGNS. IT RESTARTS EACH TIME. II TOOK MY CAR TO THE DEALER. LEFT IT THERE 3-4 DAYS AND THE DEALER COULD NOT EXPLAIN WHAT IS WRONG OR FIX THE PROBLEM. *TR
MY 03 MAZDA TRIBUTE ES ABS LIGHT CAME ON AT 80K. UPON INSPECTION THE LEFT FRONT DRIVE AXLE ABS SPEED SENSOR RING WAS BROKEN. THE RING IS NOT AVAILABLE ANYWHERE AND MAZDA TOLD ME THE SHAFT WILL HAVE TO BE REPLACED. THE PART ALONE $325. PLUS LABOR. THE MAZDA PARTS PEOPLE TOLD ME IT'S A SHAME THAT YOU CAN'T JUST REPLACE THE RING. AND THAT THERE KNOWN FOR BRAKING. IT DOES EFFECT THE OPERATION OF THE BRAKES. I HAVE NOT REPLACED THE SHAFT YET STILL LOOKING FOR THE RING. *TR
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 MAZDA TRIBUTE. WHILE DRIVING BETWEEN 45-65 MPH, THE VEHICLE MAKES A LOUD VIBRATING SOUND AS IF THE TRANSMISSION WAS FAILING. THE CONTACT FEELS THAT THE DRIVESHAFT WILL SPIT IN HALF. THE FINAL ASSESSMENT WAS THAT THE TORQUE CONVERTER NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE PURCHASE DATE WAS UNKNOWN. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 91,000 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 87,000.
ON FEBURARY 5,2007 THE TRANSMISSION IN MY MAZDA TRIBUTE WENT. I HAVE ONLY 61,000 MILES ON THE VEHICLE AT THE TIME AND HAVE OWNED THE VEHICLE SINCE 11/2002. THE REASON FOR MY FILING THE COMPLIANT IS THE RECALL SHOWN IN DATA REGARDING THE TRIBUTE TRANSMISSION. I HAD TO REPLACE THE TRANSMISSION AT MY OWN COST. I WAS NEVER INFORMED ABOUT THIS RECALL BY MAZDA.*AK
AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION FAILURE ON 2003 MAZDA TRIBUTE ES (AWD & 4WD) WITH 100,000 MILES. TRANSMISSION CUT OUT WHILE DRIVING AND WOULD NOT SHIFT INTO ANY FORWARD GEAR. ONLY REVERSE WAS FUNCTIONAL AND APPARENTLY NOT AFFECTED BY FAILURE. HAD SUV HAULED ON FLAT-BED TO DEALER WHO INITIALLY INDICATED THAT IT WAS PROBABLY THE LINKAGE, BUT THEY COULD NOT GET IT TO SHIFT INTO ANY FORWARD GEAR EITHER (ONLY REVERSE). UPON FURTHER INSPECTION DEALER INDICATED TRANSMISSION WAS BLOWN, REQUIRING A COMPLETE REPLACEMENT, COSTING ALMOST $4K. *NM
ON 8-25-2006 MY TRIBUTE WAS TOWED TO STAR MAZDA OF GLENDALE. THE PCM WAS RECALLED AND NEEDED TO BE REPAIRED, BUT THE BATTERY AND ALTERNATOR WHERE RUINED. ROUGHLY TWO WEEKS PRIOR TO TODAY, THESE TWO ITEMS HAD BEEN REPLACED AT A COST OF $900. THESE REPAIRS WHERE MADE BY MY MECHANIC WITHOUT MY AUTHORIZATION, WHILE I WAS ATTEMPTING TO VERIFY THE WARRANTY ON THE TRIBUTE. ONCE THE VEHICLE ARRIVED AT STAR MAZDA, I WAS TOLD I NEEDED TO AUTHORIZE AN EIGHTY FIVE DOLLAR EXAMINATION FEE BECAUSE THE BATTERY WAS NOW DEAD. AN EXPLANATION INDICATED THAT THIS FEE WAS APPLIED BECAUSE THE BATTERY WAS NOT A MAZDA BATTERY AND HAD NOT BEEN INSTALLED BY A MAZDA MECHANIC. AN EMPLOYEE THEN PROCEEDED TO TELL ME THAT ALTHOUGH MY VEHICLE WAS UNDER WARRANTY, I WAS GOING TO BE CHARGED $1,100 TO REPLACE BOTH THE BATTERY AND THE ALTERNATOR. ON TOP OF THAT I WAS TOLD THAT THE PCM WOULD NOT BE REPAIRED UNTIL THE NON-MAZDA PRODUCTS WERE REMOVED AND REPLACED. FOLLOWING THAT LAST BIT OF NEWS, I WAS INFORMED THAT I WAS NOT ENTITLED TO A RENTAL. I AM OUTRAGED OVER THE FACT THAT I WAS NEVER NOTIFIED BY WEST COVINA MAZDA OF THESE RECALLS! THEY ARE CLEARLY SERIOUS DEFECTS AND COULD HAVE RESULTED IN A COLLISION. IT IS MY OPINION THAT THE FAULTY PCM DESTROYED A BRAND NEW ALTERNATOR AND BATTERY IN LESS THAN TWO WEEKS. *JB
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: 2003 MAZDA TRIBUTE LX AWD - PURCHASED BRAND NEW FROM ROTO MAZDA OF ARLINGTON HEIGHTS, IL. ALL SERVICES LIKE REGULAR OIL CHANGES WERE DONE WITHIN THE RECOMMENDED TIME. COMPLAINT: THE VEHICLE STALLS WITHOUT ANY WARNING. WE TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER FEW TIMES WHILE IT WAS IN WARRANTY (LESS THAN 36000 MILES). THE DEALER ASSURED THAT THE SAFETY RECALL FOR MAZDA TRIBUTE IS ALREADY IN PLACE. THEY COULDN'T FIND ANYTHING WRONG WITH THE SUV. THE VEHICLE STALLED AGAIN YESTERDAY WHILE I WAS PULLING OUT OF THE DRIVEWAY (ON REVERSE) IT CAME TO A STOP AND DIED.(THIS IS THE SECOND TIME IN LAST SIX MONTHS) I HAD TO RESTART THE CAR. IT STARTS IMMEDIATELY. IT STALLED TODAY. I WAS WAITING AT A TRAFFIC SIGNAL AND WHEN IT TURNED GREEN, I STARTED TO ACCELERATE AND IT DIED. (THIS HAPPENED ABOUT 4 TIMES IN LAST SIX MONTHS) I AM AFRAID THAT ONE OF THESE DAYS I AM GOING TO GET REAR ENDED. WE TOOK IT TO THE DEALER TWO TIMES WITH THE SAME COMPLAINT AND THEY COULDN'T FIND ANY THING WRONG WITH THE VEHICLE. DO I HAVE A LEMON? DID YOU RECEIVE SIMILAR COMPLAINTS ? MY CAR HAS 36300 MILES NOW AND OTHERWISE EXCELLENT CONDITION. THANK YOU.*JB
VEHICLE HAS STALLED IN MAJOR INTERSECTIONS ON AT LEAST 10 OCCASIONS WHEN REMOVING FOOT FROM GAS. VEHICLE HAS BEEN REPAIRED BY DEALER ON 4 OCCASIONS, REPLACING THE IAC VALVE WITH UPDATED MODELS ON AT LEAST TWO SEPARATE OCCASIONS. NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBERS: 04V583000 AND/OR 04V175000 HAVE DEALT WITH SIMILAR COMPLAINTS. MAZDA NORTH AMERICA IS NOW REQUIRING ME TO DO AN "EXTENSIVE TEST DRIVE ON PUBLIC ROADS IN VERO BEACH, FLORIDA WITH THEIR REPRESENTATIVE IN ORDER TO DUPLICATE MY CONCERN". I HAVE INFORMED MAZDA NORTH AMERICA BY MAIL ON TWO OCCASIONS AND BY TELEPHONE ON FOUR OCCASIONS THAT THIS VEHICLE IS INHERENTLY DANGEROUS AND WILL CAUSE INJURY TO SOMEONE. I HOLD MAZDA NORTH AMERICA RESPONSIBLE FOR ANY SUCH INJURIES. RUSH D. LAWSON. I ASK THE NHTSA TO INVESTIGATE THIS COMPLAINT AND TO INQUIRE AS TO WHY MAZDA NORTH AMERICA IS KNOWINGLY PLACING CONSUMERS AND INNOCENT INDIVIDUALS ON THE STREETS AT RISK IN A VEHICLE WHICH IS KNOWN TO BE INHERENTLY DANGEROUS. *NM *JB
THE RPM ON THIS VEHICLE JUMPS EVEN IF I AM AT A FULL STOP SOMETIMES IT RACES EVEN IF THE CAR IS IN PARK TOOK THE CAR TO SEVERAL SHOPS HAD SEVERELY PARTS REPLACED. *TR
I RECENTLY PURCHASED A NEW 2003 MAZDA TRIBUTE SUV. AT TIMES IT IS DIFFICULT TO GET IT OUT OF THE PARK POSITION AFTER I START THE ENGINE. AT OTHER TIMES IT WILL NOT START UNTIL I FORCE THE STEERING WHEEL TO MOVE. IS THIS INHERENT IN THIS MODEL? *NLM
WHEN THE CONSUMER APPLIED PRESSURE TO THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL THE VEHICLE DID NOT MOVE. *NLM
#1-TRANSMISSION FAILURE @ 3617 MILES. VEHICLE 3 MONTHS OLD. MFG SOLUTION/REMANUFACTURED TRANSMISSION VS NEW..#2-REQUESTED REPAIR OF SMART UNLOCKING FEATURE AS STATED IN OWNERS MANUAL ON PAGE 70 OF PART #9999-95-014C-03..MFG SOLUTION/WILL CORRECT OWNERS MANUAL..SOMETHING ISN'T RIGHT WITH THESE SOLUTIONS..SERVICING DEALER HAS DONE EVERYTHING IN IT'S POWER TO CORRECT TO CORRECT THESE ISSUES & MAINTAIN GOOD RELATIONS..MAZDA MFG IS RELUCTANT TO MOVE BEYOND THESE SOLUTIONS...... *NLM
Complaints are unverified consumer reports submitted to NHTSA. A high complaint count may reflect vehicle popularity, not defect severity. Data sourced from NHTSA public records.
Data synced from NHTSA on Apr 25, 2026