There are 7 owner-reported brakes complaints for the 2008 Mazda Tributein NHTSA's database. These are unverified consumer reports and may not reflect confirmed defects.
My brakes went out with no warning, or light on dashboard. I had the master cylinder changed and all brakes bled. The brakes went out 2months later,so changed the master cylinder again. 1 month after the brakes went out again. So I called Mazda service department and the gentleman told me to try and change the brake booster. So I changed the brake booster and master cylinder. 6 days later my brakes went out again, mazda told me they having issues with older model mazda tribute brakes going out. I have to get a rebuilt master cylinder for my car. My brakes have gone out on me 4 times and I almost wrecked each time. This is ridiculous I am scared to drive my car now and I have to keep paying a mechanic to do the repair and it's not working.
THE BRAKES STARTED TO GO DOWN TO THE FLOOR INTERMITTENTLY. THEY WILL GET HARD AND THE NEXT DAY OR TWO WILL GO BACK DOWN TO THE FLOOR. THE MASTER CYLINDER HAS BEEN CHANGED, THE BRAKES HAVE BEEN BLED. THE ROTORS ARE IN GOOD CONDITION AND HAVE BEEN TURNED AND NEW BRAKES WERE PUT ON THE CAR. THE BRAKES STILL GO DOWN TO THE FLOOR. I THINK THIS IS AN ONGOING PROBLEM WITH THIS MODEL OF CAR AND IT NEEDS TO BE ADDED AS A RECALL.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 MAZDA TRIBUTE. WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED AND ATTEMPTING TO APPLY THE BRAKES, THE BRAKE PEDAL TRAVELED TO THE FLOOR WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO DIAGNOSED AND REPLACED THE MASTER CYLINDER AND THE BRAKE BOOSTER. THE FAILURE RECURRED AND THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN BACK TO THE MECHANIC WHO DIAGNOSED AND "POWER BLED" THE BRAKES. THE FAILURE RECURRED AFTER A FEW WEEKS. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND STATED THAT THE VEHICLE HAD HIGH MILEAGE. THE FAILURE WAS NOT REMEDIED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 130,000.
AT VARIOUS TIMES BETWEEN AUGUST 2015 AND NOVEMBER 2015, MY BRAKES DID NOT RESPOND PROPERLY. AT ABOUT 3-WEEK INTERVALS, MY BRAKE PEDAL WOULD GO FARTHER DOWN TOWARD THE FLOORBOARD THAN IT USUALLY TAKES FOR ME TO STOP. THIS USUALLY HAPPENED AT LOW SPEEDS (5MPH TO 40MPH), USUALLY WHEN I AM APPROACHING A STOPLIGHT OR STOP SIGN. AFTER ALL OF THESE INSTANCES, WHENEVER I PARKED MY CAR AND STARTED A NEW TRIP, THE BRAKES WOULD GO BACK TO NORMAL. HOWEVER, ON 11/10/15, THE BRAKE PEDAL WENT ALL THE WAY TO THE FLOOR WHEN I TRIED TO STOP AT 15-20MPH. THIS WAS ON A BUSY CITY STREET, AND I HAD TO DRIVE UP ON THE MEDIAN TO AVOID HITTING THE CAR IN FRONT OF ME. I TOOK IT TO SEARS AND WAS TOLD THERE WAS NO PROBLEM WITH THE BRAKES; HOWEVER, THEY BLED THE BRAKE LINE, CHANGED THE BRAKE FLUID. THEN, I TOOK IT TO THE MAZDA DEALER AND WAS TOLD THERE WAS NO PROBLEM WITH THE BRAKES, BUT THAT THE FLUID NEEDED TO BE CHANGED. WHEN I TOOK IT TO CARMAX, THEY TOLD ME IT WAS THE MASTER CYLINDER, AND THEY REPLACED IT ALONG WITH THE FRONT ABS TONE RINGS. ON 11/25/15, TWO DAYS AFTER GETTING MY CAR BACK FROM THE CARMAX MECHANICS, THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS AGAIN FEELING LIKE IT WAS GOING FARTHER DOWN THAN NECESSARY, AND THEN IT WENT TO THE FLOOR AGAIN. THAT TIME, I WAS APPROACHING A STOP SIGN IN A RESIDENTIAL NEIGHBORHOOD, SO IT WAS AT A LOW SPEED. THE CAR IS NOW BACK AT CARMAX, AND THEY HAVE CALLED TO SAY THAT THEY CANNOT FIND ANY PROBLEM. THE SCARIEST THINGS ABOUT THIS (BESIDES THE OBVIOUS FEAR THAT MY CAR WILL CAUSE AN ACCIDENT) ARE: 1) THE RANDOM NATURE OF THESE BRAKE PROBLEMS; 2) THE FACT THAT THE BRAKE PEDAL GOES BACK TO NORMAL AFTER ONE OF THESE EVENTS; 3) MECHANICS WERE NOT SPOTTING A PROBLEM WITH MY BRAKES; AND 4) WHEN A PROBLEM WAS SPECIFIED AND SUPPOSEDLY FIXED, THE BRAKES STILL WENT OUT.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 MAZDA TRIBUTE. WHILE DRIVING 35 MPH AND ATTEMPTING TO DECELERATE, THE BRAKE PEDAL FAILED TO RESPOND AND TRAVELED TO THE FLOORBOARD. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 105,000.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 MAZDA TRIBUTE. WHILE DRIVING 55 MPH, THE BRAKE PEDAL EXTENDED TO THE FLOORBOARD WHEN DEPRESSED. THE DEALER DIAGNOSED THAT THE ABS MODULE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 143,000. THE VIN WAS INVALID.
THIS IS THE THIRD TIME IN 5 YEARS THAT WE HAVE HAD TO REPLACE THE ABS TONE RING BECAUSE IT HAS BROKEN/CRUMBLED AND CAUSED OUR BRAKES TO GO OUT WHILE DRIVING! THERE SEEMS TO BE SOME SERIOUS ISSUES WITH THE QUALITY OF THIS PRODUCT?? I FEAR FOR MY LIFE AT ALL TIMES, NEVER KNOWING WHEN ITS GOING TO DECIDE TO BREAK AGAIN. *TR
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