Problems with 2005 Mazda Tribute STRUCTURE

Tl* the contact owns a 2005 mazda tribute. the contact stated while driving 35 mph, there was an abnormal sound coming from the passenger's side rear wheel well. the vehicle was taken to woodhouse mazda located at 6603 l st, omaha, ne 68117, (402) 592-1000, to be diagnosed. the contact was informed that rear sub frame was rusted and needed to be replaced. the vehicle was not repaired. the manufacturer was informed of the failure and a case was filed. the failure mileage was 97,000.

Tl* the contact owns a 2005 mazda tribute. while driving, the liftgate flew open and several grocery items fell onto the street. the contact pulled over and closed the liftgate. the contact drove home without any further issues. in addition, the vehicle surged forward when the contact attempted to slow down. the dealer and manufacturer were not notified. the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. the failure mileage was 149,000.

While driving my 2005 mazda tribute on a paved city street, i noticed a sudden loud clanking/pounding in the passenger side, rear wheel well area. assumed it was a bad shock but soon discovered that the the wheel well had rusted completely out, there is now a hole to the inside of my car. some, but not much rust elsewhere on the vehicle (the other three wheel wells look great), but that part of the vehicle rusted through to the inside of the vehicle. not driveable anymore until this is addressed. the vehicle itself is very mechanically sound and will cared for. there are lots of examples on online forums of this exact issue, on both tributes and ford escapes. apparently there is a recall for these vehicles 01-04, but no further. exact same issue, exact same wheel well. please help!

Tl* the contact owns a 2005 mazda tribute. while driving various speeds, a loud clanking noise was present coming from the rear of the vehicle. the vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic who diagnosed that the passenger side wheel well was rusted and corroded, causing the metal to separate from the frame of the vehicle. the cause of the failure was not determined. the manufacturer and local dealer were not notified of the failure. the failure mileage was 200,000.

Tl* the contact owns a 2005 mazda tribute. the contact stated that there was rust accumulation on the rear passenger side wheel well. as a result, the contact experienced rough driving and heard banging noises coming from the rear passenger side wheel. the contact drove to an independent mechanic who informed her of the rust. the contact was informed that the vehicle was not included in a recall; therefore, the contact would be responsible for the repair cost. the manufacturer was contacted and did not assist. the contact associated the failure with nhtsa campaign number: 14v174000 (structure: frame and members), which was related to the 2001-2004 models. the vehicle was not repaired. the failure mileage was 200,000. *bf*jb

Many complaints of the rear frame of vehicle completely rusting out. the mechanics said it is unsafe to drive and costs thousands to fix. most people will not notice this until it's too late.

Tl* the contact owns a 2005 mazda tribute. the contact stated that the rear passenger subframe and shock mount were extremely corroded. halbinsel volkswagen mazda (located at 200 n 30th st, escanaba, mi 49829, (906) 789-9650) was notified, but the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. the manufacturer was not contacted. the approximate failure mileage was 136,000.

The rear wheel well is extremely rusted to the point of the shock being loose. their is a recall for 01-04 but doesn't appear to offer same recall although numerous complaints from other owners with same issue. my wife recently noticed car made a lot of noise lately from rear wheel. when i investigated it, i noticed large rust issues all over rear wheel area and shock barely holding to frame. my wife's car has been garaged all its life. we bought it new off the show room. doesn't make sense to have so much rust and now a huge safety concern. undercarriage was even cleaned throughout winter months. we can't drive vehicle because it might fall apart on road and the car could lose control.

My mechanic noticed the shock support on the passenger side rear wheel well was badly rusted and said the shock could rust completely through and enter the rear of the car. i took the car to a body shop and they told me the same thing. they see it all the time in mazda and ford escapes and it would cost more to repair than the vehicle is worth. basically this is a major problem with this model car and could potentially be very dangerous to continue driving the car and have the shock rust completely off.

The entire passenger side wheel well is completely rusted out. when compared to the other wheel wells you can see the white foam that is supposed to be on the inside of my car. there is also a plastic piece missing due to the screws loosing their hold. the car makes a noise that sounds like there is something bouncing around in the back when in reality it is the suspension.

The rear wheel well rusted out causing the shock to poke a hole thru the back of my cargo area. this created a very dangerous situation for driving. my son was driving the vehicle and almost lost complete control over the car due to this. mazda has recalled 2004 and older for this exact problem but they have not recalled 2005.

Tl* the contact owns a 2005 mazda tribute. while driving at an unknown speed, there was a loud sound coming from the rear passenger wheel of the vehicle. the contact coasted to the side of the road and noticed that the rear passenger side frame was corroded. the vehicle was taken to pugi mazda (1850 ogden ave, downers grove, il 60515, (877) 827-9086) where it was diagnosed that the rear passenger side wheel well was completely corroded and the rear shocks needed replacement. the vehicle was not repaired. the manufacturer was notified and did not assist. the approximate failure mileage was 146,100.

Our 2005 mazda tribute passenger side rear wheel well is rusted out to the point the strut has detached from it's mounting making it unsafe to drive the vehicle. this vehicle has been garage kept. a thumping noise was noticed while driving on a city street. this is what prompted me to take a look in the wheel well. the other 3 wheel wells have no rust. after doing some research, i found this is a common problem with other 2005s as well as previous model years that have a recall for the same issue. i don't understand why this year hasn't been included in the recall when it's the same issue that was occurring in earlier model years. i contacted the mazda dealership, and they reported not hearing of this issue with any 05s but they are currently fixing a 2003 with the same issue. they reported because there isn't a recall there wasn't anything they could do to help me out other than for me bringing it in to determine if they could fix it at my cost. without seeing the vehicle, they said it would likely cost at least $700 to fix depending on how extensive the rust is. i'm concerned about the safety of driving this vehicle and don't feel this is a normal occurrence for a vehicle

Entire upper mounting area for right rear shock rusted away; shock insecure at top inner fender. reattachment not possible due to extensive rust; extensive repairs required that would exceed vehicle value. our mechanic was shocked when he saw the level of rust. we were told by our auto shop that this was not normal & we should contact mazda. mazda did not resolve. we believe that this defect is similar to the defect that caused the recall of mazda tributes through year 2004 - the year before our tribute was manufactured. our vehicle cannot be repaired. we did not take photos at the shop & cannot get a good picture of the undercarriage. we can submit the documents we received from our mechanic or take the truck back to the shop for a picture of the undercarriage. thank you for helping us address our concern.

Tl* the contact owns a 2005 mazda tribute. while driving at an undisclosed speed, there was an abnormal noise coming from the rear passenger side of the vehicle. the vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic to be diagnosed. the contact was informed that there was severe corrosion on the a-frame and rear suspension support of the vehicle. the contact was informed that the rear suspension support fractured. wilkins mazda (750 n york rd, elmhurst, il 60126, (630) 279-3000) was contacted, but was unable to provide assistance with having the vehicle repaired. the vehicle was not repaired. the manufacturer was notified of the failure. the approximate failure mileage was 147,000.

Mount shock completely destroyed by rust. i did not know this until it began creating strange noises. its dangerous to drive like that. its impossible to know until it collapsed.

The passenger rear wheel well rusted out almost allowing the shock absorber to break free while the vehicle was in operation. heard a tapping sound while driving that became louder. i checked the wheel well to see if anything was wrong and saw a small piece of rusted metal had broken away. the tapping became a banging and then i felt a sway. when i got home i found that the shock had almost broke free. the vehicle is undrivable now.

Passenger rear wheel well completely rusted through leading to failure of the shock mount. shock entering the vehicle cargo area through the body.

Tl* the contact owns a 2005 mazda tribute. while driving 65 mph, the contact heard an abnormal banging/clacking noise and the vehicle swayed. the vehicle was towed to a local dealer (kings ford inc., 9555 kings auto mall rd, cincinnati, ohio 45249) where it was diagnosed that the wheel well on the rear passenger side was rusted and referred the contact to a body shop. the vehicle was not repaired. the manufacturer was notified of the issue and did not assist. the vin was unknown. the failure mileage was 157,000.

Right (passenger) rear wheel well rusted out so that shock is exposed and unattached. suspension affected to the extent that car is not safe to drive.

Our 2005 tribute model has the same rusting out of the right and left rear wheel wells that the 2001-2004 models of the tribute have experienced. those models were repaired under a recall, but this year's model and forward still have the same rusting out problem. dealers for mazda and ford won't even look at this to repair it. car is now basically undrivable. and from what i've found, mazdaworld.com says that most of these vehicle were actually manufactured in 2004 but dated to 2005 model year. but avoided the 2004 recall because of this i can find a kit on ebay to fix, but no dealers will do the work. there have been plenty of complaints, but no action on this known problem that has existed in prior model designs.

The rear right wheel well is completely rusted out and cracking. as the body shop owner explained to me that this is a huge problem with the tributes. i then looked online to find many complaints about the same problem. this is not safe to drive on

Tl* the contact owns a 2005 mazda tribute. while driving approximately 30 mph, a loud noise was heard underneath the vehicle. the contact checked and fond that the rear passenger wheel well was rusted out. the dealer was contacted (oaklawn mazda in oaklawn, illinois) who stated that there was no recall. the manufacturer also stated that there was no recall. the failure was not repaired. the failure mileage was 60,000. the vin was not provided.

This vehicle is owned by me but used by my son in colorado. on a recent trip near moab, ut on the way to a camp site, my son heard a strange noise. upon investigation he noted the frame in the right rear wheel well holding the upper end of the shock absorber had broken in two places from rust intrusion. an inspection of the left rear wheel well indicated minimal rusting. since the tires were recently replaced this failure was a surprise as the mechanic didn't note excessive rust, cracking or signs of metal fatigue. when the incident occured my son was driving on a gravel road toward a designated campground just a short distance from a paved highway. although the vehicle has 4 wheel drive, it was never used in a rough manner such as for 4 wheeling or on rough uneven surfaces. this was my personal vehicle until a year ago. we had just spent $1,500 for new tires, a carburator repair and a new windshield that a rock had cracked. it was our intent to own the vehicle a few years longer since it has only 135,000 and is in good condition. my son was able to safely return to steamboat, a 5 hour drive from moab, but was very concerned the entire shock would push through the wheel well causing the vehicle to list or drift resulting in loss of control or a rollover, i.e. serious injury or death. a local body shop refused to make repairs due to the extensive damage. to make the vehicle salvage based on its current value and condition is unthinkable, yet if repaid cannot be made at a reasonable cost, this may be our only choice. my research suggest the right rear wheel rust is fairly common in tributes and escapes, yet no recall.

Both rear wheel wells rusted out (passenger side much worse) causing shocks to come unmounted. discovered by hearing thumping noise while driving.

Tl* the contact owns a 2005 mazda tribute. while the contact was cleaning out the vehicle, he noticed that the frame was completely rusted. the dealer and manufacturer were not notified. the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. the failure mileage was approximately 109,000.

The right, rear wheel well is completely rusted through and looks like a major accident waiting to happen. the shock mount is connected to this portion of the frame and will more than likely shear off soon. upon searching this issue, it appears that several other 2005 mazda tribute and ford escape owners have experienced the same defect. mazda/ford recalled 2001-2004 models for the same problem, but has yet to address the problem for the 2005 model year. based on the widespread nature of the problem, it is obvious that this a factory defect and should be recalled either willingly or unwillingly.

This mazda tribute has extensive and unrepairable rust to the body, understructure and suspension parts than makes it unsafe to drive. structural integrity is compromised in the event of a collision, vehicle is prone to veer out of control due to missing suspension pieces and gas and exhaust fumes leak into the cabin due to rusted out and missing inner body panels. *js

I would like a complete refund of all dollars spent in acquiring a 2005 mazda tribute vin [xxx] on march 06, 2017 from certified auto brokers llc in hendersonville, tn 37075, license #[xxx]. (attached bill of sale) due to serious safety issues with this vehicle. due to extensive rust and corrosion damage, the frame is likely to collapse in the event of a rear end collision endangering the safety of its passengers, rather than crush and absorb the impact as it was originally designed to do. in addition, it is prone to swerve and possibly tip over out of control on uneven pavement due to a missing passenger side rear shock that was not disclosed prior to purchase (photos attached). the left side shock is worn out and also ready to fall off at any moment as well. because the fender wells are rusted through exhaust fumes can enter the passenger cabin which could have serious health consequences to its inhabitants. evidence suggests at some point the damaged areas were covered with paint or undercoat in an attempt to hide these defects. the drive shaft, the frame and the underside of the vehicle are severely corrosion damaged. the parking brake is inoperative due to rust and could cause the vehicle to roll down hill while parked. there is significant rust hidden underneath the fender flares. had i kept driving this vehicle i could have been severely injured and endangered the lives of others on the road. certified auto brokers was negligent in representing this vehicle as being in excellent condition and selling it with known serious safety issues (refer to attached advertisement). since the 2005 mazda tribute as sold is unsafe, unfit for the road and does not fulfill its implied usefulness, i am asking for a complete refund of the purchase price and all taxes and registration fees incurred in purchasing this vehicle. information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u.s.c. 552(b)(6). *tr

Loud banging from rear of auto during drive, found that rear passanger side shock mount and housing completely rusted out. cannot drive auto as its a safety problem as shock is not attached to anything

Rust inside the rear right wheel well has corroded the frame and metal. now it has started to rattle and i'm afraid my car will detach from that area. i've heard of many complaints about this problem. the manufacturer built it very poorly and easy for water and salt to get in that area and rust it out. there should be a recall on this. the ford escape and the mazda tribute are know for these problems. i see that for did a recall on their escape. mazda should do the same.

I was driving on an icy road, heard a loud bang, followed by a loud thumping noise from rear of vehicle. it caused me to lose control and slide into a snow bank. the right rear shock had broken loose and broke through the inside of cargo floor. i needed the suv for going to work and had to get it repaired at the cost of over $1000. i feel mazda should reimburse me for the repair bill. the whole shock tower was rusted through.i still have a hole in the inside cargo floor.

Tl* the contact owns a 2005 mazda tribute. while driving approximately 45 mph, the contact heard a banging noise underneath the front passenger seat. the contact pulled the vehicle over, looked underneath, and found that the shock of the rear passenger tire was detachted. the shock would lean against the tire while the vehicle was being turned. the contact took the vehicle to a certified mechanic who diagnosed that the shock was detached and the area were the shock was located was completely rusted. the inside finder panel and the shock needed to be replaced. the vehicle was not repaired. the manufacturer was made aware of the issue and informed the contact the vehicle was not covered by a recall. the vin was unknown. the approximate failure mileage was 145,000.

I own a 2005 tribute that has been kept in meticulous condition. always garaged and taken to the dealership for maintenance. the vehicle runs like new with no signs of wear and tear, and has been a great car. that all changed when a few weeks ago i was driving about 40 mph down a residential street, and hit a small patch of bumps in the road (not potholes, just normal uneven pavement spots) and all of a sudden heard a jackhammer noise from the back of the car. the passenger side rear wheel well had completely disintegrated, leaving the wheel/suspension detached from the vehicle body/frame. nothing was holding the suspension tower to the car. had i been going faster or didn't stop right away this could have killed me. i have three small kids and i am so upset that such a dangerous condition is well-known. the way i found out was that i immediately went to the ford/mazda dealership when the noise happened. they took in the car and called me the next morning to say they wanted nothing to do with it because their corporate ford/mazda policy instructed them not to accept or work on vehicles with this defect. i'm shocked that ford/mazda would conceal such a dangerous known condition in their vehicles, putting thousands and thousands of people at risk without any warning. if i had received some kind of notification that the problem existed i would have gone to get it fixed right away at my own expense if needed, but instead i drove thousands of miles on the highway with my kids in the car ignorant to the fact that the car could have broken apart and caused us to crash without any warning. *tr

Completely rusted out right side rear wheel well and suspension support. seems to be a common and dangerous problem. visual inspection of the rear passenger side wheel well revealed that the suspension arm was broken away from the body of the vehicle, making it unsafe to drive based on a mechanic's opinion. the suspension mount rusted completely away from the wheel well and has now exposed the interior portion of the rear cargo area. there was a recall on the front side for this issue for up to model year '04, but not including '05 which has the same body??

I went to get my oil changed and the mechanic showed me my rear wheel well. the shock mount is completely rusted out and unsafe to drive. he said he has never seen anything that bad. i have to go to a body shop and get a whole new wheel well and shock system. it is going to cost around $1100.

2005 mazda tribute rear right wheel well rusted through shock protruding into the interior of the vehicle. clear factory defect. mazda will not fix this issue.

I am also a victim of the rear passenger wheel well rotting out so bad that it can not be repaired. vehicle only has 90,000 miles on it . mazda should take responsibility for this since it is not an isolated case

Tl* the contact owns a 2005 mazda tribute. while driving at various speeds, a popping sound emitted from the vehicle. the contact pulled over and discovered that the rear passneger side wheel well was rusted. the vehicle was not diagnosed nor repaired. the manufacturer was not notified of the failure. the failure mileage was 150,720.

Tl* the contact owns a 2005 mazda tribute. while driving 65 mph, there was a loud noise coming from the rear of the vehicle. it was diagnosed that the rear tail pipe had fallen off and the passenger side wheel well was rusted out. the vehicle was not repaired. the manufacturer was made aware of the issue. the failure mileage was approximately 150,000.

While driving the vehicle at a speed of about 35 mph i felt what appeared to be a flat tire. after checking the tire, there was nothing obvious showing. at speeds about 55 mph the sensation of a flat tire ceased, however, as soon as i would slow down, it would return, along with a loud noise. i took the car in to firestone tire. they discovered that the passenger side rear wheel well is completely rusted out. the strut housing is exposed and the wheel is at risk for literally separating from the vehicle. we were told that any small rear impact could cause the rear end of the vehicle to completely separate from the rest of the car. after having the vehicle checked by several different mechanics and body shops we were told that the vehicle is unsafe to drive and requires over $5800 in repairs. after contacting mazda, they refuse to acknowledge this as a recall and the only off they made was for $1,500-$3,000 off the purchase of a brand new mazda. we have cared for our vehicle impeccably. it only has 135,000 miles on it and has always had all maintenance performed. all other areas of the vehicle are in good condition. this is obviously an issue with the parts that were used on the assembly line during production. i find it very hard to believe that only one side in one area of the vehicle would rust out like this. mazda should take responsibility for this before someone is seriously hurt or killed.

In the rear passenerger side wheel well,rusted out so bad rear shock has pulled away from body,causing jole all wsy thru car. saw online this is a commom problem with this model and sister ford escape heard recalls for 02 thru 04 models.

Tl* the contact owns a 2005 mazda tribute. while driving 30 mph, there was an abnormal sound coming from the rear passenger side of the vehicle. the contact stated that there was a grinding sound coming from the rear of the vehicle. the vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic to be diagnosed. the contact was informed that the subframe and shock mounts fractured from excessive corrosion. the vehicle was not repaired. the manufacturer was notified of the failure. the approximate failure mileage was 131,000.

The underside and even the fuel entry area is rusted and is beginning to affect the exterior paint job around the truck and doors.

Rear shock mount rusted, right side. can not drive my car and no one will buy it in this condition. the body shop cannot repair and he said it is too dangerous to drive. it can cause an accident.

Tl* the contact owns a 2005 mazda tribute. the contact stated that while driving at various speeds, an abnormal sound emitted from the rear of the vehicle. the vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed that the rear passenger side wheel well and frame was rusted and needed to be replaced. the vehicle was not repaired. the manufacturer was notified of the failure. the failure mileage was 168,000.

Extreme rust/corrosion in the wheel well area - frame degraded and fell away from the body -- shock coming loose - occurred while driving on city street - going straight.

The passenger side rear wheel well is rusted out and the shock absorber is exposed and barely supported. the driver side is fine. there was a recall for this problem for the prior 4 years to this. it will be un-driveable soon.

My right rear wheel well is completely rotted out. my body shop told me this should not ever happen. also told me it was a bad piece of steel used in the manufacture and i could have been killed if it had not been detected and i kept driving it. the rest of my suv is immaculate. i have seen other complaints on this. it is costing me $1500.00 to repair. i was driving and started hearing a rattling sound and stopped at a mechanic. my mechanic told me thank god you stopped before you got hurt.

Tl* the contact owns a 2005 mazda tribute. while driving 30 mph, the contact heard a banging noise. the vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed that the rear passenger wheel well was corroded and the shock was exposed. the vehicle was not repaired. the manufacturer was notified of the failure. the approximate failure mileage was 178,000.