2006 Mazda Tribute
The Verdict
The 2006 Mazda Tribute has 135 owner complaints filed with NHTSA. The most reported issues are body (61 complaints) and engine (37 complaints). With a Klunk Score of 67/100, it earns a "Solid Pick" rating. If you're shopping for a Mazda Tribute, consider the 2011 model year which has 89% fewer complaints.
Safe Bet
The 2011 has 89% fewer complaints
View the 2011 Mazda Tribute dashboard →
Klunk Score: Solid Pick
Fewer complaints than most vehicles. Generally dependable, but check the top problems below.
How is this calculated?
The Klunk Score ranks this vehicle year against all others in our database based on total owner complaints filed with NHTSA. 100 = fewest complaints (top tier), 0 = most complained-about. Scores above 60 are better than average; below 40 means more problems than most.
Recalls 1
Active safety recalls from NHTSA for this vehicle year.
ON CERTAIN TRUCKS AND SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES, THE WINDSHIELD WIPER MOTOR MAY HAVE BEEN PRODUCED WITHOUT GREASE APPLIED TO THE OUTPUT SHAFT GEAR.
Risk
AFTER A PERIOD OF CONTINUOUS USE ON THE HIGH SPEED SETTING, LACK OF GREASE ON THE OUTPUT SHAFT GEAR MAY CAUSE THE GEAR TEETH TO DISTORT OR FRACTURE DURING OPERATION RESULTING IN THE LOSS OF WIPER F...
Remedy
DEALERS WILL INSPECT THE WIPER MOTOR FOR THE PRESENCE OF GREASE AND GREASE THE WIPER MOTOR GEARS IF NECESSARY. THE RECALL BEGAN ON NOVEMBER 28, 2005. OWNERS MAY CONTACT MAZDA AT 1-800-222-5500.
Reported Apr 10, 2026
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Under the Hood
Each number is a complaint. Darker = bigger problem.
By Category
By Severity
Worst Problems
Complaints
2006 MAZADA TRIBUTE- Consumer sent a request to Mazda North America to request estimate for cost of repair for replacement of the sensor and switches on the doors and service to the "door ajar" alarm system. Mazda customer care stated they wouldn't be able to provide assistance in the issue. The vehicle is out of warranty and there is no open recalls or special service programs. Consumer resubmitted request to Mazda. Consumer states: "This is the responsibility of the manufacturer! This feature·, (Door Ajar) notification is a major preventative safety item that should have an interrupt feature within. It does not! The defect of malfunction, ringing of the chime, is a conscience detraction element that cannot be tolerated continuously!" The consumer stated the cost of repairs will cost $4590 and feels this is the responsibility of the manufacturer.
WE PURCHASED A USED 2006 MAZDA TRIBUTE WITH ABOUT 83,000 MILES ON IT FROM A CAR DEALER. LESS THAN 2 MONTHS AFTER PURCHASING IT, THE TIMING CHAIN BROKE AND THE ENGINE FAILED. THE ENGINE FAILED AFTER THE CAR WAS PARKED AND WE ATTEMPTED TO RESTART IT.
THE REAR RIGHT WHEEL WELL AREA WHERE THE SHOCK ABSORBER ATTACHES TO THE FRAME OF THE VEHICLE BUSTED OUT. IT NO LONGER HOLDS THE SHOCK IN PLACE TO ABSORB A BUMP. I WAS RECENTLY INFORMED BY A BODYSHOP PERSON THAT THERE WAS A RECALL THAT I WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF. WOULD YOU LET ME KNOW IF THIS IS TRUE? *TR
2006 MAZDA TRIBUTE ,RIGHT REAR WHEEL WELL RUSTED AWAY,LEAVING SHOCK FLOATING AND BANGING AROUND IN WHEEL WELL FIRST NOTICED IN JUNE 2015
HEARD NOISE OF KNOCKING RATTLING 2014-15 HAD IT TOWED TO MACHANIC AND THEY INFORMED ME OF I NEEDED A NEW ENGINE. GOT IT REPLACED WITH A JASPER REBUILT. RIGHT AT 4 YEARS IT HAPPENS AGAIN, ONE YR AFTER WARRANTY. RESEARCHING FOR EITHER RESELL VALUE OR NEW ENGINE GAME ACROSS A PLEATHERA OF SEEZED ENGINES AND THROWN RODS. MOST VEHICLES HAS GREAT BODY BUT BLOWN ENGINE.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 MAZDA TRIBUTE. WHEN THE CONTACT'S SON EXITED THE VEHICLE AND SHUT THE DOOR, THE FRONT DRIVER AND PASSENGER AIR BAGS, ALONG WITH THE SIDE AIR BAGS DEPLOYED. THE CONTACT AND PASSENGER WERE BOTH INJURED, BUT DID NOT RECEIVE MEDICAL ATTENTION. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED AND THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE CONTACT'S HOME. AN UNKNOWN DEALER WAS CONTACTED AND STATED THAT THEIR SERVICE DEPARTMENT WAS CLOSED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 105,000.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 MAZDA TRIBUTE. WHILE DRIVING 85 MPH AND DEPRESSING THE BRAKE PEDAL. THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED WITHOUT WARNING. THE BRAKE PEDAL HAD TO BE DEPRESSED MULTIPLE TIMES TO SLOW THE VEHICLE DOWN. THE CONTACT DROVE THE VEHICLE HOME. ALSO, WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS IN DRIVE, IT ACCELERATED AT FULL THROTTLE. THE CONTACT CALLED KINSEL FORD (LOCATED AT 3355 EASTEX FWY, BEAUMONT, TX 77706, (409) 899-4000) AND WAS INFORMED THAT THE VIN WAS INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 12V357000 (ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING, VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL). THE DEALER STATED THAT IF THE FAILURE WAS RELATED TO THE RECALL, THERE WOULD BE NO CHARGE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO A DEALER AND WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 115,000.
GAS PEDAL STICKS MAKING IT HARD TO ACCELERATE. DANGEROUS WHEN IN TRAFFIC AND GAS PEDAL WILL NOT MOVE. WHETHER IT IS SUMMER OR WINTER TRYING TO ACCELERATE IS BECOMING VERY DANGEROUS WHEN DRIVING.
HELLO - OUR 2006 MAZDA TRIBUTE RECENTLY HAD ISSUES RELATED TO SPIDER WEBS IN THE VENT HOSE - IN THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT NOTES, THE FOLLOWING ISSUES WERE NOTED RELATED TO THE FUEL TANK: CANISTER VENT FILTER AND HOSE: END OF VENT HOSE AT TOP OF FILLER KNECK PLUGGED WITH SPIDER WEBS THIS RESEMBLES ISSUES THAT PROMPTED THE RECALL OF LATER MODELS, HOWEVER IN CONTACTING MAZDA, NOBODY HAS RESPONDED TO MY CONCERN, BASICALLY STATING THAT THIS RECALL DOES NOT APPLY TO THIS YEAR - I DO UNDERSTAND THAT, BUT SINCE THE ISSUE IS IDENTICAL, I WOULD THINK THAT THEY WOULD AT LEAST WANT TO KNOW ABOUT IT AND HAVE A REPORTING SYSTEM FOR IT? BEFORE TAKING THE CAR TO THE MECHANIC, IT WOULD ONLY ACCEPT 10 DOLLARS OF GAS AT A TIME, WHICH SHOWS PRESSURE BUILD UP. THIS SAME VEHICLE WAS FOUND TO HAVE WATER IN THE TANK ABOUT A YEAR AGO AND I WONDER IF THE VENT HOSE IS ALSO THE CULPRIT HTTPS://WWW.USATODAY.COM/STORY/DRIVEON/2014/04/09/MAZDA-SPIDERS/7494105/
"TAKATA RECALL" I HAD AN AIRBAG FAILURE AFTER HITTING A DEER AT 65 MILES PER HOUR ON THE HWY. THE CHARGE IN THE AIRBAG WENT OFF BUT THE AIR BAG DID NOT DEPLOY. THE AIRBAG LIGHT REMAINS ON. I NEED THIS FIXED!
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 MAZDA TRIBUTE. WHILE MAKING A LEFT TURN, THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED AND TRAVELED TO THE FLOORBOARD. ON ANOTHER OCCASION, THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED, BUT THE VEHICLE STALLED IN THE MIDDLE OF THE ROAD. THE VEHICLE WAS PULLED OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. THE CONTACT WALKED TO SULLIVAN FORD LINCOLN INC (759 MAGEE DR, BROOKHAVEN, MS 39601, (601) 833-7521), BUT THEY WERE UNABLE TO ASSIST THE CONTACT. THE VEHICLE WAS THEN TOWED TO BILL HOOD MAZDA (333 N MORRISON BLVD, HAMMOND, LA 70401, (866) 726-1249) WHERE THE VEHICLE WAS AWAITING TO BE DIAGNOSED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 250,000.
THIS INVOLVES MY DRIVERS SIDE DOOR THAT CAN NO LONGER BE OPENED BY MY REMOTE..IT ALL STARTED AFTER GETTING A NEW BATTERY INSTALLED..ALL THE OTHER DOORS ON MY SUV OPEN AND LOCK WITH THE REMOTE. THE DRIVERS SIDE DOOR IS THE ONLY DOOR THAT I HAVE TO USE MY CAR KEY TO OPEN. THERE MUST BE SOME DEFECT. I'VE READ THAT OTHERS WHO HAVE MAZDA TRIBUTES HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM AFTER A NEW BATTERY IS INSTALLED.
DRVING ON THE HIGWAY AND THE CAR TURN OFF LOST POWER ,LOST STEEING, I WAS ABLE TO CONTROL THE VEICLE .PULL OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE HIGWAY, WAITED FOR A WHILE , STARTED AGAIN BUT THE SPEED WAS DO MILES , ENGINE BIBRATING,MECHANIC SAYS THAT NEED TO REPLACE THE PCM AND 6 IDG COILS
LAST NIGHT 01/11/2018, I WAS DRIVING HOME AND MY AIRBAG LIGHT CAME ON. THIS MORNING MY GAS PEDAL WAS STICKING, AND IT WAS HARD TO DRIVE/GO. ONCE I REACHED THE MAIN STREET, IT WAS HARD TO ACCELERATE. NOW THE AIRBAG LIGHT WON'T GO OFF.
MY GAS PEDAL IS STICKING INTERMITTENTLY. ACCORDING TO MY INTERNET SEARCH, THE V6'S FOR THIS MODEL WAS RECALLED, BUT NOT THE 4 CYLINDER VERSION I HAVE. I HAVE TO BELIEVE IT IS A SIMILAR PROBLEM. I JUST WANT IT TO GET FIXED AS IT IS A SAFETY ISSUE. EITHER IT IS GOING TO GET STUCK IN THE FULL SPEED MODE OR NOT LET ME CHANGE OUT OF A 2 MILES AND HOUR MODE.
TAKATA RECALL OUR CAR WAS IN A COLLISION IN 2011 AND THE AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. WE WONDERED WHY AS WE WERE TRAVELING ABOUT 35-40 MPH ON A HIGHWAY
EXPERIENCING SAME ISSUES WITH THE FRONT SUBFRAME/ENGINE CRADLE AS INDICATED IN THE 2001-2004 MAZDA TRIBUTE/FORD ESCAPE RECALL. THIS IS A 2006, WITH THE SAME EXACT ISSUE OF THE SUBFRAME RUSTING OUT AND BREAKING ON THE PASSENGER SIDE. THIS IS ABSOLUTELY INSANE! THE RECALL SHOULD HAVE INCLUDED 2005 AND 2006 VEHICLES AS WELL! I'M LOOKING AT THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS TO HAVE A SUBFRAME PUT IN AND THE REST OF MY VEHICLE IS RUST FREE, SO YOU CAN OBVIOUSLY TELL I TAKE GOOD CARE TO WASH THE UNDERNEATH OF THE VEHICLE!
DRIVERS SIDE REAR SHOCK BROKE COMPLETELY AWAY FROM FRAME. (TOP SIDE). PASSENGER SIDE REAR WHEEL WELL IS RUSTING AWAY BADLY.
HEAR A LOUD BANGING SOUND FROM THE REAR PASSENGER SIDE WHEEL ON MY MAZDA TRIBUTE WHEN DRIVING APPROX 30 MILES AN HOUR ON SMOOTH ROAD. TOOK IT TO GET THE SHOCK CHECKED AND WAS SHOWN BY THE MECHANIC THAT THE REAR WHEEL WELL WAS COMPLETELY RUSTED OUT AND THE SHOCK WAS HANGING
THROTTLE STICKS AT IDLE UNTIL ENGINE WARMS UP
135 total