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KLUNK

2011 Mazda Tribute

The Verdict

97 Smooth Ride

The 2011 Mazda Tribute has 14 owner complaints filed with NHTSA. The most reported issues are body (6 complaints) and electrical (3 complaints). With a Klunk Score of 97/100, it earns a "Smooth Ride" rating.

This is the cleanest year on record. Nice pick.

97

Klunk Score: Smooth Ride

This vehicle year has significantly fewer complaints than average. A reliable choice.

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.

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Under the Hood

Each number is a complaint. Darker = bigger problem.

YearBodyBrakesElectricalEngineTransmission
2001173509019661
200295686213628
20037632373618
2004976283813
200527126234320
20066110123715
200813510171524
2009232451
201013231110
201160332

By Category

Body
6
Electrical
3
Engine
3
Transmission
2

By Severity

1
8
2
4
4
2

Worst Problems

Complaints

Body 1

The contact owns a 2011 Mazda Tribute. The contact stated while driving approximately 35 MPH, the steering wheel became firm and failed to respond to driver input. The contact stated that several unknown warning lights started to flicker, and the vehicle stalled. The contact had the vehicle towed to an independent mechanic, where it was diagnosed and determined that the battery needed to be replaced. The vehicle had been repaired. The contact stated that the failure reoccurred; however, the steering wheel became loose and unresponsive to driver input. The contact stated that on another occasion the vehicle lost power steering functionality and the steering wheel locked and could not be turned in either direction. The vehicle was towed to a dealer who diagnosed the vehicle and determined that the steering column needed to be replaced. The vehicle had not been repaired. The manufacturer had been informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 103,000.

39mo ago
Body 1

The contact owns a 2011 Mazda Tribute. The contact stated while driving approximately 30 MPH and turning the steering wheel to the left, there was a slight vibration coming from the steering wheel. The vehicle then lost power steering functionality. The contact stated no warning light was illuminated. The contact pulled off the roadway, turned off and restarted the vehicle, and the vehicle regained power steering functionality. The contact stated that the failure was intermittent but had occurred twice in one month. The contact had not taken the vehicle to a local dealer or independent mechanic to be diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer had not been informed of the failure. The contact researched online and related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 14V282000 (Steering). The failure mileage was approximately 87,000.

39mo ago
Body 4

The passenger subframe is rusted and broke the axel when driving. Glad im ok….So dangerous and the driver side is fine so bad design by ford (the tribute is like the escape)

41mo ago
Body 2

I bought the car used several years ago and in the past year have experienced the steering wheel all of a sudden appear to be locking up. I looked up the recall and found that this is a known issue with the Mazda Tribute vehicles. I checked with dealer and they agreed. I contact Mazda customer service on 3 different occasions in the last month and they have issued a case number but will not acknowledge that my vehicle is a covered VIN to be fixed. They said its not part of the recall. It is and I have asked them to look into it. When I drive and pull into a parking lot such as a Starbucks and have to make a turn off a main road the vehicle steering locks up and the recall is 7614E Mazda acknowledges that the recall is correct in which the power steering torque sensor fails but refuses to cover my specific Mazda Tribute which is 2011. This range is covered and they said they wont cover it. I need the NHTSA to investigate this and contact Mazda to enforce it being covered under the recall. When this happens I am fearful that I will not be able to turn and hit a car, a person, or a building because it becomes so hard to turn. Only remedy is to shut car off and wait 20 minutes then turn back on. Sadly Mazda keeps tell me they wont cover it.

53mo ago
Electrical 1

TWICE, WHILE DRIVING UNDER 25 MPH, AND BOTH TIMES WHILE TURNING TO THE RIGHT, THE POWER STEERING HAS STOPPED WORKING. WHEN CHECKED BY A MECHANIC, IT WAS DETERMINED TO BE THE STEERING SHAFT TORQUE SENSOR MALFUNCTIONED: CODE B2278-2F

66mo ago
Body 2

I WAS DRIVING MY VEHICLE ON A CITY STREET, AND THE STEERING SUDDENLY BEGAN TO LOCK UP. THE VEHICLE WAS IN MOTION WHEN THIS OCCURRED. I WAS NOT ABLE TO TURN OR CONTROL THE STEERING WHEEL; IT BECAME EXTREMELY HARD. I WAS NOT ON MY BRAKES, I WAS DRIVING STRAIGHT WITH MY FEET ON THE GAS. THIS HAPPENED TWICE IN THE LAST 4 DAYS. I BROUGHT THE VEHICLE TO THE MAZDA DEALERSHIP AND THEY SAID THE STEERING WHEEL COLUMN NEEDED TO BE REPLACED, THE TORQUE SENSOR, AND CALIBRATION. I READ THE 2011 MAZDA AND FORD ESCAPES THAT WAS BUILT IN THE KANSAS CITY FACTORY WERE RECALLED FOR THIS SAME EXACT ISSUE IN 2014 WHICH I DID NOT OWN THE VEHICLE AT THAT TIME.

69mo ago
Engine 1

GAS FILLER NECK GROSS EVAP LEAK / CANISTER PURGE VALVE LEAK/ CODES P0455 P0457 I WAS TOLD THAT FORD MAKES MAZDA PARTS AND FORD ESCAPE SUV TRUCKS ARE KNOWN FOR THESE PROBLEMS WITH EVAP SYSTEM?? *TR

73mo ago
Engine 1

A RECALL 16V-788 WAS PUBLISHED ON OCT. 26,2016 AND HAS YET TO BE REMEDIED. THE STATUS SHOWS "RECALL INCOMPLETE, REMEDY NOT YET AVAILABLE". IT HAS BEEN OVER 14 MONTHS. THIS NEEDS TO BE COMPLETED. WE HAVEN'T BEEN NOTIFIED OF THE RECALL (THAT WE CAN REMEMBER) NOR CAN IT BE COMPLETED OVER 14 MONTHS LATER.

103mo ago
Engine 2

DRIVING ON HIGHWAY, ENGINE JUST FAILED TO ACCELERATE SUDDENLY AND HAD TO COAST OVER TO THE BREAKDOWN LANE. ENGINE DID NOT TURN COMPLETELY OFF AS IT CONTINUED TO HESITATE AND RPMS FLUCTUATED BETWEEN 500-1000 BUT GAS PEDAL WOULD NOT ACCELERATE CAR. IMMEDIATELY PUT HAZARD LIGHTS ON SO CARS BEHIND ME WOULD KNOW THAR I WAS NOT AT CONSTANT SPEED ANYMORE. *TR

146mo ago
Electrical 4

HEAD-ON COLLISION WITH POWER POLE AT 55 MPH. DRIVER AIR BAG FAILED TO DEPLOY. (NO PASSENGERS ON BOARD). *TR

147mo ago
Transmission 1

I HAVE ALWAYS HAD AN ACCELERATION ISSUE WITH THIS VEHICLE. MANY MANY TIMES, FEELS LIKE THE CAR IS JUST NOT GOING TO MOVE WHEN I TRY TO ACCELERATE. ABOUT 4 WEEKS, AGO, CAR LITERALLY JUST WOULDN'T MOVE WHEN I WAS IN TRAFFIC, THE WRENCH LIGHT CAME ON, INDICATING A TRANSMISSION ISSUE. I HAD THE VEHICLE TOWED TO THE DEALER, WHO FOUND NOTHING. 2 DAYS AGO, EXACT SAME THING HAPPENED AGAIN, IN TRAFFIC. WE HAD THE CAR AGAIN TOWED, AND THIS TIME THEY FOUND THE THROTTLE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. I THINK IT WAS ALWAYS BAD, BUT 2011 WAS NOT A VEHICLE YEAR INCLUDED IN THE THROTTLE RECALL FOR THE MAZDA TRIBUTE. *TR

156mo ago
Transmission 2

CAR BEGIN TO SHIMMY BETWEEN GEAR SHIFTS FELT LIKE TRANSMISSION WAS GOING TO FALL OUT ON THE ROAD. SLIPPED BETWEEN GEAR SHIFTS INTERMITTENTLY AFTERWORDS

181mo ago
Electrical 1

THE AUTOMATIC PASSENGER AIRBAG SENSOR DOES NOT OPERATE PROPERLY. MY WIFE WEIGHS ABOUT 120 POUNDS AND THE LIGHT GOES ON AND OFF AT RANDOM ON THE HIGHWAY ARE JUST SITTING STILL. THE DEALER HAS ZERO SOLUTIONS AND WE ARE FOLLOWING THE INSTRUCTIONS IN THE MANUAL WHICH STATES THE WEIGHT THRESHOLD TO BE 80 LBS. IF WE'RE IN AN ACCIDENT AND HER AIRBAG DOESN'T DEPLOY THERE WILL BE A PROBLEM. VEHICLE IS AN 2011 MAZDA TRIBUTE. *TR

185mo ago
Body 1

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 MAZDA TRIBUTE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHEN DEPRESSING THE BRAKES, HE WOULD HAPHAZARDLY DEPRESS THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL SIMULTANEOUSLY. THE CONTACT HAD CONCERNS WITH THE DISTANCE BETWEEN THE TWO PEDALS AND STATED THAT THEY WERE ENTIRELY TOO CLOSE TOGETHER. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INSPECTED OR REPAIRED AND THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 4,500. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 5.

186mo ago
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