Your vehicle report
2006 Mazda Tribute
The problems owners report. The recalls to check. The evidence behind each.
Your vehicle at a glance
Complaint patterns and official recall records, kept distinct.
- Owner complaints
- 130
- Received Feb 2006 to Jun 2023
Owner reports
Most reported problems
- 1Unintended acceleration despite braking31 complaints · 24% of this vehicle’s complaints
- 2Frame rusts and corrodes through10 complaints · 7.7% of this vehicle’s complaints
- 3Electronic throttle body fails and cuts power7 complaints · 5.4% of this vehicle’s complaints
Official NHTSA records
Recalls to check
- Recall #12V357000Mazda is recalling certain model year 2001 through 2006, and 2008, Tribute vehicles equipped with 3.0L V6 engines and speed control. Inadequate clearance between the engine cover and the speed control cable connector could result in a stuck throttle when the accelerator pedal is fully or almost-fully depressed. This risk exists regardless of whether or not speed control (cruise control) is used.
- Recall #05V525000On certain trucks and sport utility vehicles, the windshield wiper motor may have been produced without grease applied to the output shaft gear.
BrakeNews signals
Flagged complaint patterns
Unusual complaint patterns with no matched recall yet. A flag does not mean a recall will happen.
No problems currently meet BrakeNews’s flagging criteria. This is not a safety rating.
How flags are identifiedComplaint counts reflect reports submitted to NHTSA, not failure rates or a reliability ranking. Reported in these complaints: 9 crashes, 1 fire, 4 people injured, 3 deaths.
Explore by system
Where do owners report problems?
Choose an area on the car or a system below to explore the reported problems.
Illustrative only; not this vehicle’s exact design. Areas represent complaint categories, not confirmed defective parts.
Showing all 8 listed problems by system.
Engine & powertrain
Brakes
Electrical & lights
No problems in this category meet this page’s listing criteria. This does not establish that the system is free of problems.
Airbags, belts & seats
Steering, suspension & tires
Body, doors & glass
Driver assistance
No problems in this category meet this page’s listing criteria. This does not establish that the system is free of problems.
Other
No problems in this category meet this page’s listing criteria. This does not establish that the system is free of problems.
Complaint history
When NHTSA received these reports. Changes in reporting alone do not establish a change in failure rates.
Show as a table
| Year | Complaints |
|---|---|
| 2006 | 8 |
| 2007 | 5 |
| 2008 | 2 |
| 2009 | 9 |
| 2010 | 14 |
| 2011 | 12 |
| 2012 | 12 |
| 2013 | 9 |
| 2014 | 18 |
| 2015 | 9 |
| 2016 | 8 |
| 2017 | 10 |
| 2018 | 7 |
| 2019 | 4 |
| 2020 | 2 |
| 2021 | 0 |
| 2022 | 0 |
| 2023 | 1 |
| 2024 | 0 |
| 2025 | 0 |
| 2026 (to Oct 2026) | 0 |
| Total | 130 |
Problems owners report
Listed groups have at least 3 complaints. The page includes the 20 largest groups plus any additional flagged groups; some complaints are not assigned to a group.
| Problem | Complaints | Share | Share ratio | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Unintended acceleration despite braking | 31 | 24% | – | NHTSA recall #12V357000 |
| Frame rusts and corrodes through | 10 | 7.7% | – | |
| Electronic throttle body fails and cuts power | 7 | 5.4% | – | |
| Tires blow out or tread separates | 4 | 3.1% | – | |
| Seat belt fails to latch or retract | 3 | 2.3% | – | |
| Automatic transmission shifts unexpectedly or slips | 3 | 2.3% | – | |
| Brake pedal sinks due to leaking lines | 3 | 2.3% | – | |
| Suspension clunking or rattling noise over bumps | 3 | 2.3% | – |
AI groups complaints by meaning; the groups are approximate. Share ratio compares the problem’s share of this vehicle’s complaints with its share on other vehicles over the last 24 months (shown from 3 recent complaints). A 2× ratio means twice the complaint share, not twice the failure risk. Flags mark unusual shares or recent surges after an AI review of the complaint content. “First signal” does not mean the pattern has persisted continuously.How recall estimates are calculated.
Recalls
NHTSA recall #12V357000July 27, 2012217,500 vehicles affected
engine and engine cooling; vehicle speed control: cables
Mazda is recalling certain model year 2001 through 2006, and 2008, Tribute vehicles equipped with 3.0L V6 engines and speed control. Inadequate clearance between the engine cover and the speed control cable connector could result in a stuck throttle when the accelerator pedal is fully or almost-fully depressed. This risk exists regardless of whether or not speed control (cruise control) is used.
A stuck throttle may result in very high vehicle speeds and make it difficult to stop or slow the vehicle, which could cause a crash, serious injury or death.
Remedy
Mazda will notify owners, and dealers will repair the vehicles by increasing the engine cover clearance, free of charge. Remedy parts are now available. The safety recall began on September 13, 2012. Owners may contact Mazda Customer Assistance Center at 1-800-222-5500, option #6.
NHTSA recall #05V525000November 17, 20053,982 vehicles affected
visibility: windshield wiper/washer: motor
On certain trucks and sport utility vehicles, the windshield wiper motor may have been produced without grease applied to the output shaft gear.
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 function. Inoperative wipers under inclement weather conditions could cause a crash due to impaired visibility.
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.
Other model years
About this data
NHTSA complaints and recalls through October 2026. Complaints are counted once each, however many components they name. Original complaints are on NHTSA's page for the 2006 Mazda Tribute.
Problem groups are formed by AI and may be approximate. BrakeNews flags unusual complaint patterns; they are not official defect findings. Investigation reports are written and checked by AI, with no human review. Owner reports do not establish that a defect exists.
Read the methodology and track record · Check current recalls by VIN