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Mazda Tribute

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Comments

  • anilpunjabianilpunjabi Member Posts: 61
    another problem, teh windshield wipers stopped working, how great, when there are supposed to be 29 days of consecutive rain and clouds. My parents called this as a learnign expereince, he wishes he got us a bimmer instead, not a bad idea but a litte late.
  • vinnynyvinnyny Member Posts: 764
    I just traded in my 2003 Cavalier Junk Coupe for a 2003 Tribute ES. I was at a disadvantage to the dealer because I had to get rid of the Cavalier before it completely fell apart, but still paid only $1300 over invoice, kept the $2500 rebate and got more than I paid for the Cavalier. If I hadn't needed to trade the Cav, I probably could have gotten the Trib at invoice, but I guess I can't complain. Now I hope that the Tribute is more reliable than the Cavalier.
  • waywardzeekwaywardzeek Member Posts: 2
    HI, Actually no, I took the $2,000 Rebate and not the 0.0% financing.
    If you do the math you should save more by taking the Rebate versus the Financing. This all depends on your credit rating of course. I managed to get 3.99% financing.

    Good luck
  • twdnj08721twdnj08721 Member Posts: 6
    just got 2003 es 2 days ago so far very happy :)listed out at $26,869. pretty much loaded. invoice for $25,000 and change.Paid $300. over invoice thru Costco Price Club no hassle pricing didn't even have to to meet sales manager and all the other bull they put u thru at other dealers.took 60 months 0% financing. ZOOM ZOOM ZOOM :)
  • domettgdomettg Member Posts: 55
    Just picked up a 2003 ES. Love it so far but there are a few small complaints:

    1. The ignition key is almost under the steering column and doesn't light up making it even more difficult to find. Also, inserting the key is very difficult. It doesn't go in easy, it is very stiff. Checked another Tribute and it is the same.

    2. The gas pedal is either too close to the brake pedal or too close to the center console housing because I find that when I lift my foot off of the gas, the left side of my shoe gets caught on the brake pedal. Anyone else notice this?
  • phaedrysphaedrys Member Posts: 37
    Congrats on your new Tribute! I picked mine up about three weeks ago (already have 1400 miles on it).

    As for the ignition location...it bugged me at first too. Now that its been a few weeks I hardly notice it, although when my gf drives (rarely) she still has a little trouble finding it. As for the gas pedal I haven't noticed that problem. It might be because I am coming from a vehicle where I am more used to the pedals being closer together.

    Hope this helps a little. Good luck with the Tribute!
  • twdnj08721twdnj08721 Member Posts: 6
    not to thrill with position of ignition. as far as gas/brake petal I have size 13 triple e shoe and have no problem
  • domettgdomettg Member Posts: 55
    I have a 2003 Trib. with 300 miles and have noticed a high pitch squeak above 35 mph. It is not the brakes because if I step on the brakes, it doesn't change. Could it be a wheel bearing? Anyone else have this?
  • tribstertribster Member Posts: 20
    Hello everyone... New here... I bought a new 2003 Tribute LX with Tow Package and other Goodies. It has 800 miles on it now in about a month. I need help from anybody who can offer it.

    I had my first problem a couple of days ago. I started noticing oil under my car. It is engine oil for sure(not red in color). I looked under the car at the engine oil pan area, and sure enough it is leaking oil. There is a cavity located right where transmisson(i think) meets the oil pan. It has a very cheap looking piece of rubber covering another cavity. The leaking oil seems to be coming from one/two bolts located in the oil pan. Not sure if it is leaking from the engine side or the Pan side. I am very disappointed and very upset. only 800 miles and one month of use.

    Has anyone else experienced such an oil leak problem? Taking it in to the dealer tomorrow. Any help would be appreciated. I guess in my case, Ford forgot about "Quality is Job one".
  • tribstertribster Member Posts: 20
    Well... this place seems to very slow...

    I took my tribute in for the oil leak problem. After keeping the car for three days, they said they replaced the oil pan seal as it was leaking oil. Just as I was driving the car back, I noticed it was still leaking oil. Took it back, I was surprised to see it was missing the rubber boot which by the way is used to cover the cavity which houses the fly wheel. They told me that it was fixed(the rubber boot). Right!!!. Anyway they took a rubber boot from another tribute and put it in my car. (they did not have one in stock). What a poor job of engineering. Put rubber in such a hot environment.

    Anyway it is still leaking oil... and I am supposed to take my summer vacation trip starting this weekend. I hope this is not a sign of things to come. Just venting I guess.

    If others have had such a problem.. please let me know how you fixed it. Thanks.
  • vinnynyvinnyny Member Posts: 764
    This may make me sound like a bit of an alarmist, but you might want to start researching the "Lemon Law" in your state. In some states, the dealer gets only 3 chances to fix the same problem and then they must buy back the car. I recommend researching your state's laws now just in case you have to exercise your right to return the car. Many states require the problem to be EXACTLY the same, so be certain to have the tech write up the problem using the EXACT SAME words each time.

    Hopefully, they'll just get it fixed correctly so you don't have to worry about it on your trip. Good luck.
  • alwaysedalwaysed Member Posts: 55
    I have not had this problem on my ES, but have the dealer check the oil cooler which is part of your tow package-especially if the dealer installed it.
  • domettgdomettg Member Posts: 55
    The high pitch noise I am hearing between 35 and 45 mph has been solved. It is due to the plastic bug guard that I installed on the front of the hood. It is the Mazda bug guard for the Tribute. Don't know why this is happening. It obviously has changed the air flow characteristics enough to cause this noise. Anyone else notice this?
  • tribstertribster Member Posts: 20
    Thanks for your responses. I really appreciate it.

    Well.... I was able to take my tribute back so the dealer can check it again. They found out that two of the bolts used to keep the oil pan in place were still leaking oil. They tightened the bolts. These bolts are located in the cavity in the oil pan and not on the edges of the pan. I'll have to keep an eye on this to make sure it does not start leaking again.

    I will be honest with you... I am not used to oil leaks, especially in a new car(I have owned 4 Hondas and never had to worry about problems like this). It has turned me off towards the car. Anyway, I do like the power of the engine(when it not leaking oil) and the 6 disc player. I was able to take my trip to Colorado and the Tribute was able to tackle some of the tough climbs with ease. It has power to spare in passing situations.

    One thing I am puzzled about is that we can put a man on the moon, why can't we build cars that are on par with the foreign(Japanies, German) automakers. Don't get me wrong I love my country just like the next guy but it's high time we start concentrating on quality rather than quantity. Just my two cents worth. Thanks.
  • vinnynyvinnyny Member Posts: 764
    Glad to hear your Tribute didn't let you down on your trip.

    It might interest you to know that American brands already compete pretty well with the Germans (e.g. Chevy and Cadillac beat out Mercedes in the latest JD Power quality survey). Another factor that goes unmentioned is that most Japanese cars sold here in America have been available for years in Japan before they are released to the US. They get years to fix any problems before we ever see the cars--they SHOULD be better than US cars (at least initially). Add in the fact that we only see the best of Japan's cars and it's not really a fair comparison. Trust me, you wouldn't even consider driving about 90% of the cars sold in Japan.

    That said, we have some of the best engineers in the world and greater resources than the rest of the world combined, so we should be able to build better cars.
  • scottdudescottdude Member Posts: 177
    I'm assuming that a lot of Trib owners also considered the Esacpe when they made their purchase, since the cars are so similiar. I was just wondering what made you go with Mazda? Was it just the longer warranty?
  • phaedrysphaedrys Member Posts: 37
    I just posted something in the Escape forum about this...but the long and short of it is that the Tribute still has driver's lumbar support, which the Escape doesn't. I also felt it drove more like a car than a truck, and had a nicer interior.

    The two vehicles are incredibly similar, and I actually prefer the exterior styling and wheels of the Escape. But for the money and the options and the interior, I had to go with the Tribute.
  • vinnynyvinnyny Member Posts: 764
    Although I preferred the looks of the Tribute, I really wanted to buy the Escape (so I could keep at least one car with an American nameplate). After visiting three Ford dealers and two Mazda dealers, I found that I could buy the Trib for about $1,000 less, got a better trade-in allowance (about $500) AND a longer warranty.

    So, I guess I'll have to buy a Cadillac CTS when I trade my TT if I want to keep proselytizing about "buying American". Damn, now I feel like a hypocrite!
  • vinnynyvinnyny Member Posts: 764
    Made in Kansas City...85% American content...Made in Kansas City...85% American content...Made in Kansas City...85% American content...Made in Kansas City...85% American content...

    My new mantra.
  • larry51klarry51k Member Posts: 35
    not sure this is the right place to ask this. anyhow, anyone know the replacement cost of a rear trib bumper? my fault and don't have time for a few weeks to get to a repair shop. guess i just want to find out the cost and be mad at myself since i have a high deductible.
  • jkarlssonjkarlsson Member Posts: 1
    This is in response the Tribute owner with the high pitched squeak. I have a similar problem, but it is a "whistle" and folding back the left side rear view mirror eliminates it. Also recommend you leave both roof rack crossbars at rearmost location to reduce noise. My 3-year lease on my 2001 Tribute is almost up. Overall I've been happy. I'm looking for something a little bigger, maybe Highlander or Pilot, but might also purchase mine.
  • scottdudescottdude Member Posts: 177
    Could a Trib owner tell me if Mazda uses the same instrument panel lighting as the Esacpe, which I guess is a mostly green display?
  • vinnynyvinnyny Member Posts: 764
    Yup, ugly green and you can't change them without major hassles.
  • chimpsnestchimpsnest Member Posts: 27
    Curious to how much of the Mazda Tribute is really a Ford Escape (Explorer?).

    Just how intertwined are these two vehicles when it comes to their parts?

    Thanks
    Chimpy
  • dg13dg13 Member Posts: 3
    Hello,
    I'm new here, so forgive me if these questions have already been asked and answered. On my 03 Tribute ES, I don't have the brushed rings around my speedometer and tach. Was there a design change during the model year somewhere? Also, I noticed that with the power doors locked, you can still open the inside front handles (I've never owned a car where you could do this when the doors were locked.) I'm guessing this might be a safety feature for easier exit in an accident? Thanks for your help!
  • bl28bl28 Member Posts: 1
    I have the 01'ES 4WD tow package ... I was wondering if anyone uses their trib to tow anything. I am considering on using my trib to tow a small tent trailer, and could use some pros and cons from anyone who can give it.
    thanks
    BL
  • nippononlynippononly Member Posts: 12,555
    pretty much everything mechanical is Ford, except that Mazda tweaked the engine tuning slightly, and made the suspension a bit more sporty.

    The other major mechanical difference is that on the V-6 models, the Mazda has a quicker steering rack for more responsive handling.

    Most of the cosmetic stuff is Mazda though, which is why they look quite different.

    2014 Mini Cooper (stick shift of course), 2016 Camry hybrid, 2009 Outback Sport 5-spd (keeping the stick alive)

  • mkonopkamkonopka Member Posts: 1
    Looking for any info on a DIY aftermarket hitch for a Trib 02 ES. How tough is it to install? Will be making college move-in trips the next 4+ years, and could kick myself for not getting factory installed item. Class 2, less than 3500 lb trailer will be pulled.
  • dottorresdottorres Member Posts: 1
    My 2003 Tribute was parked on the street one night when a guy smashed into it. Needless to say I took my car to the Dealer for the repairs. After the dealer had my car for two weeks the send it to the body shop to get fixed, they went threw 6 different quarter panels until they found the correct one. The first four that were order didn't fit the car, the next one was a ford escape panel and that was to small for my tribute and finally the last one they found in Virginia was the right one for the car. The problem was that the supplier was placing the wrong quarter panels in the right boxes, CAN YOU BELIEVE THESE INCOMPETENT PEOPLE!!! Anyway finally after only having my truck for 5 months and in the shop for 2 1/2 months I finally recieved my car looking and driving great. I hope none of you guys have to go threw the headaches that I had to go threw these past two months. By the way Mazda headquarters didn't seem to care very much for the problem... P.S. I love my truck ;0)
  • turksteritisturksteritis Member Posts: 95
    I had a 01 tribute with tow package & recently traded in on a 03 ES with tow. I pull an enclosed 2 place snowmobile trailer with 2 sleds in the winter(approx. 2200 pounds) & in the summer my 19" Mariah inboard boat( about 2800 pounds) Never, ever a problem plus i get 18 mpg. Canadaian(15 mpg US) towing the boat at 65 mph.
  • tribstertribster Member Posts: 20
    TO: bl28

    I towed a 1400 pound tent trailer with my 03 Tribute last weekend. I travelled about 500 miles round trip. The mileage was around 18-19 miles per gallon. Tribute was able to tow this trailer along with 4 passengers plus our camping gear etc. I also used the A/C pretty much the whole time. It seems to have good pulling power.

    Here are a few things I'ed recommend;(a) Speed up gradually from a stop. (b) Leave more distance between you and the car ahead of you. (c) It takes much longer to stop with a trailer(hard breaking will burn your breaks FAST). (d) If you find that the tribute is shifting out of O/D frequently, turn off the O/D on the shifter. Also, read up on the Owner's manual.

    Lastly, make sure the tow hitch is low/high enough so the trailer is parallel to the ground and take a few lessons in reverse parking the triler before you get to the campground.

    Happy Camping....
  • relayerohiorelayerohio Member Posts: 7
    They did make a mid-year change in '03 on the Tribby. Your's is a first-half '03 Tribute if you don't have the chrome rings. They supposedly made the seats more comfortable also, but not sure if that's the leather, the cloth, or both. They also took away the rear cargo-cover as a standard in the ES (I think) as well as all of the tribute and ES badging on the tail-gate were removed.
  • anilpunjabianilpunjabi Member Posts: 61
    is there a major difference btw the years, b/c i have an 01 trib, trying to sell it, will be happy when its gone! Sorry al u trib owners but this is overall the worst car ive ever owned, was excited at first but with each dealr visit the exciteemnt wore off. This car is such a piece esp when u compare it to the other cars in my garage. I think this car has scarred our perception of mazda for a while!
  • turksteritisturksteritis Member Posts: 95
    I guess the main diff is i went from a dx to a ES.I talked to the mechanic at the mazda dealership. 01 tribs had great engines but big tranny problems. In 02 the trannies were a lot better but ford made a running change to the engine with lighter weaker connecting rods & this caused a lot of em to grenade. He said the 03,s so far have been perfect.I love my ES...so much nicer & refined then my DX, even tho it was fully loaded.I have 12000 miles on my ES so far with only a minor dash squeek which was fixed immediately.
  • clasleyclasley Member Posts: 16
    Hello all,
    This may sound stupid but I am going to ask anyway. I just recently purchase a '01 ES Tribute. I am very happy with it but one thing puzzles me. I have the optional perimeter alarm but have yet to figure out what makes it go off. I have tried a couple different things but they haven't worked. Does anyone have any suggestions
  • nippononlynippononly Member Posts: 12,555
    breaking the glass?
      :-P

    I think that sets it off.

    2014 Mini Cooper (stick shift of course), 2016 Camry hybrid, 2009 Outback Sport 5-spd (keeping the stick alive)

  • clasleyclasley Member Posts: 16
    Hmm thats a valid suggestion nippononly, however, then I will have to buy another one. Any more suggestions that won't cause damage?
  • odie6lodie6l Member Posts: 1,173
    I use to have a perimeter alarm on my '97 Wrangler. If the top was down / off, the alarm would put a bubble over the passenger area. if you walked past the vehicle the alarm would chirp, but if you reached in the alarm would go off. Maybe the trib has somewhat of the same thing, try leaving your windows down set the alarm and reach in and grab something.

    hope this helps

    Odie
  • nippononlynippononly Member Posts: 12,555
    in my old car you could test the glass breakage sensor, which was actually a specially tuned mic, by tapping your keys against the glass. The alarm would go off, and you would know it was working.

    perhaps the Trib is similar?

    2014 Mini Cooper (stick shift of course), 2016 Camry hybrid, 2009 Outback Sport 5-spd (keeping the stick alive)

  • elmoblatch1elmoblatch1 Member Posts: 134
    and would like to know what existing owners think of their vehicles. Pro's & con's, mpg, defects, etc.

    Thanks in advance.
  • redpr5redpr5 Member Posts: 23
    Over the past few weeks, our 02 Tribute started a small shutter or lurch when going into overdrive. As time went on the shutter became stronger and it did it when it came out of overdrive too. We took a trip last weekend, and the shutter was very pronounced at 70 or above.

    I took it in to our dealer at 8:00 am yesterday and by 11:00 they called me and said it was ready. I was expecting to get the old routine, "we can't duplicate the problem," but instead they said there is a bulletin to correct the problem. They flushed the transmission and flashed the pcm and this worked. We had not noticed how hard the transmission had been shifting in all the gears before the fix. Now it is very smooth with no shutter going in or out of overdrive.

    We've had one experience with the Tribute's motor dying while driving at 35 mph and going downhill about a year ago. We took it in and they said they fixed and we have not had another incidence like that. With 27,000 miles so far, we have been very pleased with our vehicle.

    By the way the tires still look new. Continental Conti tracs.
  • hfdadhfdad Member Posts: 29
    if doors are locked and windows down and you reach in to open a door, alarm will go off.
  • happymisterhappymister Member Posts: 16
    picked up my 03 ES-AWD tribute yesterday for 21350
    (with rear bumper plate, perimeter alarm,cargo tray and including 2500 rebate).

    the sales guy said no real break-in required.. just for the 1st 500 miles..don't keep going at the same speed for too long. i.e don't use cruise control.
    shouldn't be a problem if i drive at 75/80 in the highways.. no need to keep the speed under 55mph like the older days.

    is his advice true ? i haven't read the manual yet...but atleast didn't find anything like this in the index. any advice/comments ?

    whats the mileage people are getting on their tributes ? I did a search in this forum.. and found people saying 18-20 mpg in city and 23-25 in highways. does selecting the 4 wheel drive reduce this mileage ? if yes, by how much ?

    thanks for ur feedback.
  • zaimonzaimon Member Posts: 124
    I'm mostly getting 19-20 gallons with highway driving (on my 2001 ES), certainly not the best given I live in Northern California (gas prices are hovering at the $2.15 range up here). Not sure what later models are getting but I hear that they're more refined than the first years...

    As far as break-in is concerned, vary the RPMs the first 500 miles and you should be fine (the dealer is mostly right). The valves in the engine still need to be broken-in by assuring that the gasket heads are rotating smoothly, basically varying the RPM/speed shaves the gaskets/valves of any imperfections that would inhibit good engine performance. Also, consider changing your oil at 3000 miles instead of the recommended 5000 mile first oil change.
  • turksteritisturksteritis Member Posts: 95
    I just traded from a 01 to a 03 ES. My es somehow gets better fuel mileage then my dx. Anyway I allready have 15,000 k on my 03 so it is broken in. At 70 mph with the A/C off I get 28 mpg. In US gallons that would convert to 22.4 mpg. The A/C will knock off 2 mpg on the highway. Around town sucks..I won,t go there. For break in just vary the rpm,s every 5-10 miles if you drive on the highway. In town driving is great for breaking em in. Get your 1st oil change real early; about 1-2000k to flush all the small bits of metal out of the system that have been worn off the piston, rings & cylinder walls. Enjoy!
  • alwaysedalwaysed Member Posts: 55
    When you do your break-in oil change at 3000-6000 miles, put a good quality synthetic in like Mobil 1. The heat and wear that we subject these engines to make the extra cost well worth it. I've used a synthetic in all my cars for the last the 25 years and have never had a problem related to engine wear.
  • chimpsnestchimpsnest Member Posts: 27
    Did my first o/c at about 1700 miles (just in case, figured it can't hurt also dealer recommended). Used the recommended oil weight (5W-20 I believe, don't have the book in front of me). Anyway, went to Valvoline for first change (no time to get to dealer and wait around) and the Valvoline dude told me that I could use 5W-30 "it's pretty much the same" he said - I said 'no' go w/what my manual says just in case.
    Was the Valvoline guy right? Or was he just trying to avoid having to get the container and fill it and funnel it into the car w/the 5W-20? (usually they have the oil come right out of a hose that's linked to a barrel somewhere but they must not have a high calling for the 20 weight, so he had to do more work to fill it).
    Also, my manual doesn't say anything about synthetic or non-synthetic - what do the dealers use?
    Thanks a million
    chimpy
    -happy '03 ES Trib owner
  • turksteritisturksteritis Member Posts: 95
    My mazda dealer uses 5w-30 bulk esso in allmost everything.
  • audia8qaudia8q Member Posts: 3,138
    It's always best to do what the mfg. says to do...This way if there ever is a major problem, the mfg can not blame you for not using the correct oil. If you change the oil every 3000 miles or so there is little or no benefit to synthetic oil other than making your wallet lighter.
  • alwaysedalwaysed Member Posts: 55
    You can use a synthetic oil in virtually any '95 and newer cars today. There may be little benefit if you change your oil every 3000 miles, but, with a synthetic, you can easily stretch that interval to 10000-20000 miles. Note that all the major oil marketers(Castrol, Valvoine, Ford, and Pennzoil) now carry synthetic line. The major benefits of a synthetic, among many, is its resistence to thermal breakdown at high temperature stresses, and it very superior cold weather engine protection.

    Frankly, anyone who owns their car and intends to keep for >50k miles should be using a synthetic.
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