Latches/locks/linkage Problems of Mazda Tribute - part 2

2002 Mazda Tribute I have had to replace all 4 door locks, at my expense. Has happened again to both front doors. Mechanic said that Mazda skimped on the rod mechanism and instead of installing two separate rods, one for the locks and one for the handles, the one rod cannot support all the doors. These doors will not open from the inside or the outside resulting in very expensive labor costs to remove the door panel to replace a $3. 00 part. Here's what I don't understand. What is Mazda going to do when someone sues them for not being able to exit their vehicle in an emergency. I cannot comprehend why this is not a recall.

I have a 2001 Mazda Tribute with the front doors not properly opening when the handle is pulled to open the door. I feel it is a safety concern because in case of an emergency it is hard to get out of the car. The problem started with the front passenger side about a year ago, and the driver side door started the problem about 2 months ago. I took it to the dealer today and they said it was going to cost over 200. 00 to fix, and they were going to have to order the part.

Door handles both driver side and passenger side on my 2001mazda Tribute are broken. This prevents me from entering my vehicle from the front of the vehicle. I replaced the inside handle but now the door latch assembly inside the door that opens the door from the outside is broken. This is not an isolated insident. Theres a lot more Mazda owners that have experienced this identical malfunction. There needs to be recall on this problem. In order for me to enter my vehicle I have to open the back door to open the front door from inside the vehicle. I guess some one has to be harmed because they could not get in their vehicle quick enough to escape harm. I guess recalls are only generated when there's bodily harm,then is to late.

The front drivers side door lock and latch system failed. The door will not open from outside the vehicle. The actuating rod broke away from the latch. Mazda seemed to have this same problem in the late 1980's with the 626 and 929; recalls were performed then. Problem is I can't seem to find parts available to fix it. I have gotten away with gluing it for the past year. Now there is nothing left to attached the actuating rod too. I have been on the internet and have noticed several other complaints of this happen on the same vehicle (2002 Mazda Tribute lx).

Interior door handle failure.

Three of my exterior door handles are broken and do not work. The front driver interior door handle is also broken. Failure appears to be from poorly made door handles with sub standard materials. This is a high use item on the vehicle and is made from cheap, thin plastic. These parts are relatively expensive. I have never had issues like this with any other vehicle I have owned.

The driver side door handle failed, I was trapped inside the car on the driver side. I had to lower the power window, reach outside of the car and open the door. I purchased a handle and paid to have the door handle replaced on 6/29/2005. The passenger side door handle failed , leaving the passenger trapped inside the car on the passenger side. Passengers had to lower the power window, reach outside the car and open the door. I purchased a handle and paid to have the door handle replaced on 3/13/2006. Recently, every time I crank my car a large cloud of gray smoke comes from the tailpipe. Today, 6/16/2006, I went to put the key into the ignition and the key would not go in. After several attempts the key went into the ignition but, the key would not turn. I was unable to start the car. With assistance from a local mechanic, after numerous attempts, the key went in, turned and the car started. It was suggested to me, do not make any stops on the way home that would require turning the car off. Once I arrived at home I turned the car off and attempted to start the car again. The key will go in but, after several attempts, the key will not turn to start the car. With the Mazda being my only vehicle I feel this is a safety issue for my son and I. While driving the Mazda the rear glass on the hatch opened. I pulled over to close the glass and it would not close and latch. With the help of a local mechanic he was able to close and engage the latch on the glass door. We avoid opening the rear glass but on accident the glass door was opened and it was the same scenario.

We have a 2002 Mazda Tribute LS. While on vacation the passenger side door became permanently locked. The door would not unlock using the remote keyless entry or manual button. This presented a serious safety hazard in the event one would need to use the door to exit the car following a crash, and also created an incredible nuisance for the passenger. We took the car to the dealer and after destroying the side panel, replacing the entire lock mechanism and charging us nearly $600 we can open the door again. This is obviously a defective part, but Mazda nor the dealership was willling to assist in the repair of a problem that was in no way due to our negligence or mis-use. The car is extremely well cared for and driven only by myself and wife (mature adults). Subsequently, Mazda issued a recall for the back hatch locking mechanism. We feel these locks are defective and that we should not have had to pay for the replacement of a defective part. At this point we have paid $600 and the door works again, but we are serioulsy considering getting rid of the vehicle as we don't trust that it won't happen again.

The door latch on the drivers door won't open and I don't feel safe. If something happened and I had to get out, I would be in trouble. A friend recently taught me how to open the door by pushing the latch backwards. It has to be done by reaching across my body with my right hand and pushing the lock backwards (like you're pinching something). There are too many complaints on this website concerning this same problem. Why hasn't there been a recall on this problem??? the only benefit for this is if someone steals my vehicle and can't get out, resulting in being caught.

Unable to open doors from inside of vehicle. After 90000 miles driver and passenger doors became inopperable within 2 days of each other. Driver's side could not be opened from inside or outside while passenger side door could be opened by rolling down the window and lifting up on outside handle. Shop determined that handle(chromed plastic) inside door mechanism(Mazda part#ec01-58-330n)cracked. The handle has a 1/16th" raised catch that cracked off on both handles. The second incident happened just 10months later @109k once again both handles were involved but this time they were 1 week apart. The parts cost (as of 8/24/04) 52. 29 + labor each. I have old parts. No children used these doors only 2 adults. This is a serious situation due to the inability to open the doors from the inside in the event of an emergency or the need to exit the vehicle quickly. You must first roll down the window & reach outside or if the vehicle is off you must restart to open electric windows if you have power at all, if not you are stuck inside and unable to exit.

I bought a Mazda Tribute new and it wasn't a year old when the inside drivers door latch broke. I have noticed many others have had the same problem. This is just the beginning of my problems.

2002 Tribute from the first week there have been problems. 1st the driver side interior door handle stopped working. Plastic piece that allows handle to open the door had broken. Repaired $$$ paid! 2nd the driver side electric windows stopped working. Motor had to be replaced. Repaired $$$ paid! *** we are now faced with the passenger side interior door handle not working, the master cylinder leaking brake fluid, an issue with the 5 and 6 spark plugs falling out for the 3rd time in 4 months, the battery cables staying corroded and slow to start, there is some sort of knocking in the front passenger wheel. I have replaced the rotors and had other similiar issues with this vehical that seem to be very common problems. I have spent the last 4 hours doing my research and see that there are complaints of this same nature on almost every web site. I don't know how long the average person will wait on an 'issue' to become a recall. I don't have the patience to unroll the window every time I want to exit the vehicle. Not to mention having to ask my passenger to let themselves out in the same manner. I am not going to pay another penny on fixing this vehicle. I have paid for so many maintenance issues that now that I think Mazda should have fixed. When do these complaints become recall reality? what is my next option? I can't imagine how bad it would be to have my family in the car, the engine fouls out because of the spark plug issue, the brakes won't work because of the master cylinder leak, the battery cables corroded and preventing the windows being able to let down to out. I will contact my dealer tomorrow and work out the recalls I was not aware of, hopefully we can get our door locks fixed too!.

1. Normal use. 2. Broken door handles--within door. Front passenger can't open door from inside. 3. I am looking for a replacement part.