Steering Problems of Mazda Tribute - part 2

On several occasions now my steering has gradually been displaying stiff steering. It has progressed and was unsure why it was doing this being that it has not given me any problems but the steering. I have been driving and it has gotten stiff. I will turn off the car and restart and it will drive normal and then eventually will stiffen up on me again and again. This is very scary being that I have also been on the freeway and exiting and have to grab ahold of the steering to veer off the freeway carefully. It is stressful to be in a car that is unsafe while on the road. God forbid I have to swerve away from danger and I can't because I'm in a dangerous vehicle. I am still paying on my car and don't care for a disposable car while still making payments. I contacted Mazda in victorville, CA and stated that it would cost me (you ready) $ 2,000. 00 plus another few hundred to program my keys. Absurd!!! my husband made contact with someone who gave him a price of $1500. 00 and a local ecology center priced at $300-400. Now that's on a part I risk purchasing and then the same thing happening again!! this local junk yard stated that this is a very typical problem they have had with Mazda's coming in. I called Mazda to find out if there was a recall on this problem. Not!! it is a safety problem and a recall problem! I'm still paying on my car!! this is a financial hardship. Please do something.

See all problems of the 2008 Mazda Tribute.

Tl- the contact owns a 2008 Mazda Tribute. The contact stated that while driving approximately 15 mph, the steering wheel shook violently and became difficult to maneuver. The vehicle was taken to the dealer for diagnostic testing. The technician stated there was a failure with the charging unit and replaced the battery. After the battery was replaced, the failure continued. The vehicle was not repaired. The approximate failure mileage was 100,000. Mah.

Stopped for gas. Upon turning vehicle back on there was no power steering. Turned vehicle off then back on, still no power steering. It has never come back, and on most days steering is close to impossible, (steering wheel very tight, will not turn). Driving this vehicle with no power steering is extremely difficult. Must drive daily for work.

For the past year and a half, the power steering in my 2008 Mazda Tribute has come and gone at various times mostly occuring in the winter months. At first I would just restart my car a few times and most of the time it would come back on. A few times it would go out when I was on the intersted going 70 mph. It is very dangerous for me to be driving at such speeds without power steering. Recently there has been no power steering at all. It is completely gone. I have talked about estimates to get it fixed and the cost is anywhere between $1200-$2000 to repair it. I have also researched this problem online and found that there are many other people with this problem and just read that Ford has recalled their 2008 Ford escape for this problem. This is pretty much the exact same vehicle. I think this needs to be addressed for 2008 Mazda Tributes as well before and serious injury can occur.

When I went from leaving my driveway onto the st we live on I had no pwer steering so I continued to go to the mechanic and was very lucky as when I went to make a right turn couldn't steer it, hard to and hardly steer at all, ended up on the left side of a main st and should have been on the right, this was a very scary experience and don't know why Mazda hasn't put a recall on the Tribute they know there is the same problem with Mazda 3 & 5 models, as I know of another person who had the same problem with their Tribute 2008!.

The contact owns a 2008 Mazda Tribute. The contact stated that while trying to complete a turn, the steering wheel seized and became difficult to turn. The contact shut off and restarted the vehicle as it began to function normally. The vehicle was driven to the contact's residence and was later taken to a private mechanic where the failure could not be duplicated. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was contacted about the issue. The failure and current mileage was 83,000.

Every time it rains really hard or there's flooding in the streets the car starts showing the battery light like it is going to die on me and as a precaution I try to pull out of the street to any place and while turning the steering wheel the car looses power and the wheels won't turn. Driving no more than 5mph while slowing down from a normal 35mph without warning my engine shut off and I lost power to my steering wheel and brakes. I was able to get the car to off the road after applying all my weight to the brakes and steering wheel. I missed an oncoming car and a tree by an inch. I decided to do some online research and it seems I am not the only one with this problem with a Mazda Tribute 2003. I am very worried becasue it it hurricane season here in FL and the rain is not something I can predict, besides it seems absurd that I would even have to watch the weather to see if I should or not drive the car. This is an accident waiting to happen!! I drive my 2 year old every day and it is not right that Mazda would have cars with this issues out in the street. If feels like by signing a purchase contract on it. I had signed a death with it. Please do something. I havent found that there is a recall for this issue.

See all problems of the 2003 Mazda Tribute.

The contact owns a 2001 Mazda Tribute. The contact stated that the vehicle was being examined by a private mechanic for routine maintenance. The mechanic stated that the steering wheel was very loose. The manufacturer was notified and stated that the VIN did not qualify for the recall associated with NHTSA campaign id number 00v223002 (steering:wheel and handle bar). The vehicle was not repaired. The failure and current mileages were 131,000.

See all problems of the 2001 Mazda Tribute.

The contact owns a 2008 Mazda Tribute. While driving approximately 5 mph and driving in reverse, the power steering stopped functioning. The failure occurred numerous times. The last time the failure occurred, the contact was driving on the highway and the power steering stopped working. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where the technician stated the power steering motor needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The VIN was unavailable. The approximate failure mileage was 88,000.

Purchased the vehicle on 4/7/06 and on 4/8/06 I observed the following conditions. Vehicle produces a noticeable whining/humming noise and vibration that is felt through the steering wheel during the following situations: 1) when the car is initially started, 2) when the gas pedal is slightly pressed while the gear is in the park position 3) when the vehicle is coming to a stop with or without pushing on the brakes, 4) when the steering wheel is turned either to the left or right. Upon noticing noise and vibration, I took it to back to the dealer on 4/10/06. I was told to bring the vehicle to the dealer at 8:30 a. M on 4/11/06. At 3:30 on 4/11/06, the dealer contacted me and said that the tech noticed the noise and vibration but did not know what caused it. Dealer tested another vehicle of the same make and model and said that both vehicles were making the same noise and that it was just probably normal engine noise. Upon arriving at the dealership, the tech took me to another vehicle and we listened to the engine. I indicated to the tech that the test vehicle was not behaving similarly as my vehicle and so I was referred to the asst. Service manager. The asst. Service manager tested the vehicle and said that he thought the noise was not normal and that he could feel the vibration from the engine to the steering wheel. He said that there might be some grinding occurring when the engine was throttling down but that he could not tell precisely the cause of the noise or vibration and that he would contact Mazda engineers to see if the noise and vibration were inherent to the vehicle. On 4/12/06, the asst. Service manager contacted me and said that he called the Mazda hotline and that there were no incidents of noise or vibration reported. He said that he could not find any reason for the noise and that it must just be normal engine noise caused by the vehicles power steering.

See all problems of the 2006 Mazda Tribute.