Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (battery, alternator, wiring, ignition, instrument cluster, infotainment).
Mileage when the problem started
Owner reports
Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 2001 Mazda Tribute owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
Tl*- the contact complained against Honda motors about a 2001 Mazda Tribute that caused a fire at the san francisco embarcadero underground parking garage. The vehicle was parked on the lower level of the garage at 7:00 am Wednesday 3-28-07. At about 8:30 am the parking attendant noticed smoke coming from under the hood of the vehicle, then called the fire department. The engine compartment displayed signs that the fire originated from this area of the vehicle. The fire caused damage to one other vehicle parked next to it. The contact wanted to file a complaint against Honda motors since the vehicle had only 70,000 miles and had a service check about 4 months prior to this incident. The contact believed that this was related to current complaints about the ABS system on these vehicles.
Our 2001 Mazda Tribute was parked in the garage at the embarcadero center in sf on Wednesday 03/28/07 at 7:00 am and it was later reported to us by the garage personnel that at about 8:30 am it started smoking then caught fire. Everything under the hood burned to the ground and inside the car the dash was completely burned as well - it looked like a sink-hole. The tires were melted, the engine oozed all over the ground, the fenders melted, and the windshield was broken.
Tl contact owns a 2001 Mazda Tribute. The vehicle caught fire under the hood after being parked for approximately two hours. As of October 9, 2007, the dealer or manufacturer had not inspected the vehicle. The contact stated that the electrical system caused the fire. There were no injuries or property damage. The current and failure mileages were 73,000. A police report was filed. Charleston police report. Updated 10/31/07
Tl* the contact owns a 2001 Mazda Tribute. When the vehicle was stopped at a red light, it completely shut off. The failure recurred on multiple occasions. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, but was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not notified. The approximate failure mileage was 120,000.
Owned my Tribute for a year before the problems began. On 3/15/02 I took it in because the low coolant light kept coming on. The dealership couldn't find a problem, but I had them do a 30K mile service and check everything from front to back. Had a rental for two days. On 6/10/02 I took it in because it suddenly started stalling dead at stops and yields. I almost wrecked due to this. Cause: internal failure. The dealership replaced the control unit, idle air valve, coolant fan relay. I had a rental for three days. On 8/5/02 it had to be towed because the ignition switch completely locked up and wouldn't turn. Dealership put in a new ignition switch and cylinder. My keys had to be reprogrammed. I had a rental for two days. On 11/13/02 I took it in because the check engine light kept coming on and the engine did not idle smoothly. …
On August 29th, 2003 I was driving in my 2001 Mazda Tribute. As I slowed down to make a turn, the car suddenly had a total loss of power. I had no steering and no brakes and I was quickly headed into oncoming traffic with no control of the car. Luckily I was able to react in time and pull up the emergency brake. Once I regained my composure, I was able to put the car into neutral and then restart the car. The only time I have driven it since is to take into the dealership. They were very sympathetic to my situation and later advised me that a technical bulletin had been issued for this issue and they were able to fix it. They explained there was no recall issued for this situation. On September 5th, 2003 I called Mazda customer care and explained what had happened. They informed me that Mazda is aware of the situation and they do not feel it is a safety issue. …
I bought a 2001 Mazda Tribute (used) in March 2003. About a month later, it began stalling frequently - mostly when I was backing out of a driveway/parking spot. I took it to the local Mazda dealership in July 2003 and they looked it over and could find no explanation, but they did a PCM update on it anyway. It continued stalling intermitently - no pattern to the stalling. I took it back in December 2003 and they again looked it over and could find no reason for it to be stalling. Since December, I've taken it to the dealership in April and twice in May 2004. In May, when Mazda recalled the Tribute for the stalling issue, I took it in for the recall - the stalling became 10 times worse, now stalling at stop lights and at random times driving down the road. We've replaced the idle speed motor, this did not help. …
The vehicle shut off (engine stopped) when coasting downhill toward construction barrels. Was able to avoid barrels by turning into unoccupied turn lane. Power steering had gone out. Power brakes had gone out. Have owned the car for three weeks. Occurred once. Noticed that a recall (campaign id # 04V175000) that required reprogramming of the PCM module, and the symptoms of which exactly described this problem, existed for this vehicle model year. Made an appointment with dealer to check the car the following day. The dealer told me that there were no open recalls on my vehicle so I decided to pay for a diagnostic test. The test uncovered that the PCM module did need the reprogramming which the dealer did, but they also told me that the car needed additional parts to completely resolve the problem which I had to pay for. …
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. …
The madza Tribute 2001 stalls without warning, at varying speeds. Both the brakes and the steering system are inoperable. The car starts again after this occurs. This has happened 5 times! Luckily, my son who drives this car hasn't been injured. But what about the next time? What if he is driving on the expressway at 55 or 65 miles an hour? Can Mazda assure me that he won't be seriously injured or killed? The service department has offered several explanations after verifying that this is a on going problem with this vehicle. We have been told that the air intake valve sticks when carbon builds up on it. Now we are told it is a flaw in the computer. Clearly there is a serious design flaw which the service departments have been unable to repair. This car is a disaster waiting to happen! How can I possibly allow my son to drive this vehicle?!!
Electrical complaints in other Tribute years
Frequently asked questions
How common are electrical problems on the 2001 Mazda Tribute?
NHTSA has 81 complaints about the electrical system of the 2001 Mazda Tribute, 14% of the model year's 563 complaints. The component named most often is ignition (36 mentions).
Is there a recall for 2001 Mazda Tribute electrical problems?
No. NHTSA lists no electrical system recall for the 2001 Mazda Tribute, though it has 13 recalls for other components. If the problem is widespread, a repair may still be covered by an extended warranty or a manufacturer service bulletin — ask a dealer.
At what mileage do 2001 Mazda Tribute electrical problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 60,000 miles, and 27% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 0 crashes, 4 fires and 0 injuries to electrical system problems on this model year. If you notice symptoms, have the car checked before driving further.
Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) — owner complaints through October 20, 2026, recalls and defect investigations; fuel economy from the EPA. Complaints are unverified reports and are not proof of a defect. How we rate model years.