Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (accelerator pedal, throttle, sudden acceleration, cruise control).
Mileage when the problem started
Owner reports
Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 2005 Mazda Tribute owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
When approaching a 4-way intersection during daylight hours, the light turned yellow then red. I tried to stop by pressing my brake pedal. My vehicle did not slow down, but continued to accelerate up hill. I pressed as hard as possible but my vehicle went through the intersection and I ran into the side of another vehicle. I was originally going about 30mph and when I hit the other vehicle, I was going about 25mph. My vehicle stopped after hitting the other vehicle but continued to rev higher. I was injured when my arms bent the steering wheel forward, the seat belt bruised me and my right foot (talus bone) was broken by the pressure on the brake pedal. I required surgery. I was out of work for 3 weeks and wore a cast for 7 weeks. The policeman who reported to the accident site discovered the gas pedal was half way down to the floor and stuck. …
Vehicle was traveling on a four-lane highway with cruise control on. The vehicle suddenly began to accelerate uncontrollably; tried applying the brake, turning off the cruise control, pressing the decelerate button, nothing worked. I had to apply a great deal of force to the brakes in order to slow the vehicle enough to get it off the road. I shifted the transmission into neutral and the engine began to rev uncontrollably. I turned the ignition switch off and opened the hood to investigate. The throttle cable on the cruise control servo had rotated up to about a 30-degree angle and had the throttle held open. I rotated the cable back down to its normal position and the throttle snapped free. I will not use the cruise control again until the issue is resolved. …
Tl contact owns a 2005 Mazda Tribute. While stopped at a light. She went to take her foot off of the brake and the vehicle accelerated and hit the vehicle in front of her. In addition, a loud noise was heard. The engine began to rev excessively high and the vehicle rear-ended the preceding vehicle twice with moderate impact. There were no warning indicators illuminated on the instrument panel. The police department was called to the scene and a report was filed. The front bumper of the contact's vehicle was damaged. The vehicle resumed operation and was taken to an authorized dealer, but they could not duplicate the failure. The insurance company and manufacturer were notified of the malfunctions. The failure and current mileages were 32,800. Updated 4/28/09 updated 04/30/09.
Tl* the contact owns a 2005 Mazda Tribute. After the accelerator pedal was depressed, the throttle became stuck at any speed. The contact had to pull over to the side of the road and adjust the speed cable in order to operate the vehicle. The dealer was not contacted. The contact referenced NHTSA campaign number: 12V357000 (engine and engine cooling, vehicle speed control). The manufacturer was notified and informed the contact that due to the engine size, the vehicle would not be included in the recall. The VIN was invalid. The failure mileage was 100,621.
Tl* the contact owns a 2005 Mazda Tribute. The contact stated that while driving at 70 MPH, the brake pedal was depressed but failed to respond without warning. In addition, the contact discovered that the accelerator pedal was stuck to the floorboard and the emergency brake had to be engaged to avoid a crash. The contact mentioned that the failure recurred three times. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic but the failure was unable to be determined. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 174,848.
Tl* the contact owns a 2005 Mazda Tribute. While driving, the liftgate flew open and several grocery items fell onto the street. The contact pulled over and closed the liftgate. The contact drove home without any further issues. In addition, the vehicle surged forward when the contact attempted to slow down. The dealer and manufacturer were not notified. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The failure mileage was 149,000.
Tl* the contact owns a 2005 Mazda Tribute. While driving approximately 50 MPH, the vehicle hesitated, accelerated at a rapid pace, and then decelerated. There were no warning indicators illuminated. The vehicle was not taken to a dealer or independent mechanic for diagnostic testing or repairs. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 122,940.
I was stopped at a light behind a car and when the light changed I took my foot off the brake and the car took off out of control and smashed into the car ahead of me. The car was racing and I believe the gas pedal was stuck. I just wanted to add that Mazda customer service was of no help to me.
Tl contact owns a 2005 Mazda Tribute I. The contact stated that the vehicle failed to accelerated without warning. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was 145,000.
I purchased the 2005 Mazda Tribute in dec '04. Within one month, the gas pedal would stick in the up position and it would take significant effort to unlock the pedal, causing the vehicle to lurch forward. I took it in to have it looked at *still under warranty* and was told there was nothing wrong. However, it has continued to be a serious problem ever since. I've brought it back several times to the same dealership (royal moore Mazda) and they tell me every time that they don't have any record of repairs (since they said they never found anything to begin with) and that they still can't find a problem. The issue is getting worse. I've been doing research and find hundreds of other Mazda Tribute owners having the exact same problem. At what point does this become a recall issue? I've narrowly missed being rear ended many times due to the gas pedal being stuck in place. …
Related recalls
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.
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.
Acceleration complaints in other Tribute years
Frequently asked questions
How common are acceleration problems on the 2005 Mazda Tribute?
NHTSA has 85 complaints about the speed control & acceleration of the 2005 Mazda Tribute, 23% of the model year's 377 complaints. The component named most often is accelerator pedal (10 mentions).
Is there a recall for 2005 Mazda Tribute acceleration problems?
Yes — NHTSA recall 12V-357 (cables, Jul 27, 2012). Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers.
At what mileage do 2005 Mazda Tribute acceleration problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 70,000 miles, and 14% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 3 crashes, 0 fires and 3 injuries to speed control & acceleration 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.