Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (doors, hood, frame, rust, paint and trim).
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).
owned since day one, bought brand new, religiously maintained, perfect shape other than completely rusted wheel house back left passenger side. Shock went through rusted area all the way to trunk. Mazda recalled models 2003 to 2004 for this problem yet so many 2005 Mazda Tribute owners are having exact problem especially when manufactured in 2004! This is serious and I had my granddaughter with me when this happened and yet Mazda wants to do nothing about it when it's a serious hazard and ongoing problem with the 2005's. It is always the back passenger side with this problem! I have no money to purchase a car and now my lifeline to support my family is broke!
The rear wheel well was completely rusted out while the other side is fine. The shock broke loose causing the vehicle to drop down. I have a 17 year old that is not an experienced driver and this could have resulted in her getting seriously hurt. From what I read they recalled the vehicle to to 2004 and I don't understand why they did not recall this one. They should have and this is a serious safety issue. Does someone have to die before they see that this needs to be fixed?
Tl* the contact owns a 2003 Mazda Tribute. The contact stated that while driving at 40 MPH, the vehicle independently veered to the right and crashed into a curb. A police report was not filed and there were no injuries. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic, where it was diagnosed that the sub frame was fractured. The vehicle was not repaired. The vehicle was then towed to a dealer, where the contact was informed that the vehicle was previously repaired under NHTSA campaign number: 14V174000 (structure) and could not be repaired under the recall a second time. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The VIN was not available. The failure mileage was 92,000.
Right rear frame has rusted out enough to cause brake and shock issues causing a perfectly good vehicle to become unsafe and dangerous for my family and others. The shock and brake line broke and the vehicle slid to a stop.
While driving the vehicle at a speed of about 35 MPH I felt what appeared to be a flat tire. After checking the tire, there was nothing obvious showing. At speeds about 55 MPH the sensation of a flat tire ceased, however, as soon as I would slow down, it would return, along with a loud noise. I took the car in to Firestone tire. They discovered that the passenger side rear wheel well is completely rusted out. The strut housing is exposed and the wheel is at risk for literally separating from the vehicle. We were told that any small rear impact could cause the rear end of the vehicle to completely separate from the rest of the car. After having the vehicle checked by several different mechanics and body shops we were told that the vehicle is unsafe to drive and requires over $5800 in repairs. …
Our 2005 Mazda Tribute passenger side rear wheel well is rusted out to the point the strut has detached from it's mounting making it unsafe to drive the vehicle. This vehicle has been garage kept. A thumping noise was noticed while driving on a city street. This is what prompted me to take a look in the wheel well. The other 3 wheel wells have no rust. After doing some research, I found this is a common problem with other 2005s as well as previous model years that have a recall for the same issue. I don't understand why this year hasn't been included in the recall when it's the same issue that was occurring in earlier model years. I contacted the Mazda dealership, and they reported not hearing of this issue with any 05s but they are currently fixing a 2003 with the same issue. …
The rear right wheel well has been completely rusted out to the point that the suspension broke through into the interior of the car. The left rear and both front wheel wells look to be in perfect condition which seems abnormal for just one wheel well to be affected by extreme rust and corrosion. We bought this Mazda Tribute less then a year ago from the dan wolf Chevrolet dealership in naperville illinois, with it "passing inspection". Since then my family and I have treated this car with extraordinary care by regular maintenance and overall cleanliness. The my family of five (three children) have used this vehicle everyday to drive to work and school not knowing the danger it apposed on us and other drivers on the road. When researching this particular problem we noticed that this very dangerous and unsafe incident has happened to owners of the 2005 Mazda Tribute across the U.S. …
The passenger side rear strut upper mount rusted and broke away from the body after 11 years and 126, 500 miles. The Mazda was purchased new in June 2005; and routine and as needed maintenance and repair was performed by the same Mazda dealer. I noticed rust in the passenger rear side wheel well in 2014 and began asking the Mazda dealer about it. During all Mazda full circle suspension checks performed by the Mazda dealer, the suspension was marked or checked "OK" "green", and then in jan 2016- the strut mount rusted out of the body and the dealer said the car was unsafe to drive. I believe this was way too early for the car to rust out. I also question the integrity of Mazda's full circle inspection and the Mazda dealer. …
Entire upper mounting area for right rear shock rusted away; shock insecure at top inner fender. Reattachment not possible due to extensive rust; extensive repairs required that would exceed vehicle value. Our mechanic was shocked when he saw the level of rust. We were told by our auto shop that this was not normal & we should contact Mazda. Mazda did not resolve. We believe that this defect is similar to the defect that caused the recall of Mazda tributes through year 2004 - the year before our Tribute was manufactured. Our vehicle cannot be repaired. We did not take photos at the shop & cannot get a good picture of the undercarriage. We can submit the documents we received from our mechanic or take the truck back to the shop for a picture of the undercarriage. Thank you for helping us address our concern.
I had a rattling noise that started coming from the right rear and sounded like something was bouncing around in the back compartment. It got worse fast. I was stunned to find not only the right wheel well, but both sides completely rusted through and the shocks were ready to break away from the mounts. Both my mechanic shop and a reputable body shop independently told me that this vehicle is not safe to drive. The body shop is hesitant to touch it. They said that they can try to fabricate and fix it, but the problem is when there is rust involved, where do they stop? I bought this vehicle less than a year ago, supposedly taken very good care of, as I do. I still owe thousands on it and I'm not happy! My 2002 escape didn't have rust problems ... The motor went out before it had rust!
Body complaints in other Tribute years
Frequently asked questions
How common are body problems on the 2005 Mazda Tribute?
NHTSA has 126 complaints about the body & structure of the 2005 Mazda Tribute, 33% of the model year's 377 complaints. The component named most often is body (107 mentions).
Is there a recall for 2005 Mazda Tribute body problems?
No. NHTSA lists no body & structure recall for the 2005 Mazda Tribute, though it has 3 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 2005 Mazda Tribute body problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 125,000 miles, and 3% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 3 crashes, 0 fires and 2 injuries to body & structure 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.