Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (fuel pump, injectors, fuel tank, hybrid and EV propulsion).
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. …
Throttle freeze up. Could not accelerate out of path of on coming vehicle which crashed into my left front fender. This condition has been on going for years now and when I approached the dealer about it I was told to wait for recall letter which never came. Contacted Mazda and was told that this vehicle was not one of the recalled vehicles. It has been problem after problem with this vehicle. And I need help.
The 2005 Mazda Tribute initially started to be sporadically sluggish/hesitation when stepping on the gas. It seemed like there was a delay from when I pressed on the gas pedal to when the vehicle actually accelerated. On 6/4/15, a couple days after first experiencing the sluggishness/hesitant acceleration, the vehicle stalled/lost power while driving 55 miles per hour on a busy road. Fortunately, I was able to coast over to the side of the road. Within a few minutes I was able to restart the vehicle and continue on my way. The vehicle continued to be sluggish at acceleration and would randomly stall while driving and/or idling. At this point with the vehicle's mechanical issues, the check engine light was not on- even though there was something major wrong with the vehicle. Over the next couple weeks I had the vehicle in the shop three times. …
I have found that my gas pedal won't depress in cold weather. The first time this happened was a few weeks after I bought the car in 2009. The said it's cold and the car just needs to warm up. This problem has continued to happen year after year, but never for any length of time. However this morning, as I was driving to work the pedal would no longer depress as I was going down the road. Eventually I coasted to a red light and I frantically stepped on the pedal to no avail. I was able to turn on my hazard lights and somehow coast into a parking lot. I continued to let the car sit and warm up for another 10-12 minutes, when I was finally able to rev the engine. Believing that the problem was solved I backed out of my parking sort and again tried to drive forward, however the pedal still would not depress. …
The gas pedal sticks while driving, it loosens up after a few moments, (putting the entire force of my body against pedal will not free it up) . This has happened many times over the past couple of years, but has been happening much more over the last couple of weeks. Also last winter when it was cold at night as I pulled from my parking spot at work the engine seemed to rev suddenly as I pulled away. This would only happen occasionally and I figured it was due to the cold weather but I am not so sure now. I have searched the internet and found this has happened to others. The dealer charges them several hundred dollars to fix the problem. I see that there was a recall for the 2002-2004 Mazda Tribute for the accelerator cable recall 2704l. Is it possible there should be a recall for this model year.
The vehicle was initially in the shop to repair shock tower on the right rear which was completed rusted out, that expense cost $1200, within the week, while driving 40mph, the check engine light came on, then the ABS light, then the car began to slow to a stop. The car felt like it was in neutral, there was no control of the car. I placed the car into park, I was along the side of the highway. The car was towed back to the shop and needed repair of fuel injection, engine computer, spark plugs and ignition coils. The total cost of repairs came to $1500 dollars. It was upsetting to deal with two major incidents in 1 week, especially expensive ones. The way the car came to a slow stop on a highway could have caused an accident as well.
I have a brand new 2005 Mazda Tribute that every time you attempt to fill the gas tank it spews out raw fuel out and pollute's the atmosphere and creates a possible fire hazard. The dealer claim's this is a design problem and can not be corrected. What can epa do to put a halt to this type of pollution. I have written the state of nevada for help as to corectly fill this gas tank, the gas pump safties must be bypassed, thus creating a possible fire hazard. William a pearce 8815 rosanna street las vegas, nv [phone] [email]
With just over 12000 miles, the throttle became very sticky in cold weather. The butterflies in the throttle body hold the accelerator pedal closed, requiring excessive force to push (and excessive acceleration). In cold weather, throttle would stick closed whenever the pedal was released, no matter how long the vehicle was driven. The dealership (hall Mazda in virginia beach) replaced the throttle body, and commented that the throttle body should be cleaned every 12000 miles for varnish buildup. There is no TSB that I could find on this problem. I believe the problem is the pcv system, allowing oil to collect on the throttle body, and causing it to bind during cold weather.
The first time I had an issue with the gas pedal, I was backing out of a driveway and the pedal got stuck all the way down. My car wouldn't move. Since then, I've had 5 instances where I'm driving my car and let up on the gas pedal and it gets stuck. I have to stomp on the pedal multiple times for it to start working again. I'm always in traffic and have to turn on my hazard lights and pull off to the side if there is a shoulder available. This has also happened when merging onto the interstate when traffic is moving over 50 MPH. This is very dangerous and I'm upset to find that many other owners have had this issue and we have to pay to get this fixed. It should be a recall.
I purchased a 2005 Mazda Tribute in July, 2005. The sticker on the car had an average mileage of 19 to 24 miles per gallon. I, to this date get 11 to 13 miles per gallon and 17-19 on the highway. I truly believe there is a problem in the fuel system or the engine. Contacted Mazda and was told epa was to blame and I needed to let the car get broken in. I currently have 6500 miles and still get 11-13 miles per gallon. I have a 16 gallon tank and get anywhere between 180 to 200 miles per tank. Dealer says nothing wrong and hasn't replaced anything.
Fuel System complaints in other Tribute years
Frequently asked questions
How common are fuel system problems on the 2005 Mazda Tribute?
NHTSA has 20 complaints about the fuel & propulsion system of the 2005 Mazda Tribute, 5% of the model year's 377 complaints. The component named most often is storage › tank assembly › filling/charging (1 mentions).
Is there a recall for 2005 Mazda Tribute fuel system problems?
No. NHTSA lists no fuel & propulsion system 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 fuel system problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 81,000 miles, and 28% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 2 crashes, 0 fires and 1 injury to fuel & propulsion 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.