Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (struts, shocks, control arms, ball joints, springs).
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).
The wheel well rusted out, completely leaving the shock tower and stability of the car at risk, rusted out completely, I'm a light backyard mechanic and I've seen the Ford do the same . The repair is almost the value of the car, and unless you trust them your basically buying a new vehicle, because while you're there may change the set of shock's and absorber that's about 700. To include. This car had a rumor of being as good as the Everlasting Santa Fe, and Toyota 4runner. Vehicle is in pristine shape aside from the fatal rust.. recall recall recall recall
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.
I purchased my 2005 Mazda Tribute brand new from martin Mazda, located in newark, de. My vehicle has never been in an accident and I just drive it back and forth to work. In January I started hearing a loud noise in the rear of my vehicle which started to get louder and louder. It sounded like something in the rear of the vehicle was bouncing/rattling around. On February 10, 2015 I took my car to nucar Mazda in new castle who has serviced my vehicle since 2005. [redacted] , Mazda service advisor informed me that the right rear subframe and wheelwell had rusted away and that it was unsafe for me to drive. The brake line had started to rust, as well. The shock attached t the vehicle had rusted away, as well. He explained that the rear could collapse. …
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. …
Passenger side wheel well including strut for top of shock absorber rusted causing a dangerous condition. In the 10 yrs I owned this car, no impending failure of that area was detected in all annual and other inspections.while driving in heavy truck traffic on i87 (pa) I heard a loud explosion, smelled burning rubber, and temporarily lost control of my vehicle. I maneuvered to the side of the highway, examined the rear passenger tire and was able to remove and bend pieces of metal that were rubbing on the tire. This is apparently a well-known problem with tributes and Ford escapes (2001-?) and has been reported to those companies multiple times. I was able to cautiously proceed driving with vehicle to my destination. The car is unstable while making turns, especially if the road causes the right rear tire to bounce. …
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. …
Left rear shock absorber mount separated from the vehicle frame during normal driving (slow speed - 25mph) due to what appears to be a faulty design. All connecting bolts, washers and nuts are intact and secure in the shock absorber and mount area. This has resulted in a serious safety issue when driving the vehicle and it was fortuitous that the driver was not operating in highway or more intense conditions when the vehicle failed. I have contacted Mazda north America and have received a service report from the local Mazda dealer in charlotte, nc. (information available if needed). While the vehicle is 10 years old, a failure of this type is unusual and rare but identified from multiple sources as corrosion issues that Ford / maza have on the 03 to 05 models which should result in a recall and remedy by the manufacturer. …
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. …
As others have stated the 2005 Mazda Tribute has a serious factory/manufacturing defect that Mazda has blatantly ignoring. While driving in the city limits the vehicle began making a loud thumping noise coming from the passenger rear. Upon inspection found that there was beyond major rust making the vehicle unsafe. The vehicle currently has 123,817 miles. The rest of the vehicle is in very good condition. The passenger side rear wheel well and shock mount are completely rusted out. It is unsafe to drive and Mazda needs to address this issue immediately. Maybe they prefer to see someone killed or seriously injured by the kind of accident this failure could cause. A vehicle in otherwise good condition with this mileage should not relegate the vehicle to the junk yard or leave the owner with a $2000- $3000 repair.
While driving my 2005 Mazda Tribute on a paved city street, I noticed a sudden loud clanking/pounding in the passenger side, rear wheel well area. Assumed it was a bad shock but soon discovered that the the wheel well had rusted completely out, there is now a hole to the inside of my car. Some, but not much rust elsewhere on the vehicle (the other three wheel wells look great), but that part of the vehicle rusted through to the inside of the vehicle. Not driveable anymore until this is addressed. The vehicle itself is very mechanically sound and will cared for. There are lots of examples on online forums of this exact issue, on both tributes and Ford escapes. Apparently there is a recall for these vehicles 01-04, but no further. Exact same issue, exact same wheel well. Please help!
Suspension complaints in other Tribute years
Frequently asked questions
How common are suspension problems on the 2005 Mazda Tribute?
NHTSA has 137 complaints about the suspension of the 2005 Mazda Tribute, 36% of the model year's 377 complaints. The component named most often is front (2 mentions).
Is there a recall for 2005 Mazda Tribute suspension problems?
No. NHTSA lists no suspension 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 suspension problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 125,000 miles, and 1% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 1 crash, 0 fires and 0 injuries to suspension 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.