How many recalls does the 2002 Mazda Tribute have?

The 2002 Mazda Tribute has 7 NHTSA safety recall campaigns on record.

How do I check if my 2002 Mazda Tribute has an open recall?

Enter your 17-character VIN at NHTSA's official recall lookup (nhtsa.gov/recalls) to see open, unrepaired recalls for your specific vehicle. Recall repairs are free.

What do owners complain about most on the 2002 Mazda Tribute?

Of 502 NHTSA complaints on file, the most-reported component is engine and engine cooling.

2002 Mazda Tribute Recalls

Recalls on record Updated July 2026

The 2002 Mazda Tribute has 7 NHTSA recall campaigns affecting an estimated 750,990 vehicles. Recall repairs are always free at any authorized dealer. Owners have filed 502 complaints with NHTSA, most often about the engine and engine cooling. Last updated July 6, 2026.

Recall campaigns

STRUCTURE 14V174000 2014-04-04 109,000 affected

Defect

Mazda North American Operations (Mazda) is recalling certain model year 2001-2004 Tribute vehicles manufactured May 22, 2000, through December 19, 2003, originally sold, or currently registered in, Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, New…

Consequence

A separation of the lower control arm can result in a significant loss of steering control, increasing the risk of a crash.

Remedy

Mazda will notify owners, and dealers will install a newly designed reinforcement cross-brace, free of charge. The recall began on May 29, 2014. Owners may contact Mazda at 1-800-222-5500. Mazda's number for this recall is 7514D.

VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL 12V357000 2012-07-27 217,500 affected

Defect

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. …

Consequence

A stuck throttle may result in very high vehicle speeds and make it difficult to stop or slow the vehicle, which could cause a crash, serious injury or death.

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. Owners may contact Mazda Customer Assistance Center at 1-800-222-5500, option #6.

SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC 12V016000 2012-01-20 52,390 affected

Defect

MAZDA IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2001-2002 MAZDA TRIBUTE VEHICLES MANUFACTURED FROM APRIL 20, 2000, THROUGH JULY 19, 2002. THE BRAKE MASTER CYLINDER RESERVOIR CAP CAN LEAK BRAKE FLUID. IF BRAKE FLUID LEAKS, IT COULD COME IN CONTACT WITH THE ANTILOCK BRAKE SYSTEM (ABS) MODULE WIRING HARNESS CONNECTOR.

Consequence

CORROSION MAY DEVELOP IN THE ELECTRICAL CONNECTOR LEADING MELTING, SMOKING OR POSSIBLE FIRE.

Remedy

MAZDA WILL NOTIFY OWNERS, AND DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE VEHICLE'S BRAKE MASTER CYLINDER RESERVOIR CAP AND MODIFY THE ABS ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, FREE OF CHARGE. UNTIL THE REPAIR HAS BEEN PERFORMED, VEHICLE OWNERS SHOULD PARK THEIR VEHICLES OUTSIDE. THE SAFETY RECALL BEGAN ON JUNE 22, 2012. OWNERS MAY CONTACT MAZDA AT…

SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC 07V157000 2007-04-10 95,300 affected

Defect

ON CERTAIN SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH ANTILOCK BRAKES (ABS), THE ABS MODULE CONNECTOR MAY HAVE MISSING OR DISLODGED WIRE SEALS. THIS CONDITION COULD ALLOW CONTAMINATION TO ENTER THE MODULE CONNECTOR, CREATING A POTENTIAL FOR AN ELECTRICAL SHORT.

Consequence

AN ELECTRICAL SHORT MIGHT CAUSE AN ABS MALFUNCTION THAT WOULD ILLUMINATE THE ABS WARNING LIGHT, AND IN SOME CASES, THE MODULE MAY OVERHEAT RESULTING IN BURNING ODOR, SMOKE, AND/OR FIRE. THIS CONDITION COULD OCCUR EITHER WHEN THE VEHICLE IGNITION SWITCH IS IN THE OFF POSITION OR WHILE THE VEHICLE IS BEING OPERATED.

Remedy

DEALERS WILL INSPECT THE WIRE HARNESS CONNECTOR TO THE ABS MODULE FOR MISSING OR DISLODGED WIRE SEALS, AND REPAIR OR REPLACE THE HARNESS CONNECTOR AS APPROPRIATE. THE DEALER WILL ALSO INSPECT THE CONNECTOR ON THE ABS MODULE AND REPLACE IT IF IT IS FOUND TO BE CORRODED OR DAMAGED. THE RECALL BEGAN ON MAY 9, 2007. …

LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES 04V605000 2004-12-23 49,800 affected

Defect

CERTAIN 2004-2005 SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES AND CERTAIN 2001-2003 SPORT UTILITY VEHICLE HAVING REAR LIFTGATE COMPONENTS SERVICED WITH 2004 EQUIVALENT COMPONENTS FAIL TO COMPLY WITH THE REQUIREMENTS OF FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 206, 'DOOR LOCKS AND DOOR RETENTION COMPONENTS.' THE REAR LIFTGATE LATCHING…

Consequence

IF THE LIFTGATE IS LEFT UNLOCKED, THERE IS THE POTENTIAL THAT IT MAY OPEN DURING A CRASH.

Remedy

DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE REAR LIFTGATE LATCH RELEASE ROD, THE RELEASE ROD ATTACHMENT CLIP AND THE DOOR HANDLE RETURN SPRING. THE RECALL BEGAN ON MARCH 31, 2005. OWNERS SHOULD CONTACT MAZDA AT 1-800-222-5500.

VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL 04V583000 2004-12-10 121,000 affected

Defect

ON CERTAIN SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES, THE ACCELERATOR CABLE MAY PREVENT THE THROTTLE FROM RETURNING TO THE IDLE POSITION.

Consequence

AN UNEXPECTED INCREASE IN ENGINE IDLE SPEED MAY INCREASE STOPPING DISTANCE AND MAY RESULT IN A VEHICLE CRASH.

Remedy

DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE ACCELERATOR CABLE. THE RECALL BEGAN ON JANUARY 28, 2005. OWNERS SHOULD CONTACT MAZDA AT 1-800-222-5500, OPTION #4.

POWER TRAIN 04V175000 2004-04-09 106,000 affected

Defect

ON CERTAIN SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH 3.0L V6 DURATEC ENGINES , DURING DECELERATION, THE ENGINE CAN STALL.

Consequence

SHOULD THE ENGINE STALL, A VEHICLE CRASH COULD OCCUR.

Remedy

DEALERS WILL REPROGRAM THE POWER CONTROL MODULE (PCM) WITH THE APPROPRIATE CALIBRATION. THE RECALL BEGAN ON MAY 3, 2004. OWNERS SHOULD CONTACT MAZDA AT 1-800-222-5500.

Complaints by component

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE

AIR BAGS

SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC

VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL

713

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES

SERVICE BRAKES

POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION

Total complaints502

What owners report

Verbatim reports filed with NHTSA, lightly edited for readability and with personal information removed.

“My car has had a abs engine code for a year that I have spent a lot of money trying to get it off because, I canâ€™t renew my tag because it failed emissions vehicle safety test . So I was notified by my insurance company that my vehicle was under recall. I read it and called mazda and it was…”

SERVICE BRAKES · reported 2023-10-03

“My car has had a abs engine code for a year that I have spent a lot of money trying to get it off because, I canâ€™t renew my tag because it failed emissions vehicle safety test . So I was notified by my insurance company that my vehicle was under recall. I read it and called mazda and it was…”

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM · reported 2023-10-03

“The contact owns a 2002 mazda tribute. The contact stated that the check engine warning light was illuminated. Additionally, the contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the transmission was shifting erratically and made an abnormal rumbling sound. The contact stated that the vehicle…”

POWER TRAIN · reported 2022-11-22

“The contact owns a 2002 mazda tribute. The contact stated that the check engine warning light was illuminated. Additionally, the contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the transmission was shifting erratically and made an abnormal rumbling sound. The contact stated that the vehicle…”

ENGINE · reported 2022-11-22

“The contact owns a 2002 mazda tribute. The contact stated that the check engine warning light was illuminated. Additionally, the contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the transmission was shifting erratically and made an abnormal rumbling sound. The contact stated that the vehicle…”

SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC · reported 2022-11-22

“My vehicle took off and accelerated without me depressing the gas pedal and it was very scary and hard to get stopped I was doing almost 80 mph. It had a safety recall for the throttle cable for this but you show no open recalls yet mazda does and told me if recalls we're taken care of they would…”

VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL · reported 2022-04-29

“My vehicle took off and accelerated without me depressing the gas pedal and it was very scary and hard to get stopped I was doing almost 80 mph. It had a safety recall for the throttle cable for this but you show no open recalls yet mazda does and told me if recalls we're taken care of they would…”

STEERING · reported 2022-04-29

“My vehicle took off and accelerated without me depressing the gas pedal and it was very scary and hard to get stopped I was doing almost 80 mph. It had a safety recall for the throttle cable for this but you show no open recalls yet mazda does and told me if recalls we're taken care of they would…”

SUSPENSION · reported 2022-04-29

Defect investigations

Investigation DP09003 Opened 2009-04-14 · closed 2009-04-15

ENGINE COMPARTMENT FIRE

THE OFFICE OF DEFECTS INVESTIGATION (ODI) RECEIVED A DEFECT PETITION DATED MARCH 5, 2009 ALLEGING THAT THE PETITIONER NEVER RECEIVED THE RECALL REMEDY FOR 07V-156 AND THAT, AS A RESULT, THE PETITIONER'S MY2003 FORD ESCAPE CAUGHT FIRE AT THE ABS CONTROL MODULE.IN RESPONSE TO ODI FOLLOW-UP, THE MANUFACTURER VERIFIED…