Mazda Tribute
Registered from 2001 to 2004.
About this model
The Mazda Tribute is a compact SUV made by Japanese automaker Mazda from 2000 to 2011. It was jointly developed with Ford Motor Company and based on the front-wheel drive Mazda 626 platform, which was in turn the basis for the similar Ford Escape on the CD2 platform. The Tribute was priced below the Ford Escape and Mercury Mariner in Ford's CD2 SUV lineup.
From the Wikipedia article Mazda Tribute, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
What fails its inspection
Great Britain's MOT record for the 2003 2.0 petrol. 21 of 59 tests failed, 36%.
Better than 2% of 2003 cars. The typical one fails 28%, across 639 models with enough tests behind them to say.
| Where | Share of failures | Failed tests |
|---|---|---|
| Suspension | 67% | 14 |
| Lights and electrics | 48% | 10 |
| Body and structure | 33% | 7 |
| Brakes | 33% | 7 |
| Visibility | 19% | 4 |
| Exhaust and emissions | 14% | 3 |
The defects inspectors cite
- The strength or continuity of the load bearing structure within 30cm of any sub-frame, spring or suspension component mounting (a 'prescribed area') is significantly reduced or inadequately repaired
- A lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning
- A headlamp or light source missing, inoperative or more than ½ not functioning in the case of LED
- A flexible brake hose excessively damaged, deteriorated, chafed, twisted or stretched
- A rear registration plate lamp or light source missing or inoperative in the case of a single lamp or all lamps
- A suspension joint dust cover missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc
Where it stands out against its peers
- Suspension: failed more often than 97% of 2003 cars — 67% of its 21 failed tests, where an ordinary 2003 car has 43%.
Same model year only, at least 30 peer cars, zeros included. Every car has a worst part; this shows which, and how far from ordinary it is. A high share means more to check, not a verdict.
NHTSA's investigations are American; no European regulator publishes an equivalent record, so this section has nothing to draw on for a European car. There is no European equivalent of the service-bulletin register either.
Before you buy one
Built from what this car fails on, not from general knowledge of the model.
- Suspension — 67% of its failures
- The strength or continuity of the load bearing structure within 30cm of any sub-frame, spring or suspension component mounting (a 'prescribed area') is significantly reduced or inadequately repaired
- A suspension joint dust cover missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc
- A suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn
- Brakes — 33% of its failures
- A flexible brake hose excessively damaged, deteriorated, chafed, twisted or stretched
- Exhaust and emissions — 14% of its failures
- Exhaust system leaking or insecure
- Lights and electrics — 48% of its failures
- A lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning
- A headlamp or light source missing, inoperative or more than ½ not functioning in the case of LED
- A rear registration plate lamp or light source missing or inoperative in the case of a single lamp or all lamps
- Body and structure — 33% of its failures
- The strength or continuity of the load bearing structure within 30cm of any sub-frame, spring or suspension component mounting (a 'prescribed area') is significantly reduced or inadequately repaired
- Visibility — 19% of its failures