Reliability & 5-year cost of ownership — 2002 Mazda Tribute
NHTSA data on file today
The 2002 Mazda Tribute has 9 NHTSA recall campaigns and 383 owner complaints on file as of . Recall data is refreshed daily from NHTSA.
Recall campaigns on file
- NHTSA #15E045000 Front Wheel Bearing has Wrong Dimensions NHTSA notice
- NHTSA #14V174000 Lower Control Arm Corrosion-Regional Recall NHTSA notice
- NHTSA #12V357000 Speed Control Cable Connector Interference NHTSA notice
- NHTSA #12V016000 ANTILOCK BRAKE SYSTEM ELECTRICAL CONNECTORS NHTSA notice
- NHTSA #07V157000 ABS MODULE ELECTRICAL WIRING HARNESS NHTSA notice
- NHTSA #07E023000 MASTER CYLINDER LEAK NHTSA notice
- NHTSA #04V605000 MAZDA/FMVSS 206/LIFTGATE LATCH NHTSA notice
- NHTSA #04V583000 MAZDA/ACCELERATOR CABLE NHTSA notice
- NHTSA #04V175000 MAZDA/PCM/ENGINE STALLING NHTSA notice
Most-cited components in owner complaints
- Engine and Engine Cooling 123 complaints
- Service Brakes, Hydraulic 60 complaints
- Electrical System 40 complaints
- Air Bags 37 complaints
- Vehicle Speed Control 37 complaints
- Power Train 35 complaints
Of the 383 complaints on file, 19 report a crash and 24 a fire; across all 383 complaints, owners report 13 injuries (owner-reported, not verified by NHTSA).
Below average
Estimated 5-year repair + maintenance cost: $4,000–$8,000AI estimate — not from NHTSA data
The 2002 Mazda Tribute has a high number of complaints and several recalls, mainly affecting the engine, brakes, and vehicle speed control. These issues, alongside the recall history, suggest below-average reliability. While exact failure mileages are unknown, frequent problems with significant systems raise concerns about long-term ownership costs.
Most-common failures
| Part | Typical mileage (AI estimate) | Cost range (AI estimate) | Frequency |
|---|---|---|---|
| Engine cooling | Unknown | $500–$1,500 | common |
| Service brakes | Unknown | $400–$1,200 | common |
| Electrical system | Unknown | $300–$1,000 | occasional |
AI estimate — not from NHTSA data: the mileage bands and repair-cost ranges above. Get a written repair quote before you budget.
Scheduled maintenance to budget
Routine items every owner should plan for.
- Oil and filter changes
- Brake inspections
- Coolant replacement
- Transmission fluid service
- Tire rotations
- Spark plug replacement
- Air filter replacement
Warning signs to watch for
Symptoms that signal a major upcoming repair.
- Stuck throttle
- Brake fluid leaks
- Engine overheating
- Electrical shorts
- Transmission stalling
Generated by gpt-4o on from the NHTSA recall campaigns and owner-complaint counts on file for the 2002 Mazda Tribute at the time. The rating is an AI assessment; cost and mileage figures are AI estimates, not NHTSA data.