NHTSA Complaint #10441627 — 2004 MAZDA TRIBUTE

THE TRANSMISSION LOST 2ND GEAR AND WOULD NOT SHIFT UNTIL THE ENGINE REVS WERE VERY HIGH, > 6000 RPM. MY WIFE HAD TO GET OFF THE HIGHWAY SINCE SHE COULD NOT GO AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS. DEALER SAID TRANSMISSION WAS BAD AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED EVEN THOUGH THE CAR WAS ONLY 10,000 MILES OVER THE WARRANTY. THEIR PRICE FOR A REBUILT TRANSMISSION WAS $4,130. I WENT TO AN INDEPENDENT TRANSMISSION SHOP THAT WAS MORE ECONOMICAL AND HE TOLD ME THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM SINCE THE BELTS AND HARDWARE (RIVETS THAT CONNECT MOUNTING BRACKET) ARE TOO SMALL FOR THE VEHICLE. HE USED THICKER BELTS FOR THE REBUILD BUT THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM IF YOU CHECK SITES LIKE EDMUNDS.COM. THIS IS A DEFECT AND SHOULD BE RECALLED AND FIXED BY MAZDA. *KB