NHTSA Complaint #10592153 — 2006 MAZDA TRIBUTE

WHILE DRIVING TO WORK I STARTED TO HEAR A BANGING SOUND FROM THE BACK OF MY VEHICLE. IT SOUNDED LIKE THE BACK WINDOW WAS OPEN & BANGING EVERY TIME I HIT A BUMP. I PULLED OVER AND MADE SURE EVERYTHING WAS SHUT. I PROCEEDED TO WORK BUT THE BANGING PERSISTED. WHEN I GOT TO WORK I CHECKED THE BACK COMPARTMENT & REMOVED MY CARGO INCASE THAT WAS CULPRIT. ON MY DRIVE HOME THE BANGING STILL PERSISTED. MY HUSBAND LOOKED AT THE VEHICLE AND SAID THAT THE SHOCKS/STRUTS WERE BLOWN. I TOOK IT TO THE GARAGE THAT NIGHT & IT TURNS OUT THAT THE PASSENGER SIDE REAR WHEEL WELL WAS COMPLETELY RUSTED THROUGH & THERE WAS NO WHERE FOR THE SHOCK TO MOUNT. WHEN THE MECHANIC PULLED UP MY CARGO MAT IN THE BACK IT IS AMAZING THAT NOTHING FELL OUT, THE SIZE OF THE HOLE FROM THE RUST IS COMPARABLE TO THE SIZE OF A BASKETBALL. WELDING IS NOT EVEN AN OPTION TO REPAIR THIS DAMAGE. THERE IS NO OTHER RUST OR BODY DAMAGE TO MY VEHICLE. THERE WAS A PROTECTIVE COATING ON THE INNER WHEEL WELL TO PREVENT THIS. THE DRIVER SIDE IS FINE AND IS SHOWING NO SIGN OF RUST/ROT. WHILE SEARCHING THE WEB FOR SUPPORT I SEE THIS IS A VERY COMMON PROBLEM IN THE FORD ESCAPE AND MAZDA TRIBUTE (VIRTUALLY ONE IN THE SAME). WHEN WILL SOMETHING BE DONE ABOUT THIS COSTLY PROBLEM? AS A SIDE NOTE, THIS CAR HAS BEEN A PROBLEM SINCE I BOUGHT IT IN 2006. I FILED A MAGNUS AND MOSS WARRANTY ACT SUIT AGAINST MAZDA AND WON FOR NUMEROUS ISSUES REGARDING THE TRANSMISSION AND POWER TRAIN SYSTEM. *JS