NHTSA Complaint #758337 — 2001 MAZDA TRIBUTE

FLYING DEBRIS (SAND, GRAVEL, STONES ETC.) FROM FRONT TIRES DO FLY AT SEVERAL SPEEDS TOWARDS THE BODY OF THE VEHICLE AND DAMAGE THE CLADDING SERIOUSLY. FURTHERMORE BECAUSE OF THIS DESIGN THE BIGGER OBJECTS CAN FLY FURTHER INTO INCOMING AND PASSING TRAFFIC AND DAMAGE AND ENDANGER LIFE AND PROPERTY. TO AVOID THIS USUALLY THE CAR MANUFACUTURER INSTALLS OR OFFERS TO INSTALL MUD FLAPS OR SPLASH GUARDS TO THE VEHICLES. UNFORTUNATELY THERE ARE HUNDREDS OF REPORTS THAT THE MAZDA TRIBUTE DOES NOT OFFER THIS SAFETY ADVISE AND DOES NOT MAKE IT AVAILABLE TO MAZDA TRIBUTE OWNERS. DAMAGE ON THE CARS IS IGNORED, BUT PROOF EXISTS THAT MAZDA IS WELL AWARE OF THIS PROBLEM BUT DOES NOT DO ANYTHING FOR THESE VEHICLES ON THE MARKET. BUT MAZDA CONFIRMS THAT THE DESIGN WILL BE CHANGED FROM THE 2004 MODEL ON, BUT THEY DO NOT KNOW IF THAT FAR AWAY IMPROVEMENT WILL BE COMAPTIBLE TO THE TRIBUTES NOW ON THE MARKET. APPROACHED ALMOST EVERY AFTER MARKET PRODUCER OF MUD FLAPS EVERYONE IS UNABLE TO SUPPLY FRONT MUD FLAPS FOR THIS VEHICLE. EVEN WARNINGS TAKE PLACE N O T TO USE OTHER MUDFLAPS AS THEY HAVE TO BE INSTALLED ON THE FIBERGLASS CLADDING AND THAT CAN PRODUCE FLYING FIBERGLASS PARTS OFF THE VEHICLE FROM TORN CLADDING. THERE IS NOT SOLUTION ON THE MARKET AND THE SAFETY IS BESIDES THE DAMAGE ON THE BRANDNEW VEHICLES A BIG CONCERN. MAZDA OFFERED MYSELF TO INSTALL MUDFLAPS FROM THE BROTHER MODEL FORD ESCAPE BUT AFTER TRYING TO INSTALL THOSE ONES STOPPED THIS ATTEMPT AFTER ADMITTING THAT THEY DO NOT FIT! LOTS OF UNSATISFIED AND WORRIED TRIBUTE CUSTOMERS WAITING FOR A SOLUTION WHICH WAS DECLINED WITH E-MAIL FROM MAZDA AS THEY DO NOT CARE ABOUT THE DAMAGE AND SAFETY IN THIS REGARD. *AK