Mazda Tribute Air Bags Problems
Owners have filed 140 complaints with NHTSA about air bags problems on the Mazda Tribute across 9 model years. The 2002 model year has the most (37). The words owners use most often: “air bag” (49% of reports).
- 140air bags complaints
- —median miles at failure
- 39mention a crash
- 31mention an injury
- 0related recalls
- $670typical repair cost reported by owners
- 27%of reports with a speed happened at 50+ mph
What owners describe
Phrases that appear unusually often in these complaints compared with complaints about other cars.
- Air bag: mentioned in 68 of 140 complaints (49%)
- Bags deployed: mentioned in 10 of 140 complaints (7%)
- Failed deploy: mentioned in 9 of 140 complaints (6%)
How much does it cost to fix?
Owners who wrote down what they paid or were quoted put the typical air bags repair on the Mazda Tribute at $670, and half of them between $570 and $1,000.
Based on 10 NHTSA complaints about this problem alone that state a repair bill or quote (2007–2018), converted to 2026 dollars with the U.S. consumer price index. These are owners' own figures, not a quote: they include dealer quotes, and owners who file complaints often faced larger repairs, so they can run higher than typical shop prices. Prices vary by shop, region and warranty coverage. How we calculate this.
At what mileage do air bags problems happen?
Based on 89 complaints that reported the odometer reading.
How serious are the reports?
Of 140 complaints, 39 mention a crash, 31 an injury.
Mazda Tribute air bags complaints by model year
| Model year | Air Bags complaints | Share of that year | Median miles |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 Tribute | 2 | 5% | 200 |
| 2009 Tribute | 2 | 6% | 38,543 |
| 2008 Tribute | 3 | 1% | 128,000 |
| 2006 Tribute | 6 | 5% | 105,000 |
| 2005 Tribute | 11 | 3% | 106,293 |
| 2004 Tribute | 22 | 14% | 73,500 |
| 2003 Tribute | 35 | 18% | 72,000 |
| 2002 Tribute | 37 | 10% | 77,000 |
| 2001 Tribute | 22 | 4% | 52,748 |
When owners reported it
Related recalls (0)
No safety recall lists air bags for the Mazda Tribute. A pattern of complaints does not always lead to a recall.
What owners report
Short excerpts of recent complaints, with personal details removed. Full reports are on NHTSA.gov.
The contact owned a 2008 Mazda Tribute. The contact stated that while driving at approximately 20 MPH and attempting to make a turn, another vehicle unexpectedly T-boned the vehicle, impacting the passenger front side. The contact and a passenger sustained minor injuries, and the passenger was…
The driver air bag light on the instrument panel has been illuminated since 2004, repair had been attempted several times but has failed. A bulletin has been sent by the manufacture to the dealership regarding steering wheel airbag light being illuminated giving a false warning, due to defective…
The contact owns a 2004 Mazda Tribute. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the air bag warning light illuminated. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired by an independent mechanic or dealer. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was…
Cruise, blake pedal hard to press when cruise is on. Air bag lite on 99 percent of the time
Tl* the contact called on behalf of the owner of a 2002 mazda tribute. While driving 30 mph, another vehicle abruptly stopped in front of the owner's vehicle. The owner was not able to stop the vehicle in time and crashed into the rear of the other vehicle. The air bags deployed with force. As a…
Frequently asked questions
Do all Mazda Tributes have air bags problems?
No. NHTSA has 140 owner complaints about air bags for the Mazda Tribute. Complaint data shows that the problem is reported, not how many of all cars sold are affected.
Was there a recall on the Mazda Tribute air bags?
No recall currently lists air bags for this vehicle.
How much does it cost to fix air bags problems on the Mazda Tribute?
Owners report a typical cost of $670 (half paid between $570 and $1,000), from 10 complaints that state a repair bill or quote, in 2026 dollars.
What do owners say about air bags problems on the Mazda Tribute?
The most frequent phrase is “air bag”, in 68 of 140 complaints, followed by “bags deployed” (10).
Other Mazda Tribute problems
See all Mazda Tribute problems.