2001 Mazda Tribute Service and Repair Manual

The 2001 Mazda Tribute was built as a four-door sport utility in DX, LX and ES trim, with a choice of a 2.0L four-cylinder or a 3.0L V6 carrying the VIN 1 engine code, and the clearances, torque values and test sequences that apply to a given truck follow from which of those combinations is sitting in front of you.

Engines covered

• 3.0L V6 (181 cu in) — DOHC, naturally aspirated, gasoline
• 2.0L inline-four (121 cu in) — DOHC, naturally aspirated, gasoline

Body styles covered

• 4-door sport utility

Trims covered

• DX
• ES
• LX

Known issues on the 2001 Tribute. Fifteen recalls are on federal record for this model year. Two of them cover the ABS control module. In the first, the brake master cylinder reservoir cap can leak brake fluid, and if it leaks the fluid could come in contact with the ABS module wiring harness connector, where corrosion may develop in the electrical connector leading to melting, smoking or possible fire. In the second, the ABS module connector may have missing or dislodged wire seals, which could allow contamination to enter the connector and create the potential for an electrical short; that short might cause an ABS malfunction that illuminates the ABS warning light, and in some cases the module may overheat, resulting in burning odor, smoke and/or fire, either with the ignition switch in the off position or while the vehicle is being operated. Replacement Cardone master cylinders were recalled because the seal on the master cylinder can fail and leak brake fluid, and loss of brake fluid can result in poor braking performance. Aftermarket front wheel bearings built to incorrect dimensions were recalled because use of an incorrectly sized wheel bearing can adversely affect braking and steering. Another recall covers excessive corrosion at the forward attachment of the lower control arm, where a separation of the arm can result in a significant loss of steering control. A mis-assembled or incorrectly manufactured nut attaching the steering wheel assembly to the steering column, upside down when tightened or cracked during manufacture, can lead to the steering wheel becoming loose or separating from the column and a loss of steering control. Some 4x2 vehicles not equipped with antilock brakes were inadvertently built with 4x4 rear hubs instead of 4x2 hubs, and with the incorrect hubs the rear wheels can loosen or in some cases separate from the vehicle, which could cause loss of control. Two recalls involve the throttle. On 3.0L V6 vehicles with speed control, inadequate clearance between the engine cover and the speed control cable connector could result in a stuck throttle when the accelerator pedal is fully or almost-fully depressed, and a stuck throttle may result in very high vehicle speeds and make the vehicle difficult to stop or slow. Separately, a cracked or missing speed control servo cap locating tab could enter the servo clutch cavity and interfere with the speed control servo clutch, and if the speed control is used it could prevent the throttle from returning to idle, resulting in a stuck throttle. A transmission control module recall covers vehicles with the 3.0L V6 Duratec engine, on which the engine can stall during deceleration. The rest cover O-ring seals in the fuel line connector at the outlet end of the fuel filter that were damaged during vehicle assembly, where fuel leakage in the presence of an ignition source could result in a fire; a rear liftgate latching system that does not meet the federal inertia load requirement in one direction, so a liftgate left unlocked may open during a crash; a post within the front safety belt buckle covers that could fracture into a no-latch or partial-latch condition, leaving a seat occupant not properly restrained in a crash; a windshield wiper linkage that can disengage due to a broken ball socket, which will likely result in sudden and complete loss of the wiper function or of the driver-side wiper only; and owner's manuals that do not indicate which seating positions are equipped with child restraint anchorages, so a child seat may not be properly attached in a crash. Owners have filed 581 complaints for the year.

Whether the job is testing an ABS module connector that has sat under a leaking reservoir cap or checking the lower control arm forward attachments for corrosion, the work comes back to Mazda's own procedure and the specification published for the 2001 Tribute.