Tribute Towing
Submitted: Saturday, Dec 22, 2007 at 11:20
ThreadID:
52756
Views:
13974
Replies:
4
FollowUps:
4
This Thread has been Archived
Member - John F (NSW)
Have any members had experience towing a 16ft caravan with the Mazda Tribute.
The anchor and I have a 2004 Tribute and are thinking of getting a Coromal van in a couple of years. We have fitted Cooper H/T tyres (which are fantastic) electric brake controller in anticipation of our adventures.
We plan to have a tare weight of the van at about 1200kg.
Any and all comments would be gratefully appreciated.
John F
Reply By: herkman - Saturday, Dec 22, 2007 at 16:55
Saturday, Dec 22, 2007 at 16:55
A Tribute does not a good tow vechicle make.
The Ford built auto is a pig, and ours failed completely and suddenly at 26.000 Kms.
I am not the only one who has this problem, and when I put my problem on the US Escape
forum, got lots of tails of early failures.
Under no circumstances should you tow in overdrive and stay
well under the max tow weight of 1600 kgs.
Regards
Col
AnswerID:
277977
Follow Up By: Member - John F (NSW) - Saturday, Dec 22, 2007 at 17:52
Saturday, Dec 22, 2007 at 17:52
Hi Col,
My stomach just dropped through the floor.
I've got 78,000km on the clock and last weekend I was not able to reverse up a driveway, with three passengers on board,which I've driven up forward many times. It is pletty steep!
It was just like I had a manual gearbox and the clutch was slipping.
Mazda dealer is going to look at in the new year.
Luckily the four year warranty that came with the Traveller Pack is still in force, at least till March 08.
Thankyou for your time
John F
FollowupID:
541982
Follow Up By: Stu-k - Saturday, Dec 22, 2007 at 17:55
Saturday, Dec 22, 2007 at 17:55
Maybe a auto cooler would have helped. But it is meant to be a light duty mums taxi
FollowupID:
541984
Follow Up By: Member - John F (NSW) - Saturday, Dec 22, 2007 at 18:11
Saturday, Dec 22, 2007 at 18:11
Thankyou for your input Stu-K,
I don't believe it's a cooling problem, but you never know.
You could be right about the Mums Taxi, but geez it's a lovely vehicle to drive!
John F
FollowupID:
541986
Reply By: herkman - Saturday, Dec 22, 2007 at 18:41
Saturday, Dec 22, 2007 at 18:41
I am sorry to be the bearer of bad news, but the symptoms you describe are typical of the CD4E clutch pack failures.
The situation is that the traveller pack comes with an engine oil cooler as standard, and upgrading to an auto oil cooler may help, the fact is that the Ford CD4 gearbox was not up to the task.
The signs like you have are just the begining, and what will happen is that you will jump in one day, put it into D and the car will only go about 30 meters and will stop.
Putting synthetic oil will not help, in actual fact it will make it worse, and I have this statement confirmed by one of the design engineers from Ford USA.
AS it appears that your lady prefers the smaller 4WD, then I suggest that the Nissan X trail would be more suitable. If I recall correctly it can tow 1800 kgs.
There is a Tribute
forum., you will find it on a Google search, make sure you get the Aussie one, put your problem on there, and watch the comments come in. You can also also search for the same subject.
Mazda changed the auto on ours, but the foreman at the dealership advised me to get rid of it, his words words where far from comforting.
If you pull the dipstick, the fluid will feel varnishy and will smell bad.
The problem is the towing capacity is also based on the Ford engine which has a ton of HP, but the drive chain will not take it.
I wish I had better news for you but I would rather you hear the truth, than being stuck far from
home.
Regards
Col
AnswerID:
277988