Hello everyone, I am new here and just recently started driving a 2001 Mazda Tribute. It is actually my wife's old car but I just bought her a 2008 Mazda 6. Anyways when she was driving it there was a shuttering noise when it shifted someone said it was the motor mounts but said the bottom ones are bad. I replaced both bottom motor mounts front and back ( don't know if there are any more). I didn't replace the top one and it is still shuttering when it shifts. Should I replace the top mount as well? Anyone else have this same problem?

Also now that it has started getting somewhat cold it runs rough when it is first started until the engine warms up. There is no engine light anywhere and even plugged the computer in and no codes came up anyone know what causes this?

Other than this the car runs pretty well. It has 99,300 miles on it and can't complain.

Thanks everyone

 

I knew someone with an Exploder with this same affliction. I don't think they ever got it fixed before selling it... but I'm sure whatever it is, it can be repaired.
Does it seem to happen more in one gear than any other?
Is it worse when you accelerate hard?
In short, do any discernible conditions seem to affect the way the car shifts?

 

It's an automatic (not sure i should have said that or not) but it does when its shifting. I don't notice it anymore or any less when i accelerate hard.

 

If your shuddering sounds like running over a washboard for a short period of time during certain shift points, I would suggest a transmission fluid change. I did this and cleared up my problem. The fluid should be changed at 30,000 mile intervals, I did not change mine until 55,000. No shudder in 22,000 miles of driving since then.

 

+1,000,000 for the ATF change - you need to do that quite often on these cars.
The rough idling/running in cold it seems it's due to a very difficult to diagnose vacuum leak. The main culprit it seems to be the lower intake gasket. The thing is, once you are there to change it, you're better off to change the PVC valve too and the upper intake gasket. Also, clean the ICV valve - you're there anyways.
Also check ALL the rubber hoses, make sure they are not torn.
Some people (dealer) might tell you to change the O2 sensors - but these should give you some codes. No codes, don't change nothing. You will waste your money and nothing will be fixed.
These lower and upper intake gaskets are VERY HARD to diagnose. And they are usually the culprit. They will not bring any CEL, no codes. No dealer has diagnosed it correctly yet, they might even tell that the brake booster has a vacuum leak, which is a costly affair (and yes, if you have that kind of vacuum leak, you will have to fix that one too - it has a line that goes to the manifold).

I sorta, kinda know about this problem because I have a 2001 Tribby and had that too.

 

The rough idle when it is cold is caused by leaky intake gaskets. The exact same thing happened to my 2001 Tribute and new gaskets fixed it.

 

Hi there,
I own Mazda Tribute ES, 2001, 3L. Recently I started hearing some noise on highways while the transmission was shifting from one level to another. I was told it was due to rear engine mount. Out of 4 mounts I have not changed that one yet. However, while driving I get a feeling like something heavy is "hanging" off the car or engine and doesn't allow to "breath" it in full... I am not sure whether I could explain what exactly happens but that's what I feel. There are no specialized Mazda services around, I live in Vanadzor, Armenia, so just wanted to check whether you have any idea of the described situation. Thanks in advance!