MAZDA TRIBUTE HYBRID · model year

2009 MAZDA TRIBUTE HYBRID

2 NHTSA complaints for this specific cohort.

NHTSA overall rating

Not crash-tested

New Car Assessment Program

The 2009MAZDATRIBUTE HYBRID carries 2 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 0 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries, and 0 fatalities. No NCAP 5-star crash-test rating is available for this model year in the federal database.

Component-level analysis is where model-year complaints become actionable: the top complaint category for the 2009 TRIBUTE HYBRID is electronic stability control (esc) with 1 filings, followed by electrical system (1). Concentration in one or two component groups is the classic signature of a systemic defect; a flat distribution usually reflects normal aging, warranty complaints, or isolated build-plant variability.

NHTSA currently has 21 investigation files overlapping the 2009 TRIBUTE HYBRID, and 1 remain open. Owners comparing this cohort against neighboring years should pair the counters above with the complaint-by-year trend on the parent model page — a spike in a single year often tracks to a platform refresh, a new transmission supplier, or an updated ECU calibration. Use the related-complaint feed below to read raw owner narratives before deciding whether any pattern here affects your specific use case.

2
Complaints
0
Crashes
0
Fires
0
Injuries
0
Deaths

Total Complaints

2 filings

Crashes Reported

0 reports

Source

NHTSA ODI

Federal complaints database

Complaints vs. fleet median (215)

At or below the fleet median complaint volume.

Complaints by Component

ComponentCount
ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC)1
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM1

Recent Complaints

20190220ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC)

PARKED VEHICLE IN GARAGE AFTER DRIVING, NEXT MORNING THE BATTERY WAS FULLY CHARGED BUT WOULD NOT TRY TO START WITH A STOP SAFELY NOW WARNING DISPLAYED...THIS HAS HAPPENED THREE TIMES NOW - SPENT $600 AND A TOW BILL FIRST TIME. FORD SAID THEY REPLACED A LEAKING THERMOSTAT AND REPROGRAMMED IT (WHICH I DO NOT BELIEVE). NEXT MORNING, SAME PROBLEM BUT LATER (3 DAYS LATER) IT STARTED, DROVE IT SEVERAL TIMES, NEXT MORNING IT WOULD NOT TRY TO START AGAIN. TOTALLY BROKE DOWN NOW WITH A FULLY CHARGED BATTERY. I THINK IT IS A FAULTY WIRING IN THE BATTERY HARNESS NOT COMMUNICATING WITH THE HYBRID BATTERY TO START AS I HAVE READ ABOUT THIS PROBLEM ON THE INTERNET WITH RECALLS FOR OTHER FORD HYBRID VEHICLES THAT TELL THE SAME STORY. PLEASE ISSUE ME A RECALL FOR THIS VEHICLE; WITHOUT IT, THE VEHICLE IS A TOTAL LOSS TO ME AS OTHERS GET RECALLS FOR THIS VERY FRUSTRATING PROBLEM THAT IS NO FAULT OF MY OWN.

Mileage: 89,560

20190220ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

PARKED VEHICLE IN GARAGE AFTER DRIVING, NEXT MORNING THE BATTERY WAS FULLY CHARGED BUT WOULD NOT TRY TO START WITH A STOP SAFELY NOW WARNING DISPLAYED...THIS HAS HAPPENED THREE TIMES NOW - SPENT $600 AND A TOW BILL FIRST TIME. FORD SAID THEY REPLACED A LEAKING THERMOSTAT AND REPROGRAMMED IT (WHICH I DO NOT BELIEVE). NEXT MORNING, SAME PROBLEM BUT LATER (3 DAYS LATER) IT STARTED, DROVE IT SEVERAL TIMES, NEXT MORNING IT WOULD NOT TRY TO START AGAIN. TOTALLY BROKE DOWN NOW WITH A FULLY CHARGED BATTERY. I THINK IT IS A FAULTY WIRING IN THE BATTERY HARNESS NOT COMMUNICATING WITH THE HYBRID BATTERY TO START AS I HAVE READ ABOUT THIS PROBLEM ON THE INTERNET WITH RECALLS FOR OTHER FORD HYBRID VEHICLES THAT TELL THE SAME STORY. PLEASE ISSUE ME A RECALL FOR THIS VEHICLE; WITHOUT IT, THE VEHICLE IS A TOTAL LOSS TO ME AS OTHERS GET RECALLS FOR THIS VERY FRUSTRATING PROBLEM THAT IS NO FAULT OF MY OWN.

Mileage: 89,560

Compare 2009MAZDATRIBUTE HYBRID to Similar Vehicles

NHTSA Investigations 1 Open

View all investigations

Frequently Asked Questions

How many complaints does the 2009 MAZDA TRIBUTE HYBRID have?
The 2009 MAZDA TRIBUTE HYBRID has 2 NHTSA complaints, 0 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
What are the most common problems with the 2009 MAZDA TRIBUTE HYBRID?
The most-complained component for the 2009 MAZDA TRIBUTE HYBRID is ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC) with 1 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include ELECTRICAL SYSTEM.
Is the 2009 MAZDA TRIBUTE HYBRID safe to buy?
Review the complaint history, crash and fire reports, safety ratings, and recall status on this page to make an informed decision. No NHTSA crash test rating is available for this model year. Compare with other model years using the links above.
Where does this data come from?
All complaint, recall, and safety rating data is sourced from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Complaints are filed by vehicle owners through NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation.

Vehicle Safety Guides

Data as of 2025. Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) complaints database, NHTSA recall campaign API, NHTSA NCAP crash-test ratings, and NHTSA FARS for fatality cross-reference.