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2009 Mazda Tribute

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

Fewer warning signs than most model years

Owner complaints for the 2009 Mazda Tribute are lower than the model-year median of 143.5.

About this comparison →

How this year compares

Owner complaints by model year

Other model years Selected year
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Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.

What owners reported most

All reported categories

Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.

When problems were reported

Mileage at the reported incident

29 reports with mileage · 6 unknown

NHTSA’s mileage field refers to the reported incident, not necessarily the filing date. This shows report counts, not the likelihood of a failure.

What to inspect

Issues worth paying extra attention to based on owner reports.

  • Steering. Review the 19 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Electrical System. Review the 3 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Engine. Review the 3 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

2 crash reports0 fire reports1 injury reports

What owners actually said

35 reports
22,848 miles · Jun 1, 2012
Vehicle Speed Control

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 MAZDA TRIBUTE. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING WITH THE CRUISE CONTROL ENGAGED, THE SPEED INCREASED FROM 70 TO 80 MPH SIX TIMES. THE CONTACT STATED THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED AS IF IT WERE GOING DOWN HILL AND WOULD THEN SHIFT OUT OF GEAR. THE CONTACT MADE FOUR ATTEMPTS TO DISENGAGE THE CRUISE CONTROL. …

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 MAZDA TRIBUTE. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING WITH THE CRUISE CONTROL ENGAGED, THE SPEED INCREASED FROM 70 TO 80 MPH SIX TIMES. THE CONTACT STATED THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED AS IF IT WERE GOING DOWN HILL AND WOULD THEN SHIFT OUT OF GEAR. THE CONTACT MADE FOUR ATTEMPTS TO DISENGAGE THE CRUISE CONTROL. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHO STATED THERE WAS NO DEFECT. THE CONTACT STATED THE FAILURE ONLY OCCURRED HIGH SPEEDS AND NEVER HAPPENED WHILE DRIVING AT LOWER SPEEDS. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 22,848. UPDATED 06/29/12 *BF THE CONSUMER STATED WHILE GOING UP HILL, THE VEHICLE DOWNSHIFTED. HE DISENGAGED THE CRUISE CONTROL. UPDATED 07/09/12

NHTSA ODI #10460263

15,000 miles · Jun 9, 2010
Service Brakes, ElectricCrash

I PURCHASED A NEW 2009 MAZDA TRIBUTE. I HAVE ALWAYS TAKEN IT TO THE DEALER FOR MAINTENANCE. IT HAS APX. 15000 MILES. THE LAST OIL CHANGE AT ABOUT 9,100 MILES I COMPLAINED ABOUT SQUEAKING BRAKES. THEY VERIFIED THAT THEY WERE CHECKED AND FOUND IN GOOD CONDITION. ON JUNE 8, 2010 I WAS TURNING INTO A RESIDENTIAL AREA AND THE C…

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I PURCHASED A NEW 2009 MAZDA TRIBUTE. I HAVE ALWAYS TAKEN IT TO THE DEALER FOR MAINTENANCE. IT HAS APX. 15000 MILES. THE LAST OIL CHANGE AT ABOUT 9,100 MILES I COMPLAINED ABOUT SQUEAKING BRAKES. THEY VERIFIED THAT THEY WERE CHECKED AND FOUND IN GOOD CONDITION. ON JUNE 8, 2010 I WAS TURNING INTO A RESIDENTIAL AREA AND THE CAR WOULD NOT STOP OR SLOW DOWN. I CRASHED INTO A MEDIAN. EARLIER THAT DAY I EXPERIENCED A SIMILAR PROBLEM WHILE BRAKING BUT I THOUGHT IT WAS DUE TO THE RAIN. WHEN THE ACCIDENT OCCURRED IT HAD JUST STOPPED DRIZZLING AND THE GROUND WAS VISIBLY DRY. I PRESSED ON THE BRAKES. THEY DID NOT SQUEAL, BUT THE CAR WOULD NOT STOP. SOMETHING WENT REALLY WRONG. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10335469

22 miles · Feb 12, 2010
Fuel System, OtherVehicle Speed Control

I PURCHASED A 2009 MAZDA TRIBUTE FROM JIM ELLIS MAZDA IN ATLANTA, GA. UPON DRIVING THE VEHICLE, I NOTICED THE GAS PEDAL HAD A STRANGE FEEL TO IT, BUT THOUGHT NOTHING OF IT. I ASSUMED THAT IT MUST BE A FEATURE WITH NEW CARS, AS IT HAD BEEN YEARS SINCE I'D PURCHASED A NEW CAR AND EXPECTED TECHNOLOGICAL ADVANCES. NEVERTHELESS, AS M…

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I PURCHASED A 2009 MAZDA TRIBUTE FROM JIM ELLIS MAZDA IN ATLANTA, GA. UPON DRIVING THE VEHICLE, I NOTICED THE GAS PEDAL HAD A STRANGE FEEL TO IT, BUT THOUGHT NOTHING OF IT. I ASSUMED THAT IT MUST BE A FEATURE WITH NEW CARS, AS IT HAD BEEN YEARS SINCE I'D PURCHASED A NEW CAR AND EXPECTED TECHNOLOGICAL ADVANCES. NEVERTHELESS, AS MONTHS HAVE PROGRESSED AND SEVERAL OF MY FRIENDS HAVE DRIVEN MY CAR HAVE SAID THAT THE GAS PEDAL ISSUE IS NOT IN ANYWAY NORMAL. TO BE MORE SPECIFIC REGARDING THE ISSUE, EACH TIME I ACCELERATE FROM A STOP, THE GAS PEDAL STICKS, OR GETS STUCK AND I HAVE TO PUSH IT HARDER SO IT WILL CONTINUE TO GO. I'VE OFTEN FOUND MYSELF ALMOST SPEEDING OUT OF CONTROL AND HAVE HAD TO RESOLVE TO DEFENSIVE DRIVING TO AVOID COLLISIONS. I CALLED MAZDA CUSTOMER SERVICE TODAY AND WAS INFORMED TO CONTACT THE DEALER; HOWEVER, THEY WERE NOT AVAILABLE TODAY. I WILL CONTACT THEM TO SEEK A RESOLUTION FROM THIS ISSUE AS IT APPEARS THIS HAS BEEN AN ON GOING ISSUE WITH THE TRIBUTE SINCE 2005. FURTHERMORE, ANOTHER ISSUE THAT IS EXTREMELY NOTICABLE IS SMOKE OR STEAM, I AM UNSURE, COMING FROM THE FRONT OF THE CAR DURING COLD WEATHER. I CAN BE AT A COMPLETE STOPE WITH THE ENGINE IDELING, AND CLOUDS OF SMOKE COME FROM THE FRONT OF THE VEHICLE AS IF IT WERE ON FIRE. HOWEVER, UPON MY INSPECTION, I DO NOT SEE FLAMES. THIS IS A MAJOR PROBLEM AS OTHER CONERNED DRIVERS HAVE FLAGGED ME DOWN THINKING MY CAR WAS ON FIRE. ALTHOUGH AT THIS TIME I HAVE NOT SEEN THE DEALER, AND WILL GIVE THEM THE OPPORTUNITY TO REVIEW THE ISSUES, I FEEL IT NECESSARY TO FILE THIS COMPLAINT FORM. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10310116

Mileage unknown · Jan 26, 2010
Unknown Or Other

I HAVE A MAZDA TRIBUTE 2009 WITH 75000 MILES. MY ACCELERATOR PEDAL STICKS AND I HAVE TO STEP ON IT REALLY HARD TO GET THE CAR TO MOVE, THEN IT LURCHES FORWARDED AND JERKS THE DRIVER AND PASSENGERS IN THE CAR. THIS SITUATION IS WORSE WHEN THE WEATHER IS COLD. I AM CONCERNED THAT THIS IS A REAL SAFETY ISSUE. I CAN NOT REMEMBER HOW…

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I HAVE A MAZDA TRIBUTE 2009 WITH 75000 MILES. MY ACCELERATOR PEDAL STICKS AND I HAVE TO STEP ON IT REALLY HARD TO GET THE CAR TO MOVE, THEN IT LURCHES FORWARDED AND JERKS THE DRIVER AND PASSENGERS IN THE CAR. THIS SITUATION IS WORSE WHEN THE WEATHER IS COLD. I AM CONCERNED THAT THIS IS A REAL SAFETY ISSUE. I CAN NOT REMEMBER HOW LONG AGO THIS PROBLEM STARTED. I'VE TAKEN TO THE DEALERSHIP WHERE I PURCHASED THAT CAR AND THE PROBLEM WAS "FIXED" FOR S SHORT TIME BUT HIS SINCE RETURNED AND IT GETTING WORSE. I'M TAKING IT BACK AGAIN IN THE MORNING. I HAVE DISCOVERED WITH INTERNET RESEARCH THAT MANY TRIBUTE OWNERS HAVE HAD THIS PROBLEM AND THAT IS WAS A RECALL ISSUE BACK IN 2004. MY TRIBUTE IS A 2009 MODEL. WHY AM I HAVING THIS PROBLEM WITH A NEWER MODEL TRIBUTE? IS THERE A MORE RECENT RECALL? *TR

NHTSA ODI #10302433

200 miles · Jun 17, 2009
Air Bags

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 MAZDA TRIBUTE. WHEN THE CONTACT STARTED THE ENGINE, THE "PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF" WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE AIR BAG SEAT SENOR DISABLED WHEN AN ADULT WEIGHING 105 POUNDS OCCUPIED THE SEAT. THE WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED SPONTANEOUSLY. THE VEHIC…

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TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 MAZDA TRIBUTE. WHEN THE CONTACT STARTED THE ENGINE, THE "PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF" WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE AIR BAG SEAT SENOR DISABLED WHEN AN ADULT WEIGHING 105 POUNDS OCCUPIED THE SEAT. THE WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED SPONTANEOUSLY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER FOR INSPECTION AND THEY STATED THAT THE SENOR WAS FUNCTIONING PROPERLY. THERE WERE NO RESOLUTIONS. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 200 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 450.

NHTSA ODI #10274164

Official recalls

1

14V282000 · Steering:electric Power Assist System

May 29, 2014

Mazda North American Operations (Mazda) is recalling certain model year 2008-2011 Tribute vehicles manufactured October 5, 2006, through September 11, 2010. The affected vehicles have a steering torque sensor that may not be able to properly detect driver steering input. As a result, the system could remove the Electric Power Steering (EPS) assist.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: If power steering assist is lost, greater driver effort would be required to steer the vehicle at low speeds, increasing the risk of a crash.

Remedy: Mazda will notify owners and dealers will update the software for the power steering control module (PSCM) and the instrument cluster module, free of charge. If a vehicle shows a history of a loss of the torque sensor signal or fault codes relating to the PSCM when the vehicle is brought in for the recall remedy, the affected components will be replaced, free of charge. The recall began in July 2014. Owners may contact Mazda customer service at 1-800-222-5500. Mazda's number for this recall is 7614E.

Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗

NHTSA investigations

0

No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.