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U.S. public vehicle records

2000 Mazda PROTEGE problems and owner complaints

Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.

Key facts

101 owner complaints analyzed

1 distinct recall campaigns

45,000 mi median reported failure mileage

Scope: 2000 model year. Data snapshot: . 41 complaints include usable failure mileage.

Owner-reported patterns

Most common problems

Power Train:Automatic Transmission is the most frequently named component, appearing in 24 of 101 complaints (23.8%). A complaint can name multiple components.

Recurring terms in complaint narratives
TopicMatching reportsShare of complaints
Transmission and shifting2726.7%
Braking behavior1514.9%
Steering behavior33.0%
Electrical and battery issues22.0%
Engine operation11.0%

Topic matches use published keyword rules. They describe mentions, including negations or comparisons, and do not confirm a diagnosis. Read the matching rules.

Component breakdown

Number of unique complaints naming each component. Top eight shown.

Power Train:Automatic Transmission
24
Air Bags:Frontal
17
Air Bags
8
Seats:Front Assembly:Recliner
4
Suspension
4
Vehicle Speed Control
4
Electrical System
3
Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine
3
Component breakdown data
CategoryCount
Power Train:Automatic Transmission24
Air Bags:Frontal17
Air Bags8
Seats:Front Assembly:Recliner4
Suspension4
Vehicle Speed Control4
Electrical System3
Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine3

Power Train:Automatic Transmission: 24; Air Bags:Frontal: 17; Air Bags: 8; Seats:Front Assembly:Recliner: 4; Suspension: 4; Vehicle Speed Control: 4; Electrical System: 3; Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine: 3

Reported problems by failure mileage

Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.

Under 25,000
6
25,000 to 49,999
16
50,000 to 74,999
10
75,000 to 99,999
4
100,000 to 149,999
2
150,000 and above
3
Reported problems by failure mileage data
CategoryCount
Under 25,0006
25,000 to 49,99916
50,000 to 74,99910
75,000 to 99,9994
100,000 to 149,9992
150,000 and above3

Under 25,000: 6; 25,000 to 49,999: 16; 50,000 to 74,999: 10; 75,000 to 99,999: 4; 100,000 to 149,999: 2; 150,000 and above: 3

25,000 to 49,999 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (16). 60 complaints have missing, zero or invalid mileage.

Complaints over time

Year the complaint was filed, not the vehicle model year or incident year. The snapshot year is partial.

2000
14
2001
17
2002
13
2003
16
2004
10
2005
10
2006
8
2009
1
2010
2
2011
2
2012
2
2014
1
2017
1
2018
3
2019
1
Complaints over time data
CategoryCount
200014
200117
200213
200316
200410
200510
20068
20091
20102
20112
20122
20141
20171
20183
20191

2000: 14; 2001: 17; 2002: 13; 2003: 16; 2004: 10; 2005: 10; 2006: 8; 2009: 1; 2010: 2; 2011: 2; 2012: 2; 2014: 1; 2017: 1; 2018: 3; 2019: 1

Pattern summary

Power Train:Automatic Transmission leads the component reports. Transmission and shifting appears in 27 complaint narratives. Braking behavior appears in 15 complaint narratives. Steering behavior appears in 3 complaint narratives. Use these patterns to inspect individual reports and prepare questions for a mechanic.

Calculated from recorded counts. An AI narrative has not been published for this selection.

Complaint evidence

Examples provide context, not a representative sample or a verified diagnosis.

Owner report 10004469 · 2003-01-23 (January 23, 2003)

WHILE DRIVING ENGINE AND OVERDRIVE WARNING LIGHTS ILLUMINATED. DEALER DIAGNOSED THAT VEHICLE REQUIRES NEW TRANSMISSION, RADIATOR AND OTHER ENGINE WORK. CONSUMER VERY CONCERNED BECAUSE VEHICLE MILEAGE WA SLOW AND MAINTAINED REGULARLY. TS. *AK

Owner-reported narrative. 49,800 miles reported. Look up ODI 10004469 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10016639 · 2003-04-28 (April 28, 2003)

WHILE LIGHTLY ACCELERATING THE CAR SUDDENLY JERKED, MADE A LOUD NOISE, AND FELT AS THOUGH IT SLIPPED INTO NEUTRAL. I PULLED MY FOOT OFF THE GAS AND THE CAR RECOVERED. THIS HAS HAPPENED 3 TIMES WITHIN THE PAST YEAR, ALL INCIDENTS OCCURRED AROUND 40 MPH. I NOTICED THE CAR USUALLY DOWNSHIFTS AT THIS SPEED, BUT HAD NOT BEFORE EACH OF THESE INCIDENTS HAD OCCURRED. THE CAR HAS LESS THAN 30K MILES. I TOOK IT TO THE DEALER, THEY DID NOT FIND ANYTHING WRONG AND COULD NOT REPRODUCE. I HAVE RESEARCHED THIS INDEPENDENTLY AND FOUND THAT 4 CYLINDER MAZ…

Owner-reported narrative. 27,500 miles reported. Look up ODI 10016639 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10006291 · 2003-02-04 (February 4, 2003)

WHILE DRIVING ABS LIGHT STAYED ON. PH. ALSO, DEALER REPLACED FAILED SPEED SENSOR. *AK

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10006291 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10016765 · 2003-04-30 (April 30, 2003)

WHILE DRIVING W. BOUND AT ABOUT 25 MPH, PASSENGER SIDE OF CAR WAS IMPACTED BY VEHICLE GOING S. BOUND AT ABOUT 40 MPH. CAR WAS FORCED SW THROUGH A CURB, A GAS SIGN, AND IMPACTED WITH THE REAR OF A PARKED CAR. ACCELERATOR WAS STUCK, BRAKES INEFFECTIVE AND FINALLY PARKED BY DRIVER. MAJOR PASSENGER SIDE AND FRONTAL DAMAGE. CAR TOTALED. NEITHER PASSENGER NOR DRIVER SIDE AIR BAGS DEPLOYED.

Owner-reported narrative. 41,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10016765 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10046967 · 2003-11-15 (November 15, 2003)

2000 MAZDA PROTEGE ES HAS HAD A STEERING/ALIGNMENT PROBLEM FROM DATE OF PURCHASE. THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN ALIGNED 6 TIMES AND CONTINUES TO PULL HARD AND IS DIFFICULT TO CONTROL. TIRES HAVE BEEN REPLACED AND THE STEERING EXAMINED. *LA

Owner-reported narrative. 2 miles reported. Look up ODI 10046967 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10265479 · 2009-04-15 (April 15, 2009)

MY 2000 MAZDA PROTEGE LX HAS HAD SOME "MAJOR SURGERY" LATELY. ABOUT A YEAR AGO (EARLY 2008), WHEN BACKING UP ESPECIALLY, THE CAR WOULD MAKE A STRESS THEN POP NOISE ON THE RIGHT SIDE AND TOWARDS THE MIDDLE UNDERSIDE OF THE CAR. I WAS TOLD THIS AND THAT. I HAD NEW REAR STRUTS PUT ON, ALIGNMENTS, TIGHTENING OF THE SUSPENSION, ETC. SOME OF THESE WORKED TEMPORARILY. MY CAR WAS INVOLVED IN AN "ACCIDENT" AT THE END OF DECEMBER 2008. WE HAD BAD SNOW AND ICE AND MY CAR'S LEFT FRONT TIRE HIT AN ICE RUT PRETTY GOOD. AFTER THAT, MY CAR POPPED AND POPPED. …

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10265479 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10147190 · 2006-01-08 (January 8, 2006)

AS I ACCELERATED TO 30 MPH, THE "O/D OFF" LIGHT ON THE DASHBOARD FLASHED AND THE SPEEDOMETER STAYED AT ZERO, EVEN THOUGH I WAS DRIVING AS FAST AS THE OTHER CARS ON THE STREET. IT FELT LIKE NEUTRAL GEAR. THE MANUAL INDICATES THE FLASHING LIGHT IS DUE TO AN ELECTRICAL PROBLEM WITH THE TRANSMISSION. I REMEMBERED THAT WITHIN A FEW MONTHS OF PURCHASING THIS NEW CAR, THE TRANSMISSION WAS REPLACED DUE TO PECULIAR SOUNDS, SO I WORRY ABOUT THE QUALITY OF THIS COMPONENT SINCE I DO NOT DRIVE MUCH. *JB

Owner-reported narrative. 31,127 miles reported. Look up ODI 10147190 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 11000340 · 2017-06-21 (June 21, 2017)

CAR DOES NOT START UNLESS YOU JIGGLE STEERING WHEEL WHILE TURNING KEY OR PUMPING GAS PEDAL. HAD BATTERY CHECKED AS WELL AS STARTER AND IGNITIION SWITCH REPLACED BUT HAS NOT SOLVED PROBLEM.

Owner-reported narrative. 148,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 11000340 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 856487 · 2000-02-08 (February 8, 2000)

WHEN SHIFTING FROM 1ST GEAR INTO SECOND GEAR AND ENGINE IS COLD, TRANSMISSION SLIPS, CAUSING A LOSS OF POWER. DEALER SAYS IT'S NORMAL. *AK

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 856487 at NHTSA ↗