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U.S. public vehicle records

Mazda PROTEGE problems and owner complaints

Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.

Key facts

831 owner complaints analyzed

6 distinct recall campaigns

63,500 mi median reported failure mileage

Scope: 1989 to 2003 model years. Data snapshot: . 288 complaints include usable failure mileage.

Owner-reported patterns

Most common problems

Seat Belts is the most frequently named component, appearing in 81 of 831 complaints (9.7%). A complaint can name multiple components.

Recurring terms in complaint narratives
TopicMatching reportsShare of complaints
Braking behavior10112.2%
Transmission and shifting9111.0%
Steering behavior485.8%
Engine operation344.1%
Electrical and battery issues283.4%
Fuel system concerns141.7%

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.

Seat Belts
81
Power Train:Automatic Transmission
77
Air Bags:Frontal
66
Air Bags
41
Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine
32
Tires
30
Seat Belts:Front:Retractor
26
Engine And Engine Cooling
24
Component breakdown data
CategoryCount
Seat Belts81
Power Train:Automatic Transmission77
Air Bags:Frontal66
Air Bags41
Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine32
Tires30
Seat Belts:Front:Retractor26
Engine And Engine Cooling24

Seat Belts: 81; Power Train:Automatic Transmission: 77; Air Bags:Frontal: 66; Air Bags: 41; Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine: 32; Tires: 30; Seat Belts:Front:Retractor: 26; Engine And Engine Cooling: 24

Reported problems by failure mileage

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

Under 25,000
54
25,000 to 49,999
54
50,000 to 74,999
62
75,000 to 99,999
48
100,000 to 149,999
44
150,000 and above
26
Reported problems by failure mileage data
CategoryCount
Under 25,00054
25,000 to 49,99954
50,000 to 74,99962
75,000 to 99,99948
100,000 to 149,99944
150,000 and above26

Under 25,000: 54; 25,000 to 49,999: 54; 50,000 to 74,999: 62; 75,000 to 99,999: 48; 100,000 to 149,999: 44; 150,000 and above: 26

50,000 to 74,999 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (62). 543 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.

1995
85
1996
55
2000
101
2001
84
2002
89
2003
100
2004
74
2005
48
2006
25
2007
28
2008
25
2009
17
2010
19
2011
17
2012
14
2013
11
2014
7
2015
10
2016
5
2017
6
2018
4
2019
3
2020
3
2021
1
Complaints over time data
CategoryCount
199585
199655
2000101
200184
200289
2003100
200474
200548
200625
200728
200825
200917
201019
201117
201214
201311
20147
201510
20165
20176
20184
20193
20203
20211

1995: 85; 1996: 55; 2000: 101; 2001: 84; 2002: 89; 2003: 100; 2004: 74; 2005: 48; 2006: 25; 2007: 28; 2008: 25; 2009: 17; 2010: 19; 2011: 17; 2012: 14; 2013: 11; 2014: 7; 2015: 10; 2016: 5; 2017: 6; 2018: 4; 2019: 3; 2020: 3; 2021: 1

Pattern summary

Seat Belts leads the component reports. Braking behavior appears in 101 complaint narratives. Transmission and shifting appears in 91 complaint narratives. Steering behavior appears in 48 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 484256 · 1995-07-10 (July 10, 1995)

BRAKES SQUEAK. *DSH

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 484256 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 964567 · 1995-05-01 (May 1, 1995)

UNEVEN WEAR OF FRONT BRAKE PADS. *AK

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 964567 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 960730 · 1995-02-28 (February 28, 1995)

AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION FAILURE. *AK

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 960730 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 488208 · 1995-09-15 (September 15, 1995)

REAR END PIN BROKE, CAUSING TRANSMISSION TO DROP, FAIL. *TW

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 488208 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 960055 · 1995-02-15 (February 15, 1995)

WHILE PULLING INTO AN INTERSECTION SUDDENLY IGNITION SWITCH LOCK, RENDERING STEERING CAPABILITY INOPERATIVE. TT

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 960055 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 550332 · 2000-01-10 (January 10, 2000)

THE VEHICLE EXPERIENCES EXCESSIVE VIBRATION FROM THE STEERING WHEEL, CAR WINDOWS AND BACK REAR DOORS. NLM

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 550332 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 979635 · 1996-02-23 (February 23, 1996)

THE VEHICLE STALL/HESITATION/STUMBLE WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE. *AK

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 979635 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 970916 · 1995-08-22 (August 22, 1995)

AUTO STALLS OUT UNEXPECTEDLY WHILE DRIVING. TT

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 970916 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10876750 · 2016-06-27 (June 27, 2016)

TL* THE CONTACT OWNED A 1991 MAZDA PROTEGE. WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS, SMOKE APPEARED UNDER THE HOOD. THERE WERE NO FLAMES VISIBLE AND NO INJURIES. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 15V674000 (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM). THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN.

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10876750 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 737814 · 2000-12-14 (December 14, 2000)

SEAT BELT WARNING LIGHT AND BEEP GO ON AND OFF INTERMITTENTLY WHILE DRIVING DUE TO AN ELECTRICAL CONNECTOR WEARING THROUGH IN THE DRIVERS SHOULDER BELT RETRACTOR LOCATED IN THE CENTER CONSOLE. REPLACED SEVERAL TIMES UNDER WARRANTY. PART IS NEARLY $300. SEVERAL PEOPLE I KNOW WITH THIS MODEL AND YEAR HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM.

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 737814 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10071927 · 2004-04-30 (April 30, 2004)

WHILE DRIVING, ROAD DEBRIS RUPTURED THE VEHICLE FUEL TANK WHICH RESULTED ON A FIRE ON THE VEHICLE. THE DRIVER WAS SEVERELY BURNED ABOUT 30 PERCENT OF HER BODY. *LA

Owner-reported narrative. 10,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10071927 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 975304 · 1995-11-22 (November 22, 1995)

PE95-044 ACTIVE, FAULTY FUEL FILLER NECK, REPLACED FUEL NECK ASSEMBLY, DAMAGED THE FUEL TANK. TT *SLC

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 975304 at NHTSA ↗

Compare model years

Recalls by model year

All campaigns in the snapshot affecting each model year, including recalls announced years later.

Recall campaigns

Shared campaigns appear once in each affected model year.

1989
0
1990
1
1991
1
1992
1
1993
1
1994
1
1995
4
1996
1
1997
1
1998
1
1999
1
2000
1
2001
1
2002
0
2003
0
Recall campaigns data
CategoryCount
19890
19901
19911
19921
19931
19941
19954
19961
19971
19981
19991
20001
20011
20020
20030

1989: 0; 1990: 1; 1991: 1; 1992: 1; 1993: 1; 1994: 1; 1995: 4; 1996: 1; 1997: 1; 1998: 1; 1999: 1; 2000: 1; 2001: 1; 2002: 0; 2003: 0

Year-by-year records

Mazda PROTEGE model-year comparison
Model yearComplaintsRecallsChange in recalls
198920Not available
1990231+1
19913110
19924010
19933210
19945210
19951134+3
1996261-3
19972910
19983210
19998210
200010110
20015010
2002980-1
200312000