IllustrationAT COLD TEMPERATURES THE HIGH-BEAM (HEADLIGHTS) FAIL TO COME ON. NORMAL(LOW BEAM) LIGHTS SHUT OFF AT THIS POINT RESULTING IN NO HEADLIGHTS. AFTER VEHICLE HAS WARMED HIGH-BEAMS WORK AS EXPECTED.
1990 Mazda Protege
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
Similar to other model years
Owner complaints for the 1990 Mazda Protege do not stand out strongly from the model-year median of 66.
About this comparison →How this year compares
Owner complaints by model year
Compare all Protege years →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
Limited mileage data: 2 of 37 reports include usable mileage. There isn’t enough coverage to show a useful chart.
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.
- Seat Belts. Review the 21 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Engine And Engine Cooling. Review the 4 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Steering. 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.
3 crash reports0 fire reports4 injury reports
What owners actually said
37 reportsCONSUMER WAS DRIVING VEHICLE WHEN THE MOTORIZED SHOULDER RESTRAINT WOULD NOT RELEASE PROPERLY. SHE WAS PULLING AND HEARD A CLICKING NOISE, AND BELT WAS STUCK. DEALERSHIP (BIG SKY AUTO ) MECHANIC CALLED MAZDA MANUFACTURER, AND WAS TOLD THE VEHICLE WAS TOO OLD, AND THEY WOULD NOT FIX. *AK
SHOULDER HARNESS FAILED.
ANY ELECTRICAL FUNCTIONS CONNECTED TO THE IGNITION BEING TURNED ON, FAILED TO WORK PROPERLY, SUCH AS WINDSHIELD WIPERS/AIR CONDITIONER/HEATER & ANYTHING ELSE AFFECTING VISIBILITY OF THE DRIVER. *AK
FRONT INNER TIE ROD SEPARATED AT JOINT. CAUSING LOSS OF STEERING.
WHILE STOPPED, VEHICLE WAS REARENDED BY MOVING VEHICLE THAT WAS TRAVELING 35 MPH. DRIVER FELL FORWARD/BACKWARD, SEATBACK RECLINED, LEFT SIDE OF SEAT BROKE, MOTORIZED SHOULDER BELT DID NOT RETRACT. DEALER REPLACED SEAT FRAME. FOUND NO PROBLEM WITH SEAT BELT. *AK CONSUMER SUSTAINED INJURIES TO THE NECK, UPPER BACK, RIGHT SHOU…
Read full complaint
WHILE STOPPED, VEHICLE WAS REARENDED BY MOVING VEHICLE THAT WAS TRAVELING 35 MPH. DRIVER FELL FORWARD/BACKWARD, SEATBACK RECLINED, LEFT SIDE OF SEAT BROKE, MOTORIZED SHOULDER BELT DID NOT RETRACT. DEALER REPLACED SEAT FRAME. FOUND NO PROBLEM WITH SEAT BELT. *AK CONSUMER SUSTAINED INJURIES TO THE NECK, UPPER BACK, RIGHT SHOULDER, ARM, HAND, AND SHOULDER BLADE. *SLC
MOTORBELTS EXPERIENCE ERRATIC OPERATION INTERMITTENTLY. MJS
RETRACTABLE SEAT BELT LATCHES ON BOTH SIDES ARE FAILING.
BECAUSE OF DESIGN OF CAR THERE WAS NO LIGHT OR SIGNAL TO INDICATE TO THE DRIVER THAT THE REAR DOOR WAS NOT TOTALLY CLOSED RESULTING IN A YOUNG CHILD FALLING OUT OF THE CAR AND BEING STRUCK BY THE VEHILCE.(ATTORNEY FOR CONSUMER).
CHILD RUN OVER BY VEHICLE AFTER FALLING OUT OF PARTIALLY OPENED DOOR, POSSIBLE DESIGN FLAW IN NOT HAVING INDICATOR FOR OPENED DOOR. (ATTORNEY FOR CONSUMER).
Official recalls
115V674000 · Electrical System:ignition:switch
Oct 19, 2015
Mazda North American Operations (Mazda) is recalling certain model year 1989-1998 MPV, 1990-1995 323, 1990-1998 Protege, 1992-1993 MX-3, 1993-1995 929, 1993-1997 MX-6, and 1993-1998 626 vehicles. In the affected vehicles, grease applied to the contact points inside the ignition switch may become conductive and overheat.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: If the ignition switch overheats there would be an increased risk of a fire.
Remedy: Mazda will notify owners, and dealers will replace the ignition switch, free of charge. The recall began on December 17, 2015. Owners may contact Mazda Customer Experience Center at 1-800-222-5500, option#6. Mazda's number for this recall is 8715J.
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
2EA94039 · Auto Restraint System Fail
Opened Nov 30, 1994 · Closed Nov 26, 1997
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Seat Belts
There is no summary currently available
PE94059 · Auto Restraint System Fail
Opened Jul 28, 1994 · Closed Nov 30, 1994
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Seat Belts
There is no summary currently available