IllustrationLETTER FROM SENATOR GILLIBRAND ON BEHALF OF CONSTITUENT RE 1992 MAZDA PROTEGE. *SMD THE CONSUMER IS SEEKING REIMBURSEMENT FOR AN IGNITION SWITCH REPLACEMENT HE PAID FOR OUT-OF-POCKET. *JB
1992 Mazda Protege
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
Similar to other model years
Owner complaints for the 1992 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: 3 of 63 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 34 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Electrical System. Review the 5 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Service Brakes, Hydraulic. Review the 5 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
5 crash reports1 fire reports6 injury reports
Electrical System complaints
5 reportsTL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1992 MAZDA PROTEGE. WHEN THE CONTACT ATTEMPTED TO START THE VEHICLE, THE IGNITION FAILED WITHOUT WARNING. THE FAILURE WAS RECURRING. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 15V674000 (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM). THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE.…
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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1992 MAZDA PROTEGE. WHEN THE CONTACT ATTEMPTED TO START THE VEHICLE, THE IGNITION FAILED WITHOUT WARNING. THE FAILURE WAS RECURRING. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 15V674000 (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM). THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 92,000.
THE PROBLEM BEGAN WITH SPORADIC LOSSES OF WIPER AND BLOWER FUNCTION. WE COULD BYPASS THE PROBLEM BY JIGGLING THE KEY WHILE THE ENGINE WAS RUNNING TO RESTORE POWER TO THE WIPERS AND BLOWER. SOON THIS DEFECT OCCURRED MOST TIMES THAT THE CAR WAS RUNNING. ON A RECENT OCCASION, THE STEERING COLUMN STARTED TO SMOKE WHEN THE AIR CON…
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THE PROBLEM BEGAN WITH SPORADIC LOSSES OF WIPER AND BLOWER FUNCTION. WE COULD BYPASS THE PROBLEM BY JIGGLING THE KEY WHILE THE ENGINE WAS RUNNING TO RESTORE POWER TO THE WIPERS AND BLOWER. SOON THIS DEFECT OCCURRED MOST TIMES THAT THE CAR WAS RUNNING. ON A RECENT OCCASION, THE STEERING COLUMN STARTED TO SMOKE WHEN THE AIR CONDITIONING WAS ON. WE HAVE NOT USED THE CAR SINCE. THESE DEFECTS ARE SERIOUS IN WISCONSIN WHERE WEATHER CONDITIONS REQUIRE A WORKING HEATER AND WIPERS. WE WERE WONDERING IF THERE EVER WAS A RECALL FOR THIS PROBLEM. OUR LOCAL DEALER WAS NOT VERY HELPFUL. WE FEEL THAT THE UNEXPECTED LOSS OF WIPERS OR DEFROSTER REPRESENTS A DANGEROUS SITUATION, NOT TO MENTION THE POSSIBILITY OF A FIRE STARTING IN THE STEERING COLUMN. THANK YOU.
THE VEHICLE WAS ON, CONSUMER SMELLED SMOKE AND NOTICED SMOKE COMING FROM THE STEERING COLUMN AREA DUE TO AN ELECTRICAL SHORT WITHIN THE HARNESS. CONSUMER CONTACTED THE DEALER, DEALER STATED WIRING HARNESS WITHIN THE STEERING COLUMN NEEDED REPLACING. *AK
CAR HORN DOES NOT WORK.*AK CONSUMER STATES ON FIRST OCCASION HORN WOULD BLOW BY ITSELF WHEN IT FELT LIKE IT HAD TO DISCONNECT BATTERY CABLE TO MAKE IT STOP BLOWING, ON SECOND OCCASION HORN STOPPED BLOWING AND DEALER STATED A NEW HORN WAS NEEDED ON STEERING COLUMN.*JB
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