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: 12 of 165 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.
Air Bags. Review the 41 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
Exterior Lighting. Review the 27 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
Engine And Engine Cooling. Review the 19 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
29 crash reports4 fire reports31 injury reports
What owners actually said
165 reports
Mileage unknown · Jun 26, 2000
Air BagsInjury
CONSUMER WAS TRAVELING ABOUT 10MPH ON THE ROAD AND SLOWED DOWN BECAUSE THERE WAS A DEEP DIP INSIDE OF THE ROAD AHEAD, AND BOTH DRIVER'S/PASSENGER'S AIRBAGS CAME OUT. IT SOUNDED LIKE A GUN SHOT. CONSUMER WAS CONCERNED AS TO WHY THE AIRBAGS DEPLOYED AT THIS SLOW SPEED. CERTAINLY, THERE WAS NO CONTACT WITH ANOTHER VEHICLE. …
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CONSUMER WAS TRAVELING ABOUT 10MPH ON THE ROAD AND SLOWED DOWN BECAUSE THERE WAS A DEEP DIP INSIDE OF THE ROAD AHEAD, AND BOTH DRIVER'S/PASSENGER'S AIRBAGS CAME OUT. IT SOUNDED LIKE A GUN SHOT. CONSUMER WAS CONCERNED AS TO WHY THE AIRBAGS DEPLOYED AT THIS SLOW SPEED. CERTAINLY, THERE WAS NO CONTACT WITH ANOTHER VEHICLE. BOTH DRIVER/PASSENGER SUSTAINED BODILY INJURIES. *AK *ML
NHTSA ODI #864277
Mileage unknown · Jun 15, 2000
Exterior Lighting
WHILEM DRIVING AND MAKING A LEFT HAND TURN HEADLIGHTS GO OFF. *AK
NHTSA ODI #863641
Mileage unknown · Jun 12, 2000
Exterior Lighting
HEADLIGHT GOES OFF WHEN RIGHT TURN SIGNAL IS ON. *AK
NHTSA ODI #723926
Mileage unknown · Jun 9, 2000
Engine And Engine Cooling
NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK
NHTSA ODI #723813
Mileage unknown · Jun 8, 2000
Engine And Engine CoolingEquipmentSeats
THE DRIVER SEAT HAS BEEN LOOSE SINCE NEW. YH
NHTSA ODI #552539
Mileage unknown · Mar 1, 2000
Air BagsCrashInjury
WHILE MAKING A LEFT TURN, VEHICLE STRUCK A MANHOLE COVER ON AN INCLINE AT 10 MPH OR LESS, CAUSING AIR BAGS TO DEPLOY. DRIVER SUSTAINED MINOR INJURIES. DEALER NOTIFIED. *AK
NHTSA ODI #857742
Mileage unknown · Mar 1, 2000
Exterior LightingInterior Lighting
WHEN DRIVING VEHICLE'S HEADLIGHTS/ PANEL LIGHTS, OUTSIDE LIGHTS GO OUT. *AK
NHTSA ODI #857722
Mileage unknown · Feb 1, 2000
Vehicle Speed Control
ON FOUR OCCASION WHILE BACKING OUT OF GARAGE VEHICLE SUDDENLY ACCELERATED WHILE APPLYING BRAKE. BELIEVED THIS HAPPENED BECAUSE BOTH PEDALS ARE SET TOO CLOSE TOGETHER. DEALER NOTIFIED. *AK
NHTSA ODI #855964
Mileage unknown · Jan 24, 2000
Exterior Lighting
WHEN OPERATING THE HEADLAMPS AND WHEN LEFT/RIGHT BLINKER IS ACTIVATED, THE HEADLAMPS WILL SHUT OFF. DEALER HAS BEEN CONTACTED, REPLACED COMBINATION SWITCH. *AK *ML
NHTSA ODI #855438
Mileage unknown · Jan 10, 2000
Power Train
THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION ON MY MAZDA PROTEGE FAILED COMPLETELY AT 75,500 MILES. MY MECHANIC INFORMED ME THAT THE FRICTION CLUTCH HAD BEEN DISINTEGRATING FOR SOME TIME AND THAT THE DEBRIS HAD CAUSED THE FAILURE. EVEN AFTER THE TRANSMISSION WAS REBUILT, PROBLEMS PERSIST. I BELIEVE THE PROBLEMS ARE A SAFETY CONCERN. ON ONE OC…
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THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION ON MY MAZDA PROTEGE FAILED COMPLETELY AT 75,500 MILES. MY MECHANIC INFORMED ME THAT THE FRICTION CLUTCH HAD BEEN DISINTEGRATING FOR SOME TIME AND THAT THE DEBRIS HAD CAUSED THE FAILURE. EVEN AFTER THE TRANSMISSION WAS REBUILT, PROBLEMS PERSIST. I BELIEVE THE PROBLEMS ARE A SAFETY CONCERN. ON ONE OCCASION I WAS FORCED TO MAKE AN EMERGENCY STOP. AFTER THE VERY SUDDEN STOP, I TRIED TO ACCELERATE AWAY FROM THE IMMEDIATE SCENE, BUT THE AUTOMOBILE WOULD NOT MOVE. I HAD TO SHIFT FROM DRIVE TO NEUTRAL AND BACK TO DRIVE IN ORDER TO MOVE THE VEHICLE. I BELIEVE THIS IS A POTENTIALLY SERIOUS SAFETY PROBLEM WITH MY TRANSMISSION. *AK
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.
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES. THE HEADLIGHT LEAD WIRE RUNNING THROUGH THE TURN SIGNAL LEVER CAN FAIL AT THE SOLDERED CONNECTION TO THE HEADLIGHT SWITCH.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: THE FAILURE OF THE WIRE CONNECTION CAN CAUSE A LOSS OF HEADLIGHTS WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING.
THE WIRE ROD USED IN THE MANUFACTURE OF THE ENGINE VALVE SPRINGS CAN DEVELOP MINUTE CRACKS CAUSING BREAKAGE OF THE SPRINGS.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: THIS BREAKAGE CAN CAUSE ENGINE CHATTER, DAMAGE TO THE ENGINE PISTONS, AND CAUSE THE ENGINE TO STALL INCREASING THE POTENTIAL FOR AN ACCIDENT.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE ALL SIXTEEN (16) VALVE SPRINGS IN THE ENGINE OF THE AFFECTED VEHICLES.
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
2
EA99029 · Headlight Wire Breakage
Opened Sep 30, 1999 · Closed May 10, 2000
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Visibility
IN ITS LETTER DATED APRIL 21, 2000, MAZDA STATED THAT IT WILL CONDUCT A SAFETY RECALL OF APPROXIMATELY 79,000 MODEL YEAR 1995 AND 1996 MAZDA PROTEGE VEHICLES BUILT FROM JUNE 1994 THROUGH JULY 1995.MAZDA DEALERS WILL REPAIR THE HEADLIGHT SWITCH ASSEMBLE
PE99038 · Loss Of Headlights
Opened May 20, 1999 · Closed Sep 30, 1999
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Exterior Lighting
BASED ON THE REVIEW OF MAZDA'S INVESTIGATION AND TESTING, EXAMINATION OF TWO FAILED FIELD UNITS (A HEADLIGHT SWITCH AND A COMBINATION SWITCH), AND TELEPHONE INTERVIEWS OF SEVERAL COMPLAINANTS, IT APPEARS THAT THE HEADLIGHT LEAD WIRE WHICH IS ATTACHED TO AND LOCATED JUST BELOW THE TURN SIGNAL LEVER, CAN BE STRESSED FROM CYCLING THE TURN SIGNAL LEVER AND RESULT IN FATIGUE BREAKAGE OF THE WIRE.COMPLAINTS STATED THAT THE HEADLIGHTS WENT OFF DURINGOPERATION IN MODEL YEAR (MY) 1995 PROTEGE VEHICLES WHEN USING THE TURN SIGNAL AND/OR WHILE JUST DRIVING (E.G., GOING OVER A SMALL BUMP).SEVERAL COMPLAINANTS CONTACTED BY ODI STATED THAT SOMETIMES THE HEADLIGHTS DID NOT COME BACK ON AFTER GOING OFF UNTIL THE DRIVER SUCCESSFULLY JIGGLED THE TURN SIGNAL LEVER OR THE HEADLIGHT WIRE HARNES (I.E., RE-MAKE ELECTRICAL CONNECTION OF A PARTIALLY BROKEN WIRE).PERMANENT LOSS OF HEADLIGHTS CAN OCCUR WHEN THE WIRE IS COMPLETELY BROKEN.IN JULY 1995, ABOUT THE START OF MY 1996 PRODUCTION, MAZDA CHANGED THE MATERIAL OF THE HEADLIGHT LEAD WIRE TO INCREASE DURABILITY.NO SIMILAR COMPLAINTS ON MY 1996 PROTEGE VEHICLES HAVE BEEN REPORTED TO ODI OR MAZDA.
1995 Mazda Protege Problems, Complaints & Recalls | Skip That Year
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