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1997 Mazda Protege

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

Similar to other model years

Owner complaints for the 1997 Mazda Protege do not stand out strongly from the model-year median of 66.

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How this year compares

Owner complaints by model year

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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 66 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 12 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Service Brakes, Hydraulic. Review the 11 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Power Train. Review the 10 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

15 crash reports2 fire reports10 injury reports

Service Brakes, Hydraulic complaints

11 reports
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99,000 miles · Nov 22, 2010
Service Brakes, Hydraulic

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 MAZDA PROTG DX. THE CONTACT STATED THAT AFTER TAKING HIS VEHICLE IN FOR ROUTINE INSPECTION, THE MECHANIC INFORMED HIM THAT BOTH THE FRONT AND REAR BRAKES WERE RUSTED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER WHO STATED THAT ALL THE BRAKE LINES WERE RUSTED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE HAD…

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TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 MAZDA PROTG DX. THE CONTACT STATED THAT AFTER TAKING HIS VEHICLE IN FOR ROUTINE INSPECTION, THE MECHANIC INFORMED HIM THAT BOTH THE FRONT AND REAR BRAKES WERE RUSTED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER WHO STATED THAT ALL THE BRAKE LINES WERE RUSTED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 99,000. UPDATED 02/11/11 *BF UPDATED 11/30/2011 *LN

NHTSA ODI #10367075

Mileage unknown · Dec 18, 2001
Interior LightingService Brakes, Hydraulic

BRAKE CALIPER PINS RUSTED OUT DUE TO MOISTURE COMING INTO CONTACT WITH THE PINS, AND CAUSING THE CALIPERS TO WORK ERRATICALLY. CONSUMER HAS CONTACTED DEALER. DEALER WAS AWARE OF PROBLEM. CONSUMER ADDED THAT CALIPERS WERE EXHIBITING A CLICK AND POPPING NOISE, DEALER REPLACED CALIPERS. CUSTOMER STATES DOME LIGHT FAILED. *TT

NHTSA ODI #8000869

Mileage unknown · Aug 13, 2000
Air BagsService Brakes, HydraulicCrash

1) AIRBAG DIDNT DEPLOY DURING A RIGHT ANGLE (T BONE) ACCIDENT AT AN INTERSECTION .. THE DRIVER (ME) SYSTAINED HEAD AND FACE / CHEST INJURIES. 2) SINCE NEW THE RIGHT REAR BRAKE ON MY NON ABS CAR LOCKES UP VERY EASILY, AND HAS CAUSED A SPIN OUT IN SEVERAL CASES, ON WET SURFACES. A DEALER TRIED TO DO SOMETHING, BUT IT HAS NOT CO…

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1) AIRBAG DIDNT DEPLOY DURING A RIGHT ANGLE (T BONE) ACCIDENT AT AN INTERSECTION .. THE DRIVER (ME) SYSTAINED HEAD AND FACE / CHEST INJURIES. 2) SINCE NEW THE RIGHT REAR BRAKE ON MY NON ABS CAR LOCKES UP VERY EASILY, AND HAS CAUSED A SPIN OUT IN SEVERAL CASES, ON WET SURFACES. A DEALER TRIED TO DO SOMETHING, BUT IT HAS NOT CORRECTED THE PROBLEM. FURTHER, WHEN I WROTE MAZDA CUSTOMER SERVICE HQ, THEY SIMPLY SAID TO GO BACK TO A DEALER FOR THEIR JUDGEMENT / ACTION TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM.

NHTSA ODI #727784

Mileage unknown · Jun 28, 2000
Service Brakes, Hydraulic

WHEN APPLYING THE BRAKES ON WET PAVEMENT PEDAL GOES TO THE FLOOR, RESULTING IN EXETENDED STOPPING DISTANCE. PLEASE GIVE ANY FURTHER DETAILS.*AK

NHTSA ODI #864382

Mileage unknown · Aug 4, 1999
Service Brakes, Hydraulic

BRAKING SYSTEM MALFUNCTIONED. HAD TO REPLACE BRAKE ROTORS AND PADS SEVERAL TIMES. THIS COULD HAVE RESULTED IN EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCE. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION AND VIN#. *AK

NHTSA ODI #844334

Mileage unknown · May 27, 1999
Electrical SystemEquipmentFuel System, Gasoline

AXLE DAMPNER / BOOT ARE LOOSE, CAUSING ROARING NOISE FROM TRANSMISSION. *YC

NHTSA ODI #545775

Mileage unknown · Mar 15, 1999
Service Brakes, Hydraulic

BRAKE PAD FAILURE AGAIN AT 360000

NHTSA ODI #704440

Mileage unknown · Jan 5, 1999
Service Brakes, Hydraulic

AT 18,000 MILES THE FRONT BRAKE ROTORS ARE COMPLETELY WARPED AND CANNOT BE TURNED, CAUSE UNKNOWN. PLEASE GIVE ANY FURTHER DETAILS. *AK

NHTSA ODI #832992

Mileage unknown · Sep 30, 1998
Air BagsService Brakes, HydraulicCrash

WHILE DRIVING 30-35 MPH THE ANTI-LOCK BRAKES LOCKED UP, CAUSING VEHICLE TO SLIDE INTO VEHICLE AHEAD. THE FRONT END OF VEHICLE WAS SMASHED, AND THE THERE WAS NO DEPLOYMENT OF THE DRIVER'S OR PASSENGER'S SIDE AIR BAGS. THE WEATHER WAS SUNNY AND DRY AT THE TIME OF THE CRASH. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN REPAIRED AT THIS TIME.

NHTSA ODI #828377

Mileage unknown · Oct 20, 1997
Service Brakes, HydraulicInjury

BRAKES FAILED, RESULTING IN ACCIDENT.

NHTSA ODI #523695

Official recalls

1

15V674000 · 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

0

No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.