Illustration1999 MAZDA PROTEGE WAS TAKEN TO DEALERSHIP FOR REPAIRS AND THE DEALERSHIP WOULD NOT HONOR THE WARRANTY. *MR THE VEHICLE WAS TAKNE IN FOR THE TIMING, WATER PUMP, ETC. *SC *JB
1999 Mazda Protege
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
Similar to other model years
Owner complaints for the 1999 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
10–25K
625–50K
1050–75K
575–100K
3100–150K
0150K+
25 reports with mileage · 63 unknown
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.
- Power Train. Review the 22 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Air Bags. Review the 21 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Tires. Review the 12 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
21 crash reports1 fire reports15 injury reports
Engine And Engine Cooling complaints
8 reports1999 MAZDA PROTEGE DEVELOPED PROBLEMS WITH THE ENGINE. REPAIRS WERE MADE AND THE TOTAL CAME UP TO $804.64. *MR A NOISE WAS COMING FROM THE ENGINE. *SC *JB
MY SON PURCHASED A 1999 MAZDA PROTEGE LX LAST YEAR. HE HAS HAD MAJOR PROBLEMS WITH THE ENGINE RUNNING HOT. HE WAS TOLD HE NEEDED A TIMING BELT AND WATER PUMP. HE HAD THE CAR FIXED AT A COST OF $750.00. AGAIN THE SAME THING HAPPENED ABOUT TWO MONTHS LATER. HE AGAIN IS BEING TOLD THAT HE NEEDS THE SAME WORK DONE. THIS TIME IT…
Read full complaint
MY SON PURCHASED A 1999 MAZDA PROTEGE LX LAST YEAR. HE HAS HAD MAJOR PROBLEMS WITH THE ENGINE RUNNING HOT. HE WAS TOLD HE NEEDED A TIMING BELT AND WATER PUMP. HE HAD THE CAR FIXED AT A COST OF $750.00. AGAIN THE SAME THING HAPPENED ABOUT TWO MONTHS LATER. HE AGAIN IS BEING TOLD THAT HE NEEDS THE SAME WORK DONE. THIS TIME IT IS GOING TO COST HIM $900.00 AND THE ENGINE HAS TO BE TESTED TO SEE IF THERE IS NO DAMAGE. IF THERE IS DAMAGE TO THE ENGINE IT WILL BE MORE COSTLY. ALSO THE POWER LOCKS ARE DAMAGED AND THIS OCCURRED THE FIRST WEEK OF PURCHASE.*AK
WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE WILL JERK FORWARD THAN STALL OUT WITHOUT WARNING. THE DEALERSHIP HAS SERVICED VEHICLE SEVERAL TIMES,PROBLEM STILL EXISTS.*AK
THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATED ON THE DASHBOARD. *JB
WHILE DRIVING RADIATOR FAN RELAY BECAME INOPERABLE. CAUSING VEHICLE TO PULL OUT OF THE ROAD, DEALER WILL REPLACE FAN RELAY, BUT IT WILL COST $350.00. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. TS. *AK
CONSUMER STATES THAT THERE WAS AN OIL LEAK IN HIS VEHICLE WHICH WAS CAUSED BY A CRACKED ENGINE BLOCK. NLM. CONSUMER ALSO STATED THAT THE CLUTCH STUCK AT TIMES.*JB
THE ENGINE MALFUNCTIONS WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING CAUSING THE SPEED OF THE VEHICLE TO SUDDENLY DECREASES FROM HIGHWAY SPEED TO 0-5 MPH WHILE THE TACHOMETER MOVES WILDLY. NLM
Official recalls
100V301000 · Equipment:electrical:radio/tape Deck/cd Etc.
Oct 5, 2000
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH A PARTICULAR FACTORY INSTALLED AUDIO UNIT. IF THE VEHICLE IS OPERATED AT LOW SPEED IN A HOT AND HUMID ENVIRONMENT WITH THE WINDOW OPEN, AIR CONDITIONER RUNNING, AND AUDIO ON, CONDENSED WATER ON THE A/C DUCT SURFACE COULD DROP AND ENTER INTO THE AUDIO UNIT, CAUSING A SHORT CIRCUIT.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: IF THE SHORT CIRCUIT OCCURS AT ONE SPECIFIC SET OF TERMINALS, THE REAR RIGHT LOUDSPEAKER CAN OVERHEAT AND, IN SOME CASES, CATCH FIRE.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL AFFIX ALUMINUM TAPE OVER THE AUDIO UNIT TO PREVENT WATER FROM ENTERING.
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
0No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.