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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 →
88Owner complaints

Model-year median: 66

1Recall campaigns

View recall details →

0Investigations

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How this year compares

Owner complaints by model year

Other model years Selected year
70
199666
199746
199888
1999102
200050
200198
2002
Compare all Protege years →

Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.

What owners reported most

Power Train
22Air Bags
21Tires
12Engine And Engine Cooling
8Electrical System
6
All reported categories
Service Brakes, Hydraulic
6Seats
4Unknown Or Other
4Steering
3Suspension
3Exterior Lighting
2Fuel System, Gasoline
2Seat Belts
2Engine
1Equipment
1Structure
1Vehicle Speed Control
1Visibility
1Wheels
1

Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.

When problems were reported

Mileage at the reported incident

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

Exterior Lighting complaints

2 reports
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57,000 miles · Oct 30, 2015
Electrical SystemExterior Lighting

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 MAZDA PROTEGE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED, THE INSTRUMENT PANEL LIGHTS STARTED TO FLICKER AND FAILED TO ILLUMINATE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE THERE WAS AN ELECTRICAL WIRING FAILURE THAT NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WA…

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 MAZDA PROTEGE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED, THE INSTRUMENT PANEL LIGHTS STARTED TO FLICKER AND FAILED TO ILLUMINATE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE THERE WAS AN ELECTRICAL WIRING FAILURE THAT NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 57,000.

NHTSA ODI #10787224

Mileage unknown · May 29, 2011
Electrical SystemExterior Lighting

THE HEADLIGHTS NO LONGER WORK ON LOW BEAM. THE HIGH BEAMS STILL WORK. UPON REMOVING THE STEERING COLUMN COVER AND UNPLUGGING THE WIRING HARNESS I FOUND THAT THE CONNECTOR IS LITERALLY BURNED AND MELTED AT THE POINT OF CONNECTION IN THE HARNESS. MAZDA NO LONGER MAKES THE PART AND I CANNOT HAVE IT FIXED BY A MECHANIC BECAUSE THE P…

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THE HEADLIGHTS NO LONGER WORK ON LOW BEAM. THE HIGH BEAMS STILL WORK. UPON REMOVING THE STEERING COLUMN COVER AND UNPLUGGING THE WIRING HARNESS I FOUND THAT THE CONNECTOR IS LITERALLY BURNED AND MELTED AT THE POINT OF CONNECTION IN THE HARNESS. MAZDA NO LONGER MAKES THE PART AND I CANNOT HAVE IT FIXED BY A MECHANIC BECAUSE THE PART IS ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE TO FIND IN A USED SALVAGED VEHICLE. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10403706

Official recalls

1

00V301000 · 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

0

No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.