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2000 Mazda Protege

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

Similar to other model years

Owner complaints for the 2000 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

41 reports with mileage · 61 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 29 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Air Bags. Review the 25 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Seat Belts. Review the 8 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

25 crash reports3 fire reports18 injury reports

Power Train complaints

29 reports
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Mileage unknown · Oct 15, 2001
Power Train

WHILE DRIVING THERE WAS A LOUD METAL TO METAL NOISE AT THE FRONT OF THE VEHICLE, AND AT THE SAME TIME THE VEHICLE LUNGED FOWARD, CONSUMER STATED IT HAPPENED A SECOND TIME IN WHICH THE VEHICLE FELT AS THOUGH IT WENT INTO REVERSE AND THEN BACK INTO DRIVE, THE DEALER COULD NOT DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM, CONSUMER BELIEVES THAT THIS MAYB…

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WHILE DRIVING THERE WAS A LOUD METAL TO METAL NOISE AT THE FRONT OF THE VEHICLE, AND AT THE SAME TIME THE VEHICLE LUNGED FOWARD, CONSUMER STATED IT HAPPENED A SECOND TIME IN WHICH THE VEHICLE FELT AS THOUGH IT WENT INTO REVERSE AND THEN BACK INTO DRIVE, THE DEALER COULD NOT DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM, CONSUMER BELIEVES THAT THIS MAYBE TRANSMISION RELATED DUE TO THE FACT THAT THE TRANSMISSION WAS UPGRADED.*JB

NHTSA ODI #563721

Mileage unknown · Jul 2, 2001
Power Train

SHIFT LEVER WILL NOT LOCK IN DRIVE OR NEUTRAL POSITION. JUST TOUCHING GEAR SHIFTER WITHOUT PRESSING BUTTON AND THE LEVER WILL SHIFT INTO GEARS. CONSUMER TOOK VEHICLE IN TO THE DEALER, DEALER STATES THIS WAS NORMAL OPERATION.*AK *SLC

NHTSA ODI #891771

Mileage unknown · Mar 1, 2001
Power Train

FOR 5 NON-SUCCESSIVE OCCURRENCES NOW, WHILE DRIVING BETWEEN 35 - 40 MPH, I ENCOUNTERED A SEVERE SUDDEN DECELERATION WHICH FELT AS IF THE VEHICLE UNDERCARRIAGE SCRAPED AN INVISIBLE BUMP. THE DECEL IS SUDDEN, HARSH AND VERY UNSETTLING. MY BEST GUESS IS THAT IT IS DUE TO A TRANSMISSION PROBLEM. I ALREADY CONTACTED THE DEALER ABO…

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FOR 5 NON-SUCCESSIVE OCCURRENCES NOW, WHILE DRIVING BETWEEN 35 - 40 MPH, I ENCOUNTERED A SEVERE SUDDEN DECELERATION WHICH FELT AS IF THE VEHICLE UNDERCARRIAGE SCRAPED AN INVISIBLE BUMP. THE DECEL IS SUDDEN, HARSH AND VERY UNSETTLING. MY BEST GUESS IS THAT IT IS DUE TO A TRANSMISSION PROBLEM. I ALREADY CONTACTED THE DEALER ABOUT THIS PROBLEM, AND THEY TOLD THAT NO ONE ELSE HAS EXPERIENCED THIS ISSUE. I COULD NOT SHOW THE PROBLEM TO THE DEALER SINCE IT OCCURS IN HAPPENSTANCE.*AK

NHTSA ODI #741745

Mileage unknown · Oct 6, 2000
Electrical SystemPower Train

WHEN DRIVING TRANSMISSION JUMPED OUT OF DRIVE AND WENT INTO NEUTRAL, CAUSING VEHICLE TO DECELERATE AND LOSE POWER. PRIOR TO INCIDENT, OVERDRIVE LIGHT WAS ILLUMINATING ON THE DASH. POSSIBILITY, THAT THE PROBLEM WAS LINKED TO COMPUTER WHICH HAS MALFUNCTIONED. *AK THE VEHICLE WAS IN DRIVE POSITION THROUGH, BUT WHEN THE DRI…

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WHEN DRIVING TRANSMISSION JUMPED OUT OF DRIVE AND WENT INTO NEUTRAL, CAUSING VEHICLE TO DECELERATE AND LOSE POWER. PRIOR TO INCIDENT, OVERDRIVE LIGHT WAS ILLUMINATING ON THE DASH. POSSIBILITY, THAT THE PROBLEM WAS LINKED TO COMPUTER WHICH HAS MALFUNCTIONED. *AK THE VEHICLE WAS IN DRIVE POSITION THROUGH, BUT WHEN THE DRIVER STEPPED ON ACCELETRATOR, ENGINE RACED UP IN RPM BUT WHEELS ACTED AS IN NEUTRAL. *YH

NHTSA ODI #872443

Mileage unknown · Oct 2, 2000
Power Train

I HAVE COMPLAINED CONTINUOUSLY TO DEALER AND MANUFACTURER SINCE CAR HAD APPROX 4,000 MILES. A "CLUNKING" NOISE WAS COMING FROM TRANSAXLE AREA. BOTH DEALER AND MAZDA REP, TOLD ME TO "WAIT AND SEE" OR "THATS A NORMAL SOUND, DON'T WORRY ABOUT IT". YESTERDAY WHILE OPERATING MY 2000 MAZDA PROTEGE ES AT APPROX 60MPH ON INTERSTATE 93 N…

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I HAVE COMPLAINED CONTINUOUSLY TO DEALER AND MANUFACTURER SINCE CAR HAD APPROX 4,000 MILES. A "CLUNKING" NOISE WAS COMING FROM TRANSAXLE AREA. BOTH DEALER AND MAZDA REP, TOLD ME TO "WAIT AND SEE" OR "THATS A NORMAL SOUND, DON'T WORRY ABOUT IT". YESTERDAY WHILE OPERATING MY 2000 MAZDA PROTEGE ES AT APPROX 60MPH ON INTERSTATE 93 N TRANSAXLE FAILED. CAR WAS FINE ONE SECOND, THE NEXT SECONF I WAS FREE WHEELING, NO POWER, ENGINE CONTINUED TO RUN, BUT IT WAS IF I WAS IN NEUTRAL. MOST FORTUNATLY IT WAS DAYLIGHT, DRY CONDITIONS, AND A HIGHWAY EXIT WAS RIGHT THERE, I COASTED OFF THE HIGHWAY DOWN THE EXIT RAMP AND CALLED FOR HELP. HAD I BEEN IN THE PASSING LANE, OR IF CONDITIONS WERE POOR, THIS COULD HAVE BEEN A DISASTER.*AK

NHTSA ODI #733164

Mileage unknown · Sep 7, 2000
Power Train

WENT INTO OVERDRIVE BY ITS SELF WITH STRESSFUL JERK AND LOUD NOISE THE OVERDRIVE LIGHT CAME ON BY ITS SELF. VERY CONCERNED ABOUT THE SAFETY IF THIS HAPPENS AT HIGH SPEEDS ON THE INTERSTATES. TOOK THE CAR TO THE DEALER WHO COULD NOT FIND A PROBLEM.

NHTSA ODI #730652

Mileage unknown · Jul 31, 2000
Electrical SystemPower Train

WHEN DRIVING SPEEDOMETER READING GOES FROM 60 TO 0 STILL WITH FORWARD MOVEMENT, CAUSING VEHICLE TO JERK FORWARD/ HESITATE ALSO, CONSUMER NOTED OVERDRIVE BUTTON FLASHES OFF AND ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. CONSUMER HAS CONTACTED DEALER, DEALER HAS REPLACED THE TRANSMISSION AND ALSO A COMPUTER CHIP, PROBLEM STILL OCCUR. PLEASE PR…

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WHEN DRIVING SPEEDOMETER READING GOES FROM 60 TO 0 STILL WITH FORWARD MOVEMENT, CAUSING VEHICLE TO JERK FORWARD/ HESITATE ALSO, CONSUMER NOTED OVERDRIVE BUTTON FLASHES OFF AND ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. CONSUMER HAS CONTACTED DEALER, DEALER HAS REPLACED THE TRANSMISSION AND ALSO A COMPUTER CHIP, PROBLEM STILL OCCUR. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER DETAILS. *AK

NHTSA ODI #866299

Mileage unknown · Jul 30, 2000
Power TrainUnknown Or Other

CHECK ENGINE LIGHT AND O/D OFF LIGHT WERE BLINKING. TOOK CAR TO THE DEALER AND THE TRANSMISSION NEEDS TO BE REPLACED. *AK

NHTSA ODI #726226

Mileage unknown · Feb 8, 2000
Power Train

WHEN SHIFTING FROM 1ST GEAR INTO SECOND GEAR AND ENGINE IS COLD, TRANSMISSION SLIPS, CAUSING A LOSS OF POWER. DEALER SAYS IT'S NORMAL. *AK

NHTSA ODI #856487

Official recalls

1

01V024000 · Service Brakes, Hydraulic:foundation Components:hoses, Lines/piping, And Fittings

Feb 1, 2001

VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES. SOME LEFT SIDE REAR BRAKE HOSES WERE DAMAGED DURING ASSEMBLY. BRAKE FLUID LEAKAGE COULD OCCUR.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: BRAKE PERFORMANCE WOULD BE DEGRADED, INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSPECT THE BRAKE HOSE AND, IF NECESSARY, REPLACE THE HOSE. OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAN FEBRUARY 20, 2001. OWNERS WHO TAKE THEIR VEHICLES TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER ON AN AGREED UPON SERVICE DATE AND DO NOT RECEIVE THE FREE REMEDY WITHIN A REASONABLE TIME SHOULD CONTACT MAZDA AT 1-800-222-5500.

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.