IllustrationDT: CONTACT STATES WHILE SHIFTING GEARS THE PEDAL GOES ALL THE WAY TO THE FLOOR. THE VEHICLE IS STILL UNDER WARRANTY.*AK UPDATED 02/08/07. *JB
2002 Mazda Protege
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
Similar to other model years
Owner complaints for the 2002 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
160–25K
825–50K
1550–75K
1175–100K
12100–150K
3150K+
65 reports with mileage · 33 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.
- Seat Belts. Review the 20 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Power Train. Review the 17 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Air Bags. Review the 9 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
12 crash reports2 fire reports11 injury reports
Service Brakes, Hydraulic complaints
8 reports2002 MAZDA PROTEGE WAS INVOLVED IN A HEAD ON COLLISION AT 30 MPH YET THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY.*MR THE CONSUMER SUSTAINED TWO SLIPPED DISK IN HER BACK. AFTER THE VEHICLE'S BODY DAMAGE WAS REPAIRED THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER TO HAVE THE AIR BAGS TESTED BUT THE DEALER REFUSED TO TEST THE AIR BAG. THE INDICATED THAT A…
Read full complaint
2002 MAZDA PROTEGE WAS INVOLVED IN A HEAD ON COLLISION AT 30 MPH YET THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY.*MR THE CONSUMER SUSTAINED TWO SLIPPED DISK IN HER BACK. AFTER THE VEHICLE'S BODY DAMAGE WAS REPAIRED THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER TO HAVE THE AIR BAGS TESTED BUT THE DEALER REFUSED TO TEST THE AIR BAG. THE INDICATED THAT AS LONG AS THE AIR BAG LIGHT WASN'T ON THAT EVERYTHING WAS FINE. THE RADIO SWITCHES STATIONS ON IT'S OWN. THE SEAT BELT LIGHT DID NOT ILLUMINATE WHEN THE CAR WAS STARTED. THE TRANSMISSION FAILED 9/7/2004, 40561 MILES. THE VEHICLE ALIGNMENT WONT HOLD. THE BRAKES HAVE BEEN REPLACED THREE TIMES DUE TO NOISE.
SNOW WOULD BUILD UP INSIDE THE WHEELS. THIS WOULD CAUSE THE BRAKE ROTOR TO FREEZE, RESULTING IN EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCE. DEALERSHIP WAS NOTIFIED, BUT DID NOT RESOLVE THE PROBLEM. *AK
WHENEVER THE VEHICLE IS ON A SLIGHT INCLINE VEHICLE WOULD ROLL BACKWARD WHEN THE DRIVER RELEASES THE ACCELERATOR OR THE BRAKE PEDALS. DEALER WAS NOT CONTACTED.*AK
PROBLEMS WITH TIRE EQUIPMENT ON THE 2002 MAZDA PROTEGE 5. *MR THERE WAS DIFFICULTY WITH PLACING SUITCASES OR BOXES INTO THE TRUNK OF THIS TYPE OF VEHICLE, THE CD PLAYER SKIPPED, THE TRANSMISSION DISPLAYED A LOUD CLUNK NOISE, THERE WAS A SPARE TIRE PROBLEM, THERE WAS A NAIL IN THE TIRE WHICH COULD NOT BE REPAIRED BECAUSE IT W…
Read full complaint
PROBLEMS WITH TIRE EQUIPMENT ON THE 2002 MAZDA PROTEGE 5. *MR THERE WAS DIFFICULTY WITH PLACING SUITCASES OR BOXES INTO THE TRUNK OF THIS TYPE OF VEHICLE, THE CD PLAYER SKIPPED, THE TRANSMISSION DISPLAYED A LOUD CLUNK NOISE, THERE WAS A SPARE TIRE PROBLEM, THERE WAS A NAIL IN THE TIRE WHICH COULD NOT BE REPAIRED BECAUSE IT WAS LOCATED TOO CLOSE TO THE EDGE OF THE TIRE, 50% OF TREAD REMAINED, AND THERE WAS EVIDENCE THAT THE WHEEL NEEDED TO HAVE FIVE HOLES FOR BOLTS (SPARE WHEEL), AND THE BRAKES HAD 50% REMAINING. THE CONSUMER REQUESTED THAT A MEMORANDUM BE SENT TO ALL MAZDA DEALERS EXPLAINING THE PROBLEM, ENSURE THAT ONE OR TWO REPLACEMENT TIRES SHOULD BE STOCKED DUE TO THE EXTREME DIFFICULTIES IN LOCATING THE CORRECT INFORMATION OF THE TIRE AND WHEEL. *SC *JB
WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED THE VEHICLE HESITATED WHEN THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS PRESSED. THE DEALER EXAMINED THE VEHICLE TWICE AND REPLACED THE FRONT PADS AND FOUND THE REAR CALIPERS WERE WARPED. DUE TO THE WARPED CALIPERS, THE REAR PADS CAN NOT BE REPLACED WITH OUT NEW CALIPERS. *JB
REAR DISC BRAKES WITH EBFD PREMATURE WEAR OF ONE PAD ON ONE SIDE OF DISC BRAKE TO 0% WHILE OPPOSITE SIDE AT 30% AND OPPOSITE BRAKE AT 50% *JB
WHILE DRIVING AT NORMAL SPEED, CONSUMER STATES' APPLIED BRAKES AT A STOP SIGN WHEN THE BRAKE PEDAL WENT TO THE FLOOR, RESULTING IN A REAR END COLLISION. THE INSURANCE COMPANY STATED BRAKE LINE WAS SPLIT DUE TO A DEFECT IN LINE. DEALER HAS BEEN CONTACTED. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION. MR
Official recalls
0No recalls in this snapshot.
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.