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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 →
98Owner complaints

Model-year median: 66

0Recall campaigns

View recall details →

0Investigations

View investigation details →

How this year compares

Owner complaints by model year

Other model years Selected year
88
1999102
200050
200198
2002120
2003
Compare all Protege years →

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

What owners reported most

Seat Belts
20Power Train
17Air Bags
9Electrical System
9Structure
9
All reported categories
Tires
9Service Brakes, Hydraulic
8Engine And Engine Cooling
7Fuel System, Gasoline
7Equipment
6Vehicle Speed Control
6Wheels
5Visibility
4Steering
3Suspension
3Latches/locks/linkages
2Service Brakes
2Engine
1Exterior Lighting
1Seats
1Service Brakes, Air
1

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

When problems were reported

Mileage at the reported incident

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

What owners actually said

98 reports
Mileage unknown · Nov 15, 2002
Engine And Engine Cooling

CONSUMER STATES ENGINE MAKES A RATTLING NOISE WHEN STARTED. NOISE IS ALSO HEARD WHEN ACCELERATING AFTER VEHICLE HAS COME TO A COMPLETE STOP. VEHICLE HAS BEEN CHECKED BY DEALER WHO ADVISED A "VALVE" IN THE ENGINE IS CAUSING NOISE AND THAT MAZDA ENGINEERS ARE INVESTIGATING TO FIND A SOLUTION. CONSUMER IS VERY CONCERNED THAT ISS…

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CONSUMER STATES ENGINE MAKES A RATTLING NOISE WHEN STARTED. NOISE IS ALSO HEARD WHEN ACCELERATING AFTER VEHICLE HAS COME TO A COMPLETE STOP. VEHICLE HAS BEEN CHECKED BY DEALER WHO ADVISED A "VALVE" IN THE ENGINE IS CAUSING NOISE AND THAT MAZDA ENGINEERS ARE INVESTIGATING TO FIND A SOLUTION. CONSUMER IS VERY CONCERNED THAT ISSUE COULD COMPROMISE HER SAFETY WHEN DRIVING VEHICLE. TS

NHTSA ODI #8022831

Mileage unknown · Nov 4, 2002
Service Brakes, Hydraulic

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

NHTSA ODI #8022109

Mileage unknown · Aug 12, 2002
Power Train

TRANSMISSION LOCKED UP WHILE TRYING TO SHIFT TO 5TH GEAR, VEHICLE STALLED WHILE GOING THROUGH AN INTERSECTION NEAR A QUARRY, HAD TO PULL THE EMERGENCY BRAKE TO STOP VEHICLE, ALMOST WENT INTO A DITCH. *AK

NHTSA ODI #765561

Mileage unknown · Jun 17, 2002
Engine And Engine Cooling

ENGINE RATTLE WHEN COLD AT ABOUT 2500RPMS. MAZDA HAS NOT REPAIRED OR INDICATED THAT PROBLEM EXISTS. *AK

NHTSA ODI #763163

Mileage unknown · May 1, 2002
Visibility

CONSUMER STATES THAT FRONT WINDSHIELD IS TOO THIN, OR DEFECTIVE BECAUSE A SMALL PEBBLE HIT THE WINDSHIELD AND CAUSED MAJOR DAMAGE.*JBSOMETHING SMALL HIT THE VEHICLES WINDSHIELD WHEN CONSUMER WAS TRAVELING 55 MPH. IT RESULTED IN A STAR SHAPED MARK, THEN TURNING INTO AN 8 INCH CRACK OPVERNIGHT. CONSUMER BELIEVES THIS TO BE A SUB…

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CONSUMER STATES THAT FRONT WINDSHIELD IS TOO THIN, OR DEFECTIVE BECAUSE A SMALL PEBBLE HIT THE WINDSHIELD AND CAUSED MAJOR DAMAGE.*JBSOMETHING SMALL HIT THE VEHICLES WINDSHIELD WHEN CONSUMER WAS TRAVELING 55 MPH. IT RESULTED IN A STAR SHAPED MARK, THEN TURNING INTO AN 8 INCH CRACK OPVERNIGHT. CONSUMER BELIEVES THIS TO BE A SUB-STANDARD OR DEFECTIVE WINDSHIELD. *JG

NHTSA ODI #8008931

Mileage unknown · Mar 29, 2002
Air BagsCrashInjury

DRIVER LOST CONTROL OF VEHICLE AT 60 MPH. VEHICLE RAN OFF THE ROAD AND HIT A LOW CONCRETE STRUCTURE. NEITHER AIRBAG DEPLOYED, CONSUMER SUFFERED A BROKEN NOSE. DAMAGE TO VEHICLE WAS $ 5000.00*AK

NHTSA ODI #8006640

Mileage unknown · Mar 23, 2002
Air BagsCrashInjury

I WAS PROCEEDING SOUTHBOUND ON A MAJOR STREET AT ABOUT 35MPH. A PICKUP TRUCK CAME OUT OF A SMALL SIDE STREET AND CROSSED MY PATH GOING EASTBOUND WITH THE INTENT OF TURNING LEFT. MY CAR BROADSIDED THE TRUCK AT THE BACK OF THE DRIVERS DOOR AND AT THE FRONT OF THE TRUCKBED. AS I DID NOT SEE THE TRUCK UNTIL THE LAST MOMENT, I ONL…

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I WAS PROCEEDING SOUTHBOUND ON A MAJOR STREET AT ABOUT 35MPH. A PICKUP TRUCK CAME OUT OF A SMALL SIDE STREET AND CROSSED MY PATH GOING EASTBOUND WITH THE INTENT OF TURNING LEFT. MY CAR BROADSIDED THE TRUCK AT THE BACK OF THE DRIVERS DOOR AND AT THE FRONT OF THE TRUCKBED. AS I DID NOT SEE THE TRUCK UNTIL THE LAST MOMENT, I ONLY LEFT ABOUT 3 FEET OF SKID. NEITHER MY DRIVER AIRBAG NOR MY PASSENGER AIRBAG DEPLOYED. IT WAS DETERMINED THAT MY CAR WAS A TOTAL LOSS DUE TO EXTENSIVE DAMAGE.*AK

NHTSA ODI #759708

Mileage unknown · Mar 13, 2002
Engine And Engine Cooling

MECHANICAL ENGINE RATTLES AT 2800 RPMS WHEN COLD. DEALER CONFIRMS PROBLEM, BUT CANNOT FIX. MAZDA CONFIRMS PROBLEM BUT CLAIMS TO NOT HAVE A SOLUTION. PROBLEM IS EVIDENT ON A LEAST 50% OF PROTEGE SEDANS AND WAGONS PRODUCED FOR 2002.*AK

NHTSA ODI #759308

Official recalls

0

No 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

0

No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.