← New search

2003 Mazda Protege

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

Similar to other model years

Owner complaints for the 2003 Mazda Protege do not stand out strongly from the model-year median of 66.

About this comparison →

When problems were reported

Mileage at the reported incident

89 reports with mileage · 31 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.

  • Engine And Engine Cooling. Review the 34 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Seat Belts. Review the 17 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Power Train. 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.

16 crash reports2 fire reports10 injury reports

What owners actually said

120 reports
59,000 miles · Jun 9, 2008
Tires

WITHIN 15 MONTHS AND 5,000 MILES OF PURCHASE, MICHELIN PILOT PRIMACY 195/55R15 TIRE SHOWED TREAD SEPARATION AND REQUIRED REPLACEMENT. MICHELIN ONLY OFFERED TO REFUND 25% OF TIRE COST (AND ONLY FOR A NEW MICHELIN TIRED). *TR

NHTSA ODI #10230334

26,490 miles · Jun 2, 2008
Engine And Engine Cooling

TL*THE CONTACT'S SON OWNS A 2003 MAZDA PROTEGE 5. WHILE APPROACHING A RED LIGHT AT AN UNKNOWN SPEED, THE VEHICLE STALLED AND HAD TO BE RESTARTED. THE CONTACT HEARD LOUD NOISES COMING FROM THE FRONT END OF THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT PULLED TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND HAD THE VEHICLE TOWED TO A SERVICE STATION. THE MECHANIC DIAG…

Read full complaint

TL*THE CONTACT'S SON OWNS A 2003 MAZDA PROTEGE 5. WHILE APPROACHING A RED LIGHT AT AN UNKNOWN SPEED, THE VEHICLE STALLED AND HAD TO BE RESTARTED. THE CONTACT HEARD LOUD NOISES COMING FROM THE FRONT END OF THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT PULLED TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND HAD THE VEHICLE TOWED TO A SERVICE STATION. THE MECHANIC DIAGNOSED THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE AS A BLOWN ROD. THE VEHICLE WAS THEN TOWED TO A MAZDA DEALER, WHO STATED THAT THERE WAS ENGINE FAILURE AND IT NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 31,289 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 26,490.

NHTSA ODI #10229621

67,000 miles · Feb 26, 2008
Engine And Engine Cooling

LOUD RATTLING NOISE AT HIGHWAY SPEED, ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON. TOOK TO MAZDA DEALERSHIP, FOUND PROBLEM TO BE BUTTERFLY VALVE SCREWS BACKING OUT AND FALLING INTO INTAKE MANIFOLD. ESTIMATED REPAIR COST ~$900.00. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10219191

129,000 miles · Jan 15, 2008
Engine And Engine Cooling

WHILE DRIVING TO WORK MY CAR BEGAN TO SHUDDER AND HICCUP. THEN THE ENGINE LIGHT CAM ON SO I PULLED OFF THE HIGHWAY. I STARTED IT BACK UP AND THE CAR HAD A MORE SERIOUS SHUDDER. I GOT IT TO A LOCAL SERVICE STATION AND THEY RAN A COMPUTER DIAGNOSTIC AND SAID IT WAS A MISFIRE IN THE #4 CYLINDER. THE SPARKPLUG WAS SMASHED. NOTHING …

Read full complaint

WHILE DRIVING TO WORK MY CAR BEGAN TO SHUDDER AND HICCUP. THEN THE ENGINE LIGHT CAM ON SO I PULLED OFF THE HIGHWAY. I STARTED IT BACK UP AND THE CAR HAD A MORE SERIOUS SHUDDER. I GOT IT TO A LOCAL SERVICE STATION AND THEY RAN A COMPUTER DIAGNOSTIC AND SAID IT WAS A MISFIRE IN THE #4 CYLINDER. THE SPARKPLUG WAS SMASHED. NOTHING WAS FOUND IN THE CYLINDER SO THE SPARKPLUG WAS REPLACED AND TEMPORARILY FIXED THE PROBLEM. TWO WEEKS LATER THE SAME SHUDDER PROBLEM AND AGAIN THE ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON. THIS TIME THE #1 CYLINDER WAS THE PROBLEM AND AGAIN WITH THE SAME SMASHED SPARKPLUG. MY MECHANIC THOUGHT IT WAS A VERY ODD OCCURRENCE AND CHECKED AND FOUND THE RECALL #3005C. MY LOCAL MAZDA DEALER THEN SAID MY VIN# DID NOT FALL WITHIN THE RANGE OF THE RECALL AND YET THERE SEEMS TO BE MANY PEOPLE WITH THIS PROBLEM. IT LOOKS LIKE MAZDA IS TRYING TO AVOID THIS PROBLEM. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10214914

Mileage unknown · Jan 4, 2008
Power TrainCrash

MY DAUGHTER DROVE MY MAZDA PROTEGE 5 TO PICK UP MY SON AND TO RETRIEVE SOMETHING FROM A FRIEND'S HOUSE. SHE PARKED THE CAR ON THE FRIEND'S FLAT DRIVEWAY, PLACING IT IN FIRST GEAR. WHILE SHE WAS INSIDE OF THE HOUSE, THE CAR SOMEHOW POPPED OUT OF GEAR AND PICKED UP ENOUGH MOMENTUM TO ROLL ONTO THE ROAD. THE ROAD WAS A HILL, WHI…

Read full complaint

MY DAUGHTER DROVE MY MAZDA PROTEGE 5 TO PICK UP MY SON AND TO RETRIEVE SOMETHING FROM A FRIEND'S HOUSE. SHE PARKED THE CAR ON THE FRIEND'S FLAT DRIVEWAY, PLACING IT IN FIRST GEAR. WHILE SHE WAS INSIDE OF THE HOUSE, THE CAR SOMEHOW POPPED OUT OF GEAR AND PICKED UP ENOUGH MOMENTUM TO ROLL ONTO THE ROAD. THE ROAD WAS A HILL, WHICH CAUSED THE CAR TO ACCELERATE. THE CAR ENDED UP STRIKING A HOUSE, CAUSING DAMAGE TO BOTH THE HOUSE AND THE SHRUBBERY OUTSIDE OF THE HOUSE. NOBODY COULD FIND ANY APPARENT PROBLEMS WITH THE CAR/TRANSMISSION. *CN

NHTSA ODI #10213701

42,000 miles · Jan 1, 2008
Parking BrakeCrash

EMERGENCY BRAKE FAILS ON INCLINES--THIS HAPPENED TO ME AND A WOMAN WITH THE SAME MAKE, MODEL AND YEAR CAR SITTING NEXT TO ME AT AN INSURANCE HEARING! IT CAUSED SIGNIFICANT DAMAGE TO BOTH OUR CARS AND HER FRIEND'S PROPERTY.*CN

NHTSA ODI #10213343

80,000 miles · Dec 27, 2007
Engine And Engine Cooling

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 MAZDA PROTG. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE MECHANIC CHECKED THE CODES AND STATED THAT THE ENGINE MISFIRED. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 84,000 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 80,000.

NHTSA ODI #10212937

Mileage unknown · Nov 16, 2007
Engine And Engine Cooling

2003 MAZDA PROTEGE 5 WITH ROUGH IDLING AND OTHER ENGINE ISSUES. CONSUMER STATES THE VEHICLE HAD A ROUGH IDLE AND THAT IT WOULD HAVE TROUBLE STARTING. *KB WHEN THE MECHANIC INSPECTED THE ENGINE, HE FOUND THE SCREWS HAD PASSED THROUGH THE ENGINE AND WERE FOUND IN THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER. THE CONSUMER DISCOVERED THERE WAS AN INTA…

Read full complaint

2003 MAZDA PROTEGE 5 WITH ROUGH IDLING AND OTHER ENGINE ISSUES. CONSUMER STATES THE VEHICLE HAD A ROUGH IDLE AND THAT IT WOULD HAVE TROUBLE STARTING. *KB WHEN THE MECHANIC INSPECTED THE ENGINE, HE FOUND THE SCREWS HAD PASSED THROUGH THE ENGINE AND WERE FOUND IN THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER. THE CONSUMER DISCOVERED THERE WAS AN INTAKE MANIFOLD SHUTTER AND VARIABLE TUMBLE CONTROL VALVE EMISSION RECALL FOR MAZDA PROTEGE'S, HOWEVER THE CONSUMERS VEHICLE IDENTIFICATION NUMBER DID NOT FALL WITHIN THE RANGE. *JB

NHTSA ODI #10209446

93,000 miles · Jul 9, 2007
Seat Belts

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 MAZDA PROTEGE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE DRIVER SIDE SEAT BELT WOULD NOT LATCH AND THE SEAT BELT WARNING INDICATOR LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE DEALER ADVISED THE CONTACT NOT TO WORRY ABOUT THE LIGHT AS LONG AS THE BELT WOULD LATCH. HOWEVER, THE BELT NO LONGER LATCHES. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE LATCH …

Read full complaint

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 MAZDA PROTEGE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE DRIVER SIDE SEAT BELT WOULD NOT LATCH AND THE SEAT BELT WARNING INDICATOR LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE DEALER ADVISED THE CONTACT NOT TO WORRY ABOUT THE LIGHT AS LONG AS THE BELT WOULD LATCH. HOWEVER, THE BELT NO LONGER LATCHES. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE LATCH NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 93,000.

NHTSA ODI #10195668

58,000 miles · Jul 5, 2007
Engine And Engine Cooling

PURCHASED A PRE OWNED 2003 MAZDA PROTEGE WITH APPROXIMATELY 50,000 MILES ON IT. I DROVE THE VEHICLE FOR ABOUT 4000 MILES BEFORE THERE WAS AN ENGINE FAILURE. THERE WERE NO EVENTS THAT LEAD UP TO THIS INCIDENT. THE ENGINE BEGAN TO MAKE A LOUD KNOCKING NOISE. I HAD IT TOWED TO THE DEALER OF PURCHASE. A SCREW ON AN THE INTAKE CAME L…

Read full complaint

PURCHASED A PRE OWNED 2003 MAZDA PROTEGE WITH APPROXIMATELY 50,000 MILES ON IT. I DROVE THE VEHICLE FOR ABOUT 4000 MILES BEFORE THERE WAS AN ENGINE FAILURE. THERE WERE NO EVENTS THAT LEAD UP TO THIS INCIDENT. THE ENGINE BEGAN TO MAKE A LOUD KNOCKING NOISE. I HAD IT TOWED TO THE DEALER OF PURCHASE. A SCREW ON AN THE INTAKE CAME LOOSE AND WENT INTO THE ENGINE CYLINDER. DAMAGE CAUSED THE ENGINE TO NEED TO BE REPLACED. MAZDA HAS RECALL 3005C FOR THIS PROBLEM FOR THE EXACT YEAR, MODEL, AND ENGINE AS THE ONE I PURCHASED. HOWEVER, THE VIN NUMBER WAS A FEW THOUSAND NUMBERS OUTSIDE OF THE RECALL RANGE. IM STUCK WITH A 15,000 PIECE OF JUNK. *AK

NHTSA ODI #10195432

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.