RoadVitals

1991 Mazda Protege Owner Complaints

Reports submitted to NHTSA by owners and drivers, shown in full

Data refreshed

Complaints on fileComplaints are reports submitted to NHTSA by owners and drivers. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a complaint does not establish that a defect exists. Volume is influenced by how many of a vehicle were sold, how long it has been on the road, and how much attention an issue has received.
51
Latest Jun 27, 2016
Crash or fire reportedComplaints whose submitter recorded that a crash or a fire occurred. These are the reporter's own answers on the NHTSA form, not verified findings.
7
Filed in the last 12 monthsReports filed with NHTSA in the trailing 365 days. Recent volume reflects attention and vehicle age as much as anything else.
0
Reports on file since Jan 11, 1995

What this page shows

Our database holds 51 NHTSA owner-reported complaints for the 1991 Mazda Protege. Each one is a report filed by an owner or driver and published by NHTSA without most of them being verified. A complaint is not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. Narratives are shown exactly as filed.

Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.

Complaints, most recent first

Showing 1–25 of 51 · page 1 of 3

Electrical
Filed Jun 27, 2016
Fire reported

TL* THE CONTACT OWNED A 1991 MAZDA PROTEGE. WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS, SMOKE APPEARED UNDER THE HOOD. THERE WERE NO FLAMES VISIBLE AND NO INJURIES. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 15V674000 (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM). THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN.

NHTSA ID
10876750
Incident
Oct 11, 2010
AirbagsSeat belts
Filed Jan 8, 2016
Crash reported1 injury reported

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1991 MAZDA PROTEGE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 45 MPH DURING RAIN WEATHER CONDITIONS, THE VEHICLE WENT OVER A POTHOLE CAUSING THE CONTACT TO LOSE CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE AND STOPPING ON THE SHOULDER OF THE ROAD. THE CONTACT THEN ATTEMPTED TO DRIVE AND THE VEHICLE SPUN CRASHING THE FRONT OF THE VEHICLE INTO A TREE. THE SEAT BELT DETACHED AND THE CONTACT WAS RELEASED FROM THE REAR WINDOW. THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED AND DEEMED DESTROYED. THE CONTACT RECEIVED KNEE, HEAD, AND BACK INJURIES WHICH REQUIRED MEDICAL ATTENTION. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 90,000. UPDATED 03/15/16*LJ *TR

NHTSA ID
10819069
Incident
Jan 1, 2008
Mileage
90,000 mi
Body & structure
Filed Jul 29, 2008

REAR STRUT TOWERS RUST RIGHT THROUGH. *TR

NHTSA ID
10236314
Incident
Jul 29, 2008
Seat belts
Filed Apr 20, 2005

THE AUTOMATIC SHOULDER BELT WOULD RETRACT SLOWER AND SLOWER UNTIL IT FINALLY STOPPED RETRACTING. THE CONSEQUENCES WERE: ON APRIL 18, 2005 I WAS GIVEN A FIX-IT TICKET FOR NOT WEARING MY SHOULDER HARNESS.*AK THE AUTOMATIC HARNESS NO LONGER FULLY RETRACTS, SO IT IS USELESS.

NHTSA ID
10118142
Incident
Apr 15, 2005
Mileage
194,350 mi
Seat belts
Filed Apr 16, 2004

THE SEAT BELT CORD ON MY 1991 MAZDA PROTEGE HAS BECOME INOPERABLE AND THEREFORE I HAVE NO TOP SEAT BELT ON MY CARS DRIVER SIDE. *AK

NHTSA ID
10066303
Incident
Apr 2, 2004
Mileage
153,256 mi
Body & structure
Filed Dec 22, 2003

WHILE DRIVING, THE VEHICLE'S HOOD DETACHED RESULTING IN THE HOOD HITTING THE WINDSHIELD.*MR *CB *JB

NHTSA ID
10051911
Incident
Sep 29, 2003
Seat belts
Filed Aug 13, 2002

DRIVER SIDE SEAT BELT WILL NOT RETURN TO THE RETACTOR, LEAVING THE OCCUPANT UNRESTRAINED. DEALER NOTIFED. FEEL FREE TO PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION.*AK

NHTSA ID
8016199
Incident
Aug 5, 2002
Transmission
Filed Aug 10, 2002

TRANSMITION LOCKED UP GOING 65 MPH. *AK

NHTSA ID
765471
Incident
Aug 7, 2002
Body & structure
Filed Aug 7, 2002
2 injuries reported

TRUNK LID WAS IN THE UP POSITION AND TRUNK CAME DOWN AND HIT CONSUMER'S DAUGHTER ON HEAD. *AK CONSUMER STATES NOTHING TO KEEP THE TRUNK LID IN UPRIGHT POSITION. A SLIGHT WIND OR ELEVATION COULD BLOW THE OPEN LID DOWN AND MAY CAUSE SERIOUS INJURY. *YH

NHTSA ID
8015782
Incident
Jul 20, 2002
Seat belts
Filed Jan 28, 2002

SEAT BELT SEAT BELT WARNING LIGHT AND BEEP GO ON AND OFF INTERMITTENTLY WHILE DRIVING DUE TO AN ELECTRICAL CONNECTOR WEARING THROUGH IN THE DRIVERS SHOULDER BELT RETRACTOR LOCATED IN THE CENTER CONSOLE. REPLACED SEVERAL TIMES UNDER WARRANTY. PART IS NEARLY $300. SEVERAL PEOPLE I KNOW WITH THIS MODEL AND YEAR HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM.*AK

NHTSA ID
757436
Incident
Jul 30, 2001
Seat belts
Filed Dec 14, 2000

SEAT BELT WARNING LIGHT AND BEEP GO ON AND OFF INTERMITTENTLY WHILE DRIVING DUE TO AN ELECTRICAL CONNECTOR WEARING THROUGH IN THE DRIVERS SHOULDER BELT RETRACTOR LOCATED IN THE CENTER CONSOLE. REPLACED SEVERAL TIMES UNDER WARRANTY. PART IS NEARLY $300. SEVERAL PEOPLE I KNOW WITH THIS MODEL AND YEAR HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM.

NHTSA ID
737814
Incident
May 10, 1991
Tires & wheels
Filed Oct 5, 2000
Crash reported1 injury reported

THIRD TIRE OF SET OF 4 THAT TREAD HAD SEPARATED - THIS ONE TOTALED THE CAR AND INJURED ONE PERSON. TIRE HAD 18,000 MILES WEAR. *AK (TIRESIZE: P185/60R14)( DOT NUMBER: TIRE SIZE: P185/60R14 )

NHTSA ID
733496
Incident
May 15, 2000
Seat belts
Filed Aug 14, 2000

CURRENT RECALL ON MAZDA 323 MOTORIZED SAFETY BELT DOES NOT COVER THE MAZDA PROTEGE WHICH HAS THE IDENTICAL PART NUMBER. MY CAR'S BELT HAS FAILED DUE TO THIS DEFECT AND MAZDA REFUSES TOCOVER IT.*AK

NHTSA ID
727860
Incident
Jul 5, 2000
Exterior lighting
Filed Nov 20, 1999

DATES ARE APPROXIMATE. HEADLIGHTS: BOTH LENS'S WERE FOGGED/YELLOWING LATER WHEN I WENT TO DEALER IN LEESBURG, VA (PATEROS); SERVICE MANAGE TRIED TO CLEAN.. MADE WORSE. THEN I REALIZED THAT LENS'S WERE PLASTIC! -- HIS CLEANING SOLUTION MELTED THAT PART OF THE LENS. I BELIEVE THAT THE HEADLIGHTS SHOULD LAST THE DURATION OF THE CAR'S LIFE. --THAT I SHOULD GET REPLACEMENTS AS THEY ARE A SAFETY FEATURE. ENGINE: A YEAR AND A HALF AGO ENGINE WILL EMIT BLACK SMOKE WHEN ON TREADMILL FOR EMISSIONS INSPECTION AND SMOKES WHITE WHEN I SIT FOR LENGTH OF TIME IDLING. THREE VALVES NEEDED TO BE REPLACED UNDER WARRANTY YEARS AGO -- I THINK THE ENGINE SHOULD NOT BE DOING THIS AT THIS POINT AND EITHER THE NOW DEFUNCT SERVICE DEPT DID IMPROPER JOB OR HAVE A DEFECTIVE ENGINE. I HAVE FOLLOWED REGULAR SCHEDULE FOR OIL CHANGES. PASSENGER SEAT: THE SPRINGS HAVE FALLEN APART COMPLETELY, I THOUGHT PERHAPS ONE OF MY KIDS DID IT YEARS AGO BUT WENT TO SEE ABOUT REPAIR AND WAS POINTED OUT THAT THE WHOLE SEAT FRAME/SPRINGS IS FALLING APART!

NHTSA ID
715060
Incident
Jan 1, 1995
Interior & seats
Filed Nov 2, 1999

ON THREE OCCASIONS WHILE DRIVING THE REAR SEAT BELT FELL APART WHILE MAKING A TURN. REPLACMENT COULD NOT BE DONE DUE TO NO WARRANTY. *YC

NHTSA ID
852370
Incident
Nov 1, 1999
Interior & seats
Filed Sep 21, 1999

REAR DOORS WILL NOT UNLOCK.THIS HAPPENS WHEN THE CAR IS ON OR OFF ,AND THESE ARE MANUAL DOORS.DEALER HAS YET TO BE CONTACTED. *AK

NHTSA ID
845681
Incident
Aug 1, 1994
Seat belts
Filed Aug 24, 1999

AUTOMATIC SHOULDER SAFETY BELT HAS LOCKED UP IN THE RELEASE POSITION. IT APPEARS THE OPERATING MECHANISM FOR THE SAFETY BELT HAS JUMPED OFF TRACK.

NHTSA ID
710427
Incident
Aug 22, 1999
Electrical
Filed Jul 23, 1999

THE HORN GOES OFF RANDOMLY WITHOUT APPLYING IT DUE TO A SHORT CIRCUIT IN THE STEERING COLUMN. DEALER HAS NOT SEEN VEHICLE. *AK

NHTSA ID
843237
Electrical
Filed Jun 16, 1999

AT GAS STATION TO FUEL VEHICLE. REACHED FOR FUEL LID & A BURST OF FLAMES SHOT OUT. DRIVER'S ARM & HAIR WERE BURNED. FLAMES OVER GAS LID. FIRE DEPARTMENT PUT FLAMES OUT. FIRE DEPARTMENT STATED THAT CAUSE OF FIRE WAS STATIC ELECTRICITY. *AK

NHTSA ID
840157
Incident
Apr 5, 1999
Driver assistance
Filed Mar 23, 1999
Crash reported1 injury reported

WENT TO STOP AT STOP LIGHT, ENGINE CONTINUED TO ACCELERATE, UNABLE TO STOP. REARENDED STATIONARY VEHICLE AT LIGHT. OUR VEHICLE TOTALED. DRIVER SUSTAINED INJURIES. *AK

NHTSA ID
704813
Incident
Mar 22, 1999
Seat belts
Filed Feb 1, 1999

SEAT BELT WARNING LIGHT AND ALARM ACTIVATE AT RANDOM TIMES, CAUSING OWNER TO QUESTION WHETHER SEAT BELT WILL FUNCTION PROPERLY IN A CRASH. *AK

NHTSA ID
702824
Incident
Dec 15, 1998
Seat belts
Filed Jan 22, 1999

WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE ABOUT 65 MPH THE SEAT BELT WON'T RETRACT, LEAVING CONSUMER LOOSE ON THE PASSENGER SIDE. *AK

NHTSA ID
833992
Incident
Jan 22, 1999
Seat belts
Filed Dec 15, 1998

DRIVER'S AUTOMATIC LAP AND SHOULDER BELT IS INOPERABLE DUE TO A MALFUNCTION WITHIN THE MOTOR. PLEASE GIVE ANY FURTHER DETAILS. *AK

NHTSA ID
832285
Body & structureBrakes
Filed Nov 25, 1998

THE BRAKE PEDAL STINKS, DEALER HAS BLED THEM AND REPLACED THE MASTER CYLINDER. NLM

NHTSA ID
781607
Seat belts
Filed Nov 5, 1998

AUTOMATIC PART OF THE SEAT BELT DOES NOT OPERATE PROPERLY. THE MOTOR RUNS, SHOULDER PART DOES NOT CONNTECT. VECHICLE DOES NOT COMPLY TO THE RECALL. DEALER CANNOT REPAIR, $500 AT OWNERS EXPENSE. *AK

NHTSA ID
830255
Incident
Oct 21, 1998

Higher-selling and older vehicles accumulate more reports. Counts are not failure rates and are not directly comparable between vehicles that sold in very different numbers.

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