1994 Mazda Protege Problems
Owner-reported complaints filed with NHTSA, grouped by component
Data refreshed
What this page shows
Everything below is an owner-reported complaint submitted to NHTSA about the 1994 Mazda Protege, grouped by the component NHTSA recorded on the report. These are not confirmed defects, and they are not recalls. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a category with more reports in it is not evidence that a part is defective.
Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.
Reports by component
Ranked by how many owner reports name each component category
- Seat belts3745.7%
- Engine67.4%
- Electrical56.2%
- Transmission44.9%
- Body & structure44.9%
- Fuel system44.9%
- Interior & seats44.9%
- Powertrain (other)44.9%
- Brakes33.7%
- Suspension33.7%
- Steering22.5%
- Visibility11.2%
- Driver assistance11.2%
- Other / unspecified11.2%
- Tires & wheels11.2%
- Airbags11.2%
Percentages are of component mentions. A single complaint can name more than one component, so these do not sum to the total complaint count.
Each component in detail
What the reports in each category say, in the owners' own words
Seat belts
Reports naming seat belts, buckles, retractors and pretensioners.
From owner reports, verbatim
AUTOMATIC SEAT BELT ON DRIVER SIDE DID NOT RETRACT COMPLETELY WHEN VEHICLE WAS OFF AND DOOR WAS OPENED. SEAT BELT ONLY RETRACTED 1/3 OF THE WAY AND STAYS THERE. SEAT BELT STILL RETRACTS BACK TO SHOULDER POSITION WHEN KEY IS TURNED.
THE SEAT BELT SYSTEM HAS FAILED. HAD TO UNPLUG BOTH DRIVER AND PASSENGER SEAT BELT MOTORS, BECAUSE THE SEATBELT LOCK WOULDN'T STOP TRYING TO MOVE WHILE IN DRIVE.
Engine
Reports naming the engine itself — including stalling, misfires, oil consumption, cooling and internal engine components.
From owner reports, verbatim
HEADERS WHICH ARE ATTACHED TO THE HEADERS TO EXHAUST MANIFOLD AND TO THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER WENT OUT. *AK
NO WARNING LIGHTS ON THE DASH GAVE CONSUMER ANY IDEA THE THE RADIATOR WAS OVERHEATING, AND THIS CAUSED THE RADIATOR TO CRACK. DEALER WAS CONTACTED. *AK
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Electrical
Reports naming the electrical system — wiring, battery, charging, control modules, infotainment and electrical accessories.
From owner reports, verbatim
DRAINS BATTERY, HAVE UNHOOK TILL TEMPERATURE RISES.
I WAS AN HOUR AWAY FROM HOME WHEN MY HEADLIGHTS STARTED GOING DIM, AND WINDSHIELD WIPERS WOULDN'T WORK ON HIGH SPEED. AFTER THE CAR DIED WE WENT AND GOT A NEW ALTERNATOR AND PUT ON IT, AFTER THAT, IT DROVE FOR ABOUT 5 MILES AND THE HEADLIGHTS STARTED GOING DIM AND THE CAR WOULD CUT IN AND OUT. THE NEXT DAY WE PUT A NEW BATTERY ON IT AND I DROVE IT HOME, WHEN WE TOOK IT TO A SHOP, THEY REBUILT THE ALTERNATOR, AND I DROVE THE CAR FOR A FEW DAYS AND IT STARTED DOING THE SAME THING ALL OVER AGAIN. SO WE PUT ANOTHER ALTERNATOR ON IT AND SO FAR IT HAS WORKED, BUT WE ARE AFRAID IT WILL HAPPEN AGAIN BECAUSE I HAVE ALSO SEEN SMOKE COME OUT OF THE HOOD AFTER HAVING THOSE PROBLEMS. *AK
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Transmission
Reports naming the automatic or manual transmission, including shifting behaviour, shudder, slipping and transmission control modules.
From owner reports, verbatim
TRANSMISSION PUMP LEAKED. YH
WHEN AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION SHIFTS GEARS THE VEHICLE PULLS TO THE LEFT. PLEASE DESCRIBE. *AK
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Body & structure
Reports naming the vehicle structure, frame, body panels, doors, hood and trim.
From owner reports, verbatim
WHEN COMING TO A STOP THE CAR VIBRATES, TOOK TO DEALER, PUT IN MODIFIED MOTOR MOUNTS. *AK
TRUNK LID WILL NOT STAY UP. TT
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Fuel system
Reports naming fuel storage or delivery — tanks, pumps, lines, injectors and fuel leaks.
From owner reports, verbatim
DASH BROAD PANEL LIGHTS MALFUNCTIONED, COULD NOT SEE WHILE DRIVING AT NIGHT.
FUEL LEAKS FROM GAS TANK HOSE. *DSH
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Interior & seats
Reports naming seats, latches, locks, linkages and interior fittings.
From owner reports, verbatim
CANNOT UNLOCK BACK DOORS WHEN WEATHER IS COLD. ALSO BECOME STUCK IN WARM WEATHER. I HAVE HAD THIS PROBLEM FROM DAY ONE. TOOK BACK TO DEALER 4 TIME THE DOORS WOULD WORK FINE FOR A FEW DAY THEN BECOME JAMMED AGAIN. I GAVE UP.*AK
DRIVER'S SIDE REAR SEAT COLLAPSED WHEN BRAKES WERE APPLIED FORCEFULLY.*AK
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Powertrain (other)
Powertrain reports that are not specifically the engine or transmission — driveshafts, axles, transfer cases and differentials.
From owner reports, verbatim
BOTH RUBBER CV B00TS WERE BROKEN, AND BOTH SIDES OF FRONT AXLE PRACTICALLY SHEARED OFF. REPAIRS WERE MADE AT AN INDEPENDENT REPAIR SHOP. DEALER/MANUFACTURER CONTACTED. *AK *ML
TRANSMISSION PUMP LEAKED. YH
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Brakes
Reports naming service brakes, the antilock braking system, brake hoses, master cylinders or the parking brake.
From owner reports, verbatim
CONSUMER STATES THAT SHE HIT SOME GRAVEL, OVERCORRECTED THE VEHICLE AND LOST CONTROL OF CAR, WHEN HITTING THE BRAKES CAR WENT INTO A COMPELETE CIRCLE AND HIT AN OAK TREE. BELIEVES BRAKES LOCKED UP. VEHICLE HAS ABS.*AK
GAS/BRAKE PEDAL DESIGNED TOO CLOSE TO ONE ANOTHER, CAUSING THEM TO BE DEPRESSED SIMULTANEOUSLY. *SD
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Suspension
Reports naming suspension components — springs, struts, shocks, control arms and related hardware.
From owner reports, verbatim
FRONT END NOISE/INSTABILITY WHILE TURNING.
DASH BROAD PANEL LIGHTS MALFUNCTIONED, COULD NOT SEE WHILE DRIVING AT NIGHT.
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Steering
Reports naming the steering system — racks, columns, power-steering assist and steering linkage.
From owner reports, verbatim
DASH BROAD PANEL LIGHTS MALFUNCTIONED, COULD NOT SEE WHILE DRIVING AT NIGHT.
WHILE DRIVING, THE GUIDE ROD BROKE, WHICH CONNECTS STEERING WHEEL TO TIRE SNAPPED, RESULTING IN LOSS OF STEERING CONTROL AND NEARLY HITTING A BUS. TT
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Visibility
Reports naming windshields, glass, wipers, defrosters and mirrors.
From owner reports, verbatim
NO PARTS AVAILABLE FOR MANUFACTURED WINTERIZED WINDSHIELD WIPER BLADES. PLEASE DESCRIBE DETAILS. TT
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Driver assistance
Reports naming forward-collision avoidance, lane keeping, back-over prevention, cruise control and related electronic driver-assistance systems.
From owner reports, verbatim
ENGINE SURGES WHEN VEHICLE STOPS. VEHICLE TAKEN TO DEALER, BUT UNABLE TO FIND THE PROBLEM. *AK *ML . THE DEFECT HAS REOCCURRED AGAIN IN EARLY SEPT. 2000, DLR HAS NOT BEEN ABLE TO DUPLICATE DEFECT. THE VEHICLE WILL SURGE FOWARD FAR ENOUGH TO HIT VEHICLE IN FRONT.
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Other / unspecified
Reports whose component NHTSA recorded as unknown, or that do not map to one of the categories above.
From owner reports, verbatim
OWNER SOLD WRONG LUGNUT SET FOR ALLOYWHEELS.
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Tires & wheels
Reports naming tires, wheels, hubs, or the tire-pressure monitoring system.
From owner reports, verbatim
FRONT TIRES ON VEHICLE HAVE WORN EXCESSIVELY AFTER 22K MILES. TT
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Airbags
Reports naming the air-bag system — deployment behaviour, inflators, sensors and warning lights.
From owner reports, verbatim
NO DEPLOYMENT OF DRIVERS AIRBAG IN AN ACCIDENT, CAUSING INJURY. *AW
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
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.
Elsewhere on this vehicle
Data sources
- NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation — owner-reported complaints and the components recorded on them
Data on this page last refreshed .