RoadVitals

1997 Mazda Protege Engine Problems

Owner-reported complaints naming the engine system, filed with NHTSA

Data refreshed

Engine reportsComplaints 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.
9
Latest Jan 15, 2004
Share of all reportsThis category as a share of every owner report on file for this model year. One report can name more than one component, so the categories overlap.
14%
of 66 total
Crash or fire reportedReports in this category whose submitter recorded that a crash or a fire occurred. The reporter's own answer on the NHTSA form, not a verified finding.
0
Injuries or deaths reportedTotals the submitters entered on their own reports in this category. Not verified by NHTSA and not a casualty statistic.
0

What this page shows

Reports naming the engine itself — including stalling, misfires, oil consumption, cooling and internal engine components. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 1997 Mazda Protege submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 9 reports on file name it.

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

Owner reports naming engine

Shown in the owner’s own words, exactly as filed

EngineFuel system
Filed Jan 15, 2004

AFTER FIXING THE CATALYST CONVERTER, IT THEN GOES OUT AGAIN REQUIRING ME TO HAVE IT FIXED AGAIN

NHTSA ID
10068748
Incident
Oct 15, 2003
Mileage
108,000 mi
Engine
Filed Oct 15, 2003

CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATED AND ACCELERATION IS POOR.*MR ENCLOSED ARE COPIES OF THE RECEIPTS AND SERVICE BULLETIN ISSUED IN REFERENCE TO THE DEFECTIVE VEHICLE. *CB THE CONSUMER STATED THE PROBLEM WAS FINALLY IDENTIFIED AS A FAULTY VALVEIN CYLINDER #1. *JB

NHTSA ID
10043933
Incident
Apr 1, 2003
Engine
Filed Sep 14, 2003

AFTER INVESTIGATING "CHECK ENGINE LIGHT" OVER A PERIOD OF 5 MONTHS, IT WAS DETERMINED THAT A VALVE PROBLEM IN THE FIRST CYLINDER WAS CAUSING A LACK OF COMPRESSION AND POOR ENGINE PERFORMANCE. 2 OXYGEN SENSORS WERE REPLACED, AS WELL AS 8 VALVES AND OTHER PARTS, TO SOLVE THE PROBLEM. WE SPENT A TOTAL OF $1791.78 BEFORE THE CAR WAS FIXED. WE LEARNED FROM OUR MAZDA DEALER THAT A SERVICE BULLETIN WAS ISSUED 6/10/98 THAT COVERED THIS PROBLEM. WE COMPLAINED TO THE DEALERSHIP AND THE MAZDA AREA REP, AND NO REIMBURSEMENT WAS ISSUED. *PH

NHTSA ID
10038858
Incident
Apr 22, 2003
Mileage
83,068 mi
Driver assistanceElectricalEngine
Filed Sep 10, 2001

ENGINE IDLED UP OR DOWN AT STOP WITH FOOT ON BRAKE CAR WOULD SOMETIMES RACE UP OVER 300 RPMS SHUT ENGINE OFF TO STOP IT FROM GOING HIGHER THIS HAPPENED THREE TIMES ALMOST GOING THROUGH BACK OF MY GARAGE ALSO SURGED WHEN TRYING TO PARK AND CAUSING CAR TO JUMP FORWARD CAR HAS STALLED AT INTERSECTIONS TWICE THEY CHANGED NUMEROUS PARTS INCLUDING WIRE HARNESS UNDER HOOD GROUNDS ALTERNATOR VACUUM LINE ENGINE MOUNTS WHEN THIS FIRST STARTED TO BE WORSENING ON SURGING AND GOT A NUMBER FOR MAZDA TECH CENTER BY MISTAKE AND THE MAN I TALKED TO SAID HE FELT THIS SHOULD BE TAKEN UP WITH MAZDA REP FOR THIS AREA AND THEY SAID HE DID NOT FEEL IT WAS SERIOUS ENOUGH TO LOOK INTO ANY FURTHER HOLIDAY DEALER SERVICE REPS DID NOT HELP ME MUCH WITH ANYTHINGI WOULD HAVE TO ASK AROUND WITH FRIENDS TO FIND WHAT ELSE MIGHT BE CAUSING SURGES AND IDLING DOWN TO STALLING EACH HAD DIFFERENT IDEAS WHICH I WOULD TAKE TO HOLIDAY AND I WOULD BE PUT OFF AS THEY SAID THEY COULD NOT FIND ANYTHING EVEN THOUGH THEY HAD DIFFERENT MECHANICS SEE THE IDLE SURGES ANDCOULD NOT FIGURE WHAT CAUSED ITBESIDES THE THINGS I MENTIONED I HAD A ELECTRICAL PROBLEM WITH DOOR NOT UNLOCKING OR WINDOW GOING UP OR DOWN TOOK IT IN 2 TIMES AND THEN THE SERVICES REP SAID I SHOULD JUST LIVE WITH IT AND WALKED AWAY ON ME WHICH I HAVENT BEEN BACK SINCE BUT KEEP CALLING MAZDA AND THEY KEEP PUTTING ME OFF THEY SUGGESTED I GO ONLY TO MAZDA CERTIFIED PLACES WHICH THERE ARE NOT ANYMORE AROUND HERE WITHOUT DRIVING 45 MILES TO APPLETON SO A GUY AT A SHOP I WAS AT SAID I SHOULD CONTACT YOU PEOPLE TO SEE WHAT I COULD DO I HAD NO IDEA WHERE I COULD GET HELP I WILL NOT TALK TO THAT IGNORANT SERVICE REP AGAIN DO I HAVE A RIGHT TO GO TO A DIFFERENT PLACE TO SEE IF THE PROBLEM CAN BE FIXED I FOUND A COUPLE GOOD LEADS TO MY PROBLEM ON THE INTERNET WHICH SEAMS TO BE A COMMON OCCURENCE ON MAZDA AND A FEW OTHER CARS THAT WHERE FIXED BY THESE MECHANICS WHICH WAS SOME CENSOR OR VACUUM GAUGE ON THE BRAKE SYSTEMSOR AMAIN COMPUTER PROBLEMTO IGNITIONCCAN

NHTSA ID
752047
Incident
Jan 14, 1999
Driver assistanceEngine
Filed Apr 13, 2000

ENGINE IDLED ROUGHLY. VEHICLE WAS UNDER WARRANTY. DEALER TIGHTENED ENGINE VALVES. 2 MONTHS LATER, WARRANTY EXPIRED. DEALER DISMANTLED ENGINE AND HAD TO REMACHINE THE VALVES. *AK *ML

NHTSA ID
860309
Incident
Apr 11, 1999
Body & structureDriver assistanceElectrical+3 more
Filed Jan 18, 2000

ENGINE CHECK LIGHT CAME ON, AND GAS GAUGE MALFUNCTIONED. VEHICLE HESITATED WHEN STARTING/ DEALER REPLACED FLYWHEEL. ALSO, FUEL TANK WAS DISCONNECTED, AND DEALER REPLACED FUEL TANK. IN ADDITION, RPMS INCREASED BY 500 RPMS, AND REPAIRED WIRING IN JAMME DDOOR. ALSO, WINDSHIELD WIPER BLADES MALFUNCTIONED/ FUSE SHORTED OUT , CAUSING RADIO, CD, AND OTHER ELECTRICAL COMPONENTS TO FAIL, AND REPLACED CANISTER. *AK

NHTSA ID
852010
Incident
Oct 27, 1999
Engine
Filed Jul 20, 1999

ENGINE MOUNTS. RATTLE NOICE INSIDE THE HOOD WHEN CAR SITS AT AN IDLE & REVERSE.ALSO WITH A/C ON & IT VIBRATES. *AK

NHTSA ID
842687
Incident
Jul 9, 1997
EngineInterior & seatsVisibility
Filed Apr 13, 1999

NO SUMMARY

NHTSA ID
705571
Incident
Apr 1, 1999
Engine
Filed May 12, 1998

INTERMITTENTLY WHEN DECELERATING THE VEHICLE SHUTS DOWN. THE DEALER HAS NOT BEEN A\BLE TO DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. THE MANUFACTURER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED. *AK

NHTSA ID
823255

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.

Other components reported on this vehicle

Categories with enough reports to have a page of their own

Elsewhere on this vehicle

Data sources

Data on this page last refreshed .