Reports submitted to NHTSA by owners and drivers, shown in full
Data refreshed
Our database holds 50 NHTSA owner-reported complaints for the 2001 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.
Showing 1–25 of 50 · page 1 of 2
EVERY TIME I GO TO FASTEN MY SEAT BELT INTO THE BUCKLE, IT'S ALWAYS UNBUCKLING IT SELF. THIS HAPPENS IN STATIONARY AND IN MOTION. MY RADIOS SCREEN CANT BE SEEN OR READ. THE VISOR ON THE CAR BROKE OFF AND NOTHING WAS PULLING IT.
TAKATA RECALL I BOUGHT BY 2001 MAZDA PROTEGE A COUPLE YEARS AGO AND WAS NEVER SENT ANYTHING ABOUT ANY RECALLS. AFTER PULLING A CAR FAX REPORT THERE IS 5 RECALLS ALL HAVING TO DO WITH HEADLIGHTS. I'VE RECEIVED A TICKET FOR NO HEADLIGHTS ON WHEN THEY WERE ON AND WAS RECENCTLY IN A CAR ACCIDENT DUE TO NOT SEEING THE OTHER VEHICLE . THE DAMAGE TO MY VEHICLE IS ON THE FRONT END INCLUDING DAMAGING MY RADIATOR WHICH NEEDS TO REPLACED, BUMBER AND GRILL. I HAD ONLY LIABILITY INSURANCE ON MY VEHICLE AND THEY ONLY WOULD PAY FOR THE OTHER CAR THAT WAS HIT. WHY WAS I NEVER INFORMED OF RECALL ISSUES? I'VE ALREADY PAID FOR THE NO HEADLIGHT TICKET AT NIGHT AND I'M FRUSTRATED BECAUSE THEY WERE ILLUMINATED. PLEASE DO NOT TELL ME I HAVE NO RECALL ISSUES BECAUSE I HAVE DONE MY RESEARCH AND HAVE 5 RECALLS ALL TO DO WITH LIGHTS WHICH CAN RESULT IN A CRASH. MY VEHICLE WAS IN MOTION TURNING WHEN THE ACCIDENT OCCURED AT NIGHT.
GOT INTO AN ACCIDENT AT INTERSECTION , AIRBAGS DID NOT WORK , AS A RESULT I HAVE SERIOUS CHEST PAINS . VEHICLE WAS IN MOTION GOING STRAIGHT WHILE A VEHICLE AT INTERSECTION WAS TURNING LEFT ACROSS MY ROAD.
THE FUEL TANK HAS RUSTED AND THERE IS A NOTICEABLE GAS SMELL. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 MAZDA PROTEGE. THE CONTACT ATTEMPTED TO START THE VEHICLE BUT THE ENGINE FAILED TO START ACCOMPANIED BY AN ABNORMAL KNOCKING FROM THE ENGINE. THE CONTACT ALSO MENTIONED THAT THE FAILURE OCCURRED MORE OFTEN WHEN THE ENGINE WAS COLD. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 22,000. UPDATED 05/28/14 MA THE CONSUMER STATED MODEL YEAR 2003 VEHICLES HAVE BEEN REPAIRED FOR THE SAME FAILURE BY THE MANUFACTURER. BUT THE MANUFACTURER REFUSES TO REPAIR MODEL YEARS 2001-2002. THE CONSUMER STATED THIS CONDITION DOES NOT KEEP THE ENGINE FROM STARTING. IT CAN AND HAS CAUSED CATASTROPHIC ENGINE FAILURE, WHICH SHUTS DOWN THE POWER STEERING AND BRAKES WHILE THE VEHICLE IS MOVING. UPDATED 05/29/2014 *JS
FUEL VAPOR ODORS BEGAN ACCUMULATING IN THE GARAGE DURING AN OVERNIGHT PARK. WHEN VAPORS BECAME EXCESSIVE, VEHICLE WAS PARKED OUTSIDE. EVENTUALLY, THE VAPORS BECAME NOTICEABLE WHILE IDLING AT A TRAFFIC LIGHT.. VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A CAR CARE CLINIC AND DIAGNOSED WITH A SEVERELY RUSTED FUEL TANK. I AM GRATEFUL THERE WAS NO FIRE FROM A SPARK. *TT
I PURCHASED MY 2001 MAZDA PROTEGE BRAND-NEW. AT ABOUT 60,000 MILES THE OVERDRIVE LIGHT STARTED BLINKING. GOING FROM SECOND GEAR INTO THIRD, THE TRANSMISSION WOULD BUCK. I TOOK IT TO THE DEALERSHIP AND WAS TOLD THAT IT NEEDED A NEW TRANSMISSION, SO I HAD A NEW TRANSMISSION INSTALLED. NOW AT 154,000 MILES, IT IS HAPPENING AGAIN. I HAVE READ NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS SIMILAR TO MINE. MAZDA REFUSES TO ACCEPT ANY RESPONSIBILITY FOR MANUFACTURING FAULTY TRANSMISSIONS. *TR
VEHICLE: 2001 MAZDA PROTEGE LX 2.0 LITER ENGINE FAILURE: KEY IS INSERTED IN IGNITION AND TURNED, STARTER WILL TURN OVER BUT ENGINE WILL NOT START. OCCURRENCE: INTERMITTENTLY, 3 TIMES IN 2 MONTHS. SERVICE: HAD IT TOWED EACH TIME TO A CERTIFIED MAZDA DEALERSHIP. FIRST TIME - THEY REPLACED THE IGNITION COILS WITH ANOTHER VEHICLES COILS AND IT STARTED RIGHT UP. THEY PUT THE ORIGINAL COILS BACK IN AND IT STARTED UP FINE. SECOND TIME - THEY REPLACED THE PCM THIRD TIME - HAD IT TOWED TO A DIFFERENT MAZDA DEALERSHIP. AFTER TOWING, THE VEHICLE STARTED RIGHT UP. I HAVE HAD THE VEHICLE SERVICED AT REGULAR INTERVALS AS RECOMMENDED BY MAZDA SINCE I PURCHASED IT NEW 6 YEARS AGO. I HAVE BEEN IN CONTACT WITH MAZDA CORPORATION TO CHECK FOR RECALLS OR KNOWN ISSUES AND WAS TOLD THERE ARE NONE FOR MY VEHICLE. AFTER EXPLAINING MY PROBLEM TO THEM, I WAS GIVEN NO SUGGESTIONS FOR RECOURSE. THIS PROBLEM IS INTERMITTENT, BUT LEAVES ME WITH AN UNRELIABLE VEHICLE. *TR
FRONT END COLLISION, AIR-BAG FAILED RESULTING IN INJURIES. *TR
I WAS AT A LOCAL RESTAURANT WHEN THEY ANNOUNCED A MAZDA PROTEGE WAS ON FIRE IN THE PARKING LOT. FIRE DEPARTMENT AND POLICE WERE CALLED. FIRE WAS PUT OUT AND FIRE DEPARTMENT LOOKED TO FIND SOURCE OF FIRE. I WAS TOLD IT WAS ELECTRICAL. IT STARTED IN THE WIRING AT THE LEFT REAR DOOR. THE FIREMAN ASKED WHAT WAS IN THE TRUNK (MEANING HIGHPOWERED AMPS). I TOLD HIM EVERYTHING IN THE CAR WAS ORIGINAL. NO ADDED EQUIPMENT. HE SAID THAT THE ONLY TIME HE HAD SEEN A FIRE IN THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM LIKE MINE WAS AS A RESULT OF OVERLOAD FROM ADDED SPEAKER/ AMPS. MY MAZDA 2001 PROTEGE IS BEING TOTALED BY FARMERS INSURANCE BUT THEY WILL NOT HAVE IT INVESTIGATED AS TO THE FAILURE. MAZDA HAS BEEN INFORMED AND OPENED A CASE BUT WILL NOT DO ANYTHING WITHOUT THE INSURANCE COMPANY'S INVESTIGATION. I AM NOW OUT A CAR THAT SHOULD HAVE LASTED ME TEN YEARS OR MORE. I HAVE HAD NO PROBLEMS WITH THIS CAR UNTIL THE FIRE. IF THE INSURANCE COMPANYS REFUSE TO INVESTIGATE THEN HOW DO WE, THE CONSUMER, KNOW WHEN WE ARE IN DANGER. WHAT RECOURSE DO I HAVE WITH EITHER MY INSURANCE COMPANY OR WITH MAZDA. *NM
2001 MAZDA PROTEGE LEFT FRONT TIRE DETACHED FROM VEHICLE. *TS PRIOR TO THE WHEEL COMING OFF THE CONSUMER HEARD A NOISE AND SLOWED DOWN BUT BEFORE SHE COULD STOP THE WHEEL CAME OFF. THE VEHICLE CAME TO REST IN A DITCH THEN WAS LATER ABLE TO PULL ONTO THE RIGHT BERM. THE VEHICLE SUSTAINED DAMAGE TO THE LEFT FRONT TIRE AND MOUNT, LEFT FRONT QUARTER PANEL AND DRIVER'S DOOR (OHIO TRAFFIC CRASH REPORT). *NM
VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN A FRONT END IMPACT OF AT LEAST 45 MPH. THIS WAS ALMOST A DIRECT FRONT COLLISION, THOUGH DAMAGE WAS SLIGHTLY GREATER ON ONE SIDE OF FRONT END THAT THE OTHER. BRAKES WERE NOT APPLIED SO FORCE OF HIT WAS AT FULL SPEED. AVAILABLE FRONT END AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. MY CHEST (STERNUM) IMPACTED THE STEERING WHEEL WITH EXTREME FORCE, BODY WAS PROPELLED FORWARD IN A TWISTING MOTION AND NECK AND SPINE UNDERWENT SEVERE TRAUMA. I AM STILL SUFFERING FROM THE INJURY AFTER OVER 7 MONTHS. I CALLED MAZDA LOCAL OFFICES AND MAIN HEADQUARTERS AND WAS TOLD THEY WOULD DO NO INVESTIGATION AS IT WAS TIME AND COST PROHIBITIVE. VEHICLE WAS TOTALLED. *NM
CHECK ENGINE LIGHT HAS BEEN COMING ON FOR LAST YEAR. PROBLEM IS WITH ENGINE MISFIRE/CATALYTIC CONVERTER. WE HAVE REPLACED EVERYTHING SUGGESTED: SPARK PLUGS, WIRES, CATALYTIC CONVERTER, ENGINE TUNE UP, NEW TIRES, ETC. PROBLEM WORSENING. CAR RIDING ROUGHER, WORSENING GAS MILEAGE. *JB
DT: THE CONTACT STATED THAT ONE HOUR AFTER HE PURCHASED THE VEHICLE THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON. HE HAD IT CHECKED BY A MECHANIC, AND IT WAS DETERMINED THAT CATALYTIC CONVERTER FAILED. IT WAS FIXED BECAUSE IT WAS UNDER WARRANTY. THE EGR VALVE NEEDED TO BE FIXED. THE MAZDA DEALERSHIP GAVE CONSUMER AN ESTIMATE FOR OVER $200.00, AND THEY WILL NOT FIX IT BECAUSE IT IS NOT COVERED UNDER THE WARRANTY. THE MAZDA DEALERSHIP WHERE HE PURCHASED THE VEHICLE SAID THEY WOULD FIX IT UNDER THE WARRANTY BUT HE HAS TO TAKE THE TIME TO BRING THE VEHICLE BACK THERE AGAIN. *AK
DT: CONTACT STATED THE AIR CONDITIONER WAS NOT WORKING WHEN PUT ON A HIGHER FAN SETTING. CONSUMER LOOKED BEHIND THE DASH AND CONNECTOR WAS STARTING TO MELT. *AK
WHILE ON A 300 MILE TRIP,\ I NOTICED A SLIGHT NOISE COMMING FROM MY REAR END. UPON MY RETURN HOME, THE NOISE GOT WORSE AND I TOOK IT TO A REPAIR SHOP AND FOUND THE BRAKE CALIPERS MALFUNCTIONED, AND A COMPLETE REAR END BRAKE JOB COSTING OVER $1,000.00 WAS REQUIRED. SINCE THE VEHICLE HAD ONLY 52,000 MILES ON IT AND WAS LESS THAN FOUR YEARS OLD I TOOK IT TO THE MAZDA DEALER, AND WAS TOLD SINCE IT WAS OUT OF WARRANTY. ALL THEY COULD DO WAS OFF $175.00 OFF THE BRAKE JOB(STILL OVER $1,000.00). ON A VEHICLE THIS NEW I FEEL THE CALIPERS SHOULD NOT HAVE FAILED. THE BRAKES STILL HAVE NOT BEEN REPLACED AS I AM STILL TRYING TO HAVE MAZDA PAY MORE OF THE COST. REPLACEMENT PARTS NEEDED ARE 2 REAR CALIPERS, 2 ROTORS, 2 SETS OF BRAKE PADS AND 2 BRAKE LINE HOSES.*AK
I HEARD A STRANGE SOUND EVERY TIME I STARTED TO ACCELERATE WHICH I FIRST THOUGHT TO BE THE CAR IN THE NEXT LANE. I DROVE ONE MORE BLOCK AND TURNED THE CORNER, BUT THE STEERING WAS LOCKING AND I HAD GREAT DIFFICULTY TURNING. I HAD THE CAR TOWED TO MY MECHANIC, COMBUSTION GASES WERE IN THE COOLING SYSTEM AND THE ENGINE HAD A CRACKED CYLINDER. THE CAR IS FOUR YEARS OLD (JUST OUT OF WARRANTY) WITH ONLY 31,483 MILES ON IT. I'M A GOOD DRIVER, 73 YEARS OLD WITH A CLEAN DRIVING RECORD AND HAVE NEVER HAD PROBLEMS WITH ANY CAR AS A RESULT OF MY DRIVING HABITS. I'VE OWNED MAZDA'S SINCE 1987 AND LOVED THEM (EVEN THIS CAR) BUT THIS WILL PROBABLY BE MY LAST. THE REPAIR REQUIRED A REBUILT ENGINE AT A COST OF $ 3,223.14.. *AK
WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 30 MPH DRIVER HEARD A LOUD KNOCKING NOISE COMING FROM THE FRONT. THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT APPEARED ON THE DASHBOARD, AND VEHICLE STALLED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION, AND MECHANIC DETERMINED THAT THE ENGINE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. *AK
WHILE DRIVING MY MAZDA PROTEGE TO WORK WHEN AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION WOULD NOT SHIFT DOWN INTO FIRST GEAR. AFTER SHIFT TO NEUTRAL AND BACK TO DRIVE, TRANS SHIFTED TO FIRST GEAR. DROVE NORMALLY FOR NEXT 15 MILES TO WORK. WHEN LEAVING FOR LUNCH, TRANSMISSION FAILED COMPLETELY AFTER 15 SECONDS IN DRIVE. CAR IS 3 YRS 3 MONTHS OLD, WAS BOUGHT NEW AND HAD 53,000 MILES AT TIME OF FAILURE. CAR HAD BEEN CAREFULLY MAINTAINED ACCORDING TO MANUFACTURER'S SCHEDULE. DEALER'S SERVICE REP SAID CAR WAS OUT OF WARRANTY, AND WOULD NOT CONSIDER ANY ASSISTANCE DUE TO FACT THAT THE CAR HAD NOT BEEN MAINTAINED THERE. I CONTACTED AREA MANUFACTURER'S REP AND WAS TOLD SAME THING. TRIED ONE LAST TIME TO GET HELP BY CALLING DEALER'S SERVICE MANAGER - HE WAS ABLE TO GET MAZDA TO PAY FOR HALF OF A REBUILT TRANSMISSION (ABOUT $800), BUT BY THIS TIME (10 DAYS AFTER THE EVENT) I HAD ALREADY HAD THE CAR REPAIRED (REBUILT TRANS INSTALLED) AT ANOTHER SHOP, SO THE ASSISTANCE OFFER WAS WITHDRAWN. TOTAL REPAIRS COST ME $1835 (AS OPPOSED TO $2650 FROM MAZDA), AND CAR WAS OUT OF SERVICE FOR 9 DAYS. TRANSMISSIONS SHOULD NOT FAIL AT 53,000 MILES. THE TRANS SHOP I DEALT WITH SAID THEY SEE MAZDA PROTEGES AND 626S QUITE OFTEN WITH THIS SAME PROBLEM. I AM TRYING TO PURSUE COMPLETE REIMBURSEMENT OF MY OUT-OF-POCKET COSTS, AND WILL CONTINUE TO DO SO.*AK
TREAD SEPARATION PROBLEM INVOLVING KUMHO ECSTA 711 TIRES.*MR THE VEHICLE FAILED THE VIRGINIA AUTO SAFTY INSPECTION DUE TO A VIOLATION INVOLVING THE TWO FRONT KUMHO TIRES. THE INSPECTOR EXPLAINED THAT THE TREAD WAS SEPARATING FROM THE TIRE DUE TO (HIS OPINION) A SHIFTING OF THE BELTS. *NM
INTERMITTENTLY WHILE DRIVING 40 TO 50 MPH VEHICLE JERKED. VEHICLE WOULD NOT STALL, BUT WOULD LOSE SPEED AND POWER. DEALER EXAMINED THE VEHICLE FOUR TIMES, AND INFORMED THE CONSUMER THAT THERE WAS NOTHING WRONG WITH THE VEHICLE. *AK
VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN A 3 CAR FRONTAL COLLISION. UPON IMPACT, FRONTAL AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY. DRIVER HEAD IMPACTED THE STEERING WHEEL, CAUSING SEVERE HEADACHES. *AK
LAST NOVEMBER THE "CHECK ENGINE" LIGHT CAME ON IN MY 2001 MAZDA PROTEGE. I IMMEDIATELY BROUGHT IT TO THE MAZDA DEALERSHIP, WHO SAID THAT THEIR WAS AN ERROR WITH THE CODE AND THEY CLEARED IT AND RECALIBRATED IT. THEY SAID IT HAD GONE OFF FOR NO APPARENT REASON. THREE MONTHS LATER (SHORTLY AFTER THE WARRANTY EXPIRED) THE LIGHT CAME ON AGAIN. THIS TIME THE DEALERSHIP CLAIMED THAT THE CODE SAID THAT THE GAS CAP WAS NOT SCREWED ON TIGHT. THIS WAS NOT TRUE! WHEN THAT LIGHT CAME ON I IMMEDIATELY CHECKED THE GAS CAP SINCE THE OWNERS MANUAL TOLD ME THAT WAS ALL I COULD DO MYSELF (IT WAS TIGHT AS A DRUM). THE DEALERSHIP CLAIMED OTHERWISE-IT WAS MY WORD AGAINST THEIRS AND NATURALLY THEY WON. TWO WEEKS LATER THE LIGHT AGAIN CAME BACK ON. WHEN I TOOK IT BACK TO THE DEALERSHIP, THEY TOLD ME THAT THE CODE THIS TIME SAID MY SOLENOID WAS BAD (THE CAR WAS RUNNING GREAT). THE CHARGED ME $427 TO REPLACE IT AND SAID I SHOULD HAVE NO MORE PROBLEMS. ANOTHER COUPLE OF WEEKS GOES BY AND THE LIGHT AGAIN GOES OFF. THIS TIME THEY KEPT IT IN THE SHOP FOR 3 DAYS. THEY CLAIMED THAT THE CODE INDICATED IT WAS THE SOLENOIND (HOW COULD THAT BE SINCE IT WAS A BRAND NEW ONE?) THEY CLEARED THE CODE AND TEST DROVE IT FOR 50 MILES, IT DID NOT COME BACK ON. I BELIEVE THAT THE COMPUTER CONTROLLING THAT LIGHT IS DEFECTIVE AND GIVING OUT ERRONEOUS CODES SINCE I KNOW THAT MY GAS CAP WAS SECURELY TIGHTENED, AND HOW CODE IT POINT TO THE SOLENOID AFTER IT HAD BEEN REPLACED WITH A NEW ONE. THE DEALERSHIP WILL NOT REFUND THOSE REPAIR BILLS AND THE MAZDA CUSTOMER SERVICE WOULD ONLY REFER ME BACK TO THE DEALERSHIP. THEY DID NOT WANT TO HEAR ANY STATEMENTS FROM ME ABOUT A POSSIBLY DEFECTIVE PART. TOLD ME TO GET AN INDEPENDENT AUTO REPAIR PERSON'S ASSESSMENT. I CANNOT AFFORD THAT! PLEASE LOOK INTO THIS FOR ME. THE DEALERSHIP DID TELL ME THAT I'D NEVER BE ABLE TO GET MY CAR SMOGGED WITH THAT LIGHT ON AND I CAN'T LIVE WITH RUNNING BACK AND FORTH TO THE SHOP EVERY TIME IT GOES OFF. *LA
THE CONSUMER'S VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN A COLLISION. UPON IMPACT, NONE OF THE AIR BAGS DEPLOYED. *AK THE CONSUMER HAD RUN A STOP SIGN AND HIT ANOTHER VEHICLE HEAD-ON WHILE PASSING THROUGH AN INTERSECTION. *SC *JB
THE VEHICLE'S AIR BAG SENSOR LIGHT STAYS ON. THE DEALER STATES THEY ARE UNABLE TO DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. THE CONSUMER IS CONCERNED THAT THE AIR BAG WILL NOT DEPLOY UPON IMPACT. *NM *LA
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.
Categories with enough reports to have a page of their own
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