Complaints by model year
Each bar is one model year. The most recent years are still collecting complaints.
NHTSA ODI complaints (public domain) · updated 23 Oct 2026
New York safety inspections
Share of first inspections failed on safety, by model year. Older cars fail more as miles build up, so compare each year with the average car of the same year. Best against its own year: 2001.
NY DMV Vehicle Inspections, initial inspections since Aug 2021 · how we count
Year by year
| Model year | Complaints | Recalls |
|---|---|---|
| 2006 | 0 | 0 |
| 2005 | 0 | 0 |
| 2004 | 0 | 0 |
| 2003 Protege | 120 | 0 |
| 2002 Protege | 98 | 0 |
| 2001 Protege | 50 | 1 |
| 2000 Protege | 102 | 1 |
| 1999 Protege | 88 | 1 |
| 1998 Protege | 46 | 1 |
| 1997 Protege | 66 | 1 |
| 1996 Protege | 70 | 1 |
| 1995 Protege | 165 | 4 |
| 1994 Protege | 74 | 1 |
| 1993 Protege | 44 | 1 |
| 1992 Protege | 63 | 1 |
| 1991 Protege | 51 | 1 |
| 1990 Protege | 37 | 1 |
| 1989 | 2 | 0 |
| 1982 | 0 | 0 |
A model year gets its own page when it has enough data for at least three sections
Most common problems
- Seat belts220
- Air bags159
- Power train157
- Engine and engine cooling125
- Service brakes, hydraulic84
- Electrical system71
- Tires53
- Vehicle speed control47
NHTSA ODI complaints, all model years
Fatal crashes in the US
From 2020 to 2023, 78 Protege vehicles were involved in crashes on US public roads in which someone died, and 66 people died inside them. These are counts, not crash rates: a model with more cars on the road shows up more often, and people killed outside the vehicle are not counted here.
| Model year | Vehicles in fatal crashes | Deaths in the vehicle |
|---|---|---|
| 2003 | 16 | 10 |
| 2002 | 19 | 20 |
| 2001 | 4 | 4 |
| 2000 | 13 | 10 |
| 1999 | 7 | 6 |
| 1998 | 5 | 5 |
| 1997 | 5 | 4 |
| 1996 | 2 | 1 |
| 1995 | 2 | 2 |
| 1994 | 1 | 0 |
| 1993 | 2 | 2 |
| 1992 | 1 | 1 |
| 1990 | 1 | 1 |
NHTSA Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS), crash years 2020–2023 (public domain) · how we count
Fuel consumption by year
Official Canadian test results for 9 model years, best variant per year. Combined consumption ranges from 8.0–9.0 L/100 km.
| Year | Variant | City | Highway | Combined |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2003 | Protege · Compact · Regular gasoline | 9.8 | 8.0 | 9.0 |
| 2002 | Protege · Compact · Regular gasoline | 9.8 | 8.0 | 9.0 |
| 2001 | Protege · Compact · Regular gasoline | 9.8 | 8.0 | 9.0 |
| 2000 | Protege · Compact · Regular gasoline | 9.8 | 8.0 | 9.0 |
| 1999 | Protege · Compact · Regular gasoline | 9.8 | 8.0 | 9.0 |
| 1998 | Protege · Compact · Regular gasoline | 8.9 | 6.8 | 8.0 |
| 1997 | Protege · Compact · Regular gasoline | 8.9 | 6.8 | 8.0 |
| 1996 | Protege · Compact · Regular gasoline | 8.9 | 6.8 | 8.0 |
| 1995 | Protege · Compact · Regular gasoline | 9.1 | 6.8 | 8.1 |
Litres per 100 km. Natural Resources Canada, Fuel consumption ratings (open.canada.ca) · Open Government Licence – Canada
Recalls
6 campaigns cover the Protege.
Mazda North American Operations (Mazda) is recalling certain model year 1989-1998 MPV, 1990-1995 323, 1990-1998 Protege, 1992-1993 MX-3, 1993-1995 929, 1993-1997 MX-6, and 1993-1998 626 vehicles. In the affected vehicles, grease applied to the contact points inside the ignition switch may become conductive and overheat.
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES. SOME LEFT SIDE REAR BRAKE HOSES WERE DAMAGED DURING ASSEMBLY. BRAKE FLUID LEAKAGE COULD OCCUR.
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH A PARTICULAR FACTORY INSTALLED AUDIO UNIT. IF THE VEHICLE IS OPERATED AT LOW SPEED IN A HOT AND HUMID ENVIRONMENT WITH THE WINDOW OPEN, AIR CONDITIONER RUNNING, AND AUDIO ON, CONDENSED WATER ON THE A/C DUCT SURFACE COULD DROP AND ENTER INTO THE AUDIO UNIT, CAUSING A SHORT CIRCUIT.
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES. THE HEADLIGHT LEAD WIRE RUNNING THROUGH THE TURN SIGNAL LEVER CAN FAIL AT THE SOLDERED CONNECTION TO THE HEADLIGHT SWITCH.
THE TIE DOWN HOOKS CAN CAUSE UNDERCARRIAGE IMPACTS THAT CAN RESULT IN UNNECESSARY AIR BAG DEPLOYMENTS.
THE WIRE ROD USED IN THE MANUFACTURE OF THE ENGINE VALVE SPRINGS CAN DEVELOP MINUTE CRACKS CAUSING BREAKAGE OF THE SPRINGS.
NHTSA recalls