Problems owners report
Complaints filed with NHTSA about the 1995 Mazda Protege, by the system named in each complaint. One complaint can name several.
- Air bags41
- Exterior lighting27
- Power train19
- Engine and engine cooling19
- Electrical system15
- Seat belts13
- Service brakes, hydraulic12
- Seats10
- Visibility10
- Unknown or other8
NHTSA ODI complaints (public domain) · updated 23 Oct 2026 · 58 injuries and 1 deaths reported
Compared with other years
NHTSA ODI complaints by model year
New York safety inspections
At its first New York inspection the 1995 Mazda Protege failed the safety check 1.96% of the time — 52% more often than the average 1995 passenger car (1.29%). Median odometer at inspection: 74,875 miles.
NY DMV Vehicle Inspections (vezn-fmmk), initial inspections since Aug 2021 · how we count
Fuel consumption
Official Canadian test results for 6 variants: combined 8.1–10.6 L/100 km (about 22–29 mpg US), CO₂ 186–244 g/km.
| Variant | City | Highway | Combined |
|---|---|---|---|
| Protege · Compact · Regular gasoline | 9.1 | 6.8 | 8.1 |
| Protege · Compact · Regular gasoline | 10.4 | 7.5 | 9.1 |
| Protege S · Compact · Regular gasoline | 10.1 | 7.8 | 9.1 |
| Protege # · Compact · Regular gasoline | 10.4 | 8.1 | 9.4 |
| Protege S · Compact · Regular gasoline | 11.3 | 8.7 | 10.1 |
| Protege # · Compact · Regular gasoline | 11.9 | 8.9 | 10.6 |
Litres per 100 km. Natural Resources Canada, Fuel consumption ratings (open.canada.ca) · Open Government Licence – Canada
Recalls in Canada
3 Transport Canada recalls for the 1995 Mazda Protege.
| 2015489 19 Oct 2015 | Electrical On certain vehicles, a defect in the ignition switch could cause an electrical short to develop over time. This could result in smoke and/or fire, increasing th… |
| 2000117 16 May 2000 | Electrical On certain vehicles, the headlight lead wire running from the combination switch to the headlight switch that is built into the turn lever may be bent during pr… |
| 1996014 17 Jan 1996 | Seats And Restraints THE AIRBAGS IN THESE VEHICLES MAY INFLATE AS THE RESULT OF THE TIE DOWN HOOKS STRIKING A CURB OR PAVEMENT. UNNECESSARY AIRBAG DEPLOYMENT MAY RESULT IN PERSONAL … |
Transport Canada Vehicle Recalls Database · Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Canada
Recalls
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. 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.
Whether a recall was fixed on a particular car is known only to the manufacturer: check the VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
NHTSA recalls · summaries in NHTSA's own words
Service bulletins
What Mazda told its dealers about the 1995 Mazda Protege: known faults, fixes and updates.
| Bulletin | Summary |
|---|---|
| 614908 | ON SOME VEHICLES WITHIN CERTAIN VINS, THE DOOR KEY CYLINDER FLAP MAY BREAK ALLOWING A PIECE(S) OF THE FLAP TO ENTER THE CYLINDER THEREBY MAKING IT DIFFICULT TO INSERT THE KEY AND CAUSING KEY ROTATION TO STICK. *TT |
| 614902 | THIS BULLETIN EXPLAINS CAMBER ADJUSTMENT PROCEDURES. *TT |
| 609953 | SOME VEHICLES MAY EXHIBIT THE AIR CONDITIONING (A/C) SYSTEM INOPERATIVE WITH THE MALFUNCTION INDICATOR LAMP (MIL) ON. *TT |
| 6092410 | SOME VEHICLES MAY EXHIBIT ERRATIC SHIFTING, O/D OFF INDICATOR LIGHT FLASHING WITH MALFUNCTION INDICATOR LAMP ON AS A RESULT OF THE VALVE BODY HARNESS (TRANSAXLE FLUID TEMPERATURE SENSOR CIRCUIT) BEING PINCHED BY A METAL CLIP WHICH IS ATTACHED TO THE TRANSMISSION CONTROL VALVE BODY, CAUSING A SHORT / OPEN CIRCUIT. *TT |
| 608126 | SUBJECT REGARDING PAINT DAMAGE - IRON PARTICLES / INDUSTRIAL FALLOUT / ACID RAIN. *TT |
| 607902 | CONCERNS WITH DOOR KEY WHICH IS DIFFICULT TO INSERT AND / OR ROTATE. *TT |
| 605988 | EXPERIENCING POPPING NOISE FROM FRONT BRAKE CALIPER DURING SLOW SPEED BRAKING. *TT |
| 603992 | AUTOMATIC TRANSAXLE SELECTOR LEVER IS DIFFICULT TO OPERATE. *YC |
| 603909 | CONCERNS REGARDING THE HEARTER NOT WORKING EFFIECIENTLY OR ENGINE TAKES TOO LING TO WARM-UP. *YC |
| 603908 | EXPERIENCING POOR ENGINE PERFORMANCE. *YC |
| 603898 | CONDITIONS WITH THE SHIFT LEVER MOVEMENT MAY BE STIFF WHEN MOVING THROUGH ALL GEAR RANGES. *YC |
| 603891 | CONDITIONS WITH STEERING WHEEL SLIGHTLY OFF CENTER. *YC |
| 603890 | INFORMATION REGARDING A/T SELECTOR LEVER HARD TO OPERATE. *YC |
| 603883 | CONCERNS WITH MANUAL CONTROL DOOR MIRROR NOT ADJUSTABLE. *YC |
| 603882 | SUBJECT ON PASSIVE SEAT BELT RETRACTOR SWITCH. *YC |
| 603875 | SUBJECT PERTAINING TO TACH NEEDLE WHICH IS STUCK ON WRONG SIDE OF STOPPER PIN. *YC |
| 603854 | INFORMATION REGARDING SEAT BELT EXTENDERS. *YC |
| 600334 | COMPLAINTS OF TACH NEEDLE STUCK ON WRONG SIDE OF STOPPER PIN. *YC |
| 54319 | PRE-PAINTING PREPARATIONS FOR FRONT AND REAR BUMPERS. *YC |
| 54318 | SUBJECT PERTAINING TO MTX OVERHAUL INFORMATION. *YC |
| 54218 | UNDER CERTAIN LOAD AND RPM RANGES EXCESSIVE NOISE MAY BE IN GENERATED IN THE EGR BOOST SENSOR CIRCUIT CAUSING DTC P0400 TO BE SET. *YC |
| 54213 | CONDITION WITH INTERIOR LIGHT DOES NOT ILLUMINATE. *YC |
| 52994 | CONCERNS OF RATTLING OR BUZZING NOISES IN THE FRONT OF VEHICLES. *YC |
| 52993 | CUSTOMERS COMPLAINING OF MIL LAMP ILLUMINATION. *YC |
| 52521 | SUPPLEMENTAL DIAGNOSTIC PROCEDURES FOR MIL ILLUMINATION. *TW |
NHTSA manufacturer communications (public domain)
NHTSA investigations
HEADLIGHT WIRE BREAKAGE
LOSS OF HEADLIGHTS
NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation