Problems owners report
Complaints filed with NHTSA about the 1997 Mazda Protege, by the system named in each complaint. One complaint can name several.
- Air bags12
- Service brakes, hydraulic11
- Power train10
- Engine and engine cooling9
- Vehicle speed control8
- Electrical system6
- Seat belts6
- Fuel system, gasoline5
- Visibility5
- Structure5
NHTSA ODI complaints (public domain) · updated 23 Oct 2026 · 14 injuries and 0 deaths reported
Compared with other years
NHTSA ODI complaints by model year
Fatal crashes in the US
From 2020 to 2023, 5 1997 Protege vehicles were involved in crashes on US public roads in which someone died; 4 people died inside them. This is a count, not a crash rate: it grows with the number of cars on the road.
NHTSA Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS), crash years 2020–2023 (public domain)
New York safety inspections
At its first New York inspection the 1997 Mazda Protege failed the safety check 5.26% of the time — 229% more often than the average 1997 passenger car (1.60%). Median odometer at inspection: 116,249 miles.
NY DMV Vehicle Inspections (vezn-fmmk), initial inspections since Aug 2021 · how we count
Fuel consumption
Official Canadian test results for 4 variants: combined 8.0–10.4 L/100 km (about 23–29 mpg US), CO₂ 184–239 g/km.
| Variant | City | Highway | Combined |
|---|---|---|---|
| Protege · Compact · Regular gasoline | 8.9 | 6.8 | 8.0 |
| Protege · Compact · Regular gasoline | 10.5 | 7.5 | 9.2 |
| Protege · Compact · Regular gasoline | 10.3 | 8.0 | 9.3 |
| Protege · Compact · Regular gasoline | 11.8 | 8.6 | 10.4 |
Litres per 100 km. Natural Resources Canada, Fuel consumption ratings (open.canada.ca) · 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.
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 1997 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 |
| 614124 | CIGARETTE LIGHTER DOES NOT WORK OR STAY IN POSITION. *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 |
| 603915 | EXHIBITING NOISE FROM THE HOOD RELEASE CABLE. *YC |
| 603911 | EXPERIENCING A THUMPING NOISE FROM REAR SUSPENSION TOWER. *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 |
| 603897 | EXPERIENCING A CLUNK NOISE FROM REAR SUSPENSION WHILE TURNING OVER A BUMP. *YC |
| 603891 | CONDITIONS WITH STEERING WHEEL SLIGHTLY OFF CENTER. *YC |
| 603890 | INFORMATION REGARDING A/T SELECTOR LEVER HARD TO OPERATE. *YC |
| 603885 | CONCERNS WITH WATER LEAKAGE ONTO FRONT FLOOR MAT. *YC |
| 603883 | CONCERNS WITH MANUAL CONTROL DOOR MIRROR NOT ADJUSTABLE. *YC |
| 603879 | SUBJECT REGARDING BRAKE WARNING LIGHT ON CONSTANTLY. *YC |
| 603875 | SUBJECT PERTAINING TO TACH NEEDLE WHICH IS STUCK ON WRONG SIDE OF STOPPER PIN. *YC |
| 603872 | EXHIBITING A RUBBING NOISE HEARD FROM THE FRONT CONSOLE WHEN DRIVING. *YC |
| 603863 | CONCERNS WITH THE AUDIO SOUND CUTS OUT WHEN BLOWER MOTOR OPERATES. *YC |
| 603854 | INFORMATION REGARDING SEAT BELT EXTENDERS. *YC |
| 603122 | SOME VEHICLES MAY EXPERIENCE NOISE FROM DRIVE SHAFT. *YC |
NHTSA manufacturer communications (public domain)