FaultScore report
Owners have filed 89 complaints about the 1994 Mazda Protege with NHTSA between 1995 and 2017. The largest single group is the seat belts. Across this model's run it ranks 10 of 11 worst.
FaultScore 42/100
Higher is worse. Measured against the other years of the Mazda Protege.
How this is worked out89
Complaints
6
Crashes reported
2
Fires reported
4
Injuries reported
95,000 mi
Median mileage at failure
Half of reported failures happened before this
0%
Failed under 36,000 miles
Inside a typical bumper-to-bumper warranty
The letter says how bad. This says what kind — whether this year drew an unusual number of complaints, unusually dangerous ones, or failures that arrived unusually early.
Click any bar to open that year's report.
Every complaint is filed against a part. Follow any row for the complaints about that part alone.
0 crashes, 2 fires
1 crashes, 0 fires
1 crashes, 0 fires
1 crashes, 0 fires
NHTSA files every complaint against a named sub-assembly, not just a system. This is the difference between knowing it was "the engine" and knowing which part of it — the list to hand a mechanic.
Odometer readings owners gave when they filed. About half of all complaints include one.
A spike years after the car went on sale usually means a part wearing out on schedule across the whole fleet — the kind of pattern no single owner can see from inside their own car.
An investigation is the step before a recall: the agency has seen enough complaints to look into a pattern itself. An open one means it thinks something may be wrong and nothing has been fixed yet.
AUTO RESTRAINT SYSTEM FAIL
A complaint is one owner's allegation. A recall is the point at which the manufacturer or a regulator agreed the defect is real and dangerous enough to fix for free — however old the car is.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:SWITCH
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.
Risk: If the ignition switch overheats there would be an increased risk of a fire.
Canada runs its own recall programme, and its campaigns do not always mirror the American ones.
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 the risk of injury and/or damage to property. Correction: Dealers will replace the ignition switch.
Recalls cover specific build ranges, so check your own vehicle by VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls or, in Canada, Transport Canada.
Reports where the owner recorded a crash, a fire, an injury or a death.
SEAT BELTS
WHILE DRIVING SEAT BELT LIGHT FLASHES AND BEEPS, BUT WHEN LEANING FORWARD IT SHUTS OFF. WAS IN A REARENDED ACCIDENT ON 3-15-2000, AND THE SEAT BELT FAILED TO RELEASE. ALSO, WHEN OPENING THE DOOR SEAT BELT WILL NOT RELEASE OR SLIDE FORWARD. WILL HAVE TO MANUALLY RELEASE IT IN ORDER TO GET OUT OF THE SEAT BELT. WHEN DRIVING 60MPH THE SEAT BELT WILL AUTOMATICALLY RELEASE, SLIDE FORWARD AND BACKWARD WITHOUT TOUCHING THE BRAKES.
NHTSA complaint #858651 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SEATS:FRONT ASSEMBLY:RECLINER
CONSUMER WAS DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY AND TOP OF PASSENGER SEAT WENT BACK. THE CONSUMER STATED THAT SHE WAS LOOKING AT THE SKY WHILE DRIVING AND COULDN'T SEE ANYTHING. CAR WENT INTO A GUARDRAIL ON THE HIGHWAY. CAR WAS TOTALED.
NHTSA complaint #831095 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP
CONSUMER STATES THAT SHE HIT SOME GRAVEL, OVERCORRECTED THE VEHICLE AND LOST CONTROL OF CAR, WHEN HITTING THE BRAKES CAR WENT INTO A COMPELETE CIRCLE AND HIT AN OAK TREE. BELIEVES BRAKES LOCKED UP. VEHICLE HAS ABS.
NHTSA complaint #802751 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
AIR BAGS
NO DEPLOYMENT OF DRIVERS AIRBAG IN AN ACCIDENT, CAUSING INJURY.
NHTSA complaint #506570 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SEAT BELTS
UPON IMPACT, DURING FRONTAL CRASH AT APPROX. 30-40 MPH, DRIVER MOTORIZED SHOULDER HARNESS FAILED TO RETRACT, RESULT ALLOWED TO HIT STEERING COLUMN. TT
NHTSA complaint #975049 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SEAT BELTS:FRONT:WEBBING
WAS HIT IN THE REAR AND WENT FORWARD, SEAT BELT DID NOT HOLD, HIT THE RIGHT SIDE OF FACE. TT
NHTSA complaint #964741 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
In the owners' own words, exactly as filed with NHTSA.
SEAT BELTS
AUTOMATIC SEAT BELT ON DRIVER SIDE DID NOT RETRACT COMPLETELY WHEN VEHICLE WAS OFF AND DOOR WAS OPENED. SEAT BELT ONLY RETRACTED 1/3 OF THE WAY AND STAYS THERE. SEAT BELT STILL RETRACTS BACK TO SHOULDER POSITION WHEN KEY IS TURNED.
NHTSA complaint #11039477 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SEAT BELTS
THE SEAT BELT SYSTEM HAS FAILED. HAD TO UNPLUG BOTH DRIVER AND PASSENGER SEAT BELT MOTORS, BECAUSE THE SEATBELT LOCK WOULDN'T STOP TRYING TO MOVE WHILE IN DRIVE.
NHTSA complaint #11020193 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SEAT BELTS
SEAT BELT FAILED TO RETRACT WHEN CLOSING DOOR. APPEARS THAT SOME SORT OF CABLE IS JAMMED SO THAT SEAT BELT NO LONGER WORKS CORRECTLY. OPENED AND CLOSED DOOR SEVERAL TIMES TO TRY AND REMEDY ISSUE BUT PROBLEM PERSISTS. REPLACED SEAT BELT FUSE BUT THAT FAILED TO RESOLVE ISSUE. SEAT BELT IS NOW STUCK IN THE "VEHICLE OFF" POSITION AT ALL TIMES.
NHTSA complaint #10480043 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SEAT BELTS
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1994 MAZDA PROTEGE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FRONT DRIVER'S SEAT BELT WOULD NOT RETRACT, WHICH MAY CAUSE IMPROPER RESTRAINT WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS IN MOTION. THE DEALER WAS NOTIFIED, BUT DENIED ANY ASSISTANCE WITH REPAIR OF THE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 171,000.
NHTSA complaint #10454696 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SEAT BELTS
AUTOMATIC SEAT BELT FAILED ON 1994 MAZDA PROTEGE. COST TO REPLACED OVER $1000.00. MAZDA RECALLED THE SAME PROBLEM ON 1994 323. THE 323 AND PROTEGE ARE THE SAME IN BODY STYLE AND DESIGN.
NHTSA complaint #10185989 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SEAT BELTS:FRONT:WEBBING
I HAVE A /94 MAZDA PROTEGE, IT HAS THE PROBLEMS DESCRIBED IN NHTSA RECALL CAMPAIGN # 97V211000. I CONTACTED MAZDA CUSTOMER SERVICE AND WAS INFORMED THAT THE RECALL DOES NOT APPLY TO MY VIN NUMBER. IT HAS ALL OF THE DESCRIBED SYMPTOMS. I HAD TO DISCONNECT THE AUTOMATIC RETRACTION MECHANISM. DO I HAVE ANY OTHER RECOURSE?
NHTSA complaint #10184637 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SEAT BELTS
DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THAT THERE WAS AN ADJUSTMENT FAILURE IN ALL THE SEAT BELTS IN THE VEHICLE. THE SEATBELTS WOULD NOT LOCK IN AN EMERGENCY BRAKING SITUATION. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO BOTH AN INDEPENDENT REPAIR SHOP AND A SERVICE DEALER. THE SERVICE DEALER DETERMINED THAT THE SEAT BELTS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED DUE TO THEM NOT REMAINING LOCKED DURING EMERGENCY BRAKING.
NHTSA complaint #10154208 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SEAT BELTS:FRONT
ISSUE WITH SEAT BELTS IN 1994 MAZDA PROTEGE LX. AT TIMES, FRONT SEAT BELTS CONTINUE TO TIGHTEN WHEN FOOT IS LIFTED FROM BRAKE PEDAL AFTER A SUDDEN STOP. IT GETS SO TIGHT THAT BELT HAS TO BE UNBUCKLED. IT IS A SCARY SITUATION AND NOT VERY SAFE.
NHTSA complaint #10151689 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SEAT BELTS:FRONT:RETRACTOR
I HAVE A 1994 MAZDA PROTEGE LX WITH THE AUTOMATIC SEAT BELTS. THE SEAT BELTS FAIL TO RETRACT UPON OPENING THE DOOR. ON TOP OF THIS BEING A VERY ANNOYING DEVELOPMENT, IT ALSO CREATES AN EXTREME SAFETY HAZARD IF I'M INVOLVED IN AN ACCIDENT AND AM TRYING TO EXIT THE CAR. THERE IS AN EMERGENCY RELEASE, BUT IF I WERE UNABLE TO REACH IT DUE TO INJURY OR OTHERWISE, I COULD BE TRAPPED IN THE CAR. MY CAR IS JUST ONE OF MANY OF THIS MANUFACTURE AND MODEL THAT HAS THIS PROBLEM. THE INCIDENT DATE BELOW IS THE DATE THAT MY BELTS BEGAN FAILING.
NHTSA complaint #10095766 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SEAT BELTS:FRONT
PASSENGER SIDE ACTIVE SHOULDER BELT SEAT BELT MECHANISM WORKS INTERMITTENLY WHEN OPENING DOOR. DRIVERS SIDE HAS NOT WORKED WHEN DOOR IS OPENED ON A FEW OCCASIONS.
NHTSA complaint #10053144 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES:DOORS:LATCH
CANNOT UNLOCK BACK DOORS WHEN WEATHER IS COLD. ALSO BECOME STUCK IN WARM WEATHER. I HAVE HAD THIS PROBLEM FROM DAY ONE. TOOK BACK TO DEALER 4 TIME THE DOORS WOULD WORK FINE FOR A FEW DAY THEN BECOME JAMMED AGAIN. I GAVE UP.
NHTSA complaint #10037333 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SEAT BELTS
BOTH FRONT PASSENGER RESTRAINTS FAIL TO WORK PROPERLY. THE RESTRAINTS DO NOT RETRACT. I HAVE HAD THEM FIXED AT LEAST 3 TO 4 TIMES DURING THE WARRANTY. *NLM
NHTSA complaint #10036608 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SEAT BELTS:FRONT:RETRACTOR
CONSUMER STATES THAT SHOULDER BELT DOES NOT FEEL SNUG ENOUGH AND THE FASTEN SEAT BELT INDICATOR CONSTANTLY BEEPS. VEHICLE CHECKED BY DLR WHO ADVISED THE "CENTER CONSOLE RETRACTOR SEAT BELT ASSEMBLY" IS DEFECTIVE. NLM
NHTSA complaint #8019345 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SEAT BELTS
WHEN OPENING DRIVER'S DOOR AUTOMATIC SEAT BELT DOES NOT RELEASE.
NHTSA complaint #8016150 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SEATS:MID/REAR ASSEMBLY
DRIVER'S SIDE REAR SEAT COLLAPSED WHEN BRAKES WERE APPLIED FORCEFULLY.
NHTSA complaint #8016151 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SEAT BELTS
DRIVER SIDE SHOULDER STRAP IS BROKEN. IT MOVES ON A MOTORIZED TRACK AND THE MOTOR DOESN'T WORK SO THE STRAP IS STUCK MORE THAN HALF WAY TOWARDS THE WINDSHIELD. MAZDA WON'T FIX IT WITHOUT PAYMENT BECAUSE OF MY MILEAGE IS BEYOND EXTENDED WARRANTIES. THIS HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH MILEAGE. THEY WANT $720.00 TO FIX THE SHOULDER STRAP, $590.00 JUST FOR A NEW MOTOR. I HAVE A FIX-IT TICKET ON THIS STRAP AND CANNOT AFFORED TO PAY THEIR PRICE TO HAVE A SHOULDER STRAP THAT MOVES UP AND DOWN AS I OPEN AND CLOSE MY CAR DOOR. THE LANCASTER MAZDA SERVICEMAN TOLD ME THAT THE 1993 MAZDA'S WERE RECALLED FOR THIS PROBLEM BUT MINE IS A 1994 SO DOESN'T FALL UNDER A RECALL. I COULD USE SOME HELP WITH THIS.
NHTSA complaint #751786 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SEAT BELTS
ACTIVE SHOULDER BELT SEAT BELT MECHANISM FAILS TO MOVE WHEN OPENING DOOR.
NHTSA complaint #737845 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SEAT BELTS
THE DRIVER'S SIDE AUTOMATIC SHOULDER HARNESS WILL ONLY ROLL BACK ABOUT 1/3 OF THE WAY THEN STOPS. THE PROBLEM SEEMS TO BE EXACTLY THE SAME IN DESCRIPTION AS THAT OF A RECALL (CAMPAIGN NUMBER 97V211000 ON THE MAZDA 323 BUILT THAT SAME YEAR. THE SEAT BELT MOTOR AND TRACK ASSEMBLY COSTS $600 AT THE DEALER WHICH SEEMS TOTALLY OUTRAGEOUS. I AM FILING THIS REPORT IN THE HOPE THAT MY CAR YEAR AND MODEL COULD BE ADDED TO THAT RECALL. THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
NHTSA complaint #736677 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SEAT BELTS
THE SEAT BELTS ON THE MAZDA PROTOGE IS A SAFETY ISSUE, AND I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW IF THE MAZDA DEALER WOULD FIX THIS PROBLEM ON MY CAR. AND IF THERE WAS RECALL ON IT BEFORE.
NHTSA complaint #733901 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SEAT BELTS
AUTOMATIC SHOULDER RETRAINT IS GETTING STUCK AND WHEN GETTING IN OR OUT I GET HIT IN THE HEAD.
NHTSA complaint #734038 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SEAT BELTS:FRONT:WARNING LIGHT/DEVICES
SEATBELT LIGHT AND AUDIO SIGNAL ON INTERMITTENTLY WHEN DRIVING ALTHOUGH SEATBELT IS FASTENED.
NHTSA complaint #723642 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POWER TRAIN:AXLE ASSEMBLY
BOTH RUBBER CV B00TS WERE BROKEN, AND BOTH SIDES OF FRONT AXLE PRACTICALLY SHEARED OFF. REPAIRS WERE MADE AT AN INDEPENDENT REPAIR SHOP. DEALER/MANUFACTURER CONTACTED. *AK
NHTSA complaint #859050 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POWER TRAIN:DRIVELINE:CONSTANT VELOCITY JOINT
BOTH RUBBER CV B00TS WERE BROKEN, AND BOTH SIDES OF FRONT AXLE PRACTICALLY SHEARED OFF. REPAIRS WERE MADE AT AN INDEPENDENT REPAIR SHOP. DEALER/MANUFACTURER CONTACTED. *AK
NHTSA complaint #859050 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SEAT BELTS
MOTOR SEAT BELTS ON BOTH DRIVER'S SIDE/PASSENGER'S SIDE FAILED TO OPERATE WITHIN 31,000 MILES OF WEARS. DEALER NOTIFIED, AND REFUSED TO REPAIR UNLESS CONSUMER PAID FOR THE REPAIRS.
NHTSA complaint #858866 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SEAT BELTS
WHILE DRIVING SEAT BELT LIGHT FLASHES AND BEEPS, BUT WHEN LEANING FORWARD IT SHUTS OFF. WAS IN A REARENDED ACCIDENT ON 3-15-2000, AND THE SEAT BELT FAILED TO RELEASE. ALSO, WHEN OPENING THE DOOR SEAT BELT WILL NOT RELEASE OR SLIDE FORWARD. WILL HAVE TO MANUALLY RELEASE IT IN ORDER TO GET OUT OF THE SEAT BELT. WHEN DRIVING 60MPH THE SEAT BELT WILL AUTOMATICALLY RELEASE, SLIDE FORWARD AND BACKWARD WITHOUT TOUCHING THE BRAKES.
NHTSA complaint #858651 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.