FaultScore

1999 Mazda Protege transmission problems

22 of the 102 complaints about the 1999 Mazda Protege are about the transmission — 22% of everything reported for this model year. Half of the failures with a mileage on record happened before 57,000 miles.

C

22

Complaints

1

Crashes

0

Fires

0

Injuries

Exactly what failed

Automatic Transmission 16 72.7%
Power Train 3 13.6%
Clutch Assembly 2 9.1%
Manual Transmission 1 4.5%

Transmission & Drivetrain across every Mazda Protege year

1994 10 6.9%
1995 22 15.3%
1997 12 8.3%
1998 16 11.1%
1999 22 15.3%
2000 32 22.2%
2002 17 11.8%
2003 13 9.0%

What owners said

Filed with NHTSA, in their own words.

at 75,000 miles LOS Angeles, CA

POWER TRAIN:MANUAL TRANSMISSION

PROBLEM MAZDA TRANSMISSION FAILURE .MAZDA PROTEGE 1999 THIS CAR HAD A MAJOR ENGINE OVERHAUL RECENT ABOUT A YEAR FROM NOW. ONE MONTH AFTER OVERHAUL TRANSMISSION FAILED. MAZDA REFUSED TO BE RESPONSIBLE FOR THIS FAILURE. TRANSMISSION WAS REPLACED AT OWNER EXPENSE EXACTLY ONE YEAR AFTER THAT TRANSMISSION WAS FIXED FAILURE AGAIN . AGAIN TRANSMISSION NOT COVERED OUT OF WARRANTY. ESTIMATE AS TO HOW MUCH HAS BEEN SPENT SO FAR $3,500. AS OF NOW I CANT DRIVE THIS CAR BECAUSE THE CAR CANT BE MOVED DUE TO MALFUNCTION. AFTER RESEARCH ONLINE I HAVE FOUND THIS VIN NUMBER ON THIS MAZDA HAS HAD ISSUES WITH TRANSMISSION FAILURE AT OFF LAMP FLASHING NO SHIFT CONDITION 3RD GEAR SHIFT RATION SET ERRATIC SHIFTS ISSUES WITH TRANSMISSION ISSUES ETC. I PERSONALLY FEEL THEY SHOULD COMPENSATE OR AT LEAST TRY AND HELP TO GET THIS RESOLVED AND THEY REFUSE TO ADMIT THEY HAVE AN ISSUE WITH THE TRANSMISSIONS ON THIS CAR VIN VERY BAD PRACTICE THIS SHOULD BE A RECALL OR AT LEAST TRY AND HELP PAY FOR ALL THESE DAMAGES I DON'T THINK I SHOULD HAVE TO BUY A CAR TRANSMISSION EVERY YEAR BECAUSE THEY DON'T WANT TO ADMIT OR TAKE ANY RESPONSIBILITY WITH THIS "KNOWN ISSUE" I CALLED MAZDA THEY SAID I HAVE TO PAY ALL DAMAGES ON TRANSMISSION I DON'T DRIVE ALOT CAR IS DRIVEN VERY MINIMAL WORK AND BACK.

NHTSA complaint #10249753 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 33,818 miles Glen Burnie, MD

POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION

I AM NOW HAVING TO PUT THE 3RD TRANSMISSION IN MY 99 MAZDA PROTEGE, THE FIRST TWO WERE AT MAZDA EXPENSE AND I FEEL THE 3RD SHOULD BE AS WELL SINCE THIS IS A KNOWN PROBLEM WITH THIS VEHICLE AND THIS MODEL.

NHTSA complaint #10105936 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 32,612 miles Vernon, CT

POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION

PROBLEMS WITH VEHICLE TRANSMISSION.*MR THE VEHICLE'S TRANSMISSION HAD TO BE REPLACED A 32600 MILES. THE VEHICLE'S WARRANTY HAD EXPIRED AND THE CONSUMER HAD TO PAY FOR THE REPLACEMENT. THE CONSUMER REQUEST REIMBURSEMENT.

NHTSA complaint #10031919 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 33,125 miles Texarkana, AR Crash

POWER TRAIN

THE ABOVE DESCRIPTION IS THE FIRST TIME THE TRANSMISSION HAD BEEN REPAIRED. NOW AT 47,000 MILES, THE TRANSMISSION IS OUT AGAIN. JOEY

NHTSA complaint #10069135 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 68,000 miles Elkton, MD

POWER TRAIN

MY CAR STARTED WITH UNINTENTIONAL ACCELERATION LAST FEB. 2003. THEN IT STARTED TO FELL LIKE THE GEARS WERE SLIPPING. THE PROBLEM WAS INTERMITTENT. I TOOK IT INTO THE DEALER AND THEY COULD FIND NO PROBLEM. NOW, IT IS OCT. 2003 AND THE TRANSMISSION HAS FAILED. LAST NIGHT THE CAR GOT STUCK IN LOW GEAR AND WILL NOT REVERSE. THE RPM GO UP WHEN YOU TRY TO ACCELERATE, BUT THE CAR WILL NOT GO PAST 10 MILES AN HOUR. RIGHT NOW THE CAR IS AT THE DEALER'S SHOP AND I AM MAD!!! I AM A SINGLE MOM WHO BOUGHT THE CAR NEW. I'VE HAD ALL MAINTENANCE, AND I WANTED A CAR THAT WOULD LAST FOR 10 YEARS. NOW I FEEL CHEATED BY MAZDA!!

NHTSA complaint #10070987 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 85,000 miles Alton, IL

POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION

I OWNED A 1999 MAZDA PROTEGE THAT HAD THE ORIGINAL TRANSMISSION REPLACED AT 49500 MILES. APPROXIMATELY 24 MONTHS LATER AT 85000 MILES, THE REPLACEMENT TRANSMISSION WENT OUT AS WELL. IN BOTH INSTANCES THE PROBLEMS WAS THE AXLE BREAKING THE RESTRAINING CLIP CAUSING THE TRANSMISSION TO MOVE OUT OF POSITION. THE TRANSMISSION WOULD THEN LEAK CAUSING SLIPPING AND LURCHING. THE REPLACEMENT TRANSMISSION INSTALLED BY THE DEALER WAS A REBUILT TRANSMISSION THAT ONLY HAD A 12/12000 WARRANTY.

NHTSA complaint #10062582 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 57,000 miles Whitewater, WI

POWER TRAIN:CLUTCH ASSEMBLY

CLUTCH FAILURE. THIS IS THE SECOND TIME CLUTCH FAILED. FIRST TIME AT 57K, NOW AT 149K. FIRST TIME WAS FIXED AT MAZDA DEALERSHIP, BOTH REPLACED WITH MAZDA CLUTCH PARTS. HIGHWAY MILES USED MAJORITY OF TIME.

NHTSA complaint #10054876 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 40,000 miles LAS Vegas, NV

POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION

1999 MAZDA PROTEGE WITH 40K MILES AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION. CAR PURCHASED NEW AND CARED FOR, AT RECENT SERVICE VEHICLE WAS TESTED AND FOUND TO HAVE SLIPPAGE IN 2ND AND 3RD GEAR AND TRANS WILL NOT "LOCK UP". REBUILD STARTS AT $1700 AND GOES UP. MAZDA SEEMS TO HAVE PROBLEMS RELATING TO TRANSMISSIONS AND NOT STANDING BEHIND THEIR PRODUCTS. TRANSMISSION SHOP INDICATES MAZDA'S TRANSMISSIONS ARE EXTREMELY EXPENSIVE TO REPAIR (AS MUCH AS LEXUS).

NHTSA complaint #10039009 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 57,000 miles Baton Rouge, LA

POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION

THE CAR HESITATES BEFORE TAKING OFF AFTER STOPPING. WHEN IT DOES SWITCH INTO THE RIGHT GEAR AND MOVE FORWARD, IT IS AS IF YOU HAVE BEEN HIT IN THE REAR BECAUSE IT JERKS FORWARD HARD. THE CAR THEN DOES NOT ACCELERATE VERY WELL.

NHTSA complaint #10033263 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Henderson, NC

POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION

WHILE DRIVING AT 55MPH, SUDDENLY INTERMITTENTLY THE OVERDRIVE LIGHT WAS ON, ENGINE SLOWED DOWN TO 40MPH. DEALER HAS INSPECTED VEHICLE THREE TIMES AND COULD NOT DUPLICATE OR CORRECT THE PROBLEM.

NHTSA complaint #10022337 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Aloha, OR

POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION

WHILE DRIVING 30 MPH THE TRANSMISSION FAILED AND CAUSED THE VEHICLE NOT TO ACCELERATE. THE DEALER WAS NOTIFIED. *NLM

NHTSA complaint #10017145 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 50 miles Lincroft, NJ

POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION

1999 MAZDA PROTEGE RECEIVED O/D OFF LIGHT, SPEEDOMETER DROPPED OUT AND SLIPPAGE IN GEARS, (O/D), BROUGHT TO SCHWARTZ MAZDA, SHREWSBURY, NJ, THEY SOLD ME A NEW TRANSMISSION, (76000 MILES ON ODOMETER), CAR STILL HAD SAME TROUBLE. ADVISED MAZDA THAT I FELT THIS IS A MISDIAGNOSIS, PER NHTSB TECH SERVICE BULLETIN OF SPEED SENSOR ON TRANSMISSION WHICH PRESENTS SAME SYMPTOMS, THEY WOULD NOT CREDIT THE $2073 COST OF THE NEW TRANSMISSION, THE DEALER DID NOT SEE THIS TROUBLE WHICH IS WHAT I ORIGINALLY BROUGHT IN FOR SERVICE, AFTER 3 MORE RETURN VISITS TO SERVICE DEPT, THEY FINALLY REPLACE SPEED SENSOR, NOW PROBLEM IS GONE, BUT NOW I HAVE A NEW TRANSMISSION THAT I DID NOT NEED. THEY NEVER PRODUCED ANY DIAGNOSTIC BACK UP TO THE TRANSMISSION FAILING, I TOOK THEM AT THEIR WORD THAT THIS IS WHAT THE CAR NEEDED, WHEN ALL ALONG THE SPEED SENSOR FIXED THE TROUBLE. THEY WERE VERY UNCOOPERATIVE THROUGHOUT THE ENTIRE EXPERIENCE EXCEPT WHEN IT CAME TO TAKING OUR MONEY, AND AT ONE POINT WHEN I ASKED TO PLEASE LET ME TEST DRIVE WITH THE TECH, THE SERVICE MANAGER ADVISED ME, THEY HAD SPENT ENOUGH TIME ON THIS AND TO TAKE THE CAR AND LEAVE. NOT UNTIL I RESEARCHED OTHER DRIVERS COMPLAINTS ON THE TRANSMISSION ON THIS CAR GOING AT AROUND 70000 MILES.

NHTSA complaint #10010809 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 66,000 miles Columbia, SC

POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION

I BOUGHT A NEW MAZDA PROTEGE IN 1999. I HAVE TAKEN EVERY PRECAUTION TO MAKE SURE MY CAR WAS TAKEN CARE OF. I DID ALL THE MAINTENANCE THAT WAS SUPPOSE TO BE DONE WHEN THEY WERE DUE. AFTER ALL THE CARE I TOOK, MY CAR'S TRANSMISSION WENT OUT ON DEC. 31, 2002 WITH ONLY 66,000 MILES ON THE CAR. THEY SAID IT WOULD BE $2200 TO REPLACE A TRANSMISSION. I FEEL THE CAR SHOULD HAVE LASTED LONGER THAN 66,000 MILES. SHOULD THERE BE A RECALL ON THESE CARS? I ALSO FEEL THE MANUFACTURE SHOULD BE LIABLE.

NHTSA complaint #10000826 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Davis, CA

POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION

ORIGINAL TRANSMISSION REPLACED BY MAZDA 7/26/00 DUE TO TECH. BULLETIN. SINCE THEN SEVERAL INCIDENTS OF TRANSMISSION SUDDENLY JERKING INTO A LOWER GEAR, AT BOTH HIGH AND LOW SPEEDS. MAZDA DEALER UNABLE TO REPLICATE OR IDENTIFY PROBLEM AFTER 3 ATTEMPTS. MR

NHTSA complaint #768404 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Vero Beach, FL

POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION

WHILE TRAVELING ABOUT 20-50 MPH ON HIGHWAY AND WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING, VEHICLE JERKED INTO REVERSE AND BECAME UNCONTROLLABLE. DEALERSHIP WAS AWARE OF PROBLEM.*AK GEAR SHIFT REMAINS IN DRIVE OCCURRING EVERH 2-3 MONTHS. DEALERSHIP COULD NOT FIND PROBLEM, BUT STATES 4-5 OTHER OWNERS HAVE THE SAME ISSUE.

NHTSA complaint #8010831 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Hicksville, NY

POWER TRAIN:CLUTCH ASSEMBLY

CONSUMER STATES THAT THERE WAS AN OIL LEAK IN HIS VEHICLE WHICH WAS CAUSED BY A CRACKED ENGINE BLOCK. NLM. CONSUMER ALSO STATED THAT THE CLUTCH STUCK AT TIMES.

NHTSA complaint #8007873 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Bloomington, IN

POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION

WHILE DRIVING, WITHOUT WARNING, WHILE ACCELERATING GEARS WILL CHANGE/ EXTREMELY ROUGH. CONSUMER WILL CONTACT DEALER AND MANUFACTURER.

NHTSA complaint #8005717 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Nashville, TN

POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION

WHILE TRAVELING ON HIGHWAY AND WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING TRANSMISSION WILL JERK OR GET STUCK INTO OTHER GEARS. DEALERSHIP WAS AWARE OF PROBLEM.

NHTSA complaint #8005646 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Hightstown, NJ

POWER TRAIN

THE VEHICALS TACOMETER WAS FLUTTERING AND THE VEHICAL WAS STALLING AT LIGHTS AND STOP SIGNS THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AND WE BROUGHT THE VEHICAL TO THE DEALER. THE DEALER REPAIRED THE PROBLEM STATING THE INTAKE MANAFOILD GASKET WAS CRACKED. JUST BARELY OVER THE WARENTY WE FOLD A ENGINE PROBLEM OF THIS NATURE ODD AS WELL AS THE DEALER DID. WE ARE SEEKING SOME KIND OF RETURNDED FUNDS FROM MAZDA FOR THE EXPENSIVE PROBLEM.

NHTSA complaint #756655 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Ocoee, FL

POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION

WHENEVER CAR COMES TO A STOP AND TAKES OFF THERE'S A VIOLENT JOLT LIKE GETTING HIT IN REAR.*AK CONSUMER STATES WHEN TRAVELING AT 40 MPH THERE WILL BE A VIOLENT JOLT AS IF SOMEONE HIT YOU FROM BEHIND, IT ALMOST FEELS LIKE THE VEHICLE JOLTS FOWARD CONSUMER STATES THE FIRST TIME IT HAPPENED HE THOUGHT HE HAD BEEN REAR-ENDED.

NHTSA complaint #885584 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Bensalem, PA

POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION

THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION UPSHIFTS WITH NOTICEABLE HARSH JERKS WHICH IS ANNOYING AND IS VERY MUCH INTENSE AND HARSH IN COLD CONDITIONS.

NHTSA complaint #717534 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

West Chester, OH

POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION

I'VE READ THAT LATE MODEL YEARS WITH THE AT HAVE EXPERIENCED RANDOM HARD SHIFTS WHILE GOING AT MODERATE SPEEDS. I WAS ACCELERATING GENTLY FROM 35 TO 40 MPG ON A VERY GENTLE SLOPE WHEN I FELT AS IF THE CAR HIT A LARGE BUMP OR RIDGE. CURIOUS AND WORRIED, I TURNED BACK AND RETRACED MY PATH TO SEE IF IT WOULD REPEAT. IT DIDN'T, BUT I AM CONCERNED THAT THIS WILL DEVELOP INTO A MAJOR PROBLEM LATER. I'VE READ FROM OTHER OWNERS OF LATE MODEL PROTEGES WITH THE AT THAT THEY MAY ABRUPTLY SEIZE WHILE IN OPERATION. BLAME IS PINNED ON THE FORD-DESIGNED AT. PLEASE LOOK INTO THIS MATTER AS IT COULD EASILY RESULT IN ACCIDENTS AND CASUALTIES SHOULD THIS TRANSMISSION FAIL SUDDENLY IN TRAFFIC.

NHTSA complaint #705476 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Other 1999 Mazda Protege problems

← Full 1999 Mazda Protege report