17 of the 145 complaints about the 2003 Mazda Protege are about the seat belts — 12% of everything reported for this model year. Half of the failures with a mileage on record happened before 90,000 miles.
17
Complaints
2
Crashes
0
Fires
1
Injuries
Filed with NHTSA, in their own words.
SEAT BELTS
THE DRIVER SIDE SEAT BELT LATCH IS NO LONGER WORKING. THERE APPEARS TO BE BROKEN PARTS IN THE FEMALE PART.
NHTSA complaint #10721385 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SEAT BELTS
I WAS PULLING UP TO MY RESIDENCE WHEN THE SEAT BELT POPPED OUT OF THE RECEIVER BY ITSELF.. I TRIED TO RE-LATCH THE SEAT BELT AND IT WOULD NOT LATCH. I ATTEMPTED A FEW MORE TIMES AND THE SEAT BELT RECEIVER COMPLETELY FELL APART..
NHTSA complaint #10695508 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SEAT BELTS
THE DRIVER SEAT BELT WILL NO LONGER WORK. THE MALE END WILL NOT CONNECT TO THE FEMALE END. I LOOKED WITH A FLASHLIGHT AND THERE WERE BROKEN PIECES INSIDE. IT LOOKS LIKE THE BUCKLE CAME APART. I NOW HAVE TO USE THE PASSENGER SIDE SEAT BELT BUCKLE.
NHTSA complaint #10542626 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SEAT BELTS
WHILE MY SON WAS DRIVING TO WORK ON A HILL CURVE TURN HE LOST CONTROL ON ICY WET ROAD AND HIT A TREE HE DIED ON 01/29/2013 HE WAS 18 YEARS OLD HE WAS GOING TO SCHOOL AND WORKING.
NHTSA complaint #10513989 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SEAT BELTS
WHEN ENGAGING SEAT BELT INTO LOCKING MECHANISM, THE MECHANISM BROKE INTO ABOUT SEVEN PIECES. IT WILL NO LONGER HOLD THE SEAT BELT.
NHTSA complaint #10489215 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SEAT BELTS
THE FRONT DRIVER SIDE SEAT BELT RECEPTACLE (FEMALE) ON MY 2003 MAZDA PROTEGE5 WILL NOT LATCH, THE VEHICLE HAS 147,000 MILES ON IT NOW AND IS NO LONGER UNDER WARRANTY.
NHTSA complaint #10442355 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SEAT BELTS
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 MAZDA PROTEGE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FRONT DRIVER SIDE SEAT BELT BUCKLE COMPLETELY FRACTURED WHEN ATTEMPTING TO LATCH. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER WHERE THE SEAT BELT BUCKLE ASSEMBLY WAS REPLACED. THE CONTACT PLANNED TO NOTIFY THE MANUFACTURER REGARDING THE DEFECT. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 151,000.
NHTSA complaint #10437651 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SEAT BELTS
FRONT DRIVER SEAT BELT SUDDENLY WAS INCAPABLE OF BEING BUCKLED. DRIVERS SEAT BELT COULD NOT CLICK IN RECEPTACLE AND WAS NOT USABLE. DEALER SAID IT WAS NOT COVERED B/C IT WAS OUT OF WARRANTY AND I WAS RESPONSIBLE FOR REPAIR WHICH WAS ABOUT $100.
NHTSA complaint #10352276 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SEAT BELTS
2003 MAZDA PROTEGE LX DRIVER SIDE SEATBELT LOCKING CLIP INTERNAL PARTS SHATTERED AFTER 50,000 MILES. OUT OF WARRANTY NOW BUT I HAVE READ OTHER WEBSITES OF PEOPLE WITH THE EXACT SAME PROBLEM. WHY HAS A RECALL NOT BEEN OFFERED FOR THIS HIGHLY DANGEROUS SEATBELT?
NHTSA complaint #10327260 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SEAT BELTS
SEATBELT BROKE WHEN I TRIED TO PUT IT ON. INSIDE THE FEMALE ADAPTER SEVERAL PLASTIC PIECES WERE BROKEN AND FLOATING AROUND RENDERING MY SEATBELT USELESS. I HAD TO PLUG IN MY SEATBELT TO THE PASSENGER SIDE.
NHTSA complaint #10308505 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SEAT BELTS
1. DECEMBER 17, 2009: THE SEAT BELT LIGHT WAS ON WHEN ALL SEAT BELTS WERE FASTENED. 2. JANUARY 6, 2010: THE DRIVERS SEAT BELT MECHANISM NO LONGER LATCHES.
NHTSA complaint #10298841 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SEAT BELTS:FRONT:BUCKLE ASSEMBLY
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 MAZDA PROTEGE 5. WHENEVER THE CONTACT ATTEMPTED TO USE THE DRIVER SIDE FRONT SEAT BELT SHE NOTICED THAT THE SEAT BELT BUCKLE WOULD NOT CONNECT WITH THE BASE LATCH. THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT PRIOR TO THE FAILURE THE LATCH BECAME VERY DIFFICULT CLOSE. THE LATCH MECHANISM WAS REPLACED BY A LOCAL MECHANIC. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 89500. UPDATED 01/05/10. *LJ UPDATED 01/05/10.
NHTSA complaint #10294716 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SEAT BELTS
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 MAZDA PROTEGE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE REAR PASSENGER AND DRIVER'S SIDE SEAT BELT BECAME JAMMED IN THE LOCK MECHANISM. THE BUCKLE MECHANISM WOULD NOT RELEASE THE SEAT BELT HARNESS STRAP. THE CONTACT IS WAITING TO HAVE THE VEHICLE REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE LESS THAN 70,300.
NHTSA complaint #10241574 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SEAT BELTS
THE DRIVER'S SIDE SEAT BELT BEGAN TO STICK WITHIN THE SECOND YEAR OF OWNERSHIP. CURRENTLY, IT WILL LATCH, BUT DURING DRIVING, IT WILL UNLATCH AND THE SEATBELT LIGHT WILL COME ON. IT FLUCTUATES BETWEEN STICKING TO THE POINT OF HAVING TO PULL QUITE VIOLENTLY TO UNLATCH IT, OR NOT LATCHING AT ALL.
NHTSA complaint #10235896 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SEAT BELTS
THE SEAT BELT NO LONGER BUCKLES. INITIALLY THE BUCKLE WOULD GO INTO THE RECEPTACLE BUT NOT LATCH UNLESS YOU PRESSED REAL HARD AND JIGGLED IT AROUND. AFTER ABOUT A WEEK, IT STOPPED WORKING ALL TOGETHER. THE BUCKLE GOES INTO THE RECEPTACLE BUT DOES NOT LATCH.
NHTSA complaint #10231334 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SEAT BELTS:FRONT:BUCKLE ASSEMBLY
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 MAZDA PROTEGE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE DRIVER SIDE SEAT BELT WOULD NOT LATCH AND THE SEAT BELT WARNING INDICATOR LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE DEALER ADVISED THE CONTACT NOT TO WORRY ABOUT THE LIGHT AS LONG AS THE BELT WOULD LATCH. HOWEVER, THE BELT NO LONGER LATCHES. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE LATCH NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 93,000.
NHTSA complaint #10195668 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SEAT BELTS
I WAS INVOLVED IN AN AUTO ACCIDENT WHILE DRIVING AN '03 MAZDA PROTEGE5. UPON IMPACT MY SEAT BELT FAILED.
NHTSA complaint #10152845 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.