45 of the 1,377 complaints filed about the Mazda Protege are about the lighting — 3% of everything owners reported. The worst model year for it is 1995.
45
Complaints
3%
Share of all complaints
0
Crashes
0
Fires
EXTERIOR LIGHTING
UNDERNEATH THE CAR IS NOTHING BUT RUST. IT IS AFFECTING THE UNDERCARRIAGE, THE BALL JOINTS, THE CONTROL ARM, AND THE CAR'S FRAME ITSELF. I HAVE REPLACED BOTH BALL JOINTS BOTH CONTROL ARM SHOCK AND THE CAR IS STILL HARD TO STEER
NHTSA complaint #10787735 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
EXTERIOR LIGHTING
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 MAZDA PROTEGE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED, THE INSTRUMENT PANEL LIGHTS STARTED TO FLICKER AND FAILED TO ILLUMINATE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE THERE WAS AN ELECTRICAL WIRING FAILURE THAT NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 57,000.
NHTSA complaint #10787224 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
EXTERIOR LIGHTING
MAZDA HEADLIGHT HARNESS - THE LIGHTS ARE CONSTANTLY GOING OUT (DURING THE PAST 4 YEARS). I WENT TO REPLACE THE BULB YEARS AGO AND IT CAME BACK ON AS I WIGGLED THE HARNESS TO PULL THE BULB OUT. OVER 80 TIMES SINCE THEN I'VE HAD TO SMACK THE HEADLIGHT TO GET IT TO COME BACK ON. THIS HAPPENS PREDOMINANTLY WHEN THE TEMPERATURE IS BELOW 0 CELSIUS (FREEZING). THIS HAS OCCURRED ON MY 2001 MAZDA MPV (WHICH I GOT RID OF THIS YEAR) AND MY 2003 MAZDA PROTEGE WHICH I STILL HAVE. ONCE IT HAPPENED ON MY PROTEGE I KNEW IT WASN'T AN MPV SITUATION, IT MUST BE A MAZDA PROBLEM AND LIKELY RELATES TO THE SUPPLIER THAT MAKES THE HARNESS FOR THE HEADLIGHTS. MANY TIMES MY WIFE AND I HAVE BEEN 'FLASHED' BY OTHER DRIVERS FOR NOT HAVING LIGHTS ON.
NHTSA complaint #10413734 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
EXTERIOR LIGHTING:HEADLIGHTS
MAZDA HEADLIGHT HARNESS - THE LIGHTS ARE CONSTANTLY GOING OUT (DURING THE PAST 4 YEARS). I WENT TO REPLACE THE BULB YEARS AGO AND IT CAME BACK ON AS I WIGGLED THE HARNESS TO PULL THE BULB OUT. OVER 80 TIMES SINCE THEN I'VE HAD TO SMACK THE HEADLIGHT TO GET IT TO COME BACK ON. THIS HAPPENS PREDOMINANTLY WHEN THE TEMPERATURE IS BELOW 0 CELSIUS (FREEZING). THIS HAS OCCURRED ON MY 2001 MAZDA MPV (WHICH I GOT RID OF THIS YEAR) AND MY 2003 MAZDA PROTEGE WHICH I STILL HAVE. ONCE IT HAPPENED ON MY PROTEGE I KNEW IT WASN'T AN MPV SITUATION, IT MUST BE A MAZDA PROBLEM AND LIKELY RELATES TO THE SUPPLIER THAT MAKES THE HARNESS FOR THE HEADLIGHTS. MANY TIMES MY WIFE AND I HAVE BEEN 'FLASHED' BY OTHER DRIVERS FOR NOT HAVING LIGHTS ON.
NHTSA complaint #10413734 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
EXTERIOR LIGHTING
THE HEADLIGHTS NO LONGER WORK ON LOW BEAM. THE HIGH BEAMS STILL WORK. UPON REMOVING THE STEERING COLUMN COVER AND UNPLUGGING THE WIRING HARNESS I FOUND THAT THE CONNECTOR IS LITERALLY BURNED AND MELTED AT THE POINT OF CONNECTION IN THE HARNESS. MAZDA NO LONGER MAKES THE PART AND I CANNOT HAVE IT FIXED BY A MECHANIC BECAUSE THE PART IS ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE TO FIND IN A USED SALVAGED VEHICLE.
NHTSA complaint #10403706 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
EXTERIOR LIGHTING
THE DIM LIGHTS WENT OUT AND THE BRIGHT LIGHT INDICATOR CAME ON. FORTUNATELY THE BRIGHT LIGHTS WORKED, OR I WOULD HAVE BEEN DRIVING WITHOUT LIGHTS. THE TURN SIGNAL/LIGHT CONTROL WAND WAS REPLACED. ABOUT TWO MONTHS LATER THE PROBLEM REPEATED. IT WAS LATE WITHOUT MUCH TRAFFIC AND I DROVE HOME FOR 30 MILES WITH ONLY BRIGHT LIGHTS. THIS TIME I TOOK THE CAR TO THE MAZDA DEALER. THE WIRE CONTROLLING THE LIGHTS HAD OVER HEATED WHICH CAUSED THE WAND TO BURNOUT AND A WIRE CONNECTOR TO WARP. A NEW WIRE WAS THREADED FROM THE CONNECTOR THROUGH THE FIREWALL TO THE CONTROL WAND. THE LIGHTS ARE NOW WORKING.
NHTSA complaint #10372369 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
EXTERIOR LIGHTING
THE LOW BEAM HALOGEN BULB (HEADLIGHT) ON THE PASSENGER SIDE OF MY MAZDA RECENTLY BURNED OUT. > FIRST COMPLAINT--BECAUSE OF A CRAMPED ENGINE COMPARTMENT, THE BULB IS DIFFICULT TO REPLACE. I HAVE SMALLISH HANDS FOR A MAN. THERE WAS BARELY ROOM TO ACCESS THE BULB SOCKET (HOLDER) ON THE OUTSIDE CORNER OF THE HEADLIGHT "POD". > SECOND COMPLAINT--THE BULB HOLDER WAS COMPLEX. THE BULB PLUGS INTO AN "INTERNAL" SOCKET; THIS PAIR SLIDES INTO THE HEADLIGHT "POD"; THE PAIR IS THEN HELD IN PLACE BY A WIRE CLIP; EVERYTHING THUS FAR GETS COVERED BY A RUBBER GASKET; AND LASTLY, THERE'S AN "EXTERNAL" CONNECTION (PLUG). > THIRD COMPLAINT--THE HEADLIGHT "POD" IS A INTRINSICALLY LOUSY DESIGN. EVEN IN BROAD DAYLIGHT, I COULDN'T SEE THE CATCH-POINT FOR THE WIRE CLIP. > FOURTH COMPLAINT--THE "POD" ITSELF IS FRAIL. IT'S APPARENTLY PLASTIC. THE PLASTIC APPARENTLY AGES BADLY. MY GENTLE ATTEMPT TO REFASTEN THE WIRE CLIP BROKE SOMETHING ON THE BACK OF THE "POD"--I DON'T KNOW WHAT. SO I WAS FORCED TO REPLACE THE "POD" ASSEMBLY AT A COST OF OVER $400. > NOTE--I'D PREVIOUSLY REPLACED THREE HEADLIGHT BULBS ON THIS CAR; AND THOUGH SUCCESSFUL, I WAS FRUSTRATED WITH THE PROCESS EACH TIME. > THERE OUGHTA BE A LAW! > AN OWNER SHOULD BE ABLE TO REPLACE ANY SAFETY-RELATED LIGHT BULB ON THE OUTSIDE OF THEIR VEHICLE WITH 1) NO PRIOR EXPERIENCE MECHANICALLY, EG, A TEEN BARBIE-BIMBO; 2) ONLY MODEST HAND DEXTERITY, EG, AN OLD FART WITH ARTHRITIS; 3) NO TOOL MORE COMPLEX THAN A COMMONPLACE SCREWDRIVER; AND 4) WITHOUT AN OWNER'S MANUAL, EG, AN OLDER USED CAR. > THE GOAL HERE IS TO EMPOWER AN OWNER TO KEEP THEIR VEHICLE IN SAFEST CONDITION. I REQUEST THAT THE USDOT ISSUE AND ENFORCE SUITABLE STANDARDS FOR THE MANUFACTURE OF "FAMILY" VEHICLES. > IT'S TOO '!@#$% LATE TO HELP ME. I DOUBT WHETHER I'LL EVER BUY ANOTHER MAZDA.
NHTSA complaint #10247780 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
EXTERIOR LIGHTING:HEADLIGHTS:HIGH/LOW BEAM DIMMER SWITCH
TL* - THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING ON 12/27/06 AT 35 MPH, HAD HIGH BEAM HEAD LIGHTS ON ,AND HE TRIED TO TOGGLE THE HIGH BEAM TO LOW BEAM AND ALL THE LIGHTS TURNED OFF. THE CONTACT STATED THAT HE PLAYED WITH THE TOGGLE SWITCH AND THE LIGHTS CAME BACK ON SECONDS LATER. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO DEALERSHIP ON 12/29/06. THE MECHANIC LOOKED AT VEHICLE, AND TOLD THE CONTACT THEY FOUND NOTHING WRONG WITH THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT HASN'T HAD THIS PROBLEM SINCE, BUT DID FIND A RECALL #06E038000.*AK UPDATED 03/07/07.
NHTSA complaint #10177547 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
EXTERIOR LIGHTING:HEADLIGHTS:SWITCH
WHILE DRIVING HEADLIGHT SWITCH WORKS INTERMITTENTLY. CONSUMER IS STILL HAVING THE SAME PROBLEMS AFTER REPAIR OF RECALL 91007. DEALERSHIP WAS NOTIFIED, BUT DID NOT RESOLVE THE PROBLEM.
NHTSA complaint #10115143 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
EXTERIOR LIGHTING:HEADLIGHTS:SWITCH
THIS IS A REPEAT OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER : 00V118000. I HAD THE CAR REPAIRED AT THE MAZDA DEALERSHIP IN YEAR 2000 UNDER THE PREVIOUS RECALL. 1 MONTH AGO THE HEADLIGHTS STOP WORKING DUE TO A BROKEN WIRE IN THE HEADLIGHT SWITCH ASSEMBLY. THE GROUND WIRE BROKE ITS SOLDER CONNECTION AT THE BASE OF THE SWITCH. I HAVE DISSAEMBLED THE SWITCH AND CONNECT A TEMPORARY GROUND WIRE TO THE BASE OF THE SWITCH. THERE IS SOMETHING WRONG WITH THE ENGINEERING OF THIS SWITCH ASSEMBLY IF IT HAPPENS AGAIN!
NHTSA complaint #10102823 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
EXTERIOR LIGHTING:HEADLIGHTS:SWITCH
HEADLIGHT SWITCH WAS RECALLED AND REPLACED. REPLACEMENT SWITCH FAILED: HEADLIGHTS WENT OFF WHEN TURN SIGNAL WAS USED. REPLACED AGAIN. NOW TAILLIGHTS AND DASH LIGHTS ARE SHORTING OUT. MAY BE DUE TO SWITCH AGAIN. DEALER UNABLE TO FIX.
NHTSA complaint #10002643 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
EXTERIOR LIGHTING:HEADLIGHTS:SWITCH
PRIOR TO RECALL OOV118 CONSUMER HAD THE HEADLIGHT SWITCH FIXED. CONSUMER SENT IN PROOF OF REPAIR BUT MAZDA WILL NOT HONOR.
NHTSA complaint #564817 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
EXTERIOR LIGHTING:HEADLIGHTS:SWITCH
CONSUMER TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALER FOR RECALL REPAIRS, 00V118, HOWEVER AFTER REPAIRS THE HEADLIGHTS WOULD GO OUT WHEN THE DIRECTIONALS WERE USED, CONSUMER TOOK VEHICLE BACK, IN WHICH THE DEALER REPLACED THE COMBO SWITCH, HOWEVER CHARGED CONSUMER FOR REPAIRS, CONSUMER IS WAITING FOR REIMBURSEMENT. *SLC
NHTSA complaint #566977 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
EXTERIOR LIGHTING:TURN SIGNAL:SWITCH
WHEN USING TURN SIGNAL TO GO LEFT OR RIGHT IN HOT WEATHER CONDITIONS ENGINE WILL DIE. TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALER, AND THEY WILL ONLY REPLACE TURN SIGNAL.
NHTSA complaint #8013004 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
EXTERIOR LIGHTING:TURN SIGNAL:SWITCH
HEADLIGHTS WOULD COME ON WHEN USING TURN SIGNAL. DEALER CONTACTED. FEEL FREE TO PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION.
NHTSA complaint #8012744 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
EXTERIOR LIGHTING:HEADLIGHTS
00 V 118 000/HEADLIGHT: AFTER RECALL REPAIRS DONE AT HOWARD AUTO GROUP; ROCKY MOUNTAIN, NC; PHONE# 252/937-2222 HEADLIGHT/ HIGH BEAM LIGHTS WOULD COME ON EVERY TIME TURN SIGNAL WAS USED. FEEL FREE TO PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION.
NHTSA complaint #8007233 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
EXTERIOR LIGHTING:TURN SIGNAL
THE CONSUMER RECIEVE A RECALL NOTICE #91007 FOR THE TURN SIGNAL. SHE TOOK THE VEHICLE TO FREEWAY MADZA NO PARTS AVAILABLE. THE DEALERSHIP IS AWARE OF THE PROBLEM. NLM
NHTSA complaint #8006547 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
INTERIOR LIGHTING
BRAKE CALIPER PINS RUSTED OUT DUE TO MOISTURE COMING INTO CONTACT WITH THE PINS, AND CAUSING THE CALIPERS TO WORK ERRATICALLY. CONSUMER HAS CONTACTED DEALER. DEALER WAS AWARE OF PROBLEM. CONSUMER ADDED THAT CALIPERS WERE EXHIBITING A CLICK AND POPPING NOISE, DEALER REPLACED CALIPERS. CUSTOMER STATES DOME LIGHT FAILED.
NHTSA complaint #8000869 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
EXTERIOR LIGHTING:HEADLIGHTS
THE PLASTIC HEADLIGHT LENSES HAVE LOST THEIR TRANSPARENCY WITHOUT ANY DAMAGE OR NEGLECT IN CARE. THE NIGHTTIME ILLUMINATION HAS BEEN GREATLY REDUCED. WHILE THIS HAS NOT OCCURRED IN AN OLDER '89 MAZDA 626 WE HAVE OWNED SINCE NEW, I HAVE NOTICED THIS TYPE OF PLASTIC HEADLIGHT LENS OPACITY IN EARLY '90'S FORD ESCORTS AND DODGE/PLYMOUTH NEONS. I CAN RECALL WHEN IN 1966-67, THE US GOVERNMENT PROHIBITED EXTERNAL HEADLIGHT LENSES (AS IN VW BEETLES) BECAUSE VISIBILITY COULD BECOME REDUCED IN CERTAIN SITUATIONS DUE TO FOGGING OR ICE/SNOW BUILDUP. WHY IS IT THAT SOME MANUFACUTURERS CAN NOW HAVE THESE PLASTIC "EXTERNAL" LENSES (E.G. NOT SEALED BEAM) THAT HAVE COMPOUNDS AFFECTED BY AGING (NOT DAMAGE OR NEGLECT) THAT BRING ON A CONDITION THAT THE NHTSA EXPRESSLY TRIED TO AVOID IN THE LATE 1960'S. I SHOULD ADD THE CONSUMER CAN REMEDY THIS SITUATION ONLY BY INVESTING MANY HUNDREDS OF DOLLARS FOR OEM OR AFTERMARKET REPLACEMENTS, WITHOUT ANY FAULT OF THEIR OWN.
NHTSA complaint #755441 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
EXTERIOR LIGHTING:HEADLIGHTS:HIGH/LOW BEAM DIMMER SWITCH
LOW BEAM HEADLIGHTS ARE DESIGNED SO THEY DON'T FADE. THERE IS A SHARP CUTOFF LINE IN LIGHT BEAM. CONSUMER FEELS THIS IS AN UNSAFE DESIGN.
NHTSA complaint #894594 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.