2002 Mazda Protege

98 complaints on file, page 1 of 5.

1. Filed May 12, 2019Failure May 7, 2019123,000 milesEvansville, INTires, Wheels

   BULGES ON SIDEWALLS OF BOTH PASSENGER TIRES. TIRES ARE 6 MONTHS OLD AND ONLY HAVE APPROXIMATELY 3,000 MILES.

   NHTSA complaint 11207135
2. Filed May 4, 2016Failure Feb 10, 201067,000 milesLouisville, KYSeat belts, Service brakes, Body

   I'VE OWNED MY 2002 MAZDA PROTEGE5 FOR 7 YEARS NOW. IT'S ALWAYS HAD A VIBRATION WHILE BRAKING. EVEN AFTER HAVING OUT BRAND NEW BRAKES, ROTORS AND CALIPERS. I'M VERY ANAL ON HOW MY CAR LOOKS AND DRIVES. IF I FEEL SOMETHING OUT OF THE ORDINARY, I KNOW SOMETHING IS OFF. THIS HAS HAPPENED EVER SINCE I'VE HAD THE CAR. IT DOES CAUSE ME TO DRIVE MORE CAUTIOUSLY ESPECIALLY IN THE BACK ROADS ALONG WITH WET PAVEMENT. THE STEERING WHEEL SHAKES WHILE BRAKING AS WELL. AS FOR THE BODY OF THE CAR, THE PAINT IS FAIDING FAST. IT'S YELLOW, AND I HAND POLISH AND WAX IT ONCE BEFORE SPRING, SUMMER, AND WINTER. I USE MAGUIRES WAX AND POLISH EVERY TIME. AND IT'S ALSO GOT A RUST SPOT ALONG THE BACK LEFT WHEEL LIP. I AM THE SECOND OWNER OF THE VEHICLE. AND WHEN I TOOK IT TO THE DEALERSHIP TO BE REPAINTED AFTER I PLAYED FOR THE CAR. IT WAS MAGICALLY ONLY 24 HOURS FROM THE WARRANTY COVERING IT. OTHER THAN THAT, IT'S BEEN A GREAT CAR. I WOULD PURCHASE ANOTHER IF I CAN FIND ONE. SOMETHING NEEDS TO BE DONE ABOUT BOTH OF THESE CONCERNS. PLEASE FIX AND I WOULD DRIVE THIS CAR UNTIL IT HITS 1 MILLION MILES. AS LONG AS YOU KEEP MAINTENANCE UP ON IT, IT LAST FOREVER.

   NHTSA complaint 10863216
3. Filed Nov 2, 2015Failure Sep 1, 2015118,000 milesMorrisville, PAExterior lighting, Body, Suspension1 injured

   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
4. Filed Sep 24, 2015Failure Jul 3, 2015160,000 milesMahoneycity, PAFuel system, Gasoline, Service brakes, Frame and members

   TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 MAZDA PROTEGE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE ATTEMPTING TO PARK, THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS APPLIED AND THE VEHICLE LUNGED FORWARD. THE VEHICLE THEN ACCELERATED UP A HILL AND SUDDENLY STOPPED. THE CONTACT HAD THE VEHICLE TOWED TO A TOW YARD. LATER, THE VEHICLE WAS DRIVEN TO THE DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE FRAME WAS BENT AND THE FUEL AND BRAKE LINES WERE DESTROYED. THE VEHICLE WAS UNABLE TO BE REPAIRED AND WAS DESTROYED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 160,000. UPDATED 11/09/15*LJ

   NHTSA complaint 10775971
5. Filed Sep 18, 2015Failure Sep 18, 2015110,000 milesGlen Burnie, MDSeat belts

   DRIVERS SIDE SEAT BELT LATCH BROKE IN THE LATCHED POSITION. NECESSITATED TAKING THE LATCH APART TO RELEASE THE BELT.

   NHTSA complaint 10765103
6. Filed Dec 9, 2014Failure Dec 5, 201491,000 milesPeoria, ILSeat belts

   I WAS DRIVING AT ABOUT 35 MPH AND HIT A BUMP ON THE ROAD THAT CAUSED THE DRIVER SEAT BELT BUCKLE TO COME LOOSE AND IT GOT IN MY WAY OF THE STEERING WHEEL. I WAS LUCKY TO BE DRIVING ON THE LEFT LANE ON ONE WAY STREET, I WAS ABLE PULL OVER, AND TO MY SURPRISE THE BUCKLE WOULDN'T LATCH TO THE FEMALE CONNECTOR. IT SEEMS LIKE THE FEMALE CONNECTOR PIECES INSIDE IT HAD BROKEN. PLEASE CHECK, THIS IS A HUGE CONCERN FOR ANYONE. IF THIS WOULD HAVE HAPPENED ON AN INTERSTATE FREEWAY I CAN'T IMAGINE TAKING MY EYES OF THE ROAD FOR EVEN 1 SEC. PLEASE INVESTIGATE! *TR

   NHTSA complaint 10663073
7. Filed Dec 3, 2013Failure Oct 17, 2013172,000 milesStony Plain, Ab,canada, MTElectrical system

   RECENTLY PURCHASED A 2002 MAZDA PROTEGE5. WITHOUT WARNING, IT WOULDN'T START. THE LOW BEAM HEADLIGHT BURNED OUT. THE HEAT, STEREO, HEADLIGHTS & POWER WINDOWS ALL WORKED. THE CAR HAD NO POWER AND DIDN'T EVEN TURN OVER. ABOUT 15 MINS LATER, IT STARTED FINE AND NEVER HAD A PROBLEM AGAIN UNTIL A FEW DAYS AGO (APPROX A MONTH IN BETWEEN INCIDENTS). SAME THING ALL OVER AGAIN, BUT THIS TIME THE CAR REFUSES TO START. WHAT CAN I DO? WHAT INFO SHOULD I BE AWARE OF? I DISCOVERED ONLINE THAT THIS IS AN EXTREMELY COMMON PROBLEM. *TR

   NHTSA complaint 10554718
8. Filed Oct 25, 2013Failure Jul 1, 2013880 milesAngier, NCEngine

   TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 MAZDA PROTEGE. THE CONTACT ATTEMPTED TO START THE VEHICLE BUT THE ENGINE FAILED TO START ACCOMPANIED BY AN ABNORMAL KNOCKING FROM THE ENGINE. THE CONTACT ALSO MENTIONED THAT THE FAILURE OCCURRED MORE OFTEN WHEN THE ENGINE WAS COLD. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 880. UPDATED 05/28/14*LJ THE CONSUMER STATED MODEL YEAR 2003 VEHICLES HAVE BEEN REPAIRED FOR THE SAME FAILURE BY THE MANUFACTURER. BUT THE MANUFACTURER REFUSES TO REPAIR MODEL YEARS 2001-2002. THE CONSUMER STATED THIS CONDITION DOES NOT KEEP THE ENGINE FROM STARTING. IT CAN AND HAS CAUSED CATASTROPHIC ENGINE FAILURE, WHICH SHUTS DOWN THE POWER STEERING AND BRAKES WHILE THE VEHICLE IS MOVING. UPDATED 05/29/2014 *JS

   NHTSA complaint 10549546
9. Filed Jun 22, 2013Failure May 2, 2013120,500 milesJacksonville, FLSeat belts

   AT FIRST THE SEAT BELT LOCKED AND I COULD NOT GET OUT OF IT. AFTER ABOUT 15 MINUTES I WAS ABLE TO GET IT RELEASED. THANK GOD I WAS IN THE GARAGE AT HOME. THEN APPROX 6 WEEKS LATER I WAS LATCHING THE BELT TO THE BUCKLE AND THE DARN THING FELL APART. THE RIGHT REAR DOOR HANDLE BROKE LAST YEAR BUT SINCE NO ONE SITS BACK THERE I NEVER WORRIED ABOUT IT. NOW WITH THE SEAT BELT ISSUE I WAS SEARCHING FOR THE PART AND SOMEONE SUGGESTED I CHECK THE RECALL LIST FOR THIS CAR, BECAUSE THEY ARE NOT SUPPOSED TO DO THAT. I FOUND NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS ON LINE AND THEN THIS SITE. *TR

   NHTSA complaint 10521222
10. Filed Dec 6, 2012Failure Oct 22, 201260,000 milesCleveland, OHSeat belts

    THE DRIVER-SIDE SEATBELT LATCH FELL APART. THE SEATBELT IS NO LONGER OPERABLE. *TR

    NHTSA complaint 10487552
11. Filed Apr 28, 2012Failure Apr 10, 2012103,248 milesChesapeake, VATires

    TIRE: FIREHAWK GT BL 205/50R16 87V 50K MILE TIRE. TREAD SEPARATION WITH ONLY 13,582 MILES ON THE TIRE. THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED WHEN THE TIRE WAS OBSERVED TO BE FLAT. ATTEMPTS TO INFLATE FAILED. REMOVED TIRE AND NOTICED TWO PLACES ON THE INWARD SIDE WHERE TREAD WAS SEPARATING - ONE SPOT WAS JUST OVER AN INCH AND THE OTHER WAS JUST UNDER AN INCH. FULL SET (4) ORIGINALLY PURCHASED AT FIRESTONE COMPLETE AUTO CARE STORE, WHICH IS WHERE THE FAILED TIRE WAS TAKEN THE FOLLOWING MORNING. TIRE HAS SINCE BEEN DISCONTINUED AND WAS REPLACED BY A FALKEN ZIEX 912 BL 205/50R16 87V 40K MILE TIRE. HAD OTHER TIRES INSPECTED FOR SAME ISSUES THE NEXT DAY - SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE STATES THE OTHER THREE TIRES DO NOT SHOW ANY SIGNS OF THE PROBLEM. BASED ON TREAD DEPTH, WARRANTY COVERED CLOSE TO 90% OF REPLACEMENT TIRE. IN THE TWO WEEKS SINCE, THE REPLACEMENT TIRE APPEARS TO BE FINE - NO OBSERVABLE MIS-MATCH ISSUES. *TR

    NHTSA complaint 10456753
12. Filed Feb 22, 2012Failure Feb 21, 2012Chula Vista, CATires, Wheels

    I WAS DRIVING ON 905 WEST, CLOSE TO THE 805 N EXIT, AND THE ROAD WAS BROKEN. THERE WAS A HOLE ON THE ROAD AND MY CAR'S TIRE EXPLOTED WHEN I DROVE BY IT. MY CAR'S ALIGNMENT IS LOST. I ALMOST HAD AN ACCIDENT BECAUSE OF IT. UNFORTUNATELY I DIDN'T HAVE A GOOD SPARE TIRE SO I HAD TO DRIVE TO MY HOUSE WITH THE EXPLOTED TIRE, AND SINCE IT HAPPENED AT 10PM I WILL HAVE TO MISS WORK TO FIX IT, AND BUY A NEW TIRE. *TR

    NHTSA complaint 10448883
13. Filed Feb 21, 2012Failure Dec 1, 2010156,000 milesDavenport, IAElectrical system, Engine and engine cooling, Fuel system, Gasoline

    THE CAR BEGAN TO SHUTTER AND DROPPED FROM 50 TO 25 IN SECONDS. THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT (CIL) STARTING FLASHING AND THE CAR BEGAN TO STUTTER LIKE IT WAS GOING TO DIE, I PULLED TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND THE CAR DIED. STARTED CAR AGAIN THE CIL CONTINUED TO FLASH, IT ONLY WOULD ACCELERATE TO 25 MILES AN HOURS EVEN WITH MY FOOT ALL THE WAY DOWN ON THE GAS. I TOOK IT TO THE A MECHANIC AND THE CODES WERE P0421, 171, 300. THE MECHANIC DID EVERYTHING FROM ENGINE FLUSH, SPARK PLUGS, OIL, AIR FILTERS AND INSTALLED A NEW CATALYTIC CONVERTER BUT THE PROBLEM PERSISTS. ITS NOW A YEAR LATER AND THE CAR IS DOING THE EXACT SAME THING. *TR

    NHTSA complaint 10448859
14. Filed Sep 30, 2011Failure Sep 30, 2011Houston, TXSeat belts

    SEATBELT WILL NOT LOCK IN ON DRIVER'S SIDE AND TODAY THE HANDLE BROKE ON THE INSIDE DRIVER'S SIDE TO GET OUT OF THE CAR! *TR

    NHTSA complaint 10428055
15. Filed Feb 26, 2011Failure Jun 1, 2010120,000 milesFlorence, KYEngine and engine cooling

    I HAVE A 2002 MAZDA PROTEGE. WERE THE UPPER PASSENGER SIDE MOTOR MOUNT ATTACHES TO THE CAR BODY, THE CAR BODY METAL IS SEVERELY RUSTED AND STARTING TO SEPARATE ON THE INSIDE OF THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. I DID TAKE THE CAR TO A MAZDA BODY SHOP AND THEY QUOTED ME IN THE AREA OF $1,000.00 TO FIX THE ISSUE. I DO NOT FEEL IT IS MY RESPONSIBILITY TO PAY FOR THE FIX AS THIS IS AN AREA HIGH IN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT NOT SUBJECT TO THE ELEMENTS. BASICALLY MAZDA HAS SOME PROBLEM WITH THE METAL, THE ANTI CORROSION TREATMENT OR THE FINISH TREATMENT TO THE METAL. THIS IS IN A PROTECTED AREA AND IF PROPERLY MADE SHOULD NEVER RUST. NEEDLESS TO SAY, A GOOD SOLID MOTOR MOUNT IS A CRITICAL ITEM. I FIRST NOTICED THIS PROBLEM ABOUT JUNE 1ST 2010. *TR

    NHTSA complaint 10384614
16. Filed Feb 18, 2011Failure Jul 9, 2010Girard, KSSeat belts

    DRIVERS FRONT SEAT BELT WILL NOT LOCK IN. *LN

    NHTSA complaint 10383254
17. Filed Jan 11, 2011Failure Dec 9, 201097,000 milesTroutdale, ORSteering

    2002 MAZDA POWER STEERING PUMP FAILURES. PUMP HAS BEEN REPLACED TWICE, NOW ON ITS 3RD UNIT.. CAR, A 2002 MAZDA PROTEGE5 HAS APPROX. 102,000 MILES ON IT. FIRST FAILURE WAS A COMPLETE FAILURE WITH LOSS OF STEERING WITH NO WARNING NOTICED. 2ND PUMP LEAK WAS DETERMINED BY MECHANIC CAUSING ERRATIC STEERING PROBLEMS. FIRST PUMP (ON CAR WHEN NEW) FAILED AT 87,000 MILES, 2ND OCCRRED SOME 10,000 MILES LATER. THE THIRD PUMP HAS ONLY 3K MILES AND NO WAY OF TELLING HOW LONG IT WILL LAST. MAZDA DENIES ALL RESPONSIBILITY. PUMPS HAS BEEN REPLACED 2X AND ON ITS THIRD PUMP ON THIS CAR. OLD PART NOT LIKELY AVAILABLE. MAZDA TOLD OWNER THEY HAVE HAD NO PROBLEMS (EVER?) WITH POWER STEERING PUMPS, A LIE. CHECK INTERNET FOR POWER STEERING PUMP FAILURES. CURRENTLY RECALLING 500,000 POWER STEERING PUMPS ON OTHER YEARS. BELIEVE THEY HAVE NOT ADMITTED THEIR COMPLETE PROBLEMS ON THESE UNITS TO THIS DATE. *TR

    NHTSA complaint 10376300
18. Filed Dec 23, 2010Failure Dec 15, 2010113,586 milesLakewood, WAElectrical system

    2002 PROTEGE HEATER FAN SWITCH MALFUNCTIONED AND MELTED PLUG AND SWITCH ALMOST CAUSED A FIRE BUT IT WAS SMOKING WHEN IT FRIED AND CAUSED THE 4TH SPEED OF THE FAN NOT TO WORK I HAD TO SPLICE A NEW PLUG IN TO FIX THE ISSUE AND TO KEEP IT FROM CATCHING FIRE I HAVE PICTURES IF NEEDED. *LN

    NHTSA complaint 10372300
19. Filed Dec 14, 2010Failure Dec 21, 200958,624 milesSacramento, CAVehicle speed controlCrash

    TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 MAZDA PROTG. THE CONTACT WAS ENTERING A PARKING SPACE WHEN THE VEHICLE ABNORMALLY ACCELERATED. THE CONTACT ENGAGED THE BRAKE BUT THE VEHICLE CONTINUED TO ACCELERATE AND CRASHED INTO A POLE. SHE STATED THAT THE POLE STRUCK A BUILDING AND CAUSED MINOR DAMAGE TO THE BUILDING. THERE WERE NO INJURIES. A CLAIM WAS FILED WITH HER INSURANCE COMPANY. THE FRONT BUMPER OF THE VEHICLE WAS DAMAGED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 58,624 AND THE APPROXIMATE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 64,000. UPDATED 2/22/11 *CN UPDATED 07/01/11

    NHTSA complaint 10370639
20. Filed Nov 29, 2010Failure Nov 24, 2010112,000 milesKaty, TXFrontal, Seat beltsCrash1 injured

    MYSELF, THE DRIVER, REAR-ENDED ANOTHER DRIVER AT A SPEED OF 35-40MPH. THE DRIVER SLAMMED ON HIS BRAKES AND I HAD NO TIME TO REACT. THE RESULT IS A TOTALED FRONT END W/ $4000+ OF REPAIRS. THE SEAT BELT DID NOT RESTRAIN ME AND THE AIRBAG DID NOT DEPLOY. THE CAR WILL BE TOTALED AND I SUFFERED EXTENSIVE BRUISING BECAUSE OF THIS FAILURE. *TR

    NHTSA complaint 10368200