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1991 Mazda ProtegeProblems, recalls & complaints

NHTSA has logged 51 owner complaints about the 1991 Mazda Protege, most often about the seat belts. It is covered by 1 safety recall, and for recall 15V-674 the manufacturer reports only 1% of affected cars repaired.

58
CarFlaw IndexSolid year27% below the Protege median · #11 of 14 years by complaints
Safety recalls1Lowest repair rate 1%Owner complaints5114 with a crash, fire or injuryTypical failure mileage153kSeat belts, median miles

Source: NHTSA complaints, recalls, investigations and manufacturer recall reports, through June 27, 2016. Updated daily.

Complaints by system

Where the 1991 Mazda Protege has problems

51 complaints grouped by the system owners reported.

Box size = number of complaints naming that system. Darker = larger share. One complaint can name more than one system.
Complaints by system
SystemComplaintsCrash, fire or injury
Seat belts274
Structure71
Power train40
Electrical system41
Service brakes, hydraulic30
Vehicle speed control21
Engine and engine cooling21
Suspension20
Wheels10
5 other systems52

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation. Complaints are submitted by the public and are not verified by NHTSA.

1 recall

1991 Mazda Protege recalls and how many were fixed

Each ring shows the share of affected cars repaired, from the manufacturer’s latest quarterly report to NHTSA. Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers.

1%repaired · 2017 Q1

Ignition: switch

Recall 15V-674 · Oct 19, 2015 · 1,368,500 vehicles · 8,332 repaired

Risk. If the ignition switch overheats there would be an increased risk of a fire.

Problem, fix and repair progress →

Recalls apply to specific cars. To see whether a recall is still open on yours, enter the 17-character VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls or with Mazda.

Best & worst years

1991 vs. every other Protege year

Bars show complaints per model year. Colors show the CarFlaw verdict: complaints weighted for crashes, fires and injuries, adjusted for years on the road and compared with the Protege median. How we score

'90'91'92'93'94'95'96'97'98'99'00'01'02'03
  • Avoid
  • Caution
  • Solid
  • Best
  • Not rated
NHTSA crash tests

1991 Mazda Protege safety ratings

1991 Mazda Protege 4-DR. in NHTSA's New Car Assessment Program. Photos are from NHTSA's crash tests.

  • Stability control: No
  • Forward collision warning: No
  • Lane departure warning: No
2 investigations

NHTSA defect investigations

Federal investigations that included the 1991 Mazda Protege, and the recalls they led to.

  1. AUTO RESTRAINT SYSTEM FAILEA94039 · closed Nov 26, 1997
    Led to recall 97V-211
  2. AUTO RESTRAINT SYSTEM FAILPE94059 · closed Nov 30, 1994
    No recall
In owners' words

What Protege owners report

Recent seat belts complaints filed with NHTSA, shortened. Personal details are removed.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1991 MAZDA PROTEGE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 45 MPH DURING RAIN WEATHER CONDITIONS, THE VEHICLE WENT OVER A POTHOLE CAUSING THE CONTACT TO LOSE CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE AND STOPPING ON THE SHOULDER OF THE ROAD. THE CONTACT THEN ATTEMPTED TO DRIVE…
Complaint 10819069 · Jan 8, 2016 · 90,000 miles
THE AUTOMATIC SHOULDER BELT WOULD RETRACT SLOWER AND SLOWER UNTIL IT FINALLY STOPPED RETRACTING. THE CONSEQUENCES WERE: ON APRIL 18, 2005 I WAS GIVEN A FIX-IT TICKET FOR NOT WEARING MY SHOULDER HARNESS.*AK THE AUTOMATIC HARNESS NO LONGER FULLY RETRACTS, SO IT IS USELESS.
Complaint 10118142 · Apr 20, 2005 · 194,350 miles
THE SEAT BELT CORD ON MY 1991 MAZDA PROTEGE HAS BECOME INOPERABLE AND THEREFORE I HAVE NO TOP SEAT BELT ON MY CARS DRIVER SIDE. *AK
Complaint 10066303 · Apr 16, 2004 · 153,256 miles

Own a 1991 Protege?

Decode your VIN to see the recalls for your exact car, then confirm open recalls with NHTSA.