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1997 Mazda ProtegeProblems, recalls & complaints

NHTSA has logged 66 owner complaints about the 1997 Mazda Protege, most often about the air bags. It is covered by 1 safety recall, and for recall 15V-674 the manufacturer reports only 1% of affected cars repaired.

47
CarFlaw IndexSolid year1.1× the Protege median · #7 of 14 years by complaints
Safety recalls1Lowest repair rate 1%Owner complaints6627 with a crash, fire or injuryTop problem12Air bags

Source: NHTSA complaints, recalls, investigations and manufacturer recall reports, through October 19, 2015. Updated daily.

Complaints by system

Where the 1997 Mazda Protege has problems

66 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
Air bags1210
Service brakes, hydraulic113
Power train102
Engine and engine cooling90
Vehicle speed control82
Electrical system61
Seat belts62
Visibility50
Equipment50
6 other systems213

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

1 recall

1997 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

1997 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

1997 Mazda Protege safety ratings

1997 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
In owners' words

What Protege owners report

Recent air bags complaints filed with NHTSA, shortened. Personal details are removed.

WHILE DRIVING AT 40 MPH THERE WAS A DIRECT FRONTAL COLLISION, AND AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY, CAUSING INJURY TO DRIVER. *AK THE SEAT BELT FAILED DURING THE ACCIDENT. *YH
Complaint 8012946 · Jun 28, 2002
CONSUMER WAS INVOLVED IN A HEAD-ON COLLISION WHILE TRAVELING 40 MPH. UPON IMPACT, NEITHER DRIVER'S SIDE NOR PASSENGER'S SIDE AIR BAGS DEPLOYED. CONSUMER HAS CONTACTED THE DEALER. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER DETAILS. *AK
Complaint 862633 · May 26, 2000
VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN AN ACCIDENT. UPON IMPACT, DRIVER'S AIRBAG EXPLODED IN DRIVER'S FACE, CAUSING BURNS ON CHEEK AND SHEARING OFF CORNEA ON LEFT EYE. *AK
Complaint 846137 · Sep 28, 1999

Own a 1997 Protege?

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