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1998 Mazda ProtegeProblems, recalls & complaints

NHTSA has logged 46 owner complaints about the 1998 Mazda Protege, most often about the power train. It is covered by 1 safety recall, and for recall 15V-674 the manufacturer reports only 1% of affected cars repaired.

63
CarFlaw IndexSolid year41% below the Protege median · #12 of 14 years by complaints
Safety recalls1Lowest repair rate 1%Owner complaints469 with a crash, fire or injuryTypical failure mileage82kPower train, median miles

Source: NHTSA complaints, recalls, investigations and manufacturer recall reports, through October 17, 2021. Updated daily.

Complaints by system

Where the 1998 Mazda Protege has problems

46 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
Power train150
Engine and engine cooling101
Service brakes, hydraulic52
Seat belts31
Tires31
Air bags33
Visibility20
Latches/locks/linkages20
Vehicle speed control21
5 other systems51

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

1 recall

1998 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

1998 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

1998 Mazda Protege safety ratings

1998 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 power train complaints filed with NHTSA, shortened. Personal details are removed.

AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS. VEHICLE DOWNSHIFTS FOR NO REASON. INTERMITTENT TIMES CAR WILL DOWNSHIFT TO LOWER GEAR WHEN FOOT REMOVED FROM ACCELERATOR PEDAL WHETHER ON STREETS OR FREEWAY. CAR IS RENDERD UNUSABLE BY WIFE.*AK
Complaint 10059969 · Feb 28, 2004 · 98,401 miles
THE OVER DRIVE LIGHT MALFUNCTIONED WHICH CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO DROP INTO A LOWER GEAR, AN THE ENGINE ACTED AS THOUGH IT WOULD STALL AND THEN BUCKED ERRATICALLY. *TS *JB
Complaint 10011635 · Apr 3, 2003
WHEN DRIVING AT ANY SPEED THE TRANSMISSION IS JUMPING AND SHIFTING VERY HARD, AND THERE IS SOME KNOCKING NOISE COMING FROM THE VEHICLE. ALSO, VEHICLE SOMETIMES LURCHES FORWARD. MANUFACTURER CAN'T DETERMINE THE CAUSE OF THE PROBLEM. *AK
Complaint 849746 · Oct 4, 1999

Own a 1998 Protege?

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