2002 Mazda ProtegeProblems, recalls & complaints

NHTSA has logged 98 owner complaints about the 2002 Mazda Protege, most often about the seat belts. It has no vehicle safety recalls on record.

2002 Mazda Protege

Source: NHTSA complaints, recalls, investigations and manufacturer recall reports, through May 12, 2019. Updated daily. Photo: IFCAR, Public domain.

Complaints by system

Where the 2002 Mazda Protege has problems

98 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 belts204
Power train171
Tires90
Electrical system91
Air bags98
Structure92
Service brakes, hydraulic81
Fuel system, gasoline70
Engine and engine cooling70
12 other systems3510

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

0 recalls

2002 Mazda Protege recalls and how many were fixed

No vehicle safety recalls are on record for this model year.

Best & worst years

2002 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

2002 Mazda Protege safety ratings

2002 Mazda Protege 4-DR. in NHTSA's New Car Assessment Program. Photos are from NHTSA's crash tests.

2002 Mazda Protege frontal crash test, NHTSA
Frontal crashNot rated
  • Stability control: No
  • Forward collision warning: No
  • Lane departure warning: No
In owners' words

What Protege owners report

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

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…
Complaint 10863216 · May 4, 2016 · 67,000 miles
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…
Complaint 10663073 · Dec 9, 2014 · 91,000 miles
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…
Complaint 10521222 · Jun 22, 2013 · 120,500 miles

Own a 2002 Protege?

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