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.

Source: NHTSA complaints, recalls, investigations and manufacturer recall reports, through May 12, 2019. Updated daily. Photo: IFCAR, Public domain.
Where the 2002 Mazda Protege has problems
98 complaints grouped by the system owners reported.
| System | Complaints | Crash, fire or injury |
|---|---|---|
| Seat belts | 20 | 4 |
| Power train | 17 | 1 |
| Tires | 9 | 0 |
| Electrical system | 9 | 1 |
| Air bags | 9 | 8 |
| Structure | 9 | 2 |
| Service brakes, hydraulic | 8 | 1 |
| Fuel system, gasoline | 7 | 0 |
| Engine and engine cooling | 7 | 0 |
| 12 other systems | 35 | 10 |
Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation. Complaints are submitted by the public and are not verified by NHTSA.
2002 Mazda Protege recalls and how many were fixed
No vehicle safety recalls are on record for this model year.
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
- Avoid
- Caution
- Solid
- Best
- Not rated
2002 Mazda Protege safety ratings
2002 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
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…
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…
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…
Own a 2002 Protege?
Decode your VIN to see the recalls for your exact car, then confirm open recalls with NHTSA.