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1992 Mazda Protege

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

Similar to other model years

Owner complaints for the 1992 Mazda Protege do not stand out strongly from the model-year median of 66.

About this comparison →

How this year compares

Owner complaints by model year

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Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.

What owners reported most

All reported categories

Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.

When problems were reported

Mileage at the reported incident

Limited mileage data: 3 of 63 reports include usable mileage. There isn’t enough coverage to show a useful chart.

NHTSA’s mileage field refers to the reported incident, not necessarily the filing date. This shows report counts, not the likelihood of a failure.

What to inspect

Issues worth paying extra attention to based on owner reports.

  • Seat Belts. Review the 34 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Electrical System. Review the 5 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Service Brakes, Hydraulic. Review the 5 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

5 crash reports1 fire reports6 injury reports

What owners actually said

63 reports
Mileage unknown · Mar 8, 2002
Seat Belts

AUTOMATIC SHOULDER SEAT BELT FAILURE . *AK

NHTSA ODI #759127

Mileage unknown · Aug 23, 2001
Seat Belts

RAIL OF AUTOMATIC SHOULDER BELT HAS WORN OUT SUFFICIENTLY, CAUSING CABLE, WHICH RETRACTS THE BUCKLE ASSEMBLY, TO JAM IN RAIL. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK

NHTSA ODI #894990

Mileage unknown · Jul 30, 2001
Engine And Engine Cooling

MAIN BEARINGS ON CRANK BLEW, EVEN THOUGH CAR HAS ONLY 65000 MILES OIL IS CHANGED EVERY 4 MONTHS OR 3000 WHICHEVER COMES FIRST. NO WARNING THAT ANY PROBLEMS WITH ENGINE. NO WARNING LIGHTS CAME ON. CAR IN TRAFFIC ENGINE STARTED TO WEV HIGH,WHEN THIS HAPPENED I PULLED TO SIDE OF ROAD CAR OVERHEATED WAS TOWED OFF HIGHWAY IN NEW JE…

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MAIN BEARINGS ON CRANK BLEW, EVEN THOUGH CAR HAS ONLY 65000 MILES OIL IS CHANGED EVERY 4 MONTHS OR 3000 WHICHEVER COMES FIRST. NO WARNING THAT ANY PROBLEMS WITH ENGINE. NO WARNING LIGHTS CAME ON. CAR IN TRAFFIC ENGINE STARTED TO WEV HIGH,WHEN THIS HAPPENED I PULLED TO SIDE OF ROAD CAR OVERHEATED WAS TOWED OFF HIGHWAY IN NEW JERSEY. WAS BROGHT BACK TO CT ON FLAT BED. SAME MECHANIC ON CAR SINCE BEGINING.*AK

NHTSA ODI #749419

Mileage unknown · Jun 27, 2001
Seat Belts

AUTOMATIC SEAT BELT WOULD JAM IN THE MIDDLE OF TRACK AND REMAIN IN THAT POSITION, LEAVING THE OCCUPANT WITHOUT ANY RESTRAINT. DEALER WAS NOTIFIED, AND UNWILLING TO ASSIST,. STATED THAT VEHICLE WAS OUT OF ITS WARRANTY, AND NOT COVERED UNDER A MANUFACTURER'S RECALL. PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION.*AK

NHTSA ODI #891359

Mileage unknown · Apr 4, 2001
Seat Belts

NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK

NHTSA ODI #743547

Mileage unknown · Jan 3, 2001
Unknown Or Other

HORN SOUNDS SPONTANIOUSLY. PEDESTRIANS WERE FRIGHTENED. WHILE WE WERE AT THE MOVIES (CAST AWAY) THE HORN WENT OFF WHILE WE WERE WATCHING THE MOVIE AND WE DIDN'T KNOW IT UNTIL WE GOT BACK TO THE PARKING LOT, WHICH WAS ALMOST WMPTY EXCEPT FOR US, THE MOVIE WAS CLOSINF, AND THW HORN WAS BARELY BLOWING. LUCKY FOR US THE CAR STARTE…

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HORN SOUNDS SPONTANIOUSLY. PEDESTRIANS WERE FRIGHTENED. WHILE WE WERE AT THE MOVIES (CAST AWAY) THE HORN WENT OFF WHILE WE WERE WATCHING THE MOVIE AND WE DIDN'T KNOW IT UNTIL WE GOT BACK TO THE PARKING LOT, WHICH WAS ALMOST WMPTY EXCEPT FOR US, THE MOVIE WAS CLOSINF, AND THW HORN WAS BARELY BLOWING. LUCKY FOR US THE CAR STARTED BUT DIDN'T THE NEXT MORNING AND I HAD TO CATCH THE BUS IN THE SNOW.

NHTSA ODI #738728

Mileage unknown · Oct 5, 2000
Service Brakes, HydraulicVehicle Speed Control

FUNNY NOISE IN BRAKES, DEALER CLAIMS NOTHING WRONG, CONSUMER WAS BACKING CAR WHEN BOTH THE ACCELERATOR AND BRAKE PEDAL GOT STUCK, CAUSING A CRASH. *SLC

NHTSA ODI #555444

Mileage unknown · Aug 14, 2000
Seat Belts

SEATBELTS INDICATOR LIGHT ON DASH WILL GO OFF AND BEEP WHILE VEHICLE IS IN OPERATION, CAUSING A DISTRACTION . PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK

NHTSA ODI #867693

Mileage unknown · Jul 10, 2000
Seat Belts

FRONT SEAT BELTS ARE MOTOR DRIVEN AND DO NOT WORK AND NEED TO BE RECALLED

NHTSA ODI #9001646

Mileage unknown · Jun 8, 2000
Vehicle Speed Control

WHILE PULLING OUT OF A PARKING LOT ANOTHER CAR WAS IN FRONT OF CONSUMER. VEHICLE STARTED RACING AND LAUNCHED FORWARD WITH FOOT ON THE BRAKES. CONTACTED LOCAL MECHANIC WHO FIXED THE PROBLEM. BUT, IT HAPPENED AGAIN ON 7 JUNE, 2 000. TOOK IT TO MECHANIC, AND MECHANIC CLEANED OUT THE CABLES AND THROTTLE.*AK

NHTSA ODI #863251

Official recalls

1

15V674000 · Electrical System:ignition:switch

Oct 19, 2015

Mazda North American Operations (Mazda) is recalling certain model year 1989-1998 MPV, 1990-1995 323, 1990-1998 Protege, 1992-1993 MX-3, 1993-1995 929, 1993-1997 MX-6, and 1993-1998 626 vehicles. In the affected vehicles, grease applied to the contact points inside the ignition switch may become conductive and overheat.

Consequence & remedy

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

Remedy: Mazda will notify owners, and dealers will replace the ignition switch, free of charge. The recall began on December 17, 2015. Owners may contact Mazda Customer Experience Center at 1-800-222-5500, option#6. Mazda's number for this recall is 8715J.

Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗

NHTSA investigations

2

EA94039 · Auto Restraint System Fail

Opened Nov 30, 1994 · Closed Nov 26, 1997

Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Seat Belts

There is no summary currently available

PE94059 · Auto Restraint System Fail

Opened Jul 28, 1994 · Closed Nov 30, 1994

Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Seat Belts

There is no summary currently available