← New search

1997 Mazda Protege

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

Similar to other model years

Owner complaints for the 1997 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

Other model years Selected year
Compare all Protege years →

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 66 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.

  • Air Bags. Review the 12 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Service Brakes, Hydraulic. Review the 11 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Power Train. Review the 10 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

15 crash reports2 fire reports10 injury reports

Vehicle Speed Control complaints

8 reports
Clear category filter
Mileage unknown · Jun 4, 2003
Vehicle Speed ControlCrash

CRUISE CONTROL MALFUNCTIONED CAUSING SUDDEN ACCELERATION. *MR *PH

NHTSA ODI #10020404

Mileage unknown · Sep 10, 2001
Electrical SystemEngine And Engine CoolingVehicle Speed Control

ENGINE IDLED UP OR DOWN AT STOP WITH FOOT ON BRAKE CAR WOULD SOMETIMES RACE UP OVER 300 RPMS SHUT ENGINE OFF TO STOP IT FROM GOING HIGHER THIS HAPPENED THREE TIMES ALMOST GOING THROUGH BACK OF MY GARAGE ALSO SURGED WHEN TRYING TO PARK AND CAUSING CAR TO JUMP FORWARD CAR HAS STALLED AT INTERSECTIONS TWICE THEY CHANGED NUMEROUS P…

Read full complaint

ENGINE IDLED UP OR DOWN AT STOP WITH FOOT ON BRAKE CAR WOULD SOMETIMES RACE UP OVER 300 RPMS SHUT ENGINE OFF TO STOP IT FROM GOING HIGHER THIS HAPPENED THREE TIMES ALMOST GOING THROUGH BACK OF MY GARAGE ALSO SURGED WHEN TRYING TO PARK AND CAUSING CAR TO JUMP FORWARD CAR HAS STALLED AT INTERSECTIONS TWICE THEY CHANGED NUMEROUS PARTS INCLUDING WIRE HARNESS UNDER HOOD GROUNDS ALTERNATOR VACUUM LINE ENGINE MOUNTS WHEN THIS FIRST STARTED TO BE WORSENING ON SURGING AND GOT A NUMBER FOR MAZDA TECH CENTER BY MISTAKE AND THE MAN I TALKED TO SAID HE FELT THIS SHOULD BE TAKEN UP WITH MAZDA REP FOR THIS AREA AND THEY SAID HE DID NOT FEEL IT WAS SERIOUS ENOUGH TO LOOK INTO ANY FURTHER HOLIDAY DEALER SERVICE REPS DID NOT HELP ME MUCH WITH ANYTHINGI WOULD HAVE TO ASK AROUND WITH FRIENDS TO FIND WHAT ELSE MIGHT BE CAUSING SURGES AND IDLING DOWN TO STALLING EACH HAD DIFFERENT IDEAS WHICH I WOULD TAKE TO HOLIDAY AND I WOULD BE PUT OFF AS THEY SAID THEY COULD NOT FIND ANYTHING EVEN THOUGH THEY HAD DIFFERENT MECHANICS SEE THE IDLE SURGES ANDCOULD NOT FIGURE WHAT CAUSED ITBESIDES THE THINGS I MENTIONED I HAD A ELECTRICAL PROBLEM WITH DOOR NOT UNLOCKING OR WINDOW GOING UP OR DOWN TOOK IT IN 2 TIMES AND THEN THE SERVICES REP SAID I SHOULD JUST LIVE WITH IT AND WALKED AWAY ON ME WHICH I HAVENT BEEN BACK SINCE BUT KEEP CALLING MAZDA AND THEY KEEP PUTTING ME OFF THEY SUGGESTED I GO ONLY TO MAZDA CERTIFIED PLACES WHICH THERE ARE NOT ANYMORE AROUND HERE WITHOUT DRIVING 45 MILES TO APPLETON SO A GUY AT A SHOP I WAS AT SAID I SHOULD CONTACT YOU PEOPLE TO SEE WHAT I COULD DO I HAD NO IDEA WHERE I COULD GET HELP I WILL NOT TALK TO THAT IGNORANT SERVICE REP AGAIN DO I HAVE A RIGHT TO GO TO A DIFFERENT PLACE TO SEE IF THE PROBLEM CAN BE FIXED I FOUND A COUPLE GOOD LEADS TO MY PROBLEM ON THE INTERNET WHICH SEAMS TO BE A COMMON OCCURENCE ON MAZDA AND A FEW OTHER CARS THAT WHERE FIXED BY THESE MECHANICS WHICH WAS SOME CENSOR OR VACUUM GAUGE ON THE BRAKE SYSTEMSOR AMAIN COMPUTER PROBLEMTO IGNITIONCCAN

NHTSA ODI #752047

Mileage unknown · Jun 18, 2001
Vehicle Speed Control

CAR ALWAYS WOULD SPEED UP OR IDLE DOWN AT DIFF. TIMES ONCE WENT TO 3000 RPMS HAD TO SHUT ENGINE OFF KILLED AT STOP SIGNS HOLIDAY CHANGED DIFF COMPONENTS BUT COULD NOT STOP THE IDLING AND LURCHING FORWARD PROBLEM ALSO AT DIFF TIMES IT WOULD IDLE DOWN AND STALL OR JUST IDLE UP AND DOWN TIL I WOULD SHUT IT OFF AND RESTART OR JUST S…

Read full complaint

CAR ALWAYS WOULD SPEED UP OR IDLE DOWN AT DIFF. TIMES ONCE WENT TO 3000 RPMS HAD TO SHUT ENGINE OFF KILLED AT STOP SIGNS HOLIDAY CHANGED DIFF COMPONENTS BUT COULD NOT STOP THE IDLING AND LURCHING FORWARD PROBLEM ALSO AT DIFF TIMES IT WOULD IDLE DOWN AND STALL OR JUST IDLE UP AND DOWN TIL I WOULD SHUT IT OFF AND RESTART OR JUST STOP ON THE GAS THIS IDLING UP AND LURCHING FORWARD HAS AT DIFF TIMES ALMOST CAUSED AN ACCIDENT BY GOING FORWARD. *AK

NHTSA ODI #746998

Mileage unknown · Apr 13, 2000
Engine And Engine CoolingVehicle Speed Control

ENGINE IDLED ROUGHLY. VEHICLE WAS UNDER WARRANTY. DEALER TIGHTENED ENGINE VALVES. 2 MONTHS LATER, WARRANTY EXPIRED. DEALER DISMANTLED ENGINE AND HAD TO REMACHINE THE VALVES. *AK *ML

NHTSA ODI #860309

Mileage unknown · Jan 18, 2000
Electrical SystemEngine And Engine CoolingFuel System, Gasoline

ENGINE CHECK LIGHT CAME ON, AND GAS GAUGE MALFUNCTIONED. VEHICLE HESITATED WHEN STARTING/ DEALER REPLACED FLYWHEEL. ALSO, FUEL TANK WAS DISCONNECTED, AND DEALER REPLACED FUEL TANK. IN ADDITION, RPMS INCREASED BY 500 RPMS, AND REPAIRED WIRING IN JAMME DDOOR. ALSO, WINDSHIELD WIPER BLADES MALFUNCTIONED/ FUSE SHORTED OUT , CAUS…

Read full complaint

ENGINE CHECK LIGHT CAME ON, AND GAS GAUGE MALFUNCTIONED. VEHICLE HESITATED WHEN STARTING/ DEALER REPLACED FLYWHEEL. ALSO, FUEL TANK WAS DISCONNECTED, AND DEALER REPLACED FUEL TANK. IN ADDITION, RPMS INCREASED BY 500 RPMS, AND REPAIRED WIRING IN JAMME DDOOR. ALSO, WINDSHIELD WIPER BLADES MALFUNCTIONED/ FUSE SHORTED OUT , CAUSING RADIO, CD, AND OTHER ELECTRICAL COMPONENTS TO FAIL, AND REPLACED CANISTER. *AK

NHTSA ODI #852010

Mileage unknown · Jun 14, 1999
Vehicle Speed Control

VEHICLE EXPERIENCED SUDDEN ACCELERATION WHILE PULLING INTO A PARKING PLACE, PEDAL WENT TO THE FLOOR, RESULTING IN COLLISION. *YC

NHTSA ODI #546103

Mileage unknown · May 9, 1999
Vehicle Speed ControlCrash

CAR ENGINE RACED WHILE SLOWING TO PARK. CAR LURCHED FORWARD AND CRASHED INTO A FENCE AND A BUILDING. CAR HAD BEEN IN SHOP APPROXIMATELY ONE WEEK PRIOR TO INCIDENT FOR HIGH IDLE CONDITION. *AK

NHTSA ODI #706364

Mileage unknown · Jun 6, 1998
Vehicle Speed Control

CRUISE CONTROL WOULD NOT TURN OFF AND KEPT GAINING SPEED.

NHTSA ODI #536680

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

0

No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.