Power Train. Review the 22 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
Air Bags. Review the 21 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
Tires. Review the 12 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

21 crash reports1 fire reports15 injury reports

Power Train complaints

22 reports

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Mileage unknown · Apr 18, 2003

Power Train

WHILE DRIVING 30 MPH THE TRANSMISSION FAILED AND CAUSED THE VEHICLE NOT TO ACCELERATE. THE DEALER WAS NOTIFIED. *NLM

NHTSA ODI #10017145

50 miles · Mar 20, 2003

Power Train

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1999 MAZDA PROTEGE RECEIVED O/D OFF LIGHT, SPEEDOMETER DROPPED OUT AND SLIPPAGE IN GEARS, (O/D), BROUGHT TO SCHWARTZ MAZDA, SHREWSBURY, NJ, THEY SOLD ME A NEW TRANSMISSION, (76000 MILES ON ODOMETER), CAR STILL HAD SAME TROUBLE. ADVISED MAZDA THAT I FELT THIS IS A MISDIAGNOSIS, PER NHTSB TECH SERVICE BULLETIN OF SPEED SENSOR ON TRANSMISSION WHICH PRESENTS SAME SYMPTOMS, THEY WOULD NOT CREDIT THE $2073 COST OF THE NEW TRANSMISSION, THE DEALER DID NOT SEE THIS TROUBLE WHICH IS WHAT I ORIGINALLY BROUGHT IN FOR SERVICE, AFTER 3 MORE RETURN VISITS TO SERVICE DEPT, THEY FINALLY REPLACE SPEED SENSOR, NOW PROBLEM IS GONE, BUT NOW I HAVE A NEW TRANSMISSION THAT I DID NOT NEED. THEY NEVER PRODUCED ANY DIAGNOSTIC BACK UP TO THE TRANSMISSION FAILING, I TOOK THEM AT THEIR WORD THAT THIS IS WHAT THE CAR NEEDED, WHEN ALL ALONG THE SPEED SENSOR FIXED THE TROUBLE. THEY WERE VERY UNCOOPERATIVE THROUGHOUT THE ENTIRE EXPERIENCE EXCEPT WHEN IT CAME TO TAKING OUR MONEY, AND AT ONE POINT WHEN I ASKED TO PLEASE LET ME TEST DRIVE WITH THE TECH, THE SERVICE MANAGER ADVISED ME, THEY HAD SPENT ENOUGH TIME ON THIS AND TO TAKE THE CAR AND LEAVE. NOT UNTIL I RESEARCHED OTHER DRIVERS COMPLAINTS ON THE TRANSMISSION ON THIS CAR GOING AT AROUND 70000 MILES. *JB

NHTSA ODI #10010809

66,000 miles · Jan 8, 2003

Power Train

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I BOUGHT A NEW MAZDA PROTEGE IN 1999. I HAVE TAKEN EVERY PRECAUTION TO MAKE SURE MY CAR WAS TAKEN CARE OF. I DID ALL THE MAINTENANCE THAT WAS SUPPOSE TO BE DONE WHEN THEY WERE DUE. AFTER ALL THE CARE I TOOK, MY CAR'S TRANSMISSION WENT OUT ON DEC. 31, 2002 WITH ONLY 66,000 MILES ON THE CAR. THEY SAID IT WOULD BE $2200 TO REPLACE A TRANSMISSION. I FEEL THE CAR SHOULD HAVE LASTED LONGER THAN 66,000 MILES. SHOULD THERE BE A RECALL ON THESE CARS? I ALSO FEEL THE MANUFACTURE SHOULD BE LIABLE.

NHTSA ODI #10000826

Mileage unknown · Oct 13, 2002

Power Train

ORIGINAL TRANSMISSION REPLACED BY MAZDA 7/26/00 DUE TO TECH. BULLETIN. SINCE THEN SEVERAL INCIDENTS OF TRANSMISSION SUDDENLY JERKING INTO A LOWER GEAR, AT BOTH HIGH AND LOW SPEEDS. MAZDA DEALER UNABLE TO REPLICATE OR IDENTIFY PROBLEM AFTER 3 ATTEMPTS. MR

NHTSA ODI #768404

Mileage unknown · May 31, 2002

Power Train

WHILE TRAVELING ABOUT 20-50 MPH ON HIGHWAY AND WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING, VEHICLE JERKED INTO REVERSE AND BECAME UNCONTROLLABLE. DEALERSHIP WAS AWARE OF PROBLEM.*AK GEAR SHIFT REMAINS IN DRIVE OCCURRING EVERH 2-3 MONTHS. DEALERSHIP COULD NOT FIND PROBLEM, BUT STATES 4-5 OTHER OWNERS HAVE THE SAME ISSUE. *TT

NHTSA ODI #8010831

Mileage unknown · Apr 17, 2002

Engine And Engine CoolingPower Train

CONSUMER STATES THAT THERE WAS AN OIL LEAK IN HIS VEHICLE WHICH WAS CAUSED BY A CRACKED ENGINE BLOCK. NLM. CONSUMER ALSO STATED THAT THE CLUTCH STUCK AT TIMES.*JB

NHTSA ODI #8007873

Mileage unknown · Mar 14, 2002

Power Train

WHILE DRIVING, WITHOUT WARNING, WHILE ACCELERATING GEARS WILL CHANGE/ EXTREMELY ROUGH. CONSUMER WILL CONTACT DEALER AND MANUFACTURER. *AK

NHTSA ODI #8005717

Mileage unknown · Mar 13, 2002

Power Train

WHILE TRAVELING ON HIGHWAY AND WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING TRANSMISSION WILL JERK OR GET STUCK INTO OTHER GEARS. DEALERSHIP WAS AWARE OF PROBLEM.*AK

NHTSA ODI #8005646

Mileage unknown · Jan 10, 2002

Power TrainSteering

THE VEHICALS TACOMETER WAS FLUTTERING AND THE VEHICAL WAS STALLING AT LIGHTS AND STOP SIGNS THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AND WE BROUGHT THE VEHICAL TO THE DEALER. THE DEALER REPAIRED THE PROBLEM STATING THE INTAKE MANAFOILD GASKET WAS CRACKED. JUST BARELY OVER THE WARENTY WE FOLD A ENGINE PROBLEM OF THIS NATURE ODD AS WELL A…

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NHTSA ODI #756655

Mileage unknown · Apr 10, 2001

Power Train

WHENEVER CAR COMES TO A STOP AND TAKES OFF THERE'S A VIOLENT JOLT LIKE GETTING HIT IN REAR.*AK CONSUMER STATES WHEN TRAVELING AT 40 MPH THERE WILL BE A VIOLENT JOLT AS IF SOMEONE HIT YOU FROM BEHIND, IT ALMOST FEELS LIKE THE VEHICLE JOLTS FOWARD CONSUMER STATES THE FIRST TIME IT HAPPENED HE THOUGHT HE HAD BEEN REAR-ENDED.*JB

NHTSA ODI #885584

Official recalls

00V301000 · Equipment:electrical:radio/tape Deck/cd Etc.

Oct 5, 2000

VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH A PARTICULAR FACTORY INSTALLED AUDIO UNIT. IF THE VEHICLE IS OPERATED AT LOW SPEED IN A HOT AND HUMID ENVIRONMENT WITH THE WINDOW OPEN, AIR CONDITIONER RUNNING, AND AUDIO ON, CONDENSED WATER ON THE A/C DUCT SURFACE COULD DROP AND ENTER INTO THE AUDIO UNIT, CAUSING A SHORT CIRCUIT.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: IF THE SHORT CIRCUIT OCCURS AT ONE SPECIFIC SET OF TERMINALS, THE REAR RIGHT LOUDSPEAKER CAN OVERHEAT AND, IN SOME CASES, CATCH FIRE.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL AFFIX ALUMINUM TAPE OVER THE AUDIO UNIT TO PREVENT WATER FROM ENTERING.

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

No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.