STEERING WHEEL CAST AROUND PART WITH GEAR TO ATTACH TO STEERING COLUMN--CASTING FAILED. *AK
1999 Mazda Protege
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
Similar to other model years
Owner complaints for the 1999 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
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
25 reports with mileage · 63 unknown
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.
- 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.
What owners actually said
88 reportsTOOK CAR INTO DEALERSHIP FOR INVESTIGATION OF 'HUMMING' NOISE COMING FROM FRONT RIGHT TIRE AND VIBRATION OF STEERING AT 65MPH. SERVICE DEPT STATED ALL FOUR TIRES ARE CUPPING IN CAUSING UNEVEN WEAR ON TREAD.ALSO STATED THAT THE FRONT RIGHT WHEEL IS BENT. THEY RECOMMENDED REPLACING ALL FOUR TIRES, NEW WHEEL,AND ALIGNMENT.*AK (DO…
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TOOK CAR INTO DEALERSHIP FOR INVESTIGATION OF 'HUMMING' NOISE COMING FROM FRONT RIGHT TIRE AND VIBRATION OF STEERING AT 65MPH. SERVICE DEPT STATED ALL FOUR TIRES ARE CUPPING IN CAUSING UNEVEN WEAR ON TREAD.ALSO STATED THAT THE FRONT RIGHT WHEEL IS BENT. THEY RECOMMENDED REPLACING ALL FOUR TIRES, NEW WHEEL,AND ALIGNMENT.*AK (DOT NUMBER: H48N TIRESIZE: P195/55R15)
DRIVER SIDE FRONT TIRE BLEW OUT AT 35MPH, WHEEL SLIGHTLLY BENT, DRIVER SIDE REAR TIRE HAD BUBBLE IN THE SIDEWALL. FIRESTONE DEALER REPLACED TIRES AND GAVE ADJUSTED CREDIT. I SEE THAT OTHERS OWNERS ARE HAVING SIMILAR PROBLEMS WITH THESE TIRES. PLEASE CONSIDER DANGER WHEN TRAVELING AT HIGHER RATE OF SPEED. *AK (DOT NUMBER: H40…
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DRIVER SIDE FRONT TIRE BLEW OUT AT 35MPH, WHEEL SLIGHTLLY BENT, DRIVER SIDE REAR TIRE HAD BUBBLE IN THE SIDEWALL. FIRESTONE DEALER REPLACED TIRES AND GAVE ADJUSTED CREDIT. I SEE THAT OTHERS OWNERS ARE HAVING SIMILAR PROBLEMS WITH THESE TIRES. PLEASE CONSIDER DANGER WHEN TRAVELING AT HIGHER RATE OF SPEED. *AK (DOT NUMBER: H406JDN239 TIRESIZE: 18565R14)
I WASN'T SURE IF THIS TIRE WAS PART OF THE RECALL ON FIRESTONE, BUT I THOUGHT I SHOULD CHECK. I'VE ONLY OWNED THE CAR FOR A YEAR AND BOUGHT IT BRAND NEW. IT SURPRISED ME TO HAVE A TIRE BLOW OUT AND HAVE IT UNREPAIRABLE. THE REASON THE TIRE BLEW OUT WASN'T FROM A NAIL OR GLASS, BUT THE SIDE OF THE TIRE WAS WORE DOWN AND THEREF…
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I WASN'T SURE IF THIS TIRE WAS PART OF THE RECALL ON FIRESTONE, BUT I THOUGHT I SHOULD CHECK. I'VE ONLY OWNED THE CAR FOR A YEAR AND BOUGHT IT BRAND NEW. IT SURPRISED ME TO HAVE A TIRE BLOW OUT AND HAVE IT UNREPAIRABLE. THE REASON THE TIRE BLEW OUT WASN'T FROM A NAIL OR GLASS, BUT THE SIDE OF THE TIRE WAS WORE DOWN AND THEREFORE UNREPAIRABLE. WHAT SURPRISED ME EVEN MORE IS THAT THE DEALER WHO REPLACED THE TIRE SAID THAT IT LOOKED AS THOUGH IT WAS RUBBED AGAINST CONCRETE. HOW CAN YOU RUB AGAINST CONCRETE FROM THE DRIVERS SIDE WHEN YOU PARK ALONG THE CURBS WITH THE PASSENGER SIDE. I WAS VERY CONFUSED BY THIS. THE TIRE REPLACEMENT COST WAS $55.67. IS THIS UNUSUAL? THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND CONSIDERATION. (DOT NUMBER: H406 TIRESIZE: P185/65R14)
ENGINE LOSES POWER SIGNIFICANTLY OR SOMETIMES GOES UPTO 5000RPM IN 5 MPH SPEED WITHOUT ANY SIGN. STALLS MIDDLE OF A STREET WITHOUT ANY SIGN, AS WELL. AIR FLOW SENSOR WAS REPLACED BY MAZDA'S EXPENSE ON AUGUST 15. HOWEVER, THE SAME PROBLEM REPEATED TO OCCUR AGAIN IN TWO MONTH; AND WAS TOLD BY DEALER (IN MI) THAT FUEL PUMP NEEDS…
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ENGINE LOSES POWER SIGNIFICANTLY OR SOMETIMES GOES UPTO 5000RPM IN 5 MPH SPEED WITHOUT ANY SIGN. STALLS MIDDLE OF A STREET WITHOUT ANY SIGN, AS WELL. AIR FLOW SENSOR WAS REPLACED BY MAZDA'S EXPENSE ON AUGUST 15. HOWEVER, THE SAME PROBLEM REPEATED TO OCCUR AGAIN IN TWO MONTH; AND WAS TOLD BY DEALER (IN MI) THAT FUEL PUMP NEEDS TO BE REPLACED. DEALER ADVISED NOT TO DRIVE THE CAR BECAUSE OF UNPREDICTABILITY OF THE PROBLEM OCCURANCE. COMPLETELY OUT OF CONTROL, AND IT IS QUITE DANGEROUS.
MAZDA WAS CONSIDERED A TOTAL LOSS, AIR BAGS DID NOT DIPLOY IN A HEAD-ON COLLISION.
TIRE TREAD SEPARATED ON BOTH FRONT TIRES ON THE INSIDE OF TIRES DOWN TO METAL BELT. WAS NOTICED BEFORE ANY FLAT OCCURED BECAUSE STRIPS OF TIRE TREAD WERE HITTING THE INSIDE OF THE FENDER WELL MAKING A LOT OF NOISE. RETURNED TIRES TO FIRESTONE DEALER BUT WAS TOLD PROBLEM WAS DUE TO ALIGNMENT WHICH I DID NOT AGREE WITH. TOOK TIR…
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TIRE TREAD SEPARATED ON BOTH FRONT TIRES ON THE INSIDE OF TIRES DOWN TO METAL BELT. WAS NOTICED BEFORE ANY FLAT OCCURED BECAUSE STRIPS OF TIRE TREAD WERE HITTING THE INSIDE OF THE FENDER WELL MAKING A LOT OF NOISE. RETURNED TIRES TO FIRESTONE DEALER BUT WAS TOLD PROBLEM WAS DUE TO ALIGNMENT WHICH I DID NOT AGREE WITH. TOOK TIRES TO ANOTHER SHOP ( SAM'S CLUB) AND WAS TOLD THAT THE TIRE FAILURES WERE NOT ALIGNMENT RELATED AND MUST BE DUE TO TIRE DEFECTS. I REPLACED THE TIRES AND THE NEW TIRES SHOW NO SIGNS OF MISALIGNMENT WEAR. THE FAILED TIRES ARE STILL IN MY POSSESION. WHAT COURSE OF ACTION DO YOU RECOMMEND NEXT?( DOT NUMBER: H48NCJN229 TIRE SIZE: P195/55R15 )
NO DEPLOYMENT OF AIR BAG UPON IMPACT AND THE DRIVERS SEAT BROKE CAUSING INJURIES TO LOWER BACK. NLM
WAS DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 65MPH WHEN LEFT FRONT TREAD SEPARATED FROM THE MIDDLE OF THE TIRE. THERE WAS NO WARNING OR BLOWOUT. NO PROBLEM WITH VEHICLE AT TIME OF SEPARATION. CHANGED THE TIRE & TOOK VEHICLE TO TIRE SHOP. IT WAS REPLACED WITH DIFFERENT TYPE. HAD 30,000 MILES ON TIRE. STILL HAS THE TIRE. FIRE STONE FR680, SIZE P…
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WAS DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 65MPH WHEN LEFT FRONT TREAD SEPARATED FROM THE MIDDLE OF THE TIRE. THERE WAS NO WARNING OR BLOWOUT. NO PROBLEM WITH VEHICLE AT TIME OF SEPARATION. CHANGED THE TIRE & TOOK VEHICLE TO TIRE SHOP. IT WAS REPLACED WITH DIFFERENT TYPE. HAD 30,000 MILES ON TIRE. STILL HAS THE TIRE. FIRE STONE FR680, SIZE P185/65R14. *AK
WHILE DRIVING ABOUT 35 MPH WHEN ANOTHER VEHICLE COLLIDED HEAD FIRST TO CONSUMER'S VEHICLE, AND AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. *AK
Official recalls
100V301000 · 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
0No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.
Illustration