1993 Mazda Protege: problems, recalls and reliability
1 recall and 44 owner complaints on record; the weakest area is seat belts (52% of complaints).
Data updated weekly · latest recall Oct 2015
All counts are reports filed with NHTSA in the United States - US market only, not worldwide totals.
Common problems
Computed from 44 owner complaints filed with NHTSA for this exact model year.
“Tl* the contact owns a 1993 mazda protege. The contact stated that the front driver side seat belt failed and remained stuck. The contact spoke with the manufacturer and inquired as to why other mazda vehicles were recalled for the seat belts but not the protege. The manufacturer provided no further assistance. The failure and current mileages were 237,000.”Owner report · Seat Belts · Aug 2011
“Very first time brakes are applied to stop vehicle and the weather is cold, brakes fail to engage, and consumer has to pump brakes for them to work. Dealership stated that there was condensation in "check ball" that would freeze, preventing proper function of brake system. Please provide any additional information/attachments. *ak”Owner report · Service Brakes, Hydraulic · Mar 2001
“The seatbelt does not run along the track. I have fixed it once and the owner before me also had it fixed when it was recalled and it is now broken for a third time. I don't think that if it was fixed correctly the first time I would still be having problems with it.”Owner report · Seat Belts · Dec 2000
Show 7 more owner reports
“The driver's side automatic seatbelt got stuck in the middle of the track and would no longer hold the driver in the seat in case of an accident. The dealer would not fix it properly and replacement of the seatbelt is far too costly.*ak”Owner report · Seat Belts · Mar 2000
“Left front mohawk montega a/s tsb tire was collapsing, dealer said those tires were being brought back because of some sort of heat related separation, consumer purchased a replacement but 27 days later the new tire started showing the same defect. Nlm”Owner report · Tires · Jun 1999
“Shoulder belt won't work due to the retractor part of the seat belt, which make's the consumer move forward and backward, failed. Consumer states this is a safety defect. *ak”Owner report · Seat Belts · Dec 1998
“Seat belt light comes on and chimes periodically while seat belt engaged. Often seat belt lock in place and I am unable to move.”Owner report · Seat Belts · Oct 1998
“When seat belt is engaged on the driver's or passenger's sides the warning chime goes off. The dealer is aware of the problem. Dealer not willing to correct at their expense stated to consumer that the problem was not safety related. *ak”Owner report · Seat Belts · Jul 1998
“The window on the driver's side door would make noises whenever the door is closing or opening. Took vehicle to the dealer for repairs. The entire mechanism to open and close the window wore out because the plastic parts were of poor quality. Owner believes that mazda should pay for repairs for this defect. *ak”Owner report · Visibility · Jun 1998
“Automatic seat belt slid forward unexpectedly while driver was attempting to back up, catching driver's earring, ripping ear lobe.”Owner report · Seat Belts · Feb 1996
When filing, owners marked a crash in 1 of these complaints and injuries in 4 - self-reported to NHTSA, not verified accident statistics.
Recalls - 1 campaign
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.
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.
Specifications
Factory options offered for the 1993 model year, decoded from the NHTSA vPIC database. Individual vehicles have one of each.
How other years compare
Check your exact Protege by VIN
Recalls and equipment differ between individual vehicles. Decode your VIN to see what applies to yours.
Open VIN decoderFrequently asked questions
Is the 1993 Mazda Protege reliable?
NHTSA has 44 owner complaints and 1 recall campaign on record for the 1993 Mazda Protege. The most complained-about area is seat belts (52% of complaints).
At what mileage do 1993 Mazda Protege problems usually appear?
Half of the complaints that mention mileage were filed at 183,000 miles or less.
Does the 1993 Mazda Protege have open recalls?
1 recall campaign has been issued, the latest concerning electrical system:ignition:switch. Check your specific vehicle by VIN - recall repairs are free at franchised dealers.
Source: NHTSA recall campaigns and owner complaints (public domain). Counts reflect reports on file and are not a defect rate.