2000 Mazda Protege: problems, recalls and reliability
3 recalls and 102 owner complaints on record; the weakest area is power train (26% of complaints); the 1998 and 2001 model years look more trouble-free.
Data updated weekly · latest recall Apr 2009
All counts are reports filed with NHTSA in the United States - US market only, not worldwide totals.
Common problems
Computed from 102 owner complaints filed with NHTSA for this exact model year.
“Today we got into an accident and the passenger airbag didn't come out until after my grandaughter's face hit the windsheild.”Owner report · Air Bags · Nov 2019
“My car goes in and out of od by its self and the od button does not work while im driving and the od light flashes when it goes on aand stop when it deactivates it self”Owner report · Unknown Or Other · Apr 2018
“I drove the car for 2 miles and the left underside of the engine caught fire, now the engine is dead and in need of a new engine?”Owner report · Engine · Mar 2018
Show 7 more owner reports
“Tl* the contact owns a 2000 mazda protege. The contact stated while driving 35 mph, the front driver's side air bag deployed inadvertently and without warning. No injuries were reported. The vehicle was merged to the side of the road safely and the air bag light illuminated. The vehicle was not diagnosed. The manufacturer was notified of the issue. The approximate failure mileage was unknown.”Owner report · Air Bags · Oct 2013
“Car does not start unless you jiggle steering wheel while turning key or pumping gas pedal. Had battery checked as well as starter and ignitiion switch replaced but has not solved problem.”Owner report · Electrical System · Mar 2013
“Tl* the contact owns a 2000 mazda protege. The contact stated that the vehicle engine took a long time to start up. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic who diagnosed that the power control module was defective and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure and current mileage was 138,000.”Owner report · Power Train · Sep 2012
“The left front seat belt would not release. My spouse spent fifteen minutes trying to get it unbuckled and popped a blood vessel in her thumb trying to release it. Going to replace it and see what happens. Will contact dealer to see if it can be warrantied. They should, it is a safety item! *tr”Owner report · Seat Belts · Jul 2012
“The dim lights went out and the bright light indicator came on. Fortunately the bright lights worked, or I would have been driving without lights. The turn signal/light control wand was replaced. About two months later the problem repeated. It was late without much traffic and I drove home for 30 miles with only bright lights. This time I took the car to the mazda dealer. The wire controlling the lights had over heated which caused the wand to burnout and a wire connector to warp. A new wire was threaded from the connector through the firewall to the control wand. The lights are now working. *tr”Owner report · Exterior Lighting · Aug 2010
“On may 12, 2010 my son called me at my phone to advised me that as he was driving his 2000 mazda protege and without any reason his front passenger side tire gave up all around the outside side center of the tire making a blowout noise and went flat. He went to a tire services center and there he was informed that there is nothing they can do to repair the tire and also they recommended him to change all the tires (kumho solus hp/4/plus-p195/55//15. I just bought two of them in december. I wrote to khomo tires web-site asking if there is any recall for the tires and what kind of guarantee is there. I never got a reply. *tr”Owner report · Tires · Apr 2010
“I was unable to release the driver's side seat belt. I crawled out under it and eventually got it to release. It seems to work ok now but I'm now leery of it. *jb”Owner report · Seat Belts · Nov 2006
When filing, owners marked a crash in 25 of these complaints and injuries in 21 - self-reported to NHTSA, not verified accident statistics.
Recalls - 3 campaigns
CERTAIN PRO-A MOTORS CORNER LAMPS, TURN SIGNALS, AND HEADLIGHTS SOLD AS REPLACEMENT LAMPS FOR USE ON CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES LISTED ABOVE. SOME COMBINATION LAMPS THAT ARE NOT EQUIPPED WITH AMBER SIDE REFLECTORS FAIL TO CONFORM TO FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 108, LAMPS, REFLECTIVE DEVICES, AND ASSOCIATED EQUIPMENT.
Remedy: PRO-A MOTORS WILL NOTIFY OWNERS AND OFFER TO REPURCHASE THE LAMPS. THE RECALL BEGAN ON APRIL 3, 2006. OWNERS MAY CONTACT PRO-A MOTORS AT 323-838-2988.
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES. SOME LEFT SIDE REAR BRAKE HOSES WERE DAMAGED DURING ASSEMBLY. BRAKE FLUID LEAKAGE COULD OCCUR.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSPECT THE BRAKE HOSE AND, IF NECESSARY, REPLACE THE HOSE. OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAN FEBRUARY 20, 2001. OWNERS WHO TAKE THEIR VEHICLES TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER ON AN AGREED UPON SERVICE DATE AND DO NOT RECEIVE THE FREE REMEDY WITHIN A REASONABLE TIME SHOULD CONTACT MAZDA AT 1-800-222-5500.
SABERSPORT IS RECALLING 16,270 COMBINATION CORNER AND BUMPER LAMP ASSEMBLIES OF VARIOUS PART NUMBERS SOLD FOR USE AS AFTERMARKET EQUIPMENT FOR VARIOUS PASSENGER VEHICLES. THESE HEADLAMPS FAIL TO CONFORM TO THE REQUIREMENTS OF FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 108, "LAMPS, REFLECTIVE DEVICES, AND ASSOCIATED EQUIPMENT." THESE LAMPS DO NOT CONTAIN THE REQUIRED AMBER SIDE REFLECTORS.
Remedy: SABERSPORT WILL NOTIFY OWNERS AND OFFER A FULL REFUND FOR THE NONCOMPLIANT COMBINATION LAMPS. THE SAFETY RECALL BEGAN ON MAY 11, 2009. OWNERS MAY CONTACT SABERSPORT AT 1-909-598-7589.
Specifications
Factory options offered for the 2000 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 2000 Mazda Protege reliable?
NHTSA has 102 owner complaints and 3 recall campaigns on record for the 2000 Mazda Protege. The most complained-about area is power train (26% of complaints).
At what mileage do 2000 Mazda Protege problems usually appear?
Half of the complaints that mention mileage were filed at 49,800 miles or less.
Does the 2000 Mazda Protege have open recalls?
3 recall campaigns have been issued, the latest concerning exterior lighting. 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.