1997 Mazda Protege Problems, Complaints & Recalls
- Compared with other Protege years
- Fewer complaints than other years 7th of 9 for complaints
- Safety recalls
- 1 recall: check your VIN
- NHTSA crash rating
- Not rated
Owners have filed 66 complaints with NHTSA about the 1997 Mazda Protege. That ranks 7th out of 9 Protege model years for complaints. The most reported problem area is air bags (12 complaints, 18%). Complaints mention 15 crashes, 2 fires, 14 injuries. There is 1 safety recall covering this model year.
- 66owner complaints
- 1safety recalls
- 0NHTSA investigations
- 15complaints mentioning a crash
Complaints are unverified owner reports and are not adjusted for sales volume.
Most common 1997 Mazda Protege problems
Complaints grouped by the part of the car owners reported, with the median mileage when the problem happened.
| Problem area | Complaints | Share | Median miles | Owners mention most | Typical repair cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Air Bags | 12 | 18% | — | — | — |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic | 11 | 17% | 99,000 | — | — |
| Power Train | 10 | 15% | — | — | — |
| Engine and Engine Cooling | 9 | 14% | 95,534 | — | — |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 8 | 12% | — | — | — |
| Electrical System | 6 | 9% | — | — | — |
| Seat Belts | 6 | 9% | — | — | — |
| Equipment | 5 | 8% | — | — | — |
| Fuel System, Gasoline | 5 | 8% | 108,000 | — | — |
| Structure | 5 | 8% | — | — | — |
| Suspension | 5 | 8% | — | — | — |
| Visibility | 5 | 8% | — | — | — |
| Tires | 3 | 5% | — | — | — |
| Unknown or Other | 3 | 5% | 108,000 | — | — |
| Seats | 2 | 3% | — | — | — |
| Interior Lighting | 1 | 2% | — | — | — |
One complaint can list several problem areas, so shares can add up to more than 100%.
Complaints by year received
1997 Mazda Protege recalls (1)
Tap a recall to see the problem, the risk and the fix.
Electrical system:ignition:switch
Problem: 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.
Risk: If the ignition switch overheats there would be an increased risk of a fire.
Fix: 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.
To see whether a specific car still has an open recall, enter its VIN on NHTSA's official recall lookup. You can also decode a VIN here.
Recent owner reports
Short excerpts of the latest complaints filed with NHTSA, with personal details removed. Full reports can be searched on NHTSA.gov.
Tl*the contact owns a 1997 mazda protg dx. The contact stated that after taking his vehicle in for routine inspection, the mechanic informed him that both the front and rear brakes were rusted. The vehicle was taken to an authorized dealer who stated that all the brake lines were rusted and needed…
After fixing the catalyst converter, it then goes out again requiring me to have it fixed again
Check engine light illuminated and acceleration is poor.*mr enclosed are copies of the receipts and service bulletin issued in reference to the defective vehicle. *cb the consumer stated the problem was finally identified as a faulty valvein cylinder #1. *jb
After investigating "check engine light" over a period of 5 months, it was determined that a valve problem in the first cylinder was causing a lack of compression and poor engine performance. 2 oxygen sensors were replaced, as well as 8 valves and other parts, to solve the problem. We spent a total…
Cruise control malfunctioned causing sudden acceleration. *mr *ph
Other Mazda Protege years
← 1996 Protege · 1998 Protege →
| Year | Complaints | Recalls |
|---|---|---|
| 2003 Protege | 120 | 0 |
| 2002 Protege | 98 | 0 |
| 2001 Protege | 50 | 1 |
| 2000 Protege | 102 | 1 |
| 1999 Protege | 88 | 1 |
| 1998 Protege | 46 | 1 |
| 1997 | 66 | 1 |
| 1996 Protege | 70 | 1 |
| 1995 Protege | 165 | 4 |
See all Mazda Protege problems by year, every Mazda model, or the Mazda VIN decoder.
Similar Mazda models
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Frequently asked questions
What are the most common problems with the 1997 Mazda Protege?
Owners most often report air bags, service brakes, hydraulic, power train problems. The top one, air bags, accounts for 12 complaints.
Was there a recall on the 1997 Mazda Protege?
Yes, 1 safety recall. Enter your VIN at NHTSA.gov to check whether the repairs were done on your car.
Was the 1997 Mazda Protege a good year?
Complaint data can't fully answer that, because counts aren't adjusted for sales. Compared with other Protege model years, the 1997 has fewer complaints than most years. Always get a pre-purchase inspection and check the VIN for open recalls.