2003 Mazda Protege Problems, Complaints & Recalls
- Compared with other Protege years
- More complaints than other years 2nd of 9 for complaints
- Safety recalls
- None on file
- NHTSA crash rating
- Not rated
Owners have filed 120 complaints with NHTSA about the 2003 Mazda Protege. That ranks 2nd out of 9 Protege model years for complaints. The most reported problem area is engine and engine cooling (34 complaints, 28%), typically at around 67,000 miles. Complaints mention 16 crashes, 2 fires, 11 injuries. There are no safety recalls on file for this model year.
- 120owner complaints
- 0safety recalls
- 0NHTSA investigations
- 16complaints mentioning a crash
Complaints are unverified owner reports and are not adjusted for sales volume.
Most common 2003 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Engine and Engine Cooling | 34 | 28% | 67,000 | — | — |
| Seat Belts | 17 | 14% | 90,000 | — | — |
| Power Train | 12 | 10% | 27,500 | — | — |
| Suspension | 11 | 9% | 98,500 | — | — |
| Air Bags | 10 | 8% | 17,750 | — | — |
| Tires | 10 | 8% | 25,000 | — | — |
| Steering | 7 | 6% | 94,500 | — | — |
| Engine | 6 | 5% | 111,844 | — | — |
| Seats | 4 | 3% | 170,000 | — | — |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic | 4 | 3% | 20,240 | — | — |
| Structure | 4 | 3% | 148,500 | — | — |
| Electrical System | 3 | 3% | 50,284 | — | — |
| Equipment | 3 | 3% | — | — | — |
| Exterior Lighting | 3 | 3% | 81,682 | — | — |
| Fuel System, Gasoline | 2 | 2% | 365,000 | — | — |
| Parking Brake | 2 | 2% | 42,000 | — | — |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 2 | 2% | 39,358 | — | — |
| Child Seat | 1 | 1% | — | — | — |
| Electronic Stability Control (esc) | 1 | 1% | 90,000 | — | — |
| Latches/locks/linkages | 1 | 1% | 70,000 | — | — |
| Service Brakes | 1 | 1% | 50,000 | — | — |
| Unknown or Other | 1 | 1% | 4,071 | — | — |
| Visibility | 1 | 1% | — | — | — |
| Wheels | 1 | 1% | 8,000 | — | — |
One complaint can list several problem areas, so shares can add up to more than 100%.
Complaints by year received
2003 Mazda Protege recalls (0)
No safety recalls are on file for the 2003 Mazda Protege.
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 2003 mazda protege. The contact stated while driving 50 mph, the vehicle stalled with the check engine warning light illuminated. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic to be diagnosed. The contact was informed that the engine and timing belt needed to be replaced…
Rough idle causing to stall while driving, check engine light on for cylinder misfire, found cylinder 4 with a bent spark plug with the gap closed. Replaced all 4 plugs car ran fine for a few months only to have the same issue cylinder misfire with cylinder 4 with another bent plug gap closed…
2003 mazda protege would not pass 2019 virginia safety inspection due to defective passenger side airbag. Dealer cannot replace because mazda has discontinued that part. Under virginia law, car cannot be operated without valid inspection certificate. Inspection disclosed no other disqualifying…
Excessive wear in the area inside and outside in tires ... Many several workshops can not correct the alignment fault ... The steering wheel go to the right and i have to force to the left ... All the front and rear suspension part are new , including the shock absorber is new and control arm and…
2003 mazda protege 5 was traveling approximately 45mph and struck a moving vehicle in the rear quarter panel. No air bag was deployed in the mazda protege 5. The other vehicle's airbags deployed.
Other Mazda Protege years
| Year | Complaints | Recalls |
|---|---|---|
| 2003 | 120 | 0 |
| 2002 Protege | 98 | 0 |
| 2001 Protege | 50 | 1 |
| 2000 Protege | 102 | 1 |
| 1999 Protege | 88 | 1 |
| 1998 Protege | 46 | 1 |
| 1997 Protege | 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.
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Frequently asked questions
What are the most common problems with the 2003 Mazda Protege?
Owners most often report engine and engine cooling, seat belts, power train problems. The top one, engine and engine cooling, accounts for 34 complaints.
Was there a recall on the 2003 Mazda Protege?
No safety recalls are on file for this model year.
Was the 2003 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 2003 has more complaints than most years. Always get a pre-purchase inspection and check the VIN for open recalls.