Model year record

1997 Mazda Protege

1 recall campaign on file for this model year. 103 owner complaints on file.

Mazda Protege, 1995–1998 generation
Pictured: the 1995–1998 generation. Cutlass, CC0 · Wikimedia Commons

Recalls

Recall campaignNHTSA 15V674000

Electrical system: ignition: switch

Component
Electrical system: ignition: switch
Manufacturer
Mazda North American Operations
Vehicles affected
1,368,500
Reported to NHTSA
2015-10-19
Owners notified
2015-12-17

Defect description

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.

Safety risk

If the ignition switch overheats there would be an increased risk of a fire.

Manufacturer 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.

Owner complaints

A complaint is one person's report to a federal agency. It is not a finding.

ComponentComplaintsMedian mileage
Air bags: frontal11—
Engine and engine cooling: engine583,068 mi
Power train: automatic transmission5—
Equipment: appliance: air conditioner4—
Seat belts: front: anchorage4—
Vehicle speed control4—
Vehicle speed control: cruise control4—
Fuel system, gasoline: storage: tank assembly3—
Suspension: rear3—
Tires3—
Unknown or other3108,000 mi
Electrical system: wiring: front underhood2—
Fuel system, gasoline: delivery: hoses, lines/piping, and fittings2—
Power train: automatic transmission: park/neutral start interlock switch2—
Service brakes, hydraulic299,000 mi
Service brakes, hydraulic: antilock/traction control/electronic limited slip2—
Service brakes, hydraulic: foundation components2—
Service brakes, hydraulic: foundation components: disc2—
Service brakes, hydraulic: foundation components: disc: caliper2—
Service brakes, hydraulic: foundation components: disc: rotor2—
Structure: body: door2—
Visibility: defroster/defogger/hvac system2—
Air bags: side/window1—
Electrical system: 12V/24V/48V battery1—
Electrical system: ignition1—
Electrical system: wiring: fuses and circuit breakers1—
Electrical system: wiring: interior/under dash1—
Engine and engine cooling: cooling system1—
Engine and engine cooling: engine: gasoline1—
Engine and engine cooling: exhaust system1108,000 mi
Engine and engine cooling: exhaust system: emission control1—
Equipment: electrical: radio/tape deck/CD etc.1—
Fuel system, gasoline1108,000 mi
Interior lighting1—
Power train1—
Power train: automatic transmission: gear position indication (PRNDL)1—
Power train: axle assembly: banjo housing1—
Power train: driveline: constant velocity joint1—
Power train: manual transmission1—
Seat belts1—
Seat belts: front: webbing1—
Seat belts: rear/other1—
Seats1—
Seats: front assembly: recliner1—
Service brakes, hydraulic: foundation components: disc: pads1—
Structure: body1—
Structure: body: hood1—
Structure: body: hood: hinge and attachments1—
Suspension: front1—
Suspension: front: macpherson strut1—
Suspension: front: wheel bearing1—
Visibility: windshield1—
Visibility: windshield wiper/washer1—
Visibility: windshield wiper/washer: linkages1—

The 1996 model has roughly the same number of complaints as this one. The 1998 model has 2 times as many complaints as this one. These figures reflect raw complaint counts, not failure rates. Higher-selling model years naturally receive more complaints.

Other Mazda Protege model years

All Mazda Protege recalls by year

Safety recall repairs are provided free of charge by franchised dealers, regardless of vehicle age or mileage. This page displays aggregated data for the model year. To check recall status for a specific vehicle, search its VIN at nhtsa.gov.