1992 Mazda Protege Problems
- Complaints
- 63filed with NHTSA
- Median mileage
- 92,000miles, 3 complaints with mileage
- Recalls
- 1campaigns on record
- Trend
- StableComplaints filed in the last 3 full calendar years are within 25% of the 3 years before.
- NHTSA crash rating
- —overall rating starts with 2011 models
- EPA fuel economy
- 24 mpgcombined, 1.8L 4-cyl FWD · 21 city / 29 hwy
Sources: NHTSA records for the 1992 Mazda Protege (complaints, recalls, investigations), NHTSA crash tests, EPA fuel economy. Report an error
What owners report
Complaints about this model year center on the automatic motorized shoulder belts used in these cars, which owners describe jamming, sticking mid-track, or stopping altogether, often with the dealer declining to help because the vehicle was outside warranty. Secondary reports involve the ignition switch and steering-column wiring, engine failures, and a few throttle or brake-pedal sticking episodes. Mileage is often not recorded in these filings; where it is, failures appear both at very low mileage and around 90,000 miles or more.
- Seat belts
Automatic shoulder belt jams or stops moving on its track
- 18 complaints (29%)
- median 149,000 mi at 11.9 yrs old (1 states mileage, few)
- 1 mention a crash, fire or injury
- filed 1995–2006
Owners describe the driver-side automatic shoulder belt moving sluggishly, then jamming mid-track or failing to retract, leaving the front occupant without a working shoulder restraint. In some cases the cable came out of its rail or the retractor motor stopped working. Several owners say the dealer declined to repair the car because it was out of warranty or was not covered by a campaign, and one reported being told the VIN was not in the U.S. database. Reported across a wide age range, with many filings years after purchase; most complaints do not record mileage.
What to check: Open and close the door and watch the driver belt travel the full track; check for hesitation, jamming, or a cable off its rail, and ask whether the belt track and motor have been serviced.
2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records
“Automatic seat belt would jam in the middle of track and remain in that position, leaving the occupant without any restraint. Dealer was notified, and unwilling to assist,. Stated that vehicle was out of its warranty, and not covered under a manufacturer's recall. Provide any further information.”
NHTSA complaint #891359, filed 2001-06“Passive restraint system on driver's side is disabled in forward position, laying across steering wheel. Mazda claims no responsibility because belt has failed in forward position. Please describe details.”
NHTSA complaint #8012224, filed 2002-06 - Electrical system
Ignition switch and steering-column wiring failures
Mentioned in 6 of 28 sampled complaints
Complaints describe the car failing to start with no warning, and intermittent loss of wipers and blower that owners could temporarily restore by jiggling the key. In one filing the steering column smoked with the air conditioning on, and the dealer said the wiring harness in the column needed replacement. Owners also describe the horn sounding on its own or stopping entirely. Reported from the late 1990s through the 2010s; one filing notes about 92,000 miles at failure.
Recall 15V6740003 related service bulletins
What to check: Ask whether the ignition switch was replaced under the ignition switch recall for these vehicles, and test the wipers, blower and horn while wiggling the key.
2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records
“The problem began with sporadic losses of wiper and blower function. We could bypass the problem by jiggling the key while the engine was running to restore power to the wipers and blower. Soon this defect occurred most times that the car was running. On a recent occasion, the steering column started to smoke when the air conditioning was on. We have not used the car since. These defects are serious in wisconsin where weather conditions require a working heater and wipers. We were wondering if there ever was a recall for this problem. …”
NHTSA complaint #710637, filed 1999-08“Car horn does not work. Consumer states on first occasion horn would blow by itself when it felt like it had to disconnect battery cable to make it stop blowing, on second occasion horn stopped blowing and dealer stated a new horn was needed on steering column.”
NHTSA complaint #985779, filed 1996-06
Buying note. On a car this old, the automatic shoulder belts matter most: confirm the driver belt travels its full track and can be released, since parts and repair options are limited. Also verify whether the ignition switch recall work was done and that the throttle linkage returns freely.
Summary written with AI from a sample of 28 NHTSA complaints for this model year (picked at random, with complaints that state a mileage and recent ones taken first), then checked automatically against the source records. Where a problem shows a complaint count, every complaint for this model year was matched with fixed keyword rules (written with AI and tested against the sample), and the mileage, age and repair figures are calculated from those complaints; owners' figures are as stated, not verified. Other counts refer to the sample. The excerpts come from NHTSA's public complaint records and are unverified; capitalisation is normalised, NHTSA staff notes are removed, and shortened text ends with “…”. Something wrong? Request a correction.
NHTSA recorded 63 consumer complaints for the 1992 Mazda Protege. 3 of the complaints include a mileage, and 33% of those were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles; the median is 92,000 miles. Of all complaints, 5 involved a crash, 1 a fire, 7 an injury, according to the filers. NHTSA lists 1 recall campaign and 5 technical service bulletins for this model year.
Not compared (before 2008). Model years 2008–2023 of the same vehicle that have at least 25 complaints are compared, and a model needs at least 3 of them.
Which parts are reported most
Complaints can name more than one part, so the counts add up to more than the total. Select a part to see its complaints, recalls and bulletins.
- Seat belts34 54%
- Brakes5 7.9%
- Electrical system5 7.9%
- Fuel system4 6.3%
- Vehicle speed control4 6.3%
- Equipment3 4.8%
- Seats3 4.8%
- Engine cooling2 3.2%
- Other or unknown2 3.2%
Also reported: Visibility (wipers, defrost, mirrors) (2), Air bags (1), Latches, locks and linkages (1), Suspension (1), Wheels (1).
Example complaints
Seat belts: “1. Automatic/passive restraint belt for drivers side had been acting sluggish e.g. Belt would hesitate when opening/closing door before moving to full open/closed position. 2. Belt is stuck/frozen in midway position of door. Driver has no adequate shoulder restraint in event of collision. 3. Contacted Mazda manufacture but they state car VIN is not in u.s. Database. I was never notified about the NHTSA campaign id number 97v211000 that identifies a problem with Mazda vehicles 323 and mx3 that use the identical restraint system. …”
NHTSA complaint #10156549, filed 2006-05Brakes: “Cylinder head and seal prematurely failed. Engine showed visible signs of it going bad. Signs included rough start and idle and large amounts of white puffy smoke from exhaust.”
NHTSA complaint #540708, filed 1998-09Electrical system: “The contact owns a 1992 Mazda Protege. When the contact attempted to start the vehicle, the ignition failed without warning. The failure was recurring. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The VIN was not included in NHTSA campaign number: 15v674000 (electrical system). The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 92,000.”
NHTSA complaint #10807462, filed 2015-11, 92,000 milesFuel system: “While driving, road debris ruptured the vehicle fuel tank which resulted on a fire on the vehicle. The driver was severely burned about 30 percent of her body.”
NHTSA complaint #10071927, filed 2004-04, 10,000 milesMileage when problems were reported
33% of the 3 complaints with a mileage were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles; the middle half falls between 10,000 and 149,000 miles.
Complaints by year filed
Trend: stable. Complaints filed in the last 3 full calendar years are within 25% of the 3 years before.
Crash test ratings
NHTSA's 5-Star Safety Ratings for the 1992 Mazda Protege. Frontal results are shown driver / passenger; rollover shows the star rating and NHTSA's estimated risk of rolling over in a single-vehicle crash.
| Version | Overall | Frontal | Side | Side pole | Rollover |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Protege · sedan | not rated | 3 / 4 | — | — | — |
Ratings before the 2011 model year come from an older, less demanding test and are not comparable with ratings for 2011 and later.
Source: NHTSA New Car Assessment Program (5-Star Safety Ratings), nhtsa.gov/ratings.
Fuel economy and running cost
EPA ratings for each 1992 Mazda Protege version. Annual fuel cost is the EPA's estimate at its current fuel prices for 15,000 miles a year (55% city driving).
| Version | Engine | Transmission | City | Hwy | Comb. | Fuel / yr |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Protege FWD | 1.8L 4-cyl | 5-speed manual | 24 | 33 | 27 | $2,500 |
| Protege FWD | 1.8L 4-cyl | 4-speed automatic | 21 | 29 | 24 | $2,800 |
| Protege FWD | 1.8L 4-cyl | 5-speed manual | 22 | 28 | 24 | $2,800 |
| Protege FWD | 1.8L 4-cyl | 4-speed automatic | 21 | 26 | 23 | $2,900 |
Source: U.S. EPA and Department of Energy, fueleconomy.gov. Ratings are for comparing vehicles; real-world mileage varies with driving and conditions.
Recalls and investigations
- 15V674000Oct 19, 2015Electrical system › Ignition › SwitchCovers: Mazda Protege 1990–1998, MPV 1989–1998, 626 1993–1998 +4 more
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…
Recall details for the 1992 Mazda Protege → · Check a VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls
NHTSA investigations
- PE94059Auto restraint system failClosed · Jul 28, 1994
Technical service bulletins
TSBs are manufacturer notes to dealers about known repair procedures. They are not recalls and do not by themselves mean a vehicle has a fault. 5 on record; the latest 5 are shown.
- 10153339Jan 14, 2019Electrical system. In accordance with Federal regulations, follow the procedure listed below when replacing a speedometer. NOTE: Tampering with a motor vehicle odometer is strictly prohibited by Federal, and State…
- 10148072Oct 10, 2018Vehicle speed control, Equipment. In accordance with Federal regulations, follow the procedure listed below when replacing a speedometer. NOTE: Tampering with a motor vehicle odometer is strictly prohibited by Federal, and State…
- 10118467Aug 7, 2017Equipment, Electrical system. In accordance with Federal regulations, follow the procedure listed below when replacing a speedometer. NOTE: Tampering with a motor vehicle odometer is strictly prohibited by Federal, and State…
- 10213425Feb 17, 2016Electrical system. Speedometer replacement procedure
- 10098367Aug 15, 2014Equipment. In accordance with federal regulations, follow the procedure listed below when replacing a speedometer.note:mazda vehicles are manufactured with tamper-proof speedometers.when a speedometer is…
Other model years of the Mazda Protege
| Year | Complaints | Median mi | Recalls | Crash ★ | MPG | Score (50 = typical) | Trend |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2003 | 120 | 67,000 | 0 | — | 24 | Not compared (before 2008) | Falling |
| 2002 | 98 | 61,000 | 0 | — | 24 | Not compared (before 2008) | Stable |
| 2001 | 50 | 45,500 | 1 | — | 26 | Not compared (before 2008) | Falling |
| 2000 | 102 | 45,000 | 1 | — | 26 | Not compared (before 2008) | Stable |
| 1999 | 88 | 64,065 | 1 | — | 26 | Not compared (before 2008) | Stable |
| 1998 | 46 | 82,100 | 1 | — | 25 | Not compared (before 2008) | Falling |
| 1997 | 66 | 99,000 | 1 | — | 25 | Not compared (before 2008) | Stable |
| 1996 | 70 | 42,000 | 1 | — | 27 | Not compared (before 2008) | Stable |
| 1995 | 165 | 79,000 | 4 | — | 26 | Not compared (before 2008) | Stable |
| 1994 | 74 | 95,000 | 1 | — | 24 | Not compared (before 2008) | Stable |
| 1993 | 44 | 183,000 | 1 | — | 24 | Not compared (before 2008) | Stable |
| 1992 | 63 | 92,000 | 1 | — | 24 | Not compared (before 2008) | Stable |
| 1991 | 51 | 153,256 | 1 | — | — | Not compared (before 2008) | Stable |
| 1990 | 37 | 167,125 | 1 | — | — | Not compared (before 2008) | Stable |
All Mazda Protege model years · Best and worst years by complaints
Frequently asked questions
What are the most common problems with the 1992 Mazda Protege?
Complaints about this model year center on the automatic motorized shoulder belts used in these cars, which owners describe jamming, sticking mid-track, or stopping altogether, often with the dealer declining to help because the vehicle was outside warranty. The issues reported most often: Automatic shoulder belt jams or stops moving on its track; Ignition switch and steering-column wiring failures.
How many NHTSA complaints does the 1992 Mazda Protege have?
NHTSA recorded 63 consumer complaints for the 1992 Mazda Protege as of Oct 28, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate.
What part of the 1992 Mazda Protege is reported most often?
Seat belts is named most often, in 34 complaints (54% of the total), followed by brakes with 5.
Has the 1992 Mazda Protege been recalled?
NHTSA lists 1 recall campaign for this model year. To check a specific vehicle, enter its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
What gas mileage does the 1992 Mazda Protege get?
The EPA rates the 1992 Mazda Protege (Protege, 1.8L 4-cyl) at 24 mpg combined, 21 city and 29 highway, with an estimated annual fuel cost of $2,800 at 15,000 miles a year. Other engine and drive versions are rated differently.
At what mileage are problems with the 1992 Mazda Protege reported?
Among the 3 complaints that include a mileage, the median is 92,000 miles and the middle half falls between 10,000 and 149,000 miles; 33% were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles.
About this data. Data from NHTSA (ODI) complaints, recalls, TSBs and investigations, updated Oct 28, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate. Crash ratings are from NHTSA’s New Car Assessment Program. Fuel economy is from the EPA and DOE (fueleconomy.gov).
Complaint counts come from NHTSA’s public complaint database; we count each complaint once. The source records for this vehicle are on nhtsa.gov. Scores and trends are our own summaries of that data, described in the methodology. This page is not legal, safety or repair advice: for a specific vehicle, check its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls and ask a qualified mechanic. See an error? Tell us.