1997 Mazda Protege Seat belts Problems
- Complaints
- 6about this part
- Share
- 9%of 66 total for the year
- Median mileage
- —not reported
- Trend
- Not enough dataFewer than 15 complaints, too few for a reliable trend.
NHTSA recorded 6 complaints about the seat belts of the 1997 Mazda Protege, 9% of the 66 complaints for this model year. 2 of these say a crash was involved, according to the filers.
Fewer than 15 complaints name this part, so treat the figures as a rough indication only.
Example complaints
Selected from NHTSA records; personal details are removed. They are consumer reports, not findings.
“While driving at 50 mhp another vehicle stopped in the middle of the highway. When applying the brakes, the consumer pumped the brakes and the vehicle slid into the other vehicle, rearending it. Upon impact, driver's air bag didn't deploy until the consumer hit the steering wheel and broke the biggest sternum bone in her chest. Also, the shoulder belt didn't hold the consumer.”
NHTSA complaint #832154, filed 2000-02“The rear outer seat belts, when used with a child safety seat are extremely difficult to use. When trying to latch the seat belt, the female part has nothing to keep it above the seat while pushing on it to the the male part in. This makes it difficult to push the belt in making it extremely difficult to make it click.”
NHTSA complaint #532830, filed 1998-03“Driver's and passenger's seat belt cable will not release from the retracting mechanism, causing seat belts to become inoperable. Cable of belt is sticking out of track and motors had to be disconnected because they were running all the time and ran down the battery.”
NHTSA complaint #864152, filed 2000-06“While driving at 40 MPH there was a direct frontal collision, and air bags did not deploy, causing injury to driver. The seat belt failed during the accident.”
NHTSA complaint #8012946, filed 2002-06Seat belts: other model years
| Year | Complaints | Share of year |
|---|---|---|
| 2003 | 17 | 14% |
| 2002 | 20 | 20% |
| 2001 | 3 | 6% |
| 2000 | 8 | 8% |
| 1999 | 2 | 2% |
| 1998 | 3 | 7% |
| 1997 | 6 | 9% |
| 1996 | 6 | 9% |
| 1995 | 13 | 8% |
| 1994 | 37 | 50% |
| 1993 | 23 | 52% |
| 1992 | 34 | 54% |
| 1991 | 27 | 53% |
| 1990 | 21 | 57% |
Other parts of the 1997 Mazda Protege
12 complaintsBrakes
11 complaintsTransmission and drivetrain
10 complaintsEngine cooling
9 complaintsVehicle speed control
8 complaintsElectrical system
6 complaintsEquipment
5 complaintsFuel system
5 complaintsBody and structure
5 complaintsSuspension
5 complaintsVisibility (wipers, defrost, mirrors)
5 complaintsOther or unknown
3 complaints
← All problems reported for the 1997 Mazda Protege
About this data. Data from NHTSA (ODI) complaints, recalls, TSBs and investigations, updated Oct 31, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate.
To check a specific vehicle for open recalls, use its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls. Methodology