2000 Mazda Protege Problems

What owners report

Owners of the 2000 Mazda Protege most often describe automatic transmission trouble, typically showing up on low-mileage cars: harsh lunging or slipping between gears, a flashing overdrive light, and dealers replacing the transmission. A second strong theme is airbags that did not deploy in frontal collisions, along with seat belts that jam or will not release. Many complaints were filed while the cars were still well under 100,000 miles.

1. 1
   Transmission and drivetrain

   Automatic transmission lunging, slipping, flashing O/D light

   • 31 complaints (30%)
   • median 47,400 mi at 5.3 yrs old (14 state mileage)
   • 2 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • filed 2000–2018

   Complaints describe the car jerking or lunging forward while driving, sometimes feeling as if it slipped into neutral, along with a flashing overdrive light and a harsh noise. Several owners say the transmission fluid darkened quickly, and some had the transmission replaced, in a few cases more than once. Dealers sometimes could not reproduce the symptom and told owners nothing was wrong, while other shops diagnosed internal transmission damage. Mostly reported between roughly 27,000 and 70,000 miles, often while accelerating around 35-45 mph.

   1 related service bulletin

   What to check: Ask for transmission service records and check whether the overdrive light flashes during a test drive at highway speed. Have a shop read stored transmission codes and inspect fluid color before buying.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “While lightly accelerating the car suddenly jerked, made a loud noise, and felt as though it slipped into neutral. I pulled my foot off the gas and the car recovered. This has happened 3 times within the past year, all incidents occurred around 40 MPH. I noticed the car usually downshifts at this speed, but had not before each of these incidents had occurred. The car has less than 30k miles. I took it to the dealer, they did not find anything wrong and could not reproduce. …”

   NHTSA complaint #10016639, filed 2003-04, 27,500 miles

   “As I accelerated to 30 MPH, the o/d off light on the dashboard flashed and the speedometer stayed at zero, even though I was driving as fast as the other cars on the street. It felt like neutral gear. The manual indicates the flashing light is due to an electrical problem with the transmission. I remembered that within a few months of purchasing this new car, the transmission was replaced due to peculiar sounds, so I worry about the quality of this component since I do not drive much.”

   NHTSA complaint #10147190, filed 2006-01, 31,127 miles
2. 2
   Air bags

   Front airbags did not deploy in a crash

   • 23 complaints (23%)
   • median 41,000 mi at 4.3 yrs old (5 state mileage, few)
   • 20 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • filed 2000–2019

   Owners describe frontal and side impacts where the airbags did not inflate, in some cases after collisions at moderate speed. A few complaints describe the airbag deploying late or unexpectedly without a crash. Most say they were injured in the collision and that neither the driver nor passenger bag went off. Reported across a wide mileage range, from very low mileage to over 40,000 miles, generally during collisions rather than in routine driving.

   1 related service bulletin

   What to check: Check that the airbag warning light comes on and then goes out at startup, and ask whether any airbag-related repairs or recall work were done. A dealer can scan for stored airbag fault codes.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “I was in a single car accident. I hit a guard rail, went through it and rolled down a 30 foot embankment. I suffered neck and shoulder injuries and back injuries. I have not driven a car since this accident. In the emergency room a nurse said I had a possible spinal compression fracture. I thought my car was suppose to have air bags, I saw the car for the first time since the accident yesterday. The whole car is beat up...the roof, the front, the back both sides, and not even 1 of the air bags deployed. …”

   NHTSA complaint #10007433, filed 2002-10, 37,600 miles

   “While driving w. Bound at about 25 MPH, passenger side of car was impacted by vehicle going s. Bound at about 40 MPH. Car was forced sw through a curb, a gas sign, and impacted with the rear of a parked car. Accelerator was stuck, brakes ineffective and finally parked by driver. Major passenger side and frontal damage. Car totaled. Neither passenger nor driver side air bags deployed.”

   NHTSA complaint #10016765, filed 2003-04, 41,000 miles
3. 3
   Engine cooling

   Engine misfire, spark plug and check-engine light trouble

   • 10 complaints (10%)
   • median 73,000 mi at 6.6 yrs old (6 state mileage, few)
   • filed 2000–2017

   Complaints describe the check engine light coming on repeatedly, sometimes traced to an ignition coil, catalytic converter or control module, and in one case a spark plug blew out of the cylinder head. Owners report the car hesitating or losing power on hills and struggling to start. Reported from roughly 60,000 to 148,000 miles, generally as the cars aged.

   1 related service bulletin

   What to check: Have the car scanned for stored engine codes and check for a rough idle, hesitation or an illuminated check engine light on the test drive. Confirm spark plugs and ignition components have been serviced.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “Car does not start unless you jiggle steering wheel while turning key or pumping gas pedal. Had battery checked as well as starter and ignitiion switch replaced but has not solved problem.”

   NHTSA complaint #11000340, filed 2017-06, 148,000 miles

   “Bought car in october 2000 brand new and to date have had 6 problems. 1) march 2001 motor for driver side window had to be replaced. 2) december 2001 cd player stopped working temporarily. 3) 4/8/02 check engine lite came on, dealer found no problem. 4) 4/30/02 check engine lite came on, this time dealer had to replace ignition coil. 5) 10/24/02 check engine lite came on, dealer found no problem. 6) 12/27/02 check engine lite came on, dealer has to replace catalytic converter ts”

   NHTSA complaint #10000502, filed 2003-01
4. 4
   Seat belts

   Seat belts jam or will not release

   • 6 complaints (6%)
   • median 80,000 mi at 7.1 yrs old (3 state mileage, few)
   • filed 2000–2012

   Complaints describe seat belts that jam in the buckled position or will not unlatch, leaving occupants struggling to get out, and in one case pulling apart at the buckle. Owners report dealers were sometimes unable to supply a replacement part. Mostly reported between about 56,000 and 89,000 miles, with some at lower mileage.

   What to check: Buckle and release every seat belt several times, checking that the latch moves freely and the webbing is intact on each seating position.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “I was unable to release the driver's side seat belt. I crawled out under it and eventually got it to release. It seems to work ok now but I'm now leery of it.”

   NHTSA complaint #10173189, filed 2006-11, 56,000 miles

   “Dt: the consumer has a 2000 Mazda Protege. The driver's lower seat belt fell apart. The consumer has contacted several dealer who told her the she couldn't get a replacement. All of the other seat belts are fine and there are no cracks in them. The consumer's vehicle has not been in an accident.”

   NHTSA complaint #10128505, filed 2005-07, 80,000 miles
5. 5
   Brakes

   Brakes feel weak or slow the car poorly

   • 8 complaints (8%)
   • median 41,000 mi at 4.2 yrs old (3 state mileage, few)
   • 4 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • filed 2001–2006

   Owners describe the brake pedal going down without the car slowing as expected, and in one case a collision followed. Others mention persistent squeaking that was raised repeatedly at service visits and a parking brake that did not hold the car on an incline. Reported from about 33,000 to 45,000 miles in the sample, in normal driving conditions.

   Recall 01V0240001 related service bulletin

   What to check: Ask whether the rear brake hose recall was completed, and have the brakes and parking brake inspected, including a check for fluid leaks at the rear hoses.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “2000 Mazda Protege dx. Since purchase in 3/2000, the car will occasional jolt when accelerating. No mechanic can say why. The trunk is hard to get into. The rear door seals continue to come free (the back seat is rearly used). Hub cap clamps are broken/missing (pointed out to me in yesterdays oil change) now resulting in loss of a hub cap . This morning I noticed both rear door windows where glass meets the door- the to of door is bowed and seal is bowed out as well. …”

   NHTSA complaint #10060344, filed 2004-03

   “While driving at 25 MPH brakes were depressed, but vehicle did not slow down and it collided with the drivers side of another vehicle. No one was injured in the collision.”

   NHTSA complaint #10057194, filed 2004-01, 33,000 miles

Buying note. A 2000 Protege can be a simple, inexpensive car, but the sample points to automatic transmission repairs at fairly low mileage and to airbag and seat belt concerns, so budget for a transmission inspection and check the safety systems carefully before buying.

Summary written with AI from a sample of 60 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.