2003 Mazda Protege Transmission and drivetrain Problems
- Complaints
- 12about this part
- Share
- 10%of 120 total for the year
- Median mileage
- 27,500miles
- Trend
- Not enough dataFewer than 15 complaints, too few for a reliable trend.
NHTSA recorded 12 complaints about the transmission and drivetrain of the 2003 Mazda Protege, 10% of the 120 complaints for this model year. Where a mileage was given, the median is 27,500 miles. 1 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.
“My transmission completely failed at 18,000 miles and one month shy of being a year old. A new transmission was installed. I had my car back for one week and the new transmission would down shift for no reason as I was doing 70 MPH down the interstate. After replacing the computer, throttle position sensor, throttle range sensor, and the engine wiring harness, Mazda has now decided to replace the new transmission. This will be the third transmission in a year old car.”
NHTSA complaint #10062733, filed 2004-03, 18,157 miles“Under low acceleration between 1st and 2nd and between 2nd and 3rd gears there is a very low frequency noise that sounds like it is generated by a vibration. This has happened since the car was purchased new. I have had it in twice for repair to no avail and the dealer refuses to keep the car overnight to investigate the issue further.”
NHTSA complaint #10080571, filed 2004-07, 500 miles“2003 Mazda Protege (manual transmission); have trouble going into reverse and sometimes into first gear; also, unable to take key out of ignition; driver window feels like it is rolling off track when rolled down. Problems with vehicle first began some time in march 2005.”
NHTSA complaint #10129272, filed 2005-07, 23,000 miles“The 2003-2003.5 mazdaspeed Protege poorly designed limited-slip differential has seen a failure rate of over 125 documented cases online. When this part fails, the vehicle does not respond to acceleration causing a safety issue at highway speeds and residential speeds. When this part fails, it could cause the vehicle and passengers to be at risk for roadside rear end crashes due to loss of power especially if the driver is changing lanes at highway speed. This issue has been a widespread problem for this particular model and Mazda USA has denied any responsibility for issuing a recall. …”
NHTSA complaint #10263194, filed 2009-03, 83,000 miles“The clutch had gone out. Then two of the tires had blown out. One tire had blown out from the inner wall and the other blow out was due to sidewall failure.”
NHTSA complaint #10101949, filed 2005-01, 100 milesRelated service bulletins
- 11032103Apr 21, 2026This Service Alert supersedes the previously issued SA listed below: The changes are noted in Red. SA-011/24 02/12/24, 06/06/24, 07/29/24 DESCRIPTION Mazda has developed factory…
- 10208556Feb 23, 2022Mazda has developed factory recommended scheduled maintenance services that support all major vehicle systems. Mazda recommends dealers follow the scheduled maintenance tables as…
- 10206002Dec 8, 2021Automatic Transmission/Transaxle Cooler and Lines Flushing Procedure: Automatic Transaxle/Transmission (A/T) oil cooler and lines must be power flushed completely before an…
- 10186693Jan 21, 2021Mazda has developed factory recommended scheduled maintenance services that support all major vehicle systems. Mazda recommends dealers follow the scheduled maintenance tables as…
- 10173097Mar 12, 2020Mazda has developed factory recommended scheduled maintenance services that support all major vehicle systems. Mazda recommends dealers follow the scheduled maintenance tables as…
- 10021392Mar 8, 2007Converter assembly breaks at weld.
- 10013965Jun 1, 2004Programmable module installation. ( 2004 mazda b series)
Transmission and drivetrain: other model years
| Year | Complaints | Share of year |
|---|---|---|
| 2003 | 12 | 10% |
| 2002 | 17 | 17% |
| 2001 | 6 | 12% |
| 2000 | 29 | 28% |
| 1999 | 22 | 25% |
| 1998 | 15 | 33% |
| 1997 | 10 | 15% |
| 1996 | 8 | 11% |
| 1995 | 19 | 12% |
| 1994 | 7 | 9% |
| 1993 | 2 | 5% |
| 1992 | 4 | 6% |
| 1991 | 4 | 8% |
| 1990 | 2 | 5% |
Other parts of the 2003 Mazda Protege
34 complaintsSeat belts
17 complaintsSuspension
11 complaintsAir bags
10 complaintsTires
10 complaintsBrakes
7 complaintsSteering
7 complaintsEngine
6 complaintsSeats
4 complaintsBody and structure
4 complaintsElectrical system
3 complaintsEquipment
3 complaints
← All problems reported for the 2003 Mazda Protege
About this data. Data from NHTSA (ODI) complaints, recalls, TSBs and investigations, updated Oct 29, 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