Total Complaints
232 filings
MAZDA PROTEGE · model year
232 NHTSA complaints, 42 crash reports for this specific cohort.
NHTSA overall rating
Not crash-tested
New Car Assessment Program
The 1995MAZDAPROTEGE carries 232 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 42 crashes, 5 fires, 79 injuries, and 1 fatality. No NCAP 5-star crash-test rating is available for this model year in the federal database.
Component-level analysis is where model-year complaints become actionable: the top complaint category for the 1995 PROTEGE is air bags:frontal with 36 filings, followed by exterior lighting:headlights (14) and air bags (12). Concentration in one or two component groups is the classic signature of a systemic defect; a flat distribution usually reflects normal aging, warranty complaints, or isolated build-plant variability.
NHTSA currently has 1 investigation file overlapping the 1995 PROTEGE. Owners comparing this cohort against neighboring years should pair the counters above with the complaint-by-year trend on the parent model page — a spike in a single year often tracks to a platform refresh, a new transmission supplier, or an updated ECU calibration. Use the related-complaint feed below to read raw owner narratives before deciding whether any pattern here affects your specific use case.
Total Complaints
232 filings
Crashes Reported
42 reports
Source
NHTSA ODI
Federal complaints database
Above median complaint volume — review patterns below.
| Component | Count |
|---|---|
| AIR BAGS:FRONTAL | 36 |
| EXTERIOR LIGHTING:HEADLIGHTS | 14 |
| AIR BAGS | 12 |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE | 10 |
| POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION | 10 |
| UNKNOWN OR OTHER | 8 |
| SEATS | 8 |
| EXTERIOR LIGHTING:HEADLIGHTS:SWITCH | 8 |
| VISIBILITY:DEFROSTER/DEFOGGER/HVAC SYSTEM | 7 |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE | 7 |
| POWER TRAIN:DRIVELINE:CONSTANT VELOCITY JOINT | 5 |
| SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS | 5 |
| SEAT BELTS:FRONT:BUCKLE ASSEMBLY | 4 |
| STRUCTURE:BODY | 4 |
| SEAT BELTS:FRONT:WEBBING | 4 |
THE AIR BAGS EXPLODED WHILE I WAS OUT SIDE THE CAR , THERE WAS A RECALL ON THE AIR BAGS & I WAS NEVER NOTIFIED BY EITHER MAZDA CORP OR THE DEALER & I HAVE BEEN THE ORIGINAL OWNER , THERE HAS BEEN NUMEROUS RECALLS ON THE 1995 PROTEGE & AT NO TIME I WAS EVER CONTACTED THAT THERE WAS A RECALL PERIOD. IN 1997 THE ENGINE DIED & I HAD TO PAY THE SUM OF $1500.00 TO REPLACE THE ENGINE & THERE WERE RECALLS I RECEIVED NO NOTIFICATION OF. I CONTACTED BOTH MAZDA OF NORTH AMERICA & THE DEALER PLAZA AUTO MALL WHERE I PURCHASED THE CAR IN 1995 & BOTH REFUSED MY REQUEST TO ADDRESS THIS MATTER. THE VEHICLE WAS INSPECTED, AND IT WAS DETERMINED THE AIR BAGS DEPLOYED, DUE TO CORROSION. UPDATED 08/27/14
Mileage: 49,000
THE AIR BAGS EXPLODED WHILE I WAS OUT SIDE THE CAR , THERE WAS A RECALL ON THE AIR BAGS & I WAS NEVER NOTIFIED BY EITHER MAZDA CORP OR THE DEALER & I HAVE BEEN THE ORIGINAL OWNER , THERE HAS BEEN NUMEROUS RECALLS ON THE 1995 PROTEGE & AT NO TIME I WAS EVER CONTACTED THAT THERE WAS A RECALL PERIOD. IN 1997 THE ENGINE DIED & I HAD TO PAY THE SUM OF $1500.00 TO REPLACE THE ENGINE & THERE WERE RECALLS I RECEIVED NO NOTIFICATION OF. I CONTACTED BOTH MAZDA OF NORTH AMERICA & THE DEALER PLAZA AUTO MALL WHERE I PURCHASED THE CAR IN 1995 & BOTH REFUSED MY REQUEST TO ADDRESS THIS MATTER. THE VEHICLE WAS INSPECTED, AND IT WAS DETERMINED THE AIR BAGS DEPLOYED, DUE TO CORROSION. UPDATED 08/27/14
Mileage: 49,000
I WAS OUT OF THE CAR & BOTH AIR BAGS EXPLODED , THERE WAS A RECALL ON THE AIR BAGS , BUT I WAS NEVER INFORMED BY MAZDA CORP ,I BECAME AWARE OF THE RECALL AFTER THE AIR BAGS EXPLODED. *JS
Mileage: 49,000
1995 MAZDA PROTEGE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION FAILURE. *TR
Mileage: 125,000
TL* - THE CONTACT HAD A 1995 MAZDA PROTEGE WHICH WAS IN A HEAD ON CRASH. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE CAR WAS TRAVELING AT 55 MPH UNDER DRY CONDITIONS WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS STRUCK BY ANOTHER HEAD ON. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE DRIVER SIDE AIR BAG DID NOT DEPLOY AND AS A RESULT THE DRIVER WAS KILLED. THAT CONTACT STATED THAT THERE WEREN'T ANY SKID MARKS IN THE ROAD TO INDICATE THAT EITHER VEHICLE TRIED TO STOP. THE CONTACT STATED THAT SHE HAS A POLICE REPORT FROM THE CRASH. THE CONTACT HAS THE STEERING SECTION OF THE VEHICLE WITH THE AIR BAG. *NM THE DECEDENTS GRANDMOTHER WROTE IN. UPDATED 02/26/07.*JB
Mileage: 12,546
MY 1995 MAZDA PROTEGE HAS THE GAS AND BRAKE PETALS SO CLOSE IN HEIGHT AND LITTLE SEPARATION THAT IT IS VERY EASY TO APPLY THE BRAKE AND STILL BE APPLYING THE GAS. I HAVE NOT HAD AN ACCIDENT YET BUT HAVE HAD SOME VERY NEAR MISSES. *NM
MY 1995 MAZDA PROTEGE HAS THE GAS AND BRAKE PETALS SO CLOSE IN HEIGHT AND LITTLE SEPARATION THAT IT IS VERY EASY TO APPLY THE BRAKE AND STILL BE APPLYING THE GAS. I HAVE NOT HAD AN ACCIDENT YET BUT HAVE HAD SOME VERY NEAR MISSES. *NM
AT 5000 MILES THE REAR DEFROST DID NOT WORK. IN THE WINTER IT IS DIFFICULT TO SEE OUT THE BACK WINDOW. IT WAS NOT FIXED BECAUSE THE CAR WAS OUT OF WARRANTY AND MAZDA WOULD NOT REPAIR. *NM
Mileage: 5,000
WHILE DRIVING HEADLIGHT SWITCH WORKS INTERMITTENTLY. CONSUMER IS STILL HAVING THE SAME PROBLEMS AFTER REPAIR OF RECALL 91007. DEALERSHIP WAS NOTIFIED, BUT DID NOT RESOLVE THE PROBLEM. *AK
Mileage: 127,066
DRIVER WAS HIT FROM BEHIND WHILE SITTING AT AN INTERSECTION ,THEN PUSHED INTO A PARKED VEHICLE. LEFT FRONT AIR BAG DID NOT DEPLOY. DRIVER SUSTAINED MINOR INJURIES, AND DID NOT SEEK MEDICAL ATTENTION. VEHICLE WAS TOWED, AND TOTALED BY THE INSURANCE COMPANY. *AK
THIS IS A REPEAT OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER : 00V118000. I HAD THE CAR REPAIRED AT THE MAZDA DEALERSHIP IN YEAR 2000 UNDER THE PREVIOUS RECALL. 1 MONTH AGO THE HEADLIGHTS STOP WORKING DUE TO A BROKEN WIRE IN THE HEADLIGHT SWITCH ASSEMBLY. THE GROUND WIRE BROKE ITS SOLDER CONNECTION AT THE BASE OF THE SWITCH. I HAVE DISSAEMBLED THE SWITCH AND CONNECT A TEMPORARY GROUND WIRE TO THE BASE OF THE SWITCH. THERE IS SOMETHING WRONG WITH THE ENGINEERING OF THIS SWITCH ASSEMBLY IF IT HAPPENS AGAIN!
1995 MAZDA PROTEGE. BOTH AIRBAGS DEPLOYED WHEN MY DAUGHTER HIT A CURB. NO OTHER DAMAGE WAS EVIDENT. TIRES AND RIMS HAD NO DAMAGE. THE BAGS SHOULD NOT HAVE DEPLOYED. RECALL 95V184000 DESCRIBES PROBLEM WITH INADVERTENT AIR BAG DEPLOYMENT ON THIS VEHICLE. MAZDA CLAIMS THAT MY DAUGHTERS VEHICLE WAS FIXED IN 1995. THIS UNDERCARRIAGE IMPACT CAUSED THE BAGS TO DEPLOY HURTING MY DAUGHTER AND THE PASSENGER SIDE BAG DOOR CRACKED THE WINDSHIELD. VERY EXPENSIVE ITEMS TO FIX FOR NO REASON. *JB
Mileage: 125,000
THE CONSUMER WAS DRIVING WITH THE CRUISE CONTROL ENGAGED, HE APPLIED THE BRAKE PEDAL(3 TIMES), BUT THE CRUISE CONTROL FAILED TO DISENGAGE, WHICH RESULTED IN THE CONSUMER'S VEHICLE COLLIDING WITH ANOTHER VEHICLE. THE DEALER DIAGNOSED THE CAUSE AS A FAULTY CRUISE CONTROL MOTOR. *AK *SCC *JB
Mileage: 88,000
REAR DEFROST SWITCH FAILED FOR THE SECOND TIME. PER MY KNOWLEDGE, THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH 1995 MAZDA PROTEGE AND IS A PART OF TSB. THIS CAUSES POOR VISIBILITY AND MIGHT CAUSE AN ACCIDENT WHILE DRIVING ON FREEWAY. *AK
TRANSMISSION FAILED AT 60128 MILES. THIS OCCURRED WHILE I WAS PASSING ANOTHER VEHICLE WHICH MADE IT A SAFETY ISSUE. LUCKILY THE VEHICLE THAT I WAS PASSING DECIDED TO SPEED UP SO THAT I COULD GET BACK INTO MY LANE BEFORE ANOTHER VEHICLE CAME ALONG WHICH WOULD HAVE ENDED UP IN A HEAD ON COLLISION. *NLM
Mileage: 60,128
1995 MAZDA PROTEGE >180000 MI. >DURING THIS TIME THE DEALER HAS INSTALLED (3) AIR CONDITIONER COMPRESSORS APPROXIMATELY ONE FOR EVERY 60000 MI. AT OVER $1000 APIECE> IT IS NOW IN THE SHOP WITH AN EXPECTED BILL OF $1200.00. *NLM
Mileage: 180,000
ENGINE FAILURE AS DESCRIBED IN RECALL NUMBER 95 V 0 3 3000. CALLED MAZDA AT 1-800-222-5500 ON MARCH 03, 2003, BUT WAS TOLD THAT MY VEHICLE IDENTIFICATION NUMBER IS NOT IN THEIR RECALL LIST. HOWEVER, THEY WERE NOTIFIED. *JB
Mileage: 111,123
HEADLIGHT SWITCH WAS RECALLED AND REPLACED. REPLACEMENT SWITCH FAILED: HEADLIGHTS WENT OFF WHEN TURN SIGNAL WAS USED. REPLACED AGAIN. NOW TAILLIGHTS AND DASH LIGHTS ARE SHORTING OUT. MAY BE DUE TO SWITCH AGAIN. DEALER UNABLE TO FIX.
Mileage: 70,000
CONSUMER STATED HAVING THE SAME PROBLEM AS RECALL#95V033000 ENGINE. DEALER WILL NOT REPAIR BECAUSE VIN NUMBER IS NOT INCLUDED. DEALER NOTIFIED. TS
PRIOR TO RECALL OOV118 CONSUMER HAD THE HEADLIGHT SWITCH FIXED. CONSUMER SENT IN PROOF OF REPAIR BUT MAZDA WILL NOT HONOR. *JG
Data as of 2025. Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) complaints database, NHTSA recall campaign API, NHTSA NCAP crash-test ratings, and NHTSA FARS for fatality cross-reference.
Read our methodology — how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.