1998 Mazda Protege

1998 Mazda Protege 4-DR.

Overall

Not Rated

Front Crash

Not Rated

Side Crash

Not Rated

Rollover

Not Rated

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:SWITCH

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 inside the ignition switch may become conductive and overheat.

Campaign: 15V674000

EXTERIOR LIGHTING

SABERSPORT IS RECALLING 16,270 COMBINATION CORNER AND BUMPER LAMP ASSEMBLIES OF VARIOUS PART NUMBERS SOLD FOR USE AS AFTERMARKET EQUIPMENT FOR VARIOUS PASSENGER VEHICLES. THESE HEADLAMPS FAIL TO CONFORM TO THE REQUIREMENTS OF FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 108, "LAMPS, REFLECTIVE DEVICES, AND ASSOCIATED EQUIPMENT." THESE LAMPS DO NOT CONTAIN THE REQUIRED AMBER SIDE REFLECTORS.

Campaign: 09E012000

AIR BAGS

Straight-on, front-end collision occurred, that destroyed radiator and folded hood. Air bag did not deploy.

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 MAZDA PROTEGE. WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE IGNITION SWITCH ALONG WITH THE KEYS BECAME HOT TO THE TOUCH WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC, BUT THE DIAGNOSIS WAS UNKNOWN. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE INDEPENDENT MECHANIC ORDERED UNKNOWN PARTS TO REPAIR THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT CALLED SKYLAND MAZDA AT (828) 667-52132 AND THE MANUFACTURER. THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 15V674000 (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM). THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 200,000.

STEERING

WHEN TURNING IN EITHER DIRECTION STEERING PRODUCES A GRINDING NOISE. AS A RESULT, THE STEERING RACK AND PINION HAS MALFUNCTIONED. MIDAS ASKING FOR $1400 AND SAYS THIS IS COMMON MAZDA PROTEGE 1998 PROBLEM. I FOUND SIMILAR ALREADY EXISTING COMPLAINT BY SOMEONE ELSE (REFERENCE NUMBER: 10083656). *TR

TIRES

I WAS DRIVING ALONE MY 1998 MAZDA PROTEGE ALONG A LOCAL ROUTE IN TEWKSBURY MA IN LIGHT RAIN AT ABOUT 30-35 MPH WHEN A CAR A FEW CARS AHEAD OF ME MADE A QUICK STOP FOR A LEFT TURN. SEVERAL CAR BEHIND STOPPED WITHOUT PROBLEM, BUT I WAS NOT ABLE TO STOP AND SKID ALL THE WAY INTO THE CAR AT FRONT WHICH WAS A 2002 CAMRY. AT THE TIME THE CAR AT FRONT OF ME HIT THE BRAKE I TAPPED ON MY BRAKE ALMOST AT THE SAME TIME AND THERE WERE ABOUT 10 CAR LENGTH DISTANCE BETWEEN ME AND THE 2002 CAMRY THAT I HIT EVENTUALLY. THE TRACTION PROVIDED BY MY TIRES ARE EXTREMELY LOW ESPECIALLY IN WET. THE TIRES I WAS RIDING ON ARE 4 GOODYEAR INTEGRITY P175/70R13 THAT I INSTALLED IN MAY 2005 IN ALLIED TIRES AND SERVICE IN GAINESVILLE, FL 32607. I HAD ABOUT 40K MILES ON THEM AT THE TIME OF ACCIDENT. MY CAR PASSED THE MA STATE SAFETY INSPECTION IN JAN 2008, AND MY MOST RECENT VISUAL CHECK ON THE TIRES SHOWED THERE WERE ENOUGH TREAD LEFT. FROM DAY ONE I NOTICED THESE TIRES WERE EXTREMELY SLIPPERY COMPARED TO OTHER TIRES, A LITTLE BIT MORE ON THROTTLE OR BRAKE COULD CAUSE TIRE SPIN IN EVEN DRY CONDITION, IN WET IT'S MUCH WORSE. AS A SAFETY DRIVER I CONSIDERED MYSELF, I ALWAYS DROVE WELL UNDER SPEED LIMIT WITH EXTREME CAUTION, AT THAT TIME I DIDN'T CONSIDER THESE TIRES AN IMMINENT HAZARD SO I TOOK NO ACTION AND CONTINUED USING THEM UNTIL THIS ACCIDENT. I DEEPLY REGRETTED THIS. I SINCERELY REQUEST YOUR FULL INVESTIGATION INTO THE GRIP PERFORMANCE ON THIS LINE OF TIRES. I AM A SAFE DRIVER WITH 7 YEAR OF CLEAN RECORD BEFORE THIS ACCIDENT. BEFORE I MADE THIS COMPLAINT I FOUND MANY PREVIOUS COMPLAINTS ON THIS SITE ALSO ADDRESSED THE GRIP ISSUE. AND THERE ARE SUBSTANTIAL COMPLAINTS OF THIS LINE OF TIRES ON THE GRIP PERFORMANCE ON INTERNET. THE ACCIDENT HAPPENED AT 1:30 PM, MAY 31, 2008, AT MAIN ST RT. 38 IN TEWKSBURY, MA 01876. SHOULD YOU REQUIRE MORE DETAILS YOU COULD CONTACT ME OR THE TEWKSBURY MA POLICE. I APPRECIATE ALL YOUR EFFORT ON THIS. THANK YOU, WING-HIN WONG *TR

POWER TRAIN

TRANSMISSION FAILURE IN VEHICLE WITH ONLY 65,800 MILES. *JB

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

VEHICLE FAILED EMISSIONS INSPECTION DUE TO A CRACK IN THE FRONT EXHAUST PIPE AND MID-PIPE. DEALER REPLACED BOTH AT MY EXPENSE. *JB

SEAT BELTS

THE FRONT SEAT BELTS WERE LOOSE AND WILL NOT RETRACT BACK IN TO NORMAL POSITION. *JB

POWER TRAIN

TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS. *BF THE VEHICLE IS ON ITS 4TH TRANSMISSION. *TC

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

NUMEROUS PROBLEMS WITH 1999 MAZDA PROTEGE LX.*MR DAYS AFTER THE VEHICLE WAS PURCHASED THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATED WHILE DRIVING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN BACK TO THE DEALER WHERE SHE WAS TOLD THAT THEY WERE NOT VERY KNOWLEDGEABLE ABOUT MAZDA BECAUSE THEY WERE PRIMARILY A HONDA DEALER. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A SERVICE STATION WHERE THEY SUGGESTED THE PROBLEM HAD SOMETHING TO DO WITH THE GAS. THE TECHNICIAN RESET THE COMPUTER AND TOLD THE CONSUMER IF THE PROBLEM RECURRED TO TAKE THE VEHICLE TO A MAZDA DEALER. THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CONTINUED TO ILLUMINATE, BUT EVERY TIME THE CONSUMER ATTEMPTED TO TAKE THE VEHICLE TO BE SERVICED THE LIGHT WOULD GO OFF. OVER THE COARSE OF A FEW MONTHS THE DEALER REPLACED SEVERAL COMPONENTS THAT THEY THOUGHT WOULD ALLEVIATE THE PROBLEM, BUT THEY DIDN'T. IT WAS LATER DETERMINED THAT THE DRAIN PLUG WAS NOT PUT BACK PROPERLY AND FELL OUT WHILE DRIVING. *NM

POWER TRAIN

AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS. VEHICLE DOWNSHIFTS FOR NO REASON. INTERMITTENT TIMES CAR WILL DOWNSHIFT TO LOWER GEAR WHEN FOOT REMOVED FROM ACCELERATOR PEDAL WHETHER ON STREETS OR FREEWAY. CAR IS RENDERD UNUSABLE BY WIFE.*AK