Selling an old or dead Mazda Protege

The file is also heavy on crashes: 181 complaints report one, and 190 people are listed as injured. Later cars have been out a little less, but even a 2003 has been around for over two decades.

When yours is done, sell the whole car as it sits. We buy whole non-running and junk cars, and there's free pickup anywhere in the US.

What owners reported, by stretch of years

We have no generation history for the Protege, so we've grouped the years below based on the complaint data. The EPA lists the car from 1992 to 2003, including Protege5 and Protege MPS versions. NHTSA also holds complaints filed under a 1991 Protege.

1991-1994: seat belts

These four years have 232 complaints, and seat belts are the top component on each one: 26 of 51 on the 1991, 32 of 63 on the 1992, 23 of 44 on the 1993 and 36 of 74 on the 1994.

Each of these years has one recall, campaign 15V674. Grease in the ignition switch is the subject, and dealers replace the switch free. The campaign spans 1989-1998 MPV, 323, Protege, MX-3, 929, MX-6 and 626 vehicles, so its 1,368,500 count is for all of them, not the Protege alone.

1995: the busiest year

The 1995 has 165 complaints, the most of any Protege year. They report 31 crashes, 53 injuries and one death. Air bags (36), exterior lighting (25) and power train (14) are named most.

It also has four recalls, more than any other year:

• 95V033: the wire used to make the engine valve springs can crack, and the springs can break. Dealers replace all 16 valve springs. 5,760 vehicles.
• 95V184: the tie-down hooks can cause underbody impacts that set off the air bags when they shouldn't. Dealers fit modified hooks. 51,817 vehicles.
• 00V118: the headlight wire that runs through the turn signal lever can fail at its soldered joint to the headlight switch. Dealers repair the switch. 76,000 vehicles.
• 15V674: the ignition switch campaign above.

The headlight recall lines up with the 25 lighting complaints on this year. The tie-down hook recall lines up with the air bag complaints.

1996-2003: power train moves to the top

From 1998 on, power train leads or ties for the lead in four of six years: 14 of 46 complaints on the 1998, 19 of 88 on the 1999, 26 of 102 on the 2000 and 15 of 99 on the 2002. The 2003 is different. Engine and engine cooling leads with 33 of its 120 complaints, and one complaint reports a death.

Two recalls fall in this stretch. Campaign 00V301 covers 1999 cars with a certain factory audio unit, where water could get in during hot, humid driving; dealers sealed it with aluminum tape (23,000 vehicles). Campaign 01V024 is for 2000-2001 Proteges with a left rear brake hose hurt during assembly that could leak fluid (13,000 vehicles). The 2002 and 2003 have no recall campaigns listed by NHTSA.

Protege complaints by model year

Protege owners filed these complaints with NHTSA, and we pulled them on October 10, 2026. Since one recall can span more than one year, the recall column doesn't total six.

Repair it or let it go?

With a Protege this old, the choice mostly means weighing one repair against a low resale value.

• Transmission slipping or gone on a 1998-2002? That matches the power train complaints. Our bad transmission guide covers the signs.
• Engine overheating or knocking on a 2003? See head gasket or overheating and blown engine.
• Just worn out? The old or high mileage guide explains why many owners stop putting money in.

Check the VIN at NHTSA's recall lookup either way. An unrepaired ignition switch recall is free to fix at a dealer.

How to sell the Protege whole

1. Write down the Protege's VIN, miles and problem. Also say whether it's the sedan or the Protege5 wagon.
2. Request an offer online, or call (877) 421-6008.
3. Say where your Protege sits. Years in a yard on flat tires is no problem. Free pickup anywhere in the US.
4. Leave the parts on. If the battery, wheels or converter have been taken off, tell us; see missing parts.
5. Give the driver the title when they come. Can't find it? Read selling with no title.

Other older Mazdas we cover: the 323, 626 and Millenia, or browse all Mazda models.