1996 Ford Contour vs 1996 Mazda Protege
Complaints, recalls, TSBs, investigations and safety ratings side by side, from official federal data. Last verified Aug 8, 2026. Raw complaint counts are not adjusted for sales volume.
| Metric | 1996 Ford Contour | 1996 Mazda Protege |
|---|---|---|
| NHTSA complaints | 563 | 70 |
| Recall campaigns | 3 | 1 |
| Service bulletins (TSBs) | 223 | 47 |
| Investigations | 5 | 0 |
| Crash reports | 35 | 24 |
| Fire reports | 24 | 1 |
| NCAP overall rating | — | — |
| EPA MPG (combined) | 21–25 | 23–30 |
| Median reported incident mileage | 91,500 mi | — |
Reported problems side by side
| Component | Ford Contour | Mazda Protege |
|---|---|---|
| Engine and Engine Cooling | 123 | 4 |
| Electrical System | 119 | 3 |
| Power Train | 77 | 8 |
| Exterior Lighting | 64 | 0 |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic | 44 | 9 |
| Air Bags | 25 | 24 |
| Equipment | 41 | 6 |
| Visibility | 41 | 3 |
Symptoms owners describe
| Stalling | 44 | 0 |
| Electrical failures | 35 | 0 |
| Overheating | 24 | 0 |
| Vibration / shaking | 14 | 0 |
| Check engine light | 10 | 0 |
| Hesitation / surging | 10 | 0 |
| Clunking / rattling | 8 | 0 |
| Rust / corrosion | 8 | 0 |
1996 Ford Contour
1996 Mazda Protege
Compare all Ford Contour vs Mazda Protege years →
Method. Complaints are unique NHTSA reports. A vehicle that sold more units will naturally accumulate more complaints — use shares and read the underlying reports before drawing conclusions.