2001 Mazda Protege vs 2003 Mazda Protege
Complaints, recalls, TSBs, investigations and safety ratings side by side, from official federal data. Last verified Aug 7, 2026. Raw complaint counts are not adjusted for sales volume.
| Metric | 2001 Mazda Protege | 2003 Mazda Protege |
|---|---|---|
| NHTSA complaints | 50 | 120 |
| Recall campaigns | 1 | 0 |
| Service bulletins (TSBs) | 98 | 96 |
| Investigations | 0 | 0 |
| Crash reports | 12 | 16 |
| Fire reports | 1 | 2 |
| NCAP overall rating | — | — |
| EPA MPG (combined) | — | — |
| Median reported incident mileage | 45,500 mi | 68,364 mi |
Reported problems side by side
| Component | Mazda Protege | Mazda Protege |
|---|---|---|
| Engine and Engine Cooling | 8 | 34 |
| Air Bags | 11 | 10 |
| Seat Belts | 3 | 17 |
| Power Train | 6 | 12 |
| Tires | 4 | 10 |
| Suspension | 1 | 11 |
| Steering | 3 | 7 |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic | 5 | 4 |
Symptoms owners describe
| Stalling | 5 | 17 |
| Misfire / rough idle | 0 | 11 |
| Check engine light | 0 | 9 |
| Clunking / rattling | 0 | 8 |
| Rust / corrosion | 0 | 6 |
| Hesitation / surging | 0 | 5 |
| Vibration / shaking | 0 | 5 |
2001 Mazda Protege
2003 Mazda Protege
Compare all Mazda Protege 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.