1991 Mazda Protege Recalls, Complaints & Specs
1 safety recall lists the 1991 Mazda Protege, and owners have filed 51 complaints with NHTSA. Check your own VIN below.
1 safety recall for the 1991 Mazda Protege
Most recent first. Recall repairs are free at any authorised dealer. Click a recall for the full defect, consequence and remedy text.
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Switch (electrical system)
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.
Remedy: Mazda will notify owners, and dealers will replace the ignition switch, free of charge. The recall began on December 17, 2015. Owners may contact Mazda Customer Experience Center at 1-800-222-5500, option#6. Mazda's…
51 owner complaints filed with NHTSA
Owners of the 1991 Mazda Protege have filed 51 complaints with NHTSA; 5 describe a crash and 2 describe a fire. Reports cite 8 injuries and 0 deaths. The average mileage at failure in those reports is 145,869 miles. Complaints peaked in 1995 with 11 filed that year.
Most-reported components
What owners are reporting
“Tl* the contact owned a 1991 mazda protege. While driving various speeds, smoke appeared under the hood. There were no flames visible and no injuries. The vehicle was destroyed. The contact received n”
Owner complaint to NHTSA, June 27, 2016 · Electrical system
“Tl* the contact owns a 1991 mazda protege. The contact stated that while driving at approximately 45 MPH during rain weather conditions, the vehicle went over a pothole causing the contact to lose con”
Owner complaint to NHTSA, January 8, 2016 · Air bags
Compare Mazda Protege model years
Recall and complaint counts for every Mazda Protege model year in NHTSA's database.
| Model year | Recalls | Complaints |
|---|---|---|
| 1989 Mazda Protege | 0 | 2 |
| 1990 Mazda Protege | 1 | 37 |
| 1991 Mazda Protege | 1 | 51 |
| 1992 Mazda Protege | 1 | 63 |
| 1993 Mazda Protege | 1 | 44 |
| 1994 Mazda Protege | 1 | 74 |
| 1995 Mazda Protege | 4 | 165 |
| 1996 Mazda Protege | 1 | 70 |
| 1997 Mazda Protege | 1 | 66 |
| 1998 Mazda Protege | 1 | 46 |
| 1999 Mazda Protege | 1 | 88 |
| 2000 Mazda Protege | 1 | 102 |
| 2001 Mazda Protege | 1 | 50 |
| 2002 Mazda Protege | 0 | 98 |
| 2003 Mazda Protege | 0 | 120 |
Checking a specific 1991 Mazda Protege
How do I know if my 1991 Mazda Protege has an open recall?
Enter your 17-character VIN above. The VIN is on the driver's side dashboard (visible through the windshield), the driver's door jamb sticker, and your registration or insurance card. The check runs against NHTSA's live database and tells you which campaigns list your vehicle. 1 campaign currently lists the 1991 Mazda Protege; your car may already have been repaired under it.
Is the recall repair free?
Yes. Under federal law, manufacturers must fix safety recalls at no charge for vehicles up to 15 years old from the date of sale to the first owner. Contact any authorised Mazda dealer with your VIN and the NHTSA campaign number (for example 15V674000).
What is the difference between a recall and a complaint?
A recall is a safety campaign filed by the manufacturer or ordered by NHTSA, with a defined defect and remedy. A complaint is a report an owner sent to NHTSA; it is not verified, but patterns of complaints are what trigger NHTSA investigations and, eventually, recalls.
Other Mazda models
- 6263,130 complaints
- MAZDA32,987 complaints
- CX-52,451 complaints
- MAZDA62,234 complaints
- Tribute2,102 complaints
- CX-91,438 complaints
- CX-71,132 complaints
- Mpv938 complaints
Source: NHTSA recall and complaint databases and EPA fuel economy data, October 2026. Complaint counts are owner reports to NHTSA, not verified defects. Recall counts are safety campaigns that list this model year; whether a particular car was already repaired depends on its VIN. How this data is compiled.