1996 Mazda Protege Recalls, Complaints & Specs
1 safety recall lists the 1996 Mazda Protege, and owners have filed 70 complaints with NHTSA. Check your own VIN below.
1 safety recall for the 1996 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…
70 owner complaints filed with NHTSA
Owners of the 1996 Mazda Protege have filed 70 complaints with NHTSA; 24 describe a crash and 1 describe a fire. Reports cite 24 injuries and 0 deaths. The average mileage at failure in those reports is 53,200 miles. Complaints peaked in 1997 with 17 filed that year.
Most-reported components
What owners are reporting
“I have had a problem with my vehicle - the mazda protg mentioned under "subject" of this e-mail - accelerating without the gas pedal being touched on at least three occasions since i purchased it new”
Owner complaint to NHTSA, March 4, 2010 · Vehicle speed control
“My 1996 mazda protege lx (1.5 liter engine) suffers from such extreme engine vibration that the car has recently become practically undriveable despite its low mileage of 83,000k and a good maintenanc”
Owner complaint to NHTSA, May 4, 2005 · Engine and engine cooling
Fuel economy and specs
EPA ratings for the 1996 Mazda Protege. Ranges cover every tested configuration.
| Combined | 23–30 mpg |
|---|---|
| City / Highway | 20–27 / 27–35 |
| Fuel | Regular |
| EPA class | Compact Cars |
| Engine | 4 cyl, 1.5/1.8 L |
| Transmission | Automatic 4-spd; Manual 5-spd |
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 1996 Mazda Protege
How do I know if my 1996 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 1996 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.