Complaints
60
Crashes
6
Fires
2
Injuries
9
Fatalities
—
Recalls
1
Worst 1991 Mazda Protege Problems
Top 3 most-reported issues with average mileage at failure.
#110 complaints
Seat Belts:Front:Retractor
Avg mileage:194,350 mi
Crash-related:1
#28 complaints
Seat Belt Issues
Avg mileage:90,000 mi
Crash-related:1
#34 complaints
Seat Belts:Front:Anchorage
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All Problems by Category
Every NHTSA complaint category for the 1991 Mazda Protege.
| Component | Complaints | Crashes | Fires | Avg Mileage | Volume |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Seat Belts:Front:Retractor | 10 | 1 | — | 194,350 mi | |
| Seat Belt Issues | 8 | 1 | — | 90,000 mi | |
| Seat Belts:Front:Anchorage | 4 | — | — | — | |
| Seat Belts:Front:Warning Light/Devices | 3 | — | — | — | |
| Electrical Faults | 2 | — | 1 | — | |
| Electrical System:Ignition | 2 | — | — | — | |
| Automatic Transmission | 2 | — | — | — | |
| Seat Belts:Front | 2 | — | — | — | |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Foundation Components | 2 | — | — | — | |
| Structure:Body:Trunk Lid | 2 | — | — | — | |
| Airbags | 1 | 1 | — | — | |
| Wiring & Fuses | 1 | — | — | — | |
| Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine | 1 | — | — | — | |
| Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine:Gasoline | 1 | — | 1 | — | |
| Exterior Lighting:Headlights | 1 | — | — | — | |
| Latches/Locks/Linkages:Doors:Latch | 1 | — | — | — | |
| Transmission / Drivetrain | 1 | — | — | — | |
| Power Train:Manual Transmission:Floor Shift Assembly | 1 | — | — | — | |
| Seat Belts:Front:Buckle Assembly | 1 | 1 | — | — | |
| Seats:Front Assembly:Recliner | 1 | — | — | — | |
| Hydraulic Brakes | 1 | — | — | — | |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Foundation Components:Disc:Pads | 1 | — | — | — | |
| Structural Problems | 1 | — | — | — | |
| Body Structure | 1 | — | — | — | |
| Structure:Body:Door | 1 | — | — | — | |
| Structure:Body:Hatchback/Liftgate:Support Device/Strut | 1 | — | — | — | |
| Structure:Body:Hood:Hinge And Attachments | 1 | — | — | — | |
| Suspension:Front | 1 | — | — | — | |
| Suspension:Rear | 1 | — | — | — | |
| Tire Defects | 1 | 1 | — | — |
Seat Belts:Front:Retractor
10
complaints
Crashes
1
Fires
—
Avg Miles
194,350
Seat Belt Issues
8
complaints
Crashes
1
Fires
—
Avg Miles
90,000
Seat Belts:Front:Anchorage
4
complaints
Crashes
—
Fires
—
Avg Miles
—
Seat Belts:Front:Warning Light/Devices
3
complaints
Crashes
—
Fires
—
Avg Miles
—
Electrical Faults
2
complaints
Crashes
—
Fires
1
Avg Miles
—
Electrical System:Ignition
2
complaints
Crashes
—
Fires
—
Avg Miles
—
Automatic Transmission
2
complaints
Crashes
—
Fires
—
Avg Miles
—
Seat Belts:Front
2
complaints
Crashes
—
Fires
—
Avg Miles
—
Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Foundation Components
2
complaints
Crashes
—
Fires
—
Avg Miles
—
Structure:Body:Trunk Lid
2
complaints
Crashes
—
Fires
—
Avg Miles
—
Airbags
1
complaints
Crashes
1
Fires
—
Avg Miles
—
Wiring & Fuses
1
complaints
Crashes
—
Fires
—
Avg Miles
—
Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine
1
complaints
Crashes
—
Fires
—
Avg Miles
—
Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine:Gasoline
1
complaints
Crashes
—
Fires
1
Avg Miles
—
Exterior Lighting:Headlights
1
complaints
Crashes
—
Fires
—
Avg Miles
—
Latches/Locks/Linkages:Doors:Latch
1
complaints
Crashes
—
Fires
—
Avg Miles
—
Transmission / Drivetrain
1
complaints
Crashes
—
Fires
—
Avg Miles
—
Power Train:Manual Transmission:Floor Shift Assembly
1
complaints
Crashes
—
Fires
—
Avg Miles
—
Seat Belts:Front:Buckle Assembly
1
complaints
Crashes
1
Fires
—
Avg Miles
—
Seats:Front Assembly:Recliner
1
complaints
Crashes
—
Fires
—
Avg Miles
—
Hydraulic Brakes
1
complaints
Crashes
—
Fires
—
Avg Miles
—
Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Foundation Components:Disc:Pads
1
complaints
Crashes
—
Fires
—
Avg Miles
—
Structural Problems
1
complaints
Crashes
—
Fires
—
Avg Miles
—
Body Structure
1
complaints
Crashes
—
Fires
—
Avg Miles
—
Structure:Body:Door
1
complaints
Crashes
—
Fires
—
Avg Miles
—
Structure:Body:Hatchback/Liftgate:Support Device/Strut
1
complaints
Crashes
—
Fires
—
Avg Miles
—
Structure:Body:Hood:Hinge And Attachments
1
complaints
Crashes
—
Fires
—
Avg Miles
—
Suspension:Front
1
complaints
Crashes
—
Fires
—
Avg Miles
—
Suspension:Rear
1
complaints
Crashes
—
Fires
—
Avg Miles
—
Tire Defects
1
complaints
Crashes
1
Fires
—
Avg Miles
—
Search Owner Complaints
Read what owners actually reported to NHTSA for the 1991 Mazda Protege. Type a keyword (e.g. “transmission”, “stalling”, “brakes”) to filter.
Recalls for 1991 Mazda Protege
1 NHTSA recall campaign affecting ~1,368,500 vehicles.
15V674000Electrical System:ignition:switch
~1,368,500 affectedMazda 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.
Other Mazda Protege Years
1991 Mazda Protege — FAQ
Answers based on real NHTSA complaint and recall data for this specific model year.
Is the 1991 Mazda Protege reliable?
Verdict: Below Average Complaints. The 1991 Mazda Protege has 60 NHTSA complaints, 6 crash-related, and 1 recall campaign. The most common issue is Seat Belts:Front:Retractor with 10 complaints. Source: NHTSA via VinItel.
What are common problems with the 1991 Mazda Protege?
Top reported problems: Seat Belts:Front:Retractor (10 complaints, avg 194,350 mi); Seat Belt Issues (8 complaints, avg 90,000 mi); Seat Belts:Front:Anchorage (4 complaints). Every complaint is filed by an owner with NHTSA — this is raw reported data, not editorial opinion.
At what mileage do problems start on the 1991 Mazda Protege?
The weighted average mileage at time of complaint is about 147,972 miles. Some components fail earlier, some later — check the "All Problems by Category" table above for per-issue averages.
How safe is the 1991 Mazda Protege?
NHTSA complaints for the 1991 Mazda Protege include 6 crash-related reports, 2 fire reports, 9 injuries, and 0 fatalities. These are owner-reported incidents, not official crash-test ratings — a complaint being filed doesn't confirm a defect, but clusters around specific components are worth investigating.
Does the 1991 Mazda Protege have any recalls?
Yes — 1 NHTSA recall campaign affecting an estimated 1,368,500 vehicles. Recalls are free to fix at the dealer. Always verify by VIN whether the specific car you're looking at has had its recalls addressed.
Should I buy a 1991 Mazda Protege?
Fewer complaints than typical for this model. That's a good sign, but every individual car is different — the VIN still tells you what happened to this specific one.
Source: NHTSA (National Highway Traffic Safety Administration) complaint and recall databases, aggregated by VinItel.
Wider context: See the full Mazda Protege reliability report with year-by-year comparison and generation analysis.
Check Your Specific 1991 Mazda Protege
Real owner complaints tell you about the model. The VIN tells you about your specific car — accidents, title issues, odometer fraud.
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