Worst 1996 Mazda Protege Problems
Top 3 most-reported issues with average mileage at failure.
AIR BAGS:FRONTAL
AIR BAGS
EQUIPMENT:APPLIANCE:AIR CONDITIONER
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All Problems by Category
Every NHTSA complaint category for the 1996 Mazda Protege.
| Component | Complaints | Crashes | Fires | Avg Mileage | Volume |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AIR BAGS:FRONTAL | 18 | 16 | — | — | |
| AIR BAGS | 5 | 4 | — | 84,000 mi | |
| EQUIPMENT:APPLIANCE:AIR CONDITIONER | 5 | — | — | — | |
| SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP | 4 | 2 | — | — | |
| VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL | 4 | 1 | — | 30,000 mi | |
| POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION | 3 | — | — | — | |
| POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:GEAR POSITION INDICATION (PRNDL) | 3 | — | — | — | |
| SEAT BELTS:FRONT:BUCKLE ASSEMBLY | 3 | — | — | — | |
| SEAT BELTS:FRONT:RETRACTOR | 3 | 3 | — | — | |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE | 2 | — | — | — | |
| INTERIOR LIGHTING | 2 | — | — | — | |
| POWER TRAIN:DRIVELINE:CONSTANT VELOCITY JOINT | 2 | 1 | — | — | |
| SEATS:FRONT ASSEMBLY:RECLINER | 2 | 2 | — | — | |
| SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS | 2 | — | — | — | |
| STEERING: STEERING WHEEL/HANDLE BAR | 2 | 1 | — | — | |
| SUSPENSION:FRONT | 2 | — | — | — | |
| UNKNOWN OR OTHER | 2 | — | 1 | 42,000 mi | |
| AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:SENSOR/CONTROL MODULE | 1 | — | — | — | |
| AIR BAGS:SIDE/WINDOW | 1 | 1 | — | — | |
| CHILD SEAT:SHIELD ASSEMBLY | 1 | — | — | — | |
| CHILD SEAT:TETHER: STRAP/WEBBING | 1 | — | — | — | |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:MODULE | 1 | — | — | — | |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING | 1 | — | — | — | |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:FRONT UNDERHOOD | 1 | — | 1 | 42,000 mi | |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING | 1 | — | — | — | |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM:EMISSION CONTROL | 1 | — | — | — | |
| EQUIPMENT:MECHANICAL:ACCESSORY SCISSOR/SCREW/BOTTLE JACK/LIFT | 1 | — | — | — | |
| LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES:DOORS:LATCH | 1 | — | — | — | |
| SEAT BELTS:FRONT:ANCHORAGE | 1 | — | — | — | |
| SEATS | 1 | — | — | — |
Search Owner Complaints
Read what owners actually reported to NHTSA for the 1996 Mazda Protege. Type a keyword (e.g. “transmission”, “stalling”, “brakes”) to filter.
Recalls for 1996 Mazda Protege
1 NHTSA recall campaigns affecting ~1,368,500 vehicles.
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.
Other Mazda Protege Years
Wider context: See the full Mazda Protege reliability report with year-by-year comparison and generation analysis.
Check Your Specific 1996 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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