RecallRadar

HomeMazdaProtege → 1995

1995 Mazda Protege Recalls & Complaints

5

open safety recalls on record

Critical

232 owner complaints filed · Severity Index 1.83 · updated 2026-08-07

The recalls

Critical15V674000

Electrical System:Ignition:Switch

If the ignition switch overheats there would be an increased risk of a fire.

Remedy & full details

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 number for this recall is 8715J.

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.

Serious09E012000

Exterior Lighting

DECREASED LIGHTING VISIBILITY MAY RESULT IN A VEHICLE CRASH.

Remedy & full details

SABERSPORT WILL NOTIFY OWNERS AND OFFER A FULL REFUND FOR THE NONCOMPLIANT COMBINATION LAMPS. THE SAFETY RECALL BEGAN ON MAY 11, 2009. OWNERS MAY CONTACT SABERSPORT AT 1-909-598-7589.

SABERSPORT IS RECALLING 16,270 COMBINATION CORNER AND BUMPER LAMP ASSEMBLIES OF VARIOUS PART NUMBERS SOLD FOR USE AS AFTERMARKET EQUIPMENT FOR VARIOUS PASSENGER VEHICLES. THESE HEADLAMPS FAIL TO CONFORM TO THE REQUIREMENTS OF FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 108, "LAMPS, REFLECTIVE DEVICES, AND ASSOCIATED EQUIPMENT." THESE LAMPS DO NOT CONTAIN THE REQUIRED AMBER SIDE REFLECTORS.

Serious95V184000

Air Bags

INADVERTENT AIR BAG DEPLOYMENT CAN CAUSE INJURY TO THE OCCUPANTS AND INCREASE THE POTENTIAL FOR A VEHICLE ACCIDENT.

Remedy & full details

DEALERS WILL REMOVE AND REPLACE THE TIE DOWN HOOKS WITH MODIFIED TIE DOWN HOOKS.

THE TIE DOWN HOOKS CAN CAUSE UNDERCARRIAGE IMPACTS THAT CAN RESULT IN UNNECESSARY AIR BAG DEPLOYMENTS.

Moderate00V118000

Exterior Lighting:Headlights:Switch

THE FAILURE OF THE WIRE CONNECTION CAN CAUSE A LOSS OF HEADLIGHTS WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING.

Remedy & full details

DEALERS WILL REPAIR THE HEADLIGHT SWITCH.

VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES. THE HEADLIGHT LEAD WIRE RUNNING THROUGH THE TURN SIGNAL LEVER CAN FAIL AT THE SOLDERED CONNECTION TO THE HEADLIGHT SWITCH.

Moderate95V033000

Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine

THIS BREAKAGE CAN CAUSE ENGINE CHATTER, DAMAGE TO THE ENGINE PISTONS, AND CAUSE THE ENGINE TO STALL INCREASING THE POTENTIAL FOR AN ACCIDENT.

Remedy & full details

DEALERS WILL REPLACE ALL SIXTEEN (16) VALVE SPRINGS IN THE ENGINE OF THE AFFECTED VEHICLES.

THE WIRE ROD USED IN THE MANUFACTURE OF THE ENGINE VALVE SPRINGS CAN DEVELOP MINUTE CRACKS CAUSING BREAKAGE OF THE SPRINGS.

Complaint volume

232 this model-year 10 median, same year

Volume alone is not a fault rate — popular vehicles attract more reports. Read it next to the severity mix below.

What owners reported happened

42Crashes
5Fires
79Injuries
1Deaths

Across 232 complaints. Severity Index 1.83.

Severity Index weights each complaint's reported outcome (death ×10, injury ×4, fire ×3, crash ×2) and divides by total complaints. It measures how severe reports are, not how often faults occur.

What owners report most

Air Bags · Frontal36 · 16%Exterior Lighting · Headl…14 · 6%Air Bags12 · 5%Engine And Engine Cooling…10 · 4%Power Train · Automatic T…10 · 4%Unknown Or Other8 · 3%Seats8 · 3%Exterior Lighting · Headl…8 · 3%
  1. Air Bags:Frontal — 36 reports
  2. Exterior Lighting:Headlights — 14 reports
  3. Air Bags — 12 reports
  4. Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine:Gasoline — 10 reports
  5. Power Train:Automatic Transmission — 10 reports
  6. Unknown Or Other — 8 reports
  7. Seats — 8 reports
  8. Exterior Lighting:Headlights:Switch — 8 reports
  9. Visibility:Defroster/Defogger/Hvac System — 7 reports
  10. Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine — 7 reports

What to do

  1. Find your 17-character VIN on the driver's door jamb or the base of the windscreen.
  2. Check it against NHTSA's official lookup at nhtsa.gov/recalls — the authoritative record for your exact car.
  3. Book the repair with any franchised dealer. Safety recall work is free, with no time limit and regardless of who owns the car now.

Other model years

1995 · 1996 (2) · 1997 (2) · 1998 (2) · 1999 (3) · 2000 (3) · 2001 (5) · 2002 (4) · 2003 (4)

Numbers in brackets are open recall campaigns for that year.

Questions

Does an open recall mean the car is unsafe to drive?

Not usually. NHTSA issues a "do not drive" or "park outside" advisory when a defect is dangerous enough to keep you out of the car — those are flagged Critical above. Everything else should be repaired promptly but is not an immediate stop-driving order.

Do I pay for recall repairs?

No. Federal law requires the manufacturer to fix a safety recall free of charge, including parts and labour, whether or not you are the original owner.

Why are there complaints but no recalls?

Complaints are unverified reports filed by owners. They can prompt an investigation, but many never become recalls — either the fault isn't safety-related or it isn't widespread.