1992 Mazda Protege

Reliability, what owners report, and what it costs to keep.

73/100

Worth a look

AVOIR's read: a solid ownership case with specific caveats below.

What owners actually report

Owners have filed 68 complaints with NHTSA about the 1992 Mazda Protege, and it carries 1 recall. These are owner allegations rather than confirmed defects, but the pattern of what people complain about is the most useful signal a used buyer has.

Complaints by area, from NHTSA records for this model-year
Area	Complaints	Share
Seat belts	31	46%
Electrical system	6	9%
Fuel system	5	7%
Service brakes	4	6%
Power train	3	4%
Seats	3	4%
Vehicle speed control	2	3%
Engine and engine cooling	2	3%
Unknown or other	2	3%
Visibility	2	3%

In owners' own words

Verbatim from NHTSA complaint records, trimmed for length.

LETTER FROM SENATOR GILLIBRAND ON BEHALF OF CONSTITUENT RE 1992 MAZDA PROTEGE. *SMD THE CONSUMER IS SEEKING REIMBURSEMENT FOR AN IGNITION SWITCH REPLACEMENT HE PAID FOR OUT-OF-POCKET. *JB
NHTSA complaint: Electrical system

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1992 MAZDA PROTEGE. WHEN THE CONTACT ATTEMPTED TO START THE VEHICLE, THE IGNITION FAILED WITHOUT WARNING. THE FAILURE WAS RECURRING. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE VIN WAS NOT INCLU
NHTSA complaint: Electrical system

1. AUTOMATIC/PASSIVE RESTRAINT BELT FOR DRIVERS SIDE HAD BEEN ACTING SLUGGISH E.G. BELT WOULD HESITATE WHEN OPENING/CLOSING DOOR BEFORE MOVING TO FULL OPEN/CLOSED POSITION. 2. BELT IS STUCK/FROZEN IN MIDWAY POSITION O
NHTSA complaint: Seat belts

WHILE DRIVING, ROAD DEBRIS RUPTURED THE VEHICLE FUEL TANK WHICH RESULTED ON A FIRE ON THE VEHICLE. THE DRIVER WAS SEVERELY BURNED ABOUT 30 PERCENT OF HER BODY. *LA
NHTSA complaint: Fuel system

DRIVER'S SIDE AUTOMATIC SEAT BELT RETRACTOR BROKE. THE CABLE HAS COME COMPLETELY OFF THE TRACK. THE DRIVER SIDE SEAT BELT IS INOPERABLE. *LA
NHTSA complaint: Seat belts

WHEN DRIVING AT 25 MPH VEICLE ACCELERATED WITHOUT ANY WARNING. *AK
NHTSA complaint: Vehicle speed control

DRIVER'S SIDE AUTOMATIC SEAT BELT RETRACTOR BROKE, IT CAME COMPLETELY OFF THE TRACK. SEAT BELT IS INOPERATIVE.*AK
NHTSA complaint: Seat belts

CABLE THAT MOVES SHOULDER RESTRAINT BACK AND FORTH CAME OUT OF ITS TRACK CREATING A NOOSE ACROSS THE WINDOW SHOULDER BELT IS NOW INOPERABLE
NHTSA complaint: Seat belts

Recalls on record

NHTSA lists 1 recall campaign for the 1992 Mazda Protege. Recalls are free to have fixed at a franchised dealer regardless of who owns the car now, but only if they were never done, so check the VIN of the specific car rather than trusting the model.

Electrical system:ignition:switch 15V674000

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 co

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

Fix: 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,

The seven scores

Reliability raw	82	excellent
Longevity est.	82	excellent
Maintenance	90	excellent
Depreciation	62	average
Performance	43	below average
Efficiency	45	below average

How it compares in its class

Percentile ranks against other compact cars in the catalog.

Reliability: better than 38% of compact cars
Longevity: better than 76% of compact cars
Running costs: better than 100% of compact cars
Value retention: better than 58% of compact cars

Which of these numbers are measured

What stands behind each score for this car:

Reliability 82: from NHTSA recalls and complaints. This one is a raw count: we do not have a sales figure for this model, so a high-volume car looks worse here than it should.
Longevity 82: an estimate from powertrain and brand record. No 200,000-mile population exists for a 1992 car yet, so this is a prior, not evidence.
Maintenance 90: repair-cost data where we have it for this model, otherwise a mechanical-complexity estimate from engine size, cylinder count and drivetrain.
Safety: no score. NHTSA crash testing thins out for older vehicles and we would rather show nothing than guess.

Common questions

What goes wrong with the 1992 Mazda Protege?

Owners have filed 68 complaints with NHTSA for this model-year, and seat belts is the most reported area with 31 of them (46%). There is 1 recall on record. Check any specific car against its VIN before buying.

Is the 1992 Mazda Protege reliable?

AVOIR scores its reliability 82/100 (excellent) from NHTSA recall campaigns and complaint density. That figure is a raw complaint count, not yet adjusted for sales volume, so a high-volume model scores worse than it deserves.

How long will a 1992 Mazda Protege last?

AVOIR scores its longevity 82/100, but that figure is an estimate built from the powertrain and the brand's record, not a measurement. A 1992 car has no 200,000-mile population to observe yet, so treat it as a prior rather than evidence.

Should I buy a 1992 Mazda Protege?

AVOIR's read: worth a look, because a solid ownership case with specific caveats below. Its overall ownership score is 73/100. Condition, mileage and service history still matter more than any score, so get a pre-purchase inspection on the specific car.

Sources: NHTSA recalls and complaints, EPA fuel economy, IIHS awards, and live market listings. A score describes a model-year, not the individual car in front of you. Get a pre-purchase inspection.