2003 Mazda Protege engine problems
The 2003 Mazda Protege has 41 engine complaints filed with NHTSA — 28% of the year's total, and up sharply from the prior model year.
41
Engine complaints
28%
Share of year
1
Crash-involved
0
Related recalls
Engine complaints by year
What owners report
“WHILE APPROACHING A STOP SIGN, THE ENGINE STALLED CAUSING THE BRAKES AND POWER STEERING NOT TO WORK. I WAS UNABLE TO STOP AT THE STOP SIGN AND RAN INTO THE EMBANKMENT ON THE OTHER SIDE. THIS CAR HAS HAD A HISTORY OF ENGINE STALLING WHILE RUNNING. *LA”
Common questions
How many engine complaints does the 2003 Mazda Protege have?
NHTSA has 41 complaints about the 2003 Mazda Protege engine — 28% of all complaints filed for that model year.
Related
Based on NHTSA ODI data through June 2026. Complaints are consumer-reported and unverified. Updated July 5, 2026.
Compiled by Sharon Ben-Moshe, Founder.