Is your car affected?
Check by VIN to confirm the exact model and see every recall for it.
Recalls are issued for a make, model and model year. Whether the repair has already been done on one specific car is known only to its manufacturer and dealers. Check your vehicle's official status at nhtsa.gov/recalls or with a dealer.
US recalls (0)
No US recalls found for the 2003 Mazda Protege/Protege 5.
Owner complaints (120)
Owners filed 120 complaints with NHTSA about the 2003 Mazda Protege/Protege 5 (16 crashes, 2 fires, 11 injuries, 1 deaths reported). Among 15 model years of this model, it ranks #2 for the most complaints (median 66).
| Most-reported problem | Complaints | |
|---|---|---|
| Engine and engine cooling | 34 | |
| Seat belts | 17 | |
| Power train | 12 | |
| Suspension | 11 | |
| Air bags | 10 | |
| Tires | 10 | |
| Steering | 7 | |
| Engine | 6 |
Crash test ratings
NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings for the 2003 Mazda Protege/Protege 5.
| Version | Overall | Frontal | Side | Rollover |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2003 Mazda Protege 4-DR. | – | – | – | – |
| 2003 Mazda Protege 5-DR. Hatchback | – | – | – | – |
Fuel economy
EPA ratings for each 2003 Mazda Protege/Protege 5 version.
| Version | City MPG | Highway MPG | Combined | Yearly fuel cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Protege/Protege 5 2.0 L Automatic 4-spd | 22 | 28 | 24 | $2,800 |
| Protege/Protege 5 2.0 L Manual 5-spd | 21 | 27 | 23 | $3,550 |
| Protege/Protege 5 2.0 L Manual 5-spd | 22 | 28 | 24 | $2,800 |
| Protege/Protege 5 2.0 L Automatic (S4) | 22 | 28 | 24 | $2,800 |
Recalls, complaints, crash ratings and fuel economy as a JSON API. Decode up to 50 VINs per call and get a daily feed of new recalls.
Sources: NHTSA recalls, complaints and 5-Star Safety Ratings, US EPA fuel economy and Transport Canada's Vehicle Recalls Database (contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Canada). Recalls updated 2026-10-30.