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#BS-1998-MAZPRO-4270

1998 Mazda Protege

Based on reports from 53 owners and 2 recalls for this exact model.

Complaints
53
Crashes
11
Fires
0
Recalls
2
TSBs
79
🟢

Preliminary Verdict

Proceed with Caution

Based on 53 complaints, 11 crashes, 0 fires, and 2 recalls.

See full verdict with buy/skip conditions

Top reported problems

1

will not start

1 complaints • Severity 8/10

$X,XXX
2

engine power loss with hesitation accelerating

1 complaints • Severity 8/10

$X,XXX
3

the car will not drive at over 40kph

1 complaints • Severity 6/10

$X,XXX

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Mechanic Inspection Checklist

!Check the Power Train:automatic TransmissionHIGH

12 owners reported power train:automatic transmission issues — failures commonly reported around 98K miles.

!Inspect the Engine And Engine Cooling:exhaust System:manifold/header/muffler/tail PipeMED
Look for symptoms of wear and premature failure
+ 6 more items in full checklistUnlock

30,000-Mile Cost Projection

Best Case

$X,XXX

Most Likely

$X,XXX

Worst Case

$X,XXX

Top cost driver: Power Train:automatic Transmission (12 reports).

Includes fuel costs, common repairs, and recall riskUnlock

Also in your report

Owner Intelligence

AI-synthesized themes from real complaints

Buyer Lot Checklist

Questions, test drive checks, walk-away triggers

Negotiation Talking Points

Data-backed dollar deductions

Buy / Skip Verdict

Final recommendation with conditions

10 sections total in the full reportUnlock all

Where the complaints fall

Power Train:automatic Transmission12 (23%)
Engine And Engine Cooling:exhaust System:manifold/header/muffler/tail Pipe5 (9%)
Power Train:clutch Assembly3 (6%)
Wheels & Tires2 (4%)
Speed Control2 (4%)
Engine And Engine Cooling:exhaust System:emission Control:catalytic Convertor2 (4%)
Service Brakes, Hydraulic:foundation Components:disc:pads2 (4%)
Air Bags:frontal2 (4%)

1998 Mazda Protege: Known Issues & Problem Areas

Power Train:automatic Transmission Issues

Power Train:automatic Transmission complaints account for 23% of all reports filed for the 1998 Mazda Protege, with 12 owners filing complaints with NHTSA. The median mileage at time of complaint is 98,401 miles, suggesting issues tend to surface around the 98K-mile mark.

Engine And Engine Cooling:exhaust System:manifold/header/muffler/tail Pipe Issues

Engine And Engine Cooling:exhaust System:manifold/header/muffler/tail Pipe complaints account for 9% of all reports filed for the 1998 Mazda Protege, with 5 owners filing complaints with NHTSA. Owners should pay attention to engine and engine cooling:exhaust system:manifold/header/muffler/tail pipe-related symptoms during test drives and pre-purchase inspections.

Power Train:clutch Assembly Issues

Power Train:clutch Assembly complaints account for 6% of all reports filed for the 1998 Mazda Protege, with 3 owners filing complaints with NHTSA. Owners should pay attention to power train:clutch assembly-related symptoms during test drives and pre-purchase inspections.

Wheels & Tires Issues

Wheels & Tires complaints account for 4% of all reports filed for the 1998 Mazda Protege, with 2 owners filing complaints with NHTSA. Owners should pay attention to wheels & tires-related symptoms during test drives and pre-purchase inspections.

Data sourced from NHTSA owner complaints and community reports. The full report analyzes severity, repair costs, and failure patterns for each category.

Complaint trend by year

9
00
4
01
8
02
4
03
4
04
2
05
2
08
1
17
1
21

Complaints filed with NHTSA by year for the 1998 Mazda Protege. Recent trend: stable.

Don't negotiate blind — know what this car costs to own

Repair costs • Negotiation scripts • Mechanic checklist • Buy/skip verdict

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Recall History (2 recalls)

09E012000May 2009

EXTERIOR LIGHTING

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.

15V674000Dec 2015

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:SWITCH

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.

Recall severity analysis & seller scripts

The full report rates each recall's severity and gives you scripts for asking the seller about recall completion.

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The worst model year for the Mazda Protege is the 1995 — worth knowing if you're cross-shopping years. The biggest problem area is engine.

1998 Mazda Protege vs. Class Average (Compact Cars)

This vehicle

53

Class avg

167

Below the class average — fewer complaints than typical compact cars vehicles. A good sign.

Complaint counts correlate with sales volume — popular vehicles naturally generate more reports. The full report normalizes for this.

About this data

NHTSA Complaints

Federal database of owner-filed safety complaints. 53 records for this vehicle.

NHTSA Recalls

Manufacturer-issued safety recalls. 2 recalls found for this vehicle.

Repair Cost Data

Real-world repair costs from owner reports and independent databases.

Other Mazda Protege Model Years

200620052004200320022001200019991998199719961995199419931992199119901989
View all Mazda Protege years →

1998 Mazda Protege: Frequently Asked Questions

What is the most common problem with the 1998 Mazda Protege?
The most commonly reported issue with the 1998 Mazda Protege is related to the power train:automatic transmission, with 12 complaints filed with NHTSA.
Is the 1998 Mazda Protege reliable?
The 1998 Mazda Protege has 53 complaints, 11 crash reports, and 0 fire reports filed with NHTSA. This is below the class average — a positive sign for reliability.
How much does it cost to fix 1998 Mazda Protege problems?
Repair costs vary by issue. The full BumperScan report includes detailed repair cost estimates (low/median/high) for every major issue, plus a 30,000-mile total cost of ownership projection.
Does the 1998 Mazda Protege have any recalls?
Yes, the 1998 Mazda Protege has 2 recalls on record. The full report includes recall severity analysis and scripts for asking the seller about recall completion.
What mileage do Mazda Protege problems start?
Based on 8 complaints with mileage data, the median mileage at time of complaint is 98,401 miles. The highest concentration of reported issues occurs in the 60–90K mile range. The full report breaks down exactly which components fail at each mileage bracket.
What’s in the full report?
10 sections of AI analysis: severity-ranked issues, component scores (0-100), 30K-mile cost projection, failure timeline by mileage, recall details with seller scripts, owner sentiment analysis, mechanic checklist, buyer lot checklist, negotiation ammo with dollar figures, and a buy/skip verdict.
How is this different from free NHTSA data?
NHTSA gives you raw complaint text. BumperScan cross-references 2.1M+ complaints with community repair cost data, EPA fuel data, and recall records — then uses AI to synthesize it into actionable advice with dollar figures.
How is this different from Carfax?
Carfax is VIN-specific history ($45/report). BumperScan is model-level reliability intelligence — what problems this car is known for, what they cost, and whether you should buy it. Complementary, not competing.
What if the report isn’t useful?
100% money-back guarantee. If the report doesn’t help you make a more informed decision, we’ll refund you — no questions asked.
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10 sections of AI analysis based on 53 owner reports. Know before you buy.

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