At a glance

Reported mileage138,266 mi

LocationMd, USA

ColorBrown

Last listed price$800

Open recalls2

Vehicle identity & specifications

Make

Mazda

Model

Protege

Year

1998

Trim

LX

Body style

Sedan/Saloon

Vehicle type

PASSENGER CAR

Engine

83 hp

Doors

4

Assembly plant

HIROSHIMA

Manufacturer

MAZDA MOTOR CORPORATION

What's a 1998 Mazda Protege worth?

What comparable 1998 Mazda Protege vehicles are listed for — a quick gut-check before you negotiate.

Low

$800

Typical price

$945

High

$1,100

Most 1998 Mazda Protege listings fall between $800 and $1,100, from 5 comparable cars.

Is the seller's price fair? Get this exact VIN's current market value — retail, trade-in & loan value — in the full report.

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Full vehicle history report

$14.99 USD · one-time

What a full report checks for VIN JM1BC1413W0242265

⚠️ 2 open safety recalls — shown above, free 🔒 Title & brand records 🔒 Accident & damage history 🔒 Salvage, total-loss & theft 🔒 Odometer & owner count 🔒 Liens & market valuation

A full report searches national title databases (NMVTIS) and licensed history providers for this VIN and shows whatever records are on file — not every vehicle has every record type. The decode, safety recalls and owner complaints above are always free.

📜 Title status Clean, salvage, rebuilt, junk, flood or lemon

🏷️ Title brand history Every brand ever applied, by state

🧾 Number of owners How many registrations on record

🛞 Odometer readings Reported mileage over time

🔎 Rollback check Mileage inconsistency / tamper flags

💥 Accident & damage Reported collisions and damage events

🚧 Total-loss records Insurance total-loss declarations

♻️ Salvage & auction Salvage-yard and auction history

🚓 Theft records Reported / recovered theft events

🏦 Liens & impounds Outstanding liens or impound records

🏷️ Sale & listing history Past marketplace and dealer listings

💰 Market valuation Estimated value for this exact spec

Unlock full report — $14.99 → or get up to 20 reports a month for $19.99/mo → One-time purchase · permanent access · VIN JM1BC1413W0242265

Safety recalls 2

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.

Remedy: 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.

NHTSA Campaign #15V674000 · 19/10/2015

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.

Remedy: 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.

NHTSA Campaign #09E012000 · 07/04/2009

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Common problems & what to inspect

Based on 47 owner complaints filed with NHTSA for the 1998 Mazda Protege, here are the most-reported problem areas — and exactly what to check before you buy.

💥 2 involved a crash

Power Train 4 reports

🔍 Drive through every gear: watch for slipping, hard or delayed shifts, and shudder. Check for transmission/driveline leaks and noises.

Engine And Engine Cooling 4 reports

🔍 Check coolant level and color, look for leaks, and confirm the engine reaches normal temperature without overheating.

Air Bags 1 report

🔍 Confirm the airbag light turns on then off at startup — if it stays lit there's a fault (costly, and a safety risk). Check for signs of prior deployment.

Electrical System 1 report

🔍 Test every electrical feature: windows, locks, infotainment, charging and all lights. Watch for flickering, dead accessories or warning lights.

Steering 1 report

🔍 Steering should be tight and centered — no play, clunks or wandering. Test at low and highway speed; listen for power-steering whine.

Tires 1 report

🔍 Check tread depth, the DOT age date, and that all four tires match with even wear. Look for bulges or cracks.

Pre-purchase checklist

Match the VIN on the dash, door jamb and title — they must be identical.
Cold-start the engine; listen for knocks and check for blue or white exhaust smoke.
Test-drive through all gears at low and highway speed — no slipping, shudder or pulling.
Confirm every warning light clears at startup (none should stay on).
Check fluids — oil, coolant, transmission — for level, color and leaks.
Look underneath for rust, fresh undercoating or signs of collision repair.
Always get an independent pre-purchase inspection from a trusted mechanic.

Owner complaints 47

Complaints filed with NHTSA by owners of the 1998 Mazda Protege.

AIR BAGS

Straight-on, front-end collision occurred, that destroyed radiator and folded hood. Air bag did not deploy.

Crash · NHTSA ODI #11437046

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 MAZDA PROTEGE. WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE IGNITION SWITCH ALONG WITH THE KEYS BECAME HOT TO THE TOUCH WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC, BUT THE DIAGNOSIS WAS UNKNOWN. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE INDEPENDENT MECHANIC ORDERED UNKNOWN PARTS TO REPAIR THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT CALLED SKYLAND MAZ…

NHTSA ODI #10993819

STEERING

WHEN TURNING IN EITHER DIRECTION STEERING PRODUCES A GRINDING NOISE. AS A RESULT, THE STEERING RACK AND PINION HAS MALFUNCTIONED. MIDAS ASKING FOR $1400 AND SAYS THIS IS COMMON MAZDA PROTEGE 1998 PROBLEM. I FOUND SIMILAR ALREADY EXISTING COMPLAINT BY SOMEONE ELSE (REFERENCE NUMBER: 10083656). *TR

NHTSA ODI #10249129

TIRES

I WAS DRIVING ALONE MY 1998 MAZDA PROTEGE ALONG A LOCAL ROUTE IN TEWKSBURY MA IN LIGHT RAIN AT ABOUT 30-35 MPH WHEN A CAR A FEW CARS AHEAD OF ME MADE A QUICK STOP FOR A LEFT TURN. SEVERAL CAR BEHIND STOPPED WITHOUT PROBLEM, BUT I WAS NOT ABLE TO STOP AND SKID ALL THE WAY INTO THE CAR AT FRONT WHICH WAS A 2002 CAMRY. AT THE TIME THE CAR AT FRONT OF ME HIT THE…

Crash · NHTSA ODI #10229940