1998 Mazda Protege
Recalls, most-reported problems, crash-test ratings, fuel economy and what a 1998 Mazda Protege is worth — from official NHTSA and EPA data. 7 on record.
1998 Mazda Protege at a glance
Included: that car's specs and build sheet, model-year recall campaigns and a fair price.
1998 Mazda Protege recalls 2
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.
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, option#6. Mazda's number for this recall is 8715J.
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.
Fix: 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.
Source: U.S. NHTSA, checked 4 Nov 2026. A campaign covers the model year; to see whether a particular car still needs the repair, check its VIN on NHTSA.gov or ask a franchised dealer.
1998 Mazda Protege common problems
The most-reported problem areas across all 47 owner complaints filed with NHTSA — and what to check before you buy.
1998 Mazda Protege safety ratings
Source: NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings (NCAP), tested as the 1998 Mazda Protege 4-DR.. Ratings can differ by body style and drivetrain.
1998 Mazda Protege MPG & running costs
Source: U.S. EPA / DOE fueleconomy.gov. The EPA lists 4 versions of this model year; combined is shown as a range and the other figures are averages.
What's a 1998 Mazda Protege worth?
Estimated 5-year cost to own
A rough guide to what running a 1998 Mazda Protege costs over five years and 75,000 miles.
How this is estimated: fuel is the U.S. EPA annual cost at 15,000 miles a year. There aren't enough comparable listings to estimate depreciation for this model, so it is left out. Not included: insurance, maintenance, repairs, taxes, registration and finance costs. Treat it as a comparison guide, not a quote.
Dimensions & weight
Manufacturer-reported figures for the 1998 Mazda Protege — ranges cover the 2 body / drivetrain versions on record. Source: Transport Canada vehicle specifications via NHTSA.
Investigations & service bulletins
Manufacturer service bulletins 83
Technical notes the manufacturer sent to dealers about known issues and fixes. Useful to mention to a mechanic — they are not recalls and repairs may not be covered. Showing the 10 most recent of 83.
In accordance with Federal regulations, follow the procedure listed below when replacing a speedometer.
Bulletin 09-024-22 · Electrical System · Jul 2022This service bulletin provides testing and charging procedures in order to promote proper battery maintenance, to deliver new vehicles with fully charged batteries, and to reduce unnecessary battery replacement cost. For new vehicles in stock at the dealer, in…
Bulletin 01-006-22 · Electrical System · Jun 2022Accessory instructions can be found on OneMazda under Dealer Resources - Parts & Accessories.
Bulletin SA-014-22 · Equipment · Mar 2022The Mazda DCA-8000 is required for all warranty battery testing. If the Mazda DCA-8000 is not used, incorrect battery testing may result in unnecessary battery replacement. Use the following test procedures in this Service Bulletin to test Mazda vehicle batter…
Bulletin 01-003/22 · Equipment, Electrical System · Mar 2022Battery Maintenance: This service bulletin provides testing and charging procedures in order to promote proper battery maintenance, to deliver new vehicles with fully charged batteries, and to reduce unnecessary battery replacement cost. For new vehicles in st…
Bulletin 01-006-21-3779b · Electrical System · Dec 2021Automatic Transmission/Transaxle Cooler and Lines Flushing Procedure: Automatic Transaxle/Transmission (A/T) oil cooler and lines must be power flushed completely before an overhauled or replacement A/T is installed (except SKYACTIV-DRIVE). The most common cau…
Bulletin 05-002-21-3854 · Power Train · Dec 2021This service bulletin provides testing and charging procedures in order to promote proper battery maintenance, to deliver new vehicles with fully charged batteries, and to reduce unnecessary battery replacement cost. For new vehicles in stock at the dealer, in…
Bulletin 01-006-21-3779a · Electrical System, Engine And Engine Cooling · Aug 2021This service bulletin provides information regarding the proper use of the driverâÂÂs floor mat to avoid any potential interference with the foot pedals. The following are possible causes of floor mat interference, which can be avoided with proper usage.
Bulletin 09-025-21-3824 · Equipment · Aug 2021Accessory instructions can be found on OneMazda under Dealer Resources - Parts & Accessories. The links provided below can be used for quick access: For 2016 models and newer: NOTE: Instructions are found under the "Attachments" section once a part is selected…
Bulletin SA-041-21 · Equipment · Jun 2021This service bulletin provides testing and charging procedures in order to promote proper battery maintenance, to deliver new vehicles with fully charged batteries, and to reduce unnecessary battery replacement cost. For new vehicles in stock at the dealer, in…
Bulletin 01-006-21-3779 · Electrical System · Feb 2021Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation, listed for the PROTEGE. Model-year data, not specific to one car.
Canadian recalls 1
Transport Canada recall campaigns for the 1998 Mazda Protege. Relevant if the car was first sold in, or imported from, Canada.
Other
Certain vehicles do not comply with Regulation 6 - Statement of Compliance. Vehicles have an incorrect National Safety Mark (NSM). Correction: Since this non-compliance does not present a risk to vehicle safety, no further action will be taken.
Transport Canada #2000176 · Aug 2000Source: Transport Canada Motor Vehicle Safety Recalls Database.
About the Mazda Protege
The Mazda Familia , also marketed prominently as the Mazda 323, Mazda Protegé and Mazda Allegro, is a small family car that was manufactured by Mazda between 1963 and 2003. The Familia line was replaced by the Mazda3/Axela for 2004.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Describes the model line in general, not this model year specifically.
