1994 Mazda Protege

Defect. 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.

Risk. If the ignition switch overheats there would be an increased risk of a fire.

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.

AUTOMATIC SEAT BELT ON DRIVER SIDE DID NOT RETRACT COMPLETELY WHEN VEHICLE WAS OFF AND DOOR WAS OPENED. SEAT BELT ONLY RETRACTED 1/3 OF THE WAY AND STAYS THERE. SEAT BELT STILL RETRACTS BACK TO SHOULDER POSITION WHEN KEY IS TURNED.

THE SEAT BELT SYSTEM HAS FAILED. HAD TO UNPLUG BOTH DRIVER AND PASSENGER SEAT BELT MOTORS, BECAUSE THE SEATBELT LOCK WOULDN'T STOP TRYING TO MOVE WHILE IN DRIVE.

SEAT BELT FAILED TO RETRACT WHEN CLOSING DOOR. APPEARS THAT SOME SORT OF CABLE IS JAMMED SO THAT SEAT BELT NO LONGER WORKS CORRECTLY. OPENED AND CLOSED DOOR SEVERAL TIMES TO TRY AND REMEDY ISSUE BUT PROBLEM PERSISTS. REPLACED SEAT BELT FUSE BUT THAT FAILED TO RESOLVE ISSUE. SEAT BELT IS NOW STUCK IN THE "VEHICLE OFF" POSITION AT ALL TIMES. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1994 MAZDA PROTEGE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FRONT DRIVER'S SEAT BELT WOULD NOT RETRACT, WHICH MAY CAUSE IMPROPER RESTRAINT WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS IN MOTION. THE DEALER WAS NOTIFIED, BUT DENIED ANY ASSISTANCE WITH REPAIR OF THE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 171,000.

AUTOMATIC SEAT BELT FAILED ON 1994 MAZDA PROTEGE. COST TO REPLACED OVER $1000.00. MAZDA RECALLED THE SAME PROBLEM ON 1994 323. THE 323 AND PROTEGE ARE THE SAME IN BODY STYLE AND DESIGN.*AK

I HAVE A /94 MAZDA PROTEGE, IT HAS THE PROBLEMS DESCRIBED IN NHTSA RECALL CAMPAIGN # 97V211000. I CONTACTED MAZDA CUSTOMER SERVICE AND WAS INFORMED THAT THE RECALL DOES NOT APPLY TO MY VIN NUMBER. IT HAS ALL OF THE DESCRIBED SYMPTOMS. I HAD TO DISCONNECT THE AUTOMATIC RETRACTION MECHANISM. DO I HAVE ANY OTHER RECOURSE? *JB

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THAT THERE WAS AN ADJUSTMENT FAILURE IN ALL THE SEAT BELTS IN THE VEHICLE. THE SEATBELTS WOULD NOT LOCK IN AN EMERGENCY BRAKING SITUATION. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO BOTH AN INDEPENDENT REPAIR SHOP AND A SERVICE DEALER. THE SERVICE DEALER DETERMINED THAT THE SEAT BELTS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED DUE TO THEM NOT REMAINING LOCKED DURING EMERGENCY BRAKING.

ISSUE WITH SEAT BELTS IN 1994 MAZDA PROTEGE LX. AT TIMES, FRONT SEAT BELTS CONTINUE TO TIGHTEN WHEN FOOT IS LIFTED FROM BRAKE PEDAL AFTER A SUDDEN STOP. IT GETS SO TIGHT THAT BELT HAS TO BE UNBUCKLED. IT IS A SCARY SITUATION AND NOT VERY SAFE. *NM

I HAVE A 1994 MAZDA PROTEGE LX WITH THE AUTOMATIC SEAT BELTS. THE SEAT BELTS FAIL TO RETRACT UPON OPENING THE DOOR. ON TOP OF THIS BEING A VERY ANNOYING DEVELOPMENT, IT ALSO CREATES AN EXTREME SAFETY HAZARD IF I'M INVOLVED IN AN ACCIDENT AND AM TRYING TO EXIT THE CAR. THERE IS AN EMERGENCY RELEASE, BUT IF I WERE UNABLE TO REACH IT DUE TO INJURY OR OTHERWISE, I COULD BE TRAPPED IN THE CAR. MY CAR IS JUST ONE OF MANY OF THIS MANUFACTURE AND MODEL THAT HAS THIS PROBLEM. THE INCIDENT DATE BELOW IS THE DATE THAT MY BELTS BEGAN FAILING.*AK

PASSENGER SIDE ACTIVE SHOULDER BELT SEAT BELT MECHANISM WORKS INTERMITTENLY WHEN OPENING DOOR. DRIVERS SIDE HAS NOT WORKED WHEN DOOR IS OPENED ON A FEW OCCASIONS.*AK

CANNOT UNLOCK BACK DOORS WHEN WEATHER IS COLD. ALSO BECOME STUCK IN WARM WEATHER. I HAVE HAD THIS PROBLEM FROM DAY ONE. TOOK BACK TO DEALER 4 TIME THE DOORS WOULD WORK FINE FOR A FEW DAY THEN BECOME JAMMED AGAIN. I GAVE UP.*AK

BOTH FRONT PASSENGER RESTRAINTS FAIL TO WORK PROPERLY. THE RESTRAINTS DO NOT RETRACT. I HAVE HAD THEM FIXED AT LEAST 3 TO 4 TIMES DURING THE WARRANTY. *NLM

CONSUMER STATES THAT SHOULDER BELT DOES NOT FEEL SNUG ENOUGH AND THE FASTEN SEAT BELT INDICATOR CONSTANTLY BEEPS. VEHICLE CHECKED BY DLR WHO ADVISED THE "CENTER CONSOLE RETRACTOR SEAT BELT ASSEMBLY" IS DEFECTIVE. NLM

WHEN OPENING DRIVER'S DOOR AUTOMATIC SEAT BELT DOES NOT RELEASE.*AK

DRIVER'S SIDE REAR SEAT COLLAPSED WHEN BRAKES WERE APPLIED FORCEFULLY.*AK

DRIVER SIDE SHOULDER STRAP IS BROKEN. IT MOVES ON A MOTORIZED TRACK AND THE MOTOR DOESN'T WORK SO THE STRAP IS STUCK MORE THAN HALF WAY TOWARDS THE WINDSHIELD. MAZDA WON'T FIX IT WITHOUT PAYMENT BECAUSE OF MY MILEAGE IS BEYOND EXTENDED WARRANTIES. THIS HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH MILEAGE. THEY WANT $720.00 TO FIX THE SHOULDER STRAP, $590.00 JUST FOR A NEW MOTOR. I HAVE A FIX-IT TICKET ON THIS STRAP AND CANNOT AFFORED TO PAY THEIR PRICE TO HAVE A SHOULDER STRAP THAT MOVES UP AND DOWN AS I OPEN AND CLOSE MY CAR DOOR. THE LANCASTER MAZDA SERVICEMAN TOLD ME THAT THE 1993 MAZDA'S WERE RECALLED FOR THIS PROBLEM BUT MINE IS A 1994 SO DOESN'T FALL UNDER A RECALL. I COULD USE SOME HELP WITH THIS.*AK

ACTIVE SHOULDER BELT SEAT BELT MECHANISM FAILS TO MOVE WHEN OPENING DOOR. *AK

THE DRIVER'S SIDE AUTOMATIC SHOULDER HARNESS WILL ONLY ROLL BACK ABOUT 1/3 OF THE WAY THEN STOPS. THE PROBLEM SEEMS TO BE EXACTLY THE SAME IN DESCRIPTION AS THAT OF A RECALL (CAMPAIGN NUMBER 97V211000 ON THE MAZDA 323 BUILT THAT SAME YEAR. THE SEAT BELT MOTOR AND TRACK ASSEMBLY COSTS $600 AT THE DEALER WHICH SEEMS TOTALLY OUTRAGEOUS. I AM FILING THIS REPORT IN THE HOPE THAT MY CAR YEAR AND MODEL COULD BE ADDED TO THAT RECALL. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. *AK

AUTOMATIC SHOULDER RETRAINT IS GETTING STUCK AND WHEN GETTING IN OR OUT I GET HIT IN THE HEAD. *AK

THE SEAT BELTS ON THE MAZDA PROTOGE IS A SAFETY ISSUE, AND I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW IF THE MAZDA DEALER WOULD FIX THIS PROBLEM ON MY CAR. AND IF THERE WAS RECALL ON IT BEFORE.

SEATBELT LIGHT AND AUDIO SIGNAL ON INTERMITTENTLY WHEN DRIVING ALTHOUGH SEATBELT IS FASTENED. *AK

BOTH RUBBER CV B00TS WERE BROKEN, AND BOTH SIDES OF FRONT AXLE PRACTICALLY SHEARED OFF. REPAIRS WERE MADE AT AN INDEPENDENT REPAIR SHOP. DEALER/MANUFACTURER CONTACTED. *AK *ML

MOTOR SEAT BELTS ON BOTH DRIVER'S SIDE/PASSENGER'S SIDE FAILED TO OPERATE WITHIN 31,000 MILES OF WEARS. DEALER NOTIFIED, AND REFUSED TO REPAIR UNLESS CONSUMER PAID FOR THE REPAIRS. *AK

WHILE DRIVING SEAT BELT LIGHT FLASHES AND BEEPS, BUT WHEN LEANING FORWARD IT SHUTS OFF. WAS IN A REARENDED ACCIDENT ON 3-15-2000, AND THE SEAT BELT FAILED TO RELEASE. ALSO, WHEN OPENING THE DOOR SEAT BELT WILL NOT RELEASE OR SLIDE FORWARD. WILL HAVE TO MANUALLY RELEASE IT IN ORDER TO GET OUT OF THE SEAT BELT. WHEN DRIVING 60MPH THE SEAT BELT WILL AUTOMATICALLY RELEASE, SLIDE FORWARD AND BACKWARD WITHOUT TOUCHING THE BRAKES. *AK

NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK

TRANSMISSION PUMP LEAKED. YH

ENGINE SURGES WHEN VEHICLE STOPS. VEHICLE TAKEN TO DEALER, BUT UNABLE TO FIND THE PROBLEM. *AK *ML . THE DEFECT HAS REOCCURRED AGAIN IN EARLY SEPT. 2000, DLR HAS NOT BEEN ABLE TO DUPLICATE DEFECT. THE VEHICLE WILL SURGE FOWARD FAR ENOUGH TO HIT VEHICLE IN FRONT.

DRAINS BATTERY, HAVE UNHOOK TILL TEMPERATURE RISES.

AUTOMATIC SEATBELT IS NOT WORKING PROPERLY. WHEN TURNING ON IGNITION OR OPENING DOOR SEATBELT TRACKING WILL STOP BEFORE IT CONNECTS. *AK

AUTOMATIC SEAT BELT INTERMITTENTLY FAILS TO RETRACT TO ALLOW DRIVER TO EXIT THE VEHICLE AND LEAVING THE DRIVER WITHOUT A SHOULDER RESTRAINT, RECALL ISSUED BUT VEHICLE NOT COVER DUE TO MANUFACTURING DATE. NLM

HEADERS WHICH ARE ATTACHED TO THE HEADERS TO EXHAUST MANIFOLD AND TO THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER WENT OUT. *AK

DRIVER'S SIDE SEAT BELT WILL NOT RETRACT, SAFETY LIGHT CONTINUES TO COME ON AND SEAT BELT BEEPER IS ON. *AK

AUTOMATIC SHOULDER BELT LODGED HALF-WAY BACK AS CONSUMER WAS GETTING OUT OF VEHICLE. SUBSEQUENTKY, THE MOTOR BROKE, THE CABLE CAME OUT OF THE TRACK. CURRENTLY, THE LATCH IS LODGED ND CANNOT BE MOVED IN APOSITION THA TCONSUMER CAN USE SHOULDER BELT. *AK

DRIVER SIDE REPAIRED TWICE,PASSENGER SIDE NOT REPAIRED

I WAS AN HOUR AWAY FROM HOME WHEN MY HEADLIGHTS STARTED GOING DIM, AND WINDSHIELD WIPERS WOULDN'T WORK ON HIGH SPEED. AFTER THE CAR DIED WE WENT AND GOT A NEW ALTERNATOR AND PUT ON IT, AFTER THAT, IT DROVE FOR ABOUT 5 MILES AND THE HEADLIGHTS STARTED GOING DIM AND THE CAR WOULD CUT IN AND OUT. THE NEXT DAY WE PUT A NEW BATTERY ON IT AND I DROVE IT HOME, WHEN WE TOOK IT TO A SHOP, THEY REBUILT THE ALTERNATOR, AND I DROVE THE CAR FOR A FEW DAYS AND IT STARTED DOING THE SAME THING ALL OVER AGAIN. SO WE PUT ANOTHER ALTERNATOR ON IT AND SO FAR IT HAS WORKED, BUT WE ARE AFRAID IT WILL HAPPEN AGAIN BECAUSE I HAVE ALSO SEEN SMOKE COME OUT OF THE HOOD AFTER HAVING THOSE PROBLEMS. *AK

THE AUTOMATIC SHOULDER BELT ANCHOR HAS STOPPED WORKING TWO TIMES, AND THE PROBLEM HAS HAPPENED AGAIN. DEALER HAS BEEN CONTACTED. *AK

WHILE DRIVING AT 30 MPH VEHICLE DIED OUT, CONSUMER COULD NOT GET VEHICLE TO START BACK UP. VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO DEALER'S REPAIR SHOP, AND DEALER CAN'T DETERMINE THE PROBLEM. *AK

WHILE ENGINE IS RUNNING AND VEHICLE IS STOPPED, DRIVER'S MOTORIZED SEAT BELT WILL OPEN AND SHUT ITSELF INTERMITTENTLY. ALSO, WHEN THE ENGINE IS SHUT OFF, AND THE DOOR IS OPENED ABOUT HALF OF THE TIME THE SEAT BELT WILL NOT OPEN.

AFTER PRESSING THE EMERGENCY RELEASE BUTTON ON DRIVER'S SIDE SHOULDER BELT, THE BELT WILL NOT INSERT INTO THE LATCH. MECHANISM IN LATCH IS BROKEN AND ENTIRE LATCH MUST BE REPLACED. *AK

THE REAR AXLE AND CV JOINTS ARE CORRODED AND ABOUT TO BREAK. WHILE DRIVING, IF THEY WERE TO BREAK, IT MAY CAUSE AN ACCIDENT. DEALER IS AWARE OF THE PROBLEM. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK

CONSUMER WAS DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY AND TOP OF PASSENGER SEAT WENT BACK. THE CONSUMER STATED THAT SHE WAS LOOKING AT THE SKY WHILE DRIVING AND COULDN'T SEE ANYTHING. CAR WENT INTO A GUARDRAIL ON THE HIGHWAY. CAR WAS TOTALED. *AK

NO WARNING LIGHTS ON THE DASH GAVE CONSUMER ANY IDEA THE THE RADIATOR WAS OVERHEATING, AND THIS CAUSED THE RADIATOR TO CRACK. DEALER WAS CONTACTED. *AK

OWNER SOLD WRONG LUGNUT SET FOR ALLOYWHEELS.

FRONT END NOISE/INSTABILITY WHILE TURNING.

CATALYTIC CONVERTER SYSTEM FAILED, CAUSING SMOKE AND FUMES.

DASH BROAD PANEL LIGHTS MALFUNCTIONED, COULD NOT SEE WHILE DRIVING AT NIGHT.

WHEN COMING TO A STOP THE CAR VIBRATES, TOOK TO DEALER, PUT IN MODIFIED MOTOR MOUNTS. *AK

WHEN AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION SHIFTS GEARS THE VEHICLE PULLS TO THE LEFT. PLEASE DESCRIBE. *AK

EA94-039 ACTIVE, DRIVER'S SIDE SEAT BELT WILL NOT RETRACT, SAFETY LIGHT CONTINUES TO COME ON AND SEAT BELT BEEPER IS ON. *AK

CONSUMER STATES THAT SHE HIT SOME GRAVEL, OVERCORRECTED THE VEHICLE AND LOST CONTROL OF CAR, WHEN HITTING THE BRAKES CAR WENT INTO A COMPELETE CIRCLE AND HIT AN OAK TREE. BELIEVES BRAKES LOCKED UP. VEHICLE HAS ABS.*AK