There are 4 stored owner reports matching the body & structure leading-label group for the 2002 Mazda Protege in our NHTSA-sourced dataset. These are unverified consumer reports and may not reflect confirmed defects.
This group counts stored reports whose component label starts with one of this site's matching prefixes, ignoring case. Each matching report counts once within the group. Components mentioned later in the label or only in the narrative are not searched. How component counts work
Loaded 4 of 4 matching reports.
Open the full vehicle complaint log (all categories)1. NORMAL USE OF THE VEHICLE. 2. THE LEFT FRONT SEAT INSIDE DOOR HANDLE (DRIVER'S SIDE) BROKE OFF 1/28/09. ONLY WAY OUT IS TO CRAW OVER CENTER CONSOLE AND EXIT PASSENGER SIDE. 3. THE LEFT REAR SEAT INSIDE DOOR HANDLE BROKE OFF 8/22/09. CHILD HAD TO EXIT THE OPPOSITE SIDE OF THE CAR. 4. GOOGLE (NO QUOTES) "PROTEGE BROKE DOOR HANDLE" AND SEE OTHERS WITH THIS DEFECT. *TR
REAR HATCH/LIFT GATE PROPS FAIL WHEN LIFT GATE/HATCH IS OPENED RESULTING IN CONCUSSION AS LIFT GATE/HATCH HITS ONE IN HEAD. THIS HAS HAPPENED TO US AS EACH STAY PROP FAILS INDEPENDENTLY. LUCKILY NONE OF OUR CHILDREN WERE UNDER THE HATCH/LIFT GATE. MADZA PART NUMBERS ARE: B25R-62-620C AND B25R-63-620C. *TR
CONSUMER FEELS THAT THE DESIGN OF THE HARD PLASTIC PIECE WHICH IS LOCATED ON THE FRONT DRIVER SIDE WINDSHIELD FRAME OF THE VEHICLE IS UNSAFE. IF THE PIECE IS IMPACTED IN A CRASH, IT COULD CAUSE SERIOUS INJURIES TO THE DRIVER. CONSUMER INDICATES "THE PLASTIC PIECE COULD BREAK OFF BECOMING A HAZARDOUS WEAPON". TS
2002 MAZDA PROTEGE 5 HYDRAULIC ARM ON THE HATCH DOOR BROKE OFF. CONSUMER STATES THAT THE HATCH DOOR INSTANTLY SLAMMED DOWN . SHE OR HER SON COULD HAVE BEEN SERIOUSLY INJURED IF STANDING A LITTLE CLOSER TO THE VEHICLE. *NJ
Complaints are unverified consumer reports submitted to NHTSA. A high complaint count may reflect vehicle popularity, not defect severity. Data sourced from NHTSA public records.
NHTSA source checks for this vehicle year
Checks are recorded separately for each dataset, not for the whole page. Dates use UTC. A missing check date does not mean no records exist.
Vehicle import recorded: Apr 28, 2026. This is the stored import date, not confirmation that every source was successfully refreshed.