2003 Mazda Protege suspension problems
11 owner complaints filed with NHTSA name the suspension on the 2003 Mazda Protege — 9% of all complaints for this model year.
What owners report
“Excessive wear in the area inside and outside in tires ... Many several workshops can not correct the alignment fault ... The steering wheel go to the right and I have to force to the left ... All the front and rear suspension part are new , including the shock absorber is new and control arm and…”
filed Dec 5, 2017
“Passenger side strut tower has rusted to the point that failure of the suspension is imminent. The rust inhibitor that was applied from mazda motor corp. During manufacturing, on the passenger front wheel well has failed and is allowing water, road salt etc to enter the engine bay and cause severe…”
filed Jun 23, 2014
Verbatim excerpts from complaints filed with NHTSA. Reports are not independently verified.
Related service bulletins
Some customers may complain of signs of oil on the struts or shock absorbers. In most cases the oil that is present is normal, and a result of the oil that remains on the shaft during the normal sweeping process of the…
02-004-22a · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Nov 18, 2022
Suspension problems in other Protege years
| Year | Reports | Share |
|---|---|---|
| 2002 Protege | 3 | 3% |
| 2001 Protege | 1 | 2% |
| 2000 Protege | 4 | 4% |
| 1999 Protege | 3 | 3% |
| 1998 Protege | 1 | 2% |
| 1997 Protege | 5 | 8% |
| 1996 Protege | 4 | 6% |
| 1995 Protege | 7 | 4% |
| 1994 Protege | 3 | 4% |
| 1992 Protege | 1 | 2% |
| 1991 Protege | 2 | 4% |
| 1990 Protege | 1 | 3% |
Other reported problem areas on the 2003 Mazda Protege
Counts are unique NHTSA complaints naming this component group. Complaints are unverified owner reports; mileage is computed only from complaints that included a usable odometer reading.