2003 Mazda Protege Mazda Protege 2003

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2003 Mazda Protege repairs by problem area

Engine (39%)

Transmission and Drivetrain (3%)

Brakes and Traction Control (6%)

Suspension and Steering (25%)

Electrical and Air Conditioning (17%)

Paint, Rust, Leaks, Rattles, and Trim (8%)

Other (1%)

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Chart based on 454 repairs.
See TSBs and recalls for the 2003 Mazda Protege.

2003 Mazda Protege electrical repair cost distribution

$2500+ (0%)

$1000 - $2499 (1%)

$500 - $999 (5%)

$100 - $499 (38%)

< $100 (56%)

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Chart based on 77 repair trips. The repair cost chart excludes repairs made under warranty, do-it-yourself repairs, and repair trips that include maintenance.

2003 Mazda Protege5 4dr Wagon

130-horsepower 2.0L I4 5-speed manual FWD

179000 mi

US $552
Alternator stopped working, shredded belt, needed to be towed 
72000 mi

US $200
lighter outlet did not work  
164000 mi

US $250
starter went bad, bought starter that ended up being for an automatic, had to return it for manual trans starter. 3.5 hours repair. 
182300 mi

US $200
alternator went bad, replaced alternator and belt. 
185000 mi

US $200
long story short, aftermarket amp wire protective coating rubbed through to bare wire, killed old alt, replaced too late to save battery (less than 1 yr old new) and blew several fuses at the same time. cascade effect failure, started at amp, killed amp and alternator, which in turn killed battery. bad alt meant more draw on batt, once alt was replaced, bad batt overtaxed new alt... now working on a non start issue dealing with either ignition (known to go bad) or alarm wiring. 
150000 mi

US $340
Alternator failure 
223681 mi

US $679
Replace A/C compressor 
148000 mi

US $550
Alternator bad, replaced. 
93500 mi Car would cut off intermittently - Replaced Fuel Pump Relay myself.Agents too expensive,so I made my own. 
197000 mi

US $50
One headlight bulb was out, replaced both bulbs 
221000 mi

US $70
Electronic driver's side door latch no longer operable. Latch replaced. 
90000 mi

US $70
Driver's door lock actuator broke, so actuator made buzzing sound and would not lock/unlock. Bought part at parts store and replaced it myself. 
38000 mi Headlight out, replaced bulb. 
49000 mi Wheels finally replaced. Extra trip required so Mazda could approve use of polished wheels like those that originally came on the car. I had these swapped for regular painted alloys at time of purchase. 
58000 mi

US $80
One low-beam headlight went out, then a few days later the other one went out. Very difficult to access and remove the bulbs, which no parts shop seems to stock. So I had the dealer do it. 
83000 mi

US $80
Both headlights replaced, second time they've both failed within days of each other. Both headlights replaced, second time they've both failed within days of each other. 
86000 mi

US $410
Alternator bearing seized up, snapping the accessory belt. Replaced alternator and belts. Alternator bearing seized up, snapping the accessory belt. Replaced alternator and belts. 
108000 mi

US $93
Pulled over by police because one headlight was out. They were last replaced about 20 months ago, and then 20 months before that. Originals lasted five years. What gives? And why now $30 a bulb? 
111200 mi

US $15
Right rear power door lock hasn't worked in months. With the weather warmer, removed door panel, opened up lock actuator, and found broken plastic gear and travel slide. Purchased this piece on eBay for $14. 
145000 mi

US $300
Alternator failed. Bolt hiding it was rusted on 
122000 mi

US $15
Passenger rear door lock actuator died. Swapped in replacement part. 
169000 mi

US $15
Replaced rear passenger power lock actuator. 
116000 mi

US $130
battery replacement 
155800 mi

US $200
replacement of door lock relay 
184000 mi

US $200
Replaced window regulator 
189000 mi

US $600
Starter needed replacement 
80000 mi

US $75
1 headlight bulb replaced. 
75500 mi

US $10
Both headlight bulbs blew. Replaced with new. 
82800 mi

US $220
Replaced alternator. Car only ran once every 1-2 weeks, draining battery. Noticed alternator died after jump starting -- not sure if it was due to a drained battery, jumping procedure, or failed alternator. 
49000 mi

US $144
Also had an oil change, a headlight bulb replaced. 
65000 mi

US $30
Both low beam halogen headlight bulbs burned out. Metal spring clip broke while changing bulb, replacement only available from dealer. 
169000 mi

US $10
Replace low-beam head light. Seems to be a problem area with these cars; I've replaced the head lights three times, and have heard of other owners having similar problems. 
70000 mi

US $250
The A/C fan switch was malfunctioning. 

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2003 Mazda Protege5 4dr Wagon

130-horsepower 2.0L I4 4-speed shiftable automatic FWD

66700 mi

US $80
Battery replaced 
157000 mi

US $175
Vehicle overheating and A/C not cooling. Replace thermostat fixed the problems. 
192000 mi

US $50
Corroded battery terminal 
201000 mi

US $350
Horn switch replaced 
62000 mi

C $400
alternator went kaput 
63860 mi

C $300
alternator died. 
33336 mi

US $21
Headlight bulb: right. 
46332 mi

US $26
Headlight bulb; right 
66029 mi

US $26
Headlight bulb: left 
66950 mi

US $24
Headlight bulb: right 
80400 mi

US $150
Alternator replaced. 
125000 mi

US $50
HVAC fan replacement, Old one got noisy. Blissfully quiet now. Won't miss the wheel of fortune sound of the old one. 

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2003 Mazda Protege5 4dr Wagon

130-horsepower 2.0L I4 4-speed automatic FWD

44795 mi

C $65
Change headlight that was blown out. Had both changed at the same time to keep track of the life of the bulbs, since this vehicle was bought used. 
59520 mi

C $1600
Required new battery and alternator. Car would not start. Taken to Garage x2 to have problems figured out. Required tow x2. Also had routine maintenace done: Alternator belt, serpentine belt, tire rotation.  

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2003 Mazda Protege 4dr Sedan

turbocharged 170hp 2.0L I4 5-speed manual FWD

120200 mi

US $61
Doors stopped locking and alarm stopped arming when key was turned in driver's door lock cyl. Checked resistance of keyswitch, and it didn’t meet specs in the “lock” direction. Cleaned w/elec. contact cleaner; didn't help. Replaced switch. 
26000 mi Drivers side door lock actuator broken and was making a grinding noise whenever locks were used. New lock actuator part installed. Problem resolved. 
32000 mi

US $50
R/Front passenger door actuator went out and would make grinding noises. Dealer ordered & replaced with new part. 
47000 mi

US $153
R/rear door lock actuator was shot. Grinding noise whenever the electronic door locks opened or closed. 
52000 mi

US $150
Battery was seven years old; noted car would not start after sitting for > a week; starter & alternator passed diagnostic testing performed but load test of battery failed. R/R of battery with new unit. 
56000 mi Battery was dead and trickle charger was not restoring battery to full charge. Battery was in final month of 36 month warranty and replacement issued for free by store. 

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2003 Mazda Protege 4dr Sedan

130-horsepower 2.0L I4 5-speed manual FWD

30000 mi

US $120
Door lock actuator had internal break 
90000 mi

US $30
Recharge A/C system Tighten recently replaced accessory belts 

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2003 Mazda Protege 4dr Sedan

130-horsepower 2.0L I4 4-speed shiftable automatic FWD

9500 mi

US $75
Dead Battery, Battery replaced under warranty 
14290 mi

US $38
Battery Dead, Battery replaced 
14739 mi Battery dead. Replaced Alarm module, under warranty 
14802 mi Battery dead. Replaced audio unit. Under warranty Battery dead. Towed in at dealers expense. Loose solenoid Wire repaired. 
20866 mi Battery dead. Battery replaced under warranty. Charges not shown on invoice. 
185000 mi

US $200
Battery needed to be replaced 

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2003 Mazda Protege 4dr Sedan

130-horsepower 2.0L I4 4-speed automatic FWD

78740 mi

C $90
Windshield washer pump had to be replaced. 
53940 mi

C $350
Had to replace faulty alternator after the battery light came on. 
56420 mi

C $102
Alternator replaced for second time in 4 months. Dealer thinks it is an isolated problem, only paid for labour plus applicable taxes. 
111000 mi

US $71
Replaced both RH door lock actuators (inoperable). 
114409 mi

US $96
Replaced broken driver's door window regulator  
154000 mi

US $30
New blower motor resistor 
93000 mi

C $400
Replace Alternator, both belts were replaced and Oil Lead was treated 
111160 mi Battery light comes on and off but the alternator checks out fine 
125240 mi

C $300
Alternator stopped working 
133300 mi

US $15
Headlight 
125500 mi

US $130
Drivers side window motor went out and had to be replaced. 
103540 mi

C $80
During a cold snap (around -20) the alternator was not charging enough to keep the battery charged and the battery needed to be charged. Tests of the battery and charging system indicated no problems. Mechanic said too much power drawn idling in traffic. 
106640 mi

C $480
Alternator was replaced 

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2003 Mazda Protege Electrical Problems

See our lemon odds and nada odds page to see vehicles with no repairs or vehicles with more than three repairs. To see how frequently 2003 Mazda Protege problems occur, check out our car reliability stats.