| 1 | 0 | 3 | 4 | 3 | 4 |
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%)
Chart based on 454 repairs.
2003 Mazda Protege engine repair cost distribution
$2500+ (3%)
$1000 - $2499 (3%)
$500 - $999 (11%)
$100 - $499 (37%)
< $100 (46%)
Chart based on 149 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
| 76000 mi US $300 |
Car overheated, need thermostat |
| 111000 mi US $38 |
Error code 171. O2 sensor code. Discovered cracks in air cleaner intake hose(connects air filter box to engine). Youtube demo available. Symptom check engine light -> Shudder when accelerating hard. Problem could destroy motor if not fixed |
| 119300 mi US $70 |
Valve Cover Gasket started to seep. While I have it apart. VC gasket, plugs, and PCV valve will be replaced. Also going to fix the rust spots on the rear fenders. |
| 129000 mi US $300 |
Long story short... If your car suddenly doesn't start make sure to check your factory alarm has power... It has a downward facing fuse that can fall out, and it isn't on the circuit diagram for the car. Now I have real issues induced by trying to figure out why my car wouldn't start. |
| 129000 mi US $250 |
Water pump was weeping. - Replaced water pump with full timing belt kit. Cam and crank seals replaced. Cam and Crank senors also installed as the crank sensor was damaged from getting soaked with coolant for an extended period of time. Also replaced a defective starter, but that was bad when I purchased it. |
| 131000 mi US $80 |
Fuel Pump failed to start. Replaced fuel pump.... still didn't start after much troubleshooting I found that the resistance on the signal side of the fuel pump relay was too high to trigger the relay. The issue is either in the ECU or the wire between the ECU and the fuel pump relay on the negative side. I made a circuit to bypass the ECU with 15 dollars worth of parts from the surplus center. (youtube - "Mazda benjaminlately" for a detailed video on to deal with it. |
| 152000 mi US $1200 |
coolant leak at thermostat induction cleaning to remove carbon build-up |
| 161500 mi US $969 |
Also repaired exhaust system hangers that had broken. |
| 180000 mi US $600 |
spun timing belt, replaced timing belt and waterpump. first timing belt change for this car @ 180,000 !! previous owner lied when he said belt changed @ 100,000 spun timing belt, replaced timing belt and waterpump. first timing belt change for this car @ 180,000 !! previous owner lied when he said belt changed @ 100,000 |
| 185000 mi US $100 |
vehicle wont start, new starter, new alternator, new battery, started and ran fine after previous repair on electrical work. issue is either Alarm wiring or bad ignition. mechanic looking at it again this week, will update after |
| 157000 mi US $600 |
Valve cover gasket was replaced. It was leaking a lot of oil. |
| 212300 mi US $70 |
Oil leak in Cylinder 3. From compression test, believed to be from oil ring on the piston, not from the valve stem seals. |
| 48000 mi | Wrong wheels ordered, so not installed. Will have to go back. |
| 66000 mi US $280 |
Front left wheel bearing replaced after started making a loud noise during even the slightest turns over 20 MPH. |
| 84000 mi US $118 |
Intake air tube developed a crack, perhaps when I replaced the air filter. Weak part. Caused the engine to run lean, setting off the CEL. Shop suspected this was a common problem, since the part was readily available. Intake air tube developed a crack, perhaps when I replaced the air filter. Caused the engine to run lean, setting off the CEL. Shop suspected this was a common problem, since the part was readily available. |
| 90334 mi C $50 |
Replaced air intake boot, it snapped. Fresh air intake boot snapped; was giving off p0171 code. Ordered the part off autopartsway.ca and installed. Supposedly is a common problem with these cars. |
| 97960 mi C $30 |
Car turned out a P0303 code; cylinder 3 misfire. Tried the easiest repair first, replacing ignition wires. It worked and fuel economy shows its back to normal. |
| 93000 mi US $2972 |
Engine overhaul. I must have dropped something into #4 cylinder as it began consuming oil after the 90K tuneup. |
| 139000 mi US $79 |
Replaced suspect ignition coil and plug wires |
| 160000 mi US $95 |
Replaced motor mounts |
| 138800 mi US $104 |
Short in fuel injection system |
| 220000 mi | A previously replaced ignition coil failed. Obtained warranty replacement part and replaced. |
| 117300 mi US $250 |
Replace all motor mounts. All of them were in bad condition (cracked and torn) |
| 186000 mi US $300 |
Replaced upstream catalytic converter. |
| 83000 mi | Past repairs include cleaning EGR valve and IAC valve (rough idle) |
| 142000 mi US $170000 |
estimate, repair not done yet |
| 108500 mi R 550 |
The car would cut out under load. We first cleaned the petrol filter situated in the tank as it was clogged. A week later it did the same thing. We then drained the petrol tank as it was full of rubbish. No parts replaced |
| 126500 mi US $200 |
Replaced fuel pump relay fuse. |
| 137300 mi US $20 |
Coolant overflow tank developed cracks and holes due to age. |
| 99000 mi US $100 |
Check Engine Light led me to P0300 code ("random/multiple misfires") and coils were the first suspect per online forum. Replaced coils and spark plug wires. |
| 106000 mi US $90 |
Replaced front engine mount with Genuine Mazda part costing less than $100. Car was running acceptably with the bad mount but had wheel hop, especially when turning left. |
| 110000 mi US $250 |
Replaced passenger side engine mount with Genuine Mazda part costing around $200. Car was running acceptably with the bad mount, but wanted to fix it. |
| 113300 mi US $50 |
Valve cover gasket was leaking, so replaced it myself. Felpro gasket was $40 and included grommets; Permatex sealant was $7. |
| 113500 mi US $400 |
Engine would temporarily cut out while driving. Took to shop where it was diagnosed as a bad cam positioning sensor. The faulty part was replaced. |
| 114000 mi US $1800 |
Car overheated on road trip to CA, had it towed to local repair shop. Diagnosed blown head gasket and radiator. Upon replacing head gasket they discovered that head was warped. Replaced head with a refurbished one. |
| 114700 mi US $738 |
Horrible engine noise, removed timing cover to investigate, tensioner pulley and springs were shot and cover was broken. Mechanic to replace pulley, springs and belt. |
| 149000 mi US $250 |
Car began idling low, near-stalling at stops, overheating. Shop performed diagnostics & determined that both engine head & block had severe wear related to poor workmanship on prior head replacement, not fixable, must replace engine. |
| 146260 mi C $100 |
Air intake tube cracked |
| 144000 mi US $100 |
Sputtering at low rpm. Replaces ignition coils, wires and plugs, problem solved |
| 72200 mi US $975 |
two front engine mounts |
| 75600 mi US $150 |
stuttering; replaced plugs, wires, coils |
| 109000 mi US $40 |
Fresh air intake hose replaced - had split. Air box retaining snaps cracking, fixed with zip ties. O2 sensor (pre-cat) failed |
| 86000 mi | Ignition Coils needed replacing |
| 93620 mi C $200 |
a small section of the exhaust pipe was replaced due to a rattling noise issue. the car is as reliable as ever! :) great car. |
| 156000 mi US $60 |
Replaced rear O2 sensor. |
| 165000 mi US $20 |
CEL, changed spark plugs and replaced fuel injector. |
| 167000 mi US $26 |
CEL P0171, caused by a cracked air intake boot. |
| 169900 mi | Replaced front engine motor mount. |
| 179000 mi US $30 |
Replaced valve cover gasket as the car has been burning some oil and wanted to see if this helped eliminate that. |
| 98580 mi | CEL, replaced O2 sensor. |
| 36000 mi US $112 |
Rubber intake snorkel cracked with age, needed to be replaced. |
| 56600 mi US $150 |
Leaky head gasket. Replaced gasket. |
| 80000 mi US $2500 |
replaced motor with one that has 20000 miles on it., it was a cracked head that led to all this. |
| 82000 mi US $3300 |
Bought the car, found out that it had a blown head gasket. To replace the gasket was going to cost 1100 bucks. It also needed a new clutch and pressure plate. Which was going to be another 500 bucks plus parts on top of that leaving the totol cost around |
| 84000 mi US $169 |
3 Blown motor mounts, replaced them with upgraded ones from AWR |
| 128000 mi | Catastrophic cooling failure, awaiting funds for repair. |
| 130000 mi US $3600 |
Engine replacement. Timing belt broke, didn't change it when should have. Needs new engine. Was in shop for weeks. Don't know exact odometer reading. |
| 132000 mi US $985 |
Small crack in radiator, probably present or cause of catastrophic failure in 2009. After engine replaced, radiator wasn't. Overheated once under extreme stress. Driven for weeks afterward, with no probs. Replaced rad, water pump, t-stat. |
| 32000 mi | Intake manifold screws fell out, new intake manifold |
| 35000 mi | Intake manifold screws again fall out, new engine |
| 128000 mi US $500 |
Replaced engine for second time. Burning oil again by November. |
| 49000 mi US $144 |
Car had developed a bit of a tapping noise from the engine. Mechanic suggested this was fairly normal as the engine gets older. |
| 53000 mi | OBD DTC P0037 - heated oxygen sensor. Dealer diagnosed sensor failure and replaced it free. Covered under CA Emissions warranty. |
| 67300 mi | Oil leak; valve cover gasket. |
| 150000 mi US $220 |
A coil pack was firing intermittently and was replaced. Drove too many miles with intermittent misfire, and took out cat. Replaced cat. |
| 213000 mi US $329 |
Catalytic converter. |
| 223000 mi US $60 |
One of two coil packs went out. Bought two replacements and installed. |
| 25000 mi | Crankshaft angle sensor replaced under warranty |
| 118300 mi US $250 |
Engine mount replaced |
| 123700 mi US $1200 |
Radiator was replaced after leak was detected |
2003 Mazda Protege5 4dr Wagon
130-horsepower 2.0L I4 4-speed shiftable automatic FWD
| 115000 mi US $320 |
Valve cover replaced. |
| 64000 mi US $170 |
Thermostat stuck in closed position, leading to engine overheating. $20 for diagnosis at random corner garage, then towed to usual mechanic, who charged $20 for replacement part and $120 in labor to screw it in, tax. |
| 77500 mi C $700 |
fuel pump housing was cracked. fuel would leak out and stink up the cabin as well as mark up the driveway. i do not like this car's reliability. |
| 63240 mi C $300 |
check engine light came on. to the mechanic i go. read code: "front oxygen sensor" Replaced that sensor, reset code, nothing further to report. |
| 85760 mi C $750 |
Spark plugs, cables, battery, ignition system |
| 101680 mi C $1100 |
replaced water pump front exhaust |
| 128960 mi | 3. Engine light remains ON (mechanic cannot find problem). Turns back ON after reset. |
| 70000 mi US $55 |
Received engine code error, misfire on two cylinders. Replaced two spark wires and plugs.Kept original coils. |
| 88925 mi US $526 |
Replaced one injector, head gasket due to piston misfire. |
| 108000 mi US $240 |
Fuel injector replacement (one injector). |
| 41540 mi | EGR r&r Purge valve replaced. New design EGR installed, finally. Covered by 7 year factory warranty, discovered by accident by owner. |
| 62000 mi C $150 |
Temp gauge went sky high, thermostat replaced [2nd try]. |
| 67580 mi | Shop cannot repair annoying check engine light - no obvious symptoms. |
| 68200 mi | very glad to finally RID of this problem child - the whole thing started to go rapidly downhill at age 7, but only 110,000 Kms; needed coil packs... cat. convert, exhaust... |
| 66340 mi | Overheating problem. Source was Cracked cylinder head. Engine swap. |
| 66340 mi | MAP sensor needed to be replaced when sold. Periodic check engine light. |
| 65000 mi US $43 |
Threw a cel(Check Engine Light) code determined to be bad downstream O2 sensor at Advance auto parts.They will read the code for free.Bought part there and replaced it myself in about 35 minutes for a cost of 43$.Runs great! |
| 90000 mi US $180 |
replaced radiator |
| 41224 mi | Donut gasket on exhaust downpipe. Warranty repair |
| 34000 mi | Both coil packs were failing, causing rough idle and severe hesitation. Dealer also replaced all four sparkplugs and both ignition wires as a precaution. Failing coil packs are a known problem that affects a small but measurable number of Proteges/Protege |
| 39000 mi | Car died while idling at a stoplight. CEL stayed on and then turned off when car restarted. Dealer unable to diagnose and no code recorded. No charge. |
| 140000 mi US $75 |
Thermostat went out while on freeway. Repaired onsite from personal mechanic. |
2003 Mazda Protege5 4dr Wagon
130-horsepower 2.0L I4 4-speed automatic FWD
| 50840 mi C $430 |
EGR valve kit needed to be replaced. |
| 69440 mi C $222 |
Front intermediate pipe from exhaust manifold was corroded and fell off. New pipe installled. |
2003 Mazda Protege5 4dr Wagon
| 107880 mi | Car would jerk when under power. Cleaned Fuel Filter and Fuel Tank |
2003 Mazda Protege 4dr Sedan
turbocharged 170hp 2.0L I4 5-speed manual FWD
| 166000 mi US $100 |
Accessory belt for power steering snapped for the second time in a month. |
| 185000 mi US $500 |
Failed OEM turbo |
| 50500 mi US $350 |
Check engine light indicating intake manifold runner stuck. Replaced intake runners. That didn't fix. |
| 52100 mi US $350 |
Check engine light indicating intake manifold runner stuck. Replaced intake runners again. The Check Engine light with same code still comes on sporadically and then goes off after a time (anywhere from a day to several months). |
| 49800 mi US $75 |
Cat pipe broke between the two cats. |
| 84000 mi US $75 |
Front O2 sensor replacement |
| 92000 mi US $100 |
Muffler replaced. |
| 101000 mi US $200 |
Misfire on one cylinder due to bad ignition coil pack. |
| 106000 mi | Belt(s) would squeal on startup and when cold; probably not tightened enough during timing belt service. |
| 115000 mi US $6 |
Oil leakage, due to bad o-ring on oil filler cap. Replaced cap with an aftermarket part. |
| 117000 mi US $5 |
I was looking under the hood for another problem and noticed that a boot on the vacuum line feeding the turbo wastegate, BOV/recirc valve, etc. had split. Replaced with various vacuum hoses & fittings from stock on-hand. |
| 117900 mi | Scantool showed code P0660. This code will not turn on the check engine light--it has to be found with a scantool. Code for VICS (variable intake) electrical problem. Tested vac. solenoid. High resistance, wouldn't pass vacuum correctly. |
| 119000 mi US $130 |
Installed new VICS (variable intake) solenoid valve. Old solenoid valve had high resistance and wouldn't switch vacuum ports when power was applied. A test drive confirmed significantly better high RPM power with the VICS working again. |
| 123200 mi US $89 |
Engine was very sloppy feeling, like its mounts were worn. Replaced very worn front engine mount, which was surprisingly easy to do. Rear mount should also be replaced, but will be a very big job, so I will defer it for now. |
| 129000 mi US $65 |
Occasional slight misfire during warm-up, then later, a more severe misfire at startup. Check engine light came on. Code P0304. Followed Mazda troubleshooting procedure. Replaced both coil packs. Code came back again later. |
| 131000 mi US $44 |
Misfiring, severe during cold warmup and slight when warm. Learned that the plug gap for the turbo is less, and they are frequently mis-gapped. Checked gap, too large. Plugs almost due to be changed. Installed new plugs, regapped to proper. Car started overheating in stop and go traffic with the A/C on. Turning on the heater cooled it down, and the temp was normal once the traffic started moving. LH cooling fan was getting power but didn't turn. Replaced fan motor. Once the LH fan was replaced, it ran continuously. Tapping the fan relay stopped the fan. Later drives showed that the fan rarely came on when the car was hot. The relay was sticking in both the open and closed positions. Replaced the relay. |
| 69000 mi | Coil pack #2 failed and was replaced with new duralast one by me(owner). Car runs perfect now. Valve cover gasket needed to be replaced, I(owner) did the labor. |
2003 Mazda Protege 4dr Sedan
130-horsepower 2.0L I4 5-speed manual FWD
| 25000 mi | Intake manifold screws released into combustion chamber resulting in dead spark plugs. Known issue related to a rolling recall. Repaired under warranty by Mazda. |
| 141000 mi US $150 |
Replaced motor mount and hose between air filter and intake(broke due to motor mount). |
| 50000 mi US $120 |
VICS screw loosened and went through engine, damaging spark plug. Engine misfiring. Replaced spark plugs. Not notified of recall. |
| 95000 mi US $150 |
repair vacuum leak repair vacuum leak |
| 139000 mi US $30 |
Valve cover gasket replacement. |
| 94000 mi US $180 |
Reset check engine light due to fuel cap (apparently) not being on tightly enough. Replaced spark plugs at same time (75k on these) |
2003 Mazda Protege 4dr Sedan
130-horsepower 2.0L I4 4-speed shiftable automatic FWD
| 21947 mi | Check engine light on. Internal Fault. Egr Valve replaced. No charge under warranty |
| 41000 mi US $434 |
Engine Light ON. E G R Valve failed, and replaced. At same time had a seasonal check up including oil and filter change. |
| 92380 mi C $10 |
Engine light came on; replaced gas cap. |
| 94860 mi C $140 |
Code P2009 and P0301. Spark plug in Cyl. 1 replaced. Good for a week, then code P0302. Noticed electrodes on spark plug #2 touching. Replaced spark plug in Cyl. 2. myself. Drove a few more days, then code P2009. Suspect a problem with VTCS. |
| 96260 mi | Discovered recall 3005C had not been done. This was the cause of the previous problem. Mazda dealership did the needed repairs. |
| 66000 mi US $90 |
replaced plugs, wires & coils |
| 66000 mi | radiator failed, traded car for 2015 Nissan Versa 5spd |
2003 Mazda Protege 4dr Sedan
130-horsepower 2.0L I4 4-speed automatic FWD
| 106020 mi C $380 |
Replaced ignition coil for #2-3 cylinders |
| 113597 mi US $81 |
Bad driver's side ignition coil. Plugs & wires replaced as well. |
| 151496 mi | Replacement driver's side ignition coil under warranty. |
| 143976 mi US $20 |
New intake hose |
| 146000 mi US $129 |
Failed drive belts from rubbing on engine cover led to failed radiator |
| 224000 mi US $220 |
leaking gas tank. replace tank and fuel pump |
| 75020 mi C $175 |
Replaced muffler. |
| 76260 mi C $80 |
Car almost stalls at red lights/stops. Problem does not exist while driving. Mechanic suggested starting with cheap possible fixes. He replaced spark plugs - this did not fix the issue. |
| 78740 mi C $90 |
Same problem as before - the mechanic rechecked everything and this time found a small hole in some kind of air intake hose. Once he replaced that, everything was OK. |
| 92380 mi C $958 |
Two of the ignition coils burnt out and had to be replaced, along with spark plugs. Regular 140k maintenance was also performed. |
| 132060 mi C $1500 |
Gas tank had a leak, engine belt replaced. |
| 50840 mi C $700 |
EGR valve stuck intake gasket |
| 83080 mi C $400 |
Bearing repaired. Not a wheel bearing but the bearing that is where the powertrain hits the transmission. |
| 85560 mi C $60 |
Car had oil leak. Added stop leak to the oil. Also a different humming from front suspension. Told the problem needs to get worse before servicing as they could not isolate the problem. |
| 97280 mi C $2 |
Replaced Water Pump, changed timing belt and replaced oil gasket on engine |
| 117180 mi C $300 |
Carburetor hose broken |
| 136400 mi C $300 |
radiator thermostat |
| 140000 mi C $500 |
Replace radiator |
| 60000 mi US $49 |
Belt squealing. Idler pully had backed off losing tension. Belt had been replaced two months earlier on 60000 mile maintenance. So no charge. Vehicle was in for normal service so that accounts for the charges. |
| 48360 mi C $875 |
Water pump started leaking coolant, had to have it replaced. Replaced the timing belt as well since it would be due soon (96000 KM), and dealer gave a package deal. |
| 52080 mi | When at full stop (idle), car's RPM would fluctuate briskly. Took it to dealership, they replaced what is called the Idle Control Valve, which is a documented weakness of this car. No cost since there is a 7 year secret warranty on this component. |
| 135000 mi US $153 |
Rusted pipe under engine. Replacement pipe, bolts/springs plus helicoil to repair threads in catalytic converter |
See TrueDelta's information for all Mazda models.
