Seat Belt complaints by model year
Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (buckles, retractors, anchors and pretensioners).
Mileage when the problem started
What owners report
I was pulling up to my residence when the seat belt popped out of the receiver by itself.. I tried to re-latch the seat belt and it would not latch. I attempted a few more times and the seat belt receiver completely fell apart..
Tl contact owns a 2003 Mazda Protege 5. Whenever the contact attempted to use the driver side front seat belt she noticed that the seat belt buckle would not connect with the base latch. The contact noticed that prior to the failure the latch became very difficult close. The latch mechanism was replaced by a local mechanic. The current and failure mileages were 89500. Updated 01/05/10. Updated 01/05/10.
I've owned my 2002 Mazda protege5 for 7 years now. It's always had a vibration while braking. Even after having out brand new brakes, rotors and calipers. I'm very anal on how my car looks and drives. If I feel something out of the ordinary, I know something is off. This has happened ever since I've had the car. It does cause me to drive more cautiously especially in the back roads along with wet pavement. The steering wheel shakes while braking as well. As for the body of the car, the paint is faiding fast. It's yellow, and I hand polish and wax it once before spring, summer, and winter. I use maguires wax and polish every time. And it's also got a rust spot along the back left wheel lip. I am the second owner of the vehicle. And when I took it to the dealership to be repainted after I played for the car. It was magically only 24 hours from the warranty covering it. …
On March 15, 2005 I was involved in a pile-up accident. The airbag did not deploy and the seat belt did not restrain me from hitting the steering wheel with my chest. I had a fractured rib. My car is a Mazda Protege 5 and the vin3 is: [redacted].
Every time I go to fasten my seat belt into the buckle, it's always unbuckling it self. This happens in stationary and in motion. My radios screen cant be seen or read. The visor on the car broke off and nothing was pulling it.
The problems with this particular vehicle occurred on 11/01/2001 in an auto accident. I'm the passenger who was driving the vehicle southbound on the interstate when suddenly I couldn't stop the vehicle because of the brakes, so I tried to change lanes, and the car veered off the road, landing in a ditch after crashing into 4 or 5 trees. No air bags deployed, and my seat belt detached at some point during the impact. As a result car was completely totaled, and driver side door was smashed in. Passenger's seat directly behind the driver was pushed into the middle of the car, and the truck sat in the back seat. Through all of the impact I could have probably been thrown out of my seat because my sat became unattached, thereby causing extreme damage to my chest, and leaving me with fractured ribs which could have been avoided if the air bags simply deployed. …
Dt: the consumer has a 2000 Mazda Protege. The driver's lower seat belt fell apart. The consumer has contacted several dealer who told her the she couldn't get a replacement. All of the other seat belts are fine and there are no cracks in them. The consumer's vehicle has not been in an accident.
The left front seat belt would not release. My spouse spent fifteen minutes trying to get it unbuckled and popped a blood vessel in her thumb trying to release it. Going to replace it and see what happens. Will contact dealer to see if it can be warrantied. They should, it is a safety item!
Frequently asked questions
Which Mazda Protege years have seat belt problems?
By NHTSA complaints, the 2002 (20), 2003 (17), 1995 (13), 2000 (8) and 1996 (6) model years. Seat Belt complaints make up 20% of all complaints for the 2002.
Is there a recall for Mazda Protege seat belt problems?
No. NHTSA lists no seat belts recall for any Mazda Protege model year. A widespread problem may still be covered by an extended warranty or a manufacturer service bulletin, so ask a dealer.
At what mileage do Mazda Protege seat belt problems start?
Across all years, half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 91,000 miles; 15% happened before 50,000 miles.
What part fails most often?
Owners most often name the front › buckle assembly (16 mentions), followed by the front › retractor (10).
Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) — owner complaints through October 20, 2026, recalls and defect investigations; fuel economy from the EPA. Complaints are unverified reports and are not proof of a defect. How we rate model years.