Wheel & Tire complaints by model year
Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (wheels, lug nuts, original-equipment tires, TPMS).
Mileage when the problem started
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 link rod and bushing ...the centric bolt not correct the failure ...I see over ethernet many people has the same fail in this car ..I buy this car new and never crashed or or mistreated ..I report this in this year because people have told me it's a manufacturing fault..and I have had too much expenses and I can not solve ... Right now I need to buy other tires...please I need a solution ...I send a ethernet photo and the car and color is same ...to remember the milleage valor and year presented in the next question in this form is approximated ...thank you I wait you response
The current issues ( which we believe are Mazda corporate issues) and inherent to this vehicle which has low, low, low miles have caused the engine to overheat and have resulted in an engine fire, twice, on the freeway: 1)faulty electrical parts: this vehicle has had the same electrical problems since the first day we brought it and has had multiple replacements of the electrical module, batteries, alarm system, and other items, which have proven faulty by Mazda. 2)shutter valve recall: ours was inspected, but not replaced even though things were out of sorts. It was later deemed a problem. 3)faulty belts, due to engine overheating, which technicians have told us was from an overheating issue and potentially created by the inherent problems with the electrical system. …
Tire: firehawk gt bl 205/50r16 87v 50K mile tire. Tread separation with only 13,582 miles on the tire. The vehicle was parked when the tire was observed to be flat. Attempts to inflate failed. Removed tire and noticed two places on the inward side where tread was separating - one spot was just over an inch and the other was just under an inch. Full set (4) originally purchased at Firestone complete auto care store, which is where the failed tire was taken the following morning. Tire has since been discontinued and was replaced by a falken ziex 912 bl 205/50r16 87v 40K mile tire. Had other tires inspected for same issues the next day - service representative states the other three tires do not show any signs of the problem. Based on tread depth, warranty covered close to 90% of replacement tire. …
Problems with tire equipment on the 2002 Mazda Protege 5. There was difficulty with placing suitcases or boxes into the trunk of this type of vehicle, the cd player skipped, the transmission displayed a loud clunk noise, there was a spare tire problem, there was a nail in the tire which could not be repaired because it was located too close to the edge of the tire, 50% of tread remained, and there was evidence that the wheel needed to have five holes for bolts (spare wheel), and the brakes had 50% remaining. The consumer requested that a memorandum be sent to all Mazda dealers explaining the problem, ensure that one or two replacement tires should be stocked due to the extreme difficulties in locating the correct information of the tire and wheel.
Takata recall I bought by 2001 Mazda Protege a couple years ago and was never sent anything about any recalls. After pulling a car fax report there is 5 recalls all having to do with headlights. I've received a ticket for no headlights on when they were on and was recenctly in a car accident due to not seeing the other vehicle . The damage to my vehicle is on the front end including damaging my radiator which needs to replaced, bumber and grill. I had only liability insurance on my vehicle and they only would pay for the other car that was hit. Why was I never informed of recall issues? I've already paid for the no headlight ticket at night and I'm frustrated because they were illuminated. Please do not tell me I have no recall issues because I have done my research and have 5 recalls all to do with lights which can result in a crash. …
Tire sidewall bubble/blister upon hitting shallow pothole - this is 3rd tire occurance, all with same sidewall blister damage, of the four oe tires delivered on my 2001 Mazda Protege es. The oe tires are dunlop sp sport 5000m p195/50r16 83 v. Dot identification: dot eulv 4md0901. All tires have been inflated to 30-35 psi at time of impact and the pothole was sufficiently minor as to cause no damage to the alloy rim or any other scrape or damage to the tire. The sidewall blister would form within several miles driving after impact. I've now had to purchase three dunlop replacement tires to date.
Less than two months after purchasing my 2000 Mazda Protege new from the dealer I took the vehicle to the service dept. While accelerating, the car would jerk and buck as if I hit a brick wall. The car continued to do this. Each time I complained to the service dept. At the dealership I was told nothing was wrong. I also contacted Mazda corp. To inquire if there were any other complaints or recalls. I was advised that Mazda had not received any similar complaints. Just shy of three years of ownership I again took the car to the dealer service dept with the same problem concerning the car's acceleration. This was my third request to have the dealer look into the matter. Again, I was told nothing was wrong with the car. The car's acceleration continued to act up. …
On May 12, 2010 my son called me at my phone to advised me that as he was driving his 2000 Mazda Protege and without any reason his front passenger side tire gave up all around the outside side center of the tire making a blowout noise and went flat. He went to a tire services center and there he was informed that there is nothing they can do to repair the tire and also they recommended him to change all the tires (kumho solus hp/4/plus-p195/55//15. I just bought two of them in December. I wrote to khomo tires web-site asking if there is any recall for the tires and what kind of guarantee is there. I never got a reply.
Frequently asked questions
Which Mazda Protege years have wheel & tire problems?
By NHTSA complaints, the 1999 (13), 2002 (11), 2003 (11), 2000 (8) and 2001 (6) model years. Wheel & Tire complaints make up 15% of all complaints for the 1999.
Is there a recall for Mazda Protege wheel & tire problems?
No. NHTSA lists no wheels & tires 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 wheel & tire problems start?
Across all years, half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 63,000 miles; 52% happened before 50,000 miles.
What part fails most often?
Owners most often name the tread/belt (12 mentions), followed by the sidewall (6).
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.