The Lemon Index
20011st generation
About average · most complaints: airbags
61 owner complaints, first 3 years 23–27 mpg combined, EPA
Similar cars, same year
2000 Saturn SL 492000 Ford Taurus 1112000 Toyota Avalon 70
Lemon Index: 100 = the average car, lower is better.
When problems show up
Only 10 complaints listed a mileage: too few to say when problems show up.
Questions to ask the seller
- Were recalls 09E012000 (lights), 06E026000 (lights) and 01V024000 (brakes) done? Ask for the dealer printout, or check the VIN.
- Is the airbag light off, and were any airbag recalls done?
- Any slipping, hard or late shifts, or a transmission warning light? Ask for transmission fluid service records.
- Do the seats adjust, heat and lock in place properly?
- Mazda sent dealers 96 repair notes for this car. Was this one done: “Exhaust resonance noise at approximately 2200 - 2300 rpm”?
From this year's own recalls, top problems, top repair bills and Mazda's repair notes. Recall repairs are free at any dealer.
How serious. Out of all 61 owner complaints filed so far (every year since it was sold, not just the first 3), owners reported:
“Average car” = what the same number of complaints would include at the rate across every model year we track. Owners report these themselves; NHTSA doesn't confirm the cause.
What owners complain about most. From owner complaints to the government.
Share of this year's owner complaints filed with NHTSA, not the share of cars that break. One complaint can name more than one area.
Check engine light on? Look up any code →
When owners reported problems. From owner complaints to the government.
Most owners who filed a complaint with NHTSA had 30K to 45K miles (48K to 72K km) on the car (10 of all 61 complaints filed so far listed the miles). This shows when people who had a problem reported it, not the odds that your car will have it.
In owners' words
Check engine light and o/d off light were blinking. Took car to the dealer and the transmission needs to be replaced.
2000 Mazda Protege owner · NHTSA complaint 726226
More owner reports
Consumer states that when involved in a head on collision at 45 mph the air bags did not deploy. Dealer notified.
NHTSA complaint 8019687
Vehicle was rearended while at a stop by vehicle driven about 40 mph, was pushed into vehicle in front of it. Neither airbag deployed, vehicle was totalled. Consumer suffered neck and back injuries.
NHTSA complaint 8009593
Fixes owners look up most.
From 200 YouTube videos · 5.6M views · 1999–2003 Mazda Protege
Most-watched topics
- Infotainment, battery & electrical597K views
1999-2003 Mazda Protege Alternator and Belt Install How-ToBack Forty Off Road · 414K views · 5 videos - Cooling system419K views
Timing belt replacement 1998 - 2003 Mazda Protege DOHC 1.6L water pump Install Remove ReplaceFixing cars and stuff · 369K views · 5 videos - Intake, EGR & engine sensors168K views
2001 Mazda Protege EGR removal, clean and change (P0401 error code)David The Fixer of Things (Just ask Dave) · 107K views · 7 videos - Gauges, lights & wiring113K views
P0421 Check Engine Light Fix "2001 Mazda protege 2.0 ES" (make not important!)Derrick P · 113K views
Show 2 more
- Steering & suspension109K views
How-To Replace Front Struts on Most Cars : 2001 Mazda Protege ExampleJohnnysshop · 66K views · 3 videos - Oil changes & service76K views
2000 Mazda Protege ES Oil and Oil Filter Change - 1.8L or 1.6LKhan XO · 37K views · 4 videos
Before you buy, watch
2002 MAZDA PROTEGE 5 start up, walk around and reviewAutomotiveReview · 109K views
SOLD 2002 Mazda Protege5 72K Miles Mint 5 Speed Meticulous Motors Inc Fl For SaleMeticulousMotors · 31K views
SOLD 2003 Mazda Protege ES 2.0 5-Speed Manual Meticulous Motors Inc Florida For SaleMeticulousMotors · 30K viewsViews show how many people looked up each fix, not how often it breaks. Videos belong to their creators; we link to them. The 2000 is the same generation.
Costs are the middle (median) of the dollar amounts people say out loud in these videos, so one wild number can't swing it. They aren't verified bills or sales; real prices depend on year, miles, condition and where you live. Tap Hear it to jump to the moment.
Problems Mazda told dealers about
Mazda sent dealers 96 repair notes for this car. The ones about its biggest problems:
- Exhaust resonance noise at approximately 2200 - 2300 rpm
- Concerns with an exhaust resonance noise heard from the exhaust system at approximately 2200 -…
Ask a seller or mechanic if these were done. Some are free under warranty or a special program.
Recalls 3
- Lights · recall issued 2009
SABERSPORT IS RECALLING 16,270 COMBINATION CORNER AND BUMPER LAMP ASSEMBLIES OF VARIOUS PART NUMBERS SOLD FOR USE AS AFTERMARKET EQUIPMENT FOR VARIOUS PASSENGER VEHICLES.
- Lights · recall issued 2006
CERTAIN PRO-A MOTORS CORNER LAMPS, TURN SIGNALS, AND HEADLIGHTS SOLD AS REPLACEMENT LAMPS FOR USE ON CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES LISTED ABOVE.
- Brakes · recall issued 2001
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES.
Recall repairs are free at any dealer. A recall only matters if it's still open on that exact car, so check its VIN.
Canada? See recalls at Transport Canada
Safety
Crash stars (older test): front ★★★★☆ · side ★★★☆☆ · rollover —
Fuel cost and engines
About $2,200–$2,600 (USD) a year in fuel (EPA estimate at U.S. prices, 15,000 miles or 24,000 km a year). Engines: 1.6L 4-cyl, 1.8L 4-cyl.
Every Mazda Protege year. 2000 is highlighted. Lower is better.
Show 1 older years (1999–1999, YouTube reviews only, no complaint data)
Newest year first. Red = worse than average, gray = about average or too few complaints to score. #1, #2… = that year's YouTube rank among the 5 Mazda Protege years with enough videos (#1 = the year owners and reviewers talk about most positively). It is not a reliability rank.
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Put this chart on your site, blog or forum. Free, with the credit line built in; the 2000 bar is highlighted.
<iframe src="https://lemonindex.com/embed/cars/mazda-protege/?y=2000" title="Mazda Protege reliability by model year (The Lemon Index)" width="100%" height="307" style="border:0;max-width:720px" loading="lazy"></iframe><p style="font-size:13px;margin:4px 0 0">Data: <a href="https://lemonindex.com/cars/mazda-protege/2000/">Lemon Index</a> (2000 Mazda Protege reliability)</p>Quick answers
Is the 2000 Mazda Protege reliable?
About average by government complaints. It drew somewhat fewer complaints than the average car filed with NHTSA in its first 3 years, per car sold (Lemon Index 88; 100 is average, lower is better). The Mazda Protege year with the fewest complaints per car sold is 2001.
What are the most common 2000 Mazda Protege problems?
In owner complaints to the government, the parts named most are airbags (33%), transmission & drivetrain (30%) and seats (8%). That is the share of complaints, not the share of cars that break.
How many recalls does the 2000 Mazda Protege have?
3 safety recalls (latest: lights). Recall repairs are free at any dealer; check a specific car's VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
What gas mileage does the 2000 Mazda Protege get?
23 to 27 mpg combined, depending on the engine (EPA estimate).
Does the 2000 Mazda Protege have transmission problems?
Transmission and drivetrain issues make up 30% of its owner complaints.
How much does the 2000 Mazda Protege cost in fuel a year?
About $2,200 to $2,600 a year, by the EPA's current estimate.
What engines does the 2000 Mazda Protege have?
1.6L 4-cyl, 1.8L 4-cyl.
What Mazda Protege year is better than the 2000?
Nearby, the 2001 drew fewer owner complaints per car sold (a bit under half as many complaints as the average car).
The Lemon Index counts owner complaints filed with the U.S. government (NHTSA) in a car's first 3 years, per car sold, against the average car of the same model years (100 = average, lower is better). It measures complaints, not crash safety. A complaint is an owner's report, not a confirmed defect. How it works