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1993 Mazda Protege

Factory specifications, fluid capacities, torque values, EPA fuel economy and the federal safety record for the 1993 Protege.

Body PASSENGER CARTransmission Automatic 4-spd

The 1993 Mazda Protege is classified as a passenger car equipped with a 4-speed automatic transmission that achieves EPA fuel economy ratings of 21/29/24 mpg. Within the model's broader production timeline from 1990 to 2006, this specific year generated 61 total owner complaints focused mainly on seat belts, along with a single recall. While the 1990 model year recorded the lowest complaint count at 41 and 1995 peaked at 206, the 1993 iteration occupies a moderate position in the vehicle's long-term reliability history.

Model year2002 2001 2000 1999 1998 1997 1996 1995 1993

Quick specs

Fluid capacities, tune-up values and fuel economy at a glance.

EPA fuel economy21/29/24 mpgEPA · verified

Full specifications

Engine, drivetrain, dimensions and economy.

Engine & drivetrain NHTSA vPIC

Transmission

Automatic 4-spd

Dimensions & weight NHTSA vPIC

Overall length	171.7 in
Overall width	65.7 in
Overall height	53.9 in
Wheelbase	98.4 in
Curb weight	2326 lb
Weight distribution (front / rear)	63/37

Ratings & economy EPA / vPIC

EPA city / highway / combined	21 / 29 / 24 mpg
Drivetrain	Front-Wheel Drive
Passenger volume	92 cu ft
Cargo volume	13 cu ft
Recommended fuel	Regular Gasoline

Performance & power Independent road tests

0–60 mph, quarter-mile, horsepower and torque from independent road tests.

Independent road tests for the Protege of this era, listed by trim and engine — this page spans more than one engine, so no single horsepower figure is shown.

8.8 sec0–60 mph (tested)quickest 8.80 sec — 1991 Protegé LX Sedan

Year	Trim / engine	0–60	¼ mile	HP	Drivetrain
1991	Protegé LX Sedan 1.8L I-4	8.80 sec	16.50 sec	103 hp	FWD

Service quick specs OEM factory data

Capacities, torques and tune-up values from the factory service manual.

This engine GL-5 in the differential.

Lubricants & capacities

Differential Gear Oil	GL-5
Differential Gear Oil Capacity	1.4 Pints
Engine Coolant	ETHYLENE GLYCOL
Power Steering Fluid	DEXRON VI OR MERCON V

Factory maintenance schedule OEM · verified

Normal service, condensed from the factory interval matrix.

Under the factory schedule, replace the engine oil and filter every 7,500 mi.

Every 7,500 mi	Body Latches, Locks & Hinges (inspect) · Engine Oil (drain & refill) · Engine Oil Filter (replace) · Weatherstrip Seal (inspect)
Every 30,000 mi	Accessory Drive Belt (inspect) · Axle Shaft Oil Seal (inspect) · Body Fasteners (torque) · Brake System (inspect) · CV Joint Boot (inspect) · Clutch Pedal Assembly (inspect)
Every 60,000 mi	Fuel Filter (replace) · Timing Belt (replace)

Reliability & federal safety record

Owner-reported issues, recalls, investigations and service bulletins on record with NHTSA — an unfiltered look at what owners actually experience.

The 1993 Mazda Protegé sits in the first full redesign cycle of the nameplate, and the federal record shows a relatively stable early phase. Complaints rose modestly from 41 in 1990 to 68 in 1992, then dipped to 61 in 1993—below both the preceding and following years—while recalls and investigations held steady at one and three respectively. The data does not specify root causes, but the top complaint areas for 1993 (seat belts, fuel system, and powertrain) mirror broader generation trends without an outsized spike in any single category. Fire and crash complaints remained minimal at three and two, respectively. This places 1993 near the low point of the early-1990s reliability arc, before the sharp 1995 complaint surge and subsequent recall expansion. **Takeaway: the 1993 Protegé is one of the stronger years to buy in the first-generation run, offering lower complaint volume and consistent recall coverage.**

Open recalls

NHTSA campaigns

Service bulletins

Manufacturer communications

ODI investigations

Office of Defects Investigation

Owner complaints

2 involved a crash · 3 a fire

NHTSA crash-test rating federal NCAP · out of 5 stars

Rollover★★★★★

Owner complaints by model year NHTSA · this generation & adjacent

’90 ’91 ’92’93’94 ’95 ’96 ’97 ’98 ’99 ’00 ’01 ’02 ’03 ’04 ’05 ’06

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA, by component

All 61 complaints on record, top 8 components.

Seat Belts28

Fuel System, Gasoline7

Power Train5

Electrical System4

Service Brakes, Hydraulic4

Engine & Engine Cooling3

Exterior Lighting2

Back Over Prevention1

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint database.

Recalls NHTSA · verified

Showing 1 of 1 campaigns on record for this vehicle.

15V674000Electrical System:Ignition:SwitchReported 19/10/2015

Mazda North American Operations (Mazda) is recalling certain model year 1989-1998 MPV, 1990-1995 323, 1990-1998 Protege, 1992-1993 MX-3, 1993-1995 929, 1993-1997 MX-6, and 1993-1998 626 vehicles. In the affected… Remedy: Mazda will notify owners, and dealers will replace the ignition switch, free of charge. The recall began on December 17, 2015. Owners may contact Mazda Customer Experience Center…

Technical service bulletins NHTSA · verified

Showing 5 of 20 bulletins on record with NHTSA.

Bulletin	Date	Component	Summary
00-003-19-3583	2019-03-20	Engine And Engine Cooling	In support of the new MRT distribution, Mazda will ship to dealers a new Dual Purpose…
09-009-19-3566	2019-01-14	Electrical System	In accordance with Federal regulations, follow the procedure listed below when replacing…
09-034-18-3430a	2018-10-10	Vehicle Speed Control	In accordance with Federal regulations, follow the procedure listed below when replacing…
09-034-18-3430	2018-08-31	Vehicle Speed Control	In accordance with Federal regulations, follow the procedure listed below when replacing…
09-035-17-3080	2017-08-07	Electrical System	In accordance with Federal regulations, follow the procedure listed below when replacing…

Common OBD-II trouble codes

The most common OBD-II codes for this vehicle's emissions system. These are standardized SAE J2012 definitions, not vehicle-specific fault reports.

P0420

Catalyst system efficiency below threshold — Bank 1

P0300

Random / multiple cylinder misfire detected

P0171

System too lean — Bank 1

P0455

Evaporative emission system leak detected — large leak

P0128

Coolant thermostat below regulating temperature

P0442

Evaporative emission system leak detected — small leak

VIN tools

Decode factory build data for a specific vehicle by VIN.

VIN

Decode a VIN to confirm the transmission and build data for a specific Protege. OEM

Build data

Plant, GVWR class, engine and body data for any 17-character VIN.

Recalls

Check open recall campaigns against a specific vehicle by VIN.

Reference guides

Cross-vehicle references for the kinds of data on this page.

Vehicle recalls & TSBs OBD-II trouble codes Maintenance schedules Fluid capacities & specs

Frequently asked

Does the 1993 Protege have open recalls?

NHTSA lists 1 recall campaign(s) for this model year. Check your specific vehicle by VIN.

What gas mileage does the Protege get?

EPA figures are 21 city / 29 highway / 24 combined mpg.