MazdaProtege1997Overview/mazda/protege/1997/base/

1997 Mazda Protege

Factory specifications, fluid capacities, torque values, EPA fuel economy and the federal safety record for the 1997 Protege.

Body PASSENGER CAR

The 1997 Mazda Protege is a passenger car that, with 77 total owner complaints and two recalls, occupies a middle ground in the model’s reliability history from 1990 to 2006—far below the peak of 206 complaints in 1995 but above the low of 41 in 1990, with its most frequent issue reported in the Power Train area.

Model year200220012000199919981997199619951994

Fitment & sizes

Replacement part sizes and factory part numbers — battery, bulbs, filters and belts.

From the factory this vehicle uses OE oil filter B6Y114302A. Each part links to every other vehicle that shares it, so a part you already stock may fit more of your fleet than you'd expect.

Tail / brake / turnFUSEOEM · verified

OE service part numbers OEM · verified

Engine oil filterB6Y114302A
Engine air filterB59513Z40A9U
Spark plug000018BP03 alt BP0218110
Front wiper bladesBE5H67330 alt BE5J67330
Serpentine beltZL0115907 alt B6BF18381
ThermostatBP6F15171A alt B62115173

Full specifications

Engine, drivetrain, dimensions and economy.

Dimensions & weight NHTSA vPIC

Overall length174.8 in
Overall width67.3 in
Overall height55.9 in
Wheelbase102.8 in
Curb weight2385 lb
Track (front / rear)57.5 / 57.5 in
Weight distribution (front / rear)63/37

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.

8.9–10.6 sec0–60 mph (tested)quickest 8.90 sec — 1995 Protegé ES Sedan
YearTrim / engine0–60¼ mileHPDrivetrain
1995Protegé ES Sedan 1.8L I-48.90 sec17.00 sec122 hpFWD
1995Protegé LX Sedan 1.5L I-410.60 sec17.80 sec92 hpFWD

Service quick specs OEM factory data

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

The firing order is 1-3-4-2.

Lubricants & capacities

Engine CoolantETHYLENE GLYCOL
Power Steering FluidDEXRON VI OR MERCON V

Ignition

Cylinder Firing Order1-3-4-2
Spark Plug ManufacturerDenso
Spark Plug Gap0.039-0.043 in
Spark Plug Torque11-17 ft-lbs
Spark Plug Gap0.040-0.043 in
Spark Plug Torque11.0-16.0 ft-lbs

Battery & A/C

RefrigerantR134a
Refrigerant Capacity1.33 lbs
Oil TypeSP-10
Oil Capacity4.06 oz

Service checks

Pressure Test15 psi
Radiator Cap Pressure Relief11-15 psi
Thermostat Opening Temperature186-193 °F
Pressure Test15 psi
Radiator Cap Pressure Relief11-15 psi
Thermostat Opening Temperature186-193 °F
Engine Compression139-185 psi
Engine Compression142-199 psi

Brakes

Brake ApplicationWITH REAR DISC / WITH STANDARD
Torque Caliper to Bracket33-43 ft-lbs / 29-36 ft-lbs
Torque to Knuckle39 ft-lbs / 65-87 ft-lbs
Brake ApplicationWITH REAR DISC / WITH STANDARD
Rotor Nominal Thickness From0.354 in / 0.866 in
Rotor Nominal Thickness To0.354 in / 0.866 in
Rotor Minimum Machining0.307 in / 0.819 in
Rotor Discard at or Under0.276 in / 0.787 in

Factory maintenance schedule OEM · verified

Normal service, condensed from the factory interval matrix.

Under the factory schedule, replace the engine oil and filter every 5,000 mi; coolant at 45,000 mi. The big-interval services (at 45,000 mi for coolant, and the transmission fluid) are the ones owners most often skip — on a lower-mileage example, assume the original fluids are still in it and check them first.

Every 5,000 miBrake Hydraulic System (inspect fluid level) · Engine Oil (drain & refill) · Engine Oil Filter (replace) · Exterior Lighting (inspect) · Power Steering System (inspect)
Every 7,500 miBody Latches, Locks & Hinges (inspect) · Weatherstrip Seal (inspect)
Every 15,000 miBody Fasteners (torque) · Frame Fasteners (torque) · Tire & Wheel Assembly (rotate)
Every 30,000 miAccessory Drive Belt (inspect) · Air Conditioning System (inspect) · Axle Shaft Oil Seal (inspect) · Brake System (inspect) · CV Joint Boot (inspect) · Clutch Pedal Assembly (inspect)
At 45,000 miEngine Coolant System (drain, flush & refill)
Every 60,000 miEngine Valves (inspect valve lash) · PCV Hose (inspect) · PCV Valve (inspect) · Timing Belt (replace)
At 90,000 miTiming Belt (inspect)

Reliability & federal safety record

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

Federal data for the 1997 Mazda Protege records 77 complaints, 2 recalls, 0 investigations, and 85 TSBs, placing it within a post-1995 correction after the line’s 206-complaint, 5-recall spike that year. Complaints eased slightly from 82 in 1996 while TSBs jumped from 50 to 85, holding at 2 recalls before dropping to 47 complaints in 1998. The 1997 model sits in a mid-generation lull, with complaint counts well below the renewed elevation seen from 1999 to 2003, though its 85 TSBs exceed those of the neighboring 1996 and 1998 model years. Leading complaint categories were Power Train; Service Brakes, Hydraulic; Air Bags; and Vehicle Speed Control, accompanied by 15 crash-related and 2 fire-related complaints, but the data does not specify root causes. Given its lower complaint volume and steady recall count relative to the 1995 peak and the elevated 1999–2003 period, 1997 is a comparatively reasonable year to buy, provided a prospective owner confirms whether the higher TSB count reflects items already addressed.

2
Open recalls
NHTSA campaigns
85
Service bulletins
Manufacturer communications
0
ODI investigations
Office of Defects Investigation
77
Owner complaints
15 involved a crash · 2 a fire
Owner complaints by model year NHTSA · this generation & adjacent

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA, by component

All 77 complaints on record, top 8 components.

Power Train11
Service Brakes, Hydraulic8
Air Bags7
Vehicle Speed Control5
Seat Belts5
Engine & Engine Cooling4
Equipment4
Suspension3

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint database.

Recalls NHTSA · verified

Showing 2 of 2 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…

09E012000Exterior LightingReported 07/04/2009

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. THESE HEADLAMPS FAIL TO CONFORM TO THE… Remedy: SABERSPORT WILL NOTIFY OWNERS AND OFFER A FULL REFUND FOR THE NONCOMPLIANT COMBINATION LAMPS. THE SAFETY RECALL BEGAN ON MAY 11, 2009. OWNERS MAY CONTACT SABERSPORT AT…

Technical service bulletins NHTSA · verified

Showing 5 of 85 bulletins on record with NHTSA.

BulletinDateComponentSummary
01-006-21-3779a2021-08-24Electrical SystemThis service bulletin provides testing and charging procedures in order to promote proper…
09-025-21-38242021-08-17EquipmentThis service bulletin provides information regarding the proper use of the driver’s…
01-005-21-37782021-02-08Electrical SystemThe Mazda DCA-8000PM is required for all warranty battery testing. If the Mazda…
01-006-21-37792021-02-08Electrical SystemThis service bulletin provides testing and charging procedures in order to promote proper…
09-002-21-37702021-01-21Vehicle Speed ControlIn 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.

Vehicles with shared specs

Find every vehicle that shares this one's battery, bulbs, oil capacity, platform or parts.

Reference guides

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

Frequently asked

Does the 1997 Protege have open recalls?

NHTSA lists 2 recall campaign(s) for this model year. Check your specific vehicle by VIN.