10.0
really awful- Crashes / Fires:
- 1 / 0
- Injuries / Deaths:
- 1 / 0
- Average Mileage:
- 113,333 miles
About These NHTSA Complaints:
The NHTSA is the US gov't agency tasked with vehicle safety. Complaints can be spread across multiple & redundant categories, & are not organized by problem. See the Back button — blue bar at the very top of the page — to explore more.
When our vehicle was struck from behind the driver seat collapsed backward. I was mildly injured and if my 1 year old daughter was in the driver's side of the rear seat instead of the passenger side, I would have crushed and likely killed her. I am not overweight and was struck while stopped by a van at relatively low speed.
- Mckinney, TX, USA
I am 6'0" with a tempermental back and a 30" pant inseam. In practical terms, I must have the seat cushion at its lowest position (for headroom); the seat back vertical (to prevent backache); and the seat moved relatively forward (to reach the pedals). My 2003 Mazda Protege 5 is one of the few cars I can drive comfortably. That's high praise for such a modest car. >>>>> my problem with the Protege is the lever for the fore/aft movement of the driver's seat. The lever is below the front edge of the seat cushion (instead of along the left side); it is shaped roughly like a capital letter "L" laid horizontally; the inside angle is about 120 degrees (so that the long side points forward toward the accelerator); and the lever tip is "pointy". >>>>> if I wear "long" pants with bottom cuffs, the cuffs are prone to catch on the seat lever as I get out of the car. Believe me, it's not easy to stop 235 pounds when I've been thrown off balance. I've repeatedly gotten bruised and/or scraped hands during ungraceful landings. >>>>> the front passenger seat is similar. These levers are a safety hazard. I believe that the 2003 Protege (and any other recent vehicle using this design) should be recalled for replacement of the seat levers. >>>>> a replacement lever should be shaped so that its tip tucks far enough under the seat cushion (a couple of inches) to prevent it from catching a pant cuff or purse strap. For an example of the job done right, please see the 2004 Mazda 626. >>>>> this is an ongoing problem. Your stupid web site design insists on a specific month/day/year for the incident date. I have entered my date of purchase instead.
- Long Branch, NJ, USA
- Midvale, UT, USA