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1995 Mazda Protege

Factory specifications, fluid capacities, torque values, EPA fuel economy and the federal safety record for the 1995 Protege.

Body PASSENGER CAR

The 1995 Mazda Protege is a passenger car that, despite its conventional layout, carries a heavier reliability burden than nearly any other year in the model's 1990–2006 production run. With 206 total owner complaints — the highest tally across the entire model history and a sharp contrast to the 41 logged for 1990 — this particular year stands out as the peak of the Protege's complaint curve, driven primarily by air bag-related concerns and underscored by five recalls. For a researcher mapping the Protege's reliability trajectory, the 1995 model year represents the crest of that curve, signaling that this otherwise standard passenger car hit its most problematic stride squarely in the middle of its generation.

Model year2002 2001 2000 1999 1998 1997 1996 1995 1994

Full specifications

Engine, drivetrain, dimensions and economy.

Dimensions & weight NHTSA vPIC

Overall length	174.8 in
Overall width	67.3 in
Overall height	55.9 in
Wheelbase	102.8 in
Curb weight	2432 lb
Track (front / rear)	57.1 / 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

Year	Trim / engine	0–60	¼ mile	HP	Drivetrain
1995	Protegé ES Sedan 1.8L I-4	8.90 sec	17.00 sec	122 hp	FWD
1995	Protegé LX Sedan 1.5L I-4	10.60 sec	17.80 sec	92 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

Ignition

Spark Plug Manufacturer	Denso
Spark Plug Gap	0.039-0.043 in
Spark Plug Torque	11-17 ft-lbs
Spark Plug Gap	0.040-0.043 in
Spark Plug Torque	11.0-16.0 ft-lbs

Service checks

Pressure Test	11-15 psi
Radiator Cap Pressure Relief	11-15 psi
Thermostat Opening Temperature	Primary: 191, Secondary: 185 °F
Pressure Test	13 psi
Radiator Cap Pressure Relief	13 psi
Thermostat Opening Temperature	Primary: 191, Secondary: 185 °F

Brakes

Brake Application	WITH REAR DISC / WITH STANDARD
Torque Caliper to Bracket	33-43 ft-lbs
Torque to Knuckle	39 ft-lbs / 29-36 ft-lbs
Brake Application	WITH REAR DISC / WITH STANDARD
Rotor Nominal Thickness From	0.354 in / 0.866 in
Rotor Nominal Thickness To	0.354 in / 0.866 in
Rotor Minimum Machining	0.307 in / 0.819 in
Rotor Discard at or Under	0.276 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 7,500 mi.

Every 5,000 mi	Body Latches, Locks & Hinges (inspect) · Brake Hydraulic System (inspect fluid level) · Exterior Lighting (inspect) · Power Steering System (inspect) · Weatherstrip Seal (inspect)
Every 7,500 mi	Engine Oil (drain & refill) · Engine Oil Filter (replace)
Every 15,000 mi	Engine Coolant System (leak inspection) · Frame Fasteners (torque) · Tire & Wheel Assembly (rotate) · Universal Vehicle Operation (inspect idle speed)
Every 30,000 mi	Accessory Drive Belt (inspect) · Air Conditioning System (inspect) · Axle Shaft Oil Seal (inspect) · Body Fasteners (torque) · Brake System (inspect) · CV Joint Boot (inspect)
Every 60,000 mi	Engine Valves (inspect valve lash) · PCV Hose (inspect) · PCV Valve (inspect)
At 90,000 mi	Timing Belt (inspect)
At 105,000 mi	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 federal record for the Mazda Protege generation reveals a dramatic and anomalous spike in 1995, with complaints surging to 206 compared to 88 in 1994 and dropping back to 82 in 1996. This target year also represents a peak in regulatory and manufacturer intervention, leading the generation with 5 recalls and 58 technical service bulletins (TSBs) versus just 1 recall and 20 TSBs the prior year. The complaint volume is heavily skewed toward critical safety systems, specifically 46 air bag complaints and 42 crash-related reports, though the data does not specify the root causes for these failures. Positioned as the worst statistical outlier in the generation's arc, the 1995 model implies significant manufacturing defects that required substantial correction in subsequent model years. Given the exceptionally high concentration of safety-related complaints and recalls relative to adjacent years, the 1995 Mazda Protege is a poor choice for a used vehicle purchase and should be bypassed in favor of statistically safer years like 1996 or 1997.

Open recalls

NHTSA campaigns

Service bulletins

Manufacturer communications

ODI investigations

Office of Defects Investigation

206

Owner complaints

42 involved a crash · 5 a fire

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 206 complaints on record, top 8 components.

Air Bags46

Exterior Lighting23

Engine & Engine Cooling15

Electrical System14

Power Train13

Seats12

Seat Belts12

Visibility9

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint database.

Recalls NHTSA · verified

Showing 2 of 5 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 58 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

Frequently asked

Does the 1995 Protege have open recalls?

NHTSA lists 5 recall campaign(s) for this model year. Check your specific vehicle by VIN.