The 1997 Mazda Protege is a compact car that came with a choice of 1.5L 4-cyl and 1.8L 4-cyl engines. At 29 years old, many are reaching the point where repairs cost more than the car is worth. Running or not, we'll make you an offer and tow it away for free.
| Body style | Compact Cars |
|---|---|
| Engines | 1.5L 4-cyl, 1.8L 4-cyl |
| Transmissions | Automatic 4-spd, Manual 5-spd |
| Drive | Front-Wheel Drive |
| Fuel | Regular Gasoline |
| Fuel economy | 20–26 city / 27–33 highway / 23–29 combined MPG |
| EPA annual fuel cost | $2,300–$2,900 a year (EPA estimate at current fuel prices, 15,000 miles) |
| Tailpipe CO₂ | 306–386 grams per mile |
| Versions tested by EPA | 4 configurations |
| Age | 29 years |
Specs, fuel cost and emissions from the EPA's fueleconomy.gov data. Your car's exact equipment may differ.
NHTSA lists 1 safety recall covering the 1997 Mazda Protege. Open recalls don't stop you from selling or junking the car, but check your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see which apply to yours.
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 vehicles, grease applied to the contact points inside the ignition switch may become conductive and overheat.
Risk: If the ignition switch overheats there would be an increased risk of a fire.
Owners have filed 66 complaints about the 1997 Mazda Protege with NHTSA. 15 reports involved a crash and 2 reports involved a fire. Owners reported 14 injuries.
Complaints are reports from owners and aren't verified by NHTSA. One complaint can list several components. Mileage is the median odometer reading owners reported for that component.
Manufacturers have filed 83 technical service bulletins and communications with NHTSA covering the 1997 Mazda Protege. These are repair instructions for known issues, not recalls.
This service bulletin provides testing and charging procedures in order to promote proper battery maintenance, to deliver new vehicles with fully charged batteries, and t
This service bulletin provides information regarding the proper use of the driver’s floor mat to avoid any potential interference with the foot pedals. The following
The Mazda DCA-8000PM is required for all warranty battery testing. If the Mazda DCA-8000PM is not used, incorrect battery testing may result in unnecessary battery replac
This service bulletin provides testing and charging procedures in order to promote proper battery maintenance, to deliver new vehicles with fully charged batteries, and t
Source: NHTSA manufacturer communications (technical service bulletins).
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It depends on its condition, whether major parts like the engine, transmission and catalytic converter are still there, and current scrap and parts prices where you live. Its parts make up much of its value. Enter your ZIP code above for a free offer on your specific car.
Yes. We buy 1997 Proteges that don't start, were in an accident, failed inspection or have a blown engine or transmission. Towing is always free.
Yes. Open recalls don't prevent a junk sale. NHTSA lists 1 recall for the 1997 Mazda Protege; you can check whether any are still open on yours with the VIN lookup at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
Usually the title and a photo ID. Rules differ by state, including what to do with your plates and whether to file a notice of sale. Check our state-by-state car title guides for the official forms.
Data retrieved October 2026.
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