Two problems related to overdrive light on have been reported for the 1999 Mazda Protege. The most recently reported issues are listed below.
While driving at 55mph, suddenly intermittently the overdrive light was on, engine slowed down to 40mph. Dealer has inspected vehicle three times and could not duplicate or correct the problem.
1999 Mazda Protege received o/d off light, speedometer dropped out and slippage in gears, (o/d), brought to schwartz Mazda, shrewsbury, NJ, they sold me a new transmission, (76000 miles on odometer), car still had same trouble. Advised Mazda that I felt this is a misdiagnosis, per nhtsb tech service bulletin of speed sensor on transmission which presents same symptoms, they would not credit the $2073 cost of the new transmission, the dealer did not see this trouble which is what I originally brought in for service, after 3 more return visits to service dept, they finally replace speed sensor, now problem is gone, but now I have a new transmission that I did not need. They never produced any diagnostic back up to the transmission failing, I took them at their word that this is what the car needed, when all along the speed sensor fixed the trouble. They were very uncooperative throughout the entire experience except when it came to taking our money, and at one point when I asked to please let me test drive with the tech, the service manager advised me, they had spent enough time on this and to take the car and leave. Not until I researched other drivers complaints on the transmission on this car going at around 70000 miles.