Home › Vehicles › Mazda › Mazda Protege › 1999-2003 Mazda Protege Wheel Bearing Part Numbers
The short version
- A 2003 Mazda Protege wheel bearing order runs on one front number for the whole 1999-2003 lineup. The rear splits by brake type instead.
- Front hub bearing 510003 is a press in unit. It covers every Protege body style, sedan and Protege5 wagon alike, across all five model years.
- Rear disc brake cars split by year: 512161 through 1999, then 512269 from 2000 on.
- Rear drum brake cars use 513030 in any year of this run. The brake type matters more than the calendar.
Between 1999 and 2003, Mazda sold the Protege sedan and the taller Protege5 wagon. Both used one front wheel bearing number. The rear hub, by contrast, split partway through the run.
2003 Mazda Protege wheel bearing numbers at a glance
One front press in bearing covers every Protege built from 1999 to 2003, sedan and Protege5 wagon alike.
The rear splits by brake type first, then by year on disc brake cars.
Mazda Protege wheel bearing part numbers
| Years | Detail | Number |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 to 2003 | Front, press in, all cars | 510003 check price |
| 2000 to 2003 | Rear hub, disc brakes | 512269 check price |
| 1995 to 1999 | Rear hub, disc brakes | 512161 check price |
| 1990 to 2003 | Rear hub, drum brakes | 513030 check price |
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Lookups run through the cross reference page.
This page covers the 1999-2003 Mazda Protege: 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003. Other years live on the main Protege wheel bearing page.
Check the brake type before checking the year. A 2003 Mazda Protege wheel bearing order for the rear needs 512269 on disc brake cars. Drum brake cars use 513030 no matter the year.
Rear disc cars built in 1999 or earlier take 512161 instead. A 1999 rear disc order looks different from a 2000 rear disc order despite sitting one year apart.
The front number, 510003, is a press in unit. It covers every body style in this run, including the Protege5 wagon. Front orders do not need a brake type check.
Year by year
1999 is the last year for the 512161 rear disc hub. Front cars that year use 510003 up front and 513030 if equipped with rear drums.
2000 through 2003 keep the same front number and drum number, but rear disc cars move to 512269.
Nothing else changes inside this run. The split is brake type first, then the single break point at 1999 to 2000 for disc cars.
One hub number across the whole lineup
The front press in bearing, 510003, does not change across trim or body style. That is notable for a car sold as both a sedan and the taller Protege5 wagon.
A single front number simplifies that side of the job. The real decision points sit at the rear, where brake type and model year both matter.
Most 2003 Mazda Protege wheel bearing questions come down to two things. Brake type and model year matter more than trim level.
Diagnosing a Mazda Protege wheel bearing
- Identify the noise pattern. A worn wheel bearing usually growls or hums and changes pitch with vehicle speed rather than engine RPM. See wheel bearing noise on turns for how the sound shifts side to side.
- Rule out the tires first. Cupped or unevenly worn tires can mimic a bearing growl. Compare the sound against tire noise or wheel bearing before pulling anything apart.
- Confirm the brake type at the rear. Pull a rear wheel and look for a rotor or a drum. That single detail decides between 512269, 512161, and 513030 on this car.
- Check for play and roughness. With the wheel off the ground, grab it at 12 and 6 o’clock and rock it. Then spin it slowly to feel for grinding.
- Watch the ABS light if equipped. A failing hub sensor can trip the light before the bearing noise gets loud. See bad bearing and the ABS light for what that combination means.
Common questions
What is the 2003 Mazda Protege wheel bearing part number?
A 2003 Mazda Protege wheel bearing order needs 510003 up front. At the rear, that is 512269 on disc brake cars or 513030 on drum brake cars.
What wheel bearing does a 1999 Mazda Protege use?
A 1999 Mazda Protege uses the same front number, 510003. At the rear it takes 512161 on disc brake cars or 513030 on drum brake cars.
Does the Protege5 wagon use a different front wheel bearing?
No. The catalogs list one front number, 510003, for the whole Protege lineup in this run. That includes the sedan and the Protege5 wagon alike.
Why did the rear disc wheel bearing number change in 2000?
The catalogs split the rear disc listing at the 2000 model year. 512161 covers 1995 through 1999, and 512269 covers 2000 through 2003.
How do I know if my Protege has rear drum or rear disc brakes?
Pull a rear wheel and look. A disc setup shows a rotor gripped by a caliper, while a drum setup shows a solid round drum with no visible rotor.