Mazda Protege Maintenance and Repair

kaiserhead · December 2003

I share your concerns, we're on Mazdas three and four, a pair of 2000 Proteges, one with the 1.6L and the other with the 1.8L.

We haven't been satisfied with these cars compared to other recent purchases. The 1.6L has been decent, but still required a new throttle sensor ($350), a new oxygen sensor ($400), this is ridiculous on a three year old car. The 1.8L has been through three CD players and Mazda refused to accept that there was a problem, was disabled recently after a valve spring broke ($500) leaving the running on three cylinders, and has been cursed with rattles. I know that every car company has a few duds, but two in the same house is not promising. I'm re-evaluating my loyalty to Mazda after this experience, there's no doubt that Ford has cheapened the brand.

justin · December 2003

i knew that Ford was involved with the 6, truck, and Tribute. but i thought the Protege and Miata were "real" and "pure" mazdas. is not that true?

tomciviletti · December 2003

since installing 205/55-15 bridgestone s-03's, my '99es no longer spins the tires under high power launches. Instead, the wheels tend to hop. anyone have a fix suggestion?

lawman1967 · December 2003

The Protege and Miata are not Ford. My 03 DX window sticker indicates only 3% US/Canadian parts and 97% Japanese parts, with final assembly in Hofu, Japan.

kaiserhead · December 2003

Ford may not supplying the "physical" parts, but they do run the company. Remember, Ford bailed out Mazda in the mid 90s and began a process of merging the design process to save money and provide a better return on their investment. It's a pretty strong assumption that Ford influenced Mazda designers to reduce the tolerances of the products to Ford levels.

Take a good look at the Jaguar X-Type, there is no way that would pass for Jaguar when the British owned the company, just like the current and last generation Protege would not pass for a Mazda when the Japanese owned the company. I have very high expectations for Mazda products based on prior purchases, they just aren't meeting my expectations any more.

BTW, take a good look at how the Mazda3 was built. It has plastic exhaust headers and other unorthodox design features, that raises some alarms for me. Also, they are selling much more car at the same price point as the previous model, I would wait for a few years to see if these components age well.

Don't think I hate Mazda, I'm just disappointed with the way Ford has influenced the company. The only way its going to get better (and more in line with Mazda of the past) is if consumers honestly raise these issues.

lawman1967 · December 2003

Dash rattle excepted, my current 03 Protege feels just as tight and has even better panel gaps than my old 94 323 did. The engine isn't as refined and there is more wind noise, but otherwise build-quality seems about the same and the quality of interior materials seems better.

justin · December 2003

i think most would agree that Jaguar is only considered reliable lately BECAUSE of Fords influence.....in the past if you wanted a daily driver that wasn't in the shop often, you didn't buy a Jag. now you can.

sure, Ford has "cheapened" the brand, but they are also selling three times as many in this country as they did in the 80's.

i don't think it is bad or good that Ford is involved with Mazda or the Protege, i was just curious.

blueguydotcom · December 2003

Wahoo. My car is nearing 3 weeks old, about 1600 miles and the CEL light popped up on my drive home tonight.

Usually this signals an electrical, gas cap or emissions problem.

The engine's running fine (maybe smoother than normal?

) and it's pretty much the same. It could be my imagination but I got shocked when getting out of the car.

I'll fire it up tomorrow and see if it's on. If it stays on tomorrow and through my 90 miles commute, I guess the ole dealer can troubleshoot it. Not sure if it matters, but the tools at my buying dealer finally got my key fobs for me (they lost the originals before I bought the car) and hooked them up this week. maybe one of them tweaked something electrically? Wouldn't put it past them...

Oh well if it's on by tomorrow night it'll give me a good excuse to skip work Friday. Heh, heh, heh...

ashutoshsm · December 2003

Take it to your nearest Auto Parts store (AutoZone etc). Little known fact - they usually check/pull the codes from a CEL for free. The idea is, if you're a DIY-er, you'll buy repair/replacement parts from them.

Sometimes, its just more convenient than a long haul to a dealership.

blueguydotcom · December 2003

Thanks for the suggestion. It still gives me a good excuse to use my soon-to-expire floating holiday (get a new one Jan 1).

rotarykid · December 2003

When you opened the hood on that 3, that was'nt a plastic exhaust header you were looking at. It was the intake manifold.
This car is going to be sold in many forms (volvo,mercury,ford, etc.,) so get used to it.
I will agree that it doesnt compare to the quality of older gen proteges and 323's, but why on earth would ford want to build a car that lasts?

mazdafun · December 2003

Planned obsolescence. Bad idea in general. Ruins your reputation for a long time.

tomciviletti · December 2003

anyone have a lifting of the top of the rear door trim panels ["99 es]? Any fixes?

braja · December 2003

I have a Pro LX 03 with 2800 miles on it.
Recently, I have been noticing jerky motion
when coasting. Specifically, if I release
the gas pedal even lightly, the car pulls
back (like I stepped on the brake) and
surges forward when I push the pedal again.
This is quite annoying, especially when
you want to maintain constant speed (like
40 mph on a city street).

I notice the same problem when the cruise
is applied, and the road has ups and downs.
Whenever the system decelerates, there is
a jerk.

Anyone else has a similar problem, or
any idea what's going on here?

On a related note, the 5 speed was VERY
smooth in the beginning, and now I'm noticing
that it's getting a little harder to shift.
Wonder if these are related.

mazdafun · December 2003

I noticed that on my '99LX too. It went away when I washed my car in one of those high-pressure spray places.

I think they use wood-chip panels in the upper parts of the rear door panels, which then distort with changing moisture content. This seems to cause the tops to straighten (when looking down the length of the door), which causes the top edge to lift up, which is more noticeable in the center, which is unsupported.

This is what I think happens, though I can only confirm that's how the front door trim panels are made. I removed them to install aftermarket speakers, and I was quite surprised to find my car had so much wood in it!

This doesn't seem to happen in my wife's '03 P5, but I don't know what the panels are made of. They may have gone away from using wood or they may have changed the molds for the panels or added supports in the center of the span to minimize the warping.

It should go away when the air isn't so dry. It is still rather annoying.

jlally1 · December 2003

Purchased a 02 ES with the 16 inch / 5 lug alloy wheels and the Dunlop P5000 sport tires which are not very good in the New England winters or for that matter in our summers. Had a sidewall tear in one that cost $162 to replace. The Tire shop suggested putting 15 inch Millenia wheels and then a 205/55R15. I have been to other chat rooms populated with people going the other way by putting 17 inch wheels and tires on it. All I want to do is have a wider choice of tires than the 4 that I find in the 195/50R16 size range that the car came with. Does anyone out there have any experience with fitting another wheel and tire to this great little car. I find it hard to believe that a car company would put such a limiting wheel / tire configuration on such a popular car. Any suggestions would be appreciated. Thanks in advance

reitrof · December 2003

Hi jlally1,

Are you refering to winter tires or just in general?

There are a number of 17" rims that will fit. The wheel offset is +55 although you can go as low as +45 depending on tire width. I am using 205/45/17's. When they wear out I want to change to 215/40/17's which is closer in diameter to the stock 195/50/16's.

tomciviletti · December 2003

I use 205/55-15 on my "99pro es, which came with 15" wheels. The setup will work with the "02 as well. It depends on whether you are looking for better performance on dry, smooth roads [larger wheels and lower profiles] or prefer better ride, less hydroplaning, better snow performance, and less chance of damaging a rim [smaller wheels and higher tire profile is better].

fishytaco · January 2004

Hey all, I have a 2002 Mazda Protege ES with about 45k miles and the rear brakes have worn out. My front brakes are good. I have never heard of the rear brakes going before the front ones do. I have not had any brake work done on the car. It is all original. I am going to make an appointment with the dealer to bring it in to see if there is some defect with the calipers. I was told by the dealer that it would be covered by the warranty. Hope so. It is odd for the back brakes to go that soon. Has anyone had a similar experience?

elavertu · January 2004

It's extremely rare that the rear brakes wears out before the front ones.

When it happens it's often caused by a malfunction of the hand brake which stay partially (or completely) locked even if you released the handle properly.

Also, the protege handle is very sensitive and it has to be replaced very low when you disengage the hand brake otherwise it's not completely released and the rear brakes wear very fast.

tomciviletti · January 2004

very odd, indeed; even more so with a front heavy car like the pro. Maybe the emergency was sticking on.

compensate · January 2004

Been a while, so I thought I'd post an update, even though my for the first 40,000 miles - hehe):

1999 Protege ES 5-speed (1.8 liter)
Mileage: 92,000 miles
Current combined MPG: about 26 (we drive fast on Interstate!)

Issues (most are minor or typical):

(1) 5,000 miles - faulty water pump, replaced for free under warranty

(2) about 60,000 miles - alternator failed, replaced for about $200 (aftermarket part + labor)

(3) about 70,000 miles - replaced timing belt as dealer said it was an interference engine - found out later it is NOT. Oh well, now we won't have to mess with it for quite some time, I hope.

(3) 85,000 miles - spark plug wires needed to be replaced - aftermarket part for about $50.

Currently, the accelerator pedal is sticking, but just needs some lubrication.

Also, getting some hesitation at lower RPMs. Diagnostics (at Auto Zone) says that we may have a failed speed sensor, which is located near the transmission. Part costs about $200 from Mazda and cannot find aftermarket for this part. Doesn't really impact driving very much, so we'll probably wait before replacing that pricey part.

Clutch and transmission and rear brakes are all still original and feel excellent!

Overall the car still has NO rattles, squeaks, or other strange noises and the wife loves it. We plan on keeping it at least until it hits 150,000 miles.

Overall the 1999 Protege is a great car. But it looks like their quality may be coming down a bit in some of the later models. Naughty Ford!!!!

Enjoy! Zoom zoom and all that!

lawman1967 · January 2004

I've seen this mentioned a few times, what is it and how does it differ from a regular engine?

mazdafun · January 2004

It just means that the valves and piston heads occupy the same space but at different times when everything works right. If the timing mechanism goes, then the valves and piston heads occupy the same space at the same time, which is messy, noisy and expensive.

Why design with interference then? More compression = more power or more efficiency or some mixture thereof from the same amount of fuel. This has been one reason Mazda engines have been less efficient than say, Honda's (which are of the interfering type...so it's a good thing they've gone to chains as well...chains fail too, but less frequently...they stretch, but most folks don't keep their cars for that long, which is generally over 150k miles).

dinu01 · January 2004

compensate Jan 16, 2004 3:32pm

"Overall the 1999 Protege is a great car. But it looks like their quality may be coming down a bit in some of the later models. Naughty Ford!!!!"

How so? Please explain.

Dinu

kaiserhead · January 2004

My shop has been hunting around Toronto for a cheap replacement oxygen sensor. The best price they have found so far is $240CDN at a dealer, however, they can't confirm the price until they call Mazda. Apparently dealers haven't had to source this part before so I guess I got the one oxygen sensor in the bunch that was faulty.

compensate, I changed a throttle sensor six months ago, is that the same as your speed sensor? I was annoyed that Mazda wouldn't cover it under the powertrain warranty, its attached the engine as far as I'm concerned!!!

lawman1967 · January 2004

Are you referring to the Mazda 3 being lower quality than the Pro, or later model years of Protege being inferior to 99?

My 2003 Protege has a few minor squeaks (one in that little dimpled pad on the passenger side dash and one in the right rear door), but otherwise quality appears exceptional, far better than my last 2002 Mitsu Galant, 2001 Saturn L200, 98 and 97 Nissans and about the same as my last Mazda, a 94 323.

My 2003 Protege has panel gaps that look about the same as my friend's BMW, and the best seats I've ever tried in an economy car. I honestly don't see any evidence of Ford tampering or cost-cutting anywhere in the car.

Can't see it in the window sticker either, which indicates 97% Japanese parts content and Hiroshima/Hofu, Japan as the point of final assembly. Last I checked, Ford doesn't have any actual Ford factories in Japan.

The last few iterations of the 626 and the new 6 are made in the United States in joint venture factories with Ford, and the B-seires pickup and the Tribute are badge-engineered Ford products (Tribute had some Joint development, B-series didn't), but the Protege, and the new 3 are made in Japan.

Of course, the 3 is built on a new Ford platform, so that could be what the Ford reference comes from. I also wasn't impressed with the interior switchgear on the 3 as I am with the Protege, but those didn't seem like Ford parts, at least not from any Ford I've ever seen.

I would expect the same longevity out of my 03 Protege as the other poster's 99. Yes, the new one has a 2.0 instead of a 1.8 liter engine, but it is from the same family and both it and the transmission are real Mazda units, not transplanted Fords.

kaiserhead · January 2004

There may not be Ford parts in the Protege and Mazda3, but I think Ford may have instructed Mazda to lower their design tolerances to lower costs.

vadp · January 2004

Well, what do you expect?
A space vehicle quality for the Yugo prices?
The compact car market in US is extremely competitive and commands lower, not higher prices with every new redesign (adjusted for inflation).
I doubt that there are any design tolerance adjustments.
On the other hand just about every manufacturer employs engineering teams whose whole purpose is to look for cost savings in the designs of just about every part without affecting its reliability expectations.

mazdafun · January 2004

It's mostly in the controls in the center stack (rotary audio dials feel good, but everything else feels flimsy and "cheap"). They don't feel up-to-snuff when compared to similar controls in previous Proteges. Hopefully, they'll fix these soon.

Also, you'll note on the 3 hatch that the latch release is at the very bottom of the hatch door, instead of placing it mid-way between the bottom edge and the edge of the rear glass. This eliminates a few parts but places the latch much lower than those on pretty much any other similar vehicle out there. I personally find it too low for comfort.

Also, despite increased numbers on paper, the cabin feels more cramped than the last Protege/P5 except in width. Ford excels at designing cars that feel smaller inside than their dimensions suggest (i.e. Tempo, Contour, Continental, Escort [based upon similar Protege platform, but feels much smaller inside]). The rear seat accomodations in the 3 suffer when compared against the last Protege/P5, especially headroom (and kneeroom to a small extent) in the sedan.

compensate · January 2004

My response about Mazda's quality in relation to Ford was merely in response to some previous posts I saw here. I don't have any special information or legitimate facts on the topic.

kaiserhead,

I'm not sure if the throttle sensor and speed sensor are the same part. All I know is that a local Mazda dealer told me it was located on my transmission (manual). It could very well be the same part, but I'm not sure.

alcan · January 2004

The throttle position sensor, attached to the engine's throttle body, is a potentiometer or variable resistor which sends a signal to the engine controller relative to throttle opening.
The vehicle speed sensor, attached to the transmission/transaxle, is a permanent magnet AC signal generator which sends a signal to the controller relative to output shaft rpm or vehicle speed.

boggse · January 2004

Having owned several recent Fords, I can say that I see no Ford influence on the 3. It is a true Mazda in every sense.

The Tribute on the other hand is more Fordish that I would have expected.

Ted

compensate · January 2004

Thanks for the info!

hebenstr · January 2004

I am contemplating replacing, myself, both struts and front brake pads (hopefully, not including the discs/rotors) on my '95 Protege. Are these doable by a weekend mechanic? Any special problems I should be aware of? Thanks!

jrdwyer · January 2004

I changed the struts myself (front and back)on my '95 Protege. I did it this past May and posted on this forum. Scroll back some and you will see my posts.

It can definitely be done if you have some mechanical apptitude and the time and garage space during this cold weather. I used the Haynes manual as a general guide. Be aware that the Haynes manual covers a range of model years and thus some of the info. will not be exactly as is on your '95 model. The section on strut replacement is pretty good though.

The only problem I had was removing the link connecting the rear stabilizer bar to the strut tower. The nuts were frozen and the bolt head could not be grabbed on to because it is located inside a sealed rubber housing (like a ball joint). I ended up cutting the links with a hack saw and taking off the rear stabilizer bar.

Best of luck.

hebenstr · January 2004

Thanks, jrdwyer. Your response will be a big help. I think I'll just replace the front ones for now.

tomciviletti · January 2004

Usually a spring compressor is need to change strut cartridges. You can rent them.

The rotors should be resurfaced or at least checked. This can be done by a brake shop on the car if they are replacing the pads. If you are doing it, you should remove the discs and take them to a machine shop unless you have hte appropriate gauge to check for run-out and trust your visual inspection for excess grooving.

rotarykid · January 2004

the tribute IS a ford (with mazda design?!)
the 3 has a ford engine and this vehicle will also be a platform for many of fords divisions - including volvo etc.,
the 3 has a lot of domestic design to it, and lacks the clean/frugal design of most asian cars

boggse · January 2004

The 3 has a Ford designed engine block with Mazda designed internals. I don't think we can say it is exclusively a Ford or a Mazda engine, but Ford's influence is definitely minimal. I don't hear anyone complaining about Ford designed engine blocks, so I am not too worried it will ruin reliability.

If Mazda can benefit from Volvo safety engineering and Ford Europe's suspension design the way Ford & Volvo benefit from Mazda's quality manufacturing processes, I'd say the customer has as much to gain as the manufacturer.

If you haven't noticed, Mazda's design had been getting a bit flashier in the last few years. The RX-8, MS Protege, and 6 are good examples. Once they decided not to be Honda/Toyota clones, Mazda began selling more cars. If Ford brought about that design influence, then I am happier for it. I, for one, do not want to drive a staid/boring (or clean/frugal in your words) asian car. I want a fun/interesting/reliable car. IMHO, Mazda did this best in the past, and, now that they are back on track, they are doing it again.

Ted

kaiserhead · January 2004

As a former owner of the infamous mid-90s Ford 3.8L V6, a Ford designed engine block is not a minimal contribution. Lets hope the block design doesn't have any problems with frequent head gasket failure.

rutger3 · January 2004

have a 99 LX, stock tire size 185/65-14. Does anyone know if 195/60-14 or even 15 inch tires will fit without a problem? Noticed the ES version has 195/55-15's.

jjayant · January 2004

Hi, i bought 1997 protege a month back. till now never had any problem. Last night when i filled the gas (this is second time when i filled up gas in this car, and first time alone) and started the car there is a warning light (looks like a Pipe or Plumbing Joint) on the Dash. i dont have the manual, can comebody help in identifying what is it?? and whats the solution...

chikoo · January 2004

I think we should stop harping upon the early 90's 3.8L gasket failures the same way we stopped harping about Honda sheet metal rotting away.

Both of them have worked on their flwas and people no longer harp about Honda. Why should Ford be assaulted?

boggse · January 2004

The head (and gasket) is Mazda's design.

Ted

boggse · January 2004

Check to be sure you put the gas cap on tight. Also, being of 7 model years old, you might want to consider getting a new gas cap anyway. If you take it to an AutoZone, they should be able to read the ODB code for you to tell you what is wrong. They usually do this for free.

Ted

mazdafun · January 2004

Going up should be OK. Just watch the bolt pattern and offset of your new wheels.

kaiserhead · January 2004

Sorry, after going through the nightmare of dealing with Ford after multiple head gasket failures, its hard to let it go. But to compare Honda's problems with Ford's is unrealistic. Honda acknowledged their problems and now produces probably the best-built cars at their price point. Ford on the other hand, keeps putting out substandard products with the same problems year after year even after being in the market for 100 years. Funny how a 2000 Focus has similar problems as a 1984 Escort. This is abuse towards their customers and concerns me about buying joint Ford-Mazda products. Yeah, its built in Japan, but in a plant run by North Americans.

tomciviletti · January 2004

Either size mentioned will work on the car. Whether the stock wheels will work well with 195/60-14 depends on rim width. Check tirereack.com's charts. If you are going to get new wheels, consider 15 or 16 inch diameters, depending how low a profile you want.

vadp · January 2004

But to compare Honda's problems with Ford's is unrealistic.
How about comparing the recent Honda automatic transmission failures? Still unrealistic?
Or sludging up Toyota engines? Definitely worth of a flashy headline:
Toyota acknowledged Wednesday that millions of its cars and trucks could develop a ruinous oil-sludge problem and said it would repay owners who have had to make repairs.
http://www.usatoday.com/money/autos/2002/04/04/toyota-sludge.htm
Unrealistic too?

Mazda Protege Maintenance and Repair

Comments

Helpful Tools

Most popular vehicles