Edmunds dealer partner, Bayway Leasing, is now offering transparent lease deals via these forums. Click here to see the latest vehicles!
Popular New Cars
Popular Used Sedans
Popular Used SUVs
Popular Used Pickup Trucks
Popular Used Hatchbacks
Popular Used Minivans
Popular Used Coupes
Popular Used Wagons
Comments
This is not a problem for me, since I dislike auto trannies, especially with 4 bangers.
The MAF sensor thing pretty much applied to the engines in the DX and LX models, and mostly 1999s. There was a recall for a coil-pack replacement on the 2000s though, about two years ago. Take yours into your dealer and ask him or her to check whether the recall has been performed according to your VIN.
Meade
Ahhh, but you HAVE had the scheduled maintenance done -- just not at the dealer -- RIGHT???
I love reading people say they're having all kinds of problems with their cars, and then hearing them admit they've done absolutely NOTHING in the way of maintenance in thousands upon thousands of miles.
Cars don't run forever on gas and washer fluid.
Meade
I always use an exact fitting filter (not the strap kind) wrench for removal of the oil filter as they always seem to get tighter over time and hand removal can be difficult, especially on this car.
Best of luck. It's a great little car. I currently have 176K miles on my '95 LX with the original engine and clutch still working fine. I think this car may go 300K miles.
So this weekend's diagnostic is a bad left caliper which was closing on itself intermittently.
Now the dealership says it is going to cost me another $250 to have a new left caliper installed on my Mazda. I said go ahead and do it but it bothers me that I was given different explanations at different times and now I'll end up spending altogether almost $700 to have this problem fixed. I realize that I will now brake pads etc. but my 00 Protege has only 54k and this is already my second set of new pads ???
Hoping to keep the car for at least for another year (~12,000 miles), so, hopefully this investment will be worth it.??
Also, my wife took the car to a Mazda dealer [somrthing I never do] while I was out of town. she was told that the power steering fluid needed to be flushed and replaced. According to my owners manual, the fluid need only level maintainence, not periodic replacement. Any experiences or thoughts?
PF Flyer
Host
Pickups & News & Views Message Boards
The MAZDA chat is on TONIGHT. Stop in for a holiday visit! Check out the schedule
I've replaced plugs and plug wires, recently replaced an oxyegn sensor in response to a check engine light, had 2 fuel system cleanings, have used a fuel system additive (Chevron Techron) a few times , and replaced a hose that had a tiny crack. It still does it?? What next o grand and wise Protege wizards near and far? Dealer says problem is NOT a symptom of fuel filter issues? Dealer says an injector may be bad. Does that symptom jive with a bad injector? thanks in advance for any insight etc.!!!!
A bad injector may cause rough idle, but then you would probably notice roughness from the engine above idle too.
You may want to check all your vacuum hoses and connections for any potential leaks. A fouled EGR valve may also cause rough idle (and reduced fuel economy).
In Edmunds' 1999 Protege ES review, Wardlaw makes a quick mention of "ill-timed gear changes." Any truth to that?
Oh yeah, and on both the 95-98 and 99+ generations, they noted excellent sound quality. All 99+ models have 6x9 speakers on the rear deck, right? Obviously that does wonders for bass. What about the 95-98s? I don't think any other economy car at the time had 6x9s back there.
My big problem with both cars has been hydro planing. The cars do not break on wet roads. I need to drive 20-30 miles an hour to insure that I stop. So- no highway driving, no main roads. Others who have driven my car say it's because there aren't anti-lock breaks on this model. Not convinced it's just that.I'm ready to sell the cars. SHarris Maryland
PF Flyer
Host
Pickups & News & Views Message Boards
The MAZDA chat is on TONIGHT. Stop in for a holiday visit! Check out the schedule
And I got 20k out of the Falkens, YMMV of course.
Thanks,
Joe
Thanks
I'll get the code read at the local Autozone to confirm, but I suspect the EGR valve has a clogged port again.
Taking the car in to have this done (or doing it myself) is a pain. Especially if it's going to do this every few thousand miles. I might get into the habit of ignoring the CEL if that's the case.
What I'd like to know is what could cause this to happen and how to prevent it from happening again? Please let me know your thoughts. I'll check the plugs and wires, air filter and inspect and blow out (with canned air) the vacuum hoses connected to the EGR valve. I'll also check the vacuum hose to the PCV valve (or what I take to be said hose). I'd like to solve the root cause.
According to the Consumer Reports 2005 Buying Guide overall reliability of the Pro is better than average for an extended period.
Three key trouble spots were reported by owners of older Pros to CR:
- Air conditioning (1996 model)
- Brakes (in 1996 and 1997 models)
- Exhaust (in 1996 model)
p.s. the information in CR covers 1996 to 2003 models.
The clerk at Autozone was nice enough to clear the CEL. We'll see if it pops up again though, as posts on other sites mention that this code can be logged under certain conditions when there are no problems with the EGR valve (cold, wet weather, almost-empty tank, lots of short trips...all pretty much what has been going on with my Protege since winter weather really set in). The clerk at Autozone mentioned that dirty exhaust can foul the intake port of an EGR valve and that a filter can help prevent this, though they don't stock any for Proteges. Hmm. Doesn't sound like it would hurt to ask the parts department for one, though it sounds like it's almost time for a tune-up (I will likely get the 60k service done this spring).
Anyhow, any guidance on where the EGR valve is on a 1.6L '99LX, and how to clean its ports? I think I've located it, but am not sure.
You may want to borrow a copy of the Chilton Haynes guide to the Protege from your local public library. It has pretty detailed steps and illustrations.
The trouble spots CR lists jibe with my car for A/C and Exhaust. The clutch on the A/C compressor gave out at 150K miles and 7 years. The muffler cracked at the welded flange at around 110K miles and 5 years. The brakes have been really good and only in the last 15K miles have I started to notice an occasional pop sound. This may be a sticking front caliper as the pads are still good (first set lasted 120K miles). I will get this fixed soon.
Repairs have ranged from easy to hard for a shade tree mechanic like myself. Easy- spark plugs, oil/filter, radiator flush, rear muffler, air filter, battery, secondary O2 sensor, bulbs, air intake snorkle, EGR valve. Moderatley difficult- front/rear struts, primary O2 sensor, secondary cooling fan, belts. Difficult- fuel filter, exhaust manifold. I leave the really tough stuff like timing belts, water pumps, and CV axles to the pros.
Some of the repairs I listed were preventative, like the struts. Many people just igonore a mushy suspension on their 10 year old Honda or Toyota (CR readers). Also, some junkyard parts I have come across have been a steal. Like a 3 year old OEM muffler for $6. But that is countered by a $50 Mazda air intake snorkle.
There are minor things I would change about the car, but overall I really like my '95 Protege LX 5 speed.
A friend of mine clued me into the scrapyards, they're a great source for parts. What are your favorite web sources for auto parts?
Yeah, I replaced a number of vacuum and coolant hoses in my '89 323LX around 9 years. None looked like they were going to blow, but I figured that was old enough. I did the struts and springs too. I'll probably have the same done to my '99LX around the same time.
I have bought several new Mazda parts recently from Trussville Mazda in Birmingham, AL
http://www.trussvillemazda.com/. I was happy with the purchases. Trussville offers 20% off list price, so when you add in shipping it is slightly cheaper for me than buying from my local Mazda dealer. Orders are over the phone by 800 number, so you have to know exactly what part you need or be able to describe it clearly to their parts guy. I bought an air intake snorkle and a secondary cooling fan from Trussville. I suppose the local dealer might price match Trussville, but if they really want my parts business then they should make the effort to advertise on the net like Trussville does. It sure would be great if all dealers advertised parts (with diagrams) on the net and competition drove part prices down.
With more basic parts like struts, EGR valve, etc., I purchase locally from either Auto Zone, Advance, Pep Boys, or O'Reillys which are the local stores in this area. Easy returns if needed.
For a description of this book, see:http://www.autobarn.net/asianmanual.html
"Noise (high pitched squeal when the brakes are applied): Front and/or rear disc brake pads worn out. The noise comes from the wear sensor rubbing against the disc (does not apply to all vehicles). Replace pads with new ones immediately Chapter 9)."
You may want to visit your local garage to check.
I have a Mazda protege 1998. I bought it when it had 40 K on it. Following are the things I took care of when my vehicle was close to 45 K. I changed the transmission fluid and the tires. At around 58 K I got the timing belt changed and other associated repairs. Around 63K the car started to make a squeaking noise. The mechanic said that I had worn out belts. He changed the belts (frankly I dont know which ones) and the water pump. He said the pump change goes with the belt change. Anyway, the car worked fine after that but at around 65 K the squeaking started again. Progressively it has gotten louder and louder.
Following are the symptoms
(1)Squeaking starts as soon as the car is on.
(2)Increase in acceleration is causing more squeaking.
(3)The squeaking is for the first 5 minutes only. After that my car runs like a real Mazda.
(4)Squeaking is usually during cold weather.
(5)Rainy days and an unusual warm winter day results in minimal or no squeaking.
This may not be associated with squeaking but my car is idling very rough when in gear. The entire car vibrates when I idle in gear. Moving to neutral quietens the vibration considerably.
Can someone suggest what repairs need to be done and an approximation of how much it will cost.
I am a still a student. Looking for minimal financial hit
Also check the flatness of your rotors. If they're warped, they push the piston back, which: 1) prevents the brake pads from keeping the rotor surfaces clean through constant slight contact (which can cause the grinding noise as surface corrosion and contamination accumlate on the rotor) 2) increases the distance the piston needs to travel to a) touch the inner rotor surface and b) pull the caliper to touch the outer pad against the outer rotor surface.
Also, bleed your brake lines to make sure you don't have air in them. Any air in them will make your brakes feel weak and spongy. Afterwards, make sure the bleed screws/valves are shut completely.