By accessing this website, you acknowledge that Edmunds and its third party business partners may use cookies, pixels, and similar technologies to collect information about you and your interactions with the website as described in our
Privacy Statement, and you agree that your use of the website is subject to our
Visitor Agreement.
Comments
If it's repeatable take it back to the dealer. If not don't worry about it.
If you have a standard shift P5, then you should take it to the dealer to get it checked out.
No thanks, give my back my manual car.
Good luck.
my rear brakes were used outside only and after
48 000 kms. They told me its normal. Can you help me?
The funny thing is worn outside only. I thought the piston was on the inside, with the caliper floating to make the outer pad bear on the rotor.
How does the parking brake work? I've heard this cable can sometimes bind, causing the rear brakes to stay engaged, leading to excessive wear and lower fuel economy.
My brakes were fixed at 60,000 kms, pads, rotors and disks.
Read back a few posts and you should see my messages about this.
Make sure to lube everything up really good, and do it again a couple times a year to prevent a repeat of the same issue.
Dealership claimed it was "normal" despite my protests. Said he couldn't turn the rotors becasue they "are vented" (they ae not, they are solid) and wanted nearly $400 for new rotors, pads, and calipers. Why calpipers? I have no didea, nothing wrong with them.
Wound up doing them myself for about $150 and a chunk of that was getting pads overnighted from Houston.
Luckily, that is the only time I've gone to the dealership since I bought the car 43k miles ago.
Thanks
If you've changed brake pads before, it's really easy. First, get all the right parts from Mazda. Make sure you have the rotors (either new, or turn your old ones, the pads (2 on each side) and the little metal backers for each pad. Plus 4 spring clips that hold the new pads in... DON'T reuse the old ones!
Jack up the car and secure it on jackstands.
Take off the wheel, 2 bolts to remove the caliper. (around the back) Pull the caliper apart. Pull out the old pads and clips and clean the whole assembly with brake cleaner or degreaser. Then put the new clips in.
Use a pair of pliers and TURN the piston until it's all the way back in. If you don't do this, you won't have room for the new pads. Careful around that rubber boot.
Fill the caliper boots with hi-temp brake grease (thick). Push it back together and begin the finger dance of getting the new pads in in the small spaces. Make sure they are far enough apart to allow them to fit over the rotor. Don't forget the metal pieces that lightly clip on the back of the pads.
Put the rotor in the caliper and it holds the whole assembly on at the lug studs. Wiggle everything around and re-bolt the caliper back on. Put the wheel back on. Test it slowly in your driveway or a side street to make sure everything is working.
You'll need to get a 10mm deep socket and tighten the little nut under the trim by your ebrake handle. This tightens back up the ebrake.
I'll stress again though... If you are unfamiliar with the brakes, let someone else do it.
Tuesday nights - 6-7pm PT/9-10pm ET.
I was driving to work, driving somewhat more conservatively than usual when I hear it....rattttle. I think to myself, "I've never heard that in this song before" so I first turn the radio down, then off.
My fear is confirmed. It's my car. It cant be! I'm at a stop light, I turn of the AC.......quiet...rev it in neutral....RATTTLE!
I drive the rest of the day with no stereo trying to isolate the location and under what conditions it would occur so I could reproduce it at the dealership should that become necessary.
I'd just finished a 600 mile roadtrip with nary a rattle the previous day! So that night I pulled into my driveway...pop the hood (like I'm really gonna find anything..hah! i'm a bike tech...not a car guy!)
I notice it was coming from the front left....kinda banged on the fender....rattle....bend closer...wiggle this, wiggle that....what's this bolt do?
Eureka! Turns out the red sway bar crossing the top of the engine had a bolt that was finger-loose. I hand tightened it....problem solved. So I just snugged up all four, (found 2 loose ones). I assume tighter is better than loose.
Was back to it's spunky free-reving rattlefree self today, and it's owner fancies himself quite the mechanic.
Now...about that anticipated variable intermintent windshield wiper mod....
---Jason
Could also be the parking brake cable may be sticking, or your caliper pins are sticking. Grease them if they are. Use a hi-temp grease rated for use on brakes.
Most likely it's surface rust on the rotors, especially if you park outdoors.
I, however, had a really hard time completing step 1. The darn power connector is like glued. The fact that the space between the coolant reservoir/washer fluid tank is pretty tight, and the spring loaded latch gives doesn't help either. Any tips or tricks on how to pull that thing off?
Also, any tips and tricks on aligning the lights properly?
The headlight on the driver's side is way easier than the passenger side, more room to work. I just changed the passenger side and got a blister, almost impaled my finger on the spring clip, and now my fingertips are numb from trying to push the clip back into place. I promised myself that if the passenger side ever goes again, I'll take it in for the maintenance crew to take care of.
I had some comments at work because this is now I think the third time I've replaced a headlight, two on the driver's side and one on the passenger side. I've had the car since March 2002. Coworkers said they think that's a lot, they've never had to replace a headlight, etc. What do y'all think? How many times (if ever) have you replaced a headlight and how long have you had the car?
Jessica
I wouldn't worry about it.
Dinu
I haven't had to replace a bulb in either vehicle. I've had the LX since Jan '99 and my wife has had her P5 since Jan '03. I think it varies a lot from vehicle to vehicle (you might have more vibration in yours) and from bulb to bulb (I've had headlamp bulbs last anywhere from a month to 7 years). That's why I always keep a couple extra in the cars (and a flashlight in case I have to change one at night).
I have never changed a bulb in any car since having halogen bulbs. I have changed them but only for trying out new types, not because a bulb burned.
In my experience they break due to some sort of water or dust leakage into the headlamp itself.
I am not a car officionado ... so please keep answers simple. Thanks! :-)
The tire pressure also has great impact on the ride smoothness: higher pressure -> harsher and vice versa. Sometime dealer delivers a new car and forgets to control the tire pressure (the tire pressure was set high before delivery in order to prevent any damage during transportation and dealer supposes to lower them before giving the key to the costumer.) Please check your tires and set them to 32 psi, back and front.
Bruno
To make yourself feel better about the "harshness" of the ride in your P5, ask the dealer for a test drive in a Miata with the sport suspension while you wait. The P5 will seem like a Buick in comparison afterwards.
It's easier to try replacing the stock tires when they wear with a performance, touring or passenger tire. Of course, not many are made in the 50-aspect ratio in the touring and passenger categories.
If you don't do much high-speed driving (over 45mph), then you can lower the tire pressures below 32psi. I'd put them back to at least 32psi before getting on any freeway though. I don't recommend doing this, but many folks drive around with under-pressure tires without even giving it a second thought. Of course, every now and then, one of their tires blows on the freeway due to excessive heat build-up from excessive flexing.
I'm beginning to feel as though FORD had more to do with the Protege than I though.
3,4000 not so trouble free miles and due to the rapid loss in value am stuck with a car I no longer trust.
PhoenixMP5
I now have 34,000
It is a bummer about the moonroof. I haven't heard of that happening before on a Protege(5).
Replacing the radio is probably a good thing anyway. I am sure the Alpine is much nicer.
Have they replaced the fan switch yet? If so, then the problem is probably in a relay further back in the dash.
I hate to see a belt break like that. Did you have the belts checked at 30,000 miles? If so, then the service department should be liable. If it happened before 30k, then the belt was probably faulty. At least the P5 has a non-interference engine, so you didn't have to pay for any bent valves.
Be sure to keep us up to date on your successes/failures in getting these problems fixed.
Ted
I've also had my dealer look at the problem, when I've had them attempt to correct the headliner squeak/rattle problem, which occurred after the moon roof was repaired and they found nothing... and repaired neither the switch, nor the headliner noise.
In fairness to Mazda and the Protege, I have had no mechanical problems with the engine and transmission. Just a number of un-resolvable and very annoying little stuff.
Ryan
As far as my back, I found that tilting up the lower seat cushion helped, I had it tilted all the way down originally. Also I bought for 11 bucks a lumbar support that also sits you up a little higher, as well as protecting the seat fabric.
If I try shifting in manual, I have a different problem: there is a delay of about a second when shifting from first gear to second gear (although once engaged, the engine doesn't hang once as it does in automatic). Again, no problems going from second to third or third to fourth--the shifting for these transitions is fairly instantaneous.
Does anybody know if these are common behaviors for the P5, or is it worth taking to the dealer for a look?
Ted