Mazda Protege5 Maintenance and Repair

bluepro5

One of my friends who like to work with cars heard my problem and helped me look at it. He took out a rubber pipe where air is shipped the the engine, helped me cleaned the sticky thing at the bottom of the entrance cover (some black stuff with a carbon cleaning agent), then reached to the EGR valve. He unscrewed 2 bolts (one was quite hard to reach), detached the valve and the thin metal piece called the gasket and examined them. It a bit rusty at the base of the spring, possibly from water dripping from AC or somewhere else, but the spring looks OK. He said it's a electronically controlled valve and there's no vacuum thing as what the dealer suggested me to clean for $185 (mine is a 02 pro5). He unassmebled the electric part (where the solenoid sits) from the mechanical part (where there is a spring and the two holes of air passage). He sprayed the whole thing with a lubricant which he said is prohibiting the rust and cleans stronger than WD-40, then also took out some brake cleaner (carcinogenic stuff!) sprayed it all over and flood the inside, shake the part and
dump out the lubricant. The spring is a bit smoother now. He then reassembled everything back as they originally are, disconnect battery for a while to clear the codes, and I tested the car. The first start was still rough, but one the engine cranks up, I can definitely feel it running smoother (less vibration) than before. I drove down the street and stopped at some parking lot, NO MORE CHOKING! Drove back, turn off the car and restart again. This time TOTALLY SMOOTH START UP! I've driven the car as normal for a day now, and the ENGING LIGHT STAYS OFF! No more choking, no more sudden backfire vibration, car accelerate smoother and is more quite than before. THAT EGR VALVE IS THE DEVIL!
My friend says just drive it until the same thing happen, probably have to keep cleaning it every year or every other year or so. But hey, he helped me save $200 in cleaning fee! ($300 for labor + new EGR valve)
I'll try to post some photos of the evil EGR valve when I get a chance to upload them and if this site accepts posting photos.
GOOD LUCK with all Mazda Pro5 owners out there having the same problem!

P.S. so far, my car's statistics are:
--Original Dunlop tires changed at 50K mi, they were very slippery handling 90-degree sharp turns in the rain so I put in Kumho tires instead. Traction feels good for the 10K driven so far, only mystery is the tires get heated up easily and inflated at 34-35lbs (at the tire shop's recommendation), they measured 41 lbs 4 hours after the car is parked, at 2 am!
-- just changed front brake at 60K mi. Never had brake issue and the usual maintenance at Dealership checks says they're Ok. Suddenly I switched to an independent shop for maintenance shop and they told me there is ZERO left, and they have to resurface the rotors too. Cost about $180. They say the rear brakes still have about 10% left on them and told me to keep an eye on it for about 6-9 months.
-- while under warranty:
=> driver side power window motor broke and replaced
=> fuel pump sensor failed and replaced
=> horn broken (weird sound horn) for too much horning since the alarm was too sensitive and went off in the middle of the night with heavy rains, or even when the road shakes a bit when the garbage truck passed by while it's parked on the driveway

This is what I remember so far as major break downs. Otherwise, car has been great.

jgetz

Hey All,

Does anyone know where I can get a rear license plate bracket for a 2002 P5? I've tried my local dealer and they don't have a clue. In a fit of rage, I tore mine off the car trying to change my plates...I should have learned from Mel, it's better to think twice when you're angry. Anyway, now the thing is in 5 pieces and I can't find a replacement anywhere. Any tips would be greatly appreciated!

By the way, I had the same EGR valve issue on my car, but I paid the dealer to clean it. Haven't had a problem with it since. Also, I'm having the same rust problems that many of you have mentioned. I've never seen a car rust this fast. I didn't know it was even possible nowadays for a car to rust that fast...pretty disappointing.

PF_Flyer

Beat the heat (going to need to do that here in the East!) tonight and stop in for a bit of car chat!

The Mazda Club Chat is on tonight. The chat room opens at 8:45PM ET Hope to see YOU there! Check out the schedule

autonomous

having the same rust problems that many of you have mentioned. I've never seen a car rust this fast. I didn't know it was even possible nowadays for a car to rust that fast...pretty disappointing.
How old is your car and where exactly is it rusting?
I'm having some rust removed from the wheel wells of my 2002 P5 before it gets any worse. Otherwise the car looks new.

iamz

"Any tips would be greatly appreciated!"

Ummm,...a course in anger management? ;^)

On the rust; Do you live in one of the well salted states like Minnesota?

mdaffron

They use it liberally in the winter here because of all the ice we get, and my wife's 2002 Protege5, with 65,000 miles on it, has no rust anywhere. Ditto for my 2000 Protege, which I traded last year for a new Mazda3 after five years and 91,000 miles.

You guys aren't washing your cars with sandpaper, are ya?



Meade

autonomous

... they must sprinkle the light dainty stuff on Virginia roads while Canadians get the real "rock salt" (it's as bad as it sounds).

It's nearly 40C (100F) and we're talking about winter driving ... what a way to stay cool!

iamz

"You guys aren't washing your cars with sandpaper, are ya?"

Well, now that you mention it,....Almost. They put down salt and sand together everywhere here in MN. So, imagine a wet slurry of salt and sand flinging off your tires at high velocity tearing away at the paint around the wheel wells. It ain't a pretty picture.

micromike

Hi All:

I was wondering if someone can please help me out. I have a 2002 Protégé 5 with 5 speed MT, 2.0 L engine, and 52,000 miles. I bought the car used and it has been fun to drive. However, ever since I have owned the car I have noticed that there is an engine vibration that is maximum at about 1200 rpm and decreases at higher or lower. The vibration makes the dome light rattle! The vibration occurs whether the care is moving or not (I can reproduce it in neutral in the driveway) and is not noticeable on the road at high or low speeds (when the car is above 1200 rpm).

Does anyone have an idea of what is causing this annoying problem? Can it be motor mounts or something else.

Thanks a lot for your help.

MicroMike

chunky20

I have an 02 P5 and for some reason it idles rough when I put it into drive. This happens expecially when put into reverse - it drops about 250-300 RPM. I have done the spark plug wires, coil and have had the EGR valve cleaned. Check engine light came on again after about 50 kms. Would this be the airflow sensor? I have been chasong this problem for a couple of weeks now and want to get this fixed up before I spend too much more money on parts on this.

autonomous

chasong this problem for a couple of weeks now and want to get this fixed up before I spend too much more money on parts

Maybe it's worth bringing it in to get a diagnostic done; an OBDII code may give you a better idea of the problem.

sr_az

JGetz,

I was wondering if you found a source for that rear license bracket yet? We're in the same position, but we had no choice but to break the existing one, since the bolts holding the plate to the bracket were completed corroded and frozen. Since the holes in the car don't match the holes in the license plate, we're stuck with either finding a replacement, or drilling a third hole in the license plate.

Anyone have any ideas?

thanks

Steve

rogerrabbit

My 20002 Protege has developed rust around the windshield - no rust anywhere else on car. The windshield was replaced in 2003 and I a led to believe that it was not performed properly, rather than a paint issue. Anyone encountering similar problems with rust around winshield area?

autonomous

My 20002 Protege has developed rust around the windshield ... The windshield was replaced in 2003

This can easily happen if the installers are not careful and scratch the paint. Scratches could have been hidden under the black trim and then emerge several years later as paint bubbling or blistering. Was the window repair done by a Mazda dealership or someone else?

computwu

Hi all,

It seems like I am starting to get an increase in problems with my Protege5 and was wondering if anyone else has had the same? I apologize for the long post.

Some bkgrnd: I bought my 2003 Protege5 in May 2003. It is an automatic transmission and I live in Canada so I experience all four seasons.

1. The day before my warranty was to expire, my stability bar had to be replaced - I was told by the dealer that this was an uncommon problem. Out of fear of more problems, I then purchased an extended warranty.

2. The mileage on my car is close to 65,000km. About 1 month ago, the dealer told me that the rotors AND brake pads for BOTH the front & the back needed to be replaced. I only do city driving and do not make it a habit to repeatedly accelerate quickly and brake hard. Luckily, my friend is a mechanic and told me that only the back pads needed to be replaced and the front brakes needed to be serviced. I have already had the front pads replaced and the front rotors machined in November 2005 at the advice of the dealer.

3. The front passenger headlight connector had to be replaced. I have never been in a car accident. The dealer told me the light was not working because the connector was deformed and that it had to be replaced and was not covered under my very expensive extended warranty.

4. Now my rear passenger door will not lock or unlock when I use the automatic feature. It just makes this awful buzzing/whirring noise and I need to take it in to be fixed.

I know these problems don't seem to be major, but it just concerns me b/c they've all happened within a 3 month span and I fear that my car is just going to have more and more problems.

Any feedback or comments would be greatly appreciated!

Thanks.

erics6

Rotors are common on the P5, as they are on many modern cars with lighter weight and thinner rotors. My front rotors were machined and then replaced along with new pads. Back rotors are fine.

Don't know about the headlight connector. The bulb is a pain to replace, so maybe they broke it when replacing the bulb. I would question their explanation.

Power door lock is not that uncommon an issue with any car. I would think the extended warranty would cover that.

My P5 has been very reliable. Probably the most reliable car I've ever owned. I'm at 75,000 miles with no major issues. Besides rotors (which are becoming a standard service item), everything I've had done is routine. Tires, brakes, fluids, plugs, battery, etc. I wouldn't worry about reliability. Given your description of service, you might want to find a good independent service place for non-warranty items, or find another dealer service.

autonomous

1. Replaced stability bar: this sounds unusual but good that you had it covered under warranty

2. Replace brake rotors and pads: this would not be unusual except that you have had the front pads replaced only eight months ago; I question the value of machining rotors considering that you will need to replace the rotors soon thereafter. City driving is harder on brakes than highway driving. Have you had your brakes lubricated for the winter? This has extended the life of mine: I am driving with my original pads and rotors which should reach 80,000 kms this fall.

3. Replace headlight connector: too bad that this failed after your warranty period; what was the reason it was not covered under your extended warranty?

4. Correct passenger door lock: is this covered under your extended warranty?

Like Eric, my 2002 P5 has been trouble-free mostly and I would consider it to be reliable. The two pricey repairs so far have been replacing a failed EGR valve and removing rust in the rear wheel wells. To be fair, our Canadian climate can be cruel to any automobile.

Keep us updated on your progress.

dwryter

> Now my rear passenger door will not lock or unlock when I use the
> automatic feature. It just makes this awful buzzing/whirring noise
> and I need to take it in to be fixed.

A friend has the exact same problem on the right rear door of her 2002 P5.

Since it's not a normal wear item, I don't know how they can deny extended warranty coverage. You might want to appeal to the Service Manager at the Mazda dealership that sold you the extension, asking him/her to intercede on your behalf. Same thing with the headlight bracket. If the only the dealership has touched that headlight bracket, they must be the ones to have broken it. So they should replace it without charge.

My 2002 P5 with 41,000 miles has had no major problems. All I've replaced so far is tires (26K), plugs (30K), oil, oil filter, and air filter -- knock wood. Although, the CD player skips on bumps more and more frequently. And I've got a burn mark on my rear window from a defect in the defogger wire.

nickg4bruins

2003 P5 - On a short ride tonight I noticed when I stopped, that the driver side rear wheel was extremely hot. No other wheels were even warm. There was no brake smell or squeeling and I regularly service the calipers. I don't think the caliper or brake pad is sticking because I would think that there would have been some kind of noise or smell. The only smell was hot metal, no unusual noise at all. Any ideas as to what might be "heating up? Wheel bearing?
thanks

iamz

Your caliper is sticking. It is a very common problem with the P5. You will need to pull it off and clean and re-lubricate the slides. You will also need to do this probably once a year as a preventative measure. I do on mine.

autonomous

I agree with iamz that this sounds like the caliper. You might be able to diagnose this by touching the inside portion (that is, the side facing inward towards the centre of the car) of the disc brake. According to a service advisor most of the damage of the discs happens there and not on the outside where most of us look.

rogerrabbit

Happy Conclusion - after learning from this site that the rust was not a widespread problem, I took the car back to the glass installer. They looked at the problem, immediately said it was their problem and offered to fix it at no charge. They will take out the glass, diagnose where they went wrong and then have the rust taken care of. Refreshing approach to customer service that sadly is missing at most places today.

dwryter

That's great they treated you so well. I hope they do a great job with the repair. Will repainting be required?

A place like that deserves a good plug. How about providing their name and the city the place is in?

mgaspit

About 10 months ago while traveling about 60 mph the car hesitated. The engine light came on within about a minute. Had it reset. Did 60,000 mile tune-up. After, the hesitation followed by engine light recurred. The dealership replaced EGR valve ($150 + $350 labor). Within week light reappeared. Dealership replaced cat. Light came on again but this time flashed and then solid. Light was reset next morning. Two months later car hesitated, followed by flashing and then solid engine light. Two weeks later another occurrence. How has yours been since your friend cleaned it? Anyone have a suggestion?

nickg4bruins

I just wanted to report back that I have found and fixed the problem (for now that is). It turns out that the caliper was sliding fine, but the outside pad was stuck on the rotor and wasn't able to "slide" back.
I removed some built up brake dust and it made it better, then I scraped off the paint on the pad. Slides pretty good right now and haven't noticed any more heat. The pad did wear pretty significantly and will probably have to replace within a few months.

bluepro5

My Pro5 has been doing fine after my friend cleaned the EGR Valve. Rarely, maybe once a month, it is slow in ramping from 0mph to 60 mi, but even idling is back to before this whole "car-rocking" sympton happens. Engine light was never on again. My suggestion is to get the error code read whenever the engine light comes on and don't blindly fix whatever the dealer tells you. Some people have said that the the engine light controller can become faulty and turn on for no reason. Other cases, there's really a problem in the car. Especially if you have the code, and if after dealer fix it and the code reapperas, you can hold this evidence to make them "finish the job" and not charge you something that's totally unrelated.

By the way, my car actually have no problem travelling at high speed like the 60mph you mentioned. it always doesn't have much power at high speed anyways cos the engine is small I had problem when the car was idling or at very very slow speed when the EGR valve is faulty. I think it should be closed at low speed so air is not recycled into the engine for re-combustion. I believe it was stuck open and letting air in so the enging choke for not having enough power with outside air diluting the fuel content etc... Good Luck with your fixes!

tevans1

I have a 2002 Protege5 with approx 95,000 miles.

Last week, I attempted to start the car with no success, just a clicking noise. When I popped the hood, I discovered the the positive battery cable end had completely disenigrated (leaving a white powder on most of the surfaces on the driver's side of the engine bay).

I cleaned the battery post and purchased a new battery cable end. I spliced battery cable and attached the new end which seemed to solve the problem. Until the next day when the car again would not start.

Upon closer inspection, I discovered the "powdery corrosion" had crept down to the inside of the battery cable. I detached the new end and tapped the cable on a hard surface to remove the powder from the inside of the cable; up on reattaching the end, the car started and ran normally.

It seems that I should replace the entire battery cable - and maybe the even battery (for good measure).

I contacted my local Mazda dealer to price out a new battery cable, with no luck. The parts rep. stated that there was "no such part listed" in their computer system. The only thing that came close in his system was a $450 "engine harness".

Has anyone else experienced this problem, or maybe know where I can get a new battery cable?

Thanks in advance for any help & advice!

P.S. - I've replaced the lowbeam bulbs in this car countless times! (at least 1 bulb per calendar quarter) I have the scars on my hands to prove it! ...so annoying!

iamz

Your battery must have leaked (and is leaking) acid onto the connector. You should be able to buy a generic cable at any parts store (and a new battery). Check to see if your battery is secure in the holder. I found that mine was loose earlier this summer and the battery could slide front to back easily.

autonomous

Wow, what a mess!

erics6

New generic cable and battery from Costco or ??? and you'll be set.

Mr_Shiftright

I'd also have your alternator checked for overcharging....

iamz

Good point. Overcharging could have caused the battery to boil over and leak acid.

wilderstyle

Did you ever resolve this issue? I'm having the exact same problem with my protoge 5 and my mechanic and I are working on making an educated guess before we start replacing parts,

thanks

mmciver

I have a 2002 P5, and last winter (in Maryland), during a standard fill up sometime in December '05, I could only pump about half of a gallon of gas at a time before it would back-fill and overflow. Between each half gallon, I had to wait about 10-15 seconds to let that gallon settle. It wasn't a full tank issue, because I could keep doing this up to the full 10-11 gallons I was down.

This problem continued every single fillup until I drove the car to Florida on a trip for the holidays. In southern Virginia the thermistat broke and stuck close. I limped the car to a mechanic who repaired that problem and the gas fillup problem disappeared as well, though the mechanic said he didn't touch anything else other than the coolant system.

It remained gone for about 2 weeks upon return to Maryland, then it dumped snow one day and the problem came back. This time it didn't go away until late March when it warmed back up again.

During this time, I took it to 2 different mechanics I trust, one who disassembled the entire fuel tank and filler components and didn't find a problem. Everything was lubricated fine and free from damage or defect. The second mechanic put a camera down the filler tube, trying to see if there was any issue that way, and could not detect anything wrong.

Now I have moved to Rhode Island, and it first snowed up here yesterday, and today the problem returned. Half a tank at a time.

This is really frustrating me, and wouldn't be so bad if it only happened in warm weather. The cold and the moisture HAVE to have something to do with it (freezing something in place?), but I can't figure out what or why, or how to fix it.

Any help anyone can give is much appreciated.

iamz

Do you fill your tank with the engine off or running?

erics6

Sounds like the charcoal evaporator canister. I remember my old Saab had that problem. Gets fuel soaked. I’m assuming your mechanics have checked that.

mmciver

[Do you fill your tank with the engine off or running? ]

Off, always off. Not going to risk a fire.

[Sounds like the charcoal evaporator canister. I remember my old Saab had that problem. Gets fuel soaked. I’m assuming your mechanics have checked that.]

Actually, I have no idea. I only know somewhat about what you are refering to, (cleans fuel vapors from exhaust?) but had no idea it was so close in proximity, and even directly connected.

Is this something that I can just replace the canister and it will fix the problem? or what steps may I have to go through. If you had the problem before, than you are the only one that I have heard having the problem other than me, so relying on your experiences here

erics6

It's an emissions thing. Captures the fuel vapors. It was a mid-80's Saab. I'm not sure how modern cars differ. I've never had problems with my P5.

It was pretty common problem, so I'm guessing your mechanics would of checked. Might try one of the Protege specific forums.

mmciver

I just posted over on the Protege forums as well.

When your Saab had the issue, in order to fix it, did you have to repair, replace, or drain the cannister?

'Which things did you have to do' that is.

I obtained a technical repair manual for my P5, but it only has air leakage inspection procedures that I could find for the carbon cannister, and the diagram DOES have it back near the filler tube, but there is no direct connection that does not go through the gas tank. If there is a sensor or something that gets tripped and closes a valve or something I can see how it would still cause the issue, but I can't find any more information in the manual regarding the parts.

erics6

I honestly don't remember the fix. I believe it required replacement. Pretty sure if the cannister is plugged, the fumes would block additional gas. Have you tried putting the gas filler nozzle in part-way. That way the fumes could escape as you fill the tank.

It could be something different with your P5. Don't remember seeing any TSBs on the problem you are having.

mmciver

I have tried part-way, and all that accomplishes so far is getting it to backfill farther before tripping the sensor and shutting off the pump, and I get overflow spillage.

Depending on the pump, I may or may not get spillage from overflow by pumping at max volume for a second or two before it backfills and trips the sensor.

Often I will just stand there and hold the pump level barely cracked open to allow minimal fuel flow. This generally allows more fuel between shut-offs, but is a strain on my hand in the cold, as I am holding it at maximum tension point for the spring.

I fill up half a tank last night at a location I have never been to before, and the pump, at full volume, was about 1 gallon per 20 seconds, so I was able to get about 2 gallons each time before it backfilled.

I found this in my technical repair manual:
"27 Fuel refill concerns
DESCRIPTION • Fuel tank does not fill smoothly.
POSSIBLE CAUSE
• Clogged evaporative emission pipes
• Nonreturn valve malfunction
• Pressure control valve malfunction
• Improper use of fuel nozzle
• Inadequate fuel filling speed

Diagnostic procedure
STEP INSPECTION RESULTS ACTION
1 • Retrieve DTCs.
• Are there any DTCs displayed?
Yes Go to appropriate DTC test.
No Go to next step.
2 • Remove fuel-filler pipe.
• Make sure nonreturn valve is installed
properly.
• Inspect nonreturn valve operation.
• Is nonreturn valve okay?
Yes Inspect following:
• Improper use of fuel nozzle
• Inadequate fuel filling speed
• Pressure control valve
No If nonreturn valve is installed improperly:
• Reinstall nonreturn valve to proper position.
If nonreturn valve does not operate properly:
• Replace non return valve.
3 • Verify test results.
— If okay, return to diagnostic index to service any additional symptoms.
— If malfunction remains, refer to related Service Bulletins and perform repair or diagnosis.
• If vehicle is repaired, troubleshooting completed.
• If vehicle is not repaired or additional diagnostic information is not available, replace PCM."

If the last two mechanics were not lying to me, then the return valve is clean, clear, and lubricated. I am inclined to agree with them, since if it wasn't, I would be having this problem all the time, not just when it was freezing cold.

There is no further information yet found on the "Pressure control valve malfunction", and the troubleshooting steps above clear everything but this as being the cause.

Also, there is a chart at the beginning of the manual that lists "Evaporative emmission control system malfunction" as a possible factor with # 27 and 28, which are respectively Fuel Refill Concerns, and Fuel Shut-off Concerns. I believe that this refers to the carbon cannister, from my now improved knowledge.

So 2 possible causes from what this is telling me.

I found a Mazda Gold Cup dealer near me, and will be taking it to them next week to see if they can find the problem, as I feel I am much more informed as to where to point them and how to explain the problems.

Thanks for your help.

erics6

Sounds like you are on the right track. I haven't had much luck with Mazda dealer service, but maybe you'll get lucky and find a mechanic who has seen or is familar with your problem. Here's hoping it isn't the PCM = $$$.

darylj

I am experiencing the same thing. Brake light comes on intermittenly and stays on when parking brake is off. Not sure if it is related to the headlights though.

PF_Flyer

I had a cracked fuse once that caused the dome light to come on when I stepped on the brake. First thing I do now if anything weird is going on electrically is to check all the fuses, even those unrelated to where the symptoms seem to be taking place.

The Mazda Club Chat is on tonight. The chat room opens at 8:45PM ET Hope to see YOU there! Check out the schedule

ddubbleya

I did a search and didn't find anybody with this problem in this forum, so I hope somebody can help. At random I will get in my car and try to start it, but all I can hear is the starter turning. First time it happened I checked for spark and did not find any, so I pushed the car to a vacant part of the parking lot and left it there till I could come back and tow it home with a friend. I went back a few hours later and it started right up like nothing was wrong. Figured problem was a freak thing until it happened again a couple of days later, once again wait and start.
Called a local dealership and they recommended checking all my relays (under hood by battery) by tapping them with a wrench, did so and found that the "green" one when tapped caused the motor to stutter. Replaced relay hoping that was the problem, but it wasn't.
Finally it happened when I was at home and my Dad and I took of the fuel line to see if it still had pressure. Gas squirted out of the line when motor was cranked over, so I am getting fuel. Next we pulled out the relay and checked box itself and the test registered current was being sent through. Next we pulled the plugs and once again no spark.
Finally a friend (retired mechanic), said that the alternator is the problem. Somehow it cuts off the charge to the spark plugs, not sure how because he explained it to my gf and she explained it to me. Any way this didn't fix the problem either.
I feel that I also should mention that the battery is brand new and the connections are clean and corrosion free. Also, the spark plugs and wires were changed around 10,000 miles ago. Another thing is this problem isn't throwing any OBD codes, so I can't hook up OBD computer to get any help. When I talked to Mazda and independent mechanics they said if the problem doesn't duplicate w/ them they can do nothing... in fact Mazda said they wouldn't know what to do w/out a code. Sad if you ask me.
Any help would be greatly appreciated, for right now I am stumped. Also, sorry for the long post, thanks for any help.

autonomous

the alternator is the problem. Somehow it cuts off the charge to the spark plugs, not sure how

How many miles on the car?

My understanding is that if your battery is weak, your alternator tries to pick up the slack but over time this can affect your alternator. If you replaced the battery that does not mean you solved the problem with the alternator. I suggest you leave the car at Mazda/independent garage overnight (or longer if you can manage) and ask them to try to duplicate the problem.

Tip: If you haven't replaced your timing belt yet, you may want to do it early. The timing belt is located close to the alternator so the mechanic can end up checking it at the same time.

jenn_football

I bought a 2003 P5 in August 2003. It has 60,000km on it (and went for the 60,000km inspection at 55,000km because of service dates) In the last month my ABS & Brake light have come on. I had the brakes replaced last year. I took the car to my mechanic, who said that the brakes are fine but couldn't figure out why the lights were on. They started coming on and then going off when i restarted the car, but now they just stay on. I'm trying to avoid going to the dealership because a) warranty has expired and b) the one close to me has a steep diagnostic fee which they won't waive even if i get the work done there.

Has anyone else had these problems?

iamz

Yes. Top off your brake fluid reservoir. If this doesn't cure it, one of your wheel sensors is acting up.

cindyg2

Hi . I have a 92 mazda protege 5 speed. lately i cannot get it started . some days it will start and others it wont,, battery seems fine, the lights work, have not been able to drive it cus it wont start again. i put the key in, and all it does is sound like it wants to start but it doesnt. any ideas? i cannot afford to take to the dealership . any ideas or suggestions are greatly appreciated.
Cindy

ddubbleya

I already replaced the alternator last week, and it ran well for around 5 days, but then it didn't start yesterday. Also, the battery is only around two to three months old. As for the miles the car, it has around 49,700 miles. I was thinking about it, does anybody think that it might be the PCM? Next time it acts up I'm going to disconnect the battery to let the computer reset itself and then try again. Also, I was thinking about changing all the fuses, figure it's cheap and that way I can rule that out. Don't think they have anything to do with this, but it seems these newer cars have problems that can stem from something that makes no sense. Thanks for taking the time to reply.