Mazda Protegé

vocus · December 2001

When my 99 Protege DX dimmed once, it wasn't like the lights almost cut off. They did dim noticeably, and it was really cold out that day with snow on the ground too (like 20 degrees or so). But the lights didn't get that dim. I didn't even get it checked out, because like I said it never did it again. And my 2001 never did it at all when I had it.

But I did have a no-start issue with my 2001 once. The radio's sound stopped working one time because I played the radio too loud and messed it up. I turned the car off when I parked it, but left the radio on (I never turn it off, ever). When I went to restart the car about 20 hours later, it was dead as a doornail. I got a jumpstart and took it to the dealer and left it. Everything from the battery to the alternator to the starter to the electrical system checked out fine and the car never did it again. Weird.

the_big_h · December 2001

I think I know what shrique is talking about, sometimes when I start up the car going home after work, during the first minute or so of warmup/idling, the dash lighting (e.g. gauge, radio, etc) would 'flicker' a little bit, for a very short time. After a minute or so of warmup, it would go away. I've had the car for over a year now and it happens quite regularly, but so far car has ZERO electrical problems (knock on wood).
And seeing several other people also observed this dimming/flickering phenomenon and no one has reported serious problems that are related to it, I would think that it's just a 'characteristic' of the Protege.
It's like what we software engineers say, 'it's not a bug, it's a feature!'

newcar31 · December 2001

Meade, I believe that a rotten egg smell can be cause by the engine running in a rich condition. It might be that your plugs aren't completely igniting the fuel. It could be a number of other things though also.

Protegextwo, The things that the dealer performs at 30K are very easy to do yourself. I will not pay for "inspection" of anything. You know how they check your alignment? If it drives straight, it's good. Like I have said before, I don't trust the monkeys that the dealership has doing these 30Ks. What about flushing out your coolant? You didn't list that.

Shrique, I have noticed a slight loss of power and lights dimming too in my 01 ES, especially when cold. I attribute this to the air conditioning compressor. I hope that is what it is.

Sporin · December 2001

mazdafun brings up an excellent point.

This ONLY happens right after a cold startup, and only when idling or barely moving. My lights NEVER go out, there is just a slight "dip" to everything and you can hear the compressor kick on.

It is similar to when my oil burner kicks on at home. Other stuff in the house gives a nearly imperceptable "dip" for a 1/2 second.

Same thing with the car.

dinu01 · December 2001

Never happened on my PRO. But I do notice, if it has been cool overnight and I have the radio on and the heater in position 1, the car sometimes, hesitates to start (happened less than 3 times since I've had it - 18,400 kms so far). I turn the radio off andf the heater off and it starts without hesitating right away.

I'm not exactly worried about it. The battery has a warranty on it for another 1.5yrs... I would definitely express my concern to the dealer, especially as you said it's less than 1 mth old. Hopefully it's not one of those weird, impossible to troubleshoot electrical issues.

Good luck, Dinu

mazdafun · December 2001

I've driven other makes where the lights etc. dim or slow down when a large load kicks in. I think it happens more with lighter engines (less inertia in the moving parts) than with heavier engines (6 and 8 cylinders). Cavs, Neons, Escorts, Civics etc. all exhibit the dimming behavior (not to any extent I'd call worrisome). I hadn't really noticed this type of behavior in my father's 6cyl Taurus or any other 6cyl or 8cyl-engined car I've driven.

This effect is more noticeable with a drained battery (such as after you get a jumpstart).

panamaltd2 · December 2001

Wow, I would just like to say that anyone in the Santa Barbara CA area owes it to themselves to get their cars at Perry Mazda. This dealer is amazing, fixes everything I want fixed in the time they said, cleans, waxes, and vaccums the car every time I take it in. The also charged me half price for my spoiler when I recieved a Miata spoiler instead of a Pro one. The got the correct one to me the next day and put it right on. Also anyone with rattles in their doors should take your Pros in. My dealer fixed the problem in 3 hours and now my baby hums along without a buzz. I feel like I an being treated like I own a Rolls. A+!!

It was interesting when I was at the dealer I noticed 2 VW golfs and 2 Jettas. I asked the dealer about them they said the golf people traded theirs for P5s and he didn't know about the 2 Jettas but I just found it interesting after what Vocus had said.

ZoomZoom...That is interesting that you have a 97 RAV, my mother has one (a 97 RAV4 L) and I noticed the same thing about the engine. Is yours silver?

fowler3 · December 2001

the city driving is 27.9mpg! So overall I get 27.9 city -- 36mpg highway. With Air on that would drop to about 24.9 city -- 32-33 highway. No problem.

I'm getting like you guys, I hate to come home when out on an errond. Just want to keep driving some more.

fowler3

elec3 · December 2001

put on a lot of miles while just cruising around town. I always take the long way, and it's a good way to see what's happening around town. Occasionally I'll see something interesting or get myself into a stoplight grand prix. Mileage is good and I consider it entertainment, so I have no reason to stop

I can't say that I've noticed any dimming with my Pro5. In fact I expected I'd have to deal with this, I have a Bazooka subwoofer that I installed myself in the hatch and it has a power lead that runs directly off the battery. I figured that when the car had just been started or was idling, I'd get a bit of a drain or dimming when my sub hit. Fortunately I haven't witnessed such a thing. I wouldn't be surprised if I got some dimming with my air on high when the compressor kicked in but I don't remember this being a problem. I can't really speak on cold starts, my Pro5 has never had to endure temps below about 25 and I've never started it when it was below freezing. It could simply be a warming up issue, but if your Pro5 is still that new, you should have the dealership check it out. Couldn't hurt.

protege8 · December 2001

Hi, everybody! This is my first post here. I purchased a Sand Mica 2001 Protege LX in mid-October, and it comes with 6-cd changer, moon roof, perimeter alarm, rear spoiler, A/T, 15 " alloy wheel, keyless entry, and AC. I am pretty satisfied with the deal (I got $220 above invoice with 6 mo deferred payment and 36 mo payment with 0% interest). So far I really enjoy the car in every aspect, and especially the handling just like my wife's 2000 MPV LX is very easy and smooth. As I mentioned in the title, I got very poor MPG (20-22) in an approximately 80% city/20% free way driving. The best one was ~24 MPG in 40%/60%. I do not know whether this is due to the gasoline (do grades matter?), the weather (I live in Seatlle,and it rains ~ 70% of the time in the past month), or simply just waiting for break-in (~1200 mile now). Any thoughts? Thanks in advance. Happy Zoom-Zoom.

P.S. I put three Zoom-Zoom stickers on my Protege, two from the dealer (free) and one from ebay ($2.00).

dinu01 · December 2001

This is the mildest winter I have seen in Canada so far (since 1991) in both Montreal and Toronto. No snow yet. I saw a report on The Weather Channel today and saw the ice in VA and NC. Reminds me of the ice storm we had in Mtl a few yrs back: ice EVERYWHERE (trees, houses, cars, roads); the city was blocked for a few days...

Compact Sports Wagon: I think Volvo did with their All Wheel Drive Model. Audi has the Quattro. But it is very likely Mazda started this trend with the PRO for smaller wagons with the "fun to drive" quotient.

Dinu

mazdafun · December 2001

They do matter. Gasoline formulated for colder climates yields less energy (more of it has a low-flash-off temperature, which makes it combustible below 0-degrees C...hydrocarbons with lower flash points are typically shorter-chain, which release less energy when oxidized), thus your Pro needs to use more per distance traveled. On top of that, heap on cold starts and you can expect about 10% less economy in cold weather in more northern regions.

Any gasoline with oxygenating ingredients, while much better for reducing tailpipe emissions, also contain less energy. You can expect to see maybe 3-5% reduction in fuel economy with fuel that is 10% ethanol.

Regarding "grades", the effects are either negligible to slightly worse if you use a grade other than that recommended by the manufacturer.

Your tire pressures OK?

ashutoshsm · December 2001

For those who were wondering, I got here (NoVA) over the last weekend, after leaving from Salt Lake on the 3rd, and making a few stops along the way.

My car held up great (95 protege dx, auto) throughout - including a painfully heavy storm through the rockies on my first leg! The seat could do with a little more support for the lower back, as evidenced by my cousin bro's backaches.

There are so many more Pro's here on the East Coast!

I'll write more later, and return to my regular prowling of this board over the next few days - gotta apartment hunt and avoid my 50 mile (beltway) commute to work now - priority number one!

I'll also get in touch with all the kind board regulars in the area, and wanted to thank them, as well as several others for the plethora of tips and advice I received before my trip, as well as the offers of emergency assitance (if needed) and generous lunches, which I was unable to accept (on this road trip ;-)

Later!
ashu

chicagopro · December 2001

Glad you made it safely! I was wondering how the trip went.

Do you know how many miles you put on the car?

protege8 · December 2001

Hi, Mazdafun. Really, Thanks for your response. It is exciting to learn the new thing everyday, and I even can find someone to discuss chemistry with me (I have a Ph.D.in chemistry)in this Protege forum. I intentionally keep the tire pressure at 35 psi (as opposed to 32 psi). The temperature here is around 35-40 degree F in the morninng start, and I usually let the engine warm up for 30-60 sec and go. In your opinion, have you "discovered" what brand of gasoline the Protege really likes or what is your personal preference. Oh, one more thing, Is there any "additives" in the market which can be used to improve MPG? Thanks.

mazdafun · December 2001

Oh, I'm not a chemist. The furthest I got in chemistry was AP Chem in high school. Enough to understand the basics. My wife, though, is a BSChE, so I bug her for the tougher stuff.

I usually try to purchase from those who claim 100% gasoline. Surprisingly, it's the local Meijer (regional hypermarket chain). I find that Shell makes the fumes smell more (supposed to be caused by the higher sulfer-content). So far as national brands go, I prefer Exxon, Mobil and BP. I use Shell since there's a station located conveniently nearby. I do get about 1-2mpg better when I fuel up at the Meijer.

I don't know of any additives that will improve your fuel economy if your system is clean and running well. Fuel injector cleaners can improve mpg if your injectors are partially clogged. However, most fuels today contain enough detergent to keep them clean. Avoid anything containing methanol. I personally have found more fouling (carbon and some white, ashy stuff on my spark plugs after using additives containing methanol. Not sure why.

I'd check your ignition system (timing, plug gaps, plug wires), your fuel injection system (to make sure it's not putting in too rich a mixture...make sure your oxygen sensor is working OK too). Check your air intake to make sure there isn't an obstruction. Your air filter shouldn't be clogged at that low mileage. I also notice an uptick in fuel economy after each oil change as well. I suppose, but doubt, that if the the tolerances in your piston chambers are in a min/max condition, there may be some "blow-by" around the piston rings. If this were the case, you would also notice loss of oil between oil changes (supposedly 1qt/1000miles is "acceptable" to auto mfrs) or an oily scent in the exhaust.

At least it's not your tire pressure.

Do you notice anything that might indicate misaligned wheels? Check tirerack.com for some visual aids on this subject.

mazdafun · December 2001

Sorry, I though Tire Rack had some pictures of uneven tire wear.

This site has some simplified visuals, but gets the point across about tire wear patterns indicating alignment problems:

http://www.familycar.com/index.htm

Look under the car care section.

protege8 · December 2001

Thanks for your advice. I think I will start from the fundamental thing, looking for the gasoline my protege likes for the next 1-2000 miles (give a longer break-in time). If nothing can be improved, I will go to the dealers and bring up to them the lists you mentioned. Happy zoom-zoom.

Sporin · December 2001

I've found no measurable difference in performance of MPG between Texaco, Shell and Mobil which are the 3 brands I use 99% of the time. (all 87 octane)

boomer22 · December 2001

I feel bad when I was told by my dealer that I have to pay $49 for regular inspection. I bought my Protege 6 month ago and now it comes to first inspection and oil change. My dealer's service department told me I have to pay $25 for oil change and $49 for inspection. My friends who own Toyota and Honda just pay under $20 something for oil change, no any other charge for other service and labor fee during warranty.

Also the parts are much more expensive than Toyota and Honda because they have to to be delivered from Japan.

Did I choose a wrong dealer or wrong brand?

jl30 · December 2001

Mazda just released the updated Familia 2.0 (Protege) in Japan. Their 2.0L engine make 170ps horsepower. Check it out at http://www.familia.mazda.co.jp/spec.html

(it's in Japanese, some of the spec. are still readable.)

the_big_h · December 2001

FWIW, I also had quite crappy mpg when I first got my 00 ES, I was averaging 22-23mpg through winter of 2000 (might also have something to do with different gas blends between winter & summer fuel). But ever since late spring this year (May-ish), when my car reached around 8-9000 miles, I've been averaging 26-27mpg in mixed driving, and easily reaches 28-29mpg in mostly highway conditions. So I would say it's a combination of northern/cold weather gas blends and break-in period that's giving you low mpg's. Should get better as your new Pro gets more broken in...

the_big_h · December 2001

try the translate feature at altavista.com, it can translate japanese web pages into english.

thank ashu for giving this little tip a while back

dinu01 · December 2001

Hi Boomer!

I'm in Toronto and if I take it to (North Toronto) Mazda for an oil change and what they call a "piece of mind inspection" (which btw is NOTHING AT ALL on a brand new car as the svc guy "almost" admitted), they charge $49+tax, so I'm on the hook for about $55 or so.

I'm now buying my own Mazda OEM oil filters (6 for $36) and 4L of Castrol GTX ($10 at Cdn. Tire)and go to a local Petro Canada place where I can see what they're doing and that they do the little things well too (letting ALL the oil drain, lubricating the oil filter before installing it, etc), which charges $18 (tax-in) for the svc. They give me a receipt that shows they also inspected the car, so it is exactly what the dealer would do if I took it there.

Overall, $35 tax-in and these guys do all their work like I would do it if I had ramps myself!

I found another place where they charge $10, but those guys are morons (screwed up my cylinder heads in my previous car - 93 Civic). Lesson from the past: don't be cheap trying to save $5/repaid/job, b/c you'll be paying $100s later on.

The svc manager at the dealership I mentionned above, did say to keep all receipts (filter, oil and svc) to prove I did the work in case of a warranty issue and advised me ***ONLY*** to use Mazda OEM oil filters!!! Some warranty issue between the car owner (u and I, etc..) and Mazda Canada. So buy a pack of 6 filters from Mazda (cheaper by $1.49 than at C.T.) and take it to your mechanic. You save $20/oil change and if u have a good mechanic, at least u know the job's done well, not just brushed-off like the dealer does it.

Dinu

protege8 · December 2001

Thanks for your info. It is an exciting day for me. First, leanrn about petroleum chemistry from mazdafun and second, get encourging info from you with the same country origin. I hope my protege will behave like what you described for yours and will let people know when time comes.

boomer22 · December 2001

Thank you dinu. I share the same dealer with you. Frankly speaking, I am satisfied with the service provided by North Toronto Mazda. The service manager is a nice lady. 4 month ago I had an accident while the car rushed over a higher curb. My ES 2.0 started leaking oil, but no body damage. The repair totaled $12000 and took 2 month for waiting the parts shipped from Japan.

Anyway, I will follow your advice to get the filters from the dealer and change the oil at Petro Canada.

the_big_h · December 2001

check out www.tapclub.com, I think you should find it very interesting.

dinu01 · December 2001

Isn't Brad the svc mgr? That wouldn't make him a lady, rite? But we don't know that for sure yet... Maybe I'm wrong:)

I agree with you that as far as the time frame it takes them to fix something on a car, it's long. Here are my 2 experiences with 2 different dealer for 2 minor issues:

1. One week after I got the PRO, the CD Player "ate" my CD (didn't want to eject it). Took it to Scarboro Mazda. They changed it, but my CD is still "in Japan" after 5 mths! Let's just say that I'm getting upset by now.

2. Three lights from the spoiler burned out in late August. I advised N.T.O. Mazda of the problem during the 1st week of Sept. They finally got a replacement for me the last week of Nov.

I just wish they would have some parts (or CD's) as a backup. Keeping this s - l - o - w parts ordering process in mind, I sure hope the PRO won't have any issues that require parts from Japan now while in warranty and definitely later after the warranty expires.

mazdafun · December 2001

More like "pay us for glancing at your car while we change your oil and filter".

There shouldn't be anything gone wrong with any new car after only 6 months.

Oh well, depends on how thoroughly they actually look at your car. After all, some of us do live in places where things get rattled off due to rotten roads, impacts with deer etc.

the_big_h · December 2001

larry and i are pretty touchy about 'impacts with deer' here.... oh boy, here comes the flashbacks of deer smack into my windshield and fly over my car... {shivers}...

dinu01 · December 2001

Took a look at your site and the "J-Spec clear corners" are standard across the 323/Protege line in Europe.

See:
Austria www.mazda.at

Click on:

Fahren (At top, in drop-down menu)
Mazda 323
Varianten (on the left side of your screen)
Choose either the 5 door or the 4 door aznd see....

No need for aftermarket clear lights there

the_big_h · December 2001

only in the Americas (N & S) and I think Australia (correct me if I'm wrong) market are the corners amber, rest of the world gets clear corners on their 323/Familia/Protege as standard equipment.

I bought mine from Corksport a while back, they are the factory clear corners that they install on Familias in Japan.

I got the clear corners so my Pro can return to its 'original' look envisioned by the designers in Japan. I think it looks much better with clear corners than amber ones.

boomer22 · December 2001

Brad's manager is Roxane who was able to rent me a car during the repairing.

As per the parts, I heard that Mazda was going to setup a protege factory in North America, is it just a rumor? I am expecting that it can solve the parts issue.

the_big_h · December 2001

Figure should remind folks before everyone leave work.

it's been a slow day....

maltb · December 2001

for now it's rumor...who knows what the new platform will bring though.

newcar31 · December 2001

I go to whatever gas station is closest at the time that I need to fill up. Usually, it's Super America because I live near one. Honestly, there really is no difference in gas between different brands. It all goes through the same pipeline to your specific area and it is refined at the same regional refinery(s). Additive packages are similiar between brands. Any gas mileage difference that you may experience between tanks of different gas is attributed to something else, not different brands. The only real differences between gasolines would be winter/summer gas, non-oxygenated gas, and different octanes. By the way, I just filled up with 99 cent 87 octane. That's the lowest price I've ever seen.

carlrjr · December 2001

Amoco/BP has their own pipeline network. Most if not all other company's gas does come out of the same pipes. Many think this is why Amoco/BP gas is better.
Different companies add different additive packages before they put it in the transport trucks, however. I don't know if this is true, but I heard that Costal has the best additive package in the midwest.

newcar31 · December 2001

Gasoline is Gasoline. Like I already said, the additive packages are very similiar, and only differ significantly from region to region. Things like "I heard" so and so has the best additive, and *insert brand name gasoline here* has the super duper extra double additive are precisely what I am talking about. It's all a crock of marketing crap.

By the way, are you a real Carl Jr., or are you just a fan of the burger chain "Carl's Jr."?

fowler3 · December 2001

because the service station is less than a quarter mile from my house and I like to hear the people who work there talk. They are all from the Caribbean and sound like they are singing, Jamaica I think. Really nice people.

protege8, when you get at least 5000 miles on your Pro5 then you will see an improvement in your fuel economy.

And by the way, how about joining us on Thursday nights in the Protegé Owners' Club chat room at 6:00PM PT, 7:00PM MT, 8:00PM CT or 9:00PM ET, we'ed love to chat live with you. Bring Boomer with you!

fowler3

twistinmelon · December 2001

adventure.honda.com

you can choose an S2000, a CRV, or a civic.

I've been "driving" the Civic and the back end breaks out at 60 mph. Must be the cheap Firestones on the Civic.

Anyway, it's off topic, but it's fun nonetheless.

Back to Pro's...for the folks w/ 5-speeds, especially those of you 6 ft tall or more, can you rest your elbow on the armrest/console, or is it worthless even if you have the seat most of the way back? I'm spoiled by Honda armrests at this point....

twist

dinu01 · December 2001

big h: Not sure about Ausieland, but I agree it does look better with clear lights. You were "lucky" that onm the one you have the headlights and corner lights are 2 separate peices, unlike the 2001 ES's like I have.

boomer: Thanx for the info. Didn't know who was the boss at NTO, but now I'll know. Yeah, I wish they would do something about the lack of parts, even though the PROs are great cars and we won't need parts to replace, rite?

fowler: Completely forgot about the chat tonite. I'm sure my presence was missed, even though no one mentionned it YET (j/k).

Really off topic: I'm installing laminated flooring in my room tomorow. Any tips. I have the materials and a fairly good sense of what it's about and some experience installing parquet floors. Is there anything specific I should really be careful about? The floor is concrete and IT IS flat. Any tips would be appreciated.

Dinu

protege8 · December 2001

Thanks for your info. I hope my protege (2001 LX)will get a better fuel economy after 5000 mile mark. Our 2000 MPV LX (17 month trouble free with 15000 miles)is also in the low MPG range (15-19 at 20% freeway/80% city, ~22 with 80%/20%) but acceptable. I wonder whether this is a Mazda's thing. Otherwise, both cars are really joyful to drive. Thanks for inviting me to chat. You quys are lucky,and I am still at work at 6 pm. Because the boss is out of town, I can spend more time to post and read posts in the forum.

chicagopro · December 2001

Where were you last night?????

protegenic · December 2001

If you think Honda spoils you, try a Volkswagon or Audi armrest! No only is it long enough to be of benefit for shorter drivers, it's height can also be adjusted. It also can be moved completely out of the way if you are doing a lot of shifting. Love my Protege, but the armrest is an area that could have been improved. I think it is actually lower and further back in the 01 model year than the previous two!

vocus · December 2001

I know what you mean by the VW armrest. One thing I didn't like about the Protege's armest is that it was too low for me to rest my arm on, and too far back (and I am 6'3). The VW's is alot better in that it's alot larger and height adjustable.

protegextwo · December 2001

It has rained for four days straight. It has rained on all my days off, going back two weeks! Prolly rain this Sunday, my next day off? RAIN!!! UGHHH! I'm even willing to trade the rain for snow. I think, I need to move down to Key West, with my dad. Yea, Florida! The SUNSHINE state. BTW, I hate to complain, BUT... what ya gotta do to get some sunshine in Lancaster PA.?

Well, the first of my beloved Protege's are in for their 30,000 mile check-up. My wife's at work and I got no car to drive until this afternoon. I guess, I got to do some laundry or something. Any suggestions? If I start to watch TV, my day is shot. Day Time TV is addictive AND stupid. First Regis & Kelly, than Talk Soup, perhaps some Cat Dog or Sponge Bob? Later, Maury or Jerry and the lowest of low, some stupid Rockumentry on VH1.

-Larry

protegenic · December 2001

How did I know you would chime in on my previous post! Glad you're still enjoying your car.

mdaffron · December 2001

And I talked to my salesman yesterday afternoon -- we'll be purchasing a blue (whatever Mazda calls the color, that is) 2002 Protege5 when the particular car we want comes in in about three weeks.

By the way, my wife wanted the bare-bones P5 -- which still is loaded with the ES trim, by the way; she just doesn't want a sunroof or cassette player, but wants an automatic transmission. So for a 2002 Protege5 with automatic transmission and floor mats, we'll be paying $300 over invoice or $16,859.

Nice to be friends with the salesman, huh? (This REALLY pisses me off. I WANT ONE TOO, DAMMIT!!! But I'm not going to take part in the VUDPP -- er, the "Vocus Upside-Down Payment Plan" -- hee hee)

Meade

maltb · December 2001

Make sure you have a vapor barrier and padding. Also, most companies say you don't need the strap clamps, but on my next installation, I'll be using them (I'm a perfectionist and even the tiny gaps bug me). Also, I ran out of the spacers that go around the edges. They are cheap so buy a bunch.

Also, keep a sponge(like a kitchen sponge with the abrasive on one side) handy to clean up the glue.

Let us know how it goes.

vocus · December 2001

You have had the car almost 2 years. You can't trade evenly now? Welcome to poor resale value.

Mazda Protegé

Comments

Helpful Tools

Most popular vehicles