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Mazda Protege5 Maintenance and Repair

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Comments

  • ripcordripcord Member Posts: 23
    No need to remove the bumper. Underneath each fog light is a panel that is secured with 3 screws/bolts which allow access to the wiring harness (if you have small enough hands) and the 9/16" nut that secures the fog light in place. I left the wiring harness plugged in and twisted the fog light to allow access to the two screws at the back of fog light to remove the lens. It takes about 10 minutes if all goes well. Not sure on the cost.
  • ripcordripcord Member Posts: 23
    I received this message from Sylvania regarding the Silver Star headlights. I think I will try the NightHawks from GE after the warranty expires on the Silver Stars.

    Good Afternoon,
    Thank you for taking the time to contact us with regards to your recent
    SilverStar failure. Unfortunately, as with most high performance
    products, there is a trade-off between the higher performance of the
    SilverStar and its life hours. The shorter life span is directly related
    to the high performance nature of the lamps. The blue absorption coating
    on the glass contributes to the crisp, white light emitted but also
    contributes to its decreased life. The SilverStar product works harder
    (not burns hotter, however) to give the whiter, brighter light and this
    impacts its life hours. The life expectancy of a SilverStar halogen
    light source is largely dependent on the driver's use of the lights,
    which will vary by season, time of day and number of miles driven. We
    estimate the SilverStar halogen lights to have a life span of up to one
    year under average driving conditions. The life of the SilverStar is
    further decreased if being used in a day-time running light application.
    Unfortunately with the current technology, the tradeoff for increased
    performance is a shorter life span.

    With that said, it does sound like your SilverStars may have failed a
    bit prematurely. Please feel free to return the product with a copy of
    this e-mail to the address below. Please indicate with your return
    whether or not the part was being used in a daytime running light
    application. Upon receiving your return, replacement product will be
    sent.

    OSRAM SYLVANIA
    ATTN: Customer Service
    275 West Main Street
    Hillsboro, NH 03244

    If you would prefer to receive a refund rather than product replacement,
    please complete the form that is attached to this email and send it with
    the requested materials to the address given on the form. Please be
    advised that refunds can take up to 8 weeks to process. Please do not
    hesitate to contact me if you require further assistance.

    Thank you,
    Tracey
    Customer Service
  • poggenseepoggensee Member Posts: 4
    Thanks ripcord, your info is much appreciated.
  • erics6erics6 Member Posts: 684
    One of mine shattered after getting bumped. Part was $150. Body shop installed it, along with a new bumper cover, so I don't know how difficult it is to replace. Here's a link to the manual on it.

    http://protege5.ugly.net/09-18.PDF
  • ripcordripcord Member Posts: 23
    Hi folks. In case anyone is following this, I thought I would post the latest reply from Sylvania regarding the Silver Star headlights. I am going to check my voltage this weekend to see what it is running at.

    Good Morning,

    That's great to hear that the store is replacing for you although it can
    be quite an inconvenience. You could be right about the compatibility
    with some vehicles being a possibility. Some vehicles may run at 14
    volts or slightly higher which could be a potential reason they may be
    burning out prematurely on your vehicle. This is something that you
    could test to see what your vehicle is operating at. These bulbs
    unfortunately can't run at 14 volts or higher for a long period of time.

    Thank you,
    Tracey L. Guild
    Osram Sylvania
    Customer Service Representative
    Automotive Lighting Division
  • ripcordripcord Member Posts: 23
    My P5 pulls to the right so I took it to the garage, and they found out through Mazda dealers that this is inherit in these vehicles (torque steer) right from the factory, so really there is nothing more they could do. The wheel alignment was bang on. So, has anyone else experienced the same problem? If so, is there any aftermarket fix for it? Would a steering damper work? If so, where can one be bought? Thanks,
  • erics6erics6 Member Posts: 684
    Torque steer can be a problem on front wheel drive cars with higher torque motors (the tendency for some front wheel drive cars to pull to the left or right under hard acceleration). The P5 has some torque steer, but nothing like higher torque front-drive vehicles. Trust me if you've ever driven a turbo Saab or a Northstar engine front-drive Cadillac, you'll know what REAL torque steer is.

    If the vehicle pulls to the right while driving (but not accelerating), that is not torque steer.

    Your best option is different tires. Talk to a reputable tire shop about your options.
  • dwryterdwryter Member Posts: 87
    My first set of tires wore fairly evenly until around 25K when what seemed like overnight the right side tread on the right front tire was scraped away. I don't know what could have knocked the alignment off so severely without my noticing -- I'm the car's only driver -- but the result was the opportunity to replace all four tires. I had the alignment fixed at the tire place, Evan's Tires in San Diego. The technician confirmed it was pretty far off and said he was setting it to factory spec.

    But not entirely trusting tire places' ability to aliagn all that well, I then brought it to what once was a great alignment place in San Diego. Though the place carries the name of the former owner, the new owners (they've had it now for several years) are not as honorable. They tried to charge me lots of money to ruin my P5.

    As I waited for them to finish the test drive of my P5, a mechanic came in to talk with the driver of another P5 that happened to be there. He told her that her toe-in was so far off he could not properly align the car, and had to fashion a steel plate to make the front tires perfectly straight. He estimated the charge at $150. She said 'OK'. Not long after, my assigned mechanic returned -- and told me the same story. Knowing better, I asked if that wouldn't ruin the way the car handles. He said it might have some minor effect, but was necessary. I thanked him and fled.

    Later, I confirmed with the dealer that P5 front alignments are designed for a balance of performance and tire-preservation and, sure enough, letting the alignment place do that fix would have ruined the way the car drove.

    So, remember this story if anyone ever tells you your alignment needs to be adjusted outside factory specs, especially by altering components. (And no, my car has never been in an accident, let alone one that might affect the alignment.)
  • erics6erics6 Member Posts: 684
    It's those California roads. :-)

    Different tires really do make a car handle differently. My Kumho's feel a lot different than the stock Dunlop's did. Alignment should be set to factory specs at a reputable tire shop.
  • ripcordripcord Member Posts: 23
    Thanks, yes I know what torque steer on a motorcycle is, so I wasn't sold on the torque steer solution to my problem. I have had two different sets of tires on the car with the same results. Tomorrow I am taking the garage owner out for a rip to see if I am imagining it or if he experiences the same thing as I am. I would think that the CV joint is in need of repair, but how do you tell? I slid open the boot for the CV and the grease is in good shape which gives me an indication that it is fine. I did notice however that the wheel is not the easiest to turn, it seems tighter than it should be. The brakes are good and do not appear to be binding. Anyway, thank you for the reply, I will see how I make out tomorrow.
  • thefingerthefinger Member Posts: 1
    I have 2002 PR5 with 81500 mi on it. no problems at all until now. Driving along and the on highway 65 mph and the car starts to shake and then the tranny slips if you stay in the pedal it will just slip but if you lift and then step into it again it is fine. just paid $1800 for a total rebuild on tranny and guess what... after 200 miles it is doing the same thing. Has anyone had this problem and if so what should I do. Car is paid for and would like to keep it but myself and the tranny shop owner con not figure out this problem ...HELP
  • autonomousautonomous Member Posts: 1,769
    Ouch! You might want to go to another tranny shop for a second opinion.

    80K for a new tranny seems premature to me. Are you the original owner?
  • wa98stratwa98strat Member Posts: 66
    Actually the correct tire pressure (see page 10-6 ofthe owners manual) is 34psi!!!
  • boabababoababa Member Posts: 2
    Hey,
    Proteges seem to be known for having tranny problems. I had an older protege before this one, and the tranny went at 65k. When I got the P5, a friend of a friend at an extended warranty place said that proteges have a history of tranny problems. He might have been trying to sell me on the extended warranty (it worked), but still, he mentioned the tranny without any prompting on my part. I know this doesn't help you solve your problem, but you're not alone in this: http://www.consumeraffairs.com/automotive/mazda_trans.html
    -b
  • boabababoababa Member Posts: 2
    I had a minor leak around the back hatch when I got the car. My cheap fix - sticky weather stripping from home depot, cut into a thin strip and stuck to the upper side of the seal, so that when the seal is squeezed by the hatch it also sqeezes the strip. Some parts of the stripping have smooshed up, but it has survived new england weather so far...(knocking on wood)....
  • erics6erics6 Member Posts: 684
    Huh? Tranny problems with P5's? I've never heard of that. There were auto tranny problems on the Mazda/Ford 626/mx6/probe. Here's a link to the TSB's. Don't see anything on the auto. I've heard and experienced more issues with the manual tranny clutch chatter.

    http://web2.airmail.net/theman/protegefaq/tsb/
  • slick13slick13 Member Posts: 2
    I've experienced some weird electrical issues recently with my 2002 protege 5. The left turn signal stays on and won't blink only when the parking lights or headlights are on. It works fine when the lights are off. I also had the dash lights come on when I stepped on the brake pedal, even before placing the key in the ignition, or after I turned the car off and still had my foot on the brake. I'm here to find out where to start troubleshooting the problem.
  • slick13slick13 Member Posts: 2
    I've had the rear pads replaced twice and the rear rotors as well (warped and scored). Approx. 70,000 miles. Looks like I may have to have new pads again.
  • pro5mohpro5moh Member Posts: 29
    I have a 2003 Mazda Pro 5 2 44OOO Miles. Got the alignment done @ 25000 Miles.

    Recently i noticed that my Front Tires(Inner Side) along the wall are completely worn out..

    What could be the reason apart from blaming on the Wheel Alignment that i should have for it doen 7/8K Miles Before?

    Or it is just becasue of the Alignment??
  • autonomousautonomous Member Posts: 1,769
    Do you rotate your tires?
  • pro5mohpro5moh Member Posts: 29
    Yes, Rotation is done religiously @ every 5000 Miles
    Alignment was delayed by 7/8K Miles (Considering we should get the Alignment done every 12k Miles).
  • autonomousautonomous Member Posts: 1,769
    Rotation is done religiously every 5000 Miles

    Interesting. I would get it checked into in case it starts affecting the other tires as you do your rotation. Underinflation can cause premature wear on the outer edges of a tire.
  • pro5mohpro5moh Member Posts: 29
    I have decided to go with all new 4 Tires..(This is one area i hate my protege, tires are expensive and donot come very long).

    Anyways, Last time i changed from 195/50R16 to 205/50R16(BF Goodrich AT) thinking that i would get these for a longer time.

    However, wanted to know if you guys have a good feedback on ur experiences with tires..

    Do u recommend a particular tire / to stick with the original size??

    My Prorities are --
    (1)Safety
    (2)Mileage
    (3)Tread Life.

    Thanks!
  • autonomousautonomous Member Posts: 1,769
    205/50R16 BF Goodrich Traction TA are my current tires; so far very stable in both wet and dry. Also, far less expensive than the Dunlop 5000M 195/50/16 originals.
  • pro5mohpro5moh Member Posts: 29
    Couple of Questions..

    (1). How many miles do u have on these tires and how long do u anticipate these come??
    (2). How many miles do u get per gallon? -- Trying to see if mileage is affected by upsizing the tires..

    Thanks!
    Mohan
  • autonomousautonomous Member Posts: 1,769
    a) Brand new tires which I hope will last for about 80K km (50K miles)
    b) 25 mpg in mixed driving (this is an average over 4 years); this is also what Consumer Reports predicted this model would get; I don't believe 205/50 qualifies as an upsize of 195/50 because the rims are the same 16 inchers; there is no significant effect on the speedometer either
  • jabba1900jabba1900 Member Posts: 20
    Alignment should be done every 12k Miles??? :confuse: I have a 2002 with almost 100,000 kilometers on it, and I haven't had a single alignment done yet. Car handles perfectly, tire wear is even, and my mechanic tells me an alignments isn't necessary. Gawd, I love my P5! :D
  • jabba1900jabba1900 Member Posts: 20
    First off, as far as I know, if you want wider tires on the P5 you need to go with 205/45R16 in order to maintain approximately the same tire diameter. The 205/50R16 would be slightly too tall (50% of 205 rather than 45% of 205 sidewall height).

    About 8000 km ago I switched from my original Dunlops to Kumho ECSTA ASX (195/50-16). The tires have been great. They are quieter than the Dunlops and they siphon away water as if their lives depended on it (which it kind of does!) - I feel much safer on wet roads than with the Dunlops. Overall I'm very satisfied.
  • autonomousautonomous Member Posts: 1,769
    if you want wider tires on the P5 you need to go with 205/45R16 in order to maintain approximately the same tire diameter. The 205/50R16 would be slightly too tall (50% of 205 rather than 45% of 205 sidewall height).

    Actually, 205/50/16 work fine for a number of us out there. The difference between them and the standard 195/50/16 is infinitesimal (approximately 2/10ths of an inch in sidewall height).
  • bruisedbananabruisedbanana Member Posts: 2
    I normally wouldn't reply to this, but I do want to let you know that we have had MANY problems with our 2002 P5 and are considering selling it, but also feel bad about letting some innocent person get our lemon. We've had the ABS system break once for sure and the lights are on now indicating there is a problem with them again. Let me say as well that the ABS system failed within kms of the original warranty expiring. Fortunately something inside me convinced us to get the extended warranty right at the expiry. I am so glad we did. Like I said, the ABS was completely shot once ($2200), a bunch of the electrical system failed and has been replaced twice. I think this is where the indicators were failing. It took 3 attempts to get them fixed. Something with the steering column has been replaced twice. The dealer did a poor job installing the trailer hitch electrical, which caused some of the electrical problems. (The indicators would turn off when you brake, which is when you usually are using them!) Like has been said on other postings, the original tires don't last long. The headlights never seem to both work at the same time for long. There is some sort of loose connection that the dealer service has not been able to fix.) Overall, I am so glad that I drive a Toyota Sienna and not the P5 anymore. We are seriously considering buying a used Toyota Echo Hatch to replace the P5. My impression of Mazda is pretty poor at this point. I wouldn't recommend them to others, but I also realize that we likely got a lemon-but it still doesn't help. We have been spared around $6000 of repairs since the original warranty expired because we bought the extended warranty. The dealers around here have also been only so-so on their service.
  • autonomousautonomous Member Posts: 1,769
    We have been spared around $6000 of repairs since the original warranty expired because we bought the extended warranty...
    - the ABS was completely shot once ($2200),
    - a bunch of the electrical system failed and has been replaced twice. I think this is where the indicators were failing. It took 3 attempts to get them fixed.
    - Something with the steering column has been replaced twice.
    - The dealer did a poor job installing the trailer hitch electrical, which caused some of the electrical problems.


    Wow, that is quite a sum of dollars!
    What were you towing?
  • erics6erics6 Member Posts: 684
    Weird stuff. Never heard of any of those issues. My P5 is the most reliable car I have ever owned.
  • bruisedbananabruisedbanana Member Posts: 2
    Towing?!? Never used the trailer hitch in the end! It was not the best use of money for us. It's really just been a leisure car for either me to get around or my husband to get to work. We just got word today (it went to the shop this morning) that the ABS sensor in the bearings is broken, so it's replaced, with bearings. A/C had a bunch of problems that were also fixed under warranty. Headlight is burnt our AGAIN (replaced Jan 06) by the repair shop! Now they are going to keep an eye on it as we've been complaining that they burn out really frequently. I don't think we're driving it any differently than anyone else. I think we just got a lemon.
  • shriqueshrique Member Posts: 338
    That is a ton of repairs that I've never done to mine. I've only got 36k on mine so I can't say that much. My clutch is a little wonky but it was one of those things that they couldn't reproduce and it doesn't seem to affect the car so (shrug).

    Mines paid off so.....
  • imcndnimcndn Member Posts: 3
    I have a '02 Protege5. It has been acting quite strange lately. At a stop it will idle very rough and almost stall (it hasn't actually stalled yet). If I drive while the car is doing this it feels like I am driving with only three cylinders (very low power). This lasts for a few minutes and then the car rights itself. This also happens when driving at any speed. The same rough idle if I depress the clutch and noticeable loss of power. Again it lasts a few minutes.

    This happens at least daily, often multiple times a day, each time the check engine light flashes and then remains constant.

    I took it to the dealership to have it tested and was told that code P0421 was returned (catalyst bank 1 bellow efficiency).

    Two days ago I replaced the manifold catalytic converter at the dealerships recommendation. All was fine for one day and then today the check engine light flashed back on and the same rough idle near stall was encountered.

    I have read about the O2 sensors, but would they cause the idle and power loss problems I have experienced?

    Does anyone have any insight they can shed on this for me? I don't want to throw more money at the problem not knowing if it will fix the cause.

    Any help is appreciated.

    imcndn
  • autonomousautonomous Member Posts: 1,769
    I recently had my 02 P5 in the shop for similar symptoms.
    When I described the situation to the service rep (check engine light appears; rough while idling at a stop) he said: "It's probably your EGR valve, we replace lots of them as they get fouled my dirty gasoline." The technician ran a diagnostic and reported a P300 code (random cylinder misfire detected); a new EGR was installed (curiously the EGR malfunction codes are in the P400 range). Since then the P5 has been working properly. I have also heard that it is wise to get a throttle body cleaning every couple of years to clean out the gunk.

    I would report back to the dealer that the problem persists and you're not a happy camper. I'd try to get the dealer to do another diagnostic without charge and get an estimate of what is required to fix the problem. If you're not convinced that they know how to solve the problem, you may want to call another dealership and ask them what they recommend. Or, seek out the expertise of an independent shop that is recommended by friends/colleagues.

    Best of luck and keep us updated.
  • laverne5laverne5 Member Posts: 3
    Finally, I've found someone with the same symptoms I'm having with my '02 P5! About 4 weeks ago, started having problem starting (starts but takes a bit to turn over). Same time, a rough idle started - you can watch the tach jump up and down and hear it rev at idle, feels like it's going to stall at stop lights, etc. Replaced air filter, changed oil and oil filter, tried fuel injector cleaner, checked pcv valve - no difference. 1 week later, check engine came on. Took it to dealer, they said "cylinder 1 misfire, needs engine coil and wire". $400 later I picked it up and same problems. Back at dealer they suggest new EGR and Intake Manifold Gasket totalling $700 which "might solve the problem". Next day, check engine light back on "multiple cylinder misfire". Took it to a local garage, they believe it's a vacuum leak or Intake Manifold Gasket but don't know for sure - said drive it & if it gets worse, bring it back. Went to PartSource to pick up brake pads today, and the manifold gasket... they said "no way - that gasket shouldn't be leaking". They listened and heard "hissing" under the hood - believe it's a vacuum leak. I don't really know where to start to try to find the leak and everything I've read on various forums suggests clogged ports on the EGR valve and that it can be cleaned - doesn't need to be replaced for $500. Tried everyone and everywhere... not willing to spend over $1000 for something that "might" fix the problem so if you've been through the same... please let me know what is most likely to fix it.
    Thank you!
  • autonomousautonomous Member Posts: 1,769
    Since you're in Toronto, I would strongly recommend visiting Kirk Robinson of Robinson Automotive. He is the most reliable source of automotive information. His TV programme offers a wealth of information.

    Best of luck.

    p.s. since the new EGR valve got replaced nearly three weeks ago, it's been smooth sailing.
  • dwryterdwryter Member Posts: 87
    When I had these problems on my '87 Civic Si, the problem was a bad idle control valve. Dunno if it's the same problem on your P5, but the symptoms sure sound the same. Might want to call the dealer and ask if a mechanic might weigh in on this as a possible cause, along with an estimate. I had to replace it on the Honda twice over the 16 years I owned it. Cost, I believe, was $140 at the dealer the first time, $80 at an independant the second.

    Best of luck and please report back.
  • imcndnimcndn Member Posts: 3
    I am still fighting with this issue. The P5 is going into the dealership tomrrow.

    I will post what happens.

    imcndn
  • seacollseacoll Member Posts: 1
    Hey I had the same problem with my 02 P5. I&#146;m not registered with the Edmonds.com web site but I hope this helps. When this first started happening, my check engine light came on first. I took it to one local shop and they read the code as an &#147;evap&#148;, you know the old gas cap crap. The car was due for a tune up so I replace plugs and many wires anyway :-<. They reset computer and said to come back if the light comes on. Well the light cam on, and about a week later the hitch/buck thing. On mine it didn&#146;t matter if I was idling, or at highway speed. The car would just start acting up. After 2-3 weeks driving like this I took it to Diesel Auto & Electric (Dart., NS). After several mornings waiting for a problem (you know the damn problem doesn&#146;t happen when your taking it in!), I dropped it off. When the mechanic drove me to work I discussed the problem, and he thought it might be the --- (I'll tell you in a minute), but we&#146;ll read the codes first. Well the codes were for cylinder misfire and the EGR valve. The mechanic also said the the bad EGR valve caused the misfire They said they would clean up the valve and re-install it. I just went for the new valve (I had an AUDI that needed this cleanup every 6 months, a real pain). I&#146;ve been driving for over 6 weeks now and no problems. Hope this helps!! Oh yeah, total cost was around $600 including labour @$65/hr.

    seacoll
    :D
  • imcndnimcndn Member Posts: 3
    I picked the car up from the mechanic last night. After a couple of days of driving the codes had changed to random misfire. The recommended service was to replace the coil packs and plugs.

    So now that coil packs and plugs have been replaced. So far so good. I drove the car home last night and to work this morning and didn't experience the problem.

    I will keep posting any new developments.

    imcndn
  • iamziamz Member Posts: 542
    Just here to give a long term update. I've owned my 02 P5 since July of 01 and have 97,000 miles on it now. Problems so far have been;

    Rear brake slides gumming up leading to rapid brake wear. I now check them twice a year, cleaning and re-lubricating the slides.

    ABS started failing early last winter and sometime this spring failed completely. I have heard that low battery voltage can sometimes cause the sensors to not signal properly and since I still have the original battery in the car,...well, that might have something to do with it. I'll replace the battery this fall and see.

    Rust is showing up along the rear wheel wells and bottom lip of tailgate. Also paint is bubbling up around "Protege5" logo on gate.
  • autonomousautonomous Member Posts: 1,769
    Thanks for your update, Terry; hopefully, others will do likewise.

    My 2002 P5 (purchased June 2002) is only a babe at 72K km (roughly 43K miles) and has had a few issues.
    - Brakes have experienced normal wear and tear; they will likely need to be replaced next year; lubricated brakes twice (once every 18 months) to avoid premature wear
    - Original Dunlop tires replaced with BF Goodrich Traction T/A 205/50/16 V-rated last fall; the Dunlops were great handling but wore quickly
    - only one bulb (headlight) had to be replaced
    - EGR valve was replaced this month
    - Rust developed this spring along passenger rear wheel well and is likely to happen in the other wheel well; this is disappointing considering that the car has been rustproofed annually and is immaculate otherwise; dealing with the dealership and Krown rustproofing to see what remedies are available; a tip to prevent further rusting is to coat the area with vaseline to inhibit moisture
    - interior and exterior in great shape; AC, battery and all other components functioning well

    Summary: Continue to love driving the P5! :)
  • laverne5laverne5 Member Posts: 3
    After a total of 6 frustrating weeks, I'm very happy to report that my rough idle problem (which became a rough running problem) seems to be fixed - it was a problem with the EGR valve! The EGR isn't an easy part to reach (below the throttle body), but once it was removed, it was easy to figure out that it was stuck open from the carbon build-up inside. A soak in some carb cleaner and a bit of lubrication freed the valve so that it moved freely open and closed and when it was reinstalled it worked just like new... all for a total of $15 for Carb Cleaner and WD-40! If the problem reoccurs, I'll have it replaced - there was lots of rust and corrosion built up on the outside - but for now it's working just fine. Apparently, if the EGR was seized closed, it would have caused rough running at higher speeds and less obvious difficulty at low speeds, but my problem was always at idle or lower speeds, with the very occasional surge/sputter at higher speeds. Now, why couldn't the Dealer find the problem - unless they were just too lazy!
  • bluepro5bluepro5 Member Posts: 5
    My Pro5 got the same problem. It started choking about a month ago, and one day it choked really badly while stopping at a red light. I was telling my friend on the phone about it and from that point, the car miraculously ran smooth again (I didn't do anything!). I thought it was low grade gasoline causing knocking. About 3 weeks later, the same phenomenon started showing up. It's hard to start the engine (like the scenario with a dead battery), rough idle or at low speed (you can feel the brake bouncing back and the cylinders are not firing smoothly), and at worst, the car, as well as me, are literally jerking back and forth at red light, or at parking. It finally choke to a point that the engine light came on (yeah, it's almost completely stalled at that point).

    I took it to a shop to check the codes while doing 60K mi maintenance at the same time. The codes were P0300 and P0421 for multiple misfire. I searched for info on the web and came across this forum. The shop also searched on their database of recent fixes of Pro5 around the country and everything points to the EGR valve. They recommended testing it with plugs (since they're now replaced with 60K service) first, then wires, then coils and last EGR valve because of the cost involved.

    First start with the new plugs was really choking. I left it alone for a couple of days and restart the car again. It had a hard start but was only slightly rough at low speed and idle. I took it back to the shop and have them reset the engine light. It didn't came back on when we restart the car. We turned the engine on and off 3 times and the light didn't came back on. I decided to test drive the car some more and see. I restarted the car again after about 15 minutes, and the start was rough again. I went across the street to a mall. The check engine light didn't come on. When I left the mall again and started the engine, this time, the light came on, so I took it back to the shop.

    I called the dealership to checked on the price of replacing the EGR valve as the shop suggested, and the service manager immediately jumped to tell me it's "PROBABLY" not an EGR valve problem but the "vacuum going into the intake passage is blocked by carbon buildup and is leaking". I was surprised and asked him howcome he knows what problems I had when I only ask for quote of replacing EGR valve. He said I told the service dept I need a check for engine light on last week and asked about scheduling a repair, and that a blocked passage will result in the engine light on situation reporting a failing EGR valve. Although he will not guarantee it to be the cause of the problem, I think this guy must have seen a lot of these with Pro5 that he can link everything together so quickly. I also checked with my friend about the functioning of the EGR valve, which is a part that should open when the car is warm to recycle exhaust gas back to the fuel+air intake for further combustion and close when the car just starts and the engine is cold. The vacuum passage is something that controls the opening and closing of the valve, so if it's blocked, then the valve probably would not perform correctly. And there are different types of valves, some remains open and the vacuum closes it, others remains close and the vacuum opens it. Since the car runs fine on highways and at normal speed (so it's unlikely problems with the wires and coils cos they're firing normal at higher speeds), if the EGR valve in Pro5 are normally open, and the vacuum is used to close it at start (cold temperature), then the vacuum passage blocked and leaking will cause it to not close correctly, and making it hard to start (recycling normal air instead of exhaust gas which has unburned fuel in it?) and cause choking because of lack of power. If someone has taken an EGR valve out and clean it, is it possible to tell whether the valve is normally "open" or "close"? I'd like to check and see whether the phenomenon about the vacuum passage leaking is logical based on the above info.

    I haven't repaired the car yet, but if I got a definite known fix to my problem, will post to update.
  • rpcvmattrpcvmatt Member Posts: 4
    Just wondering if you have had this fixed-I have a protege doing excately the same thing right now. thanks Matt
  • laverne5laverne5 Member Posts: 3
    If you want my 2 cents - just having been through this... never mind the vacuum leak suggestion. Been there, done that, didn't help. If you want to try it, spray some WD-40 into the area of the intake manifold and if it runs completely smooth for a bit as it's burning off the WD-40, the leak could be the problem... but not likely. I think that the EGR valves should have been recalled in these cars - constant problems. Search the web for the cleaning instructions (there's a girl who has given details with photos), remove the EGR valve - it's a matter of removing 2 12mm bolts that are located below the throttle body, clean it, grease it a bit and reinstall it - don't lose the gasket. If it acts up again in a few months, you'll know that's the problem and can replace it then! Don't pay a crooked dealer $500+ for replacing it until you know that's the problem. bluepro5... once the valve is removed, it'll likely be seized open so you'll have to clean it until it moves freely again.
  • bluepro5bluepro5 Member Posts: 5
    I'm now getting confused and think I should take all suggestions and at least look at the car myself first. Worst case just break the EGR valve and replace it as the shop suggested. But I can't find the message with EGR valve removal instructions (I'm new to the forum) with a search on EGR valve. Can someone kindly point me to where that message might be? Thanks!
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