Mazda Protege5 Maintenance and Repair

wonderwall · November 2003

just bought a Protege 5 and got through the break in period. I got up on the interstate saturday and when i hit about 75 or 80 mph the car started making a sound like a drill at the dentist. i'm tkaing it in to see what the deal is. any ideas? i thought at first it was tire noise, but i'm concerned. If it is the tires then i'll have to buy another set because it's awful. otherwise, i REALLY love the car.

jmcknight2 · November 2003

- I've found that the tires on the P5 do "sing" a bit on certain roads, but I've never had it up past 70 mph.

pciskowski · November 2003

Mine made a low pitch whistling noise that started at 75 and got unbearable at 80. There is a TSB out about it. My dealer resealed the windshield, and it is quieter than ever.

mazdafun · November 2003

Especially in freezing weather. Water can get into the cables that go to the parking brake lever and freeze, binding them.

Preventive maintenance: spray silicone lubricant into the cable housings and don't pull harder on the parking brake lever than you have to.

boggse · November 2003

At high speeds, a crosswind will catch the wipers and make them vibrate against the window in the Protege. It doesn't happen often, but when it does it tends to startle me.

Ted

wonderwall · November 2003

called one dealer and they said "it's the low profile tires, no need to bring it in" in other words, "live with it..." called another they told me to bring it in. the service manager told me he thought he knew what it was and took it for a test drive. it was the windshield. They added the foam per the TSB and all is fine. Now when i get the survey from JD Power i will skew the results and the Cavalier will rate higher than the PR5 because mine had a goofy wind noise problem that took all of 10 minutes to fix.

ibook · November 2003

I just got a 2003 MP5 (220 miles so far) and it has unstable engine speed. And it's not just at idle, but if I carefully hold the accelerator at, say 2000 RPM, it goes up and down around 2000 RPM and I can feel it stuttering right before it drops a little. It cycles at about 2 seconds. Basically, it happens regardless of engine speed.

Is it just me? Can other people try this, please? Should I take it to the dealer? This is my first new car, so I was hoping it to be perfect. I had (and still have) 1990 Civic Si. Even after 13.5 years, it doesn't do anything strange like my new MP5.

By the way, does it use distributor or is it all solid-state control?

Thanks.

ginto · November 2003

I had a similar problem with my brakes. The squealing at 32K kms was so bad that I paid for them to be replaced about 2 months ago.

After noting that some others here had this work done under warranty, I asked my dealer if this would be covered. They said only if it was under 1 year or 12K kms, i.e. NO. I checked with Mazda Canada, and it appears that they weren't willing to go to bat for me. So it looks like this is a dealer-dependent call; good ones will, my dealer won't (Morningside Mazda in Toronto).

protojason · November 2003

I do not have that problem with my protege5. It's a 2003 as well. I could not replicate it based on your description.
My engine is stays right where I put the tachometer at.
I tried this driving at various speeds, and also using the cruise control.....it stays right where I put it.

Do you mean when your just sitting in neutral revving it you cant keep it steady?

Jason
Ps. I just ticked over 10k miles. No troubles, and 3 hastle free roadtrips under my belt.

ibook · November 2003

I meant at neutral without moving. It's gotten better (or maybe I was just excessively paranoid). Either way, I'm just going to give it some more time. I tried it on my friend's Subaru and it's not perfect either. Oh well.

On an unrelated note, since it's a wagon and it's red, I named my car Red dWagon. I crack myself up!

lara7 · November 2003

Hi,
I got a P5 last week. It's been a lot of fun driving this car around. I have a question regarding the anti theft device. Since P5 doesn't come with a factory installed anti-theft device, can I install an anti theft device say from circuit city and it won't still affect my warrenty, or else do I have to always get it done through the mazda dealer.

lara

boggse · November 2003

Under something called the Magnuson-Moss act, an aftermarket part cannot void a manufacturer's warranty unless it causes damage. Read more here:

http://www.enjoythedrive.com/content/?id=8128

wonderwall · November 2003

Both salesmen I talked to at each Mazda dealer I went to whilst looking for cars told me not to bother with the Mazda alarm unit. They both told me that they've had problems with the unit being overly sensitive, i.e. someone walks past the car in a parking lot the darn thing starts going off.

boggse · November 2003

I have the Mazda unit on my Miata. It is sensitive enough that if you bump the car while it is armed, it will sound 5 short blasts on the horn. Similarly, if you break the glass or cut the top to steal some personal items it will sound the horn continuously. This is exactly what I was looking for. It has never gone off without provocation.

Ted

abbysomeone · December 2003

-2003 Mazda Protege5, 5spd manual, 2,900 miles/owned 4 months

I purchased a 2.0L Protégé5 about 4 months ago and with the exception of some intermittent quirks, am really enjoying this car.

Rough spots in 1st and 2nd gears: The owners manual suggests shifting from 1st to 2nd at 13mph and 2nd to 3rd at 24mph. (I presume that these recommendations are designed to optimize fuel economy under normal driving conditions.) Unfortunately, I experience a harsh buckling when shifting through an acceleration at this rpm range (aprox. 2000 rpm in next gear following shift. (note: I have no buckling problems when downshifting). If I allow the rpms to land at 2500 from 1st to 2nd (aprox. 22mph from 1st to 2nd, and aprox. 30mph from 2nd to 3rd) a slight buckling is still present, but not as severe. If I shift at 25mph and 35mph, respectively, the buckling is usually not apparent. However, if I need to slow down in traffic  take my foot off the gas after shifting -- still in the appropriate rpm range for that gear  my car starts buckling/jolting again. This is a consistent, easily replicable phenomenon.

I find this disturbing because the buckling will occur anywhere between 2000 and 3000 rpm (under 2000 rpm is completely unbearable) in second and third gears if I do not keep my foot constantly on the gas  fourth and fifth gears respond just fine in this power band). If I downshift in an attempt to get around these rough spots, the engine, of course, races at about 3600-4000rpm. While this is not anywhere near the redline, I feel uncomfortable doing a quick acceleration at this range if the traffic conditions require such a maneuver, not to mention associated fuel economy implications. (Minor Rant: I am frustrated that the owners manual does not discuss optimal power bands and provide an rpm chart for this vehicle). I have never experienced a problem of this kind with my other vehicles (74 VW Bus and 89 Nissan Pickup (both manual transmissions). Any ideas?

Difficulty shifting into 1st gear from complete stop: This is an intermittent problem. When I come to a complete stop at a traffic light, my pattern of driving is to put my vehicle into neutral  with my foot on the brake J -- and then to release the clutch. After about three weeks of owning my Protégé5, I started having intermittent problems getting my car back into 1st gear from neutral. When this happens, I back up to 2nd and then try again. It usually lines up the second or third time, but when it does, there is a deep kthunk sound (gears dont want to mesh?) that is similar to the sound my Volksie made right before the transmission died  first gear just gave up the ghost and the transmission needed to be rebuilt. I have a hard time believing that the brand new Protégé5 is suffering from a failing transmission. I am wondering if the linkage needs extra lubrication  because I was trouble free for the first three weeks of ownership  or if I may have a clutch problem  yes, I fully depress the clutch when placing the vehicle in gear J Again, any ideas?

Thanks

bobinwi1 · December 2003

I'm no mechanic but your experience suggests something (somethings?) not correct. You should be able to shift up at 2-2500 rpm with out the car bucking & the issue of not being able to engage 1st cleanly from a stop is certainly not normal. Until you get the car in for repair, you may want to double clutch b4 going into 1st. You should be able to avoid doing additional damage that way. It appears you're about to test the warantee coverage. Best of luck, hopefully its something simple.

boggse · December 2003

You could have a bad synchro, or your clutch could need some adjustment. I never experienced anything similar in my 5 speed Protege Sedan. Here is a dyno chart from Racing Beat which may give you an idea of the optimal power bands.

http://www.racingbeat.com/protege/dyno/Chart.htm

Personally, I don't shift until at least 4000 RPMs, just past the torque peak. Please check with your dealer of choice for service.

jadams6 · December 2003

I'm driving my 3 month old P5 yesterday and the check engine light comes on and stays on....I take it in today any they say something about the "clutch stopper" needing to be replaced, but they don't have the part and I'd have to bring it in again in about a week. However, I picked up the car and notice the light isn't on anymore...unfortunately picked up the car after service hours, so there was no one to ask about this....do I really need that part (no idea how much it costs)?

Also, the rattling on the inside of the car is about to drive me crazy....I mentioned this today and they said something about readjusting the centre console, but now it seems the rattling is worse than ever...anyone had any experience with this? I think its coming from the vents....my '99 Protege sedan started doing it in about its 3rd year...I just chalked it up to age which can't be the case here as it starting rattling almost from day one...

Other than that, I'm loving the car!

boggse · December 2003

There seems to be a screw missing from the driver side of my exhaust manifold insulator on my 2003 P5. I seem to recall someone else having a similar missing screw, but a search here found nothing. Is anyone else missing this screw on the 2.0L?

Thanks,
Ted

freedom43 · December 2003

I have a 2000 toyota 4runner limited and am looking for a new car for 2004. My job demands require me to travel much more now than when I purchased my 4 runnner. I am looking for a nice, sporty, reliable , gas-saving, car. I am considering the P5. I have 2 teens. My 13 year old son is 6"2. Is this going to be a problem as I am hoping to keep the car for at least 8 years? Am I making an overall good choice?

jmcknight2 · December 2003

- The P5 has surprisingly good room for a small car, front and back. If the boy grows to 7 feet, then good luck! You should be able to make a tremendous deal on a P5, and it would be a great combination of quality, sportiness, and value.

bobinwi1 · December 2003

Thats a pretty big move/ like from a tank to a go cart. There are small cars that have a smoother ride than the P5 & some with 4 wheel drive (Subies). The P5 leans strongly in the sport direction with superior handling & responsiveness (and the stiff suspension you would expect). If thats what you want, then its a super choice. I think mine is great but I come from a sports car background. If thats what you like, its an excellent choice (with some aggressive pricing right now). Good luck with your decision.

pciskowski · December 2003

A new Accord or Camry will ride much smoother, have much more room, and get the same or better gas mileage as the P5, and have more power to boot. The only thing they aren't is sporty. Don't get me wrong, I love my P5, but it rides ROUGH, and has limited space in the rear seat and trunk. Mine has been unreliable and has been in the shop an average of once a month. I too drive often for my job, and the rough ride becomes tiring after a while. This is not a car to keep long term. Also, the depreciation is horrid, so once you buy it you will have it for a while.

bballa · December 2003

What kind of problems? What was it in the shop for? A partial or complete list would be of interest to me and possibly other P5 owners. I have only 2,900 miles on the car, manual trans base model. Other than less than expected gas mileage, I have had no problems.

bobinwi1 · December 2003

Sorry you've had bad luck with your P5. Based on the posts here & other forums, lack of reliability is not a common problem. I do agree that the P5 is not the ultimate highway cruiser. Not a good car for a bumpy road when you have a hangover either. Great for the cut & thrust of a city or suburban commute tho.

toneetouch · December 2003

I did a considerable amount of research via consumer/auto publications and discussions with actual owners and my educated guess was that the P5 was above average in terms of reliability. can you elaborate on what your P5 problems were? I would like to know what to look out for and hopefully avoid.

pciskowski · December 2003

Hello everyone,

I will post a detailed list over the weekend. However, the most frustrating has been the clutch chatter problem that is listed in a TSB.

pciskowski

dagpotter · January 2004

It was me. Never replaced it. Cannot remember if it was always there before, though. Seperate issue I need new tires - 36 K on my Dunlops and not liking the wet weather. Any suggestions? I was leaning toward the Proxes 4 but none of the local shops carry Toyos. What is the best way to get them?

boggse · January 2004

Since TireRack doesn't sell Toyos, I would contact 1010tires.com. The Mazda dealer replaced my missing screw under warranty.

bobinwi1 · January 2004

My P5 is the first car I've had with ABS & as it finally snowed here in SE Wi, I thought I'd give 'em a shot. When I hit the pedal in a snowy parking lot, the fronts braked as if nothing unusual was happening but the rear end started to come around. Also, I didn't feel any pulsing from the pedal which I've been led to expect. I'm wondering if the ABS is actually working. Any thoughts?

iamz · January 2004

You should have felt a sort of random kick-back through the brake pedal along with some audible chatter. If your were traveling in a straight line when you applied your brakes, there is no way the P5's rear should have come around.

I'd get it checked out or try it again in a safe environment.

boggse · January 2004

You definitely should have felt a pulsation in the brake pedal. I would get it checked out by the dealer.

Ted

toneetouch · January 2004

My wife and I both thought the other had taken the p5 in for the 3,000 mile oil change. (D'OH!!!) Just got it changed at the 9,000 mile mark. Does anyone know if the 6,000 mile lag between oil changes may have permanently damaged the engine? I drive 60/40 hwy/city, and am a tad agressive (just a tad). thanks.

ant

boggse · January 2004

The actual recommended oil change interval for the P5 is 5000 miles. Going over 1000 miles shouldn't make a difference.

bobinwi1 · January 2004

Stabbed the brakes in another snowy parking lot. ABS definately didn't kick in. Its going in to be checked under warantee. Thanks for the feedback. While I'm at it, I must say the Michelin Arctic Alpins are great snow tires & not too shabby on dry roads. Next year my wifes car gets snows for the winter also. I've been running all season radials so long I forgot what real snow tires can do.

iamz · January 2004

Like Boggse said, no big deal. I intentionally only change my oil every 6K miles but I only run Mobil 1 through my engine. Also, 90% of my driving is at highway speeds.

toneetouch · January 2004

thanks all. i figured it was nothing, but just needed to hear others say it / read others write it.

ant

cobra3m · January 2004

Hello everyone,

This is my first posting ever, though I've checked in on these message boards from time to time. I own an 8 month old 2003 P5 with MT. It currently has about 8300 miles on it. Within the last 2 days, I've started experiencing extremely unstable engine idle. I'm not sure what the normal idle is, but my engine typically idles around 750 RPM when warm. Recently, my engine idle has been varying from 250 RPM to 1000 RPM while in neutral at a stop light. This doesn't always happen, but when it does, it's usually after I come to a stop. Also, if it does happen, it will cycle like this at least 4 times before it stabilizes. Needless to say, I'm going to take it in for service (it's due for an oil change anyway), but I was just wondering if anyone has encountered this before and if they know what the cause of the problem might be. Thanks!

slar99 · January 2004

Has anyone else noticed that it is much more difficult (to the point of grinding) to shift to fisrt and second gear when the weather is colder? I have noticed it mainly when the temp is below 50 and get much worse and the temps get lower.

bobinwi1 · January 2004

I've been driving MTs for over 25 yrs & every one of them got sluggish to some degree in cold weather. B4 the P5, I had a Nissan that had to be double clutched to go into reverse or 1st until the tranny warmed up. Just be patient & deliberate when the tranny is cold, things improve once warm. If you want a real treat, try to get any manual into reverse when its below zero. I wonder if they make synthetic tranny fluid, that might help.

reitrof · January 2004

Sure do, Redline MT90, I have been using it for over a year. It makes a big difference in cold weather.

bobinwi1 · January 2004

RE:Redline MT90
This would be suitable for a P5?
I trust its fairly easy to drain & replace tranny fluid for the 5 speed manual?
If this stuff works as well as Mobil 1 does vs dino oil, it would eliminate the biggest drawback to having a manual trans in a cold climate.
Good news indeed.

protege_fan · January 2004

MT90 is the correct fluid to use for the manual tranny.

reitrof · January 2004

I used Mobil tranny fluid first and found no difference. Switched to MT 90 and it was a huge difference. I have a P5.

To change the fluid is pretty easy. If you can do an oil change you can do this.

The problem is getting the new fluid into the tranny. There is a bolt halfway up on the front side of the tranny that matches the drain plug. You fill it till it flows out , almost 4 liters. You need a funnel with a long hose or a smal handpump.

kubu4 · January 2004

The thin panel/skirt that runs the length of the vehicle and resides underneath the front and rear doors on my P5 has recently taken to not staying in place. The rear portion of the panel pulls away from the car (but does not fall loose), while the front (~1/4) portion of the panel remains in place. The panel is easily pushed back into place, but will pull away from the car after a few minutes of driving.

Anyone have any suggestions on how to secure this panel back in place? Any advice is GREATLY appreciated, as I'm sure it's only a matter of time 'til the whole sucker pulls free and ends up as road trash on some street here in Tempe.

Also, I am curious about possibly installing those cutesy windshield washer nozzle LED lights, but I cannot seem to locate any information regarding street legal modifications for the state of Arizona. If anyone can point me in the right direction, I would GREATLY appreciate that help as well.

Thanks and happy driving!

Sam

iamz · January 2004

With the panel loose you should be able to shine a flashlight into the gap between the rocker panel and the skirt and see the plastic clips that hold the skirt on. They are slipped into slots on the skirt and then pushed through a hole in the rocker where the clip expands and catches on the backside of the hole. A couple of yours might be broke for some reason and I would recomend replacing all the clips and starting over.

the best way to get the skirt off and not damage the car is to take a hacksaw blade and tape off most of it and leave maybe 3 inches exposed. carefully holding the taped off portion of the blade will allow you to slip the blade into the opening and while pulling (be careful) the skirt away from the car start cutting through the clips. there are some threaded clips too on the ends in the wheel wells and on the underside that need to be backed out also.

It's a pain doing this and you can easily scratch the paint if your not careful. Also whatever you do don't try to just pull the clips out of the holes because you will actually bend the sheet metal of your rocker panel.

To have a better idea of what your dealing with, I recommend you buy all the clips first and note where they are used along the skirt and rocker panel. I think there are 15 or so and should cost around $20 to $30 bucks for all of them.

If you're not mechanical, don't even attempt this. If you're accident prone, do not attempt this. If you're easily frustrated, don't even think about it.

Also, I refuse any liability for anything that may go wrong.

Good luck,

kubu4 · January 2004

Jamz-

Thanks for the input. Man, what a pain in my [non-permissible content removed] this is going to be. I've only had the car (the first I've ever purchased new) since May; is this something that I could take in under warranty?

boggse · January 2004

Definitely take it in for warranty repair. Unless they find damage that indicates it is your fault, Mazda should pay for the repair.

Ted

boggse · January 2004

The last few mornings, my P5 has pinged for about 10 seconds when first started. After that it runs fine with no more evidence of pining. When started in the afternoon to go home, it does not ping. The current tank of gas was purchased at BJ's. Could cold (~20°F) and a bad tank of gas cause this?

Thanks,
Ted

iamz · January 2004

If you're under warranty still, definitely bring it in too have Mazda take a look at it and fix it.

Mazda Protege5 Maintenance and Repair

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