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Mazda Protege5 Maintenance and Repair

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Comments

  • mazdafunmazdafun Member Posts: 2,329
    Plugged vacuum port on the EGR valve made it stick open too much. At least it was an easy fix.
  • dmiller1dmiller1 Member Posts: 5
    Just this past July, we took the car in to the dealer where we bought it to have a leaky front strut replaced. On that same visit, I told them about the squeal problem. Tires Plus had already inspected the brakes that same week and said that all the brakes were fine ( I don't remember exact percentages ). Tires Plus had been the one to inform us we had a leaky front strut so that is how we ended up back at the dealer for warranty work.
    During this July visit, the dealer also checked the brakes and the comment on my invoice for the service that visit says "Brakes show no significant wear." Since both parties said the brakes were fine, we were hoping that the squeal would just go away. But it continued and that is when I decided to try and find out if anybody else had experienced a similar problem.
    Your posting sounded really similar except for the lesser amount of squealing. But I used the information anyway when I called up the service rep. at the dealer who I had worked with when they replaced the leaky front strut. I told him that I had found a forum where a similar problem had been diagnosed as a rear caliper pin sticking and causing the squeal. When I took the car in, I reiterated what I had found here on this forum. I think the only notable thing is that he referred to the caliper pin as a caliper slide. After dropping the car off, I got a call less than half an hour later from him. He said that the inner rear brake pad on the passenger side was at 15% and that it was the wear indicator squealing. I asked him why they hadn't noticed this in July. He told me that they normally don't check the inner pads if the outer pads look okay ( I have no idea if this is BS or not ). He then went on to say that the rotor needed to be turned and the caliper slide needed to be replaced. They would be willing to cover the cost of the "hardware" but they wanted $160 to do the rest. I told him I would have to discuss it with my spouse first and I would call back. In the meantime, I called back to Tires Plus and asked for the cost of a total brake job so I would have something to gauge the $160 against. It was about $180 ( I think this was front/rear but not sure). I also explained the situation that I was in and if they would have checked the inner brake pad in July. The guy said that they usually can visually inspect them by "looking through the hole in the caliper". I don't know enough about calipers to envision this and at the time I didn't have the time to delve further so I just dropped it.

    We were pretty steamed about the $160 ( especially when a brake job would be $180 ) for what appeared to be some kind of faulty mechanism to have that much brake pad wear in 37,000 or so miles. But we were both tired of the situation and the squeal so I was ready to cave in. However, I was prepared to express our sentiments to the service guy that this issue should be covered under warranty. When I called him back, he said that he was just about to call me back to let me know that they had decided to cover the whole cost of the repair. I don't know what caused the complete turnaround but I was thankful. Technically speaking the car was out of warranty in Sept. but in July when we first went in it was still in warranty.

    We don't know if all the brake pads ( inner and outer ) were truly in good shape last July and that a sticking caliper pin(slide) caused excessive brake wear in just 21/2 months or if the inspections in July were not thorough enough. And I guess we'll never know. Right now, I am concerned about further problems with this car especially related to the low profile tires and the fact that we live in the midwest where snow and road salt are a problem. I also didn't realize just how cheap the seats are in this car. My already existing back problems seemed to worsen after I got this car. I started wearing a supportive brace when driving the car and my back is doing better. I would not recommend this car to anybody who has to drive alot of miles or who has even a hint of a back problem or who is looking for a comfortable ride. I was motivated too much by fuel economy and the fact that there weren't many smaller sport wagons at the time we purchased. I wished that I had waited and seen what other makers were going to offer in this class of car.
  • autonomousautonomous Member Posts: 1,769
    Interesting development; I'm glad the dealership decided to do the honourable thing. Since word of mouth trumps advertisements some dealers understand the importance of maintaining one's reputation.

    Since brakes are a "wear" item the question is are they wearing prematurely due to some driver behaviour or to some design fault?
    Since most of us heed the advice about avoiding jackrabbit starts and easing up on brakes gradually one wonders if there is something about the design.

    My rudimentary understanding of disc brakes tells me that the dealership description could be genuine. Think of a bicycle which also uses disc brakes: disc pads on either side of the bike wheel work by grabbing the wheel when you apply pressure. Due to rust, a bit of grit or some other problem, one of the pads on your rear passenger side cannot retract/slide back after usage thus prematurely wearing as you drive on it. You can check this on the front brakes more easily than the back. Tilt the front wheels at an angle; look from above onto each caliper; in the centre of the caliper you'll see several rows of metal plates (two disc pads plus some shims to hold things in place). The inside pad would be the one closest to the centre of the car. If it appears thinner than the other side, there may be a problem. The squeal is a safety device to alert you that the pads are worn and need attention. If left untended the discs themselves will start to be worn/etched by the pads causing costly repairs. Unfortunatley, rear brakes pads are not as easily visible unless you remove the wheels; even then the value of a "visual" inspection is based on the thoroughness of the technician.

    Not So Free Advice
    At my last visit to my dealership they recommended that the calipers be lubricated; according to them this is non-warranty work. To confirm this I called an independent garage; they advised lubricating one's calipers each spring after winter's ravages (road salt can wreak havoc on machinery). They said this was not specific to Mazda products. With help from kauai (see regular P5 forum) I informed my dealer that since front pads normally wear faster than rear pads in a FWD and since there is a technical service bulletin regarding rear brakes on Proteges, I argued that the mechanism should be replaced as part of the warranty. I plan on discussing the situation with other dealerships and will post my findings. Moral of the story: watch your brakes for premature wear and consider lubricating them annually
      
    Three Suggestions:
    1) check your public library for a Chilton/Haynes/other manual on Mazda Proteges; you'll get a sense of the components with helpful illustrations; buying the book or copying parts of it may be a wise investment;
    2) have the dealership show you the problem either on your car or using an illustration / service manual in the shop;
    3) call another Mazda dealership to compare charges.
  • cdnp5cdnp5 Member Posts: 163
    I'm glad that they replaced everything under warranty. I think it should be a warranty item as the part that failed is what caused the premature wear and tear. If they changed your oil and didn't put the drain plug back, whey they expect you to buy the new engine and they will supply the new oil for free? Maybe an extreme example but I'm sure you get my point.
    My dealer is great and didn't give me any problems when they replaced both my rear brakes.

    I have to disagree about your comments about the seats though. I know this isn't a Volvo but they seats are fine. The thing about seats is its different for every person as everybody's body fit different, even people of the same height. My longest drive yet....I drove for 16 hours, slept for 4 hours in the drivers seat, then woke up and drove another 8 hours making only stops for gas/bathroom and had no back pain at all.
  • jimmcknightjimmcknight Member Posts: 28
    - It's good that there's discussion about these P5 brakes, because I've honestly never heard of any vehicle that needed brake pins lubed as preventive maintenance. The cars are obviously going to be driven on salted roads in much of the country, and a car wash is sometimes days or weeks away. I guess I'll have my dealer do it, but I'll ask about getting it done for free or at a reduced price based on the known problem. By the way, my '03.5 leather seats are more comfortable than the ones in my Vibe AWD.
  • cdnp5cdnp5 Member Posts: 163
    I've have heard of two other brands (not Mazda) that the dealer recommended the rear pins/sliders be lubricated also. I just can't remember the names now though.
    With some cars having less and less problems, maybe they thought of this to bring back some money to the dealers. <trying to be funny here>
  • PF_FlyerPF_Flyer Member Posts: 9,372
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  • 02pro502pro5 Member Posts: 5
    Hey everyone,

    This is the first time I've posted, but I've read all of the posts in this discussion.
    A month ago, I bought a used 2002 Pro5 with manual trans, sunroof/ABS, 55,000 kms

    First off, the guy I bought it from told me that at 40,000 kms, he had the left rear brake stick and it wore down to the metal, so he ended up replacing the pads/rotors/calipers. I know many people have had that problem, and I'll be sure to get the slider pins lubed up in the Spring.

    Also, I experienced the engine rattle on cold start and saw the TSB so I got it fixed under warranty. However I noticed that although the rattle is significantly reduced, it can still be faintly heard. I'm not sure if anyone else had the same experience, but I saw that in the TSB it said that the fix "helps reduce the noise".
    <http://web2.airmail.net/theman/protegefaq/tsb/>

    I also had the clutch chatter problem and I got a new clutch and flywheel replaced under warranty, and they did it without a fuss too. (Mazda of Brampton, in Ontario) So I would recommend taking your car in if you're having clutch chatter and you still have warranty left.

    In post #648 it was mentioned that in cold weather it is hard to shift into 2nd and 3rd gears, I've also noticed this with my car. Reitrof recommended switching tranny fluid to Redline MT90, however in post #358, dsm6 said that he got his 2nd and 3rd gears as well as his synchros replaced and now it shifts great. Has anyone else taken it to the dealer for this problem?

    I also had the horn replaced under warranty because it was changing tone mid-honk and altogether sounding unhealthy. Not to mention a rattle coming from the passenger side dash and one coming from the sunroof area (it's not the actual glass part of the sunroof because if I put pressure on it, the rattle is still there). If anyone knows about these two rattles, I'd appreciate the help.

    Thanks for your comments,
    Cody
  • autonomousautonomous Member Posts: 1,769
    In Consumer Reports' 2005 annual buying guide, the 2003 Protégé/P5 scores trouble-free while the 2002 Protégé/P5 has some minor issues with body integrity and hardware (such as wind noise, seals, weatherstripping, air/water leaks, door/seat mechanisms). These ratings are some of the highest in the list; Toyota/Lexus are still the leaders. This is especially impressive when compared to the icons like Audi, BMW, Jaguar and most domestics which routinely rate below average in terms of reliability.

     

    CR information is based on 675,000 responses to an annual subscriber survey. The engine, cooling system, transmission and drive system are given special emphasis in the weighting.
  • mazdafunmazdafun Member Posts: 2,329
    I tried to fold the passenger-side mirror on my wife's P5 yesterday while in the garage (still above freezing in there), and it broke off! Looks like the plastic suffered from a brittle fracture failure, judging from the looks of area that broke. Man, I felt really bad. I taped it into position.

     

    On some other forum, looks like someone got theirs replaced under warranty after his wife hit a garbage can with it because there was no visible damage to the mirror housing, suggesting it was a mild (not hard) hit and should not have broken the mirror. I hope our dealership thinks along the same lines (I was pretty shocked it broke so easily). Anyway, the price tag I saw was $150 for the dealership to replace it. I've been able to find the complete assembly for around $63 (smooth & ready to be painted) or $53 for the textured black one (like the one on my '99LX).

     

    So, take care if you have to fold your side mirrors in the cold weather. :)
  • autonomousautonomous Member Posts: 1,769
    Sorry to hear that, Chow-chi, and thanks for the warning.

     

    I've noticed that the mechanism is stiff also but did not think twice about it. On my P5 there's a button underneath the mirror - I have meant to ask the dealer if pressing it helps fold the mirror.

     

    In my former Toyota Corolla, I've replaced the manually adjusted mirror and housing without a problem. An automatic mirror would be a bit more of a challenge. Scrap yards are great for these types of simple fixes. You may also want to use Goop or some other auto-glue to help seal the rubber/plastic mounting to the body.
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  • inkblotinkblot Member Posts: 4
    I'm running Goodyear Eagle Ultra Grip GW3 195/55/15 on my Protege5, and I'm a little disappointed with their grip on ice and hard-packed snow. ABS is kicking in A LOT and I'm spinning my tires at low rpms. I went with the manual's recommendation for snow tire pressure and set them at 4 psi higher than stock, so they're at ~36psi. Should I try lower pressure for better grip? Does anyone have any experience with the GW3s?

     

    Any advice would be greatly appreciated.
  • mazdafunmazdafun Member Posts: 2,329
    Thanks for the tips. I checked out the guts to see what might be involved in replacing it. Looks fairly straightforward: remove sail cover inside the door, remove screws, unplug wire harness then reverse the order. Pictures of the manual and power assemblies don't look that different. Instead of the "joystick", there's a wire harness & connector sticking out of the sail panel. There was only a few dollars difference between the manual and textured black power side mirrors. I usually prefer manual to powered parts, but not in the case of side mirrors. :)

     

    What looks like a button under the mirror is just a plug. I assume the hole covered by it is to ease assembling the mirror and its "fixed" arm, then it's filled by the plug.

     

    I do notice a difference in feel in the action between the mirrors on my '99 LX and those on my wife's '03 P5. My LX has the textured black housings. I think the plastic looks a bit thin in the piece that broke, but I'm not going to attempt to repeat the experience with my LX's mirrors. :)

     

    We've got an appointment tomorrow morning. We'll see what their customer service is like. :)
  • mazdafunmazdafun Member Posts: 2,329
    The service advisor did say it's the first time he's seen one fail this way. Well, it's the first time I've tried to fold a side mirror on my wife's P5.

     

    Guess I'd never really had cause to fold them during cold weather before (usually fold the passenger mirror on my LX during warm weather to get the bicycles in and out). She's folded the driver-side one a couple times, but only during warm weather.

     

    I guess we'll refrain from folding them during cold weather (under 50F) from now on.
  • stewartcstewartc Member Posts: 3
    My 2003 P5 stalled on me twice. One happened about 6 months when I was exiting a highway and one three days ago when I was making a turn at an intersection. I searched the web and found a couple of complaints on the same problem but could not find a solution. Anybody have more info about this problem? Thanks.
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  • barich1barich1 Member Posts: 143
    I have read elsewhere that the stalling problem may be caused by a clogged/bad EGR valve. They're cheap, so just replace it. This is apparently a relatively common issue.
  • autonomousautonomous Member Posts: 1,769
    Hi Stewart,

    Here are causes for Engine Stalling as identified in the troubleshooting section of the Haynes Repair Manual for the Protege:

     

    1. Idle speed incorrect

    2. Fuel filter clogged and/or water and impurities in the fuel system

    3. Ignition components damp or damaged

    4. Faulty emissions system components

    5. Faulty or incorrectly gapped spark plugs

    6. Faulty spark plug wires

    7. Vacuum leak in the fuel injection system, intake manifold or vacuum hoses

     

    Work through a process of elimination starting from the simplest solution (e.g. new spark plugs)

    and working towards the most complex. Record details of the problem and what you've done in case you use a mechanic later.

     

    p.s. don't overlook the obvious, on rainy days moisture can accumulate around electrical components; this would increase the chances of things like spark plug "arcing" to happen
  • coneyman1coneyman1 Member Posts: 8
    I was told by dealer that my clogged egr valve would cost $255 to clean out. Car is under warrenty, but apparrently this is not. Could you tell me where to find instructions for this "easy fix". Thanks In advance
  • mazdafunmazdafun Member Posts: 2,329
    I THINK I know where it is, but I'm not sure, as my CEL has not recurred since the Autozone tech cleared it from the computer, so I didn't bother to clean it out. Since I had just had it cleaned out (only $75 from my dealer, you might want to get a quote from someone else) just a couple months ago, I figured it probably wasn't clogged again (I have read references where the CEL can log a false clogged EGR valve when the fuel tank is low when it's also cold and damp outdoors, and you drive short trips, which were the conditions when my CEL lit a second time).

    In my '99LX, I think it's behind the top of the engine, on the driver's side.

    I looked in the Chilton's and Motor manuals at my local library, but the descriptions and images weren't clear. Plus, they are 1 edition too old. Though they claim to cover '99 Proteges, I think they refer to gen-2 Proteges when they mention the '99 model year, as most of the specifications and images look like gen-2 Proteges. Wish I could point you to a site with pictures and directions, but I don't know any.

    Anyway, once you find the EGR valve, disconnect the hoses to it, wipe out any dirt/grease/carbon you find and blow it out with some canned air.
  • skoobzskoobz Member Posts: 4
    Hey there,

    My 2002 MP5 (64,000km) makes a weird creaking sound whenever I'm applying the brakes and about to come to a stop. It doesn't do it when I begin to brake at high speed...only as I'm coming to a stop does it make this noise. Also, the car only makes this noise after driving for a while..say about 25 minutes of city driving...ie..stopping at stop signs and red lights. It's not a squeeling sound but a creaking sound. It almost feels like the disks are uneven because I can feel the brake pedal rhythmically come up and down slightly as I'm applying the brakes. Could that be the cause? I live in Toronto, Canada. Could it be the cold and snow? We just bought the car used from a mazda dealership in September and just took it in to the dealer for it's two year servicing in the fall. They were supposed to inspect and lube the brakes among other things. Any help with this matter would be very much appreciated. Thanks.
  • autonomousautonomous Member Posts: 1,769
    "They were supposed to inspect and lube the brakes among other things."

    That would be recorded on the work order; so you may want to check it. I had mine done as preventative maintenance and it cost approximately C$100 for the four discs. I have not had any problems with my brakes but brake wear is a very individual item.
  • skoobzskoobz Member Posts: 4
    I checked the worker order and it says they performed the maintenance on the brakes. Although I've heard enough scam stories that I have very little trust when it comes to dealer service and repairs. Also, the creaking sound only started happening (albeit a couple of months) after we had it serviced. I'm just worried that if I take it in they're gonna want to charge me exorbinant amounts to fix what could be a simple problem or what they should have fixed during the 2 year servicing which cost me C$275. Perhaps the car's previous owner was hard on the brakes. In any event I guess I have no choice but to take it in and see what they say.
  • crazybluecrazyblue Member Posts: 2
    i have a 2002 mazda protege 5 with 91000km. just had the tranny rebuilt due to shifter fork malfunctioning(covered under warrenty) and since have experienced a rotten egg smell, alone with when sitting in idle the engine idles starting at 700rpm(proper) but than drops to approx 500rpm and comes close to stall. any ideas?
  • crazybluecrazyblue Member Posts: 2
    creaking brakes on a protege can be caused by a thin layer of rust caused by moisture in the air. i live in bc, very rainy and have the same problem. its because the protege has the rotors exposed to the weather, my parents also experience this problem with there venture van.
  • skoobzskoobz Member Posts: 4
    Hey there,

    Thanks for the replies about the creaking brakes. So I took it into our Mazda dealer today. They took the front wheels off and said that the rotors were warped. They let me take a look as I was a little skeptical. Upon inspection it did seems like they weren't turning properly. The right rotor seemed to get stuck at a certain point when passing the calipers. I asked them if they could be sanded down or straightened somehow but the mechanic said they were too warped for that and that I would have to replace both of the front rotors and brake pads. So $418 CAD later the creaking problem seems to be fixed (although the car still creaks when we go over speed bumps but that may be a cold weather thing). I was just wondering how the rotors could have warped so much to require replacing. Is this something common for 2002 MP5's? We are the car's second owners so I have no idea if the previous owner ran over any large objects but we haven't hit any large pot holes or run over any curbs. I live in Toronto and we've had some pretty cold temps and a lot of snow and ice this winter...could that have something to do with it? Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance.

    Skoobz
  • autonomousautonomous Member Posts: 1,769
    " ... just wondering how the rotors could have warped so much to require replacing. Is this something common for 2002 MP5's? We are the car's second owners so I have no idea if the previous owner ran over any large objects ... "

    Hmmm, you may have answered your own question. Did you have your car inspected prior to purchase?

    p.s. My dealer and an independent garage advised me to clean and lube my 2002 MP5's brake calipers to avoid getting the sliders rusty and stuck causing premature wear. You may want to consider this every once in a while; I'm thinking of having this done every second year at a cost of C$99.
  • skoobzskoobz Member Posts: 4
    Hey autonomous,

    We didn't get the car inspected before purchasing it. We bought it at a Mazda dealership in Toronto and they assured us that the car was inspected by their mechanics and that they would never sell a car that had problems. Hmmm....I guess next time we'll be a little more careful. I didn't even know we could get the car independently inspected when buying from a dealership. As for cleaning and lubing the brake calipers....I've read that elsewhere and well definatly be taking that advice. Thanks.
  • autonomousautonomous Member Posts: 1,769
    After rereading your postings, Skoobz, I agree with you that something sounds fishy. You say you bought your 2002 Protege5 used from a Mazda dealer last September and "that the car was inspected by their mechanics and that they would never sell a car that had problems" and yet 6 months later you have had to pay over C$400 for warped rotors. If the dealer assured you that there were no problems 6 months ago and you are certain that you had not created the problem, how did this happen? The rotors on my 2002 Protege5 with 50,000KM are in great shape; roads here in Ottawa are not as bad as in pot-hole-hell Montreal but my zoomster has had some hits this wicked winter.

    You may want to call the service department again and ask to meet the manager for an explanation. I would more than hint that your continued patronage is at stake; in other words if the manager does not provide a satisfactory answer (and action) your future business will go elsewhere (to another Mazda dealership or an independant). You may want to also contact Kirk Robinson of Robinson Automotive (www.robinsonautomotive.com) in Toronto; he is a reputable independant who hosts a car show broadcast on Rogers in Toronto and beyond.

    Is the car still under warranty? In the document of sale did they make any statement as to the condition of the car?

    Good luck and let us know how things shape up!
  • mazdafunmazdafun Member Posts: 2,329
    All too common on later-model cars, not just the Protege.

    Used to be you had to do something silly like hosing down your car right after using the brakes hard. Of course, all rotors warp, but usually not enough to be a problem (as you mentioned, you can machine the outer faces flat, if there's enough material).

    Troll the other boards, and you'll find lots of warped rotor complaints. I think the causes are 1) they use less steel (less to act as a heat sink and to conduct away heat) and 2) the steel isn't properly annealed (which they will do once you start using your brakes). All (well, most, since less steel means lighter rotors) in the name of cost-cutting.
  • autonomousautonomous Member Posts: 1,769
    "All too common on later-model cars, not just the Protege."

    Are you saying that many two or three year old cars have warped rotors? I find that surprising! If you drive reasonably and maintain your car properly shouldn't the rotors on cars like the Protege last longer than that? My lowly 1991 Corolla had its rotors resurfaced once in 10 years before I sold the car. Maybe I should have kept that buggy!
  • meinradmeinrad Member Posts: 820
    My 2002 P5 warped it's rotors after about 15k miles. They machined them under warranty. Have been fine since and I'm up to 43k.
  • cdnp5cdnp5 Member Posts: 163
    I guess the problem here is you can't tell how the previous owner drove this car. Maybe the rotors where slightly warped when you bought the car but now they are just worse. I would talk to the place you bought the car and ask if they can do anything for you. They might say no but its worth your time to ask.
    I believe most rotors on cars today are not what they were 10 years ago. You can thank cost savings if you want.
    My P5 has almost 150,000kms on my original pads/rotors and no problems yet.
  • mazdafunmazdafun Member Posts: 2,329
    The rotors on my '89 323LX were fine for the 142k miles I put on it.

    The rotors on my '99 ProLX are fine at 60k miles.

    However, I've been hearing about warped rotors with more frequency now than before. Part of it may be the increase in use of the internet, making it easier to communicate. However, even on sites that have been tracking consumer complaints (like NHTSA's) seem to report more complaints about warped rotors.

    I think rotors on older cars were thicker than they had to be. With newer cars, parts are made lighter for many reasons, and I think that some rotors have much less safety margin than they did before (the less steel, the hotter the rotor will get since there's less total heat capacity, everything else being held constant). Not to say they'll all fail, just that more of them as a percentage of total units in the field will fail.

    And steels have a "grain" to them, which will affect the geometry of parts made from them. This is epecially true if the block you made the part from wasn't annealed before you started cutting on it. Both annealing and heat-hardening use heat to change the hardness and grain structure of steels, just at different temperatures and rate of change of temperature. We've had to junk some tool inserts because they changed too much when we had them hardened. Of course, those were made of different steels (H-13, S-7, P-20 or equivalent) than the type usually used in brake rotors (usually low-carbon steel), but the steel used in rotors will react in a similar fashion.
  • autonomousautonomous Member Posts: 1,769
    Wow, some of the numbers you all have been quoting are tremendous. But the winner has to be Chow-Chi (mazdafun)!

    Chow-Chi (mazdafun) said:
    "The rotors on my '89 323LX were fine for the 142k miles I put on it. The rotors on my '99 ProLX are fine at 60k miles."

    Derek (cdnp5) said:
    "My P5 has almost 150,000 kms (90,000 miles) on my original pads/rotors and no problems yet."

    Raymond (meinrad) said:
    "My 2002 P5 warped it's rotors after about 15k miles. They machined them under warranty. Have been fine since and I'm up to 43k."

    I'm hoping my 2002 P5 gets to join this club.
  • corybcoryb Member Posts: 1
    I am the original owner of my 2002 p5 and just had to have the rotors & pads replaced. Unfortunately at 31000 miles I was over warranty. They said the rotors were grooved. I couldn't believe it. I am usually a not hard braker and have always owned the car.

    One thing I have noticed though since I got it back last night is that it doesn't really brake very well (feels just like new - so it never did). During rush hour, on occassion, you do have to brake a little harder - when that happens you can actually feel the brakes "dig in". So I'm going to wait two months and take the car back to ask them to check it. I think something is fishy here.
  • mazdafunmazdafun Member Posts: 2,329
    A fresh set of either will initially feel weaker as the pads and rotors haven't conformed to each other. However, after several hard stops (or several more moderate stops), the braking force offered by them should increase.

    If not, you should have them inspect them for any problems in the system (too little boost, air in the lines, stuck piston or caliper).

    I think the brakes in my Pro LX are good, and the ones in my wife's P5 are a bit on the strong side (I have a little more difficulty modulating them, but they sure feel like they stop the car a lot faster), like those in the 6 and 3.
  • fp75fp75 Member Posts: 4
    I have an automatic 2002 Protege 5 and drove it for less than 30000 miles. Friday I was driving on the highway and suddenly my transmission started to shift erraticaly. It would appear to go to neutral for a second, than back in O/D, than OK for a while, than the same problem again. It's not doing it a low speed. Only above 50 mph. I left it with a dealer and was told that I probably had to replace the transmission! Of course, my warranty expired 4 weeks ago... Is there anyone out there that had similar problems? I don't think it's normal for a 3 years old car to have that kind of problem. I will call the dealer back today and see what they are proposing. I am in CA but have a Canadian car so they don't have it in their database.
  • autonomousautonomous Member Posts: 1,769
    You're right that this problem is not normal for a three-year old car. I own a 2002 P5 also and it has been trouble-free.

    "I am in CA but have a Canadian car so they don't have it in their database."
    Are you the original owner?
  • r34r34 Member Posts: 178
    I think I got the same problem. I don't know how to describe the noise. It is between a popping noise and a creaking noise. However, I had my front brakes replaced and the rotors resurfaced/trimmed couple months ago. We got thunderstom couple days ago and I got this problem yesterday. Maybe it is due to excess water/vapour on the brake ? If the dealer didn't do the job right, I expected to have this problem earlier....Maybe my rear brakes or other brake components need to be fixed ??

    I got my 2002 P5 used but there is still some warranty left on the car. The thing I don't like about the dealer is they charge me for checking things out. Last time I got the brake light (the handbrake one) turn on the dashboard and they charged me for checking the brake. They told me I need to replace the brakes. I didn't replace the brake at that time. I had them replaced the brakes later. They didn't reimburse me for the inspection because they needed to take the wheels out twice.

    I may sell the car 2-4 months later.
  • autonomousautonomous Member Posts: 1,769
    Kenny said: I think I got the same problem. ... It is between a popping noise and a creaking noise. However, I had my front brakes replaced and the rotors resurfaced/trimmed couple months ago...I got my 2002 P5 used.
    Who replaced your brakes and resurfaced your rotors?

    The thing I don't like about the dealer is they charge me for checking things ... They didn't reimburse me for the inspection because they needed to take the wheels out twice.
    How long have you been going to this dealer? Do you go to them exclusively or do you have your work done elsewhere also? Some dealers reward their "loyal" customers by offering free services, it would be hard to stay in business and do this all the time.
  • r34r34 Member Posts: 178
    I had the same dealer replaced the brakes and resurfaced the rotors. I still don't know what's wrong with the brakes.

    I thought check the problem of the brake light was covered under warranty. Maybe it was just a regular inspection.

    The other problem I found on the car was the window "got frozen" from inside in winter. Other cars in the same parking lot didn't have this problem. May the glass is too thin ??
  • mazdafunmazdafun Member Posts: 2,329
    I'd have them check the speed sensor on the AT before replacing the entire thing. I recall that fixed one person's funky AT behavior.
  • fp75fp75 Member Posts: 4
    Here's the follow up on the transmission problems of my P5 '02:

    25 March: transmission shifts erratically - leave with a dealer who tells me he will likely have to replace the transmission.
    28 March: dealer cannot contact Mazda Canada for warranty issues (I'm in CA with a car I bought new in Canada 37 months ago) so nothing happens.
    29 March: Mazda okays the transmission replacement under warranty. However the dealer cannot perform all the tests since they cannot find one piece of equipment.
    30 March: Perform the last tests and surprisingly, the transmission seems fine. Call Mazda technical service and they figure out the problem is the transmission's temperature sensor. Order the part. I will have to pay labor and part (250$), but not the diagnostic (270$).
    4 April: Get the new sensor, replace the old one. This fixed the old problem, but created a new one: now the transmission does not shift at the proper set point. Call Mazda technical service... still waiting for an answer.

    Needless to say that I am not happy about the length of time it took them. This doesn't look very professional to me. Don't these guys realize that I bought that car in part because it was supposed to be trouble free? I will think about it twice next time...
  • autonomousautonomous Member Posts: 1,769
    Needless to say that I am not happy about the length of time it took them. This doesn't look very professional to me. Don't these guys realize that I bought that car in part because it was supposed to be trouble free? I will think about it twice next time...

    According to the schedule you posted it sounds like about 5 working days to solve the problem with the sensor. Do you think that the response time would have been better if you had not bought your vehicle out of the country? It's too bad that the problem did not occur a month before as it could have been covered under warranty. Who ended up paying for the $270 diagnostic: the dealer or Mazda? It sounds like they went halfway to come to a solution. Hopefully your dealer (is this "Mazda technical service"?) will straighten out the remaining problem swiftly.
  • fp75fp75 Member Posts: 4
    Follow up on my P5 '02 transmission problems.

    After replacing the temperature sensor, the dealer noticed a new problem. The transmission would not shift properly, i.e. it would take too long to shift from one gear to the next. They ran a new series of test, and right now the conclusion is that after all this time (12 days so far) they will have to replace the entire transmission! The dealer needs to talk to Mazda to see if they will authorize the replacement, and who will pay for it since my warranty expired on Feb 28th (but the car is only 26000 miles). Assuming they can order the part today, the fastest I will get my car back is on April 15th, three full weeks after I left it at the dealer for repair. Having a Canadian car in the US added a couple extra days, but what took the longest is to get a solution after each diagnostic. Typically, the dealer did not know what to do and would have to call the Mazda tech line, and then wait 1 or 2 days for an answer. This is really annoying... Especially since the dealer told me from the start that he would likely need to replace the transmission.
  • autonomousautonomous Member Posts: 1,769
    what took the longest is to get a solution after each diagnostic. Typically, the dealer did not know what to do and would have to call the Mazda tech line, and then wait 1 or 2 days for an answer. This is really annoying... Especially since the dealer told me from the start that he would likely need to replace the transmission.

    Considering that you were so close to the end of your warranty period, it sounds like the dealer called the Mazda tech line each time to find out who would be paying for each of the repairs. In other words, if the dealer did not call you may have been stuck with the entire bill. Fingers crossed that Mazda does the right thing and covers the cost of your new transmission.

    The warranty for my 2002 P5 will be coming to an end in May so I'm bringing the baby in for its full check at the end of the month to hopefully catch any last minute items under warranty. So far the car has been flawless.
  • kinoastkinoast Member Posts: 1
    alacat...

    I know this message is a bit old, but did you ever get to the bottom of your low gas mileage in the P5? I just bought the exact same model/model year (used of course), an '03 Protege5 with Sport AT 4-speed AT, w/ 30k miles. My mileage has been (during the past month) around the same as yours was, 22-23 mpg, sometimes as low as 20 mpg, with mostly city driving, but some longer highway trips. Fairly disappointing. My mechanic checked out the car, put in new plugs, etc. and pronounced it very clean.

    Did you ever get any help? Still have the car?

    Thanks!
    Tommy

    damianinla@yahoo.com
  • autonomousautonomous Member Posts: 1,769
    My mileage has been (during the past month) around the same as yours was, 22-23 mpg, sometimes as low as 20 mpg, with mostly city driving, but some longer highway trips.

    A simple test: a) fill up your tank, b) take a highway trip for no less than 100 miles, c) record the average speed you've been driving, d) after the trip fill up the tank again. Divide the miles you've driven ("b") by the gallons used in the second fillup ("d") and report the mpg your P5 used and your approximate speed driven ("c").
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