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Comments
We have discussed problems similar to yours in two other topics here. You might want to read through the posts to see if you can find anything helpful. Here are links:
smelly vent (Topic #561)
airconditioning (Topic #194)
Good luck. If you figure out something that helps, be sure to let us know.
Pat
Community Leader/Maintenance & Repair Conference
Regards,
Mark.
into the dealer three times to get it fixed and
they either tell me nothing is wrong with my car
or they tell me that it is normal in my car. First, I want to say that this has been happening since about two weeks after I got the car. The problem is that sometimes when I am driving the car will jerk/hesitate as if it isn't getting any gas (Usually happens in the lower gears). The first time I took the car in they said it needed a tune-up/spark plugs changed and the air filter changed. They did that and I figured everything was going to be okay. I started to drive the car home and it started to do it again after driving it awhile. So, I took it to the dealer, again, and I told him to keep it for the weekend and to call me when they figured out what the problem was. The dealer finally called and said it was because the car had to warm-up, that this was
normal for the Protege, and there was nothing they could do to fix it. So, before I left the
dealer I sat there for about 5 minutes just to
make sure the car had warmed up and proceeded to drive home. It did not do it immediately, but after about 15 minutes on the highway and pulling off the freeway to a stop at a light, as I was taking off it started to do it again. Now I don't know much about cars, but I think that 5 minutes of warming up and 15 minutes on the highway is plenty of time for the car to warm-up. Could someone please help me with this so I can see what I need to do. I have taken the car in 3 times within the year and a half that I have had the car and need to know if I have a lemon. If I do what are the steps that I need to take to fix this problem. If I don't and it can be fixed, can anyone give me some suggestions that I can go to the dealer with.
3 times in the last month I have started from a stop light but the motor speeds up as usual and the car barely moves. Problem remains for about 5-10 seconds and seems like an hour as the traffic behind me suddenly jams on their brakes. Going into dealer tomorow am. He says it is highly unlikely to be a slipping clutch and more likely a sensor/sparkplug/motor probelm. Any one else experiece this or can it explain it better than Mr. Service Manager could.
or your gears are broke(unlikely)
I have had a problem somewhat similar. In my case
the engine after 10 min or so driving gets loud
and loses power. I took it to 2 mazda dealers
and they both said there was nothing wrong with
it. They said they checked the engine computer
and there were no errors reported.
This doesnt happen everytime though, only about
a couple of times a week. Also I have discovered
by accident that the proper way to warm up is NOT
by letting the engine run continuously for 10 or 15 min
after which you would expect it to perform better.
Rather, drive it for about 10min.
*Then give it a 20 -30 min break(engine shut off)*
The engine sounds a lot smoother after that, and
pulls strongly
regretably, I have to join the club of
soft clunking 5 speed (ES) proteges. Mine
is barely a week old, with 700 miles on it.
I hear distinct clunks during normal clutch
release (1, 2, 3 and sometimes 4th gear, usually
not 5th). I haven't noticed serious power loss,
though I do feel that the car sometimes
takes a while to pick up (from lower RPMs)
in 2nd.
May or may not be related, sometimes I hear
humming or rumbling sounds at idle and also
when moving from standstill in 1st. May
be I'm being too sensitive, but there are
times when this sounds unnatural.
Question is, any new story from folks
who reported the clunking earlier? Should
this be cheked out by the dealer?
Can anyone comment on the relative noise levels in a 2000-1 Protege versus a '92. Noise is my only source of dissatisfaction even after 8 years and 200 000 ks.
Regards,
Mark.
Noise level in 2000 ES: definitely less noisy than my 92 LX, but still there is a lot of tire noise on rough concrete roads- not a car for those who want to be isolated from the road. It's smooth & refined on new asphalt, even at high speeds. (Only 95 mph so far for me).
I don't know if this clunk should be there or not, but it seems reasonable to associate it with the speed that the clutch pedal is released.
If there's anyone with technical knowledge of why this phenomenon happens please let us know.
(I have a 2000 Protege ES 5-speed, and yes, I think I can hear what you guys are talking about. I've heard it since day one. My Protege now has 7,000 miles on it and we're just clunking right along, happy as a clam ...)
Meade
cannot even hear the clunking. (I can
clearly hear it). They also said that
even if there is any clunking, it's normal
(I don't know how they can say this if
they "cannot hear it"). Anyway, as long as
this is not symptomatic of a bigger problem,
got to live with it!
Another question: any idea on the 1000 mile
oil change? I was told by the service dept.
that it's not necessary. They asked me to
come back at 3000 miles.
Regards,
Mark.
This is coming from absolutely no knowledge of cars, but it seems to me that higher performance engines seem to make the clunk more than other engines.
Oh well, I have the 2000 Pro-ES auto. No clunking, pretty smooth for an auto tranny.
This is my first time posting a message at Town Hall. I was relieved and also disturbed to see that other people were experiencing a clunking noise when shifting the 2000 protege. I own a 2000 protege LX with about 3,500 miles on it. The clunking is most noticeable when shifting at low speeds between 1st and 2nd gears. One service manager said he couldn't hear the sound. Big surprise! They never do. I went to another Mazda dealer and the technician said he heard it, and it was ok/normal. He said it was the design of the transmission, something to do with "back lash". As several other people mentioned, if you shift at higher rpms, or engage the clutch more smoothely, the clunking noise usually vanishes.
A more frustrating problem I have had since the day my wife and I bought the 2000 Protege is an unacceptable pulling, mainly to the right. After about 4 trips to the dealer, I finally convinced them to look at the allignment, which was found to be out of specks. However, even after that, I noticed that the car will drift down the crown of the road, and become more pronounced when passengers are in the car. I know that most cars will drift down a crown, but you should be able to correct the steering, and it will track staight again. At least that was how my last 6 small cars behaved.
I consider it to be a safety issue, since the car can pull/drift so rapidly. I am in the process of filing the Lemon Law. I feel this is a defect with the suspension of the Protege. I drove many other Proteges, and they all had the same pull. My theory is that the suspension is too stiff for the weight/size of the car, causing it to not sit properly on the road surface.
Has anyone else experienced this. I would really appreciate a response.
Regards,
Mark.
This is my first time
here.
I was looking for a used
japanese car for the last
3 weeks, and found a Mazda
Protege 96.The price is
around 4000$.
Its is manual
transmission, has a/c, cassette, and
has all power.
But it HAS 100K MILES!
Is this model and make
good? Do proteges' have
problems? Is the price
good?
PLEASE give me your
input. I am new in the car
buying scene.
Thank you
As for this clunking issue, it sounds like if you rev to 3000rpm and or engage the clutch smoothly the problem is not a problem. I have driven many a manual car: Mazda RX3, VW Rabbit Diesel, Honda Accord, Ford Fiesta, Ford Ranger, and Mazda B2200. Every one of these cars/trucks shifted differently and had their own "feel". Part of driving a stick shift is learning how the car responds best, and adapting to that style. I am not discounting the clunk problem, just my feelings after driving a manual for over 20 years.
Although the Lemon Law differs from state to state, the general theme is if you take the car in for service and have it repaired at least three times for the same problem and the problem remains unresolved in a specified amount of time (here in Virginia it's the first 18 months of ownership), then you're entitled to a new vehicle.
The problem in your case is that a problem has not been identified and no attempt at repair has been made. If this "pulling" you're talking about (my 2000 ES has no noticeable pull) is something you say is common to all the Proteges you've driven, and yours and all others are within specs and therefore meet federal safety requirements, you're going to have a tough time proving your case in court. The dealer (and the judge) may tell you that since you test drove a bunch of other Proteges and found the same "problem", you just don't like the handling characteristics of the car. Also, there's no PROOF that what you're describing is a defect and/or dangerous -- I haven't heard of any accidents in the 2000 Proteges caused by alleged pulling. (In fact, I haven't heard of ANY accidents to date.)
I think you're wasting your time trying to get this to apply to the Lemon Law.
Have you had your dealer (or a reputable private shop) check to see if your right front or rear brake could be causing this?
Meade
I noticed that the people that responded to my question drove Protege LS's, which I believe have wider tires/wheels. Maybe this makes a difference???
If so, I wouldn't call that a problem. Of course, a lot of this depends on the slope of the road itself. Five years ago I had a road near me that was crowned so high that my Mazda B2300 pickup slid SIDEWAYS into the ditch while traveling 20 mph in the snow. That wasn't a fault of the truck -- it's called GRAVITY! Any vehicle traveling sideways on an incline will have a natural tendency to follow the incline downhill -- which I remember well from my teenage years, trying to keep the lawn mower straight as I cut the grass on the hill in front of my dad's house!
Meade
Meade
I'm very careful with the ES, and shift
as recommended, etc. But still, the
clunking is very audible. Sometimes, it
occurs not just when releasing the clutch,
but also while the clutch is just depressed
(coasting). What bothers me is the random
nature of this. I too have been driving
a stick for 10 years now. As you say, each
car is different. In my 1000 miles with the
protege, unfortunately, I'm not too thrilled
with the constant stick vibration, the shifting
smoothness (sometimes it sticks) or this
clunking. On the other hand, I'm pleased
with the suspension and general feel of the
car.
The dealer finds nothing wrong. But
I do find shifting to be difficult at times,
especially from 2nd to 3rd. This is also
where the clunking is heard during clutch-in
as well as out. I'm going to wait to see
if this gets any worse, and more tangible
so that I can show to the dealer. Anyway,
the problem I find in accepting these
irritants is my expectation after
the great build-up this car
has gotten in the press and in edmund's
boards.
My advice? Don't shift at 3,000 RPMs and lug the transmission. Every piece of literature I've read on this transmission says this is a high-redline engine that loves to rev!!! Let it!!!
Meade
Speaking of the automatic, I am very pleased with the Mazda tranny. I feel like I have more control over when it upshifts and downshifts (by manipulating the amount of acceleration I give it) than with other automatics I have driven. I would not recommend the auto in the DX or LX, and still miss shifting at times. But not in stop and crawl traffic every am and pm.
Regards,
Pete
Just got my own protege back from the local Mazda
dealership, and returned the nice LX loaner they
gave me.
The mechanic noticed that the auto CV boots on the
front axle were both slightly ripped and suggested
I change them. The quote - whopping 172 each plus
tax! For two little pockets of grease - most of
the cost is for the approximately 4 hours of
labour, I'm told!
I checked around a bit at other repair shops - and
was wondering if anyone had any suggestions about
where I should get this done. is this a car-specific and complicated enough job to justify
the higher cost at the dealership?
A few of the places I called told me that its
possible that I would be looking at an axle
replacement too, if the grease has been all lost
and dust has gotten in - adding approximately $100
to the average quote for 250 - for both axles.
Anyone have any experience in this matter?
And this after spending 550 on the basic 60K mile
service :-(
Its a pity that car expenses come in large bundles
(of joy. Not!)
Also, does anyone know if I should notice any
difference in the drive characteristics/performance/gas mileage etc of the
car after the 60K service?
This included timing belt replacement, fuel and
air filters, new spark plugs, gaskets in a few
places, and all fluids, except automatic
transmission and coolant/antifreeze.
Thanks!
-ashu
So I think I got a reasonable deal on the 60K service when I paid 540 including tax
1. Its an official Mazda dealership
2. barely $50 more than the next most expensive (which was about the same rate as the couple of other places that did the 60K service)
-ashu
I am trying to make a decision between the Mazda Protege vs. the Nissan Sentra. Does anyone have an opinion on this choice ? I had a Toyota Corolla for ten years. My only complaint was the defrost system. It used to really annoy me. The windows never seem to clear. I don't want similar problems with either car. I will probably buy within the next two weeks. Any advice will be gratefully appreciated.
pgurnett
Actually, our Sedans conference will be of more assistance to you in your decision. Here is a link to a topic over there that could be helpful to you:
Mazda Protege vs. Honda Civic vs. Nissan Sentra
I also suggest you use the Topic Search feature on the left side of the page, once for Sentra and once again for Protege. You should find lots of other topics in Sedans that will be interesting to you.
Good luck and again, welcome!
Pat
Community Leader/Maintenance & Repair Conference
Good luck with your selection > GIC