2000 MAZDA PROTEGE Complaints

MY 2000 MAZDA PROTEGE LX HAS HAD SOME "MAJOR SURGERY" LATELY. ABOUT A YEAR AGO (EARLY 2008), WHEN BACKING UP ESPECIALLY, THE CAR WOULD MAKE A STRESS THEN POP NOISE ON THE RIGHT SIDE AND TOWARDS THE MIDDLE UNDERSIDE OF THE CAR. I WAS TOLD THIS AND THAT. I HAD NEW REAR STRUTS PUT ON, ALIGNMENTS, TIGHTENING OF THE SUSPENSION, ETC. SOME OF THESE WORKED TEMPORARILY. MY CAR WAS INVOLVED IN AN "ACCIDENT" AT THE END OF DECEMBER 2008. WE HAD BAD SNOW AND ICE AND MY CAR'S LEFT FRONT TIRE HIT AN ICE RUT PRETTY GOOD. AFTER THAT, MY CAR POPPED AND POPPED. TURNS OUT, THE ENTIRE STEERING RACK AND EVERYTHING THAT GOES WITH IT HAD TO BE REPLACED. WHEN I DROVE THE CAR BACK TO WORK AFTER THE REPAIR, THE STICK SHIFT TURNED TO JELLO. I BARELY MADE IT BACK TO THE REPAIR SHOP WHERE IT WAS DISCOVERED THAT THE BUSHING HAD COME APART. WELL, NOW I HAVE BEEN BATTLING A CREAKY CLUTCH PEDDLE. WITH EACH RELEASE, IT CREAKS LIKE AN OLD HINGE AS IF IT'S TRYING TO GET BACK INTO POSITION. IT'S GETTING WORSE. I TALKED TO MECHANICS AND READ ON-LINE ABOUT IT. SOME SAY IT COULD BE THE FLUID RESERVOIR (HOW EMPTY IT IS) OR THIS SPRING THAT IS RUBBING ON ANOTHER COMPONENT. THE PEDAL FEELS OKAY, IT'S NOT LOOSE. I JUST NOW WONDER IF THIS IS COINCIDENTAL DUE TO THE REPAIR OF THE STEERING RACK AND WEAK BUSHING OF THE STICK SHIFT. AND FOR THE RECORD, THE MANUAL IN THE CAR IS FOR AN AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION, NOT A 5SPD. I BOUGHT THE CAR USED IN 2001 WITH 24,000 MILES ON IT. *TR

I HAD BEEN IN AN ACCIDENT IN EARLY 2006 THAT WAS REPORTED TO THE POLICE AND WHEN I APPLIED MY BRAKES, THEY WERE NOT EFFECTIVE. I THOUGHT IT WAS THE TYPE OF TIRE I HAD ON MY CAR SO ABOUT 2 WEEKS AGO I SPENT 600 FOR TOP OF THE LINE TIRES. ON 11/17/2006, I WAS BEHIND A CAR THAT SLAMMED ON THEIR BRAKES AND WHEN I APPLIED MINE THEY DID NOT SLOW THE CAR DOWN SO I KEPT PUMPING THEM SO HARD I BRUISED MY FOOT AND CRASHED INTO THE PERSON IN FRONT OF ME TOTALING MY CAR. I HAD MY SEAT BELT ON BUT SINCE THERE WAS NO INDICATION THAT THE BRAKES WERE BEING APPLIED, THE BELT REMAINED LOOSE AND MY HEAD SMASHED INTO THE WINDSHIELD SHATTERING IT. AFTER GIVING MY INFO TO THE DRIVER I HIT AND MAKING SURE THAT I WAS ALRIGHT, HE LEFT AND SAID NOT TO WORRY AS THE DAMAGE TO HIS CAR WAS MINIMAL AND HE COULD FIX IT HIMSELF. AN OFFICER DID ARRIVE AND NOTED THAT MY TIRE MARKS WERE EXTREMELY FAINT ON THE DRIVERS SIDE AND ALMOST UNDETECTABLE ON THE PASSENGER SIDE WHICH SUPPORTED THE BRAKE FAILURE. I DON'T KNOW WHO I NEED TO CONTACT TO EXAMINE MY CAR TO DETERMINE THE BRAKE FAILURE BUT I NEED TO DO THIS BEFORE MY INSURANCE COMPANY CLAIMS THE CAR. ANY ASSISTANCE OR DIRECTION WOULD BE GREATLY APPRECIATED. *JB

I WAS UNABLE TO RELEASE THE DRIVER'S SIDE SEAT BELT. I CRAWLED OUT UNDER IT AND EVENTUALLY GOT IT TO RELEASE. IT SEEMS TO WORK OK NOW BUT I'M NOW LEERY OF IT. *JB

I JUST SPENT 2200 ON REPAIRS TO MY TRANSMISSION. MY VEHICLE HAD BEEN LUNGING FORWARD WHILE I WAS DRIVING AND THE REPAIR SHOP THOUGHT IT WAS THE TRANSMISSION. THEY FOUND MAJOR DAMAGE TO THE TRANSMISSION. IT WAS FIXED AND NOW MY VEHICLE IS LUNGING FORWARD AGAIN. IT JUST STARTED AGAIN TODAY. IF I HAD BEEN DRIVING TOO CLOSE TO SOMEONE, I WOULD HAVE HIT THEM. MAZDA NEEDS TO STEP UP AND FIX THIS AND DO A RECALL. NOW I HAVE TO GO AND LET THE SHOP TRY TO SEE WHY THIS IS GOING ON. I MAY BE OUT MORE MONEY. I HATE THIS CAR AND I WILL NEVER RECOMMEND MAZDA. AND JUST NOTE THIS VEHICLE ONLY HAS 59000 MILES. *JB

I FEEL THAT MY 2000 MAZDA PROTEGE DX WITH 56,000 MILES ON IT IS A VERY UNSAFE VEHICLE. THIS VEHICLE HAS SUCH LOW MILES ON IT TO BE GIVING ME ANY TROUBLE. WHEN I AM DRIVING, THE VEHICLE FEELS AS IF IT IS GOING INTO OVERDRIVE BY ITSELF AND THEN RETURNS BACK TO NORMAL. MY OVERDRIVE LIGHT FLASHES ON AND OFF WHEN THIS HAPPENS. THIS IS A VERY UNSAFE BECAUSE WHEN IT DOES THIS, IT LUNGES YOUR VEHICLE FORWARD. I HAVE NOT BEEN GOING VERY FAST WHEN THIS HAS HAPPENED. I AM VERY AFRAID TO DRIVE MY VEHICLE IN FEAR THAT AT A HIGHER SPEED, THIS COULD CAUSE AN ACCIDENT. I HAVE READ MANY COMPLAINTS THAT ARE SIMILAR AS MINE. SOMETHING NEEDS TO BE DONE ABOUT THIS. I HAVE NO WARRANTY ON MY VEHICLE AND REALLY DON'T HAVE THE MONEY TO FIX IT, BUT IT HAS TO BE DONE. FROM WHAT I HAVE READ ON THE INTERNET, MAZDA HAS PRODUCED A VERY POOR TRANSMISSION. I FEEL THAT THIS IS ONLY THE START. I AM HOPING THIS WILL NOT LEAD TO ME PUTTING IN A NEW TRANSMISSION. THE TRANSMISSION SHOP READ THE CODE AS SOLENOIDS. I HAVE AN APPOINTMENT AT THE TRANSMISSION SHOP TO GET THE SOLENOIDS REPLACED. THIS WILL COST ABOUT 400.00. I AM HOPING THAT THIS WILL FIX MY VEHICLE AND GIVE ME PEACE OF MIND. *JB

LESS THAN TWO MONTHS AFTER PURCHASING MY 2000 MAZDA PROTEGE NEW FROM THE DEALER I TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE SERVICE DEPT. WHILE ACCELERATING, THE CAR WOULD JERK AND BUCK AS IF I HIT A BRICK WALL. THE CAR CONTINUED TO DO THIS. EACH TIME I COMPLAINED TO THE SERVICE DEPT. AT THE DEALERSHIP I WAS TOLD NOTHING WAS WRONG. I ALSO CONTACTED MAZDA CORP. TO INQUIRE IF THERE WERE ANY OTHER COMPLAINTS OR RECALLS. I WAS ADVISED THAT MAZDA HAD NOT RECEIVED ANY SIMILAR COMPLAINTS. JUST SHY OF THREE YEARS OF OWNERSHIP I AGAIN TOOK THE CAR TO THE DEALER SERVICE DEPT WITH THE SAME PROBLEM CONCERNING THE CAR'S ACCELERATION. THIS WAS MY THIRD REQUEST TO HAVE THE DEALER LOOK INTO THE MATTER. AGAIN, I WAS TOLD NOTHING WAS WRONG WITH THE CAR. THE CAR'S ACCELERATION CONTINUED TO ACT UP. ON MAY 26, 2006, WITH 66097 MILES ON THE VEHICLE MY ACCELERATOR STUCK AND I STRUCK ANOTHER VEHICLE AND A CEMENT BASE LIGHT POLE. EACH TIME I TOOK MY FOOT OFF THE BRAKE TO SHIFT FROM REVERSE OR DRIVE, MY CAR WOULD TAKE OFF ON ITS OWN. I HAVE SENT THE NHTSA A DETAILED WRITTEN COMPLAINT VIA POSTAL MAIL. THAT COMPLAINT IS DATED JUNE 5, 2006. *NM THERE WAS A HIGH PITCHED NOISE COMING FROM THE FRONT OF THE VEHICLE UPON ACCELERATION. THE VEHICLE NEEDED A FRONT END ALIGNMENT. THE CONSUMER A EXPERIENCED A FLAT TIRE, HOWEVER UPON OPENING THE TRUNK SHE DISCOVERED THE TOOL KIT WAS NOT THERE. ACCORDING TO THE OWNERS MANUAL THE TOOL KIT SHOULD HAVE BEEN THERE. UPDATED 07/10/06. *JB

2000 PROTEGE LX ACCELERATOR PEDAL WAS STUCK IN THE DEPRESSED POSITION. *TS AS A RESULT OF THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL STICKING THE CONSUMER WAS INVOLVED IN AN ACCIDENT. ON FEB 21, 2000 THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER BECAUSE THE CONSUMER HEARD A HIGH PITCHED PING NOISE COMING FROM THE VEHICLE. THE DEALER WAS UNABLE TO DUPLICATE THE NOISE. THE LEFT REAR DOOR LOCK ASSEMBLY WAS DEFECTIVE. THE VEHICLE WOULD ACCELERATED AND JERK WHILE ACCELERATING.

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING 35 MPH THERE WAS A LOUD EXPLOSION FROM THE ENGINE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT PULLED OVER BUT CONTINUED TO BE DRIVEN TO THE CONTACT'S RESIDENCE. THE VEHICLE WAS THEN INSPECTED, THE NUMBER 2 CYLINDER HAD BLOWN A SPARK PLUG THROUGH THE MOTOR. THE SPARK PLUG WAS IN 3 PIECES, THE PLUG WIRES WERE STILL CONNECTED TO THE TOP OF THE PLUG, THE THREADED PORTION OF THE PLUG WAS STILL IN THE CYLINDER, AND THE THIRD PIECE WAS INSIDE THE ENGINE. NEITHER THE DEALER NOR MANUFACTURER WERE CONTACTED. UPDATED 05/30/2006. *AK

AS I ACCELERATED TO 30 MPH, THE "O/D OFF" LIGHT ON THE DASHBOARD FLASHED AND THE SPEEDOMETER STAYED AT ZERO, EVEN THOUGH I WAS DRIVING AS FAST AS THE OTHER CARS ON THE STREET. IT FELT LIKE NEUTRAL GEAR. THE MANUAL INDICATES THE FLASHING LIGHT IS DUE TO AN ELECTRICAL PROBLEM WITH THE TRANSMISSION. I REMEMBERED THAT WITHIN A FEW MONTHS OF PURCHASING THIS NEW CAR, THE TRANSMISSION WAS REPLACED DUE TO PECULIAR SOUNDS, SO I WORRY ABOUT THE QUALITY OF THIS COMPONENT SINCE I DO NOT DRIVE MUCH. *JB

FRONT END IMPACT OF AT LEAST 45 MPH WITHOUT APPLYING BRAKES. ALMOST DIRECT FULL CONTACT WITH FRONT END (SLIGHTLY MORE ON ONE SIDE). FRONT AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. SEAT BELT RESTRAINED FORWARD MOTION BUT INJURY WAS INCURRED TO NECK AND BACK DUE TO FORCE OF COLLISION. *NM