2001 MAZDA PROTEGE Complaints

LAST NOVEMBER THE "CHECK ENGINE" LIGHT CAME ON IN MY 2001 MAZDA PROTEGE. I IMMEDIATELY BROUGHT IT TO THE MAZDA DEALERSHIP, WHO SAID THAT THEIR WAS AN ERROR WITH THE CODE AND THEY CLEARED IT AND RECALIBRATED IT. THEY SAID IT HAD GONE OFF FOR NO APPARENT REASON. THREE MONTHS LATER (SHORTLY AFTER THE WARRANTY EXPIRED) THE LIGHT CAME ON AGAIN. THIS TIME THE DEALERSHIP CLAIMED THAT THE CODE SAID THAT THE GAS CAP WAS NOT SCREWED ON TIGHT. THIS WAS NOT TRUE! WHEN THAT LIGHT CAME ON I IMMEDIATELY CHECKED THE GAS CAP SINCE THE OWNERS MANUAL TOLD ME THAT WAS ALL I COULD DO MYSELF (IT WAS TIGHT AS A DRUM). THE DEALERSHIP CLAIMED OTHERWISE-IT WAS MY WORD AGAINST THEIRS AND NATURALLY THEY WON. TWO WEEKS LATER THE LIGHT AGAIN CAME BACK ON. WHEN I TOOK IT BACK TO THE DEALERSHIP, THEY TOLD ME THAT THE CODE THIS TIME SAID MY SOLENOID WAS BAD (THE CAR WAS RUNNING GREAT). THE CHARGED ME $427 TO REPLACE IT AND SAID I SHOULD HAVE NO MORE PROBLEMS. ANOTHER COUPLE OF WEEKS GOES BY AND THE LIGHT AGAIN GOES OFF. THIS TIME THEY KEPT IT IN THE SHOP FOR 3 DAYS. THEY CLAIMED THAT THE CODE INDICATED IT WAS THE SOLENOIND (HOW COULD THAT BE SINCE IT WAS A BRAND NEW ONE?) THEY CLEARED THE CODE AND TEST DROVE IT FOR 50 MILES, IT DID NOT COME BACK ON. I BELIEVE THAT THE COMPUTER CONTROLLING THAT LIGHT IS DEFECTIVE AND GIVING OUT ERRONEOUS CODES SINCE I KNOW THAT MY GAS CAP WAS SECURELY TIGHTENED, AND HOW CODE IT POINT TO THE SOLENOID AFTER IT HAD BEEN REPLACED WITH A NEW ONE. THE DEALERSHIP WILL NOT REFUND THOSE REPAIR BILLS AND THE MAZDA CUSTOMER SERVICE WOULD ONLY REFER ME BACK TO THE DEALERSHIP. THEY DID NOT WANT TO HEAR ANY STATEMENTS FROM ME ABOUT A POSSIBLY DEFECTIVE PART. TOLD ME TO GET AN INDEPENDENT AUTO REPAIR PERSON'S ASSESSMENT. I CANNOT AFFORD THAT! PLEASE LOOK INTO THIS FOR ME. THE DEALERSHIP DID TELL ME THAT I'D NEVER BE ABLE TO GET MY CAR SMOGGED WITH THAT LIGHT ON AND I CAN'T LIVE WITH RUNNING BACK AND FORTH TO THE SHOP EVERY TIME IT GOES OFF. *LA

THE CONSUMER'S VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN A COLLISION. UPON IMPACT, NONE OF THE AIR BAGS DEPLOYED. *AK THE CONSUMER HAD RUN A STOP SIGN AND HIT ANOTHER VEHICLE HEAD-ON WHILE PASSING THROUGH AN INTERSECTION. *SC *JB

THE VEHICLE'S AIR BAG SENSOR LIGHT STAYS ON. THE DEALER STATES THEY ARE UNABLE TO DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. THE CONSUMER IS CONCERNED THAT THE AIR BAG WILL NOT DEPLOY UPON IMPACT. *NM *LA

WHILE DRIVING AT 35 MPH STEERING WHEEL LOCKED WITHOUT WARNING. AS A RESULT, DRIVER LOST CONTROL OF VEHICLE AND IMPACTED A TREE. DRIVER SUSTAINED KNEE AND NECK INJURIES. *AK

I HAVE A 2001 MAZDA PROTEGE LX 2.0 AND IT HAS HAD A VIRBRATION IN THE STERRING COLUMN AND THROUGH OUT THE CAR. IT HAS BEEN DOING THIS SINCE I BOUGHT THE CAR ON12-10-02. THE DEALER TELLS ME THAT IT IS NORMAL! IS IT?*AK

BRAKE FAILURE ON MY 2001 MAZDA PROTEGE ES WHICH CAUSED ME TO REAR-END ANOTHER VEHICLE. BOTH VEHICLES ARE TOTAL LOSSES.*AK

CONSUMER STATES WHILE DRIVIING AND WITH NO WARNING STEERING WHEEL LOCKED UP . DEALER NOTIFIED.*AK

FRONT OF BUMPER PAINT CHIPS. IT LOOKS AS LIKE VERY FINE PARTICLES OF CHIP ALL ALONG THE VERY FRONT PORTION OF THE BUMPER. I HAVE REPORTED THIS PROBLEM TO MAZDA BOTH AT THE DEALERSHIP LEVEL AND WITH THE CORPORATE OFFICE. THE DEALERSHIPS DIAGNOSES WAS "OUTSIDE INFLUENCES", WHICH IS SO AMBIQUOUS AS TO MEAN NOTHING. *NLM

CONSUMER STATES WHILE TRAVELING 30 MPH AND AS A RESULT OF A HEAD ON CRASH AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY AT ANY TIME.*AK

THE VEHICLE WAS REAR ENDED. THE AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY AND THE SEATS BELT UNLATCHED. *JB