2001 MAZDA PROTEGE Complaints

TIRE SIDEWALL BUBBLE/BLISTER UPON HITTING SHALLOW POTHOLE - THIS IS 3RD TIRE OCCURANCE, ALL WITH SAME SIDEWALL BLISTER DAMAGE, OF THE FOUR OE TIRES DELIVERED ON MY 2001 MAZDA PROTEGE ES. THE OE TIRES ARE DUNLOP SP SPORT 5000M P195/50R16 83 V. DOT IDENTIFICATION: DOT EULV 4MD0901. ALL TIRES HAVE BEEN INFLATED TO 30-35 PSI AT TIME OF IMPACT AND THE POTHOLE WAS SUFFICIENTLY MINOR AS TO CAUSE NO DAMAGE TO THE ALLOY RIM OR ANY OTHER SCRAPE OR DAMAGE TO THE TIRE. THE SIDEWALL BLISTER WOULD FORM WITHIN SEVERAL MILES DRIVING AFTER IMPACT. I'VE NOW HAD TO PURCHASE THREE DUNLOP REPLACEMENT TIRES TO DATE.

THE CRUISE CONTROL SELECTOR ON THE 2001 MAZDA PROTEGE IS A SHORT STALK ON THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE STEERING WHEEL. ONCE THE CRUISE CONTROL IS ENABLED BY PRESSING A BUTTON IN THE END OF THE STALK, THE CRUISE SPEED IS SELECTED BY MOVING THE STALK DOWN. IF CRUISE IS INTERRUPTED, AS BY STEPPING ON THE BRAKE PEDAL, THE PRE-SET SPEED CAN BE RESUMED BY MOVING THE STALK UP. SINCE THE STALK CHANGES LOCATION WITH THE MOVEMENT OF THE STEERING WHEEL, IT IS VERY EASY TO INADVERTENTLY OPERATE THE STALK. I HAVE HIT IT WHEN ATTEMPTING TO OPERATE THE WINDSHIELD WIPER/WASHER (ANOTHER STALK ON THE RIGHT SIDE) AND WHILE TURNING A CORNER. THE HAZARD IS THAT THE ENABLED CRUISE CONTROL IS NOT DISABLED IF THE VEHICLE DROPS BELOW A CERTAIN SPEED, STOPS, OR EVEN WHEN THE IGNITION IS TURNED OFF. IT REMAINS ENABLED UNTIL INTENTIONALLY TURNED OFF. A DRIVER, UNAWARE THAT THE CRUISE CONTROL WAS ENABLED, COULD ACCIDENTALLY MOVE THE STALK UP TO RESUME, AND THE VEHICLE WOULD ACCELERATE TO THE LAST PRE-SET SPEED. EVEN THOUGH A TAP OF THE BRAKE PEDAL WOULD INTERRUPT THE ACCELERATION, BY THE TIME THE DRIVER REALIZED IT AND REACTED, A LOT OF DAMAGE COULD BE DONE. A DRIVER COULD ALSO ACCIDENTALLY MOVE THE STALK DOWN AND UNKNOWINGLY SET THE CURRENT SPEED AS THE CRUISE SPEED. IF THE DRIVER LIFTED HIS/HER FOOT FROM THE GAS PEDAL, THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT DECELERATE AS EXPECTED BUT WOULD CONTINUE AT THE SET SPEED.

WHILE ACCELERATING VEHICLE WOULD MAKE A NOISE. DEALER SERVICED VEHICLE AND NOTICE A BRAKE DUST PROBLEM. PROBLEM RETURNED. DEALER SERVICED, AND NOTICED STEERING COLUMN NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION.*AK

2 ORIGINAL EQUIPMENT TIRES HAVE DEVELOPED GOLFBALL SIZE BLISTERS WHERE SIDEWALL MEETS THE TREAD. *AK

3RD CAR IN 3 CAR COLLISION. FULLY RESTRAINED IN 3 POINT BELT AND SHOULDER HARNESS. UPON FRONTAL IMPACT, AIRBAG FAILED TO DEPLOY CAUSING INJURY TO DRIVER AND 7 1/2 MONTH OLD FETUS. NLM

I WAS TOLD THAT THE TIRE WAS DRIVEN WHILE LOW. I CHECK THE AIR IN MY TIRES ONCE SOMETIMES TWICE A WEEK. THE MECHANIC THAT LOOKED AT MY TIRE SAID THAT IT ONLY HAS TO BE A LITTLE LOW TO START RUBBING ON THE RIM. AS YOU CAN SEE BY MY MILEAGE I DRIVE QUITE A BIT. PLUS BOTH MY DAD (RETIRED) AND MY HUSBAND WORK FOR UNIROYAL TIRES. MY HUSBAND IS A TIREBUILDER. I AM JUST GLAD THE TIRES DIDN'T BLOW WHILE I WAS DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY. I AM 36 YEARS OLD AND THIS IS THE FIRST TIME I HAVE EVERY HAD A TIRE RUINED IN 20000 MILES. I THINK SOMETHING IS WRONG WITH THESE TIRES. SO DOES MY DAD AND HUSBAND.*AK (TIRESIZE: 192/55/R15)

REAR VIEW WINDOW TAKES AN UNUSUAL AMOUNT OF TIME TO DEFROST. OTHER WIDOWS AND MIRRORS DEFROST IN A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME. DEALER HAS YET TO BE CONTACTED. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER DETAILS.*AK

THE PROBLEMS WITH THIS PARTICULAR VEHICLE OCCURRED ON 11/01/2001 IN AN AUTO ACCIDENT. I'M THE PASSENGER WHO WAS DRIVING THE VEHICLE SOUTHBOUND ON THE INTERSTATE WHEN SUDDENLY I COULDN'T STOP THE VEHICLE BECAUSE OF THE BRAKES, SO I TRIED TO CHANGE LANES, AND THE CAR VEERED OFF THE ROAD, LANDING IN A DITCH AFTER CRASHING INTO 4 OR 5 TREES. NO AIR BAGS DEPLOYED, AND MY SEAT BELT DETACHED AT SOME POINT DURING THE IMPACT. AS A RESULT CAR WAS COMPLETELY TOTALED, AND DRIVER SIDE DOOR WAS SMASHED IN. PASSENGER'S SEAT DIRECTLY BEHIND THE DRIVER WAS PUSHED INTO THE MIDDLE OF THE CAR, AND THE TRUCK SAT IN THE BACK SEAT. THROUGH ALL OF THE IMPACT I COULD HAVE PROBABLY BEEN THROWN OUT OF MY SEAT BECAUSE MY SAT BECAME UNATTACHED, THEREBY CAUSING EXTREME DAMAGE TO MY CHEST, AND LEAVING ME WITH FRACTURED RIBS WHICH COULD HAVE BEEN AVOIDED IF THE AIR BAGS SIMPLY DEPLOYED. *AKFURTHERMORE, THE WHOLE THING COULD HAVE BEEN AVOIDED IF I HAD CONTROL OF STOPPING THE VEHICLE IN A TIMELY FASHION.

VEHICLE HAS BEEN PULLING TO LEFT WHILE DRIVING SINCE DATE OF PURCHASE. DEALER HAS BEEN CONTACTED, AND INFORMED CONSUMER THAT REAR AXLE HAD BROKEN. DEALER REFUSED TO REPAIR REAR AXLE FREE OF CHARGE EVEN THOUGH VEHICLE WAS STILL UNDER WARRANTY. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER DETAILS.*AK

DURING AN ATTEMPT TO CHANGE A FLAT TIRE JACK COLLAPSED WHILE RAISING VEHICLE. DEALERSHIP EXAMINED JACK, AND CONCLUDED A BOLT LOOKED "SOFT" RESULTING IN COLLAPSE. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY ADDITIONAL INFORMATION / DOCUMENTATION.*AK