2002 MAZDA PROTEGE Complaints

WHENEVER THE VEHICLE IS ON A SLIGHT INCLINE VEHICLE WOULD ROLL BACKWARD WHEN THE DRIVER RELEASES THE ACCELERATOR OR THE BRAKE PEDALS. DEALER WAS NOT CONTACTED.*AK

WHILE DRIVING 25 MPH GAS PEDAL WAS PRESSED AND VEHICLE HESITATED AND THEN LURCHED FORWARD. DEALER HAD THE VEHICLE THREE TIMES, BUT COULD NOT RESOLVE THE PROBLEM. *AK

WE PURCHASED A MAZDA PROTEGE5 IN JANUARY OF 2002. WITHIN A VERY SHORT TIME, (~1000 MILES, MAYBE LESS), WE NOTICED A HIGH PITCHED WHINING NOISE. THIS NOISE OCCURS BETWEEN 50 AND 75 MILES PER HOUR ON AVERAGE. WE BROUGHT THE VEHICLE IN TO MAZDA, AND A MECHANIC IMMEDIATELY TIED THE PROBLEM TO THE TRANSMISSION. SO, IN VERY SHORT ORDER, THEY REPLACED OUR TRANSMISSION, (WHICH WORRIED ME A LITTLE). UNFORTUNATELY, THIS DID NOT CORRECT THE PROBLEM, SO WE COMPLAINED ONCE MORE, AND WITHIN A WEEK OR TWO MAZDA APPARENTLY RELEASED A BULLETIN WHICH RELEASES THEM OF ALL RESPONSIBILITY. THIS BULLETIN APPARENTLY STATES THAT THE WHINING NOISE ASSOCIATED WITH CERTAIN MAZDA PROTEGE5 VEHICLES IS MERELY A VIBRATION IN THE ENGINE AND WILL NOT AFFECT THE INTEGRITY OF THE VEHICLE OR ITS RESALE VALUE. I WOULD LIKE TO SUGGEST THAT I CERTAINLY WOULD NOT BUY AN OTHERWISE PRISTINE VEHICLE IF IT WHINED EVERY TIME I GOT ON THE FREEWAY...I HAVE TO TURN MY RADIO UP QUITE LOUD JUST TO DROWN IT OUT!!! MAZDA WILL DO NOTHING FOR US, WHICH IS SAD, BECAUSE I HAVE ENJOYED OWNING THIS AND OTHER VEHICLES, BUT WILL NOT NECESSARILY CONSIDER BUYING ANOTHER. *AK

FACTORY HUB CAPS FALL OFF WHILE DRIVING. PLASTIC CLIPS ON RETENTION RINGS ON INSIDE OF HUBCAPS BREAK OFF WHILE DRIVING. HAVE LOST 3 HUBCAPS IN LAST 4 MONTHS. PAID $50 TO REPLACE THE FIRST ONE. DEALER SAYS IT HAS NEVER HEARD/SEEN THE PROBLEM BEFORE. DEALER OFFERED TO SELL NEW HUBCAPS FOR COST...$31.00. ---PLANNED, ENGINEERED OBSOLESENCE--- WILL NOT BUY A MAZDA AGAIN IF THEY CAN'T KEEP THE HUBCAPS ON THE CAR.*AK

PROBLEMS WITH TIRE EQUIPMENT ON THE 2002 MAZDA PROTEGE 5. *MR THERE WAS DIFFICULTY WITH PLACING SUITCASES OR BOXES INTO THE TRUNK OF THIS TYPE OF VEHICLE, THE CD PLAYER SKIPPED, THE TRANSMISSION DISPLAYED A LOUD CLUNK NOISE, THERE WAS A SPARE TIRE PROBLEM, THERE WAS A NAIL IN THE TIRE WHICH COULD NOT BE REPAIRED BECAUSE IT WAS LOCATED TOO CLOSE TO THE EDGE OF THE TIRE, 50% OF TREAD REMAINED, AND THERE WAS EVIDENCE THAT THE WHEEL NEEDED TO HAVE FIVE HOLES FOR BOLTS (SPARE WHEEL), AND THE BRAKES HAD 50% REMAINING. THE CONSUMER REQUESTED THAT A MEMORANDUM BE SENT TO ALL MAZDA DEALERS EXPLAINING THE PROBLEM, ENSURE THAT ONE OR TWO REPLACEMENT TIRES SHOULD BE STOCKED DUE TO THE EXTREME DIFFICULTIES IN LOCATING THE CORRECT INFORMATION OF THE TIRE AND WHEEL. *SC *JB

THE CONSUMER REAR ENDED ANOTHER MOTORIST WHILE DRIVING AT 45 MPH. THE FRONTAL AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY UPON IMPACT. THE DRIVER SUSTAINED INJURIES WHEN HE HIT THE STEERING WHEEL. THE PASSENGER SUSTAINED INJURIES WHEN SHE/HE HIT THE DASHBOARD. BOTH VEHICLES INVOLVED IN THE ACCIDENT WERE TOTALED. *JB *NM

MY 80 YEAR OLD MOTHER WAS DRIVING THE CAR EASTBOUND ON SW 104 STREET WHEN AT THE INTERSECTION OF 127 AVE. THE STEERING WHEEL STOPPED RESPONDING AND FELT UNATTACHED TO THE WHEELS. I WAS INFORMED TODAY, BY THE MAZDA SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE, THAT IT WAS IN FACT THE GEERING BOX THAT HAD FAILED. THERE WERE NO FATALITIES BUT THERE COULD EASILY HAVE BEEN IF IT WAS NOT FOR THE GOOD SAMARITAN THAT USED HIS/HER OWN VEHICLE TO FORCIBLY BRING THE CAR TO A STOP. YESTERDAY MY MOTHER WAS DRIVING THE CAR BUT IF IT HAD BEEN ANOTHER DRIVER, A YOUNGER, FASTER DRIVER, THIS INCIDENT COULD HAVE BEEN CATASTROPHIC.*AK

WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED THE VEHICLE HESITATED WHEN THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS PRESSED. THE DEALER EXAMINED THE VEHICLE TWICE AND REPLACED THE FRONT PADS AND FOUND THE REAR CALIPERS WERE WARPED. DUE TO THE WARPED CALIPERS, THE REAR PADS CAN NOT BE REPLACED WITH OUT NEW CALIPERS. *JB

TRANSMISSION WAS SLIPPING AT HIGHER GEARS ON SAT. (03/20). WOULD RACE TO HIGH RPM'S AS THOUGH LOOKING FOR ANOTHER GEAR. HUSBAND TOOK TO SERVICE THIS MORNING. PROBLEM BECAME WORSE AS HE DROVE TO DEALERSHIP. WOULD "THUNK" INTO GEAR, WOULD RACE TO HIGH RPM'S AT 35-45 MPH. WHEN ARRIVED AT DEALERSHIP, THEY CHECKED AND CONFIRMED THAT THE TRANSMISSION HAS FAILED. CAR WAS BOUGHT NEW AND ONLY HAS 34,000 MILES ON IT. *AK

AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY DURING A FRONT END COLLISION AT 35 MILES PER HOUR. THE FRONT END WAS TOTALLED AND ALTHOUGH THE INJURIES WERE MINOR, THERE IS A FALSE SENSE OF SECURITY.*AK