2003 MAZDA PROTEGE Complaints

I WAS TAKING A CORNER ON HWY 36 AND HIT GRAVEL ON THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. THE CAR WENT OFF THE ROAD DID A NOSE DIVE INTO A DITCH FLIP FORWARD END OVER END, SLID AND ROLLED TWICE. NON OF THE AIR BAGS DEPLOYED. NEITHER DRIVER OR PASSENGER. I AM NOT POSITIVE BUT MY CAR SHOULD HAVE HAD SIDE CURTAIN AIR BAGS BUT THEY DID NOT DEPLOY EITHER. *JB

I HAVE HAD TWO OCCURRENCES OF SCREWS FROM THE BUTTERFLY VALVES ON THE VTCS SYSTEM FROM THE INTAKE OF MY 2003 MAZDA PROTEGE 5 COMING LOOSE AND BEING SUCKED INTO THE COMBUSTION CHAMBER OF THE VEHICLE. EACH INSTANCE HAS CAUSED THE PISTON TO KNOCK THE SCREW INTO THE SPARK PLUG, THEREBY CAUSING FAILURE OF A SPARK PLUG, WHICH CAUSES THE ENGINE TO MISFIRE TO THE POINT WHERE IT IS UNDRIVABLE, THEREBY LEAVING ME STRANDED ON THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. THE FIRST INCIDENT WAS MISDIAGNOSED (SPARK PLUG REPLACED). THE SECOND WAS DIAGNOSED CORRECTLY AND THE INTAKE MANIFOLD ASSEMBLY WAS REPLACED. THIS IS A WIDESPREAD PROBLEM WITH THE 2.0L FS-ZE MAZDA ENGINE. MANY OTHER OWNERS HAVE HAD THE PROBLEM. FOR MORE INFORMATION TO DEMONSTRATE THE PREVALENCE OF THE PROBLEM, PLEASE VISIT HTTP://WWW.MSPROTEGE.COM AND SEARCH USING THE KEYWORDS "VCTS" AND "SCREW". YOU WILL SEE MANY THREADS WHERE PEOPLE ARE DISCUSSING THIS PROBLEM. *NM

ONE OF THE BUTTERFLY VALVES ON THE INTAKE MANIFOLD FELL OFF COMPLETELY. THIS HAPPENED WHEN THE LAST OF THE TWO SCREWS HOLDING IT ON CAME LOOSE AND FELL-OFF AND WAS SUCKED INTO THE ENGINE. WHEN THE PART WAS DISMANTLED, THERE WERE ONLY FIVE OF THE ORIGINAL EIGHT SCREWS REMAINING. ONLY ONE OF THE FOUR VALVES WAS COMPLETELY CONNECTED WHEN THE UNIT WAS OPENED. I WAS DRIVING NORMALLY DOWN ROAD AND LUCKILY THIS HAPPENED AS I WAS PARKING MY CAR. THE EVENT HAPPENED ON 7/22/05 AND THE MAZDA DEALERSHIP STATED THAT ALTHOUGH THEY HAVE SEEN THIS OCCUR BEFORE, THERE IS NO TSB OR RECALL. I WILL NEED TO REPLACE THIS PART OF THE MANIFOLD AT A COST OF MORE THAT $1000 DOLLARS. ON A MAZDA ENTHUSIST WEBSITE THAT I FREQUENT, AT LEAST TEN OTHER MEMBERS HAVE HAD THE SAME PROBLEM WITH RESULTS VARYING FROM COMPLETE ENGINE REPLACEMENT, TO THE SAME SUPPOSED FIX AS I NEED. THAT INFORMATION CAN BE FOUND AT "WWW.PROTEGE5.COM" THE INFORMATION IS AVAILABLE IN NUMEROUS PLACES IF YOU SEARCH THERE FOR "ENGINE NOISE." *JB

2003 MAZDA PROTEGE (MANUAL TRANSMISSION); HAVE TROUBLE GOING INTO REVERSE AND SOMETIMES INTO FIRST GEAR; ALSO, UNABLE TO TAKE KEY OUT OF IGNITION; DRIVER WINDOW FEELS LIKE IT IS ROLLING OFF TRACK WHEN ROLLED DOWN. PROBLEMS WITH VEHICLE FIRST BEGAN SOME TIME IN MARCH 2005.

DRIVERS FRONTAL IMPACT AT 45 MPH AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. MY CAR 2003 MAZDA PROTEGE 5 WAS TOTALED. NOW I AM HAVING NECK AND BACK PAIN WHEN I USE MY CAR. I CALLED MAZDA THEY TOLD ME TO USE MY INSURANCE COM. TO INVESTGATE THE AIRBAGS AND GET WITH MADZA. *JB

PREMATURE REAR BRAKE WEAR, BOTH SIDES. BOTH REAR ROTORS (AND THEIR PADS, OF COURSE) HAD TO BE REPLACED AT 20,240 MILES. I WAS CHARGED $378.45 FOR REPAIR. INTERNET DISCUSSION GROUPS REPORT THIS PROBLEM DUE TO CALIPER SLIDES STICKING. SOME DEALERS PERFORM THIS REPAIR FREE; MINE REFUSED.*AK

THE VEHICLE STARTED VIBRATING UNCONTROLLABLY THE DRIVER WAS ABLE TO MAINTAIN CONTROL AND PULL OVER. THE DRIVER NOTICED THAT THE LEFT AND RIGHT TIRE HAD BLOWNED. THE DRIVER CALLED FOR ROAD SIDE ASSISTANCE AND DROVE TO THE DEALER. THE MECHANIC INFORMED THE DRIVER THAT THE ALL FOUR TIRES NEEDED REPLACEMENT AND A WHEEL ALIGNMENT. PLEASE PROVIDE ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ON THE TIRE SIZE AND DOT NUMBER. *JB

WHILE DRIVING AT ABOUT 40 MPH BACK RIGHT TIRE WENT FLAT INSTANTLY WITHOUT WARNING. TIRE MAKE: BRIDGESTONE POTENZA P195/55R15. THE TIRE SHOWED NO SIGNS OF WEAR OR DAMAGE AND WAS ONLY DRIVEN ON FOR 25,000 MILES. I TOOK IT TO A REPAIR SHOP (PEPBOYS) AND THEY FOUND THAT THE INSIDE STEEL BELT HAD BROKE AND CAUSED THE TIRE TO FAIL. I REPLACED THAT TIRE WITH ANOTHER BRAND (COST $100), AND STILL HAVE THE DAMAGED BRIDGESTONE TIRE FOR EVIDENCE.*AK

THE CLUTCH HAD GONE OUT. THEN TWO OF THE TIRES HAD BLOWN OUT. ONE TIRE HAD BLOWN OUT FROM THE INNER WALL AND THE OTHER BLOW OUT WAS DUE TO SIDEWALL FAILURE. *AK *SC *JB

CAR STALLED AT RED LIGHT, THERE WAS A LOUD KNOCKING SOUND COMING FROM THE ENGINE. AFTER STALLING T MORE TIMES THE CAR RAN FOR ANOTHER 3 MINUTES TO GE ME HOME FOR THE EVENING. I THEN TO IT TO MY LOCAL MAZDA SERVICE CENTER.*AK