2000 MAZDA PROTEGE Complaints

WHILE DRIVING ABOUT 5 MPH THE VEHICLE WAS IMPACTED BY ANOTHER VEHICLE ON RIGHT FRONT CORNER, AND AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. VEHICLE WAS TOTALED. *AK

WHEN DRIVING TRANSMISSION JUMPED OUT OF DRIVE AND WENT INTO NEUTRAL, CAUSING VEHICLE TO DECELERATE AND LOSE POWER. PRIOR TO INCIDENT, OVERDRIVE LIGHT WAS ILLUMINATING ON THE DASH. POSSIBILITY, THAT THE PROBLEM WAS LINKED TO COMPUTER WHICH HAS MALFUNCTIONED. *AK THE VEHICLE WAS IN DRIVE POSITION THROUGH, BUT WHEN THE DRIVER STEPPED ON ACCELETRATOR, ENGINE RACED UP IN RPM BUT WHEELS ACTED AS IN NEUTRAL. *YH

I HAVE COMPLAINED CONTINUOUSLY TO DEALER AND MANUFACTURER SINCE CAR HAD APPROX 4,000 MILES. A "CLUNKING" NOISE WAS COMING FROM TRANSAXLE AREA. BOTH DEALER AND MAZDA REP, TOLD ME TO "WAIT AND SEE" OR "THATS A NORMAL SOUND, DON'T WORRY ABOUT IT". YESTERDAY WHILE OPERATING MY 2000 MAZDA PROTEGE ES AT APPROX 60MPH ON INTERSTATE 93 N TRANSAXLE FAILED. CAR WAS FINE ONE SECOND, THE NEXT SECONF I WAS FREE WHEELING, NO POWER, ENGINE CONTINUED TO RUN, BUT IT WAS IF I WAS IN NEUTRAL. MOST FORTUNATLY IT WAS DAYLIGHT, DRY CONDITIONS, AND A HIGHWAY EXIT WAS RIGHT THERE, I COASTED OFF THE HIGHWAY DOWN THE EXIT RAMP AND CALLED FOR HELP. HAD I BEEN IN THE PASSING LANE, OR IF CONDITIONS WERE POOR, THIS COULD HAVE BEEN A DISASTER.*AK

CAR ALWAYS PULLS TOWARD THE RIGHT. MORE PRONOUNCED WITH PASSENGERS IN THE CAR. HAVE TRIED ALLIGNMENTS AND TIRE ROTATION. NOTHING HELPS. DROVE SEVERAL OTHER 2000 PROTEGES, AND THEY ALSO PULLED. I FEEL THIS IS A DEFECT, POSSIBLY RELATED TO THE SUSPENSION OF THE CAR BEING TOO STIFF FOR THE SIZE AND WEIGHT OF THE VEHICLE. *AK

WHILE DRIVING ABOUT 40 MPH REAR ENDED ANOTHER VEHICLE. UPON IMPACT, AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY.*AK

WENT INTO OVERDRIVE BY ITS SELF WITH STRESSFUL JERK AND LOUD NOISE THE OVERDRIVE LIGHT CAME ON BY ITS SELF. VERY CONCERNED ABOUT THE SAFETY IF THIS HAPPENS AT HIGH SPEEDS ON THE INTERSTATES. TOOK THE CAR TO THE DEALER WHO COULD NOT FIND A PROBLEM.

WHEN DRIVING SPEEDOMETER READING GOES FROM 60 TO 0 STILL WITH FORWARD MOVEMENT, CAUSING VEHICLE TO JERK FORWARD/ HESITATE ALSO, CONSUMER NOTED OVERDRIVE BUTTON FLASHES OFF AND ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. CONSUMER HAS CONTACTED DEALER, DEALER HAS REPLACED THE TRANSMISSION AND ALSO A COMPUTER CHIP, PROBLEM STILL OCCUR. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER DETAILS. *AK

CHECK ENGINE LIGHT AND O/D OFF LIGHT WERE BLINKING. TOOK CAR TO THE DEALER AND THE TRANSMISSION NEEDS TO BE REPLACED. *AK

THE METAL PLATES/BARS INSIDE THE BUCKET SEATS CAN BE FELT. AFTER 30 MINUTES OF DRIVING, THE SEAT CUSHION COMPRESSES AND THESE PLATES PUT PRESSURE ON THE LOWER BACK AND CAUSE SEVERE BACK PAIN. *AK

SEALT BELT BROKE ON PASSENGER SEAT, BELT LATCH WAS LATCHED INTO THE CASE AND RELEASE BUTTON BROKE IMMEDIATLY, WHILE TRYING TO DISENGAGE THE BELT (BY PUSHING ON THE BUTTON) THE CASE BROKE INHALF, BUT REMAINED ENGAGED UNTIL COMPLETELY DISASSEMBLED.