2000 Mazda Protege Complaint Log

OVER THE PAST YEAR, MY 2000 MAZDA PROTEGE ES MAKES A THUMPING NOISE WHEN GOING OVER BUMPS. IT SOUNDS LIKE SOMETHING IS HITTING THE FLOOR. I'VE HAD THE CAR BACK TO THE DEALER FOR REPAIRS SIX TIMES OVER THE PAST YEAR. AFTER HAVING THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT REPLACES VARIOUS SUSPENSION PARTS, THE NOISE GOES AWAY...ONLY TO RETURN A MONTH OR TWO LATER. THE LAST TIME IT WAS AT THE DEALER WAS ON MONDAY (2/3/03). THE NOISE WAS GONE THEN. HOWEVER, AFTER DRIVING TO AND FROM WORK TODAY (2/4/03), I NOTICED THAT IT CAME BACK TONIGHT. I'M A LITTLE RELUCTANT TO DRIVE THE CAR, SINCE I'M NOT SURE EXACTLY HOW IT IS GOING TO BEHAVE. IF IT'S GOING TO DO THIS AFTER A FEW MILES, WHAT IS IT GOING TO DO ON LONGER TRIPS?

WHILE DRIVING ENGINE AND OVERDRIVE WARNING LIGHTS ILLUMINATED. DEALER DIAGNOSED THAT VEHICLE REQUIRES NEW TRANSMISSION, RADIATOR AND OTHER ENGINE WORK. CONSUMER VERY CONCERNED BECAUSE VEHICLE MILEAGE WA SLOW AND MAINTAINED REGULARLY. TS. *AK

BOUGHT CAR IN OCTOBER 2000 BRAND NEW AND TO DATE HAVE HAD 6 PROBLEMS. 1) MARCH 2001 MOTOR FOR DRIVER SIDE WINDOW HAD TO BE REPLACED. 2) DECEMBER 2001 CD PLAYER STOPPED WORKING TEMPORARILY. 3) 4/8/02 CHECK ENGINE LITE CAME ON, DEALER FOUND NO PROBLEM. 4) 4/30/02 CHECK ENGINE LITE CAME ON, THIS TIME DEALER HAD TO REPLACE IGNITION COIL. 5) 10/24/02 CHECK ENGINE LITE CAME ON, DEALER FOUND NO PROBLEM. 6) 12/27/02 CHECK ENGINE LITE CAME ON, DEALER HAS TO REPLACE CATALYTIC CONVERTER TS

CONSUMER STATES THAT WHEN HIT AT 30MPH IN THE FRONT CENTER OF THE VEHICLE THE AIR BAG DID NOT DEPLOY CAUSING MINOR INJURIES TO THE CONSUMER. DEALER NOTIFIED TS

I WAS IN A SINGLE CAR ACCIDENT. I HIT A GUARD RAIL, WENT THROUGH IT AND ROLLED DOWN A 30 FOOT EMBANKMENT. I SUFFERED NECK AND SHOULDER INJURIES AND BACK INJURIES. I HAVE NOT DRIVEN A CAR SINCE THIS ACCIDENT. IN THE EMERGENCY ROOM A NURSE SAID I HAD A POSSIBLE SPINAL COMPRESSION FRACTURE. I THOUGHT MY CAR WAS SUPPOSE TO HAVE AIR BAGS, I SAW THE CAR FOR THE FIRST TIME SINCE THE ACCIDENT YESTERDAY. THE WHOLE CAR IS BEAT UP...THE ROOF, THE FRONT, THE BACK BOTH SIDES, AND NOT EVEN 1 OF THE AIR BAGS DEPLOYED. I AM SO GRATEFUL MY CAR HAD SUCH A HIGH SAFETY RATING... YEAH RIGHT. NOW I AM AFRAID TO DRIVE ANY CAR. AND NOW THE WORDS AIR BAG SAFETY ARE A JOKE TO ME. *PH *JB **DIMSII IVOQ ENTRY POSTED AFTER 12/12/02 CUT OVER TO ARTEMIS**768013

WHILE DRIVING AT 30MPH WAS INVOLVED IN FRONTAL COLLISION, AND NONE OF THE AIR BAGS DEPLOYED ON IMPACT, CAUSING INJURIES.*AK *JB

CONSUMER STATES THAT WHEN INVOLVED IN A HEAD ON COLLISION AT 45 MPH THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. DEALER NOTIFIED. *MR

WHILE DRIVING ABS LIGHT STAYED ON. PH. ALSO, DEALER REPLACED FAILED SPEED SENSOR. *AK

FRONT CRASH AT 35 MPH AND NEITHER AIRBAG DEPLOYED. DRIVER SUFFERED A HEART ATTACK, STILL IN HOSPITAL. DAMAGE TO VEHICLE UNKNOWN AT THIS TIME.*AK

WHILE PULLING ONTO FREEWAY SOMETHING GOT CAUGHT ONTO EXHAUST MANIFOLD AND CAUSED A FIRE IN ENGINE COMPARTMENT. DEALER CONTACTED. FEEL FREE TO PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION.*AK

VEHICLE WAS REARENDED WHILE AT A STOP BY VEHICLE DRIVEN ABOUT 40 MPH, WAS PUSHED INTO VEHICLE IN FRONT OF IT. NEITHER AIRBAG DEPLOYED, VEHICLE WAS TOTALLED. CONSUMER SUFFERED NECK AND BACK INJURIES.*AK

CONSUMER STATES THAT THE VEHICLE WAS REAR END AT APPROXIMATELY 30-40 MPH AND NEITHER AIR BAG DEPLOYED. THE DEALER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED. NLM

CONSUMER STATES THAT THE DRIVER'S SEAT COLLAPSED WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS REAR ENDED BY A TRUCK. THE DEALER WAS NOTIFIED. NLM

WHILE DRIVING AT 20-25 MPH CONSUMER WAS INVOLED IN A HEAD-ON COLLISION, AND NONE OF FRONT OR SIDE AIR BAGS DEPLOYED. *AK

CONSUMER STATES WHILE DRIVING AT A 55 MPH VEHICLE WILL JERKS REALLY HARD. CONSUMER STATES IT FEELS LIKE TRANSMISSION IS NOT SHIFTING PROPERLY. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION. NLM

THE KEYLESS ENTRY LOCKS ON THE PASSENGER SIDE OF THE CAR HAVE STOPPED WORKING. INSTEAD OF LOCKING OR UNLOCKING WHEN THE BUTTON ON THE REMOTE IS PRESSED THE LOCKS REMAIN IN THE POSITION THAT THEY STARTED IN AND A HORRIBLE NOISE CAN BE HEARD COMING FROM INSIDE THE DOOR. THE FRONT PASSENGER DOOR CAN BE UNLOCKED FROM THE OUTSIDE USING THE KEY BUT THE REAR PASSENGER DOOR MUST BE OPENED FROM THE INSIDE OF THE VEHICLE. *JB

BRAKE SYSTEM IS FAILING INTERMITTENTLY. IT HAS DONE SO ABOUT SIX TIMES IN A THREE WEEK PERIOD BEFORE BRINGING THE CAR TO THE MAZDA DEALER FOR SERVICE ON SEPTEMBER 13, 2001. SPECIFICALLY, ON SOME OCCASIONS WHEN THE BREAKS ARE APPLIED, THE BRAKE PEDAL GOES TO THE FLOOR EVENTUALLY STOPPING THE CAR, BUT VERY SLOWLY. ON OTHER OCCASIONS, THE BRAKES APPEAR TO OPERATE PROPERLY. THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT AT OCEAN MAZDA CLAIMS THEY ARE UNABLE TO DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM, AND THEREFORE CANNOT FIX IT. I HAVE ELECTED TO LEAVE THE CAR AT THE DEALERSHIP FOR AN EXTENDED PERIOD OF TIME FOR FEAR OF DRIVING IT.*AK

I HIT A CAR BROADSIDE AT 25 MPH - I HAVE FRONT END DAMAGE - AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. *AK

WHILE DRIVING THERE WAS A LOUD METAL TO METAL NOISE AT THE FRONT OF THE VEHICLE, AND AT THE SAME TIME THE VEHICLE LUNGED FOWARD, CONSUMER STATED IT HAPPENED A SECOND TIME IN WHICH THE VEHICLE FELT AS THOUGH IT WENT INTO REVERSE AND THEN BACK INTO DRIVE, THE DEALER COULD NOT DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM, CONSUMER BELIEVES THAT THIS MAYBE TRANSMISION RELATED DUE TO THE FACT THAT THE TRANSMISSION WAS UPGRADED.*JB

FIRESTONE, P185 65 R14, ORIGINAL EQUIPMENT, 13,300 MILES, MOUNTED ON A 2000 MAZDA PROTEGE. WHLE CONSUMER WAS DRIVING AT 70 MPH RIGHT REAR TIRE HAD TREAD SEPARATION.*AK DOT NUMBER H406JDN1200. *SLC

THE CAR WAS IN GEAR AND PARKING BRAKES ON, ROLLED BACKWARDS AND HIT A POLE WITH A VERY MINOR SLANT IN THE PARKING LOT.*AK

SHIFT LEVER WILL NOT LOCK IN DRIVE OR NEUTRAL POSITION. JUST TOUCHING GEAR SHIFTER WITHOUT PRESSING BUTTON AND THE LEVER WILL SHIFT INTO GEARS. CONSUMER TOOK VEHICLE IN TO THE DEALER, DEALER STATES THIS WAS NORMAL OPERATION.*AK *SLC

RECALL 01 V 024 000/REAR BRAKE HOSE: UNABLE TO GET DEALER, BERLIN CITY DEALERSHIP, GORHAM, NH; PHONE# 603/752-6644 TO HONOR MANUFACTURER'S RECALL. THEY WOULD INFORM CONSUMER THAT NO PARTS WERE AVAILABLE OR UNABLE TO PORVIDE A PROPER APPOINTMENT. ASKING NHTSA TO ASSIST IN THIS MATTER.*AK

SEAT BELT LATCH ON THE RETRACTOR WILL NOT STAY IN PLACE. VEHICLE HAD BEEN TAKEN TO DEALER FOR REPAIRS, BUT PROBLEM COMES BACK AND FORTH.*AK

WHILE HEADING TO WORK CAR BEGAN TO SHAKE AND RUN ROUGH WITH IN .5 MILES CAR FELT LIKE IT HAD A FLAT CAR WAS KEPT UNDER CONTROL PULLED OVER NOTICED RH REAR TIRE WAS FLAT. AFTER VEIWING TIRE MADE A DETERMINATION THAT THE TIRE HAD DEVELOPED A BUBBLE IN THE SIDE WALL AT THE SEEM THIS WAS THE FAILURE POINT EXAMINED THE REMAINING TIRES NOTICED BUBBLES WERE FORMING ALONG THE SEEM CONFIRMING THE FAILURE POINT/ SIDEWALL BLOWOUT.*AK (DOT NUMBER: 56D2600 TIRESIZE: P185/65R14)

VEHICLE WAS HIT FROM THE REAR AT 50 MPH WHICH CAUSED DRIVER'S AND PASSENGER'S SEATS TO COLLAPSE BACKWARDS, ALSO, AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY, CAUSE UNKNOWN. *AK

CONSUMER WAS TRAVELING 45MPH AND REARENDED A SUV HEAD- ON. HITTING A FIRE HYDRANT AND SIGN, BUT AIRBAGS STILL DIDN'T DEPLOY. CONSUMER WAS CONSULTING MANUFACTURER ON NO DEPLOYMENT. CONSUMER PLEASE AD THE VIN#.*AK

WHILE TRAVELING AT 45 MPH CONSUMER REAR ENDED ANOTHER VEHICLE THAT HAD SUDDENLY STOPPED IN MIDDLE OF ROAD. WHEN HE HIT OTHER CAR , IT WENT UP OVER A 6 INCH CURVE AND HIT A ROAD SIGN. UPON IMPACT, AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. OTHER CAR WEIGHTED MORE. *AK

CONSUMER WAS TRAVELING ON THE HIGHWAY IN RAINY WEATHER, THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS WERE INOPERABLE. DEALERSHIP AWARE OF PROBLEM. *AK *SCC

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

2000 MAZDA PROTEGE ES HAS HAD A STEERING/ALIGNMENT PROBLEM FROM DATE OF PURCHASE. THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN ALIGNED 6 TIMES AND CONTINUES TO PULL HARD AND IS DIFFICULT TO CONTROL. TIRES HAVE BEEN REPLACED AND THE STEERING EXAMINED. *LA

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

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

VEHICLE STARTED TO MAKE A WHISTLING NOISE AND WAS PULLING TO RIGHT HAND SIDE UPON BRAKING. CONSUMER WAS UNSURE OF LOCATION OF NOISE. CONSUMER CONTACTED DEALER, DEALER REPLACED BRAKE ROTORS AND CALIPERS. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHUR DETAILS. *AK

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

CONSUMER STATES THAT WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS, CONSUMER STATED VEHICLE HIT SOMETHING THAT WAS IN THE ROAD THAT WAS VERY HARD, WHICH TURNED OUT TO BE A PROBLEM WITH MOTOR MOUNTS, AND TRANSMISSION. TS

CONSUMER'S SEAT ADJUSTER INTERFERS WITH FOOT WHEN GETTING OUT OF VEHICLE. CONSUMER HAS SPRAINED KNEE BECAUSE OF HANDLE UNDERNEATH SEAT GETS CAUGHT IN LOOP OF TENNIS SHOE. DEALER HAS BEEN CONTACTED, BUT NOTHING CAN BE DONE. *AK

PASSENGER SEAT BELT FAILED DURING FIRST USE BY JAMMING. PASSENGER UNABLE TO DISENGAGE SEATBELT WHICH CAUSED PASSENGER TO HAVE TO "SLITHER" OUT OF SEAT. PUSHING THE BUTTON MADE THE ASSEMBLY CRACK IN HALF AT THE SEAMS. INSIDE OF ASSEMBLY APPEARS TO BE MADE OF PLASTIC. *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.

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

PASSENGER VEHICLES LEFT SIDE REAR BRAKE HOSES DAMAGED, BRAKE FLUID LEAKAGE. *TR

THE HIGH BEAM HEAD LIGHTS DO NOT LIGHT ENOUGH. YH

WHEN SHIFTING FROM 1ST GEAR INTO SECOND GEAR AND ENGINE IS COLD, TRANSMISSION SLIPS, CAUSING A LOSS OF POWER. DEALER SAYS IT'S NORMAL. *AK

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

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

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.

CONSUMER WAS PULLING OUT OF DRIVEWAY AND SHE WAS STRUCK BY A VEHICLE ON LEFT FRONT CORNER. UPON IMPACT, DUAL AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY, CAUSING SERIOUS INJURIES. *AK

FOR 5 NON-SUCCESSIVE OCCURRENCES NOW, WHILE DRIVING BETWEEN 35 - 40 MPH, I ENCOUNTERED A SEVERE SUDDEN DECELERATION WHICH FELT AS IF THE VEHICLE UNDERCARRIAGE SCRAPED AN INVISIBLE BUMP. THE DECEL IS SUDDEN, HARSH AND VERY UNSETTLING. MY BEST GUESS IS THAT IT IS DUE TO A TRANSMISSION PROBLEM. I ALREADY CONTACTED THE DEALER ABOUT THIS PROBLEM, AND THEY TOLD THAT NO ONE ELSE HAS EXPERIENCED THIS ISSUE. I COULD NOT SHOW THE PROBLEM TO THE DEALER SINCE IT OCCURS IN HAPPENSTANCE.*AK

VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN A 55 MPH FRONTAL COLLISION IN WHICH DRIVER'S AND PASSENGER'S AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY, CAUSE UNKNOWN. PLEASE GIVE ANY FURTHER DETAILS.*AK