2003 Mazda Protege Complaint Log

FAILURE OF FRONT AND SIDE AIR BAGS TO DEPLOY. *AK

MY SON WAS INVOLVED IN AN AUTO ACCIDENT AND NONE OF THE FRONT OR SIDE AIR BAGS WENT OFF. THOUGH HE OR THE OTHER DRIVER WAS NOT SERIOUSLY INJURED MY CONCERN WAS WHY DIDNT THE AIR BAGS GO OFF? EVERYONE I HAVE SPOKE TO ABOUT THIS FELT THERE MAY OF BEEN SOME DEFECT IN THIS CAR BECAUSE OF ALL THE DAMAGE INVOLVED MY SON WAS PULLING OUT OF A SIDE ROAD ONTO THE MAIN HIGHWAY HE NEVER SAW THE DRIVER AND HIT THE CAR ON THE PASSENGER SIDE MY SONS CAR WAS TOTALED. HE JUST PURCHASED THE CAR BRAND NEW IN APRIL 2003 HE HAD LESS THAN 15,000 MILES ON THE CAR THE TRANSMISSION WAS BUSTED AS WELL AS MANY OTHER PARTS I SPOKE TO SENATOR CORMAN REGARDING THIS ISSUE AND HE SAID TO FILE A COMPLAINT I ALSO SPOKE TO MAZDA REGARDING THIS HOWEVER THEY SAID THEY WERENT ALOUD TO INVESTIGATE IT THAT WE WOULD HAVE TO DO THIS OURSELVES THE INSURANCE ADJUSTER ALSO COMMENTED ON THE AIR BAGS NOT GOING OFF I HAVE PICTURES OF THE WRECKED CAR AND MY SON HAS THE POLICE REPORT IF YOU NEED ANY OTHER INFORMATION PLEASE CALL OR EMAIL ME DOWN BELOW I LISTED 4 FAILURES THAT WAS ALL THE AIR BAGS AS FOR ANYOTHER INFORMATION ABOUT THIS I HAVE THE INSURANCE COPY OF THE DAMAGE ANY ASSISTANCE YOU CAN GIVE ME WOULD BE GREATLY APPRECIATED

THE FRONT SUSPENSION ON THE 2003.5 MAZDASPEED PROTEGE HAS A VERY BAD NOISE WHICH YOU CAN HEAR WHEN PASSING OVER SPEED BUMPS OR ANY SMALL BUMP IN THE ROAD. THE NOISE SOUNDS LIKE A SODA CAN BEING CRUSHED. THE NOISE IS MORE PRONOUCED IN WET OR COLD CONDITIONS. NOISE HAS BEEN PRESENT IN THE VEHICLE SINCE 2ND MONTH OF OWNERSHIP. DEALER HAS VEHICLE IN FOR THIS PROBLEM 2 TIMES AND INDICATES THEY CANNOT REPRODUCE IT. VARIOUS ONLINE FORUMS INDICATE THIS IS NOT A UNKOWN ISSUE AND HAS AFFECT MANY (IF NOT ALL) OWNER OF THIS MODEL.*AK

WHILE DRIVING HEAD REST ADJUSTED ON ITS OWN. THIS CAUSED THE HEAD REST NOT TO ADJUST PROPERLY TO HEIGHT OF THE HEAD. CONSUMER TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER FOR ANALYSIS, AND MECHANIC COULD NOT RESOLVE THE PROBLEM. *AK *NM

THERE'S A KNOCKING SOUND COMING FROM THE ENGINE WHEN STARTED IN THE MORNING. *AK

UNDER LOW ACCELERATION BETWEEN 1ST AND 2ND AND BETWEEN 2ND AND 3RD GEARS THERE IS A VERY LOW FREQUENCY NOISE THAT SOUNDS LIKE IT IS GENERATED BY A VIBRATION. THIS HAS HAPPENED SINCE THE CAR WAS PURCHASED NEW. I HAVE HAD IT IN TWICE FOR REPAIR TO NO AVAIL AND THE DEALER REFUSES TO KEEP THE CAR OVERNIGHT TO INVESTIGATE THE ISSUE FURTHER.*AK

THE DRIVER'S SIDE SEAT BELT BEGAN TO STICK WITHIN THE SECOND YEAR OF OWNERSHIP. CURRENTLY, IT WILL LATCH, BUT DURING DRIVING, IT WILL UNLATCH AND THE SEATBELT LIGHT WILL COME ON. IT FLUCTUATES BETWEEN STICKING TO THE POINT OF HAVING TO PULL QUITE VIOLENTLY TO UNLATCH IT, OR NOT LATCHING AT ALL. *TR

INTERMITTENTLY WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED VEHICLE STALLED. THIS PROBLEM OCCURRED SIX TIMES SINCE DECEMBER OF 2003. DEALER EXAMINED THE VEHICLE, AND COULD NOT FIND WHAT THE PROBLEM WAS. *AK

LEAKING GEAR OIL FLUID AT THE LINKAGE COUPLING. *LA

I BELIEVE THAT THE 2003 MAZDA PROTOGE5 BRAKE DESIGN IS FLAWED AND DANGEROUS (5-SPEED MANUAL). I HAVE ADDRESSED THIS ISSUE WITH MY DEALER (CAPITAL MAZDA, CARY, NC) AND THEY REFUSE TO HELP.*AK THERE IS EXCESSIVE BRAKE PEDAL TRAVEL, SO MUCH SO THAT I CAN NEARLY PUSH THE PEDAL TO THE FLOOR. THE DEALER SAYS THIS IS NORMAL OPERATION. I HAVE EXPERIENCED SEVERAL OCCASIONS THAT WHEN BRAKING, HAVE ACTUALLY PRESSED THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL AS WELL, CAUSING THE ENGINE TO RACE. ON AT LEAST ONE OCCASION, THE CAR LURCHED FORWARD UPON RELEASING THE BRAKE, DUE TO THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL BEING PRESSED AS WELL AS THE BRAKE PEDAL. THIS IS A FUNDAMENTAL DESIGN FLAW IT SEEMS AND ONE THAT NEEDS IMMEDIATE ACTION FROM MAZDA. THIS IS A CONDITION THAT WILL LIKELY LEAD TO TRAFFIC ACCIDENTS.

WHILE MAKING A TURN, THE STEERING WHEEL FELT LOOSE, THE CONSUMER LOSS CONTROL OF VEHICLE WHICH JUMPED THE CURB AND HIT A POLE.*MR NO ONE WAS INJURED, BUT THE CONSUMER WOULD LIKE FOR MAZDA TO CORRECT ALL OF THE 2,000 MAZDA SPEED PROTEGE VEHICLES BEFORE SERIOUS INJURY OCCURS. *PH *JB

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

I AM 6'0" WITH A TEMPERMENTAL BACK AND A 30" PANT INSEAM. IN PRACTICAL TERMS, I MUST HAVE THE SEAT CUSHION AT ITS LOWEST POSITION (FOR HEADROOM); THE SEAT BACK VERTICAL (TO PREVENT BACKACHE); AND THE SEAT MOVED RELATIVELY FORWARD (TO REACH THE PEDALS). MY 2003 MAZDA PROTEGE 5 IS ONE OF THE FEW CARS I CAN DRIVE COMFORTABLY. THAT'S HIGH PRAISE FOR SUCH A MODEST CAR. >>>>> MY PROBLEM WITH THE PROTEGE IS THE LEVER FOR THE FORE/AFT MOVEMENT OF THE DRIVER'S SEAT. THE LEVER IS BELOW THE FRONT EDGE OF THE SEAT CUSHION (INSTEAD OF ALONG THE LEFT SIDE); IT IS SHAPED ROUGHLY LIKE A CAPITAL LETTER "L" LAID HORIZONTALLY; THE INSIDE ANGLE IS ABOUT 120 DEGREES (SO THAT THE LONG SIDE POINTS FORWARD TOWARD THE ACCELERATOR); AND THE LEVER TIP IS "POINTY". >>>>> IF I WEAR "LONG" PANTS WITH BOTTOM CUFFS, THE CUFFS ARE PRONE TO CATCH ON THE SEAT LEVER AS I GET OUT OF THE CAR. BELIEVE ME, IT'S NOT EASY TO STOP 235 POUNDS WHEN I'VE BEEN THROWN OFF BALANCE. I'VE REPEATEDLY GOTTEN BRUISED AND/OR SCRAPED HANDS DURING UNGRACEFUL LANDINGS. >>>>> THE FRONT PASSENGER SEAT IS SIMILAR. THESE LEVERS ARE A SAFETY HAZARD. I BELIEVE THAT THE 2003 PROTEGE (AND ANY OTHER RECENT VEHICLE USING THIS DESIGN) SHOULD BE RECALLED FOR REPLACEMENT OF THE SEAT LEVERS.*AK >>>>> A REPLACEMENT LEVER SHOULD BE SHAPED SO THAT ITS TIP TUCKS FAR ENOUGH UNDER THE SEAT CUSHION (A COUPLE OF INCHES) TO PREVENT IT FROM CATCHING A PANT CUFF OR PURSE STRAP. FOR AN EXAMPLE OF THE JOB DONE RIGHT, PLEASE SEE THE 2004 MAZDA 626. >>>>> THIS IS AN ONGOING PROBLEM. YOUR STUPID WEB SITE DESIGN INSISTS ON A SPECIFIC MONTH/DAY/YEAR FOR THE INCIDENT DATE. I HAVE ENTERED MY DATE OF PURCHASE INSTEAD. *AK

RPM NEEDLE JUMPS FROM 700 RPMS TO 3000 RPMS WHEN STOPPED FOR NO REASON AND FOOT IS ON THE BRAKE OR WHEN COASTING. THIS HAPPENS INTERMITTENTLY. PH

ENGINE RATTLES WHEN ACCELERATING AFTER STARTING IN THE MORNING, AND PERIODICALLY RATTLES WHEN ACCELERATING AFTER STOPPING WHEN WARMED UP.

FAILURE OF SIDE AIR BAG TO DEPLOY. ON DATE INDICATED THE RIGHT SIDE OF MY 2003 MAZDA PROTEGE5 STRUCK A METAL UTILITY POLE WITH SUFFICIENT FORCE TO CAUSE THE VEHICLE TO BE A TOTAL LOSS, YET THE SIDE CURTAIN AIR BAG DID NOT DEPLOY. THIS WAS A DIRECT AND NOT GLANCING BLOW THE MAIN FORCE OF WHICH STRUCK IMMEDIATELY OVER THE RIGHT REAR WHEEL. INTERESTINGLY ENOUGH, WHEN NOTIFIED, THE MAZDA USA CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE STATED THAT THE INSURANCE COMPANY (USAA) SHOULD INITIATE ANY REQUIRED ACTION. YET, THE INSURANCE COMPANY CLAIMS THEY ARE NOT "INVOLVED" IF THE AIR BAG DID NOT CONTRIBUTE TO THE CAUSE OF THE ACCIDENT. IS NO ONE BUT ME CONCERNED THAT THERE MAY BE A DEFECTIVE SIDE AIR BAG SYSTEM DESIGN OR THAT A DEFECTIVE UNIT MAY HAVE BEEN INSTALLED IN MY CAR?

STRUCTURE: SMALL RUST SPOTS LOCATED ON ALL EXTERIOR SURFACES. *JB

WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS STARTED A KNOCKING NOISE WAS HEARD. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER AND WAS UNABLE TO DETERMINE THE PROBLEM. *JB

TREAD ON THE CENTER RIB OF TIRES STARTED TO BREAK OFF.*MR CONSUMER NOTICED SPLITTING ON THE OUTSIDE OF BOTH FRONT TIRES. CONDITION GOTTEN WORSE, TRACTION ON THE TIRES HAD BE AFFECTED AND TIRES TENDED TO SLIP. VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHO CONCLUDED THE TIRE WERE DEFECTIVE. ONLY THE CENTER RIB AND OUTER SHOULDER BLOCK SHOWED SIGNIFICANT WEAR. CONSUMER WAS ADVISED TO TAKE THE VEHICLE TO A AUTHORIZED BRIDGESTONE DEALER FOR WARRANTY REPLACEMENT. VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO FIRESTONE MASTER CAR CARE CENTER. THE TECHNICIAN DIAGNOSED THE FAILURE AS BEING OWNER'S NEGLECT. A SECOND OPINION WAS OBTAINED BY GOODYEAR GEMINI AUTO SERVICE WHO CONCLUDED IMPROPER ALIGNMENT OR DEFECTIVE TIRES. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN BACK TO THE ORIGINAL MECHANIC WHERE THEY DETERMINED IT WASN'T THE ALIGNMENT BUT DEFECTIVE TIRES. AT THIS TIME, THE REMAINING RIBS STARTED TO SHOW WEAR. *PH

WHILE DRIVING AT LOW SPEEDS, THE VEHICLE VIBRATED. CONSUMER WAS NOT SURE IF THE PROBLEM WAS WITH THE TIRES OR SUSPENSION. *AK *JB