Mazda Protege Complaints (2002)
99 consumer complaints on file.
- #10119942May 5, 2005AIR BAGS, SEAT BELTS
ON MARCH 15, 2005 I WAS INVOLVED IN A PILE-UP ACCIDENT. THE AIRBAG DID NOT DEPLOY AND THE SEAT BELT DID NOT RESTRAIN ME FROM HITTING THE STEERING WHEEL WITH MY CHEST. I HAD A FRACTURED RIB. MY CAR IS A MAZDA PROTEGE 5 AND THE VIN3 IS: [XXX]. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR
- Crash:
- Yes
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 1
- Deaths:
- 0
- #10119095April 25, 2005ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, SUSPENSION:FRONT:HUB
2002 MAZDA PROTEGE EXPERIENCING PROBLEMS WITH THE INSTRUMENT PANEL.*MR THE CONSUMER STATED THE MILEAGE WAS DELETED, THE GAS, TEMPERATURE AND SPEEDOMETER GAUGES STOPPED WORKING. THE DEALER DID REPLACE A PART, HOWEVER THE MILEAGE WAS NOT ACCURATE. THERE WAS ALSO A PROBLEM WITH THE HUB BEARINGS. *JB *NM
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #10109261January 31, 2005SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC:ROTOR
SNOW WOULD BUILD UP INSIDE THE WHEELS. THIS WOULD CAUSE THE BRAKE ROTOR TO FREEZE, RESULTING IN EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCE. DEALERSHIP WAS NOTIFIED, BUT DID NOT RESOLVE THE PROBLEM. *AK
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #10082150December 21, 2004EQUIPMENT:APPLIANCE:AIR CONDITIONER
CONSUMER STATES THAT HE WAS WONDERING WHY HE WAS GETTING SUCH POOR GAS MILEAGE. HE THEN TOOK HIS VEHICLE TO HIS PRIVATE MECHANIC SINCE HE LIVES ABOUT 65-70 FROM THE NEAREST MAZDA DEALER. HE THINKS THAT THIS IS A DEFECT, BECAUSE HE ALSO THINKS THAT IT IS BECAUSE OF SOME MIS-WIRING. AIR COMPRESSOR RUNS WHEN IT IS NOT TURNED ON. OVERDRIVE BUTTON IS INOPPERABLE.*TS *TC
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #10095122October 5, 2004VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL:ACCELERATOR PEDAL, SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:PEDALS AND LINKAGES
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
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #10057467August 12, 2004VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
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
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #10080591July 8, 2004POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
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
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #10078823June 25, 2004WHEELS:HUB
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
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #10079850June 23, 2004STRUCTURE, POWER TRAIN, TIRES, SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC, WHEELS:RIM, EQUIPMENT:ELECTRICAL:RADIO/TAPE DECK/CD ETC.
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
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #10065500May 11, 2004AIR BAGS:FRONTAL
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
- Crash:
- Yes
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 2
- Deaths:
- 0
- #10066580April 20, 2004STEERING:GEAR BOX (OTHER THAN RACK AND PINION)
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
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #10065478April 2, 2004SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC:CALIPER
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
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #10062791March 22, 2004POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
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
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #10057041February 11, 2004AIR BAGS
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
- Crash:
- Yes
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 2
- Deaths:
- 0
- #10044881October 28, 2003POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
WHILE DRIVING AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION DIDN'T SHIFT PROPERLY, NONE OF THE GEARS WORKED. DEALER INSPECTED VEHICLE SEVERAL TIMES, AND COULD NOT DUPLICATE OR CORRECT THE PROBLEM.*AK
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #10044023October 15, 2003VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
WHILE MAKING A RIGHT HAND TURN AND DEPRESSING THE BRAKES VEHICLE ACCELERATED AND RAN INTO FRONT PORCH. *AK
- Crash:
- Yes
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #10041267October 5, 2003VISIBILITY:DEFROSTER/DEFOGGER/HVAC SYSTEM:FAN/MOTOR
I BOUGHT A NEW 2002 PROTG LX IN JUNE 2002 AND HAD NO PROBLEMS FOR 6 MONTHS. EARLY JANUARY 2003, BLOWER MOTOR WOULD NOT WORK ON SPEEDS 1, 2, AND 3. TOOK THE CAR TO DEALER AND THEIR REPORT WAS THAT BLOWER MOTOR AND RESISTOR WERE DEFECTIVE. IT HAPPENED AGAIN LESS THAN A WEEK LATER AND DEALER STATED AGAIN THAT THE PROBLEM WAS A DEFECTIVE BLOWER MOTOR AND RESISTOR. THE PROBLEM HAPPENED SEVERAL TIMES OVER THE NEXT THREE MONTHS ALL WITH THE DEALER STATING THAT THE BLOWER MOTOR AND RESISTOR WERE DEFECTIVE. THE PROBLEM DID NOT OCCUR AGAIN UNTIL OCTOBER 2003. SOMETIMES NONE OF THE SPEEDS WOULD WORK, AND SOMETIMES JUST THE 4TH SPEED. SOMETIMES THE PROBLEM WOULD HAPPEN WHILE DRIVING OR OVER NIGHT, AND SOMETIMES THE PROBLEM WOULD GO AWAY. THE BLOWER MOTOR AND RESISTORS HAVE BEEN REPLACED 5 TIMES BY DEALER AND TO NO AVAIL. THIS CAR IS CLEARLY A LEMON AND A HAZARD TO DRIVE WHEN NOT BEING ABLE TO SEE THROUGH THE FRONT WINDSHIELD BECAUSE OF NO HEAT TO DEFROST OR DEFOGGER THE WINDSHIELD WHILE DRIVING. *LA
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #10041221October 4, 2003SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP
REAR DISC BRAKES WITH EBFD PREMATURE WEAR OF ONE PAD ON ONE SIDE OF DISC BRAKE TO 0% WHILE OPPOSITE SIDE AT 30% AND OPPOSITE BRAKE AT 50% *JB
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #10037136September 3, 2003EQUIPMENT, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING
PURCHASED A NEW 2002 MAZDA PROTEGE ON 2/20/02 FROM RAMSEY MAZDA, RAMSEY, NJ. OTHER THAN REGULAR OIL CHANGES, ONLY SERVICE TO VEHICLE DONE BY MAZDA DEALER ON 5/8/02 WHEN CAR STALLED AND DEALER INSTALLED NEW COMPUTER. ON 8/24/03, WHILE DRIVING CAR STALLED AND I SAW SMOKE COMING FROM UNDER THE HOOD. OPENED HOOD AND SAW ENGINE COMPARTMENT ENGULFED IN FLAMES. FIRE DEPARTMENT CALLED AND PUT OUT FIRE BUT NOT BEFORE EXTENSIVE DAMAGE DONE TO FRONT OF CAR. INSURANCE COMPANY HAS DEEMED CAR TOTALLED. MAZDA CLAIMS THEY HAVE NO INVESTIGATIVE TEAM TO DETERMINE CAUSE OF FIRE AND THAT MY INSURANCE COMPANY SHOULD HIRE AN INDEPENDENT INVESTIGATOR. INSURANCE COMPANY REFUSES TO HIRE INVESTIGATOR. *AK
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- Yes
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #10037677August 26, 2003AIR BAGS:FRONTAL
WHILE DRIVING AT 35 MPH VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN A FRONTAL COLLISION, NEITHER AIR BAG DEPLOYED. DEALER AND MANUFACTURER HAD BEEN NOTIFIED. *AK
- Crash:
- Yes
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0