1997 Mazda Protege

AFTER INVESTIGATING "CHECK ENGINE LIGHT" OVER A PERIOD OF 5 MONTHS, IT WAS DETERMINED THAT A VALVE PROBLEM IN THE FIRST CYLINDER WAS CAUSING A LACK OF COMPRESSION AND POOR ENGINE PERFORMANCE. 2 OXYGEN SENSORS WERE REPLACED, AS WELL AS 8 VALVES AND OTHER PARTS, TO SOLVE THE PROBLEM. WE SPENT A TOTAL OF $1791.78 BEFORE THE CAR WAS FIXED. WE LEARNED FROM OUR MAZDA DEALER THAT A SERVICE BULLETIN WAS ISSUED 6/10/98 THAT COVERED THIS PROBLEM. WE COMPLAINED TO THE DEALERSHIP AND THE MAZDA AREA REP, AND NO REIMBURSEMENT WAS ISSUED. *PH

ENGINE IDLED UP OR DOWN AT STOP WITH FOOT ON BRAKE CAR WOULD SOMETIMES RACE UP OVER 300 RPMS SHUT ENGINE OFF TO STOP IT FROM GOING HIGHER THIS HAPPENED THREE TIMES ALMOST GOING THROUGH BACK OF MY GARAGE ALSO SURGED WHEN TRYING TO PARK AND CAUSING CAR TO JUMP FORWARD CAR HAS STALLED AT INTERSECTIONS TWICE THEY CHANGED NUMEROUS PARTS INCLUDING WIRE HARNESS UNDER HOOD GROUNDS ALTERNATOR VACUUM LINE ENGINE MOUNTS WHEN THIS FIRST STARTED TO BE WORSENING ON SURGING AND GOT A NUMBER FOR MAZDA TECH CENTER BY MISTAKE AND THE MAN I TALKED TO SAID HE FELT THIS SHOULD BE TAKEN UP WITH MAZDA REP FOR THIS AREA AND THEY SAID HE DID NOT FEEL IT WAS SERIOUS ENOUGH TO LOOK INTO ANY FURTHER HOLIDAY DEALER SERVICE REPS DID NOT HELP ME MUCH WITH ANYTHINGI WOULD HAVE TO ASK AROUND WITH FRIENDS TO FIND WHAT ELSE MIGHT BE CAUSING SURGES AND IDLING DOWN TO STALLING EACH HAD DIFFERENT IDEAS WHICH I WOULD TAKE TO HOLIDAY AND I WOULD BE PUT OFF AS THEY SAID THEY COULD NOT FIND ANYTHING EVEN THOUGH THEY HAD DIFFERENT MECHANICS SEE THE IDLE SURGES ANDCOULD NOT FIGURE WHAT CAUSED ITBESIDES THE THINGS I MENTIONED I HAD A ELECTRICAL PROBLEM WITH DOOR NOT UNLOCKING OR WINDOW GOING UP OR DOWN TOOK IT IN 2 TIMES AND THEN THE SERVICES REP SAID I SHOULD JUST LIVE WITH IT AND WALKED AWAY ON ME WHICH I HAVENT BEEN BACK SINCE BUT KEEP CALLING MAZDA AND THEY KEEP PUTTING ME OFF THEY SUGGESTED I GO ONLY TO MAZDA CERTIFIED PLACES WHICH THERE ARE NOT ANYMORE AROUND HERE WITHOUT DRIVING 45 MILES TO APPLETON SO A GUY AT A SHOP I WAS AT SAID I SHOULD CONTACT YOU PEOPLE TO SEE WHAT I COULD DO I HAD NO IDEA WHERE I COULD GET HELP I WILL NOT TALK TO THAT IGNORANT SERVICE REP AGAIN DO I HAVE A RIGHT TO GO TO A DIFFERENT PLACE TO SEE IF THE PROBLEM CAN BE FIXED I FOUND A COUPLE GOOD LEADS TO MY PROBLEM ON THE INTERNET WHICH SEAMS TO BE A COMMON OCCURENCE ON MAZDA AND A FEW OTHER CARS THAT WHERE FIXED BY THESE MECHANICS WHICH WAS SOME CENSOR OR VACUUM GAUGE ON THE BRAKE SYSTEMSOR AMAIN COMPUTER PROBLEMTO IGNITIONCCAN

ENGINE CHECK LIGHT CAME ON, AND GAS GAUGE MALFUNCTIONED. VEHICLE HESITATED WHEN STARTING/ DEALER REPLACED FLYWHEEL. ALSO, FUEL TANK WAS DISCONNECTED, AND DEALER REPLACED FUEL TANK. IN ADDITION, RPMS INCREASED BY 500 RPMS, AND REPAIRED WIRING IN JAMME DDOOR. ALSO, WINDSHIELD WIPER BLADES MALFUNCTIONED/ FUSE SHORTED OUT , CAUSING RADIO, CD, AND OTHER ELECTRICAL COMPONENTS TO FAIL, AND REPLACED CANISTER. *AK