2002 Mazda Protege

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

THERE IS A DISTINCT TRANSMISSION WHINE/SQUEAL THAT OCCURS WHEN THE CAR ACCELERATES BEYOND 50 MPH. THIS BEGAN TO OCCUR AFTER ABOUT 17000 MILES. IT WAS NOT PRESENT WHEN I PURCHASED THE CAR. MAZDA CLAIMS THIS IS 'NORMAL' AND CAUSED BY THE RESONANCE OF PARTS WHICH OCCURS ONCE THE ENGINE HAS BEEN BROKEN IN. THIS INFORMATION WAS NEVER DISCLOSED TO ME WHEN PURCHASING THE VEHICLE AND I FEEL IT IS BIZARRE THAT A NEW CAR WOULD HAVE SUCH AN INHERENT FLAW THAT MAZDA FEELS IS NORMAL AND THAT CUSTOMERS ACCEPT THE NOISE FACTOR ONCE THE CAR IS 'BROKEN IN'.*AK

WE PURCHASED A NEW 2002 MAZDA PROTEGE LX IN 08/2002. WITHIN DAYS WE WERE HAVING PROBLEMS WITH THE TRANSMISSION. SOMETIMES JUST HESITATION IN ACCELERATION AND SHIFTING. FREQUENT FAILURE TO SHIFT AT ALL OR FAILURE TO SHIFT FOR PROLONGED INTERVALS (SOMETIMES MILES). OCCASIONAL SLAMMING INTO GEAR AND CAR LURCHING FORWARD. WE HAVE HAD 3 INCIDENTS THAT ALMOST LEAD TO ACCIDENTS. WE HAVE HAD CAR IN FOR REPAIRS ON 5 SEPARATE OCCASIONS, BUT DEALER SAID THEY COULD NOT FIND ANYTHING WRONG. LETTER OF NOTIFICATION OF DEFECT TO MANUFACTURER SENT TO MAZDA CORPORATE ON 3/22/03. CAR WAS TAKEN INTO DEALER FOR FINAL CHANCE TO REPAIR. DEALER STILL SAYS THEY CAN FIND NOTHING WRONG. WE PURCHASED A 2ND MAZDA PROTEGE LX AT THE SAME TIME, AND WE HAVE HAD NO PROBLEMS WITH ITS TRANSMISSION AND IT SHIFTS SMOOTHLY AND PROPERLY. EVEN THOUGH THIS IS A DANGEROUS AND POTENTIALLY LIFE THREATENING ISSUE AND THIS CAR IS CLEARLY A LEMON, MAZDA HAS DONE NOTHING TO REPLACE THIS CAR. *NLM

CONSUMER CONCERNED ABOUT THE NOISE THAT THE VEHICLES TRANSMISSION MADE. HE STATED THAT THE NOISE WAS SO LOUD THAT IT GAVE HIM AND ANYONE THAT RODE WITH HIM A HEADACHE. HE ALSO SAYS THAT THE DEALER DOES NOT KNOW HOW TO STOP THE NOISE. HE STATED HE WAS HAVING A PROBLEM WITH TRYING TO GET IT FIXED SINCE THERE WAS NO RECALL. *NLM THE CONSUMER STATED THAT THE NOISE IS MOSTLY NOTICEABLE AT THE SPEED OF 45 MPH AND HIGHER. THE MAZDA REPAIR INFORMATION STATED THAT THE WHINE NOISE IS A RESULT OF A RESONANCE THE IS GENERATED AT VARYING LEVELS BETWEEN THE PRIMARY AND SECONDARY GEARS AND DOES NOT AFFECT THE USE, SAFETY OR VALUE OF THE VEHICLE. SCC