2003 Mazda Protege

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATED AND THE VEHICLE BEGAN HESITATING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT REPAIR SHOP, WHO DETERMINED THE COMPUTER GAVE A CODE STATING A MISFIRE IN THE FIRST CYLINDER. THE SPARK PLUG WAS TAKEN OFF AND THE GAP WAS CLOSED. THE AIR INTAKE MANIFOLD WAS THEN TAKEN OFF AND THE SCREW HAD COME OFF, THIS CLOSED THE GAP ON THE SPARK PLUG. THE INTAKE MANIFOLD WAS BEING REPLACED.

MY ENGINE FAILED CAUSING A SUDDEN LOSS OF POWER. I WAS ABLE TO PULL OVER SAFELY. MY CAR REQUIRED ABOUT $1,000 WORTH OF REPAIRS, USING USED PARTS, AND I HAVE PERMANENT ENGINE DAMAGE THAT WILL ULTIMATELY SHORTEN THE LIFE OF MY ENGINE. THE ROOT CAUSE OF THE ENGINE FAILURE WAS DUE TO LOOSE SCREWS LOCATED IN THE AIR INTAKE MANIFOLD, THAT ALLOWED FOR A BAFFLE OR BUTTERFLY VALVE TO BREAK AND ENTER MY ENGINE. THIS VERY SAME PROBLEM WAS RECALLED BY MAZDA FOR VEHICLES MADE FROM MARCH OF 2003 TO JULY OF 2003, MINE WAS MANUFACTURED IN FEBRUARY OF 2003, AND THEREFORE WAS NOT RECALLED. I KNOW OF AT LEAST THREE OTHER PEOPLE WHO ALSO HAVE EXPERIENCED THIS VERY SAME ISSUE WHO HAVE NOT BEEN INCLUDED IN THE RECALL. I HAVE HAD TWO SEPARATE MAZDA SERVICE MANAGERS CONFIRM THIS WAS THE SAME PROBLEM AS THE RECALL - LOOSE SCREWS IN AIR INTAKE MANIFOLD. I NEED THIS INVESTIGATED TO DETERMINE IF MORE CARS SHOULD BE RECALLED. *JB

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING 30MPH, THERE WAS A RATTLING NOISE FROM THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT FOLLOWED BY THE ENGINE STALLING. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT REPAIR SHOP FOR INSPECTION. THE MECHANIC DETERMINED THE SCREWS USED FOR MOUNTING THE INTAKE MANIFOLD SHUTTER VALVE BROKE AND FELL INTO THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER AS WELL AS THE OIL PAN AND PISTONS. THE VEHICLE IS SCHEDULED FOR REPLACEMENT OF THOSE SCREWS. THERE IS AN EMISSION RECALL, #3005C, REGARDING THE EXHAUST SYSTEM. THE VEHICLE HAS THE SAME PROBLEMS AS INDICATED IN THE RECALL; HOWEVER IT IS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL DUE TO THE VIN.

ONE OF THE BUTTERFLY VALVES ON THE INTAKE MANIFOLD FELL OFF COMPLETELY. THIS HAPPENED WHEN THE LAST OF THE TWO SCREWS HOLDING IT ON CAME LOOSE AND FELL-OFF AND WAS SUCKED INTO THE ENGINE. WHEN THE PART WAS DISMANTLED, THERE WERE ONLY FIVE OF THE ORIGINAL EIGHT SCREWS REMAINING. ONLY ONE OF THE FOUR VALVES WAS COMPLETELY CONNECTED WHEN THE UNIT WAS OPENED. I WAS DRIVING NORMALLY DOWN ROAD AND LUCKILY THIS HAPPENED AS I WAS PARKING MY CAR. THE EVENT HAPPENED ON 7/22/05 AND THE MAZDA DEALERSHIP STATED THAT ALTHOUGH THEY HAVE SEEN THIS OCCUR BEFORE, THERE IS NO TSB OR RECALL. I WILL NEED TO REPLACE THIS PART OF THE MANIFOLD AT A COST OF MORE THAT $1000 DOLLARS. ON A MAZDA ENTHUSIST WEBSITE THAT I FREQUENT, AT LEAST TEN OTHER MEMBERS HAVE HAD THE SAME PROBLEM WITH RESULTS VARYING FROM COMPLETE ENGINE REPLACEMENT, TO THE SAME SUPPOSED FIX AS I NEED. THAT INFORMATION CAN BE FOUND AT "WWW.PROTEGE5.COM" THE INFORMATION IS AVAILABLE IN NUMEROUS PLACES IF YOU SEARCH THERE FOR "ENGINE NOISE." *JB

ENGINE HAS A VERY BAD HESITATION DURING EXCELERATION, BOTH FROM A STANDING AND ROILLING START. HESITATION IS BAD ENOUGH TO CAUSE VEHICLE CONTROL PROBLEMS DURRING THE WINTER WHEN DRIVING ON SNOW OR DURING RAINY CONDITIONS. ENGINE HAS ALREADY HAD THE PCM MODULE REPROGRAMED AS PER OUTSTANDING SERVICE BULLETIN THIS FIXED THE ENGINE MISSING UNDER SAME CIRCUMSTANCE BUT DOES NOT CORRECT THE HESITATION. DEALER HAS LOOKED AT THE VEHICLE 2 TIMES AND CANNOT FIND OR FIX THE PROBLEM.

VEHICLE WENT BACKWARDS EVEN AFTER CONSUMER PUT THE GEAR INTO PARK.*MR WHEN THE CONSUMER GOT BACK IN THE CAR AFTER LEAVING IT RUNNING SHE NOTICED THE ENGINE OIL PRESSURE LIGHT WAS ON, BUT THOUGHT NOTHING OF IT. THE CONSUMER WAS UNABLE TO STOP THE VEHICLE UNTIL IT CAME TO REST ON ITS OWN AFTER ROLLING IN A DITCH. THE DEALER WAS UNABLE TO DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. *JB