1996 Mazda Protege Owner Complaints

I HAVE HAD A PROBLEM WITH MY VEHICLE - THE MAZDA PROTG MENTIONED UNDER "SUBJECT" OF THIS E-MAIL - ACCELERATING WITHOUT THE GAS PEDAL BEING TOUCHED ON AT LEAST THREE OCCASIONS SINCE I PURCHASED IT NEW IN THE FALL OF 1996. THE VEHICLE ALSO EXHIBITED INTENSE RUMBLING WHEN IN DRIVE AND WAITING AT IDLE AT A STOP SIGN OR TRAFFIC LIGHT. ON ONE OF SEVERAL OCCASIONS THAT I RETURNED THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER ABOUT THE LATTER PROBLEM, A YOUNG ATTENDANT AT THE DEALER (MAZDA MAPLE SHADE IN MAPLE SHADE, NEW JERSEY) MENTIONED - APPARENTLY INADVERTENTLY - THAT THE RUMBLING WAS A "FACTORY DEFECT". I NEVER MENTIONED THE ACCELERATION PROBLEM SINCE I HAD ALWAYS MANAGED TO PUT ON THE BREAKS FIRMLY WHENEVER IT OCCURRED, AND THEREBY PREVENTED MOVEMENT THAT COULD HAVE CAUSED SERIOUS DAMAGE TO ANYTHING IN FRONT OF ME AS WELL AS THE CAR. THE VEHICLE ALSO HAS AN ELECTRONIC FEATURE THAT CAUSES IT TO AUDIBLY "REV UP" THE MOTOR BRIEFLY (APPROXIMATELY SEVERAL SECONDS, BUT LESS THAN A MINUTE) TO WARM UP. ONCE THE WARM-UP CYCLE ENDS THE CAR "REVS DOWN" TO A NORMAL IDLE SOUND. EVENTUALLY I HAD ANOTHER PROBLEM WITH THE CAR THAT REQUIRED THAT A MAJOR REPAIR BE DONE TO THE TRANSMISSION - AT EXPENSE TO ME SINCE THE EXTENDED WARRANTY I HAD PURCHASED HAD WORN OUT. THE REPAIR FIXED NOT ONLY THE NEW PROBLEM BUT -COINCIDENTALLY ACCORDING TO THE DEALER - THE RUMBLING. I HAVE ALSO NOT HAD THE ACCELERATION PROBLEM SINCE THE TRANSMISSION PROBLEM WAS FIXED. ALL OF THESE PROBLEMS APPEAR TO ME TO HAVE BEEN CONNECTED. I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW IF OTHER PURCHASERS OF THIS VEHICLE HAVE HAD SIMILAR PROBLEMS. FROM NHTSA WEB SITE. *TR

NHTSA ID

10316645

Incident

Jan 1, 1999

Mileage

30,000 mi

MY 1996 MAZDA PROTEGE LX (1.5 LITER ENGINE) SUFFERS FROM SUCH EXTREME ENGINE VIBRATION THAT THE CAR HAS RECENTLY BECOME PRACTICALLY UNDRIVEABLE DESPITE ITS LOW MILEAGE OF 83,000K AND A GOOD MAINTENANCE HISTORY. THE CAR SHAKES SEVERELY WHEN STARTING, JERKS SEVERELY WHEN SHIFTING GEARS AND IS SURGING ALMOST UNCONTROLLABLY AT VARIOUS TIMES. IT IS UNSAFE AND I HAVE BEEN TOLD THAT ALL ENGINE MOUNTS MUST BE REPLACED AT THIS TIME. IN LOOKING AT THE VECHICLE HISTORY, THERE HAS BEEN MANUFACTURER SERVICE BULLETINS ABOUT EXCESSIVE ENGINE VIBRATION. I BELIEVE THIS TO BE A SIGNIFICANT MANUFACTURER DEFECT THAT CAUSES UNSAFE CONDITIONS AND UNDUE BURDEN AND EXPENSE TO CONSUMERS. THE ESTIMATE FUTURE EXPENSE TO ME IS CLOSE TO $1,000.00.

NHTSA ID

10119894

Incident

May 3, 2005

CONSUMER'S VEHICLE WAS REAR ENDED WHILE STOPPING AT A TRAFFIC LIGHT, WHICH CAUSED A CHAIN REACTION WITH TWO OTHER VEHICLES. CONSUMER'S HEAD IMPACTED THE STEERING WHEEL , THE SEAT BACK, AND THEN THE STEERING WHEEL AGAIN. UPON IMPACT, AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY. *AK

NHTSA ID

10099934

Incident

Oct 12, 2004

Mileage

84,000 mi

WHILE DRIVING CONSUMER NOTICED THAT TRANSMISSION FAILED TO SHIFT GEARS. AFTER BEING INSPECTED CONSUMER CONCLUDED THAT TRANSMISSION HAD FAILED AND NEEDED REPLACEMENT. *AK

NHTSA ID

10046062

WHILE DRIVING CAR ON HIGHWAY AIR CONDITIONER SEIZED BREAKING BELT AND CAUSING ME TO LOSE POWER STEERING

NHTSA ID

10030975

Incident

Jul 11, 2003

Mileage

75,000 mi

CAR STARTED SMOKING & WITHIN LESS THAN 10 MINUTES THE FIRE THAT STARTED UNDER THE HOOD HAD HALF THE CAR ENGULFED IN FLAMES, WITHIN 25 MINUTES THE WHOLE CAR WAS COMPLETELY BURNED UP FROM FRONT TO BACK.

NHTSA ID

10025369

Incident

Jul 2, 2003

Mileage

42,000 mi

I HAD DIFFICULTY MOVING THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION GEAR SHIFT LEVER WHEN THE CAR WAS ABOUT 1 YEAR OLD. THE PROBLEM WOULD OCCUR ON AND OFF OVER THE NEXT FEW YEARS. I FINALLY HAD TO REPLACE THE PART WHEN THE GEAR SHIFT LEVER WAS STUCK WITH MY KEY STILL IN THE IGNITION ABOUT 2 OR 3 YEARS AGO. I CAN'T REMEMBER IF IT WAS AN ELECTRICAL/IGNITION OR TRANSMISSION PROBLEM. NOW THE SAME PROBLEM IS HAPPENING AGAIN!

NHTSA ID

10020725

Incident

May 29, 2003

SERIOUS RUST PROBLEM DISCOVERED IN THE WINDSHIELD AREA OF CAR WHEN HAVING NEW WINDSHIELD INSTALLED. SEVERAL YEARS AGO, PROBABLY 1999, WHILE THE CAR WAS STILL UNDER WARRANTY, I ATTEMPTED TO HAVE MAZDA REPAIR RUST THAT WAS APPEARING ON THE FRONT PILLARS BY THE WINDSHIELD. THEIR AREA REPRESENTATIVE REFUSED, SAYING THAT THE WARRANTY ONLY COVERED RUSTING THROUGH. NOW THIS HAS BECOME A SAFETY HAZARD, BECAUSE THE INTEGRITY OF THE NEW WINDSHIELD'S MOUNTING IS IN DOUBT.

NHTSA ID

10007963

Incident

Feb 20, 2003

Mileage

35,000 mi

IN AREAR END COLLISION WITH ANOTHER TRUCK NEITHER AIR BAG DEPLOYED. DEALER AND MANUFACTURER WERE NOT NOTIFIED AT THIS TIME. FEEL FREE TO PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION.*AK

NHTSA ID

8014641

Incident

Jul 18, 2002

WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED VEHICLE WILL MAKE NOISE WHILE MAKING A TURN. ALSO, IT FEELS UNBALANCED. CONTACTED DEALER, AND THE DEALER WAS NOT WILLING TO DO ANYTHING. *AK

NHTSA ID

896953

Incident

Aug 25, 2001

OUR PROBLEM IS WITH THE CAR SEAT WE BOUGHT. IT IS A COSCO ALPHA OMEGA WITH A OVER HEAD SHIELD ON IT. THE OVERHEAD SHIELD, WHERE IT ATTACHES TO THE SEAT COMES OFF OFTEN, AND PARTS HAVE FALLEN OUT. THIS PERTICULAR SEAT , WITH THE OVER HEAD SHIELD, SHOULD BE REMOVED FROM STORES. MANY PEOPLE HAVE HAD THIS SAME COMPLAINT AND THE FACT THAT THE SHIELD COMES OFF SO EASILY IS A DANGER TO THE CHILD.*AK

NHTSA ID

750731

THE DRIVERS AIR BAG FAILED TO DEPLOY DURING AN ACCIDENT IN WHICH THE VEHICLE SUSTAINED HEAVY DAMAGE.(ATTORNEY FOR CLIENT) *YH

NHTSA ID

562117

Incident

Jun 22, 2001

VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN A FRONTAL COLLISION IN WHICH DRIVER'S AIR BAG DID NOT DEPLOY, CAUSE UNKNOWN, IT HAS NOT BEEN DETERMINED IF VEHICLE WAS EQUIPPED WITH A PASSENGER AIR BAG. PLEASE GIVE ANY FURTHER DETAILS.*AK

NHTSA ID

892916

ALL FOUR DOORS ON VEHICLE WOULD UNLOCK OR LOCK ON THEIR OWN WHETHER VEHICLE WAS ON OR TURNED OFF. HAD BEEN IN CONTACT WITH DEALERSHIP ABOUT PROBLEM.*AK

NHTSA ID

892625

EVERY TEN THOUSAND MILES BRAKES HAVE TO BE REPLACED. *AK THE BRAKES BEGAN FAILING RIGHT FROM THE FIRST DAY OF PURCHASE AND LATER AT 6000 MILES AND 10000 MILES. *YH

NHTSA ID

885036

PROBLEMS WITH SHIFTER LEVER, HARD TO SHIFT INTO GEARS. *AK THE GEAR SHIFT LEVER PROBLEM OCCURED WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS LESS THAN A YEAR OLD. THEN IT HAPPENED AGAIN FOUR YEARS LATER. *YH

NHTSA ID

883488

Incident

Mar 17, 1997

LEFT REAR TIRE 'SEPARATED' WHILE GOING TO WORK ON I-95 AT 11 A.M. I TEMPORARY LOST CONTROL AND VEERED OVER 3 LANES BEFORE REGAINING CONTROL OF CAR. LUCKY TO BE ALIVE.( DOT NUMBER: ???? TIRE SIZE: ????? )

NHTSA ID

728726

Incident

Jul 5, 2000

POPPING NOISE FROM FRONT BRAKE CALIPER DURING SLOW SPEED BRAKING. *AK

NHTSA ID

726295

CHECK ENGINE LIGHT COMES ON, DUE TO POSSIBLE ENGINE FAILURE. *SLC

NHTSA ID

784736

CONSUMER WAS LOCKED IN DRIVER SEAT BECAUSE SEAT BELT WOULD NOT UNLATCH. CONSUMER HAD TO CUT HERSELF OUT. NOTIFIED DEALER, REPAIRS WERE COVERED UNDER EXTENDED WARRANTY.*AK

NHTSA ID

862473

Incident

Apr 12, 2000

WHILE DRIVING ON A TWO-LANE HIGHWAY TRAVELLING 45MPH, AND 2 CARS AHEAD, ANOTHER VEHICLE WAS MAKING SUDDEN A TURN, CONSUMER SLAMMED ON BRAKES, AND REAR ENDED VEHICLE IN FRONT. UPON IMPACT, NEITHER AIRBAG DEPLOYED. *AK

NHTSA ID

862392

Incident

Apr 17, 2000

CONSUMER HAS BROUGHT VEHICLE IN FOR REPAIRS ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS DUE TO SUSPENSION POPPING NOISE THAT IS IN THE FRONT AND REAR OF THE VEHICLE, THE NOISE IS STILL PRESENT AFTER REPLACEMENTS AND REPAIRS OF VARIOUS SUSPENSION COMPONENTS. *MJS

NHTSA ID

784294

ONGOING PROBLEM WITH TRANSMISSION GEAR NOT SHIFTING OUT OF GEAR. DEALER NOTIFIED AND INFORMED CONSUMER THAT NOTHING WOULD BE DONE BECAUSE VEHICLE WAS OUT OF WARRANTY. CAN NHTSA PROVIDE ADDITIONAL INFORMATION. *AK

NHTSA ID

850759

Incident

Aug 15, 1997

NO DEPLOYMENT OF NEITHER DRIVER NOR PASSENGER SIDE AIR BAGS WHEN CONSUMERS VEHICLE IMPACTED ANOTHER VEHICLE IN THE REAR. NLM

NHTSA ID

782810

Incident

Jun 23, 1999

AFTER SPILLING A DRINK IN THE CUPHOLDER, THE ENGINE STALLED OUT DUE TO THE COMPUTER BEING UNDER THE CUP HOLDER. THE COMPUTER HAS TO BE REPLACED. *AK

NHTSA ID

843150