1992 Mazda Protege Problems & Complaints

LETTER FROM SENATOR GILLIBRAND ON BEHALF OF CONSTITUENT RE 1992 MAZDA PROTEGE. *SMD THE CONSUMER IS SEEKING REIMBURSEMENT FOR AN IGNITION SWITCH REPLACEMENT HE PAID FOR OUT-OF-POCKET. *JB

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1992 MAZDA PROTEGE. WHEN THE CONTACT ATTEMPTED TO START THE VEHICLE, THE IGNITION FAILED WITHOUT WARNING. THE FAILURE WAS RECURRING. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 15V674000 (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM). THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 92,000.

1. AUTOMATIC/PASSIVE RESTRAINT BELT FOR DRIVERS SIDE HAD BEEN ACTING SLUGGISH E.G. BELT WOULD HESITATE WHEN OPENING/CLOSING DOOR BEFORE MOVING TO FULL OPEN/CLOSED POSITION. 2. BELT IS STUCK/FROZEN IN MIDWAY POSITION OF DOOR. DRIVER HAS NO ADEQUATE SHOULDER RESTRAINT IN EVENT OF COLLISION. 3. CONTACTED MAZDA MANUFACTURE BUT THEY STATE CAR VIN IS NOT IN U.S. DATABASE. I WAS NEVER NOTIFIED ABOUT THE NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 97V211000 THAT IDENTIFIES A PROBLEM WITH MAZDA VEHICLES 323 AND MX3 THAT USE THE IDENTICAL RESTRAINT SYSTEM. MY CAR WAS BUILT IN JAPAN, SHIPPED TO EUROPE AND PURCHASED NEW IN MONTHS, BELGIUM AS U.S. SPEC VEHICLE. THIS PUTS MY CAR IN A LIMBO STATUS OF IT IS A U.S. SPEC CAR BUT WAS SOLD IN EUROPE AND ISN'T COVERED BY A U.S. ONLY RECALL. MY COMPLAINT IS THAT IF CAR MANUFACTURERS ARE SELLING VEHICLES OVERSEAS TO U.S. MILITARY MEMBERS WHO BRING THE CARS BACK TO THE STATES THEN THEY SHOULD BE REQUIRED COVER THOSE VINS AS WELL FOR SAFETY RECALLS ETC. *JB

WHILE DRIVING, ROAD DEBRIS RUPTURED THE VEHICLE FUEL TANK WHICH RESULTED ON A FIRE ON THE VEHICLE. THE DRIVER WAS SEVERELY BURNED ABOUT 30 PERCENT OF HER BODY. *LA

DRIVER'S SIDE AUTOMATIC SEAT BELT RETRACTOR BROKE. THE CABLE HAS COME COMPLETELY OFF THE TRACK. THE DRIVER SIDE SEAT BELT IS INOPERABLE. *LA

WHEN DRIVING AT 25 MPH VEICLE ACCELERATED WITHOUT ANY WARNING. *AK

DRIVER'S SIDE AUTOMATIC SEAT BELT RETRACTOR BROKE, IT CAME COMPLETELY OFF THE TRACK. SEAT BELT IS INOPERATIVE.*AK

CABLE THAT MOVES SHOULDER RESTRAINT BACK AND FORTH CAME OUT OF ITS TRACK CREATING A NOOSE ACROSS THE WINDOW SHOULDER BELT IS NOW INOPERABLE

FRONT DRIVER SHOULDER RESTRAIN IS NOT WORKING PROPERLY. DEALER NOTIFIED. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION.*AK

PASSIVE RESTRAINT SYSTEM ON DRIVER'S SIDE IS DISABLED IN FORWARD POSITION, LAYING ACROSS STEERING WHEEL. MAZDA CLAIMS NO RESPONSIBILITY BECAUSE BELT HAS FAILED IN FORWARD POSITION. PLEASE DESCRIBE DETAILS. *AK

AUTOMATIC SHOULDER SEAT BELT FAILURE . *AK

RAIL OF AUTOMATIC SHOULDER BELT HAS WORN OUT SUFFICIENTLY, CAUSING CABLE, WHICH RETRACTS THE BUCKLE ASSEMBLY, TO JAM IN RAIL. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK

MAIN BEARINGS ON CRANK BLEW, EVEN THOUGH CAR HAS ONLY 65000 MILES OIL IS CHANGED EVERY 4 MONTHS OR 3000 WHICHEVER COMES FIRST. NO WARNING THAT ANY PROBLEMS WITH ENGINE. NO WARNING LIGHTS CAME ON. CAR IN TRAFFIC ENGINE STARTED TO WEV HIGH,WHEN THIS HAPPENED I PULLED TO SIDE OF ROAD CAR OVERHEATED WAS TOWED OFF HIGHWAY IN NEW JERSEY. WAS BROGHT BACK TO CT ON FLAT BED. SAME MECHANIC ON CAR SINCE BEGINING.*AK

AUTOMATIC SEAT BELT WOULD JAM IN THE MIDDLE OF TRACK AND REMAIN IN THAT POSITION, LEAVING THE OCCUPANT WITHOUT ANY RESTRAINT. DEALER WAS NOTIFIED, AND UNWILLING TO ASSIST,. STATED THAT VEHICLE WAS OUT OF ITS WARRANTY, AND NOT COVERED UNDER A MANUFACTURER'S RECALL. PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION.*AK

NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK

HORN SOUNDS SPONTANIOUSLY. PEDESTRIANS WERE FRIGHTENED. WHILE WE WERE AT THE MOVIES (CAST AWAY) THE HORN WENT OFF WHILE WE WERE WATCHING THE MOVIE AND WE DIDN'T KNOW IT UNTIL WE GOT BACK TO THE PARKING LOT, WHICH WAS ALMOST WMPTY EXCEPT FOR US, THE MOVIE WAS CLOSINF, AND THW HORN WAS BARELY BLOWING. LUCKY FOR US THE CAR STARTED BUT DIDN'T THE NEXT MORNING AND I HAD TO CATCH THE BUS IN THE SNOW.

FUNNY NOISE IN BRAKES, DEALER CLAIMS NOTHING WRONG, CONSUMER WAS BACKING CAR WHEN BOTH THE ACCELERATOR AND BRAKE PEDAL GOT STUCK, CAUSING A CRASH. *SLC

CONSUMER MADE AN APPOINTMENT WITH THE DEALER TO REPLACE THE RECALLED 00T005 FIRESTONE ATX TIRES (P235 75 R15), THE DEALER GAVE HIM A DATE AND SAID THAT THE TIRES COULD BE REPLACED AT THIS TIME, THE CONSUMER WENT TO HAVE THE TIRES REPLACED ON THE APPOINTMENT DAY AND THE DEALER INFORMED HIM THAT THE TIRES WOULD HAVE TO BE EXCHANGED AT FIRESTONE, CONSUMER IS REQUESTING THAT THE RECALLED TIRES BE REPLACED. *SLC

SEATBELTS INDICATOR LIGHT ON DASH WILL GO OFF AND BEEP WHILE VEHICLE IS IN OPERATION, CAUSING A DISTRACTION . PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK

FRONT SEAT BELTS ARE MOTOR DRIVEN AND DO NOT WORK AND NEED TO BE RECALLED

WHILE PULLING OUT OF A PARKING LOT ANOTHER CAR WAS IN FRONT OF CONSUMER. VEHICLE STARTED RACING AND LAUNCHED FORWARD WITH FOOT ON THE BRAKES. CONTACTED LOCAL MECHANIC WHO FIXED THE PROBLEM. BUT, IT HAPPENED AGAIN ON 7 JUNE, 2 000. TOOK IT TO MECHANIC, AND MECHANIC CLEANED OUT THE CABLES AND THROTTLE.*AK

WHILE VEHICLE IS IN MOTION SEATBELT LIGHT WILL COME ON, ALERTING DRIVER THAT SEATBELTS ARE NOT ON CORRECTLY.CONSUMER HAS REPLACED SEATBELT ASSEMBLIES TWICE WITHIN 7 YEARS. *AK

VEHICLE CUTS OFF AND JERKS AND IDLES VERY LOW DUE TO THE FUEL FILTER FAILURE. MECHANIC CAN'T FIND A SOLUTION. *AK

INTERMITTENTLY THE RESTRAINT WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATES ON AND OFF. THE DEALER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED. *AK

PAINT HAS BEEN PEELING FROM ORIGINAL PAINT JOB IN NUMEROUS PLACES ON ROOF

THE PROBLEM BEGAN WITH SPORADIC LOSSES OF WIPER AND BLOWER FUNCTION. WE COULD BYPASS THE PROBLEM BY JIGGLING THE KEY WHILE THE ENGINE WAS RUNNING TO RESTORE POWER TO THE WIPERS AND BLOWER. SOON THIS DEFECT OCCURRED MOST TIMES THAT THE CAR WAS RUNNING. ON A RECENT OCCASION, THE STEERING COLUMN STARTED TO SMOKE WHEN THE AIR CONDITIONING WAS ON. WE HAVE NOT USED THE CAR SINCE. THESE DEFECTS ARE SERIOUS IN WISCONSIN WHERE WEATHER CONDITIONS REQUIRE A WORKING HEATER AND WIPERS. WE WERE WONDERING IF THERE EVER WAS A RECALL FOR THIS PROBLEM. OUR LOCAL DEALER WAS NOT VERY HELPFUL. WE FEEL THAT THE UNEXPECTED LOSS OF WIPERS OR DEFROSTER REPRESENTS A DANGEROUS SITUATION, NOT TO MENTION THE POSSIBILITY OF A FIRE STARTING IN THE STEERING COLUMN. THANK YOU.

GAS INTAKE VALVE FAILED. MJS

SEAT BELT WARNING BELL GOES OFF AND ON CONTINUOUSLY WHILE CAR IS ON FOR THE LAST SEVERAL YEARS

TRANSMISSION WAS REPLACED TWICE BEFORE DETERMINING THE THROTTLE POSITION SENSOR SWITCH WAS MALFUNCTIONING. TRANSMISSION FAILED AGAIN , 1 MONTH AFTER WARRANTY EXPIRED AND HAD TO BE REBUILT. SEAT BELT LIGHT BEEPS AND GOES ON INTERMITTENTLY FOR NO APPARENT REASON. *AK

UNSURE IF ALL DATA I RECEIVED WHEN PURCHASED IS CORRECT. NO DEFECTS MENTIONE DIN THE SUMMARY. *AK

DIFFERENTIAL UNIT IN THE F-4 TRANSMISSIONS GO OUT IN THE NORTHERN PART OF THE COUNTRY. DEALER CONTACTED, AND THEY CANNOT REMEDY THE PROBLEM. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK

RECALL WORK PERFORM ON MOTORBELT, HOWEVER CONTINUES TO NOT WORK.

DRIVER'S AND PASSENGER'S SIDE REAR SHOULDER BELTS DO NOT RETRACT, CAUSING THEM TO BE INOPERABLE. *AK

MOTOR BELT FAILED TO OPERATE ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE; DEALER NOTIFIED AND REFUSE TO REPAIR BECAUSE VEHICLE WAS NOT UNDER WARRANTY. *AK

CYLINDER HEAD AND SEAL PREMATURELY FAILED. ENGINE SHOWED VISIBLE SIGNS OF IT GOING BAD. SIGNS INCLUDED ROUGH START AND IDLE AND LARGE AMOUNTS OF WHITE PUFFY SMOKE FROM EXHAUST.

THE VEHICLE WAS ON, CONSUMER SMELLED SMOKE AND NOTICED SMOKE COMING FROM THE STEERING COLUMN AREA DUE TO AN ELECTRICAL SHORT WITHIN THE HARNESS. CONSUMER CONTACTED THE DEALER, DEALER STATED WIRING HARNESS WITHIN THE STEERING COLUMN NEEDED REPLACING. *AK

SEAT BELT SOMETIMES LOCKS WHEN IT'S MOVING BACK OR FORWARD. THE ONLY WAY TO RELEASE IT IS TO USE THE EMERGENCY RELEASE.

THE RESTRAINT LIGHT COMES ON INTERMITTENTLY. THE DEALERSHIP CAN'T DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. *AK

AUTOMATIC SEAT BELTS FAILED. ALSO, FRESH AIR VALVE BUSTED WHILE SWITCHING FROM RECIRC TO FRESH AIR. IN ADDITION, MANUFACTURER'S INSTALLED RADIO REPLACED. *AK

AUTOMATIC SEAT BELT FAILURE; ALSO, FRESH AIR VALVE BUSTED WHILE SWITCHING FROM MRECIRC TO FRESH AT FREEWAY, AND MANUFACTURING INSTALLED RADIO REPLACED DUE TO MALFUNCTIONS. *AK

BOTH FRONT SEATBACKS COLLAPSED AFTER BEING HIT FROM THE REAR AT A COMPLETE STOP. PLEASE DESCRIBE DETAILS. *AK

DRIVER HAS TO USE EXCESSIVE EFFORT TO UNLOCK DRIVERS SIDE DOOR LOCK.

WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE THE ENGINE BROKE A ROD, CAUSING OWNER TO MAKE AN EMERGENCY STOP ON THE HIGHWAY. OWNER TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALER AND WAS TOLD THAT THERE WAS A HOLE IN OIL PAN. *AK

MOTORIZED SEAT BELT MALFUNCTIONS IN COLD WEATHER.

UPON STARTING VEHICLE EXPERIENCED AUTOMATIC SHOULDER HARNESS MALFUNCTION, PINNING DRIVER BACK INTO SEAT, AND ERRACTIC OPERATION OF BELT WHEN GOING UP AND DOWN TRACK.*AK

CAR HORN DOES NOT WORK.*AK CONSUMER STATES ON FIRST OCCASION HORN WOULD BLOW BY ITSELF WHEN IT FELT LIKE IT HAD TO DISCONNECT BATTERY CABLE TO MAKE IT STOP BLOWING, ON SECOND OCCASION HORN STOPPED BLOWING AND DEALER STATED A NEW HORN WAS NEEDED ON STEERING COLUMN.*JB

ERRATIC OPERATION OF THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION, GEARS ARE NOT ENGAGING PROPERLY. TT

SEAT BELT WARNING LIGHT KEEPS BLINKING. TT

SEAT BELT WARNING LIGHT KEEPS BLINKING. TT

#EA94-039 WHEN DRIVING AND APPLY THE BRAKES THE DRIVER SIDE SEAT BELT MAKES NOISE . TT

PE95-044 ACTIVE, FAULTY FUEL FILLER NECK, REPLACED FUEL NECK ASSEMBLY, DAMAGED THE FUEL TANK. TT *SLC

STEEL WHEEL RIM WELDS RUSTED. *SD

FAULTY SHOULDER STRAP SENSOR ON THE DRIVER SIDE. PLEASE DESCRIBE. TT

#EA94-039 THE DRIVER AND PASSENGER SIDE SEAT BELT RETRACTOR WAS REPLACED FOUR TIMES . TT

THE DRIVER AND PASSENGER SIDE SEAT BELT RETRACTOR STOPPED WORKING . TT

REAR END PIN BROKE, CAUSING TRANSMISSION TO DROP, FAIL. *TW

DRIVING VEHICLE AT LOW SPEED OF 5-10 MPH, IMPACT 6:00 POSITION, FRONT DRIVER AND PASSENGER SEAT WENT PARTIALLY INCLINE POSITION, CAUSING SEAT BACK FAILURE. TT

SEAT BELT WARNING LIGHT COMES IN INTERMITTENTLY. *AK

TAKATA SEATBELT BUCKLES INOPERATIVE, MALE BUCKLE WON'T GO INTO FEMALE PORTION. TT

DRIVER SIDE SEAT BELT FAILED DURING A REAR END COLLISION. TT

REAR ENDED AND BACK OF DRIVER SEAT COLLAPSED. TT

DRIVERS SIDE SEAT SHOULDER BELT GETS STUCK IN DIFFERENT POSITIONS IN DOOR ROLLER. TT

BOLT SETTING BETWEEN THE HUB BRAKES LODGE BETWEEN THE TIRE RESULTING IN A LOSS OF BRAKES. TT

WARPED FRONT BRAKE ROTORS, CAUSING PULSATION WHEN BRAKES ARE APPLIED. *AK

SHOULDER STRAP DID NOT CATCH UPON IMPACT; BROADSIDED ANOTHER VEHICLE TRAVELING THRU RED LIGHT. TT

FUEL TANK CORRODED, CAUSING VEHICLE TO STALL.

FUEL PUMP CORRODED, CAUSING FAILURE.

BATTERY REPLACED, DUE TO VEHICLE PERFORMING SLUGGISHLY. *SKD