Check engine light.
CD player plays no CDs.
A/C did not work.
Passenger seatbelt is frayed.
One or two tires are out of balance.
Trunk lock does not turn. Trunk opens only with the release lever.
The foam grip on the upper sector of the steering wheel is detached from the steel rim, but it’s in one piece.
There is nothing pretentious about the Protégé. This is a small runabout that is fun to drive. It is a bit noisy inside in particular at highway speeds. The suspension is a little bouncy, but comfortable enough. Space in the front is adequate and tight in the rear seats. The trunk is big enough for a grocery-getter. The outside rear view mirrors a little too small. It is powerful enough to keep up with traffic, but a heavy load will keep you in the slow lane or force you to run high RPMs.
I just bought this car end of July, 09 with 147000 miles on the clock. It will save me some gas vs. the mini van and my boys can learn driving the stick shift and how to maintain a vehicle. I plan to do everything myself with their help.
The interior looked impeccable. In the trunk there was a tote with car wax, tow strap, jumper cables, spare fuses and a fancy spray nozzle for the garden hose that said about the previous owner: “I loved my Protégé!”
I liked its features: AC, power windows, locks and mirrors, cruise control, stereo, 5 speed manual, cloth seats, tachometer, 2 air bags, interval wipers. That is just enough stuff to make our commutes and runs enjoyable.
The exterior was looking fine with only some rust around the rear wheel wells and on the underside. They put salt on the roads in Iowa.
It runs almost like new (I used to have a 323). The clutch feels fine, and the shifts are “scratch free”. There is just a little noise from the front end over bumps most likely caused be worn sway bar links.
The AC appeared to be completely discharged. I filled it with refrigerant. Now it works just fine.
I have changed the air filter, looked at the spark plugs and gaped them properly, checked the resistance of the injectors (11, 11, 11, 12 Ohms). Three of them are just below specification. I cleaned the MAF sensor, checked the intake hose for vacuum leaks and was getting ready to check the O2 sensor. Now the Check Engine Light went off.
Fuel economy has improved from 33.8 mpg with the first tank to 35 mpg with the third tank of gas (at least 60% highway, AC on). I use regular unleaded with a shot of Lucas Oil Fuel Treatment. Maybe I burned off carbon deposits.
When I looked at the spare tire I found lots of road dust in the trunk under the carpet. I could also see where it came from: there were two plugs missing at the wheel wells. I cleaned the trunk area and plugged the holes with foam package material.
What’s left to do? Change brake fluid, 2 new tires, sway bar links, seat belt, CD player, keep spraying the trunk lock. I also think of sound dampening that little tin can of a car.
Like the previous owner, I love my Protégé!
I will update this review occasionally.
I would like to move to Iowa with like 50 relatives of mine since we are getting so tired of life in the big city. About your Protege. I wonder if you bought it to save gas as opposed to driving the van. But maybe in reality it is costing you more money since you had to pay thousands of dollars to buy the used Protege and to pay for it's additional insurance, registration, parking tickets, and upkeep. Maybe if you do the math, it works out to be cheaper just to keep the Van. Just a thought.
If your 50 relatives are as reasonable and practical thinkers as you are, you all fit right in here in Iowa. You will love the insurance premiums too!
Indeed, the purpose of this vehicle is not to save pennies. It won't. It saves enough gas to pay for the insurance on a monthly basis, but that's it. My main excuses for this vehicle are that my boys will learn the stick shift and to do basic car maintenance and repairs. If we get stuck with something I will jump in the minivan. I just have to remember to get the parking permit out of the Mazda.
Past weekend we changed the brake fluid and my oldest enjoyed helping me with pumping the pedal and putting on the wheels when we were done. I had no idea how many things you can do wrong putting on a wheel: he first tried it inside out, then he put on the lug nut inside out.
While the wheels were off I noticed that the rear struts were recently replaced, but without boot kit. The front struts are shot, but the sway bar links seem fine. The rear brakes need cleaning and lubing.
I can manage to save a bit more by doing some repairs on the minivan as well. If I have to take a bit extra time I can use the Mazda. I. e. I need to fix the manifold vacuum leak on the '03 Windstar. The parts cost about $100 but the shops quote $800 to $1300 for the job. The rear brakes need attention as well. I was quoted $500.00 for the brake job. Hah!!
Once the boys have left the nest I intend to get a nicer car (BMW, maybe) and use my freshly honed skills to maintain it. Yes, I admit it: I am a gear head.
Update:
Odometer: 150000 miles.
My tug of war with the CEL continues. There is a review of a 1999 Protégé with 130+ comments titled: “Low price, low quality…” I want to thank some commentators there: the guy with the duct tape, the 16 year Mazda mechanic and the guy who posted the content of the shop manual. With their hints and pointers I might actually win this battle.
I used a propane bottle and rubber hose to look for vacuum leaks while the engine idled. No hits. I also inspected the air intake hose again and found some cracks. The cracks did not go all the way through. None the less I wrapped two layers of duct tape around the ripples.
I tested the oxygen sensor and replaced it for lack of trust ($70). I cleared the codes. The light was out for about 340 miles.
I should have done this first: With a high mileage engine there is a high probability that the EGR ports are clogged with gunk. Inspection costs nothing and a fix costs about $10. I got a can of throttle body cleaner, a throttle body gasket and an inspection mirror. I removed the throttle body and looked inside the intake plenum: all black! The EGR portholes were at the 6 and 12 o’clock positions. I poked in there with a wire while using the inspection mirror and flash light to see the upper porthole. I thoroughly cleaned the portholes and also the throttle body while it was off and put it all back together with the new gasket. I cleared the codes. The light was out for about 340 miles.
The engine does run better though. I still feel some hesitation when accelerating, only during the warm up phase. Now this puzzles me: I get the message that the catalytic converter is below efficiency in warm up, but the light comes on after I go for 30 + miles on the interstate. I am way past the warm up and this code pops up. Does the computer not know that the engine is warmed up already? With computer programs it’s “garbage in- garbage out”: the EGR system was completely clogged and no code referring to it showed up. I still feel/hope that the cat is just fine and the ‘dog’ is on the intake side.
Other stuff:
I replaced the passenger seatbelt with one from the “Wrench and Go” for a whopping $7.05.
I replaced the bad Mastercraft rear tires with used ones from the local junk yard. Now I have Kumho Solus KR 21 tires in the front and Bridgestone Weatherforce ($74 for the pair, mounted and balanced) in the back. They have very similar tread design and the ride is much quieter than before. There is now 50% thread all around. I had the front tires balanced too $20).
A guy at the parts store gave me chuckle: “Oh, you have a Mazderati?”
Update:
To tame the CEL light, I decided to take off the EGR valve and clean it as well. There is an in and out passage that makes a U- turn. Those passages are about 15 mm in diameter. However, there was a 2 to 3 mm thick layer of carbon on the walls restricting the gas flow. I scraped it all out, sprayed some throttle body cleaner in there as well, and pushed the valve open a few times. I put it all back using a new gasket ($8.00). Again, the engine ran better after this cleaning job. I cleared the codes and the light is off for 450 miles and counting. I will let you know if it comes on again.
The gas station’s pump for regular was not working. So I decided to get midgrade fuel instead (91 Octane and 10% ethanol). That made a huge difference! Immediately, the remaining hesitation was gone and the engine ran quieter throughout its rev range and pulled even from 1200 rpm in second gear. What a transformation!
The manual specifies a minimum of 87 Octane. That may not be enough. The 1.5 L engine has a compression ratio of 9.5 to 1. A little amount of carbon deposits easily can increase it and cause knocking.
I think most Mazda Protégé CEL lights can be extinguished quickly and inexpensively by following this check list:
1. Check and clean the EGR ports and valve, clean the throttle body and use mid or high octane fuel.
2. Check for vacuum leaks.
3. Check ignition parts.
4. Check fuel system parts.
5. Check sensors.
Update:
After 610 miles the CEL was bright yellow again. I like the trend. The code read “P1195 EGR Boost Sensor Circuit.”
I pulled the wire harnesses off and put them back on to remove any corrosion. But the CEL returned almost immediately. So I decided to check the vacuum lines.
I pulled off the vacuum tube between EGR boost sensor and manifold. I had to use pliers to get it off the manifold. I poked into the nipple at the manifold to see if the passage is open. In fact there was a lot of hard carbon built up. I fashioned a tool from an old bicycle spoke to drill through the carbon. It takes about 3” of a straight wire with a sharp tip. I cut the spoke with diagonal cutters at an angle and bent the back to a form a small handle.
Next I pulled off the vacuum hose between the fuel pressure regulator and the manifold. I blew air through the hose and found it severely restricted but not blocked. I pushed a strong wire through and some soft gummy stuff came out. I blew again and it was clear. I poked into the nipple at the manifold as well.
Vacuum hose is cheap. I bought 5ft for $3.00 and replaced most of the hoses.
The engine ran fantastic on the test drive: 2nd gear, full throttle all the way from 1200 to 5800 rpm without any hiccups. It acted the same with partially open throttle.
Add to the check list: “Check vacuum hoses and nipples for obstructions”.
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