1994 Mazda Protege LX 1.8L SOHC

Summary:

This car is a dependable joy to drive

Faults:

The only problems with this car has been a bad thermostat sensor which cost 60.00 dollars and only could be found at a dealership. This happened with about 47,000 miles on the car.

I have replaced CV boots and will replace CV joints in the near future. I have also replaced several mufflers and decided to use Midas so each year she gets a new one.

I had to disengage the horn due to the horn going off which sounds like it's going to blow up.

General Comments:

This car is a great all around, very dependable car. She is very quick for a 4 cylinder and handles very well. The steering is as stiff as it was the day I bought her.

She still gets great gas mileage and still is easy on the pockets for routine maintenance and repairs. Comfort is what you would expect for a mid compact car, no frills or thrills, just the basics.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes

Review Date: 6th July, 2001

25th Sep 2001, 15:53

I tend to agree - my 94 Protege is a great car, but the few problems I've had are right in line with yours. Had to replace the CV boots, a new A/C compressor at 80,000, and worst of all, the horn problem you just described. The Mazda horn is designed to get your attention, so when mine shorted out yesterday and started going off at will in traffic, it was one of the most embarrassing moments of my life!

After hitting the steering wheel a few times, the horn stopped. Then it started up again. I couldn't get it to stop. Ugh. Then I got it home and the darn thing went off again in the parking lot of my apartment complex! This time it stayed on. So I yanked the fuse. This stopped the horn from honking but unfortunately also took out the brake lights.

Then I discovered that without that fuse, the car will not shift out of park. It must be a so-called "safety feature" that the car will not drive without brake lights, but to me that sounds dangerous. What if that fuse had gone out somewhere on the road and I needed to move the car out of traffic?

I have no idea what fixing the horn will cost. If you check this message board, please respond and let me know how your horn repair turned out.

Thanks!

Ken.

View 31 more comments

1994 Mazda Protege LX 1.8 DOHC

Summary:

A high performance, great looking lemon

Faults:

Don't know where to start.

1. A/C went out at 75000 miles, had the dealer check it, they went through it but couldn't find the problem, even though it was recharged and empty of freon by nightfall, costly to fix - 800.

2. Back passenger window stuck in the down position at 40,000 miles, was out of town so I took of the door cover and finally after an hour pried it loose, rolled it up and unhooked the electrical connection, still unusuable today.

3. Back drivers window shakes and grunts and groans when going up or down, took off the door cover and lubricated all metal parts, much to the hassle of cleaning lithium grease off the window, did not help, still not using it.

4. Drivers window pops and will not roll up without a helping hand, had checked at the dealer, need new motor gears, but have to buy a whole motor, cost is 350 dollars, do not use.

5. Sunroof will not close all the way, had it repaired at the dealer once but acted up again so it still does not close all the way (good thing I have a garage).

6. Transmission would not shift out of park if the car was cold, this happened from about 60,000 to 80,000, but now does not have a problem, so I guess it's fixed.

7. Seat belts are the type that slide along a track beside the door frame, they are stuck in the front position so it is impossible to buckle up for safety.

8. Front suspension pops when I turn too sharp, had the dealer put on new CV joints, but when I drove it from the dealer it still did this. Told myself not to turn too sharp and still drive it this way today.

9. Tape deck quit working at 40,000 so I installed a CD player.

General Comments:

This is an attractive car with a dependable motor, but that is the extent of it, as all the accessories are in my opinion, made of unreliable and badly designed parts. The parts you have to buy are unreasonably expensive and can only be purchased through Mazda.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Don't Know

Review Date: 15th March, 2001

11th Nov 2001, 23:33

As a "do as much as I can for myself"-er, I appreciate this owner tackling the window problems. However, since the owner chose to attempt fixes, failed, and so left the car in disrepair, one cannot know if the dealer's mechanics would have been able to remedy the problems or not.

View 6 more comments

1994 Mazda Protege LX?? no frills 4 cyl.

Faults:

Caliper in front right tire has given me trouble since I purchased the car. It continues to stick, even after being replaced in 1997 while under warranty. Continues to click when braking and I have been informed that there is not much that can be done about it. Have considered a Lemon Law claim for this recurring problem... Just wanted to know if anyone else has had a similar problem with this model.

Also had to replace the exhaust system in 1997 and most recently a flex exhaust pipe.

General Comments:

Car has served me well despite the caliper problem. Drives well and has good pick up. I do enjoy the car and feel that I have got my $ out of it.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes

Review Date: 4th March, 2000

5th Feb 2001, 19:54

I have a 1995 Protege and have put 220,000 miles on it. I bought the car brand new and whenever I change the pads, one side does seem to be worn out while the other is only 3/4 worn. However, as the car gets older and older, the difference is less and less. Hopefully, you're having the same experience. I put a review on, check it out.

This has been an incredible car. I have all records to prove what little work has been done to preserve this car. The last thing I did to it was Nu-Finish - it now looks like new :-)

30th Oct 2002, 12:04

We have the same problem with the brakes on our 1995 Protege. We are on our third set of rotors and pads and have just replaced the calipers which so far has seemed to fix the problem, with only 80,000 miles being on the third set of rotors seems a bit much to me. The car has performed well, but I do find my back gets soar on long trips.