1999 Mazda Protege DX 1.6 Liter
Summary:
It is a great car with only a few problems
Faults:
There is a horrible smell that comes through the A/C vents when I have to rev hard. The smell could aptly be described as bad fish.
My Air compressor busted.
General Comments:
This car is very quick and handles great.
The base model of this car can handle speeds of about 117 mph.
The car is comfortable and low to the ground.
Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes
Review Date: 24th November, 2007
8th Dec 2006, 03:23
If your check engine light is on, then it's one of the sensors that manipulate the computer to confuse the transmission by sending when and not to shift, that's why you are getting that occasional slip and jerk from your trans. I had this problem with my 2000 LX at 38K miles, the check light came on and I immediately took it to Mazda, they ran it through their system and came up with a code that reads P0171 and replaced an Air Flow Meter sensor under warranty. After that, the car ran fine and the light stayed off ever since (3 years later and 111,000 on my car now). However, the transmission slip/jerk still occur occasionally and I found the problem - my Air Intake Tube had an inch crack on it. I had that replaced and the car ran so much better, the transmission also shifts better. So I guess that solves the problem, which is "air leak". This happens because the computer states that the vehicle is running too rich or too lean, either way is no good. So, if you don't have high miles and love the car, get it fixed, believe me, you'll love it more afterwards.