1999 Mazda Protege ES 1.8
Summary:
Great car.. if yours works from beginning
Faults:
Hydralic failures in brakes
ABS fails EVERYTIME
Air leaks
Windsheild wiper sprayer sprays heavy on one side.
Air conditioner takes forever to cool or heat.
Air conditioner drips into cd player.
My wheels REFUSE to keep an alignment and or balance.
General Comments:
Let me first say, with all these problems, I still love my car. Its been a GREAT car. But.. I am now scared to drive it.
I still own this car, have no yet died, but have almost multiple times becuase of this problem. I lost my job, and had problems paying for my car for awhile, but now that I am caught back up, I will again start to try and get this fixed again.
My car from day 1 has had massive problems. The biggest of these problems was the ABS not EVER WORKING EVER..
I have been told that it works just fine. I have ridden in the car with the LEAD technical engineer from two different Mazda dealerships/garages and was told by both that after we came skidding and sliding to a stop... that it was fine.
Now, I don't look like am total moron, but these guys must think I am. When you hit the brakes hard and your brakes lock and you slide to a stop... that USUALLY means your ANTI-LOCK brakes are not working.
I have almost gotten into many accidents becuase my car loses hydralic pressure. I push my petal down, and the car SLOWLY starts to stop... I have gone into oncoming traffic multiple times waiting for my car to stop... I have gone over parking lot sidewalks with it not stopping. I have actually hit another car... luckily mine was only going 5mph at that time...
Heres the worst part. I am now what will be my 4th attempt to get this fixed. All attemps have been documented with Mazda. Each time they disregard everything and just try to replace my break shoes. They actually have the audacity to tell me that each one of my problems is how my car is SUPPOSED to operate.
Its odd. My girlfreind has a 2001 Protege and funny thing, hers does NOT OPERATE like its supposed to than! Hers actually stops and her brakes don't lock. Her windshield wiper sprayer works! Her car doesn't leak air in! When she takes a sharp corner, her air conditioner doesn't turn off.
All and all, I love my car. No matter what happens, it has got me from point A to point B... but now, with my brakes failing half the time, my ABS not working, my tires getting eaten through becuase alighment will not hold (I am on my THIRD pair of 35,000+ mile tires, quite simply, I am scared to drive it.
Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes
Review Date: 12th December, 2002
19th Jul 2007, 09:24
OK...I understand that maybe you aren't mechanically inclined. Heck, I KNOW you aren't from reading your review. Your problem is your Brake Master Cylinder. You should buy one from Autozone, Advanced Auto, or Napa and get a private mechanic to replace it. They run about $190 for your car. That or just take it to a private mechanic and tell him your "symptoms"... You might also have a fluid leak somewhere further down the line... but that should be obvious when your mechanic goes to check it out.
27th May 2004, 11:13
With the brakes failing, you must be nuts to want to keep the car.
And if you have been to the dealer to get the same problem fixed 3 times, you can give the car back and ask for full refund. There is something called Lemon law.