2003 Mazda Protege Engine Problems and Repair Histories

Mazda Protege5 in Colorado, United States
Month	Year	Odometer (in miles)	Cost	Problem/Repair Description
Jul	2006	62000		First odometer entry
Dec	2010	150000	220	A coil pack was firing intermittently and was replaced. However, I drove the car too many miles with the intermittent misfire, and took out the cat. Dumb and expensive move.
Mar	2013	180000		Most recent odometer entry.

 

Mazda Protege5 in Manitoba, Canada
Month	Year	Odometer (in miles)	Cost	Problem/Repair Description
Jan	2011	90520		First odometer entry
Feb	2011	90820	50	Fresh air intake boot snapped; was giving off p0171 code. Ordered the part off autopartsway.ca and installed. Supposedly is a common problem with these cars.
Mar	2012	97960	30	Car turned out a P0303 code; cylinder 3 misfire. Tried the easiest repair first, replacing ignition wires. It worked and fuel economy shows its back to normal.
Mar	2013	102300		Most recent odometer entry.

 

Mazda Protege5 in California, United States
Month	Year	Odometer (in miles)	Cost	Problem/Repair Description
Jan	2007	40000		First odometer entry
May	2010	53000	0	OBD DTC P0037 - heated oxygen sensor. Dealer diagnosed sensor failure and replaced it free. Covered under CA Emissions warranty.
Mar	2013	63000		Most recent odometer entry.

 

Mazda Protege5 in Michigan, United States
Month	Year	Odometer (in miles)	Cost	Problem/Repair Description
Jul	2006	34000		First odometer entry
Apr	2010	84000	118	Intake air tube developed a crack, perhaps when I replaced the air filter. Caused the engine to run lean, setting off the CEL. Shop suspected this was a common problem, since the part was readily available.
Oct	2011	105000	1000	Timing belt and water pump
Mar	2013	114000		Most recent odometer entry.

 

Mazda Protege5 in North Carolina, United States
Month	Year	Odometer (in miles)	Cost	Problem/Repair Description
Aug	2005		0	Intake manifold screws fell out, new intake manifold
Sep	2005		0	Intake manifold screws again fall out, new engine
Jun	2009	128000	500	Replaced engine for second time. Burning oil again by November.
Mar	2010			Most recent odometer entry.

 

Mazda Protege5 in British Columbia, Canada
Month	Year	Odometer (in miles)	Cost	Problem/Repair Description
Mar	2009	88040		First odometer entry
Sep	2009	98580	0	CEL, replaced O2 sensor.
Jun	2011			Most recent odometer entry.

 

Mazda Protege5 in Maryland, United States
Month	Year	Odometer (in miles)	Cost	Problem/Repair Description
Mar	2011	155000		First odometer entry
Apr	2011	157000	600	Valve cover gasket was replaced. It was leaking a lot of oil.
Oct	2011	168000		Most recent odometer entry.

 

Mazda Protege5 in California, United States
Month	Year	Odometer (in miles)	Cost	Problem/Repair Description
May	2011	71000		First odometer entry
Oct	2011	76000	300	Car overheated, need thermostat

 

Mazda Protege5 in North Carolina, United States
Month	Year	Odometer (in miles)	Cost	Problem/Repair Description
Nov	2004		0	Crankshaft angle sensor replaced under warranty
Jul	2012	118700	250	Engine mount replaced
Jan	2013	127000		Most recent odometer entry.

 

Mazda Protege5 in California, United States
Month	Year	Odometer (in miles)	Cost	Problem/Repair Description
Nov	2008		0	Past repairs include cleaning EGR valve and IAC valve (rough idle)

 

Mazda Protege5 in Arizona, United States
Month	Year	Odometer (in miles)	Cost	Problem/Repair Description
Aug	2012		400	Engine would temporarily cut out while driving. Took to shop where it was diagnosed as a bad cam positioning sensor. The faulty part was replaced.
Sep	2012		1800	Car overheated on road trip to CA, had it towed to local repair shop. Diagnosed blown head gasket and radiator. Upon replacing head gasket they discovered that head was warped. Replaced head with a refurbished one.
Oct	2012		738	Horrible engine noise, removed timing cover to investigate, tensioner pulley and springs were shot and cover was broken. Mechanic to replace pulley, springs and belt.

 

Mazda Protege5 in Ohio, United States
Month	Year	Odometer (in miles)	Cost	Problem/Repair Description
Mar	2012	152000		First odometer entry
Apr	2012	152000	1200	coolant leak at thermostat induction cleaning to remove carbon build-up replaced spark plugs
Mar	2013	159000		Most recent odometer entry.

 

Mazda Protege5 in Virginia, United States
Month	Year	Odometer (in miles)	Cost	Problem/Repair Description
Nov	2010	78000		First odometer entry
Sep	2011	94000	300	Timing belt change
Dec	2012	109000	40	Fresh air intake hose replaced - had split. Air box retaining snaps cracking, fixed with zip ties. O2 sensor (pre-cat) failed
Mar	2013	112000		Most recent odometer entry.

 

Mazda Protege5 in North Dakota, United States
Month	Year	Odometer (in miles)	Cost	Problem/Repair Description
May	2011	103000		First odometer entry
Feb	2012	111000	38	Error code 171. O2 sensor code. Discovered cracks in air cleaner intake hose(connects air filter box to engine). Youtube demo available. Symptom check engine light -> Shudder when accelerating hard. Problem could destroy motor if not fixed
Mar	2013	115000		Most recent odometer entry.

 

Mazda Protege5 in Georgia, United States
Month	Year	Odometer (in miles)	Cost	Problem/Repair Description
Jun	2007	24000		First odometer entry
Jan	2010	36000	112	Rubber intake snorkel cracked with age, needed to be replaced.
Mar	2013	56000		Most recent odometer entry.

 

Mazda Protege5 in Ontario, Canada
Month	Year	Odometer (in miles)	Cost	Problem/Repair Description
Nov	2007	75640		First odometer entry
Dec	2010	93620	200	a small section of the exhaust pipe was replaced due to a rattling noise issue. the car is as reliable as ever! :) great car.
Aug	2011			Most recent odometer entry.

 

Mazda Protege5 in Georgia, United States
Month	Year	Odometer (in miles)	Cost	Problem/Repair Description
Dec	2006	29000		First odometer entry
Sep	2008	49000	144	Car had developed a bit of a tapping noise from the engine. Mechanic suggested this was fairly normal as the engine gets older.
Sep	2011	80000		Most recent odometer entry.

 

Mazda Protege5 in California, United States
Month	Year	Odometer (in miles)	Cost	Problem/Repair Description
Jul	2006	78000		First odometer entry
Feb	2009	128000	0	Catastrophic cooling failure, awaiting funds for repair.
Jun	2010	130000	3600	Engine replacement. Timing belt broke, didn't change it when should have. Needs new engine. Was in shop for weeks. Don't know exact odometer reading.
Sep	2010	132000	985	Small crack in radiator, probably present or cause of catastrophic failure in 2009. After engine replaced, radiator wasn't. Overheated once under extreme stress. Driven for weeks afterward, with no probs. Replaced rad, water pump, t-stat.
Sep	2011			Most recent odometer entry.

 

Mazda Protege5 in Georgia, United States
Month	Year	Odometer (in miles)	Cost	Problem/Repair Description
Jan	2007		2500	replaced motor with one that has 20000 miles on it., it was a cracked head that led to all this.
May	2007	82000	3300	Bought the car, found out that it had a blown head gasket. To replace the gasket was going to cost 1100 bucks. It also needed a new clutch and pressure plate. Which was going to be another 500 bucks plus parts on top of that leaving the totol cost around
Jun	2007	84000	169	3 Blown motor mounts, replaced them with upgraded ones from AWR
Mar	2010			Most recent odometer entry.

 

Mazda Protege5 in Massachusetts, United States
Month	Year	Odometer (in miles)	Cost	Problem/Repair Description
Aug	2007	59000		First odometer entry
Aug	2009	86000	0	Ignition Coils needed replacing
Apr	2010			Most recent odometer entry.

 

Mazda Protege5 in Virginia, United States
Month	Year	Odometer (in miles)	Cost	Problem/Repair Description
Jul	2006	28000		First odometer entry
Dec	2006	34000	0	Both coil packs were failing, causing rough idle and severe hesitation. Dealer also replaced all four sparkplugs and both ignition wires as a precaution. Failing coil packs are a known problem that affects a small but measurable number of Proteges/Protege
May	2007	39000	0	Car died while idling at a stoplight. CEL stayed on and then turned off when car restarted. Dealer unable to diagnose and no code recorded. No charge.
Mar	2010			Most recent odometer entry.

 

Mazda Protege5 in California, United States
Month	Year	Odometer (in miles)	Cost	Problem/Repair Description
Mar	2009	34000		First odometer entry
Feb	2012	64000	170	Thermostat stuck in closed position, leading to engine overheating. $20 for diagnosis at random corner garage, then towed to usual mechanic, who charged $20 for replacement part and $120 in labor to screw it in, tax.
Mar	2012			Most recent odometer entry.

 

Mazda Protege5 in Ontario, Canada
Month	Year	Odometer (in miles)	Cost	Problem/Repair Description
Jul	2006	27280		First odometer entry
Feb	2008	41540	400	EGR r&r Purge valve replaced. New design EGR installed, finally. Covered by 7 year factory warranty, discovered by accident by owner.
May	2010	62000	150	Temp gauge went sky high, thermostat replaced [2nd try].
Nov	2010	67580	0	Shop cannot repair annoying check engine light - no obvious symptoms.
Mar	2011	68200	0	very glad to finally RID of this problem child - the whole thing started to go rapidly downhill at age 7, but only 110,000 Kms; needed coil packs... cat. convert, exhaust...

 

Mazda Protege5 in Ontario, Canada
Month	Year	Odometer (in miles)	Cost	Problem/Repair Description
Mar	2010	76260		First odometer entry
Apr	2011	85960	750	Spark plugs, cables, battery, ignition system
Mar	2013	97340		Most recent odometer entry.

 

Mazda Protege5 in Maryland, United States
Month	Year	Odometer (in miles)	Cost	Problem/Repair Description
May	2006		0	Donut gasket on exhaust downpipe. Warranty repair

 

Mazda Protege5 in Ontario, Canada
Month	Year	Odometer (in miles)	Cost	Problem/Repair Description
Sep	2009	62000		First odometer entry
Sep	2010	77500	700	fuel pump housing was cracked. fuel would leak out and stink up the cabin as well as mark up the driveway. i do not like this car's reliability.
Jun	2011	84320		Most recent odometer entry.

 

Mazda Protege5 in Massachusetts, United States
Month	Year	Odometer (in miles)	Cost	Problem/Repair Description
Sep	2011	114000		First odometer entry
Oct	2011	115000	320	Valve cover replaced.

 

Mazda Protege5 in Ontario, Canada
Month	Year	Odometer (in miles)	Cost	Problem/Repair Description
Jul	2009	65100		First odometer entry
Aug	2009	66340	0	Overheating problem. Source was Cracked cylinder head. Engine swap.
Oct	2009	66340	0	MAP sensor needed to be replaced when sold. Periodic check engine light.

 

Mazda Protege5 in California, United States
Month	Year	Odometer (in miles)	Cost	Problem/Repair Description
Dec	2009	140000		First odometer entry
Jan	2010	140000	75	Thermostat went out while on freeway. Repaired onsite from personal mechanic.
Jun	2011			Most recent odometer entry.

 

Mazda Protege5 in Ontario, Canada
Month	Year	Odometer (in miles)	Cost	Problem/Repair Description
Feb	2008	44640		First odometer entry
Oct	2008	50840	430	EGR valve kit needed to be replaced.
Jul	2009	59520	1600	Timing belt replaced.
Jun	2010	69440	222	Front intermediate pipe from exhaust manifold was corroded and fell off. New pipe installled.
Jun	2011			Most recent odometer entry.

 

Mazda Protege in Massachusetts, United States
Month	Year	Odometer (in miles)	Cost	Problem/Repair Description
Aug	2011	121000		First odometer entry
Oct	2011	123000	100	Best guess, threw power steering belt which caused serpentine belt to go, causing overheating and cracked radiator. Car towed back to used car dealer where car was purchased and problems fixed under 1250 mile warranty.
Jul	2012	133000	500	The EGR Value needed to be replaced after getting stuck open and stalling the car whenever at a stop.
Dec	2012	136000		Most recent odometer entry.

 

Mazda Protege in California, United States
Month	Year	Odometer (in miles)	Cost	Problem/Repair Description
Mar	2009	49000		First odometer entry
May	2009	50500	350	Check engine light indicating intake manifold runner stuck. Replaced intake runners. That didn't fix.
Aug	2009	52300	350	Check engine light indicating intake manifold runner stuck. Replaced intake runners again. The Check Engine light with same code still comes on sporadically and then goes off after a time (anywhere from a day to several months).
Jun	2011			Most recent odometer entry.

 

Mazda Protege in California, United States
Month	Year	Odometer (in miles)	Cost	Problem/Repair Description
Jan	2009	101000		First odometer entry
Mar	2009	101000	200	Misfire on one cylinder due to bad ignition coil pack.
Sep	2009	105000	671	Timing belt, water pump
Dec	2010	115000	6	Oil leakage, due to bad o-ring on oil filler cap. Replaced cap with an aftermarket part.
Mar	2011	117000	5	I was looking under the hood for another problem and noticed that a boot on the vacuum line feeding the turbo wastegate, BOV/recirc valve, etc. had split. Replaced with various vacuum hoses & fittings from stock on-hand.
May	2011	118300	0	Scantool showed code P0660. This code will not turn on the check engine light--it has to be found with a scantool. Code for VICS (variable intake) electrical problem. Tested vac. solenoid. High resistance, wouldn't pass vacuum correctly.
Jun	2011	119000	130	Installed new VICS (variable intake) solenoid valve. Old solenoid valve had high resistance and wouldn't switch vacuum ports when power was applied. A test drive confirmed significantly better high RPM power with the VICS working again.
Apr	2012	123300	89	Engine was very sloppy feeling, like its mounts were worn. Replaced very worn front engine mount, which was surprisingly easy to do. Rear mount should also be replaced, but will be a very big job, so I will defer it for now.
Mar	2013	127000		Most recent odometer entry.

 

Mazda Protege in New Jersey, United States
Month	Year	Odometer (in miles)	Cost	Problem/Repair Description
Feb	2009	53000		First odometer entry
Sep	2010	69000	0	Coil pack #2 failed and was replaced with new duralast one by me(owner). Car runs perfect now. Valve cover gasket needed to be replaced, I(owner) did the labor.
Mar	2011	77000		Most recent odometer entry.

 

Mazda Protege in Virginia, United States
Month	Year	Odometer (in miles)	Cost	Problem/Repair Description
May	2007	32000		First odometer entry
Jul	2010	50700	75	Cat pipe broke between the two cats.
Mar	2013	73000		Most recent odometer entry.

 

Mazda Protege in Alberta, Canada
Month	Year	Odometer (in miles)	Cost	Problem/Repair Description
Jun	2011	68200		First odometer entry
Sep	2011	70680	1500	Replaced water pump and timing belt according to maintenance schedule
May	2013			Most recent odometer entry.

 

Mazda Protege in Colorado, United States
Month	Year	Odometer (in miles)	Cost	Problem/Repair Description
Jan	2007		120	VICS screw loosened and went through engine, damaging spark plug. Engine misfiring. Replaced spark plugs. Not notified of recall.
Dec	2010	96000	150	repair vacuum leak
Nov	2011	107000		Most recent odometer entry.

 

Mazda Protege in West Virginia, United States
Month	Year	Odometer (in miles)	Cost	Problem/Repair Description
Apr	2007		0	Intake manifold screws released into combustion chamber resulting in dead spark plugs. Known issue related to a rolling recall. Repaired under warranty by Mazda.
Jan	2011			Most recent odometer entry.

 

Mazda Protege in Colorado, United States
Month	Year	Odometer (in miles)	Cost	Problem/Repair Description
Jul	2006	35000		First odometer entry
Mar	2012	78000	310	Timing belt, accessory belts
Mar	2013	82000		Most recent odometer entry.

 

Mazda Protege in Kansas, United States
Month	Year	Odometer (in miles)	Cost	Problem/Repair Description
Dec	2008	92000		First odometer entry
Jun	2009	94000	180	Reset check engine light due to fuel cap (apparently) not being on tightly enough. Replaced spark plugs at same time (75k on these)
Aug	2009			Most recent odometer entry.

 

Mazda Protege in Missouri, United States
Month	Year	Odometer (in miles)	Cost	Problem/Repair Description
Dec	2006	60000		First odometer entry
Mar	2013	139000	30	Valve cover gasket replacement.

 

Mazda Protege in Massachusetts, United States
Month	Year	Odometer (in miles)	Cost	Problem/Repair Description
May	2007		0	Check engine light on. Internal Fault. Egr Valve replaced. No charge under warranty
Dec	2012	40000		Most recent odometer entry.

 

Mazda Protege in Alberta, Canada
Month	Year	Odometer (in miles)	Cost	Problem/Repair Description
Jul	2011	105400		First odometer entry
Aug	2011	106020	1600	Preventative maintenance for timing belt and tires

 

Mazda Protege in Newfoundland / Lab., Canada
Month	Year	Odometer (in miles)	Cost	Problem/Repair Description
Mar	2010	63240		First odometer entry
Feb	2011	75020	175	Replaced muffler.
May	2011	76260	80	Car almost stalls at red lights/stops. Problem does not exist while driving. Mechanic suggested starting with cheap possible fixes. He replaced spark plugs - this did not fix the issue.
Jun	2011	78740	90	Same problem as before - the mechanic rechecked everything and this time found a small hole in some kind of air intake hose. Once he replaced that, everything was OK.
Mar	2012			Most recent odometer entry.

 

Mazda Protege in Quebec, Canada
Month	Year	Odometer (in miles)	Cost	Problem/Repair Description
Nov	2008	42160		First odometer entry
Jun	2009	48360	875	Water pump started leaking coolant, had to have it replaced. Replaced the timing belt as well since it would be due soon (96000 KM), and dealer gave a package deal.
Oct	2009	52080	0	When at full stop (idle), car's RPM would fluctuate briskly. Took it to dealership, they replaced what is called the Idle Control Valve, which is a documented weakness of this car. No cost since there is a 7 year secret warranty on this component.
Sep	2011			Most recent odometer entry.

 

Mazda Protege in Quebec, Canada
Month	Year	Odometer (in miles)	Cost	Problem/Repair Description
Sep	2008	40300		First odometer entry
Jul	2009	50840	700	EGR valve stuck intake gasket
Jan	2010			Most recent odometer entry.

 

Mazda Protege in Ontario, Canada
Month	Year	Odometer (in miles)	Cost	Problem/Repair Description
Jul	2009	60140		First odometer entry
Jun	2011	92380	958	Two of the ignition coils burnt out and had to be replaced, along with spark plugs. Regular 140k maintenance was also performed.
Mar	2013	113460		Most recent odometer entry.

 

Mazda Protege in British Columbia, Canada
Month	Year	Odometer (in miles)	Cost	Problem/Repair Description
Feb	2011	80600		First odometer entry
Jun	2011	83080	400	Bearing repaired. Not a wheel bearing but the bearing that is where the powertrain hits the transmission.
Aug	2011	85560	60	Car had oil leak. Added stop leak to the oil. Also a different humming from front suspension. Told the problem needs to get worse before servicing as they could not isolate the problem.
Aug	2012	97980	2	Replaced Water Pump, changed timing belt and replaced oil gasket on engine
Mar	2013	105400		Most recent odometer entry.

 

Mazda Protege in Pennsylvania, United States
Month	Year	Odometer (in miles)	Cost	Problem/Repair Description
Oct	2011	110000		First odometer entry
Apr	2012	224000	220	leaking gas tank. replace tank and fuel pump
Oct	2012	227000		Most recent odometer entry.

 

Mazda Protege in Louisiana, United States
Month	Year	Odometer (in miles)	Cost	Problem/Repair Description
Dec	2006	50000		First odometer entry
Dec	2009	60000	49	Belt squealing. Idler pully had backed off losing tension. Belt had been replaced two months earlier on 60000 mile maintenance. So no charge. Vehicle was in for normal service so that accounts for the charges.
Aug	2010			Most recent odometer entry.

 

Mazda Protege5 in Connecticut, United States
Month	Year	Odometer (in miles)	Cost	Problem/Repair Description
Jul	2006	71000		First odometer entry
Sep	2008	109000	475	After hitting a very harsh bump on the highway, the fuel pump and fuel pump housing was cracked, causing a fuel leak (36mpg became 16mpg). I drove across the country with the leak but the gas fumes were pretty bad. Replaced the whole fuel tank/pump.
Mar	2010			Most recent odometer entry.

 

Mazda Protege5 in New York, United States
Month	Year	Odometer (in miles)	Cost	Problem/Repair Description
Feb	2007	55000		First odometer entry
Mar	2007	55000	385	Replaced the EGR valve for the third time, first out of warranty. also diagnosed creaking noise in rear as worn/loose sway bar end links. Need to be replaced at next visit.
Jun	2009	75000	225	had to replace front pipe, completely rotted, needed new part, not just a welded repair
Jun	2010	82000	500	egr valve problem is back,car stalling and running rough. Cel was egr flow insuficient. Cleared that then threw multiple cylinder misfire.
Apr	2011			Most recent odometer entry.

 

Mazda Protege in Ohio, United States
Month	Year	Odometer (in miles)	Cost	Problem/Repair Description
Jun	2009	141000		First odometer entry
Jul	2009	143000	1300	Timing belt way past replacement interval -- replaced. Water pump "suspect", and easy to replace when replacing timing belt -- replaced.
Mar	2010			Most recent odometer entry.

 

Mazda Protege in Saskatchewan, Canada
Month	Year	Odometer (in miles)	Cost	Problem/Repair Description
Jun	2009	91140		First odometer entry
Nov	2011	107000	121	check engine light came on, and noticed some knocking. took car to dealer, who found a split intake tube. Tube was replaced, problems resolved.
Jan	2013	111600		Most recent odometer entry.

 

Mazda Protege in California, United States
Month	Year	Odometer (in miles)	Cost	Problem/Repair Description
Sep	2009	69000		First odometer entry
Oct	2011	82700	26	Cracked air intake hose was causing hesitation and light pinging. Surprisingly, idle was fine and no CEL. Replacement was easy and straightforward with part bought online.
Dec	2012	91000		Most recent odometer entry.