Owner's Guide: Mazdaspeed Protege Problems & Solutions

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t3ase

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HUGE thanks to the members here who I have obtained this information from.
Also, Thanks to TheMAN and his Protege FAQ for the Technical Service Bulletins.
<hr>ATTENTION: THE FOLLOWING INFORMATION IS NOT OFFICIAL IN ANY WAY, SHAPE, OR FORM. IT IS MERELY A COLLECTION OF COMMON PROBLEMS EXPERIENCED BY THE MEMBERS OF THIS BOARD. YOUR DEALERSHIP HAS THE MOST ACCURATE AND UP-TO-DATE INFORMATION ABOUT YOUR CAR AND IS MORE THAN LIKELY CORRECT IF THEY ARE GOING AGAINST SOMETHING WRITTEN IN THIS THREAD. DO NOT GIVE YOUR DEALERSHIP A HARD TIME IF THEY ARE REFUSING SOMETHING JUST BECAUSE YOU SAW IT HERE OR AT ANOTHER FORUM. TAKE THE ADVICE BELOW WITH A GRAIN OF SALT AND USE YOUR OWN JUDGEMENT AND THAT OF YOUR DEALERSHIP'S SERVICE ADVISORS' WHEN IT COMES TO YOUR VEHICLE'S SPECIFIC NEEDS OR PROBLEMS.<hr>


Engine
<hr>Issue: Hesitation.<hr>What: A few of the members here like to occasionally "smash gas" from time to time. If you've ever done that and noticed that while at full throttle the car seems to bog down like it won't go any faster, then you've just experienced hesitation.

Why: Basically, what happens is that when you hit wide open throttle, the ECU switches to an open loop and dumps a HUGE amount of fuel in the mix. The car basically becomes overly rich and "floods" itself. As another member stated: "It is hard to notice an engine that is running lean to a certain point, mostly because it feels very powerful for the most part. Rich mixtures cause the poor drivability and hesitation. When the ECU switches modes it is going from lean to rich basically, which will make that hesitating feel..."

How To Fix: If the hesitation bothers you to the point where you want to drive your MSP off of a cliff, stop by your dealership before you do so. Mazda has released a flash which "cures" this condition. A flash is just a reprogramming of the car's computer and is available for FREE at Mazda dealerships. What it does is advance the timing to a point where the car leans out a bit more and gets rid of the too overly rich condition. Keep in mind that if you plan on adding a boost controller to your car, advanced timing is a bad thing and could lead to knock or detonation. Please think about your future plans before proceeding with the flash. It is *NOT* reversible unless you find another unflashed Mazdaspeed owner who is willing to trade ECU's with you. That is very hard to do, however. Mazda's official Technical Service Bulletin (TSB/M-TIP) is shown directly below:

TSB/M-TIP:
Code:
MAZDASPEED PROTEGE - HESITATION UNDER ACCELERATION 
Applicable Models
Model         Starting S/N  Ending S/N  
2003 PROTEGE  00000000      ZZZZZZZZ

Symptoms and Conditions
Hesitation and/or intermittent stumble under acceleration. All Mazdaspeed 
Protege PCM's should be reprogramed using the following procedure.

Repair Procedure
1. Verify customer concern.
2. Using WDS B27.4 or later software, reprogram the PCM to the latest 
   calibration (refer to "Calibration Information" table) by following the 
   "Module Reprogramming" procedure. 

NOTE: 
*  Always update the WDS PTU first, then install the needed calibration 
   file that the WDS shows during PCM reprogramming. Go to "WDS 
   Calibration" on ESI and download the "update" file. If the PTU is not 
   updated to the latest WDS calibration level, the calibration file will not 
   install into the PTU.
*  It is not necessary to remove any fuses or relays during PCM 
   reprogramming when the WDS screen prompts you to do so. You may 
   accidentally stop power to one of the PCM terminals and cause the PCM to
   be blanked, or you may receive error messages during the WDS 
   reprogramming procedure.
*  WDS shows the calibration part numbers after programming the PCM.
*  Please be aware that PCM calibration part numbers and file names listed
   in any RI/Service Bulletin may change due to future releases of WDS 
   software, and additional revisions made to those calibrations for service 
   related concerns.
*  When reprogramming a PCM, WDS will always display the "latest" 
   calibration P/N available for that vehicle. If any calibration has been 
   revised/updated to contain new information for a new service 
   concern/issue, it will also contain all previously released calibrations.
*  When performing this procedure, if the WDS PTU is not docked and 
   connected to 115V-120V, we recommend that a battery charger be 
   installed on the vehicle battery and turned ON to a maximum charge of 
   no more than 20 AMPS to keep the vehicle battery up to capacity. If 
   you exceed 20 AMPS, it will damage the WDS PTU.
5. Place an "Authorized Modification" label (P/N 9999-95-AMDC-97) with the 
   new calibration information near the Emission Control Information label 
   located on the hood or in the engine compartment.
4. Verify repair.

NOTE: After reprogramming a PCM, it is necessary to road test the vehicle 
      to relearn KAM (Keep Alive Memory) strategy and verify no MIL 
      illumination or DTC's are present.

CALIBRATION INFORMATION
NEW PCM CAL. P/N              FILENAME
3ALU-12A650-MC                QOAP4C0                                  

Copyright  Mazda North American Operations
There's a list of more ECU information, including a list of notified dealerships, that may be found here.


<hr>Issue: Coolant Leaks.<hr>What: Checking under the hood, you may see a white residue on some of the stock piping or down on the brush guard under the car. If you do see this, that's coolant and it's leaking from somewhere. Check out the pipes and see if you can find the leak.

Why: Because Mazda loves us.

How To Fix: Return to dealer and show them where the leak appears to be. This will be covered under warranty in most conditions.

TSB/M-TIP: Not available.


<hr>Issue: Broken Intercooler Pipe.<hr>What: If your car sparatically idles or dies after boosting, you may have broken the intercooler to BPV pipe joint.

Why: Mazda used plastic piping for whatever reason it was but in the process, they decided it would be okay to glue the joints together instead of mold them. The stress of boost may cause the joints to break causing a massive vaccuum leak.

How To Fix: Return to dealer. Unless you've blatantly abused the car, most will fix without asking questions.

TSB/M-TIP: Not available.


<hr>Issue: Airbox Duct Falls Off.<hr>What: Notice anything missing when it comes to your airbox? That small "L" shaped elbow may have come off during driving.

Why: That elbow is not attached to the airbox in any way and several members have reported losing it.

How To Fix: Duct tape, baybee!@# Actually, your dealership cannot do much about this one. They may replace it if you lose it but it's just going to fall off again unless it's secured.

TSB/M-TIP: Not available.


<hr>Issue: Exhaust Comes Apart.<hr>What: While driving or idling, if your exhaust tone gets a bit louder or if it starts resonating in the cabin, your exhaust may be coming apart.

Why: As this has happened to just a few members, we really don't know for sure. This could be a combination of extreme heat and bad welding or just bad research and design.

How To Fix: If this happens, first check between at the weld between the primary and secondary cat to see if you exhaust did, infact, fall apart. This most likely will leave you stranded but should be covered under warranty.


<hr>Issue: Brittle Hoses.<hr>What:
There seems to be an issue with the wastegate/bypass valve hoses on some MSPs where they are very dry and brittle and may crack causing a vaccuum leak.

Why: Mazda used fuel hose for the majority of the tubing which means it's very brittle. Add this plus the underhood temps and you'll understand why they may crack.

How To Fix: Return to dealership and have them replaced with bulk silicone type hose.
 
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Transmission
<hr>Issue: Hard Time Getting Into Reverse.<hr>What: Sometimes it'll be a little hard to get the car in to reverse. Kinda like it won't go in at all.

Why: No idea. Welcome to a Protege's transmission.

How To Fix: Well, to get it in gear, you can do a few things. The first being press the clutch in and run it through all of the gears without applying throttle and then try reverse again. You can also let off the clutch half way and slightly pull the shifter in to reverse. As you let off, it'll eventually pop right in to gear.

Some members have reported that changing transmission to a full synthetic does help. Example fluids are Royal Purple Max-Gear, Redline Superlight Shockproof, and GM Syncromesh. Definately check those out.

TSB: Not available.


<hr>Issue: Grinding Gears.<hr>What: Just when you start to take off and try to show off, you go into second and "KKKKKKKKKKRRRRRRRRRRRRRNCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCHHHH". You just grinded. Good job!

Why: Again, welcome to the Protege transmission. It's not meant for speed shifting at all.

How To Fix: Take it easy on the transmission. I've been through two clutches and one transmission in under 32,000 miles. Thankfully they covered it under warranty. This tranny is *not* solid. Just because one member has had it covered does not mean you will, too.

Also, changing to a synthetic transmission fluid has helped some. There's also the Kartboy shifter bushings. Some people have said it's helped while some have said it's made it worse. It all depends on your driving style. A short shifter may also help here.

Kartboy Shifter Bushings will also help the feel of the shifter and remove the "play" enabling more precise shifts. More information available at www.kartboy.com.

TSB: Not available.
 
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Suspension
<hr>Issue: The "Clunk".<hr>What: If you've ever heard a rattling or loud banging noise in the trunk area when you go over a bump or crack, you have the "clunk".

Why: Mazda used an alternate setup for the suspension and did sort of a 'cheap' alternate, making the suspension system incomplete. The root problem is a combination of a few things, however, it is somewhat repairable.

How To Fix: If you car has the "clunk", you will want to go to your dealer and get the newest rear suspension bushings on your car. There are several 'improved' bushings that Mazda has made, however, all have eventually failed. The newest bushing has been out since early October and while it did show promise, several members have reported that they, too, have failed. Seems that they did last a bit longer, however. Most D-series lasted a few days before the clunk returned while the E-series seems to last a few weeks and/or months. If you go in to have your bushings replaced, the part number for those newest bushings ends in "156E". Do not let the dealer give you the "156D" series as, again, the D will fail very quickly.

Mazda has released an official Technical Service Bulletin (TSB) for the clunk so if you dealer gives you a hard time, it'll be a bit easier to show them what's wrong. The TSB text is included below.

UPDATE: Keep in mind that the Mazda bushings replacement is just more of a temporary "band-aid" than it is a fix. We do, however, have a great member on board who goes by Micahspeed who has spent a great amount of time developing a better fix. More information about this fix may be found here, here, and here. Keep in mind that this is not an official fix and Micahspeed is not related to Mazda in any way, shape, or form.

TSB:
Code:
CLUNK/KNOCK FROM REAR SUSPENSION OVER BUMPS 
Applicable Models 
Model         Starting S/N  Ending S/N  
2001 PROTEGE  00000000      ZZZZZZZZ 
2002 PROTEGE  00000000      ZZZZZZZZ 
2003 PROTEGE  00000000      ZZZZZZZZ

Symptoms and Conditions
A clunk/knock can be heard from the rear suspension from MP3 and MAZDASPEED
vehicles when driving over uneven road surfaces such as speed bumps.

Repair Procedure
Inspect rear sway bar bushings, if excessive clearance is found replace 
bushing with improved part.
   Part Information:
   Improved bushing - BN7H-28-156D (MP3 N MAZDASPEED ONLY)

Important Note: Lube bushings prior to assembly with a silicone paste to 
prevent premature wear and/or squeaks.

Copyright  Mazda North American Operations
More information about the Mazda fix may be found here.

TX Speed Demon said:
In case anyone is wondering, here's the full part number and pic of the new rear sway bar bushings ending in 156E. Hopefully I'll have time tonight or tomorrow to install them and let everyone know how easy/hard they are to do yourself. I was quoted 3 different prices ranging from $11.88 - $14.50 each bushing.

EDIT - I replaced the bushing myself last night. Fairly easy process. You only need to:

1) Raise the car on jackstand - If you don't you will not be able to access the bolt on the front side.

2) Take your 14mm Socket wrench and undo the 2 bolts holding in each bushing mounting bracket.

3) Slide off the mounting hardware and remove bushing.

4) Put new bushing on bar.

5) Put mounting piece back on bushing and position correctly.

6) Reattch the 2 bolts for each mounting piece.

7) Lower you car back down and go for a test drive.

IMG_0789.JPG


<hr>Issue: Front Suspension Squeak.<hr>What: If you've ever gone over a speed bump or hole in the road when it's been cold or freezing outside and your entire front end squeaks like crazy, here ya go. The sound may lessen after the car has been driven for a while as the front bushings will heat up, however, it doesn't really ever go away.

Why: You're driving a car with a very tuned suspension. The entire suspension is tight and needs occasional greasing to keep the parts in good condition. If you're not one to get your hands dirty, check out the "How To Fix".

How To Fix: If you have this problem, go to Mazda Service and have the front suspension bushings replaced with part # BN7H-34-156A. The old part # was BN7H-34-156.

TSB: Not available.

Tito1 said:
Hey--I wanted to add to the MSP problems/solutions thread.

What: When driving slowly over bumps, there is squeeking from the rear of the car. Sounds like squeeky bed.

Why: Bushings dry out and need lubrication.?(Maybe)

Solution: Teflon lubrication every 2 weeks or so...not a great solution though.

Mazda TSB: None

I've been dealing with this for four months now. I'm hoping that this might generate a better solution.

Thanks

Tito
 
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Tires/Brakes
<hr>Issue: Rust On Brake Rotor Hubs.<hr>What: Rust develops on the rotor hub behind the center of the wheel.

Why: The MSPs came over on boats & sat on the docks for weeks. Not good.

How To Fix: Take to dealer & ask them to fix them. They will machine them down, refinish them, and repaint them for free. Keep in mind this is one time only and only before 12,000 miles.

TSB:
Code:
RUST ON BRAKE ROTOR HUBS 
Applicable Models 
Model         Starting S/N  Ending S/N  
2001 PROTEGE  00000000      ZZZZZZZZ 
2002 PROTEGE  00000000      ZZZZZZZZ 
1999 MILLENIA 00000000      ZZZZZZZZ 
2000 MILLENIA 00000000      ZZZZZZZZ 
2001 MILLENIA 00000000      ZZZZZZZZ 

Symptoms and Conditions
Rust can be seen on the brake rotor hub area when looking between the 
wheel spokes. The rust is most visible on vehicles equipped with 17" chrome 
wheels.

Repair Procedure
1. Remove rust from hub(s) by sanding.
2. Clean/prep hub surface for primer.
3. Mask off brake rotor area.
4. Apply primer around entire hub area.
5. Once primer dries, apply a heat type silver paint to the affected area to 
   repair the vehicle.
Note: Replace the hub(s) if the affected area cannot be repaired enough to 
      satisfy the customer.

Copyright  Mazda North American Operations

<hr>Issue: Extremely Sensitive ABS.<hr>What: When going over slight hills or even straight while braking, the pedal freaks out and the car feels as though it slides before stopping.

Why: That's the nature of the beast. Some people say the ABS system on our cars is too sensitive. However, most would rather it be too sensitive than too lax.

How To Fix: If it's entirely too sensitive for you, you can try going to the dealership. It's unknown what they will do. Some members have disabled ABS entirely, however, this is HIGHLY NOT RECOMMENDED.

TSB: Not available.


<hr>Issue: Tire Performance In Wet/Cold Conditions.<hr>What: You have no grip in the snow/rain with the stock tires.

Why: The tires that came on the MSP are "high performance" and are NOT meant, nor should they be, to be used in cold/snow climates. An accident is almost guaranteed for those who use they stock tires in the snow.

How To Fix: It would be HIGHLY advised to get snow tires with steel wheels for the winter. Find those at a local tire place.

TSB: Not available.
 
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Radio/Electronics
<hr>Issue: Radio Lockup/Blackout.<hr>What: If you're ever driving and your radio randomly flips down like it's going in to the "load CD" position and then locks, you've experienced yet another MSP quirk. Another reported problem is having audio playing but nothing on the LCD screen.

Why: Debatable. Some people say it's because Mazda used the refurbished Kenwood units in the MSP. No one has verified this and is more than likely just a rumor someone made up when they were pissed off.

How To Fix: There's a small circular "Reset" button located on the face of the radio. All you need to do is grab a pen, key, hairpin, handcuff key, etc and press and hold this button for 5 seconds and release. The faceplate should flip back up and be good to go. Keep in mind, however, that doing this resets all memory banks and you WILL have to setup everything from date and time to your favorite stations. Here's the button I'm talking about:
stereofix.jpg

Keep in mind that this is only a temporary fix. You can go back to your dealership and explain the problem and you should be able to get another under warranty.

{D.I.Y. FIX REMOVED}

TSB/M-Tip: Not available.


<hr>Issue: Headunit Forgets Audio Settings.<hr>What: Headunit forgets audio setup settings or clears memory after resetting due to above problem.

Why: Unknown as to why it does it by itself. It is normal behavior, however, when you manually reset the unit.

How To Fix: If your deck resets without you manually resetting it, return to the dealership. They should replace it under warranty. The default settings are listed below so you can reset it while you're waiting for the new unit. Keep in mind that the below settings are "optimized defaults" and you are urged to change as you feel needed.

TSB/M-Tip:
Code:
MAZDASPEED PROTEGE, OPTIMUM AUDIO CONTROL SETTINGS
Applicable Models 
Model         Starting S/N  Ending S/N  
2003 PROTEGE  00000000     ZZZZZZZZ 

Symptoms and Conditions
Listed below are the Optimum Audio Control settings specified by KENWOOD 
for the Kenwood KDC-MP919 CD-Receiver when used with the MAZDASPEED 
subwoofer unit.

Adjustment Procedure
1. Press the SRC button to turn the unit on.
2. Press the AUD button for at least one second to enter the control mode, 
   which will display the first adjustment item.
3. Press the FM button to scroll forward, or the AM button to scroll Back, in 
   the adjustment items list.
4. Press the -- or >> to adjust settings of the displayed item to the values 
   as specified in the list below.
5. Press AUD button to exit the Audio Control Mode.

Adjustment Item             Display        Setting
Bass Center Frequency       Bass FRQ       60
Bass Level                  Bass           0
Bass Q Factor               Bass Q         2.00
Bass Extend                 Bass EXT       ON
Middle Center Frequency     MID FQR        0.5
Middle Level                MID            +1
Middle Q Factor             Middle Q       1.0
Treble Center Frequency     TRE FRQ        12.5
Treble Level                TRE            +2
Balance                     Balance        0
Fader                       Fader          0
Non-Fading Level            NF Level       00
Front High-Pass Filter      HPF Front      100
Rear High-Pass Filter       HPF Rear       100
Non-Fading Low-Pass Filter  NPF NF         80
Non-Fading Phase            NF Phase       Normal (0 )
Volume offset               Volume Offset  0
Loudness                    LOUD           ON (speaker shown)

<hr>Issue: Trunk Amp Rack Rattles.<hr>
What: If you hear a slight rattle in the trunk and it's not too terribly loud (ie: the "clunk"), it's probably the amp rack rattling against the rear deck.

Why: There's no kind of insulation between the amp rack and the rear deck. When going over bumps, it vibraties and hits the rear deck.

How To Fix: There's two things you can do. One is a do it yourself project. That involves going to the local hardware store and grabbing some thick foam and placing that foam between the amp rack and the rear deck. That should help.

However, you may also return to the dealership and they should order a new rack for you or add foam, depending on what they want to do.

TSB/M-Tip: Not available.


<hr>Issue: Blown Stock Subwoofer.<hr>
What: The stock subwoofer blows after normal usage.

Why: The stock sub suffers from a weak voice coil. After normal use of the sub, the voice coil will simply detach itself from the cone and render the sub useless. This may not be an immediate detachment and thusly your subwoofer may kick in and out at random times but it will eventually die completely.

How To Fix: Return to the dealership. Most dealerships have given the customers a completely new new amp rack including amp, the plastic deck and subwoofer. I haven't heard of a dealership just replacing the subwoofer by itself. Keep in mind this is a great time to talk to them about your amp rack if it rattles.

TSB/M-Tip:
Code:
MAZDASPEED PROTEGE - SUBWOOFER INOP 
Applicable Models 
Model         Starting S/N  Ending S/N  
2003 PROTEGE  00000000     ZZZZZZZZ 

Symptoms and Conditions
Customer may experience intermittent or no sound from Kenwood rear tray 
subwoofer. When you encounter a customer with this concern repair vehicle 
according to the following repair procedures.

Repair Procedure
1. Verify customer concern.
2. Confirm that the NF (Non Fading {rear sub-woofer audio signal}) has not 
   been turned off accidentally by the customer. This can be checked with 
   the audio turned on and pressing the AM button for approximately 2 
   seconds, this will cause the display screen to momentarily change 
   indicating "NF", ON or off.
3. Confirm power to rear subwoofer amp by verifying orange LED illuminates 
   when the audio unit is turned on.

If no faults are found in the above steps, exchange the subwoofer tray 
assembly by contacting KENWOOD at (XXX) XXX-8740 and faxing the audio 
exchange order form to FAX No. (XXX) XXX-8749.

Copyright  Mazda North American Operations

<hr>Issue: Alarm Keeps Parking Lights On When Activated.<hr>What: When you set the alarm with the remote, the parking lights & tail lights stay on. Can and will cause the battery to die if you don't notice or get it fixed.

Why: The alarm control module is defective

How To Fix: Return to dealer and have it replaced under warranty. Be prepared to wait a long time, however, as these parts were/are on national backorder. Until then, you just have to lock the doors inside & not use the alarm. There is a way to remove the alarm completely, however, this is a public forum and it would be stupid to tell people how. Consult your local audio professionals if you choose to remove the alarm until the new unit gets in.

TSB/M-Tip: Not available.


<hr>Issue: Alarm Goes Off Randomly/Overly Sensitive.<hr>What: If you've ever had to run outside and turn your alarm off because of a passing truck or have had a neighbor compain about your car randomly going crazy, you've got the overly sensitive alarm issue.

Why: The sensitivity of the alarm is set too high from the factory.

How To Fix: Find perimeter alarm module and adjust it. It's a small black box above pedals under the dash. It'll have a red LED on it and when you tap it, the LED will light up. Find the white knob on the side and turn it until you get the desired sensitivity. Below you can kinda see the box I'm referring to.
<img src="http://www.msprotege.net/alarm-brain.jpg">

TSB/M-Tip:
Code:
ALARM SYSTEM SOUNDS OFF - TOO SENSITIVE 
Applicable Models 
Model         Starting S/N  Ending S/N  
1999 PROTEGE  10000001      29999999 
2000 PROTEGE  10000001      29999999 
2001 PROTEGE  10000001      29999999 
2002 PROTEGE  10000001      29999999 

Symptoms and Conditions
The alarm system's shock sensor may be set too sensitive and cause the 
alarm to activate very easily.

Repair Procedure
   1. Locate the shock sensor that is tie wraped on the wiring harness just 
      below the steering wheel.
   2. As you face the shock sensor, adjust the shock sensor's sensitivity 
      knob by: 
      - turn the knob counterclockwise to decrease the sensitivity
      - turn the knob clockwise to increase the sensitivity                

Copyright  Mazda North American Operations
 
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Interior Body
<hr>Issue: Rear Deck Vibration Due To Center Seatbelt.<hr>What: Waiting on further information.

Why: Waiting on further information.

How To Fix: Waiting on further information.

TSB/M-Tip: Not available.


<hr>Issue: Squeaky Radio Chassis.<hr>What: During driving, the piece surrounding the radio may squeak.

Why: More or less it just boils down to vibrations taking their toll.

How To Fix: Return to dealership and notify them of squeak. Some dealerships will attempt to just fix the squeak and some will order a while center console assembly. Be sure to look for new scratches on the console before you leave the dealership.

TSB/M-Tip: Not available
 
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Exterior Body
<hr>Issue: Front Windshield Cracking.<hr>What: If you ever notice that your window has cracked and you don't remember hearing anything hit it, you may have a stress crack.

Why: Due to the rigid chassis on our cars, the windshield gets quite a bit of pressure put on it. Eventually this may cause a crack to appear from one of the sides and grow inward. If your windshild is cracked in the middle or the crack does not come from one of the sides, it is not a stress crack.

How To Fix: First of all, make sure it's a stress crack and not one caused by something else. Here's an easy little 'test' you can perform. Take a somewhat sharp ball point pen and run it from the base of the crack down the actual crack until the end. If the pen stops at any point or if you feel any resistance, it was more than likely not a stress crack. If the pen does not stop, it may be. In that case, go back to dealership and let them know. This is kind of a sticky warranty item since many dealerships won't take the time to check but if they do, you should be fine.

TSB/M-Tip: Not available.


<hr>Issue: Rear Bumper Skirt Falling Off.<hr>What: You're about to get in and be moved when, as you walk around the car, you notice that the rear bumper cover lip is seperating from the bumper above the exhaust.

Why: Due to the heat of the exhaust that's exiting right below the lip, the double sided tape that holds the lip on begins to fail. The lip begins to fall off due to it only being held on with tape and no screws.

How To Fix: Return to the dealership and talk to them. Most, if not all, reported occasions of this problem have been fixed.

TSB/M-Tip: Not available.
 
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Reserved
<hr>Issue: .<hr>What:

Why:

How To Fix:

TSB/M-Tip:


<hr>Issue: .<hr>What:

Why:

How To Fix:

TSB/M-Tip:
 
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Regarding the exhaust break


The exhaust break is a broken weld right before the cat..... from what I can gather when our car idles that area isn't the most stable and does a fair amount of rattling.... if you keep your car on and look under it you can visibly see this shake at times. Not uncommon for turbocharged cars. Directly under the cat is a support bar that helps keep the cat from wobbling too much.... great job mazda, only problem is there is little to no support from the turbo to the cat leaving a lot of room to wobble.

Take a bad weld, a car that runs fairly hot, an unstable downpipe, and one good dip in the road and you that weld will break.


You will be able to drive for about 10 minutes after this happens before your O2 sensor leaves you stranded.

Symptoms while driving: your exhaust noise will sound like it is louder or closer to the front of the car. When my friends broke it sounded like the exhaust was right under the middle console (oddly enough where the break is)

Symptoms after the fact: Car won't start.... you will only get a loud "WOOOMP WOOOMP" noise. There will be no fluid leaking, no horrible smell, nada.

What mazda does: they can't really deny responsibility. There was no bones about it. They took my friends in, overnighter the part, had it on the next day. It's a pretty obvious defect
 
t3ase...my friend just blew his clutch and LSD (from what the dealer said) was wondering if its somethign a few MSPeeders are experiencing or is it an isolated incident. Maybe you can include it in the problems and fix...maybe upgrading to a better clutch (ACT?) would help. Know you went through similar problems...this has got me parinoid and im gonna save up for a better clutch. Just incase...better safe then sorry.
 
Thread locked due to unrelated replies. Please PM me if you have questions about or additions to this thread.
 
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