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Mazda Protege knocking problems

13 of the 1,074 owner complaints about the Mazda Protege describe engine knocking or ticking, most of them for the 2003 model year.

owner complaints
13
worst model year
2003
typical mileage
14,475
Is there a fix? There is 1 recall for this area of the car. See below

By model year

  • 2003
    6
  • 2002
    1
  • 2001
    3
  • 1998
    2
  • 1993
    1

What owners say

Filed Oct 25, 2013 · Engine · 22,000 miles · NC

Tl* the contact owns a 2001 mazda protege. The contact attempted to start the vehicle but the engine failed to start accompanied by an abnormal knocking from the engine. The contact also mentioned that the failure occurred more often when the engine was cold. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was notified. The failure mileage was 22,000. Updated 05/28/14 ma the consumer stated model year 2003 vehicles have been repaired for the same failure by the manufacturer. But the manufacturer refuses to repair model years 2001-2002. The consumer stated this condition does not keep the engine from starting. It can and has caused catastrophic engine failure, which shuts down the power steering and brakes while the vehicle is moving. Updated 05/29/2014

Filed Oct 25, 2013 · Engine · 880 miles · NC

Tl* the contact owns a 2002 mazda protege. The contact attempted to start the vehicle but the engine failed to start accompanied by an abnormal knocking from the engine. The contact also mentioned that the failure occurred more often when the engine was cold. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was notified. The failure mileage was 880. Updated 05/28/14*lj the consumer stated model year 2003 vehicles have been repaired for the same failure by the manufacturer. But the manufacturer refuses to repair model years 2001-2002. The consumer stated this condition does not keep the engine from starting. It can and has caused catastrophic engine failure, which shuts down the power steering and brakes while the vehicle is moving. Updated 05/29/2014

Filed Oct 25, 2013 · Engine · 13,200 miles · NC

Tl* the contact owns a 2003 mazda protege. The contact attempted to start the vehicle but the engine failed to start accompanied by an abnormal knocking from the engine. The contact also mentioned that the failure occurred more often when the engine was cold. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was notified. The failure mileage was 13,200.

Filed Jul 5, 2007 · Engine · 58,000 miles · OH

Purchased a pre owned 2003 mazda protege with approximately 50,000 miles on it. I drove the vehicle for about 4000 miles before there was an engine failure. There were no events that lead up to this incident. The engine began to make a loud knocking noise. I had it towed to the dealer of purchase. A screw on an the intake came loose and went into the engine cylinder. Damage caused the engine to need to be replaced. Mazda has recall 3005c for this problem for the exact year, model, and engine as the one I purchased. However, the VIN number was a few thousand numbers outside of the recall range. Im stuck with a 15,000 piece of junk.

Filed Jul 31, 2005 · Fuel system · 32,000 miles · MS

I have had two occurrences of screws from the butterfly valves on the vtcs system from the intake of my 2003 mazda protege 5 coming loose and being sucked into the combustion chamber of the vehicle. Each instance has caused the piston to knock the screw into the spark plug, thereby causing failure of a spark plug, which causes the engine to misfire to the point where it is undrivable, thereby leaving me stranded on the side of the road. The first incident was misdiagnosed (spark plug replaced). The second was diagnosed correctly and the intake manifold assembly was replaced. This is a widespread problem with the 2.0l fs-ze mazda engine. Many other owners have had the problem. For more information to demonstrate the prevalence of the problem, please visit http://www.msprotege.com and search using the keywords "vcts" and "screw". You will see many threads where people are discussing this problem.

Filed Mar 2, 2005 · Engine · NY

While driving approximately 30 MPH driver heard a loud knocking noise coming from the front. The check engine light appeared on the dashboard, and vehicle stalled. The vehicle was taken to the dealer for inspection, and mechanic determined that the engine needed to be replaced.

Filed Jan 11, 2005 · Engine · 14,475 miles · PA

Car stalled at red light, there was a loud knocking sound coming from the engine. After stalling t more times the car ran for another 3 minutes to ge me home for the evening. I then to it to my local mazda service center.

Filed Jan 2, 2004 · Engine · 5,600 miles · LA

There's a knocking sound coming from the engine when started in the morning.

Filed May 20, 2003 · Engine · NY

When the vehicle was started a knocking noise was heard. The vehicle was taken to the dealer and was unable to determine the problem.

Filed Nov 2, 2001 · Engine, Transmission · MD

A loud ticking noise can be heard coming from underneath the hood. Consumer feels source of the problem is automatic transmission because gears can be heard changing while driving and vehicle stalls on an intermittent basis. Dealer has yet to be contacted. *ak

Related recalls

Engine and engine cooling: engineReported February 21, 1995 · 5,760 vehicles affected
What is wrong
The wire rod used in the manufacture of the engine valve springs can develop minute cracks causing breakage of the springs.
Risk
This breakage can cause engine chatter, damage to the engine pistons, and cause the engine to stall increasing the potential for an accident.
Remedy
Dealers will replace all sixteen (16) valve springs in the engine of the affected vehicles.

Recall number 95V033000 · Recall details

Questions about the Mazda Protege knocking

Which Mazda Protege years have engine knocking or ticking problems?

The model years with the most reports are 2003 (6 complaints), 2001 (3 complaints) and 1998 (2 complaints).

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