Mazda - Protege :: Power Loss And Engine Shaking A Little
May 15, 2015
'99 Mazda 323 Protege. Manual, fuel-injected, 4cyl.
Engine code: CE04D16
So just recently started having troubles with the car. It ran fine then all of a sudden I lost what felt like 15-25% power, and the engine felt like it was shaking a little.
When revving, then engine would shudder. Idle rev went from just over 1000 to around 500. there was very little pickup when increasing speed. I can only assume it is losing a cylinder. But since it is fuel injected, people have been saying check the leads, (from where to where?), the distributor, spark plugs etc etc. Now for the last couple days it has been jumping backwards and forwards, from regular to slow.
What is the problem, can I fix this myself, or do I need to take it to a mechanic?
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I am the original owner of the car, which has approximately 125k miles on it. The car has given me great service, but lately a strange problem arose that has my mechanic stumped. When I try to accelerate, the car typically does not respond. After 5 seconds or so, the engine suddenly comes to life and the car begins to accelerate. At high speeds it is not an issue, but the engine sputters once in a while. It has never stalled. It is not the transmission because the RPM stays low during low-power times.
The mechanic initially thought that it was a dirty fuel filter. But, changing it has not worked. Once the engine light came on, and the code was for the air-flow sensor. But, the mechanic is not convinced about that.
The problem tends to become worse after driving for a while, after the engine has warmed up.
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I have a 2003 Mazda Protege. I had the check engine light come on and took it to my local repair shop. They diagnosed it as a bad oxygen sensor. They replaced it, but a week later, the light came back on. So, I decided to take it to the dreaded dealership and pay for their "expertise". They informed me that the light was a result of a intake hose with a hole in it. They also told me that the vehicle's oil pan was rusty and needed to be replaced. The vehicle did not leak oil. After a week of driving, I noticed spots of oil on my driveway. I checked the oil and it was low, so I decided to have it towed back to the dealership to have it checked out. I assumed it was the oil pan that had not been installed properly.
Today, the service tech informed me that my engine was blown and needed to be replaced. He told me that this cam warped and didn't leak before because the pressure was being release through the rusty oil pan. This sounds absurd to me. It seems to me that what has happened is their responsibility. What could have caused this? A co-worker suggested that more than likely the mechanic could have made a mistake and started the engine without motor oil either after the oil pan was replaced or after the vehicle sat overnight and the oil drained out. Does this seem more logical? If the dealership is at fault, but will not fix it, what can I do?
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I was driving my car on the highway, stopped to get gas and it started stalling but would never loose all the power. The check engine light did not go on. They have replaced spark plugs, hoses and it keeps doing the same, they told me there could be water in the fuel i pumped so i burned through the gas, drove 5 hours back home and when going uphill i would give it gas the rpms would go but no speed.
I took it to the ford/mazda dealership in town and said that the codes it was giving em they could not decipher, their best guess was a timing belt issue, they suggested i took it to an exclusive mazda dealership...but the closest one is 3 hrs away. They said it wasn't my transmission. There is no set speed when it stalls..it does it often maybe every 20 seconds or so...the car is a mazda protege 2000 with about 140000 miles...
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About two weeks ago I noticed the engine idle start to hesitate but ONLY while idling. I was sort of leaning towards the distributor cap or rotor but that didn't add up because in the past when either of these would go out the car would just die without any warning whatsoever. So I just kept driving it and then tonight when I started the engine it was hesitating a lot more than it had been and also hesitating during acceleration but would smooth out after I would reach and maintain 40mph. The CEL also started flashing on and off. I went ahead and replaced all the spark plugs, distributor cap and rotor with no improvement. Tomorrow I plan to replace the plug wires. The code it's sending is P0302 (misfire cylinder 2). If the plug wire doesn't do the trick and I can't find any leaks on the intake I'm going to try to figure out how to inspect the ignition coil (well, it shouldn't be too hard to figure out since I have two different shop manuals for this car.)
Another possibility for P0302 is low engine compression but I seriously doubt that's the problem because last time I checked the compression all 4 cylinders had above average compression. I doubt the plug wire is going to fix it since the wires only have about 20k miles on them and I don't think I have any leaks on the intake so where else I should look? Oh yeah, just remembered. I also put a stethoscope (actually a screwdriver) against the fuel injector for cylinder number 2 and it was clicking away just like the other 3 injectors so I guess the injector isn't the problem unless it can be faulty and still make the clicking noise. So should I check the injector with a meter or is the clicking enough evidence that it's working fine?
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The alternator belt recently broke off on my Mazda Protege and by the time I was able to drive it to my local Mazda dealer to have the belt replaced the engine was completely dead. I drove the car about 12 miles after the alternator belt broke. I noticed as I was driving to the dealer that my heater was not working; the fan was working but it would only blow cold air. I know that the alternator belt also controls the water pump, so I tried to keep my engine rpm's below 2000 while driving to avoid overheating the engine. On the way to the dealer the temperature gauge on the dashboard increased to about halfway between cold (C) and (H), which is where it usually sits after the engine warms up.
The belt was replaced, but I have noticed that ever since then the temperature gauge always sits at "C" and the engine never warms up. The heater continues to not produce any warm air. In addition, I have felt the engine with my hand after driving for about 20 minutes, and although it feels warm, it is not nearly as hot as it should be. I suspect that the engine cooling system is continually working for some reason, instead of allowing the engine to warm to its optimal operating temperature and then maintaining the temperature at that level. Because this coincided with my alternator belt breaking, I suspect that the root of the problem is either electrical in nature or associated with the water pump somehow. However, I don't know enough about cars to figure it all out.
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1996 Mazda Protege has 125,000 miles. Checkup this spring noted that the engine oil sensor was leaking, but did not note if a problem. I check the oil monthly with no problems with the oil going down. Many posts about engine oil pressure fixes, but none about leaking issues. What happens if I ignore the problem?
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I googled my symptom and came across an old post that sounds exactly like my issue, except that my car is an automatic with 98k miles. What could it be? Should I go to Autozone or similar to get a computer diagnostic check or bring it straight to a mechanic?
I have a 2001 mazda protege lx w/ aprox 120,000 miles manual transmission. for the past few days I've noticed a change in how it shifts & i fear its getting worse. it feels like it has low power/acceleration, when i apply the gas it seems to over rev (higher than usual rpms) in order to accelerate.
I also noticed going 70 mph on cruise control today, i tapped te cruise control to increase speed another 1mph or so & it over-revved in order to accelerate only another mph (jumped a couple thousand rpms & made revving noise it did used to do for only a slight increase in speed, then once it catches it goes back normal rpms or aprox 3000) which kind of mirrors what it feels like it needs me to do to increase speed when not on cruise control. i push the gas slightly & it doesn't seem to accelerate as well so i have push harder & it revs more than it should before it catches & increases speed sort of like normal.
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My 1999 Mazda Protegé has the hiccups ...every now and then it loses power for a fraction of a second. It lasts just long enough to feel it clearly, but it's gone before I can think about it. Very distinct sensation, but it certainly doesn't push me against the seat belt. It's been doing this for over a year (about 5-7,000 miles). No Check Engine Light has appeared at any time. The timing belt was replaced a few thousand miles back.
Yes, I've had it to a mechanic, a trusted local one. I even left it with him for several days. The car won't hiccup for him. I sometimes notice it around town, but I notice it more when driving on the highway (which has probably been over half my mileage in the past year), but I'm still disappointed that it won't do it for him. He suspects a spark plug wire -- he says it's probably only one cylinder based on my description -- but doesn't want to start replacing the wires if he can't diagnose it.
Recommendations? Should I just replace the wires and figure if that doesn't do it, it's part of the cost of diagnosis? (This much I should be able to do myself.) Should I try something else? Actually, as I think about it, he could have been encouraging me to replace the wires myself.
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The check engine light is blinking on my 98 Mazda Protege. I'd like to purchase one of those little hand held computers so that I can diagnose the problem myself. Should I leave it up to the professionals?
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I'm driving a 1995 Mazda Protege with about 200,000 miles. It has been generally pretty reliable, and I have fixed things as necessary, but a DNR has been in place for awhile. The water pump is leaking coolant and need replacing it, so I'm driving it (and keeping the coolant topped off) while I arrange to get something else. The temp gauge stays in the normal range.
Yesterday on the road the car began to lose electrical power: the radio turned off, the gauge cluster and then the headlights got dimmer, etc. But it continued to run ok. When I got where I was going, I parked it for a few hours, then on the return trip the car started fine, the headlights and gauges were bright, but over the course of about half-an-hour they began to dim again. The car continued to run ok until I got where I was going and parked it. I'm not sure I want to drive it again until I figure out what's going on.
The battery is about six months old, and the alternator was replaced about two years ago. The serpentine belt is in place and seems to be in good condition. Battery connections and cables look ok. The "charging" warning light has never come on. The water pump has been leaking for a couple weeks, but this is the first time the electrics have acted weird. Would the alternator go bad this soon? Does the water pump affect the electrics? What do I look for?
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I'm in the process of changing the coolant on my 98 Mazda Protege LX. I have the radiator drained and rinsed out. Now I want to get the rest of the coolant out. Where the engine block drain plug is on this car? My Haynes manual shows a picture of the location but It's of a different model.
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I drive a 2002 Mazda Protege and it's been great to me until this past weekend. I had a 4.5-5 hour trip ahead of me and Google Maps told me a more direct route (i.e. not using the interstates) would save time. It must have erroneously assumed that the highway comprising basically the entire trip would be speed limit 55-65 the entire way. Instead, I found myself slowing down to stoplights and stop signs in small villages between 15-minute sprints. At some point, the interior heat stops - the air being pulled in from outside is not being warmed at all, no matter what settings I fiddle with. Not long thereafter I notice a rattling noise behind the dash. From inside the car it sounds almost like an animal skittering around in the chassis - irregular, short and clipped. With the hood up and an ear to the engine, it sounds like a piece of plastic fluttering in the wind, but with a faint electric "crackling" quality. Soon thereafter the check-engine light illuminates.
Before long the engine overheats and I pull over to the side of the road. Nothing appears to be leaking, and the crackling sound is the only thing noticable. Being in the middle of nowhere, I jumped back in and proceeded to drive at about 35-40, which was warm on the engine but enough to get me to a small town. At this point I checked the coolant reservoir and it was empty. Bought some from Wal-mart, poured it in, and headed out. Things looked fine at first since the engine had sat cold while I was running errands, but pretty soon it was overheating again at speeds as low as 30mph. After getting it towed to my destination, I took it to a garage the next morning. They couldn't find anything wrong with it, and indeed when I drove it back to the hotel that morning the engine behaved normally, the check-engine light was off, and the interior heating was functioning properly.
The next morning, when it was time to depart (but again after an entire night of sitting in the cold), a 20 minute drive to breakfast was smooth as before. Thinking that the mechanic had either waved a magic wand or I'd gotten extremely lucky, I hit the highway and did 65 for a good 20 minutes until the engine began to overheat again. Slowing down to 45 bought a few more minutes to find an exit, but eventually I had to pull over. Popping the hood, I notice the coolant in the reservoir is bubbling to the top! Thinking the mechanic might have added more and overfilled it, I cursed him in absentia. After a good fifteen minutes of cooling off, the coolant settled and in fact drained the reservoir entirely; I refilled it to the line and, again being in rural snowtopia with few options, decided to hit the road again. Not wanting to tempt fate, I stuck to 55mph and the car ran fine for an hour and a half (with the interior heat blasting, per a friend's advice). I stopped once to check the coolant and all was as it should have been - just below the line I'd filled it to earlier. Closer to a city, I decided to experiment again and took the speed up to 60mph.
This was great for 20-30 minutes but eventually the engine began overheating ever-so-slowly and I had to pull over, let it cool off, and replace another full reservoir's worth of coolant that had disappeared before I kept going. I drove the rest of the way home going no faster than 55mph and stopping on occasion to check the coolant. It overheated once even while doing 55mph, but a 15 minute break + coolant refill bought it the rest of the trip. In summary: Although not 100% correlated, going faster than 55mph seems to trigger the engine overheating, at which point the rattling noise appears and the coolant begins to bubble its way back up the reservoir (like it's boiling?!). I'm not sure how the coolant is disappearing because I'm unable to find any leak, nor is there any extra exhaust that would suggest it's burning.
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I just posted on here a few weeks ago about a flashing engine light possibly caused by low compression getting worse. And it was determined that a used engine would be the way to go because the rings were so bad. Since then I did some research and found that low compression can also be caused by coked rings. I did have a wet compression test done that pointed to the rings as the culprit. But is it possible that the low compression is not bad rings but coked rings instead and that something like Auto-RX might might be worth a try? Is there any way to test for coked rings or are the results from the wet compression test enough proof that the rings are bad without a doubt?
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I drive a 1992 Mazda Protege. Recently had an oil change and put in new air filter. Recently the check engine light has been coming on. Sometimes it will run rough and sputter a bit when the light flips on and then runs normal after the light flips off, sometimes it seems to run fine when the light comes on, but the light does go off and the car runs fine after it has been running for a few minutes. Shortly before I had my air filter and oil changed I did have an incident at a stop light where the car died and did not restart for a full five minutes, at which point it sputtered for a bit and then got me home.
I took into the local mazda service center and dealer (they were the only ones who had the right kind of connector to pull the error of a car this old), and they said the only code coming up was a p69 which indicated a bad thermoswitch. I have already paid for it but the parts won't be in until Saturday. I have until then to cancel the repair and just pay restock and the original diagnostic fees. Should I go through with this repair, or do the symptoms described indicate something else?
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I have a 2002 Mazda Protege' which recently started losing power periodically. At the same time, the check engine light would blink and then stay solid. The dealer diagnosed a random engine misfire and replaced the spark plugs, wires, and coil packs. It cost $500.00. After 3000 miles, the problem has returned worse than before. This weekend it lost and regained power repeatedly in short spans of time, and lurched back and forth as it happened. The check engine light returned as well.
My first question: what do you think this is? My neighbor suspects a clogged fuel filter or fuel regulator.My second question: what, if anything, does the dealer owe me financially?
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My BMW 325i started shaking and lost a lot of power and the check engine light turned on. Now I have been driving it like that to and from work. I can't get on the freeway since it doesn't go over 45 mph. I really need to get it fixed asap. It also doesn't accelerate like it used to. It shakes all the time but mostly when I am stopped at a red light or when I try to go over 40mph.
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Have 2002 mazda protege 5 . During acceleration at 3000 rpm the engine hesitates. Computer said o2 sensor, replaced it but that wasn't it. Drilled out both catalytic, that wasn't it. Found hole in mass air flow tube, figured that is it. I haven't replaced that yet, however I used gorilla tape thinking it would be a temporary fix but that didn't work. I know I need to replace that tube, but think that it may now be a fuel pump issue??
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I have a 1999 Mazda Protege. As of last summer it started giving me problems with not wanting to start after I had driven it around town for a little while. (IE: to the grocery store, to the bank and then to my sister's house. It wouldn't give me the same problem if I just went to the grocery store and back home. It would start up fine and I'd be on my way. Only when I went somewhere and shut it off then repeated that a couple more times.) I took it to a mechanic who wholeheartedly believed it was the coil packs not allowing my car to function properly.
So we replaced those and everything seemed on the up and up. (Keep in mind that this was towards the end of summer and the temperature was dropping.) The car was perfect all throughout the fall and winter, but now that the temperature outside is starting to rise again it's beginning to do the same thing it did last summer. I don't want to take it to another mechanic that's going to have me dish out an extravagant amount of money again only for the problem to persist.
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I have a 2000 Excursion 7.3, 6 position tune, and exhaust as far as mods (on truck when bought). Last couple of weeks I get no power while on the throttle, foot on the gas and the whole truck shakes at higher speeds - 40mph and above. At first it wouldn't go above 60 or so, would hit the gas and Rpms would just stop not be able to generate any further power. Changed the IPR, ICP, and CPS.
I still get the high/low range ICP codes, P1280, P1281. First night the IPR was changed I got it up to 90mph and thought it was all solved but got a little shake right at the top and I let off the gas. Next day back to square one and has seemed to get progressively worse, almost wasn't able to make it up a hill by my house not even going 20mph, but it's like intermittent. I have a scan tool, here is at idle and at around 60mph ....
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I've got a 2000 F-250 with a 7.3. The other day I was driving down the road and it lost power and my foot almost went to the floor. I was at the bottom of a hill when it did this and I was running 60 mph. By the time I got to the top I was running 20 mph and had the truck to the floor. When I was driving it home it was tacking around 1800 rpm and my egts were only at 125 degrees. I know I'm not getting fuel. I thought it could be the fuel filter so I changed it. Still no luck. It'll start back up but it dies if I take my foot off the accelerator. It shook terrible when I was driving it home too. Is it injectors, uvch, hpop, or something else?
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