Sil_Pro5, you're right about that cruise control. I haven't had a problem with it but that on/off button is hard to see unless you know its there. I saw it while vacuuming the interior.

 

It may be hard to see, but if people would just RTFM, then there wouldnt be any problem.

I personally never understood the on/off button on cruise control systems. My last car had it, but i just left it on the "ON" position all of the time. If you are not cruising, its off! LOL.

Does anyone know why manufactures put this button on there? Only thing I can come up with is some people may accidentally press the cruise control button while driving, and it may be a safety hazard? So putting the on/off button may be sort of like a "CAUTION: HOT" on a cup of coffee at McDonalds. Just my 2 cents...

 

I know and understand the cold engine rattle ,but the one rattle that drives me crazy is in the car. For those of you with the sunroof, the controls are mounted on the ceiling. well for the longest time I thought that it was my speaker that was rattling in the passenger door, but it was the plastic control and light panel on the ceiling. So for anyone that hears the same rattle check to see if it is that loose *** piece of plastic on the ceiling.

 

Huh? Thats odd. I dont have any rattles, let alone this being loose. Its pretty tight, maybe you have to tighten it??

 

This button is a so called safety feature. Another car manufacture had a problem with the acc buttons getting stuck and the other buttons wouldn't work to disengauge the cruise control. So this override button will instantly cut off the power to the cruise control. Not A Jap Manufacture.

Scott Davis
Vivid Yellow 2002
Pacer 17" Wheels
Kikin stereo

 

Originally posted by dustobub
It only rattles around 2700 rpm. Its not very loud however. Anyone know what it could be?

My Mom's $55,000 Lexus RX300 even does this, so it's nothing to worry about. It's not a measure of cheap quality or anything. What happens, is the liquid-filled motor mounts that hold the engine to the frame become a little bit frozen. This decreases the dampening effect, but like mentioned above, once the engine is warm enough to help thaw these out a little, it will return to normal. Nothing to be worried about at all.

Hope this helps!

 

Someone in the thread mentioned that the dealer reprogrammed something... and it stopped rattling... some mention they have rattling.. some say they don't have it.. could it be possible... the ones sold recently have it fixed?

 

I got the cruise control on the steering wheel. Ya have to hold the button in for a sec or 2. I haven't seen that on/off.

I hear a slight howl from roof. But no engine noise.


Dave
5-speed.
Sony Xplod deck
2 12" Kicker Comp
Kenwood 600W amp.

 

REPROGRAMMING COMPUTER??

Is the rumour true that MAZDA does know of this problem and all I have to do is go back to the dealer.

MAZDA won't release a recall or something???????

I have had my car since May 2001.

I do have this problem of engine rattle below 3000 RPM under load for about 4 months now.

 

My take...Regarding the engine knock, I was in Sudbury, Ontario over Christman/NewYears and the temperature dropped down to -22 deg.C. + wind chill, thats damn cold! I started my car and it wasn't a pretty sight. YES THE ENGINE DID KNOCK for about a minute. No worse than my Mustang did in the same weather though. I'm not sure if the Protege has forged pistons (I think not) but it is regular for cars with forged pistons (and aluminum blocks also) to knock on startup. I wouldn't worry about it. All I can say is atleast it started!

Think about all the people who bought a Focus to have to return it to the dealer because the rear suspension was falling off! <--recall.

Now...check the "Recall Question" thread, and you'll probably see Mazda is very small with recal problems!

 

To avoid "rattle" in winter switch for 5w30 for cold months. As for roughness-I took a ride in previous gen Altima with 2.4 liter 4 cyl, it sounds almost exacltly the same as our engine. Big L4 are not known for smoothness, so they will be noisier than Honda 1,6 liter or even Mazda 1.8 liter.
I sleep well.
Alex

 

Good synthetic (Amsoil, Redline or even Mobil1) can ease that awfull sound. I did it and it helped, plus I've added 1 quart of Mobil1 ATF to my automatic along with 10oz. of ATF Lubegard (of'course I did pumped out 1quart and 10oz. of Mazda's fluid before). It really smoothened the engine/transmission work.
No brainer.

 

A rattle, you don't say. Is this rattle loudest when the engine cold ?


Gee that's a little thing I (an experienced deisel mechanic) like to call an overhead cam valvetrain,. There clackity when there cold, as they heat up and actually get some decent oiling up there after the oil heats up and flows better the tolerances close up and they quiet down.

 

don't have a roof rack so I cna't say about hat but hte rest I haven't noticed especially the arm thing I love the doors for resting my arm so nice and comfy..

Brycer79

 

Biggest complaint i have about the car so far is the paint on mine seems to be crap. i had a spot on the hood that was bubbled when i got it, so mazda is going to repaint the hood for me, but there are probably about 10 small paint chips on my hood. most arent noticable till you get right up on the car. but on the front bumper, have probably 4 or 5 places where the paint has chipped that is noticable from a distance of 20 feet or more. i talked to mazda about them, and they said its just from rocks and they wont do anything about it. i think its crap. my last car was a 94 mirage. it was used when i got it, and i had it for 4 years. that car was put through hell when i drove, it. driven through fields where the grass and weeds were so tall you coudlnt see where you were going, and ran down dirt roads like it was a rally car, and i can only think of 2 chips on the entire car in 4 years. ive babied my new car that i just got dec 19th, and it already looks like crap. bough a bra for it last week cause i couldnt take my car getting beat up like that any more.

other than that, yes there is the rattle in the engine for a couple of minutes when its cold. but if you have the radio on, or any noise at all, you wont notice it. and for some reason, the stick to reset the trip meter started rattling last week too. took me like 3 days to figure out where it was coming from. i think i can fix that by taking the gauges out, or maybe just tightening the screws though.

other than that, its a great car. plenty of power to get you where your going, and enough to play around from time to time. i tried to play with a vette the other day, but for some reason he didnt seem to want to play.