Hello all, I own a '92 Protege DX 5-spd that seems to have a couple of minor problems that I hope I can fix myself without an expensive mechanic.

1. The car tends to whine with excesive electrical load (rear defrost and heater) I believe this is the cause of the V-belt driving the altenator. Can anyone confirm this?

2. My emergency brake light refuses to shut off, even when the brake is off. I can hear the switch in the handle being switched (a quiet click before the 1st notch) so i don't believe the actual switch is broken. The funny part about this is that the light will behave normaly when the car is first started (turns off when handle is lowered) but once I accelerate, particularly if i hang onto the clutch long, then the brake light will turn on. Sometimes, but not very often, if the car has been running for a long time the light will go out but will again return when accelerating hard out of 1st. Anybody have any clue as to the reason for this? It only began recently and it has been below 0 deg celcius here the entire time so i don't know if that contributes.

Anyways thanks for your help!

 

Check your brake fluid level, the light doubles as a warning light for a low fluid level as well. Might be time for new brake pads...

 

Welcome

Here's a link with info on how to fix the seat belt. It is a common problem with the Proteges but can be easily fixed.
http://www.protegeclub.com/forum/sho...5&pagenumber=1

If you don't find enough info there, do a search as this has been covered many times before.

As for the belts. Check if they are too tight/loose.

 

idenity, thanks for that link, i needed that for myself, however thats not the belts he was talking about..lol
alternator whine...
step 1:
tighten your belt cause it could be slipping
step 2:
replace belt
step 3:
have alternator replaced

e-brake...
step 1:
fill master cylinder as mentioned
step 2:
have rear brakes checked out... who knows, could be bad calipers.. bad brake lines??

hope that helps

hint: sometimes to ease up the slack on belts, a little bit of power steering fluid applied when engine is off, then starting it and letting it run can tighten them up a bit... also, there is some silicone spray out there that you spray on the belts to help them stick... that might help out a bit as well

 

Just change the belt, the most it will cost you is about $60 (cdn at crappy tire!, cheaper at a local mech) to do both of them. Mine squeals too when I have my rear defroster and lights and stereo going. For now I just turn off the defroster when I'm coming to a stop. I might try the belt dressing thing tho just to see if it works.

As for the brake light, I don't know but that little click you hear is not to turn on/off the light on the dash, it's the switch for your daytime running lights (they turn off when the e-brake is applied)

And my brake light doesn't turn on when my brake fluid is low

As a fellow canuck I welcome you too and check out the toronto protege club at www.toprotege.com

 

as for the ebrake thing, i have two suggestions... make sure your ebrake actually works... and if it does, just cut a piece of duct tape out and stick it over the light... does wonders to keep that glare effect when you're driving late at night hey, my girl's dad's got this 89 crown vic and sings 'christmas tree.. oh christmas tree..' whenever he starts the car... damn dash lights go crazy.. quite funny actually... floater in gas tank is broken = no gas gauge and faulty low fuel light, e-brake indicator is perminantly on, the check engine light is always on, horn don't work...etc. etc. and the tape really does him wonders... just a suggestion

 

Im gettin a high pitched wobble sound... all my belts r tight, and its gettin annoying...

and.... has ne1 here use belt dressing? Does it work, or should i just replace the belts?

 

My car does the same thing when its that cold its nothing to be scared of. It just pissed me off when i see red when im driving like that but after alittle bit the light will turn off . Im sure its just something frozen. i stopped putting my ebrake on when i parked in my drive way for a bit now it wont do it ....Jon

 

The brake light being on all the time could indicate a variety of problems with the brakes. In my case, it was because the rear brakes needed new springs and spacers ( a brake "kit"). It didn't come on from worn pads but does come on if the pads are sticking.

 

Don't use dressing....while it may work for a while.... once you go to change the belts it's gonna be hell for ya... trying to scrape that gunk out to be able to get the new belts in.