Man i hate my mazda dealers. I went in last week for last minute end of warranty stuff and hte tech didnt comein all week. Then now that im about to change out the struts and springs i start getting this fron end clunk every once in awhile. Almost sounds like the left half shaft is clunking but its so intermittent. Sometimes at the end of stopping at a light. Sometimes when i turn it makes a little clunk. But damn i cant fugure it out. Anyone else starting to notice any clunks in the 02 P5s? im pretty sure its not my ghetto motor mount job cuz that would only be at accelleration.

 

Hmm, there is a TSB on rear struts, but I don't know about the fronts. And it's mainly for the MSP, MP3s.
But here it is anyway, maybe it'll give you an idea...

http://web2.airmail.net/theman/protegefaq/tsb/

 

I cut this from a post I made a few weeks ago in the Suspension and Brakes forum (sorry, I don't know how to just link you to the post). I never got a satisfactory reply though. I'm at 48K now, so I'm headed for the dealer soon too. Mine does not do it in a turn, just in a straight line. It's gradually getting louder. My Saturn dealer tech friend says it sounds like a bearing between two sections of the axle. Anyway, read this from my old post:
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As I slow to a stop from about 20 mph, like slowing for a red light, I may hear 6 or 8 faint thumps (clunks may be too strong of a description) from the front end. This is while stopping in a straight line, not turning. It also does it as I creep forward while parking.

 

Loose brake caliper? Pad? Bad rotor? Most of the cv joint, bearings, etc make noise on accelleration [sp?] or turning when going bad... Is your parking brake dragging?

 

u guys wont freaking believe it. I finally took my wheel off today to investigate. WEll i found a round little spacer like 3/4 inch long with the sam diameter, stuck between teh a arm and the round bar behind it, aka the a arm subframe thingy. well yeah thats what it was. what a freaking joke. please someone kick my *** im a very incompetent mechanic.

 

Nah! Just be glad it was a quick/cheap fix!! If you were incompetent - you would have had the Mazda tech find it...

 

LOL, I'd never have found that one! You're a better man than me!

 

I'm pulling my rt front wheel off this weekend to look for the same thing. Is this something that's obvious by just pulling the tire off, or do you have to pull the caliper and rotor too?

 

Well I never got a answer but I puller the wheel off and explored. I never saw anything like the spacer described by javanc, but I did do some poking around. I took the caliper off (it was not loose). Took out the pads and cleaned everything and put it back together. Those two retainer springs were a pain in the *** till I figured out what they were for and where they went (they fell out before I got a look at them). Anyway when I put it all back together the cluncking was not to be heard again... not yet anyway. Who knows what it was, maybe the lugs were unevenly tightened. I hope it doesn't start back after my warranty visit. I'm still going to try to get a clutch out of 'em.