NHTSA Complaint #10080591 — 2002 MAZDA PROTEGE

WE PURCHASED A MAZDA PROTEGE5 IN JANUARY OF 2002. WITHIN A VERY SHORT TIME, (~1000 MILES, MAYBE LESS), WE NOTICED A HIGH PITCHED WHINING NOISE. THIS NOISE OCCURS BETWEEN 50 AND 75 MILES PER HOUR ON AVERAGE. WE BROUGHT THE VEHICLE IN TO MAZDA, AND A MECHANIC IMMEDIATELY TIED THE PROBLEM TO THE TRANSMISSION. SO, IN VERY SHORT ORDER, THEY REPLACED OUR TRANSMISSION, (WHICH WORRIED ME A LITTLE). UNFORTUNATELY, THIS DID NOT CORRECT THE PROBLEM, SO WE COMPLAINED ONCE MORE, AND WITHIN A WEEK OR TWO MAZDA APPARENTLY RELEASED A BULLETIN WHICH RELEASES THEM OF ALL RESPONSIBILITY. THIS BULLETIN APPARENTLY STATES THAT THE WHINING NOISE ASSOCIATED WITH CERTAIN MAZDA PROTEGE5 VEHICLES IS MERELY A VIBRATION IN THE ENGINE AND WILL NOT AFFECT THE INTEGRITY OF THE VEHICLE OR ITS RESALE VALUE. I WOULD LIKE TO SUGGEST THAT I CERTAINLY WOULD NOT BUY AN OTHERWISE PRISTINE VEHICLE IF IT WHINED EVERY TIME I GOT ON THE FREEWAY...I HAVE TO TURN MY RADIO UP QUITE LOUD JUST TO DROWN IT OUT!!! MAZDA WILL DO NOTHING FOR US, WHICH IS SAD, BECAUSE I HAVE ENJOYED OWNING THIS AND OTHER VEHICLES, BUT WILL NOT NECESSARILY CONSIDER BUYING ANOTHER. *AK