NHTSA Complaint #10130640 — 2003 MAZDA PROTEGE

ONE OF THE BUTTERFLY VALVES ON THE INTAKE MANIFOLD FELL OFF COMPLETELY. THIS HAPPENED WHEN THE LAST OF THE TWO SCREWS HOLDING IT ON CAME LOOSE AND FELL-OFF AND WAS SUCKED INTO THE ENGINE. WHEN THE PART WAS DISMANTLED, THERE WERE ONLY FIVE OF THE ORIGINAL EIGHT SCREWS REMAINING. ONLY ONE OF THE FOUR VALVES WAS COMPLETELY CONNECTED WHEN THE UNIT WAS OPENED. I WAS DRIVING NORMALLY DOWN ROAD AND LUCKILY THIS HAPPENED AS I WAS PARKING MY CAR. THE EVENT HAPPENED ON 7/22/05 AND THE MAZDA DEALERSHIP STATED THAT ALTHOUGH THEY HAVE SEEN THIS OCCUR BEFORE, THERE IS NO TSB OR RECALL. I WILL NEED TO REPLACE THIS PART OF THE MANIFOLD AT A COST OF MORE THAT $1000 DOLLARS. ON A MAZDA ENTHUSIST WEBSITE THAT I FREQUENT, AT LEAST TEN OTHER MEMBERS HAVE HAD THE SAME PROBLEM WITH RESULTS VARYING FROM COMPLETE ENGINE REPLACEMENT, TO THE SAME SUPPOSED FIX AS I NEED. THAT INFORMATION CAN BE FOUND AT "WWW.PROTEGE5.COM" THE INFORMATION IS AVAILABLE IN NUMEROUS PLACES IF YOU SEARCH THERE FOR "ENGINE NOISE." *JB