My car started with unintentional acceleration last Feb. 2003. Then it started to fell like the gears were slipping. The problem was intermittent. I took it into the dealer and they could find no problem. Now, it is Oct. 2003 and the transmission has failed. Last night the car got stuck in low gear and will not reverse. The RPM go up when you try to accelerate, but the car will not go past 10 miles an hour. Right now the car is at the dealer's shop and I am mad!!! I am a single mom who bought the car new. I've had all maintenance, and I wanted a car that would last for 10 years. Now I feel cheated by Mazda!!

- Elkton, MD, USA

I bought the car in August 1999, it had 12 miles on it I had just gotten rid of another Protege 1994 the most lousy car I had ever seen, I had spent over$ 8,000 on repairs. 2 transmissions in 2 years. 2 sets of cv boots etc. Anyway I thought if I could get a new one I would not have any trouble for a long time, if any at all. Well, I had it probably had it about 6 months or so, and it started making a metallic rattling in the front in the engine. It sounds like back in the old days when a car needed oil it would rattle like a piece of junk. They checked it out could not find anything, took it back several times, so the service manager joe burk very nice man very helpful. They changed a few parts, power train etc, please check my records with them if you can, or I will have to dig in my files to find all of the receipts.so he suggested that I try different gas. Well, I did I tried all of them cost me almost $1,500. Mobil, exxon, chevron, texaco, shell mid grade gas. Absolutley did nothing, this went on for a year.this is about 2001. Well it seems it does this very badly when it gets hot. He said that they had heard about some of these problems in houston with their heat and humidity. I ask if this does not work what are they going to do? well Mazda mentioned maybe giving me another car. They decided to put a brand new engine in it, (a brand new car)by that time it had a little 20,000 miles on it. I pay $412.64 a month on a car that rattles like a piece of crap. That did not solve the problem. As of the week of August 4-8 took it back still doing it, they replaced the power train on it and it still does it. They looked at it again. Nothing can be done, as long as I am in warranty I am alright, but when that runs out I am screwed.

- Plano, TX, USA

I am having all of these looked at when I turn it in for repairs; the carpet/electrical problem causes a major shock upon leaving the vehicle.

- Beale Afb, CA, USA

Check engine light on, continued problem of acceleration when changing gears.

- Whiteville, NC, USA