Well not yet but if enough of you submit a complaint to the NHTSA then maybe Mazda will take notice or the NHTSA will open a formal investigation. Go here...

http://www.nhtsa.dot.gov/cars/problems/ivoq/default.htm

 

I share everyone's annoyance with this cold engine rattle issue (in fact, for awhile there it really pissed me off), but I wouldn't really expect this could be considered a safety issue. Yes, it's annoying, but I don't see the connection to that and a direct threat to our safety as Pro owners.

I'd love to see a fix, and I think this kind of action, in terms of notifying and/or petitioning a government agency, is in the right direction in order to force Mazda to get off their *** and DO something about this, but think it would have to be a different issue than actual safety. That is, unless we found a way that it leads to an unsafe car.

On a better note, desite how shitty the engine sounds when you first start it up (it sounds like a damn diesel engine; the worst gasoline engine sound I've ever heard, in fact), this issue doesn't appear to cause any damage to the car-- Despite this issue the Protege remains absolutely tops in reliability; the same as Toyotas and Hondas, in fact.

Mazda obviously knows about this issue, but is just dragging their *** on it because they don't want to fork over the cash to fix it. My theory is they modified the engine to comply with ULEV emission standards in the last minute-- Sort of like tacking on a lame part that wasn't originally in the engine's design. That caused this rattling issue, because they didn't build in proper emission control measures (in a manner that doesn't screw smooth engine operation when it's cold) from the beginning as they should have.

All I can say is, the new MZR engine better not have this lame problem...

 

NHTSA would consider this a safety issue if the potential for engine failure were there. At this point, do we really know that the potential doesn't exist? Everyone knows the problem is there but has it been long enough to show that there really aren't any long term effects? I just want it fixed and the more attention it gets the more likely something will get done about it.

 

Last I heard from Mazda NA Operations was that they had a fix and it was awaiting EPA certification.

Do I believe them? Sure, why not?

 

unplug the hose........ been working for me now for uhh ~ 2-3 months. but yes mazda should get off their punk asses to address this issue