For the past month I've been noticing a vibrating noise that comes from underneith the car whenever I go over a bump, or shut the door when I'm leaving the car. It sounds as if there is something loose underneith the car, like a pipe or something.

At first I thought it was the license plate vibrating, but I tacked that down pretty tight and so I've eliminated that option. And when I get the VTCS cold start noise in combination with that loose piece under the car, it sounds like a crazy ****!!!

Is this a common problem? What do yall think it is? My protege is a 2002 ES with only 3500mi on it. I'm brining the car in for service, so I'll see what they say, but what do you all think it is?

~peace

 

there isn't much that could be loose under there that would give you a noise like that....where does it sound like its comming from? the front? the back? the middle? can you isolate it that much?

one thing you could look at is.....there is a bank of tubing that runs from the back of the car to the front....its on the drivers side....IF those are slightly loose....OR you just happen to be hitting some harmonic that tubing could be vibrating....its something to look at and either eliminate or confirm.

 

You're not alone in noting a rattle/vibration sound coming from under the car, ShyutanSan-- I too have had that problem from early on; I just never did anything about it.

To all who wonder, the sound comes when closing one of the car doors or when the engine reaches a certain RPM when free revving (not under load), at least in my case. Indeed it's surely a certain harmonic frequency that touches off the rattle, but it's there, nonetheless-- And it's another element of the Protege that at times is annoying. It really sounds like something under the car (like two metal plates or something) is loose and free to rattle around when a door is closed. You can't miss it: It's very noticeable.

Now that I've had my defective front brakes replaced under warranty, I'll next get the cigarette lighter replaced (it won't stay pushed in the "On" position to warm up; a problem officially noted on the NHTSA web site), and I'll ask about the under car rattle-- I'll bet they won't know or be able to do anything about that, though. It seems too enigmatic. One can hope, however!

 

check the heat shield around the muffler, mine rattles when i turn on my amp.

 

also....the heat shield that is directly below your shifter area...its the heat shield for the resonator......its thin sheet metal...and only held to the bottom of your car with four bolts/screws.

 

Yes exactaly, you described it. It sounds like something is loose, right underneath the car (more towards the drivers side but still underneath). You can hear it when you close a door, or when the car reaches a certain speed. Sometimes even when you go over bumps, the vibration sound comes again.

Its f***ing anoying as hell. I'm really pissed at the shotty quality that Mazda did for the 2001 - 2002 Gen 3 proteges. I mean sure, a few of you may get the good perfect ones, but there are alot of people who are like me who end up with the lemons... aparently there are alot of lemons in the 2001-2002s... I just hope this vibration sound is the last thing that goes wrong with this car! I've only had it for 2 months!!!! (3500mi!!!) This vibration sound is like the 4th or 5th problem with this car!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

I have a similar situation about couple months ago. There was a vibration noise coming from under the front end of the car, it only happened in low rpm or during low speed. I was so puzzled that I took the car back to the dealer and guess what, there was a screw came off the heat shield of the engine front!! The mechanics told me that he has seen that a few times already but my problem still persists right after I left the dealership.

So when I returned home ( 'cause the dealer was closed right after I left on that Saturday pm ), I checked under the car and found that there was a metal plate under the engine ( the cross-member which help stiffens the car ) and it was loosened on the right side. Thereffor, I took my car back to the dealer the next Monday and the manager himself was kind enough to check it for me again and he found THREE of the four bolts that secure that plate were MISSING!!!! that probably cause the vibration at certain speed or rpm. They fixed that defect right away and the noise has never happened again.

You should ask the dealer to check your car again since my car had only less than 6000km at that time!
Good luck my friend and hopefully everything will be OK soon.

BTW, I am new here and I have a 2002 P5 ( A/T, tinted, with windows and hood deflectors. )

 

I get more pissed at people who consider every little rattle and minor thing a huge nuisance. Not to flame - but you bought a CHEAP CAR!! Our Pros are excellent little rides, and represent a solid value. But it is still an ECONOMY car. Why people expect Lexus-like quiet and solid-like-a-Bimmer build quality from a $15,000 car is beyond me.

My car has a few squeaks and rattles now that it is approaching 40,000 miles. So freaking what. I mean, the issue with the bolts missing is a bit crazy - but to say that "so many of these cars are lemons" is ridiculous. The Protege is one of the most reliable cars on the road. If you were breaking down all the time, that's one thing. But to call a car a "lemon" because it has a rattle - you expect too much.

The car is NOT shoddy. It's just CHEAP.

~HH

 

theres a plastic skirt underneath the front, make sure all the screws are in that

 

Hahaha, so you're telling me that a simple screw on the bottom of the car costs $3000 to improve? Whatever... my friend's Chevy Cavalier is an ever cheaper car and it doesn't have half the problems i've listed for the Gen 3 proteges. I think you just have too much pride in your Protege to see past the poor quality they've put into these rides. I'm not looking for Lexus quality... I'm at least expecting Cavalier quality!

 

Maybe buy a Cavalier? Most people on this board are Protege enthusiasts, I'm sure the cavalier has had it's share of problems as well. If you don't like the protege, sell it and buy a cavvy. Or you could just fix the "simple screw on the bottom of the car," and enjoy your protege for what it is, not a cavalier.

 

Yeah, the Protege is such a piece of crap...that's why it is so reliable! Please, comparing a Cavalier to a Protege...what's next?

As stated so well already...YOU purchased an ECONOMY car. My Protege is an '02, and is put together better than any of the new cars I've ever owned, including a '91 Accord, '92 Accord, '97 Contour, '98 Mystique and '99 Passat. Rattles do not make a car a lemon, the lighter not working does not make a car a lemon (seriously Protege Master, sell your car already, quit complaining about it).

EVERY car has problems every now and then...get over it. This is the best $15,000 I've ever spent on a car.

People like to complain...if you aren't happy do something about it. This is why I am typing this, I can't stand the crying about it anymore, so I am doing something about it...I'm asking you to either accept the little problems, or have the dealer fix it, or sell the car.

Thanks, I'm off my soapbox now...

Cavalier

 

I have no more problems after the missing bolts were replaced by the dealer. I do enjoy driving my P5 all the time and I have absolutely no regrets of buying this vehicle.

 

Well, not to compare a cavy to protege again, but... I traded in my 01 cavy for 01 protege. In case some of you missed my long winded speech before, well...... I'll make it short!!! My cavalier left me stranded a couple times and I have never been to a shop as much before in my life, in such a short period! The early cavaliers and saturn coupes ect were much better built. My cavy 01 sucked. It had major issues! My protege has had non. I ownned the cavy for ~40000kms and the protege for 20000kms. Cavaliers (new) SUCK a$$$! Less then Ford Focus quality!!!

 

my pro 5 has never left me stranded either....i'm very pleased with this car!