Rep Power: 0

I finally decided to set a date for some warranty work:

1) Check the suspension (shocks).
2) Repair front air dam (damaged by bottoming out).
3) Fix rear defroster killing FM reception.
4) Investigate an engine squeal (probably a belt).

I'm at 22K miles now...almost all problems have exisited since around 10K or before. The squeal started at 21K. I'm just too busy/lazy to give up my car for a day.

Far more to be done warranty wise, but they said they could only do some in one day.

 
Rep Power: 0

Ouch.. maybe you got a lemon? Go get a protege 5

 
Rep Power: 395

He has a 2001 prolly....He doesnt have a lemon. He has the first year blues like I have. The front struts are on back order....I have been waiting for over a month now...My front end bangs around all the time, drives me nuts.

 
Rep Power: 0

Why? So he can have more problems? Every Mazda/Ford I've ever owned was a pile-o-crap. Besides the Pro-5 looks like a Focus Station wagon.

 
Rep Power: 395

The Mazda Pro 5 is nice looking but it is made by Ford, along with every other mazda product. I wouldnt say it was a quality japanese car. I would say its in the same class as Mitsubishi. If I was going to buy a wagon, I would get the Matrix, with a 6 speed.

 
Rep Power: 0

It's really not made by Ford. Ford simply owns a majority share of Mazda's stock.

Also, I have a 2002.

 
Rep Power: 395

I know but Still Mazda's arent one of the better Japanese cars out there. As far as quality Japanese cars go I would Say that Subaru, Honda, Toyota, and then Nissan are the better Japanese cars. After that I would say Mitsubishi and mazda.

 
Rep Power: 0

I agree with Civicdude in that order, but most of us can't afford a Subaru. I have an '01 LX. Runs great...a little slow(will be fixed soon enough). PESTLNC, what kind of insurance you got? And did they say they would honor everything?

 
Rep Power: 0

Not insurance, my bad....warranty rather?

 
Rep Power: 0

I recently just dealt with the same problem. My entire front end went on me and I got sick of waiting for the parts to come in after a week and a half, so what I did was call up Honda Customer Relations and had them open a case for me. The dealership that I took my car to (not the one I leased it from because I recently moved) couldn't give me a date on when the struts would come in. After speaking to Customer Relations and the Service Manager at the dealership expressing my concern and unacceptability of driving around on severely damaged struts, the parts "magically" appeared the following day.

Honda Customer Relations phone number: 800 999 1009

Good luck, I hope it works for you too.

 
Rep Power: 0

i have 2001 and ive had to gte new tranny,new cj joints they busted spraying grease all over the sides of my car one day thank god i didnt have my windows down,my door panels are peeling and about to have to get nther new tranny i dont drive hard at all how would knw if my struts were going? sometimes it squeak going over bumps and stuff.

riley
everyone tells me i got a lemon but what can i do ive had the car almost 2years(18,000 miles) is there anyways they woudl give me a new car if i had to get another new tranny...(maybe a blue 2 door maual.........)

 
Rep Power: 0

Well, I pick my car up from Honda today. Here are the results:

1) Check the suspension (shocks).
- As I suspected, the front shocks are leaking (alot, said the mechanic). They'll be replaced under warranty but have been back ordered for at around a month.

2) Repair front air dam (damaged by bottoming out).
- Done.

3) Fix rear defroster killing FM reception.
- Here's something interesting for those who have installed their own rear speakers, or removed the rear deck for any reason. If you're not gentle putting it back in, it can scratch the wires in the rear window. This can cause static on the radio when the defroster is turned on. Doh!

4) Investigate an engine squeal (probably a belt).
- I probably shouldn't have done this, but a week ago I sprayed some belt conditioner on them. It wasn't doing it today when I brought it in.


I also had them rotate and balance the tires. It cost me $33 for everything. $30 to rotate the tires, and $3 to discover the problem with the FM reception. I've very satisfied with the experience. Thumbs up to Gary at Manchester Honda in CT.

 
Rep Power: 310

So was your air dam replaced for free because your front struts are blown? Also did they find the scratch on the antenna wire? I think there is a way to repair that using some repair kit I thought..

 
Rep Power: 0

Yes, it was repaired under warranty. Had my front shocks not been blown, they may have asked a few questions about how it tore. Since they were blown, they just replaced it under warranty and no questions asked.

As for the defroster/antenna wire, the only option they gave me to fix it was to replace the rear window. Since it was my fault, I knew it was going to cost me. No thanks.

 
Rep Power: 0

Called Honda today. Still no word about when the shocks may be coming in.

 
Rep Power: 0

weird, i am going on 70k and i have a 2001 ex coupe 5 speed. knock on wood. the car runs like new, and no major problems. Tranny is strong, stearing is strong, engine runs like a champ, no power lose since i have bought it, and the suspension is good as new. Hell i am still on the orriginal brakes, and there is still plenty of miles left on them.

 
Rep Power: 0

Well, I finally had the new shocks installed today after a little over a month's wait. I guess these things are pretty high demand. The ride is much better and turning is much more accurate.

One problem though. With these new shocks there seems to be some wheel rub when making a hard right or left turn. Looks like it'll be going back to Honda again. I'll have them look at my squeeky clutch and broken trunk too.

 
Rep Power: 0

you should be able to go to some electronics stores and get some paint on rear defroster wire repair paint, that might do it without replacing the window. I know they exist, just dont' know where to get it.