Dash fix
I had a similiar issue and placed 1 small, spongy, washer (black--you could not find it if you tried) just above the radio in my 2001 Protege--about 1/2 inch back between two panels. My advice, if you can find a similiar solution without taking things apart--try it first.
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Something else to check
Last year I saw my mileage drop precipitously over a short period of time. I had it up on the lift at the dealers changing my own oil when the guy I was talking to noticed that my back Left tire did not freely spin....not even 1.5 rotations. My caliper had nearly...