How'z the Cold Noise Repair Doing?????

[taylor5]

Hey,

Would like to hear from those who have had the "cold-start noise" repair done. How is your car doing?....The first couple of hundred miles, my car was quiet as a mouse even on relatively chilly mornings and my auto trans (non-sport) was shifting waaaayyyy better....Now the noise is back with a vengeance and I think it might even be worse than before and the trans is acting erratic again.....

But mainly, are you hearing your noise again?...better or worse? Need to know if I should just give up or try to get it repaired again?


-Tay

 

[hihoslva]

The cold-engine rattle fix should not be a "repair", per se.

As far as I know, it is an ECU reprogramming that solves it. Updating the ECU to the 2003 specs (the 2003 Pro's don't have the cold engine rattle)

~HH

 

[mp5]

depending on the vin number of the affected vehicle, the repair includes replacing the VTCS delay valve along with the reprogramming of the ecu. Any year vehicle from 2001 to 2003 Protege's and Protege 5's may have the cold start rattle. Most do not, Mazda is not sure way some vehicles have the rattle and why others do not.

I brought mine in to have the repair down which included both the VTCS delay valve replacement along with the reprogramming of the ecu. It quieted things down considerably, but it did not eliminate it. The down side has been a severe decrease in my gas mileage. Before the fix, I was averaging about 27 mpg, Now I'm lucky to get 23 mpg and I have had 2 tanks that were only 19mpg. I've brought it back to the dealer twice to have them look at the vehicle. The first time they siad they couldn't find anything wrong. the second time they reprogrammed my ecu again, but my gas mileage still sucks. They say they will call me to bring my car in the next time the factory rep comes in so that he can look at it. Mean while my wallet is being emptied by every gas station in town.