We'll see if it pops up again though, as posts on other sites mention that this code can be logged under certain conditions when there are no problems with the EGR valve (cold, wet weather, almost-empty tank, lots of short trips.all pretty much what has been going on with my Protege since winter weather really set in). The clerk at Autozone was nice enough to clear the CEL. However, as noted in an ASA-certified tech's posting on another site, for Proteges of later vintage, this actually means reduced flow through the EGR valve (because of the way the sensors are used). It was logged as P0402, which claims excessive flow through the EGR valve. It would seem that if there is another reason for the problem, it would have to be the alternator or water pump, but would like advice of owners/mechanics who may have had the same problem. I know that this may cause alternator/water pump bearing wear. He thouht installing a new belt very tight would fix the problem. It would seem problem is alternator, but alternator guy thought it may be ok. Newly installed belt, which was already showing signs of wear/burnt, would slip on alternator upon acceleration, causing 5 amp output to drop back to 0. On my car, we verified no output, then tightened belt and got 5 amp output, but not what should be. Anyway, he said they went through several belts, and found that the belt needed tightened beyond expected tension and that fixed problem. Took it to an alternator shop, and the mechanic told me that he has had problems with the alternator belts on the (2.2?) liter engine. Within a couple weeks the battery has gone dead, replaced same, and new battery also drained. I then changed it again myself, and checked to make sure the slternator and water pump pulley turned freely and the belt was adequately tight. The replaced alternator belt lasted a couple weeks and broke.
Although the other belt was fine, the alternator belt was really bad. The first was put on by a cert mechanic when installing a timing belt.
Having trouble with alternator belts burning/braking. I recently bought(few months)a 95 Mazda Protege, 1.5 liter engine with about 105,000 miles. Hoping to keep the car for at least for another year (~12,000 miles), so, hopefully this investment will be worth it.? but my 00 Protege has only 54k and this is already my second set of new pads ? I realize that I will now brake pads etc. I said go ahead and do it but it bothers me that I was given different explanations at different times and now I'll end up spending altogether almost $700 to have this problem fixed. Now the dealership says it is going to cost me another $250 to have a new left caliper installed on my Mazda. So this weekend's diagnostic is a bad left caliper which was closing on itself intermittently.
Then last week, the same noise started one more time - this time even worse! - at lower speeds just before coming to a full stop the steering starts vibrating/shaking and you hear (and feel) this clicking and clunking from from front left side while braking. took my '00 ES back to the dealership last weekend - they said there was loose clamp on the left brake - so they fixed it for free. After the clicking and clunking was fixed (sway bar links + brake pads = $400 !) in mid-August the same kind of clicking/clunking started again two weeks ago.