One problem related to loud engine noise has been reported for the 2003 Mazda Protege 5. The most recently reported issues are listed below.
The contact's son owns a 2003 Mazda Protege 5. While approaching a red light at an unknown speed, the vehicle stalled and had to be restarted. The contact heard loud noises coming from the front end of the vehicle. The contact pulled to the side of the road and had the vehicle towed to a service station. The mechanic diagnosed the cause of the failure as a blown rod. The vehicle was then towed to a Mazda dealer, who stated that there was engine failure and it needed to be replaced. The current mileage was 31,289 and failure mileage was 26,490.