I drive a mazda 121 1992. It's a bubble shape. You may remember recently, it needed an engine transplant!?

Anyway twice over the last few days, when driving, I encountered a strange problem.

When I braked, it felt as though something heavy like the engine in front of me moved in reaction to the brakes.Weird or what?

You know that sensation when you're in the passenger seat and someone brakes and you feel a surge forward.....well, it was like something was doing that in front of me. I could also feel a movement or vibration on the pedals and the floor of the car, which could also be felt in the passenger seat. What in the hell could it be?

There was also a noise occasionally when I braked. Sometimes a clicking sort of noise and sometimes the obvious whistle noise. Also the belt squeals every morning in the cold whan i start the car but stops squealing after a minute or so. Don't know whether any of these problems are related, but if anyone can help........please do.

Check the engine mounts.

If necessary, readjust the belt tension for the squeal, but first make sure the battery's holding a full charge while the car's parked.

I'm beginning to think that it is merely the brake pads worn out. There is an occasional rubbing noise like metal against metal, which suggests that the brake pads are worn and this might also give the vibration on the floor and under the pedals. It only happens when I brake. There is also an odd squel from the brakes.

About the belt, a mechanic adjusted it before,about a month ago, and it was fine, but only for about a week and a half. It seems to have loosened again. But why?

Thanks for the added info. Yeah, it probably is the brakes.

Regarding the squeal -- check to make sure that everything driven by the belt turns freely. This especially applies to any idler pulleys. Adjust the belt so that it can be deflected 3/8". A straight edge placed across the two farthest pulleys, used in conjuction with a ruler, can give you a precise measurement, if you like. It's also possible that the belt was glazed by previous slipping, or it's simply of poor quality. If it's glazed, it's generally simpler to replace it than put up with the aggravation of trying to quieten it. Genuine Mazda belts are the best.

New belts routinely have to be readjusted after a couple of weeks, and the tension should be checked at regular intervals as part of the normal service routine for a car -- same as checking the oil and other things.

Avoid overtightening a belt to stop slippage, as it can put a strain on whatever it drives and cause premature wear.

Thanks for all that information anonymous, it's much appreciated, and I will be putting it to use.

Can I ask you 1 more thing?

I got the brake pads replaced, and that vibration problem went away, however, a new problem has begun.

Now what happens when I'm driving is a rubbing noise on the right front wheel. Not a rubber noise but a metal noise, and also a rattle when driving on a bumpy road.

The rubbing noise doesn't happen in neutral so it's definetely something rubbing on the turning wheel. It's quite worrying really, as I have only just got the brakes done at Advance Pitstop. What could that be, are the brakes placed wrongly, loosely, or perhaps one of the shocks has come loose? Any idea?

There are several possibilities. The dragging noise could be related to the pads not being properly shimmed, the caliper piston sticking, or the caliper slide pins not being properly lubricated.

The noise going over bumps should be unrelated, but all bets are off if they didn't make sure everything was snugged up properly. Noise sources are sometimes difficult to diagnose because what you hear in the cabin isn't necessarily what you hear outside the car. Take it back to the folks who did the brake job and try to as accurately as possible describe what you're hearing and the conditions under which it occurs. Don't embellish or minimize. The brake work should be under warranty, but they're not obligated to fix other things over which they had no control. Nevertheless, a reputable shop will frequently go out of their way to keep a customer happy. Keep us posted.

Well the rattle may well be from a trolley in my boot!!

However, the rubbing/dragging on the wheel is still there. My passenger says it was coming from the left wheel as well as the right. That is strange. To me though it does sound like a metal rubbing noise.

In the morning I'm bringing it back to Advance Pitstop to have 2 new tyres put on the front, and I'll tell then of the noise which started on tuesday, after they put new brake pads in. Stay tuned for an update on saturday!

Well the guy said something was rubbing on the wheel and he pushed it back? DOn't know what it was, but it has stopped now. There is still a small rattle though and it's not the trolley.

By the way, what size spanner will I need to tighten the belt?

I have this problem that has the auto trans freezing. The hold light comes on or flashes at the same time. When I add trans fluid it stops for awhile and then returns a couple of months later. Any ideas.

I have this problem that has the auto trans freezing. The hold light comes on or flashes at the same time. When I add trans fluid it stops for awhile and then returns a couple of months later. Any ideas.

I'm not overly familiar with car problems, or the mazda 121 as I've only had mine a short while, but if the problem you're having stops after you top the fluid up and returns after a month or 2 then it sounds like a lead to me. Click on this link below and see if it can help you out. I've read it and if this is the problem, it really doesn't seem like that big a deal. Incidentally, which light is flashing? What does the light look like and where is it situated?

http://www.advanceautoparts.com/howtos_tips/automedia_html/ccr/ccr20021001ts/index.html?page=/howtos_tips/automedia_html/ccr/ccr20021001ts/ccr20021001ts.htm

If the link is too big to click on or what ever, highlight it in blue by selecting it, and copy and paste it to the address area.

Good Luck.