The windshield washer pump on your Mazda Protege cannot be repaired. When they are faulty, the internal motor has burned up and must be replaced. Fortunately, replacing the washer pump is not hard; you don't have to be an expert home mechanic. This tutorial is primarily aimed at the last body style of the Protege, the 1999 to 2003 model, but other years will be similar, although the pump may have a slightly different location.
Open the hood and loosen the locking nut around the negative battery cable. Pull the cable from the terminal. Close the hood.
Pull the center caps out of the wiper blade assemblies, and then push the blades down and out to unhook them. Set them aside.
Open the hood and pull off the retaining pins along the front cowl cover. The cover extends from one side of the engine bay to the other. Lift the cowl cover and set it aside.
Locate the windshield washer pump on your Protege. The pump is on the passenger side of the engine bay on 1995 to 1998 models; the pump is located on the driver's side of the engine bay on the last body style (1999 to 2003).
Unhook the electrical connection from the windshield washer pump. Lift the wiper arm connection rod away from the washer pump.
Remove the two bolts from the windshield washer pump. Use a standard socket wrench. Using an extension is optional, but using it will help you reach the bolts.
Mount the new windshield washer pump in its place. Hand tighten the bolts while you hold the pump in place, and then fully tighten them them with the socket wrench.
Connect the electrical connection. Insert the connection rod. Reconnect the negative battery cable and close the hood to test the new pump's operation before you replace the cowl cover.
Replace the windshield wiper blades and the center cap. Turn the wipers on. Make sure the new pump works, and then pop the hood and replace the cowl cover.
