Illustration1. BOUGHT A 1998 MAZDA 626 LX. 2. AT 56000 MILES, ENGINE NEEDED A NEW HEADER. 3. AT 57000 MILES, STARTER MOTOR FAILED. 3. AT 60000 MILES, TRANSMISSION FAILED. 4. CURRENTLY AT 70000 MILES, NEED NEW EXHAUST SYSTEM
1988 Mazda 626
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
Similar to other model years
Owner complaints for the 1988 Mazda 626 do not stand out strongly from the model-year median of 44.
About this comparison →How this year compares
Owner complaints by model year
Compare all 626 years →Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.
What owners reported most
All reported categories
Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.
When problems were reported
Mileage at the reported incident
Limited mileage data: 1 of 45 reports include usable mileage. There isn’t enough coverage to show a useful chart.
NHTSA’s mileage field refers to the reported incident, not necessarily the filing date. This shows report counts, not the likelihood of a failure.
What to inspect
Issues worth paying extra attention to based on owner reports.
- Seat Belts. Review the 25 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Latches/locks/linkages. Review the 5 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Electrical System. Review the 4 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
1 crash reports3 fire reports1 injury reports
What owners actually said
45 reportsDEFECTIVE TAILPIPE CAUSED CARBON MONOXIDE TO ENTER VEHICLE'S INTERIOR CABIN RESULTING IN CONSUMER CONTRACTING CARBON MONOXIDE POISONING. DEALER DIAGNOSED SEVERAL HOLES ALONG TOP OF TAILPIPE BETWEEN THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER AND THE MUFFLER. PH TOP SEAM OF EXHAUST PIPE HAD ROTTEN OUT BETWEEN CATALYTIC CONVERTER AND MUFFLER. *…
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DEFECTIVE TAILPIPE CAUSED CARBON MONOXIDE TO ENTER VEHICLE'S INTERIOR CABIN RESULTING IN CONSUMER CONTRACTING CARBON MONOXIDE POISONING. DEALER DIAGNOSED SEVERAL HOLES ALONG TOP OF TAILPIPE BETWEEN THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER AND THE MUFFLER. PH TOP SEAM OF EXHAUST PIPE HAD ROTTEN OUT BETWEEN CATALYTIC CONVERTER AND MUFFLER. *TT
WHILE DRIVING THE FRONT OF VEHICLE CAUGHT ON FIRE DUE TO FUEL LINES. *AK CONSUMER STATES THAT THE FIRE PROGRESSED TO THE REAR UNDERSIDE FROM CENTER THIRD OF UNDERSIDE, THE PASSENGER WAS INJURED WHEN BEING ESCORTED OUT OF THE VEHICLE. *SLC
RECALL 88 V 063 000/PASSIVE RESTRAINT BELT: BOTH DRIVER'SAND PASSENGER'S MOTOR BELTS FAILED TO OPERATE. DEALER WAS CONTACTED, AND INFORMED CONSUMER THAT THIS VEHICLE WAS NOT COVERED UNDER THERECALL DUE TO VIN. FEEL FREE TO PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION CONCERNING THIS MATTER.*AK
AUTOMATIC MOTORIZED SHOULDER RESTRAINTS FAIL TO COMPLETE CYCLE UPON ENGINE START-UP CHOKING PASSENGER. UPON OPENING DOOR AT STOP, RESTRAINTS FAIL TO DISENGAGE TRAPPING OCCUPANT UNTIL MANUALLY DISCONNECTED . RECALL AT DEALER FAILED TO YIELD VIN MATCH. ALSO TOLD VEHICLE TOO OLD TO REPAIR. PROBLEM EXISTS ANYWAY, DUE TO SAME MANUFAC…
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AUTOMATIC MOTORIZED SHOULDER RESTRAINTS FAIL TO COMPLETE CYCLE UPON ENGINE START-UP CHOKING PASSENGER. UPON OPENING DOOR AT STOP, RESTRAINTS FAIL TO DISENGAGE TRAPPING OCCUPANT UNTIL MANUALLY DISCONNECTED . RECALL AT DEALER FAILED TO YIELD VIN MATCH. ALSO TOLD VEHICLE TOO OLD TO REPAIR. PROBLEM EXISTS ANYWAY, DUE TO SAME MANUFACTURER DEFECT AS IN CAMPAIGN 88V06300. CAN CAUSE INJURY TO OCUCPANTS. *AK
PASSENGER DOOR NOT ABLE TO BE OPENED FROM INSIDE OR OUTSIDE. *AK
FRONT AXLE OF CAR RUSTED COMPLETEL,Y AND BROKE APART WHILE DRIVING. *AK( DOT NUMBER: )
AUTOMATIC SHOULDER BELT IS BROKE, AND CONSUMER CAN'T GET OUT OF THE SEAT BELT. *AK
FRONT DOOR LOCKS REPAIRED UNDER RECALL SEVERAL YEARS AGO -- NOW DRIVERS' SIDE DOOR LOCK HAS FAILED IN EXACTLY THE MANNER DESCRIBED IN RECALL NOTICE -- LOWERING DRIVERS' WINDOW CAUSED DOOR TO UNLATCH AND FLY OPEN!
JUST PARKED VEHICLE & LEFT. NEIGHBORS KNOCKED ON DOOR TO INFORM OWNER VEHICLE WAS ON FIRE. FIRE DEPARTMENT CALLED & PUT FLAMES OUT. WAS INFORMED THE BATTERY WAS CAUSE OF FIRE. THERE WAS NO PRIOR WARNING. *AK *ML
Official recalls
693V174000 · Structure:body:door
Oct 29, 1993
RESIN MOLDED FRONT HANDLES FAIL AT THE DOOR LATCH ACTUATING ROD ATTACHMENT, FREEING THE ROD TO FALL INSIDE THE DOOR FRAME. SUBSEQUENT LOWERING OF THE ASSOCIATED WINDOW MAY FORCE THE ACTUATING ROD DOWNWARD AND RELEASE THE DOOR LATCH.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: INADVERTENT ACTUATION OF THE DOOR LATCH CAUSES THE DOORTO OPEN UNEXPECTEDLY WHICH COULD RESULT IN AN OCCUPANT FALLING OUT OF THEVEHICLE.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE DOOR HANDLE/LATCH ASSEMBLY.
88V063000 · Seat Belts
Apr 14, 1988
THE DRIVE SPRING THAT DRIVES THE AUTOMATIC BELT MAY BREAK.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: THIS WOULD PREVENT FULL FORWARD MOVEMENT OF THE SEAT BELTANCHORAGE FROM THE LOCK POSITION WHEN THE DOOR IS OPENED.
Remedy: REPLACE AUTOMATIC SHOULDER BELT.
88V022000 · Vehicle Speed Control:accelerator Pedal
Feb 22, 1988
AT AMBIENT TEMPERATURES BELOW 0 DEGREE F, FROST MAY ACCUMULATE WITHIN THE THROTTLE BODY UNDER EXTENDED CONSTANT SPEED OPERATION.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: FROST ACCUMULATION ON THE THROTTLE VALVE MAY PREVENT THEVALVE FROM RETURNING SMOOTHLY.
Remedy: INSTALL A NEW TYPE THERMOSTAT DESIGNED TO RAISE THE COOLANT TEMPERATURE AND WARM THE THROTTLE BODY TO A LEVEL ABOVE FREEZING.
87V196000 · Service Brakes, Hydraulic:foundation Components:drum:shoes/linings
Dec 29, 1987
VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH REAR BRAKE DRUMS TRANSPORTED BY TRAIN MAY EXPERIENCE SEPARATION OF THE BRAKE SHOE FROM THE WHEEL BRAKE CYLINDER PISTON.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: SHOULD SEPARATION OCCUR, REPEATED BRAKE OPERATION MAYDAMAGE THE WHEEL BRAKE CYLINDER DUST BOOT, ALLOWING WATER OR DUST INTRUSION ANDSUBSEQUENT PISTON CONTAMINATION.
Remedy: ALL VEHICLES WILL BE INSPECTED AND IF NO SEPARATION IS FOUND GREASE WILL BE APPLIED TO THE COMPONENT INTERFACE TO LOWER FRICTION AND AVOID SUBSEQUENT RELATIVE MOTION. IF SEPARATION IS FOUND THE WHEEL BRAKE CYLINDER DUST BOOT WILL BE REPLACED.
87V186000 · Fuel System, Gasoline:storage:tank Assembly
Dec 7, 1987
FUEL TANK FIXING BAND RETENTION IS NOT SUFFICIENT, ALLOWING THE BAND TO RUB AGAINST THE FUEL TANK BY VEHICLE VIBRATIONS.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: THIS COULD WEAR A HOLE IN THE FUEL TANK WHICH COULDRESULT IN FUEL LEAKAGE.
Remedy: REPAIR FUEL FIXING BAND BY INSTALLING A RUBBER SHEET.
87V149000 · Vehicle Speed Control:linkages
Sep 17, 1987
FLOOR MAT COULD INTERFERE WITH RELEASE OF ACCELERATOR PEDAL DUE TO IMPROPER SHAPE OF MAT.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: THIS COULD RESULT IN LOSS OF ACCELERATOR CONTROL ANDCREATE POTENTIAL FOR AN ACCIDENT.
Remedy: REMOVE PRESENT MAT AND REPLACE WITH NEW IMPROVED MAT.
Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗
NHTSA investigations
3EA92031 · Inadvertent Door Opening
Opened Sep 25, 1992 · Closed Nov 30, 1993
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Structure
There is no summary currently available
PE92050 · Inadvertent Door Opening
Opened Jun 2, 1992 · Closed Sep 25, 1992
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Structure
There is no summary currently available
PE91088 · Throttle Sticking
Opened Jun 18, 1991 · Closed Oct 21, 1991
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Vehicle Speed Control:linkages
There is no summary currently available