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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

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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

Seat Belts complaints

25 reports
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Mileage unknown · Dec 5, 2001
Seat Belts

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

NHTSA ODI #899894

Mileage unknown · May 24, 2000
Seat Belts

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

NHTSA ODI #723128

Mileage unknown · Sep 8, 1999
Seat Belts

AUTOMATIC SHOULDER BELT IS BROKE, AND CONSUMER CAN'T GET OUT OF THE SEAT BELT. *AK

NHTSA ODI #847184

Mileage unknown · Jul 9, 1999
Seat Belts

SHOULDER BELTS ON DRIVER'S SIDE/PASSENGER'S SIDE RETRACT INTERMITTENTLY. SOMETIMES CONSUMER HAS TO PUT HIS HAND OUT OF THE WINDOW TO GET THE SHOULDER BELT TO WORK. DEALER CAN'T DETERMINE CAUSE OF THE PROBLEM. *AK

NHTSA ODI #842026

Mileage unknown · Jun 28, 1999
Seat Belts

WHENEVER THE DOOR IS OPENED AND THE SUNVISOR HAS NOT BEEN RETURNED TO ITS LOCKED POSITION THE AUTOMATIC SEATBELT CATCHES ON THE VISOR AND BREAKS IT WHILE RETRACTING. I HAVE BROKEN THREE AND WOULD HAVE BROKEN MORE IF I HAD NOT DISCONNECTED THE AUTOMATIC SEATBELT. I CONSIDER THIS REMEDY TO BE UNACCEPTABLE.

NHTSA ODI #707963

Mileage unknown · May 18, 1999
Seat Belts

LEFT FRONT MOTORIZED SEAT BELT FAILED. YH

NHTSA ODI #782362

Mileage unknown · Dec 1, 1997
Seat Belts

THE DRIVER'S SIDE AUTOMATIC SHOULDER BELT IS INOPERATIVE DUE TO THE BELT NOT STAYING IN THE CORRECT POSITION, . CONSUMER HAS CONTACTED THE DEALER, DEALER HAS REPLACED PARTS. *AK

NHTSA ODI #819573

Mileage unknown · Oct 14, 1997
Seat Belts

SEAT BELT SHOULDER HARNESS FAILED.

NHTSA ODI #604289

Mileage unknown · Nov 4, 1996
Seat Belts

THE PASSENGER'S SIDE SEAT BELT RETRACTOR STOPPED WORKING . PLEASE DESCRIBE . *AK

NHTSA ODI #804473

Mileage unknown · Aug 2, 1996
Seat Belts

NO PARTS SINCE OCTOBER 1995. (NO OTHER INFORMATION ON FORM) *SLC

NHTSA ODI #800381

Official recalls

6

93V174000 · 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

3

EA92031 · 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