IllustrationSHOULDER 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
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 reportsWHENEVER 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.
DRIVERS SIDE DOOR LATCH FAILED. YH
LEFT FRONT MOTORIZED SEAT BELT FAILED. YH
WHEN DRIVING AT ANY SPEED TRANSMISSION IS SLIPPING, AND THERE IS SOME NOISE COMING FROM VEHICLE. CONSUMER BROUGHT VEHICLE INTO THE REPAIR SHOP. AFTER BEING REPAIRED, THE NOISE CAME BACK.DEALER CAN'T DETERMINE THE PROBLEM. *AK
FIRE STARTED UNDER HOOD. POSSIBLY AROUND FUEL FILTER AND/OR WIRING HARNESS AREA. RESULTED IN SEVERE FIRE THAT TOTALED THE VEHICLE.
BOLTS OVERHEAT AND FALL OF ENGINE MANIFOLD, CAUSING A LEAK OF CARBON MONOXIDE IN THE PASSENGER'S COMPARTMENT.
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
SEAT BELT SHOULDER HARNESS FAILED.
VEHICLE IN FOR RECALL WORK ON DOOR, HOWEVER INCOMPLETE WHEN DELIVERED.
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