IllustrationWHEN SHIFTING FROM PARK TO DRIVE, THE TRANSMISSION OFTEN DOES NOT SELECT FIRST GEAR. DEFAULTS TO WHAT FEELS MORE LIKE 3RD GEAR. SUSPECT ELECTRICAL POSITION SWITCH PROBLEM. COULD CAUSE ACCIDENT IF PULLING OUT INTO TRAFFIC SINCE CAR ACCELERATES VERY SLOWLY FROM STANDSTILL IN 3RD GEAR.
1989 Mazda 626
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
Similar to other model years
Owner complaints for the 1989 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 42 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 12 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Power Train. Review the 11 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Engine And Engine Cooling. Review the 6 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
4 crash reports1 fire reports0 injury reports
What owners actually said
42 reportsDRIVERS MOTORBELT FAILED.
LEFT TURN SIGNAL FAILED TO OPERATE PROPERLY.
THE LATCH ASSEMBLY IN DRIVERS DOOR FAILED.
FRONT/REAR TURN SIGNALS MALFUNCTIONED. *AK
RECALL RELATED 93V174000, IN FOR REPAIRS, DRIVER'S DOOR HANDLE WILL OPEN FROM THE OUTSIDE, THE ROD CONTINUES TO FALL INSIDE THE PANEL DOOR, AND IF THE WINDOW IS DOWN THE DOOR WILL POP OPEN. *AK
MOTORIZED SHOULDER HARNESS FAILURES.
WHEN TO PUT LEVER INTO REVERSE WOULDN'T MOVE INTO DRIVE OR REVERSE, TOOK TO MECHANIC SAID TRANSMISSION NEEDS REBUILDING. *AK
ENGINE MOUNTS FAILED, CAUSING VEHICLE TO GRIND AND WOULD NOT SHIFT GEARS PROPERLY. *AK
GASOLINE LEAK IN RUBBER FUEL LINE HOSE, CAUSING FIRE.
Official recalls
193V174000 · 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.
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
2EA92031 · Inadvertent Door Opening
Opened Sep 25, 1992 · Closed Nov 30, 1993
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