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1993 Mazda 626

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

More warning signs than most 626 years

Owner complaints for the 1993 Mazda 626 are substantially higher than the model-year median of 44.

About this comparison →

When problems were reported

Mileage at the reported incident

Limited mileage data: 22 of 122 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.

  • Power Train. Review the 42 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Service Brakes, Hydraulic. Review the 20 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Electrical System. Review the 17 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

11 crash reports4 fire reports7 injury reports

Power Train complaints

42 reports
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82,000 miles · Oct 1, 2009
Power Train

I OWN A 1993 MAZDA 626 LX WITH A 2.0 LITER ENGINE AND AN AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION. I PURCHASED IT IN EARLY 1998. I AM THE SECOND OWNER OF THE VEHICLE. IT IS A VERY LOW MILEAGE CAR FOR THE YEAR, WITH JUST MORE THAN 80,000 MILES ON IT. IT HAD JUST OVER 40,000 WHEN I PURCHASED IT USED FROM A LOCAL TOYOTA DEALER. JUST TWO WEEKS …

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I OWN A 1993 MAZDA 626 LX WITH A 2.0 LITER ENGINE AND AN AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION. I PURCHASED IT IN EARLY 1998. I AM THE SECOND OWNER OF THE VEHICLE. IT IS A VERY LOW MILEAGE CAR FOR THE YEAR, WITH JUST MORE THAN 80,000 MILES ON IT. IT HAD JUST OVER 40,000 WHEN I PURCHASED IT USED FROM A LOCAL TOYOTA DEALER. JUST TWO WEEKS AGO, THE TRANSMISSION BROKE AT THE TRANSAXLE AND BECAME COMPLETELY INOPERABLE. I HAD THE VEHICLE TOWED TO MY MECHANIC WHOM I'VE USED FOR ABOUT SIX YEARS NOW. THE TRANSAXLE SPLINES IN THE TRANSMISSION WERE GALLED AND FRACTURED WHEN THE MECHANIC TOOK IT APART. IT WAS BEHAVING FAIRLY WELL UNIT FAILED, BUT IT FAILED VERY QUICKLY, WITHIN A FEW MILES. THIS AUTOMOBILE IS, AND HAS BEEN, VERY WELL CARED FOR AND THE MECHANIC SAID THAT WITH THE EXCEPTION OF THE TRANSMISSION, THE CAR IS IN OUTSTANDINGLY GOOD CONDITION. THE TRANSMISSION HAS NEVER BEEN ABUSED AND FREQUENTLY CHECKED SINCE I'VE OWNED IT. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10286015

Mileage unknown · Sep 16, 2009
Power Train

MY CAR STARTED BLINKING "HOLD" IN RED ON THE DASH ABOUT 2 MONTHS AGO. IT WOULD CONTINUE BLINKING, EVEN THOUGH I WASN'T USING THE 'HOLD BUTTON' ON THE SHIFTER. LAST MONTH, IT STARTED SPUTTERING AND MAKING ODD NOISES. IT NOW DOES NOT ACCELERATE VERY EASILY AT ALL. I HAVE TO BE VERY CAREFUL WHEN MAKING A RIGHT TURN, BECAUSE WHEN I …

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MY CAR STARTED BLINKING "HOLD" IN RED ON THE DASH ABOUT 2 MONTHS AGO. IT WOULD CONTINUE BLINKING, EVEN THOUGH I WASN'T USING THE 'HOLD BUTTON' ON THE SHIFTER. LAST MONTH, IT STARTED SPUTTERING AND MAKING ODD NOISES. IT NOW DOES NOT ACCELERATE VERY EASILY AT ALL. I HAVE TO BE VERY CAREFUL WHEN MAKING A RIGHT TURN, BECAUSE WHEN I FIRST DRIVE IT DURING THE DAY (EVERY DAY, WHEN I DRIVE IT FOR THE FIRST TIME) IT WON'T ACCELERATE PAST 25, EVEN WITH MY FOOT FULL ON THE GAS PEDAL. THE PROBLEM HAS GOTTEN INCREASINGLY WORSE AND I FEAR THAT IT WILL CAUSE IN ACCIDENT BY GETTING STUCK ON A TURN OR SOMETHING. ALSO, I'VE NOTICED SOMETIMES WHEN I'M DRIVING, THE RPM'S WILL GO UP AND DOWN RANDOMLY AND MY CAR WILL JERK. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10284156

118,000 miles · Aug 31, 2006
Power Train

THE PROBLEM JUST OCCURRED ALL OF A SUDDEN. FROM A STOP LIGHT WHEN THE TRANSMISSION SHIFTED, IT PUSHED THE CAR FORWARD TO WHICH I ALMOST HIT THE CAR IN FRONT OF ME. BROUGHT THE CAR TO A MECHANIC, TRIED TO FIX IT BUT STILL THE PROBLEM IS THERE. *JB

NHTSA ODI #10167173

Mileage unknown · Feb 27, 2006
Power Train

MAZDA 626 LX SLIPING GEARS, JURKING, LEAKING TRANSMISSION,TRANSMISSION FAILER HAD TRANSMISSION REBUILT STILL NO GOOD. *NM

NHTSA ODI #10151361

89,380 miles · Nov 17, 2005
Power Train

1993 MAZDA 626-2.0 4CYL AUTO TRANS, 89000 MILES. BOUGHT CAR 9/28/05 FOR $2900.00, ON 11/15/05, ON HIGHWAY, CAR STARTS BUCKING AS THE ENGINE LIGHT FLASHED. I KNOW THAT THIS IS THE BEGINNING OF THE END FOR THE TRANSMISSION. MAZDA, FORD SHOULD BE HELD RESPONSIBLE. USED CAR DEALERS, NO DOUBT, KNOW ABOUT THESE CARS TRANNY PROBLEMS, A…

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1993 MAZDA 626-2.0 4CYL AUTO TRANS, 89000 MILES. BOUGHT CAR 9/28/05 FOR $2900.00, ON 11/15/05, ON HIGHWAY, CAR STARTS BUCKING AS THE ENGINE LIGHT FLASHED. I KNOW THAT THIS IS THE BEGINNING OF THE END FOR THE TRANSMISSION. MAZDA, FORD SHOULD BE HELD RESPONSIBLE. USED CAR DEALERS, NO DOUBT, KNOW ABOUT THESE CARS TRANNY PROBLEMS, AND SHOULD BE REQUIRED BY LAW TO INFORM A POTENTIAL BUYER OF THE PAST, PRESENT, AND FOR SURE, FUTURE PROBLEMS REGARDING THE TRANSMISSIONS IN THE MAZDA 626! THEY NEED TO BE HELD RESPONSIBLE! THEY SHOULD BE FORCED TO BUILD A RELIABLE AUTO TRANS AND INSTALL THEM, FREE OF ANY CHARGES TO THE OWNERS OF 626 OWNERS WITH (BY NO FAULT OF THEIR OWN) AUTO TRANS PROBLEMS! *JB

NHTSA ODI #10142990

270,000 miles · Apr 8, 2005
Power Train

MY AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION OF MAZDA 626 1993 GE 2.0 HAS FAILED AND BEEN REPLACED TWICE IN THE LAST 2 MONTHS. *AK

NHTSA ODI #10116594

Mileage unknown · Apr 2, 2005
Power Train

(1) NOTHING EXCEPT DRING 2) HOLD LIGHT FLASHING, TRANSMISSION ACTING FUNNY; (3) NOTHING YET. *AK

NHTSA ODI #10116269

Mileage unknown · Mar 26, 2005
Power Train

I HAVE HAD A MAZDA 626 MODEL 1993 FOR 1.5 YEARS NOW. THE VEHICLE HAS ONLY 83000 MILES AND WAS VERY WELL AKEN CARE OF BY ONE PREVOIOUS OWNER. I SERVICE THE CAR EVERY 3000 MILES REGULARLY. # WEEKS AGO THE TRANSMISSION DIED ON ME A LL OF A SUDDEN. I WAS LEFT TO COAST ON A MAIN STREET, ALMOST CAUSING A 3 CAR ACCIDENT TILL I COULD EN…

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I HAVE HAD A MAZDA 626 MODEL 1993 FOR 1.5 YEARS NOW. THE VEHICLE HAS ONLY 83000 MILES AND WAS VERY WELL AKEN CARE OF BY ONE PREVOIOUS OWNER. I SERVICE THE CAR EVERY 3000 MILES REGULARLY. # WEEKS AGO THE TRANSMISSION DIED ON ME A LL OF A SUDDEN. I WAS LEFT TO COAST ON A MAIN STREET, ALMOST CAUSING A 3 CAR ACCIDENT TILL I COULD ENTER A PARKING SPOT ON THE RIGHT. CONSEQUENTLY I FLUSHED THE TRANSMISSION BUT GOT STUCK AGAIN IN A HEAVY JUNCTION PUSHING MY CAR TO SAFETY AND AGAIN TWICE AFTER FIXING (1837$!) IT COASTING TO SAFETY LUCKILY ON THE HIGHWAY! IT DOES NOT MAKE SENSE TO ME THAT A CARS TRANSMISSION SHOULD FAIL AFTER 83000 MILES AND THERE WERE MANY MORE PEOPLE WITH THE SAME PROBLEM ON THE WEB. IS THERE ANY WAY THE MANUFACTURER CAN BE MADE TO PAY THE TAB.*AK

NHTSA ODI #10114785

183,000 miles · Mar 17, 2005
Power Train

TRANSMISSION STARTED SLIPPING ON O/D. IT HAS PROGRESSED TO THIRD GEAR NOW. A TRANSMISSION OVERHAUL IS NEEDED BUT WILL COST ABOUT $3,000.00. *AK

NHTSA ODI #10114252

120,000 miles · Aug 18, 2004
Power Train

AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION FAILURE. *JB

NHTSA ODI #10088148

Official recalls

1

15V674000 · Electrical System:ignition:switch

Oct 19, 2015

Mazda North American Operations (Mazda) is recalling certain model year 1989-1998 MPV, 1990-1995 323, 1990-1998 Protege, 1992-1993 MX-3, 1993-1995 929, 1993-1997 MX-6, and 1993-1998 626 vehicles. In the affected vehicles, grease applied to the contact points inside the ignition switch may become conductive and overheat.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: If the ignition switch overheats there would be an increased risk of a fire.

Remedy: Mazda will notify owners, and dealers will replace the ignition switch, free of charge. The recall began on December 17, 2015. Owners may contact Mazda Customer Experience Center at 1-800-222-5500, option#6. Mazda's number for this recall is 8715J.

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

1

RQ99022 · Headlight Failure

Opened Dec 20, 1999 · Closed Aug 30, 2000

Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Exterior Lighting

OBTAINED RECALL 99V-358