IllustrationNO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK
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 →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: 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
What owners actually said
122 reportsREAR BRAKES FAILED DUE TO CALIPERS LOCKING UP. SECOND TIME IT HAS HAPPENED. ALSO, . AIR BAG LIGHT FLASHES ON & OFF.*AK THE REAR CALIPERS LOCK UP CAUSED THE BRAKE PADS TO BURN. AIR BAG MODULE FAILED AT 100000 MILES. *YH
VEHICLE WAS LEAKING OIL & BOTH FRONT WHEEL AXLES WERE BROKEN. PRYING WHEEL AXLES APART MECHANIC FOUND THAT CAMSHAFT SEVERLY DAMAGED. VEHICLE IS UNSAFE TO DRIVE IN CURRENT CONDITION. *AK
WHILE IN DRIVEWAY, COIL SPRING BROKE, CAUSING THE FRONT OF THE VEHICLE TO DROP DOWN ON THE TIRE. *SLC
TRANSMISSION HAS FAILED AND NEEDS COMPLETE REPLACEMENT. ESTIMATED REPAIR COST OF ABOUT $3000. I HAD COMPLAINED TO DEALER ABOUT CONCERNS ABOUT TRANSMISSION WHILE CAR WAS UNDER WARRANTY. MAZDA HAS TSB FOR TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS WHILE CAR WAS STILL UNDER WARRANTY. MAZDA REFUSES TO ASSIST WITH COST OF PREMATURE TRANSMISSION REPLA…
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TRANSMISSION HAS FAILED AND NEEDS COMPLETE REPLACEMENT. ESTIMATED REPAIR COST OF ABOUT $3000. I HAD COMPLAINED TO DEALER ABOUT CONCERNS ABOUT TRANSMISSION WHILE CAR WAS UNDER WARRANTY. MAZDA HAS TSB FOR TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS WHILE CAR WAS STILL UNDER WARRANTY. MAZDA REFUSES TO ASSIST WITH COST OF PREMATURE TRANSMISSION REPLACEMENT
WHILE DRIVING 45MPH VEHICLE STARTED TO SHAKE. HEARD A LOUD NOISE LIKE A SHOT. NEARLY LOST CONTROL OF VEHICLE. PULLED TO SIDE & STOPPED. CHECKED TIRES. NOTICED TREAD HAD PEELED OFF LEFT REAR TIRE. PUT SPARE TIRE ON. TIRE WAS A REPLACEMENT FOR THE ORIGINAL ON A 1993, MAZDA, 626. BRIDGESTONE, ROAD HAWK, P195/65R14 WITH 20,000 MI…
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WHILE DRIVING 45MPH VEHICLE STARTED TO SHAKE. HEARD A LOUD NOISE LIKE A SHOT. NEARLY LOST CONTROL OF VEHICLE. PULLED TO SIDE & STOPPED. CHECKED TIRES. NOTICED TREAD HAD PEELED OFF LEFT REAR TIRE. PUT SPARE TIRE ON. TIRE WAS A REPLACEMENT FOR THE ORIGINAL ON A 1993, MAZDA, 626. BRIDGESTONE, ROAD HAWK, P195/65R14 WITH 20,000 MILES. DOT 3J9K.*AK *SLC
PAINT ON DOORS ONLY IS DISAPPEARING. DEALER CONSULTED, REFERRED TO PAINT SPECIALIST, DENIED ANY PROBLEM. I HAVE KNOWLEDGE OF ANOTHER 626 WITH SAME PROBLEM, OWNER WAS ALSO DENIED ASSISTANCE. PAINT DEFECT IS OBVIOUS AND NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED. I WAS REFERRED TO THIS SITE BY MAZDA CO. AND WOULD APPRECIATE ANY ASSISTANCE YOU CAN …
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PAINT ON DOORS ONLY IS DISAPPEARING. DEALER CONSULTED, REFERRED TO PAINT SPECIALIST, DENIED ANY PROBLEM. I HAVE KNOWLEDGE OF ANOTHER 626 WITH SAME PROBLEM, OWNER WAS ALSO DENIED ASSISTANCE. PAINT DEFECT IS OBVIOUS AND NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED. I WAS REFERRED TO THIS SITE BY MAZDA CO. AND WOULD APPRECIATE ANY ASSISTANCE YOU CAN GIVE ME, AS WELL AS OWNER OF SECOND MAZDA WITH IDENTICAL PROBLEM. NO SAFETY DEFECT. *AK
THE FUEL TANK HAS DEVELOPED A CRACK, RESULTING IN FUEL LEAKAGE. THE DEALER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED. *AK
ANTI-LOCK BRAKES AND STEERING WHEEL LOCKED UP RESULTING IN LOSS OF CONTROL, VEHICLE ROLLED ONTO SIDE CAUSING INJURY TO CONSUMER. MJS
TIMING BELT TENSIONER CONTINUALLY FAILING. MJS
Official recalls
115V674000 · 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
1RQ99022 · Headlight Failure
Opened Dec 20, 1999 · Closed Aug 30, 2000
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Exterior Lighting
OBTAINED RECALL 99V-358