IllustrationWHEN TRAVELING AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS VEHICLE WILLCUT OFF WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING. RPM GOES DOWN TO ZERO. CONSUMER HAS CONTACTED THE DEALER, DEALER STATED THAT THE DISTRIBUTOR NEED REPLACING. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER DETAILS. *AK
1994 Mazda 626
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
More warning signs than most 626 years
Owner complaints for the 1994 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: 64 of 282 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 177 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Engine And Engine Cooling. Review the 26 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Electrical System. Review the 24 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
18 crash reports6 fire reports14 injury reports
Electrical System complaints
24 reportsWHILE DRIVING UP HILL VEHICLE BEGAN TO DOWN SHIFT ON ITS OWN. VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO DEALER NUMEROUS TIMES FOR DOWN SHIFTING PROBLEMS. FINAL REPAIRES COMPLETED ON THE SB - FAULTY COMPUTER CHIP REPLACED. *AK
I WAS DRIVING TO WORK. SMOKE STARTED COMING FROM UNDER THE DASH BOARD. THE CAR CUT OFF. I GOT OUT OF THE CAR, RAISED THE HOOD. THE WIRE THAT COMES OUT OF THE DASH BOARD WAS RED. ABOUT 20 SECONDS LATER, SMOKE CONSUME THE CAR AND THE DASH BOARD WAS ON FIRE. THE INSIDE OF THE CAR WAS BURNED. FROM THE DASH BOARD TO THE TRUNK. T…
Read full complaint
I WAS DRIVING TO WORK. SMOKE STARTED COMING FROM UNDER THE DASH BOARD. THE CAR CUT OFF. I GOT OUT OF THE CAR, RAISED THE HOOD. THE WIRE THAT COMES OUT OF THE DASH BOARD WAS RED. ABOUT 20 SECONDS LATER, SMOKE CONSUME THE CAR AND THE DASH BOARD WAS ON FIRE. THE INSIDE OF THE CAR WAS BURNED. FROM THE DASH BOARD TO THE TRUNK. THE FIRE REPORT SAID IT WAS ELECTRIAL PROBLEM.
RECEIVED VEHICLE AFTER A FEW MONTHS & THE ENGINE STARTED SURGING. THE VEHICLE WOULD ALSO STUTTER. IT WOULD SOMETIMES BUCK OR JERK. SOMETIMES WOULD STALL OUT. WAS INFORMED THE ECM MODULE SHOULD CORRECT THE PROBLEM ONCE INSTALLED. *AK
VEHICLE STALLED WHILE DRIVING AT ABOUT 70MPH. VEHICLE HAD TO BE STOPPED, AND ENGINE HAD TO BE TURNED BACK ON. DEALER INDICATED THAT AN ELECTRICAL PART CAUSED VEHICLE TO LOSE POWER. *AK
NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR THIS VEHICLE. *AK
WHOLE EMISSION SYSTEM HAS GONE OUT. THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER DOES NOT WORK. ALSO, DISTRIBUTOR/ WATER PUMP AND THERMOSTAT FAILED. DEALER HAS BEEN CONTACTED*AK.
DISTRIBUTOR FAILED.
BATTERY FAILED THREE TIMES/REPLACED. *AK
BATTERY FAILED 3 TIMES, ALSO VEHICLE STALLED DUE TO SPARK PLUG WIRING FAILURE. *AK
Official recalls
215V674000 · 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.
99V358000 · Exterior Lighting:headlights:switch
Dec 17, 1999
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES. THE HEADLIGHT WIRE THAT RUNS THROUGH THE TURN SIGNAL LEVER CAN FAIL AT THE POINT WHERE IT IS SOLDERED TO THE HEADLIGHT SWITCH.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: THE FAILURE OF THIS WIRE COULD CAUSE A LOSS OF HEADLIGHTS, INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE HEADLIGHT SWITCH LEVER.
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
2RQ99022 · Headlight Failure
Opened Dec 20, 1999 · Closed Aug 30, 2000
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Exterior Lighting
OBTAINED RECALL 99V-358
SQ98024 · Speedometer Inoperative
Opened Oct 29, 1998 · Closed Sep 10, 1999
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Power Train
SEE RESUME FOR DETAILS.