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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

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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

Exterior Lighting complaints

12 reports
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Mileage unknown · Jul 30, 2003
Exterior Lighting

CONSUMER STATES THAT WHEN PUTTING TURN SIGNAL ON HEADLIGHTS WOULD SHUT OFF WITHOUT WARNING. DEALER NOTIFIED.*AK

NHTSA ODI #10031511

Mileage unknown · Jul 29, 2003
Exterior Lighting

CONSUMER STATES THAT WHILE DRIVING AT NIGHT AND WITH NO WARNING HEADLIGHTS WOULD SHUT OFF. DEALER NOTIFIED.*AK

NHTSA ODI #10031329

8,000 miles · Jul 28, 2003
Exterior Lighting

VEHICLE EXPERIENCED THE SAME DEFECT WITH ITS HEADLIGHTS AS STATED IN RECALL 99 V 358 000, BUT THIS VEHICLE NOT INCLUDED IN RECALL DUE TO VIN. *AK

NHTSA ODI #10031272

Mileage unknown · Jun 19, 2003
Exterior Lighting

VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED UNDER RECALL FOR HEADLIGHT WIRING THAT RAN THROUGH TURN SIGNAL LEVER. IT FAILED WHERE IT WAS SOLDERED TO HEADLIGHT SWITCH. HOWEVER, PROBLEM RETURNED. *AK

NHTSA ODI #10024428

156,000 miles · Jun 19, 2003
Exterior Lighting

I OWNER A MAZDA 1994 ES 626 , (NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 99V35800), IN MAY 2001 THE HEAD LIGHT SWITCH FAIL TO TURN ON THE HEADLIGHTS THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AL SMITH MAZDA IN RALEIGH NC, FOR REPAIRS. THEY INFORMED ME THAT VEHICLE WAS ON RECALL AND REPLACED THE HEADLIGHT SWITCH. THE SWITCH OPERATED CORRECTLY UNTIL TWO WEEK AGO. …

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I OWNER A MAZDA 1994 ES 626 , (NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 99V35800), IN MAY 2001 THE HEAD LIGHT SWITCH FAIL TO TURN ON THE HEADLIGHTS THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AL SMITH MAZDA IN RALEIGH NC, FOR REPAIRS. THEY INFORMED ME THAT VEHICLE WAS ON RECALL AND REPLACED THE HEADLIGHT SWITCH. THE SWITCH OPERATED CORRECTLY UNTIL TWO WEEK AGO. THEN THE HEADLIGHTS STARTED TURNING OFF AND ON WHILE USING THE TURN SIGNALS . I AM CONTACTED BOTH MAZDA(NATIONAL ) AND A LOCAL MAZDA DEALER, BOTH OF THEM STATING THAT SINCE THE HEADLIGHT SWITCH WAS REPAIR ONCE THAT THEY ARE NOT RESPONSIBLE TO REPAIR IT AGAIN. HEADLIGHT SWITCHES DON'T GO BAD AFTER TWO YEARS, AND REFUSED TO REPAIR THIS SWITCH THIS IS A VERY SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUES WITH VEHICLE. THIS VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIR CORRECTLY. *NLM

NHTSA ODI #10023366

Mileage unknown · Jan 7, 2003
Exterior Lighting

CONSUMER STATES HAVING ELECTRICAL PROBLEM WITH VEHICLE. WHEN LIGHTS ARE TURNED ON THE DASHBOARD AND TAIL LIGHTS DO NOT ILLUMINATE. DEALER HAS BEEN UNABLE TO DETERMINE CAUSE. TS

NHTSA ODI #10002166

Mileage unknown · Feb 10, 2001
Exterior Lighting

NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK

NHTSA ODI #740711

Mileage unknown · Aug 1, 2000
Exterior Lighting

MAZDA IS NOT HONORING THEIR RECALL INSTRUCTIONS FOR PREVIOUSLY PAID REPAIRS. HAVE WRITTEN (7/5/2000), BUT NO RESPONSE FOR REIMBURSEMENT. VEHICLE WAS SOLD AFTER RECALL NOTICE WAS RECEIVED BUT PRIOR TO PROVIDING MAZDA WITH REQUIRED REIMBURSMENT INFORMATION. PLEASE HELP! THANK YOU. NO SAFETY DEFECT LISTED WITHIN SUMMARY.*AK

NHTSA ODI #726367

Mileage unknown · Jun 27, 2000
Exterior Lighting

VEHICLE EXPERIENCED FAILURE OF THE RECALL COMPONENT (99V-358) HEADLIGHT SWITCH PRIOR TO RECALL NOTIFICATION AND IS BEING DENIED REIMBURSEMENT. *MJS

NHTSA ODI #553243

Mileage unknown · Mar 24, 1999
Exterior Lighting

THE HEADLIGHT SWITCH FAILED. BOTH LOW AND HIGH BEAMS WERE NOT AVAILABLE. THE CAR COULD NOT BE DRIVEN AT NIGHT. ON 3/24/99 EAST COAST AUTO MALL REPAIRED THE FAULTY SWITCH AT A COST OF $316.39, OF WHICH $197.64 WAS FOR THE COMBO SWITCH ON THE STEERING COLUMN. THE FAILURE OF THIS SWITCH AT THE WRONG TIME COULD HAVE CAUSED A SER…

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THE HEADLIGHT SWITCH FAILED. BOTH LOW AND HIGH BEAMS WERE NOT AVAILABLE. THE CAR COULD NOT BE DRIVEN AT NIGHT. ON 3/24/99 EAST COAST AUTO MALL REPAIRED THE FAULTY SWITCH AT A COST OF $316.39, OF WHICH $197.64 WAS FOR THE COMBO SWITCH ON THE STEERING COLUMN. THE FAILURE OF THIS SWITCH AT THE WRONG TIME COULD HAVE CAUSED A SERIOUS ACCIDENT. *AK

NHTSA ODI #704885

Official recalls

2

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.

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

2

RQ99022 · 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.