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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

Power Train complaints

177 reports
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100,000 miles · Jun 28, 2007
Power Train

MAZDA 1994 100K MILES TRANSMISSION SHIFTS BADLY AND HOLD LIGHT BLINKS AND JUMPS LIKE A MONSTER WHEN SHIFTS GEARS. LOSES POWER.*AK

NHTSA ODI #10194825

120,900 miles · May 5, 2007
Power Train

TRANSMISSION NOT SHIFTING PROPERLY. HIGH RPM RACING FOR PROLONGED PERIODS BETWEEN EACH GEAR SHIFT. TODAY, "HOLD" BUTTON STARTED FLASHING ON DISPLAY PANEL. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10189846

103,696 miles · Apr 25, 2007
Engine And Engine CoolingPower TrainService Brakes, HydraulicCrashInjury

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1994 MAZDA 626. THE VEHICLE WAS OVERHEATING AND A NOISE WAS COMING FROM THE BRAKES. THE MECHANIC DIDN'T CHECK THE OVERHEATING FAILURE. HOWEVER, STATED THAT THE VEHICLE HAD A TERRIBLE VIBRATION. THE MECHANIC REBUILT THE FRONT END. AFTER THE REPAIRS WERE PERFORMED THE VEHICLE WOULD PULL FROM THE LEFT TO …

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TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1994 MAZDA 626. THE VEHICLE WAS OVERHEATING AND A NOISE WAS COMING FROM THE BRAKES. THE MECHANIC DIDN'T CHECK THE OVERHEATING FAILURE. HOWEVER, STATED THAT THE VEHICLE HAD A TERRIBLE VIBRATION. THE MECHANIC REBUILT THE FRONT END. AFTER THE REPAIRS WERE PERFORMED THE VEHICLE WOULD PULL FROM THE LEFT TO THE RIGHT, THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT DRIVE STRAIGHT , AND THE BRAKES WERE COMPLETELY DAMAGED. THE SECOND REPAIR SHOP STATED THAT THEY COULDN'T REPAIR THE VEHICLE DUE TO THE DAMAGES. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THE CURRENT AND THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 103696 ,AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 104,000. *AK THE CONSUMER STATED PRIOR TO THE MOST RECENT REPAIRS THE FOLLOWING SERVICES WERE PERFORMED: NEW RADIATOR, COMPLETE TRANSMISSION SERVICE, ENGINE TUNED, AND NEW TIRES. THE DEALER STATED STEERING GEAR DRIFTS DURING TURNS. UPDATED 06/26/07 *TR

NHTSA ODI #10188860

Mileage unknown · Dec 18, 2006
Power Train

REPETITIVE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION FAILURES ON MY 1994 MAZDA 626 ALREADY COST ME MANY THOUSANDS DOLLARS. HISTORY: DECEMBER 1992 - INITIAL TRANSMISSION ERROR CODES. AUTHORIZED MAZDA REPAIR SERVICE CHANGED TRANSMISSION FILTER AND FLUID. CODES WERE COMING BACK. INSTALLED EXTRA COOLER. MAY 1993 - TOTAL TRANSMISSION FAILURE; TRANNY…

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REPETITIVE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION FAILURES ON MY 1994 MAZDA 626 ALREADY COST ME MANY THOUSANDS DOLLARS. HISTORY: DECEMBER 1992 - INITIAL TRANSMISSION ERROR CODES. AUTHORIZED MAZDA REPAIR SERVICE CHANGED TRANSMISSION FILTER AND FLUID. CODES WERE COMING BACK. INSTALLED EXTRA COOLER. MAY 1993 - TOTAL TRANSMISSION FAILURE; TRANNY REBUILT AT ST. JAMES TRANSMISSION REPAIR SHOP; WARRANTY 1 YEAR OR 12K MILES; MARCH 1995 - TRANSMISSION ERROR CODES BACK AND UNEXPLAINABLE FAILURES. TOOK IT TO LEE MYLES IN YONKERS - GAVE ME 2 YEARS WARRANTY. ON THE WAY HOME SIGNAL WAS BACK. SINCE THEN THE CAR WAS BACK IN THE STORE FOR MORE THAN 6 MONTHS. DURING THAT TIME LEE MYLES MANY TIMES OPEN AND REPAIRED TRANSMISSION TO FIX TR, INSTALLED ANOTHER EXTRA COOLER, REPLACED MY ORIGINAL RADIATOR, REPLACED MAIN ELECTRICAL WIRING SYSTEM AND MANY OTHER PARTS. I HAD ALSO MY ENGINE INSPECTED AND TUNED SEVERAL TIMES IN ANOTHER SHOPS, INCLUDING REPLACING OF FUEL PUMP, SPARK PLUGS AND WIRES, DISTRIBUTOR AND OTHER. HOWEVER TRANSMISSION WAS FAILING AGAIN AND AGAIN. CAR HAD TO BE TOWED AWAY BY LEE MYLES 3 TIMES AND I DROVE IT SEVERAL TIMES AT SLOW SPEED ON SIDE ROADS BACK TO THE LEE MYLES. FINALLY LEE MYLES BOUGHT ME A FACTORY REBUILD TRANSMISSION AND FOR ABOUT 2 WEEKS EVERYTHING LOOKED NICE AGAIN. THEN AFTER 20 MILES OF DRIVING AT HIGHWAY SPEED RPM STARTED TO GO UP AND THE ERROR CODE CAME BACK AGAIN. SINCE THEN I AM USING MY CAR ONLY VERY LOCALLY AND AFTER ABOUT $10,000 (YES 10K) SPENT ON TRANSMISSION REPAIRS AND CAR UPGRADES, MY MAZDA 626 IS JUNK I CANNOT EVEN SELL. *JB

NHTSA ODI #10176379

120,000 miles · Sep 25, 2006
Power Train

MY TRANSMISSION FAILED. *JB

NHTSA ODI #10169198

120,000 miles · Sep 25, 2006
Power Train

I HAVE A MAZDA 626 1994. ON 9/9/06 I CALLED BIDOLUPH MAZDA TO ASK ABOUT A RECALL ON MY TRANSMISSION FOR MY 94, 626. THEY SAID "SURE BRING IT DOWN WE WILL TAKE CARE OF EVERYTHING. ONCE I PAID $80 IN TOWING FEES. THE NEXT DAY THEY CALLED AND SAID THAT THE RECALL EXPIRED AND PROCEEDED TO CHARGE ME OVER $400 TO FIX THE RECALL.…

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I HAVE A MAZDA 626 1994. ON 9/9/06 I CALLED BIDOLUPH MAZDA TO ASK ABOUT A RECALL ON MY TRANSMISSION FOR MY 94, 626. THEY SAID "SURE BRING IT DOWN WE WILL TAKE CARE OF EVERYTHING. ONCE I PAID $80 IN TOWING FEES. THE NEXT DAY THEY CALLED AND SAID THAT THE RECALL EXPIRED AND PROCEEDED TO CHARGE ME OVER $400 TO FIX THE RECALL. THEN ONE WEEK LATER THE TRANSMISSION FAILED COMPLETELY. THIS IS UNACCEPTABLE BUSINESS RELATIONS. MAZDA IS NO GOOD. *JB

NHTSA ODI #10169195

40,000 miles · Sep 16, 2006
Power Train

TRANSMISSION WAS REBUILT 6 YEARS AGO AT 40,000 MILES AND NEEDS REBUILD AGAIN AT 57,000 MILES .AN EXTERNAL COOLER WAS INSTALLED AFTER FIRST REBUILD AND CAR IS BABIED . ITS A FORD CD4E AND IT IS A LEMON. *JB

NHTSA ODI #10168446

128,000 miles · Jun 23, 2006
Power Train

TRANSMISSION FAILURE. *NM

NHTSA ODI #10160552

80,000 miles · Feb 28, 2006
Power Train

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THE TRANSMISSION OVERHEATS. THE TRANSMISSION FLUID SPILLS INTO A VENT IN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. THE DEALER INFORMED THE CONTACT THERE WERE NO RECALLS ON THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT FOUND A TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN ON THE VEHICLE THAT ADDRESSES THE TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS. THE BULLETIN NUMBER WAS NOT AV…

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DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THE TRANSMISSION OVERHEATS. THE TRANSMISSION FLUID SPILLS INTO A VENT IN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. THE DEALER INFORMED THE CONTACT THERE WERE NO RECALLS ON THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT FOUND A TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN ON THE VEHICLE THAT ADDRESSES THE TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS. THE BULLETIN NUMBER WAS NOT AVAILABLE. NO REPAIRS HAVE BEEN MADE TO THE VEHICLE.

NHTSA ODI #10151468

100,100 miles · Jan 20, 2006
Power Train

TRANSMISSION HOLD LIGHT COME ON AND OFF,WILL NOT OPERATE IN DRIVE,REVERSE OR ANY OTHER GEAR. TRANS SEEM TO BE OVER HEATING. LOUD SQUEAKING SOUNDS LIKE A FAN BELT. *NM

NHTSA ODI #10148244

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.