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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

Other model years Selected 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

Power Train complaints

177 reports
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84,000 miles · Apr 11, 2005
Power Train

I PURCHASED A 1994 MAZDA 626 WITH 72,000 MILES. AT 84,000 MILES, MY HOLD LIGHT WOULD START FLASHING ON AND OFF, WHEN THIS HAPPENED MY TRANSMISSION WAS VERY ROUGH, SHIFTED HARD. NOW, THE HOLD LIGHT DOESNT ALWAYS FLASH, ONLY FROM TIME TO TIME. IM AT 93000 MILES NOW AND ITS STARTED AGAIN, MY CAR IS RUNNING ROUGH WITH A WHEEZE COMIN…

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I PURCHASED A 1994 MAZDA 626 WITH 72,000 MILES. AT 84,000 MILES, MY HOLD LIGHT WOULD START FLASHING ON AND OFF, WHEN THIS HAPPENED MY TRANSMISSION WAS VERY ROUGH, SHIFTED HARD. NOW, THE HOLD LIGHT DOESNT ALWAYS FLASH, ONLY FROM TIME TO TIME. IM AT 93000 MILES NOW AND ITS STARTED AGAIN, MY CAR IS RUNNING ROUGH WITH A WHEEZE COMING FROM THE ENGINE. I HAVENT HAD ANY WORK DONE CONCERNING THE TRANSMISSION YET. *AK

NHTSA ODI #10116761

Mileage unknown · Apr 1, 2005
Power Train

EVENT LEADING UP TO FAILURE: MY 1994 MAZDA 626 LX 4 CYL. AUTOMATIC CAR WAS NOT SHIFTING INTO FIRST OR SECOND GEAR WELL. I TOOK IT TO A REPAIR SHOP, AND APPARANTLY, MY TRANSMISSION IS PRETTY MUCH SHOT. THIS WILL BE THE 2ND TIME I HAVE HAD THE TRANSMISSION FIXED IN THE LAST 4 YEARS. FAILURE AND ITS CONSEQUENCES: WELL, I AM CE…

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EVENT LEADING UP TO FAILURE: MY 1994 MAZDA 626 LX 4 CYL. AUTOMATIC CAR WAS NOT SHIFTING INTO FIRST OR SECOND GEAR WELL. I TOOK IT TO A REPAIR SHOP, AND APPARANTLY, MY TRANSMISSION IS PRETTY MUCH SHOT. THIS WILL BE THE 2ND TIME I HAVE HAD THE TRANSMISSION FIXED IN THE LAST 4 YEARS. FAILURE AND ITS CONSEQUENCES: WELL, I AM CERTAINLY SPENDING MORE MONEY ON TRANSMISSIONS THAN I WOULD HAVE EVER LIKED. IF I HAD NOT BROUGHT THE CAR INTO THE REPAIR SHOP AS SOON AS I DID, I MOST LIKELY WOULD HAVE BEEN STRANDED ON THE ROAD IF I CONTINUED TO DRIVE WITH THE TRANSMISSION IN THAT STATE. REPAIR SHOP HAS BEEN TRYING TO PUT A USED TRANSMISSION IN THE CAR FROM OTHER 626'S...BUT AFTER 3 DIFFERENT TRANSMISSIONS, NONE OF THEM HAVE WORKED WELL. IT LOOKS LIKE TRANSMISSIONS FOR MAZDA 626'S 4 CYL AUTOS WERE EXTREMELY EXTREMELY BAD IN 1994.*AK

NHTSA ODI #10116197

Mileage unknown · Mar 22, 2005
Power Train

ONCE DRIVING AT SPEEDS OF 55 MPH AND HIGHER IT SEEMS LIKE THE TRANSMISSION COMES OUT OF GEAR INTO NEUTRAL. THE REASON BEING THERE IS A LOUD ACCELERATION NOISE THAT COMES FROM THE ENGINE. WHEN TAKEN VEHICLE TO DEALER FOR SERVICE IT WAS DETERMINED THAT THE TRANSMISSION NEEDED TO BE REPLACED.*AK

NHTSA ODI #10115591

148,254 miles · Mar 12, 2005
Power Train

I HAVE A MADZA 626 (1994) AND THE TRANSMISSION JUST STOPPED WORKING. IT WILL GO IN REVERSE, BUT THATS IT. I HAD THE FLUIDS CHANGED WITH HIGH TEMP. FLUIDS. THE HOLD LIGHT WOULD BLINK, AND IT WAS REAL SLOW ON THE TAKE OFF. THEN IT WOULD JERK ALOT WHEN SPEEDS INCREASE. SOMETIMES, I WOULD HAVE TO TAKE OFF WITH THE HOLD LIGHT ON TO…

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I HAVE A MADZA 626 (1994) AND THE TRANSMISSION JUST STOPPED WORKING. IT WILL GO IN REVERSE, BUT THATS IT. I HAD THE FLUIDS CHANGED WITH HIGH TEMP. FLUIDS. THE HOLD LIGHT WOULD BLINK, AND IT WAS REAL SLOW ON THE TAKE OFF. THEN IT WOULD JERK ALOT WHEN SPEEDS INCREASE. SOMETIMES, I WOULD HAVE TO TAKE OFF WITH THE HOLD LIGHT ON TO KEEP IT FROM JERKING ON TAKE OFF.*AK

NHTSA ODI #10113985

160,000 miles · Feb 10, 2005
Power Train

HAVE HAD PROBLEMS WITH MY TRANSMISSION SINCE I BOUGHT THE CAR I HAVE A 94 MAZDA 626 4CYL 2.0 NOW I HAVE TO SPEND OVER 2000.00 DOLLARS TO FIX . MY TRANSMISSIONS WENT OUT ON ME WITH NO WARNING IN THE MIDDLE OF AN INTERSECTION HAD TO TURN MY CAR OFF AND RESTARTED JUST TO GET IT OUT THE INTERSECTION AND WAS LUCKY I WASN'T HIT AND J…

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HAVE HAD PROBLEMS WITH MY TRANSMISSION SINCE I BOUGHT THE CAR I HAVE A 94 MAZDA 626 4CYL 2.0 NOW I HAVE TO SPEND OVER 2000.00 DOLLARS TO FIX . MY TRANSMISSIONS WENT OUT ON ME WITH NO WARNING IN THE MIDDLE OF AN INTERSECTION HAD TO TURN MY CAR OFF AND RESTARTED JUST TO GET IT OUT THE INTERSECTION AND WAS LUCKY I WASN'T HIT AND JUST TO LET YOU KNOW I HAD MY ONLY CHILD WITH MY SO I THANK GOD THAT NOTHING BAD HAPPENED . *AK

NHTSA ODI #10110268

130,000 miles · Feb 9, 2005
Power Train

ONCE AGAIN THE TRANSMISSION IS GOING OUT ON MY 1994 MAZDA 626 I HAVE OWNED THIS CAR FOR SIX YEARS AND IT HAS GONE THROUGH THREE TRANSMISSIONS. ALL THE SHOPS TELL ME THAT THIS IS COMMON WITH THIS CAR. WHY WAS THERE NOT A RECALL OF THIS CAR? THANK YOU. *JB

NHTSA ODI #10110165

88,320 miles · Jan 24, 2005
Power Train

DRIVER'S SIDE DOOR WINDOW IS OFF TRACK AND OVERDRIVE INDICATOR FLASHES ON THE DASHBOARD. *NM

NHTSA ODI #10107788

Mileage unknown · Jan 13, 2005
Power Train

MY 1994 MAZDA 626 "HOLD LIGHT" FLASHES ON A DAILY BASIS AND WHEN IT TRIES TO SHIFT TO A LOWER GEAR, IE: AT SPEEDS UNDER 50 MPH, THE TRANSMISSION JERKS REALLY HARD. I TOOK IT TO THE GARAGE AND THEY SAID IT WAS THE MOTOR MOUNT & TRANSMISSION MOUNT THEY WERE REPLACED AND IT DID NOT HELP, ITS GETTING WORSE! NOT SURE WHAT TO DO NOW,…

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MY 1994 MAZDA 626 "HOLD LIGHT" FLASHES ON A DAILY BASIS AND WHEN IT TRIES TO SHIFT TO A LOWER GEAR, IE: AT SPEEDS UNDER 50 MPH, THE TRANSMISSION JERKS REALLY HARD. I TOOK IT TO THE GARAGE AND THEY SAID IT WAS THE MOTOR MOUNT & TRANSMISSION MOUNT THEY WERE REPLACED AND IT DID NOT HELP, ITS GETTING WORSE! NOT SURE WHAT TO DO NOW, THE TRANSMISSION WORK IS VERY EXPENSIVE :(. *NM

NHTSA ODI #10106245

60,000 miles · Jan 11, 2005
Power Train

REPLACED MY MAZDA 626 TRANSMISSION 3 TIMES, THE LAST TWO TIMES I DEPLOYED WITH THE ARMY, HENCE THE WARRANTY TIME PERIOD HAD SURPASSED, LEAVING ME TO PAY THE BILL. AFTER MUCH RESEARCH, I HAVE DISCOVERED THAT THIS WAS ALL BECAUSE OF THE DESIGN OF THE TRANSMISSION ITSELF. MY VEHICLE IS MAINTAINED TO A DEGREE SO HIGH, MY TEN YEAR OL…

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REPLACED MY MAZDA 626 TRANSMISSION 3 TIMES, THE LAST TWO TIMES I DEPLOYED WITH THE ARMY, HENCE THE WARRANTY TIME PERIOD HAD SURPASSED, LEAVING ME TO PAY THE BILL. AFTER MUCH RESEARCH, I HAVE DISCOVERED THAT THIS WAS ALL BECAUSE OF THE DESIGN OF THE TRANSMISSION ITSELF. MY VEHICLE IS MAINTAINED TO A DEGREE SO HIGH, MY TEN YEAR OLD CAR RUNS BETTER, CLEANER, AND IS MORE MECHANICALLY SOUND THAN A BRAND NEW CAR (ASIDE FROM THE TRANSMISSION).*AK

NHTSA ODI #10106147

122,000 miles · Jan 6, 2005
Power Train

TRANSMISSION FAILURE ON A MAZDA 626 LX MODEL 1994. SEEMS TO BE A WIDESPREAD PROBLEM DUE TO FAULTY PARTS/DESIGN OF VEHICLE (AS INDICATED BY THE LARGE NUMBERS OF COMPLAINS POSTED IN VARIOUS WEBSITES). SPEED SENSOR HAS TO BE REPLACED,AND THERE IS THE POSSIBILITY THAT OTHER TRANSMISSION PARTS HAVE TO BE REPLACED TOO. CLASS ACTION SU…

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TRANSMISSION FAILURE ON A MAZDA 626 LX MODEL 1994. SEEMS TO BE A WIDESPREAD PROBLEM DUE TO FAULTY PARTS/DESIGN OF VEHICLE (AS INDICATED BY THE LARGE NUMBERS OF COMPLAINS POSTED IN VARIOUS WEBSITES). SPEED SENSOR HAS TO BE REPLACED,AND THERE IS THE POSSIBILITY THAT OTHER TRANSMISSION PARTS HAVE TO BE REPLACED TOO. CLASS ACTION SUIT HAS BEEN SUBMITTED, BUT MAZDA DOES NOT ACCEPT THAT THESE VEHICLES HAVE A MANUFACTURE DEFECT.*AK

NHTSA ODI #10105843

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.