WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS PUT INTO GEAR, THE VEHICLE VIOLENTLY JERKED.*JB
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.
What owners actually said
282 reportsCONSUMER 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
AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION FAILED. DEALER HAS INSPECTED AND WILL REPLACE THE TRANSMISSION. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. PH
HAVING CONSTANT TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS WITH MY 1994 MAZDA 626. HAD IT REBUILT AT 140000 MILES. AFTER REPAIR CONSTANT PROBLEMS HAVE BEEN HAPPENING. ELECTRICAL PROBLEM WITH PLUG BREAKING. CONSTANT RPMS STALLING AND NO POWER. NOW AT DECELERATING AT 20 MPH IT KICKS BACK. TO THE POINT WHERE I AM AFRAID TO DRIVE MY OWN CAR. TOOK INTO D…
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HAVING CONSTANT TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS WITH MY 1994 MAZDA 626. HAD IT REBUILT AT 140000 MILES. AFTER REPAIR CONSTANT PROBLEMS HAVE BEEN HAPPENING. ELECTRICAL PROBLEM WITH PLUG BREAKING. CONSTANT RPMS STALLING AND NO POWER. NOW AT DECELERATING AT 20 MPH IT KICKS BACK. TO THE POINT WHERE I AM AFRAID TO DRIVE MY OWN CAR. TOOK INTO DEALERSHIP ALSO AND THEY SAID THEY WOULDN'T DO RECALL OR DO ANYTHING TO FIX IT. LINKS BELOW ARE RELATED TO MY SITUATION AND OTHER PROBLEMS WITH THE SAME TRANSMISSION. EXACT INCIDENT DATES ARE UNKNOWN AS IT HAPPENS CONSTANTLY. DATE LISTED IS EARLIEST DATE. WONDERING ON RECALL TO GET THIS FIXED AS IT SEEMS OTHER CARS OF THE SAME MODEL HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM HTTP://WWW.BANTAPUBNET.COM/GEARS/2002/JANFEB02/NEWKID.HTML HTTP://WWW.DUSTBURY.COM/626/TRANS.HTML HTTP://WWW.DUSTBURY.COM/626/94SPEEDO.HTML HTTP://WWW.BANTAPUBNET.COM/GEARS/JAN00/6TRANSMISSIONTHERAPY.HTML
HAVING CONSTANT TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS WITH MY 1994 MAZDA 626. HAD IT REBUILT AT 140000 MILES. AFTER REPAIR CONSTANT PROBLEMS HAVE BEEN HAPPENING. ELECTRICAL PROBLEM WITH PLUG BREAKING. CONSTANT RPMS STALLING AND NO POWER. NOW AT DECELERATING AT 20 MPH IT KICKS BACK. TO THE POINT WHERE I AM AFRAID TO DRIVE MY OWN CAR. TOOK INTO D…
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HAVING CONSTANT TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS WITH MY 1994 MAZDA 626. HAD IT REBUILT AT 140000 MILES. AFTER REPAIR CONSTANT PROBLEMS HAVE BEEN HAPPENING. ELECTRICAL PROBLEM WITH PLUG BREAKING. CONSTANT RPMS STALLING AND NO POWER. NOW AT DECELERATING AT 20 MPH IT KICKS BACK. TO THE POINT WHERE I AM AFRAID TO DRIVE MY OWN CAR. TOOK INTO DEALERSHIP ALSO AND THEY SAID THEY WOULDN'T DO RECALL OR DO ANYTHING TO FIX IT. LINKS BELOW ARE RELATED TO MY SITUATION AND OTHER PROBLEMS WITH THE SAME TRANSMISSION. EXACT INCIDENT DATES ARE UNKNOWN AS IT HAPPENS CONSTANTLY. DATE LISTED IS EARLIEST DATE. HTTP://WWW.BANTAPUBNET.COM/GEARS/2002/JANFEB02/NEWKID.HTML HTTP://WWW.DUSTBURY.COM/626/TRANS.HTML HTTP://WWW.DUSTBURY.COM/626/94SPEEDO.HTML HTTP://WWW.BANTAPUBNET.COM/GEARS/JAN00/6TRANSMISSIONTHERAPY.HTML
WENT TO MECHANIC AND WAS TOLD NEED NEW TRANSMISSION AND THAT THIS IS A VERY COMMON PROBLEM FOR THIS MAKE AND MODEL WAS TOLD MAY BE A RECALL PENDING. PLEASE ADVISE. DT
EVEN TAKING GOOD CARE OF IT, TRANSMISSION BROKE DOWN. DT
NO SUMMARY. DT
THIS CAR HAS VERY LOW MILEAGE. I STARTED HAVING PROBLEMS FROM THE START RIGHT AFTER MY WARRANTY RAN OUT. I'VE HAD TO CALL THE CORPERATION FOR THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT THAT CAME ON, THEY HAD THE DEALER REPLACE A SENSOR FOR ABOUT $1200.00. THIS CAR HAS NO BUSINESS BEING SOLD. NOW THE DEALER IS NO LONGER SELLING MAZDA'S. THE NEW DEAL…
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THIS CAR HAS VERY LOW MILEAGE. I STARTED HAVING PROBLEMS FROM THE START RIGHT AFTER MY WARRANTY RAN OUT. I'VE HAD TO CALL THE CORPERATION FOR THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT THAT CAME ON, THEY HAD THE DEALER REPLACE A SENSOR FOR ABOUT $1200.00. THIS CAR HAS NO BUSINESS BEING SOLD. NOW THE DEALER IS NO LONGER SELLING MAZDA'S. THE NEW DEALER IS JAY MAZDA AND THEY DON'T CARE. DT
THE MAZDA 626 IS NOW ON IT'S SECOND TRANSMISSION AND IS CURRENTLY NOT DRIVEABLE BECAUSE IT NEEDS ANOTHER NEW ONE. FOR THE PAST 5,000 MILES THE CAR'S HOLD LIGHT BEGINS TO FLASH, THE CAR JERKS AND THE SPEED DROPS ABOUT 40-50 MILES. THIS IS NOT SAFE WHEN TRAVELING AT ABOUT 70 MPH ON THE INTERSTATE OR ANYTIME FOR THAT MATTER. THE LA…
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THE MAZDA 626 IS NOW ON IT'S SECOND TRANSMISSION AND IS CURRENTLY NOT DRIVEABLE BECAUSE IT NEEDS ANOTHER NEW ONE. FOR THE PAST 5,000 MILES THE CAR'S HOLD LIGHT BEGINS TO FLASH, THE CAR JERKS AND THE SPEED DROPS ABOUT 40-50 MILES. THIS IS NOT SAFE WHEN TRAVELING AT ABOUT 70 MPH ON THE INTERSTATE OR ANYTIME FOR THAT MATTER. THE LAST STRAW WAS WHEN I WAS DRIVING 55MPH ON THE HIGHWAY AND IT DECIDED TO JERK AND DROP DOWN TO 15 MILES AND HOUR. NOT ONLY WAS I ALMOST REAR-ENDED SEVERAL TIMES BUT I ALMOST FLEW THROUGH THE WINDSHEILD.AT THE NEXT RED LIGHT THE CAR DECIDED NOT TO EVEN GO ANYMORE. YOU CAN PRESS THE GAS BUT IN DRIVE IT WON'T MOVE. BUT IT DOES GO IN REVERSE ALTHOUGH IT STILL JERKS AND THE HOLD LIGHT CONTINUES TO FLASH. THE CAR IS TOO DANGEROUS TO DRIVE. SOME PEOPLE CAN'T AFFORD NEW VEHICLES AND CAN'T AFFORD $1200-$2500 TO HAVE THE TRANSMISSION FIXED. SO THEREFORE WE CONTINUE TO BE WITHOUT A CAR WHILE THE MANUFACTURER MAKES MONEY OFF OF US PEOPLE WHO DIDN'T KNOW WHAT WE WERE GETTING INTO WHEN WE BOUGHT A MAZDA. THEY ALL ALSO NEED NEW MOTOR MOUNTS(WHICH AREN'T CHEAP)VERY SOON.YOU WOULD THINK SINCE SOOOO MANY PEOPLE HAVE PROBLEMS WITH THE TRANSMISSION IN A MAZDA THEY WOULD HELP THEM TO FIX IT. A GUY AT A JUNKYARD ONCE TOLD ME HE WOULD BE A MILLIONAIRE IF HE COULD SUPPLY A TRANSMISSION TO ALL THE PEOPLE WHO CALL NEEDING ONE FOR THEIR MAZDA. THAT'S SICK...*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.
Illustration