IllustrationVEHICLE IS HESITENT WHEN GOING INTO GEAR, AND STALLS WHEN ACCELERATING FROM A STOP. VEHICLE IS STARTING TO ROLL BACK BEFORE ACCELERATING. VEHICLE WAS DIAGNOSED BY DEALER AS HAVING A TRANSMISSION MALFUNCTIONING SWITCH. PLEASE PROVIDE MORE INFORMATION.*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
What owners actually said
282 reportsTHE RIGHT FRONT TIRE WAS PUNCTURED AS A RESULT OF A BROKEN COIL SPRING. THE CAR WAS NEVER IN AN ACCIDENT OR DRIVEN UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCE THAT WOULD CAUSE SUCH A FAILURE. I FEEL THIS COULD HAVE CAUSED A SERIOUS ACCIDENT AND THAT MAZDA SHOULD RECALL THE VEHICLE FOR INSPECTION AND REIMBURSE THOSE INDIVIDUALS WHO HAD TO REPLACE THE…
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THE RIGHT FRONT TIRE WAS PUNCTURED AS A RESULT OF A BROKEN COIL SPRING. THE CAR WAS NEVER IN AN ACCIDENT OR DRIVEN UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCE THAT WOULD CAUSE SUCH A FAILURE. I FEEL THIS COULD HAVE CAUSED A SERIOUS ACCIDENT AND THAT MAZDA SHOULD RECALL THE VEHICLE FOR INSPECTION AND REIMBURSE THOSE INDIVIDUALS WHO HAD TO REPLACE THEIR SPRINGS, STRUTS, AND DAMAGED TIRES AS A RESULT OF THE SPRING FRACTURE.
ON 05/07/02 I WAS DRIVING HOME FROM WORK AND MY TRANSMISSION FAILED WITHOUT WARNING. I WAS STUCK IN RUSH HOUR TRAFFIC. I THINK THE CONSUMERS SHOULD KNOW THAT THEY USED FOR TRANSMISSION IN THE 626 MAZDA. I WOULD NEVER BUY A FORD, SO WHY WOULD I HAVE BROUGHT A CAR WITH A FOR TRANSMISSION IN IT.*AK
TRANSMISSION HAS FAILED 2 TIMES SINCE PURCHASING THIS VEHICLE NEW IN 1994. HAVE FOUND THOUSANDS OF COMPLAINTS ON THIS ISSUE ON THE INTERNET. IT IS TIME THAT NHTSA COMPILES DATA ON THIS ISSUE AND INVESTIGATES THE COMPLAINTS. TECHNICIANS KNOW OF THE MAZDA TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS AND HAVE STORIES TO TELL OF THE EXPENSES CONSUMERS HAV…
Read full complaint
TRANSMISSION HAS FAILED 2 TIMES SINCE PURCHASING THIS VEHICLE NEW IN 1994. HAVE FOUND THOUSANDS OF COMPLAINTS ON THIS ISSUE ON THE INTERNET. IT IS TIME THAT NHTSA COMPILES DATA ON THIS ISSUE AND INVESTIGATES THE COMPLAINTS. TECHNICIANS KNOW OF THE MAZDA TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS AND HAVE STORIES TO TELL OF THE EXPENSES CONSUMERS HAVE ENCOUNTERED IN REPAIRING MAZDAS.*AK
VEHICLE INTERMITTENTLY STALLS. *AK
WHILE DRIVING 40-55 MPH VEHICLE COMPLETELY SHUT DOWN. THIS HAS HAPPENED TWICE. TOOK TO DEALER. DISTRIBUTOR WAS REPLACED. *AK THE DISTRIBUTOR BURNED OUT FOR THE SECOND TIME AND WAS REPLACED. *YH
FORWARD/DIRECT DRUM BROKE INTO 2 PARTS. *AK
THE TRANSMISSION ON THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN REBUILT 6 TIMES. DUE TO THE COMPUTER SHUTTING DOWN WHILE CHANGING GEARS. THE SHIFTING BECOMES HARDER WHILE DRIVING. NLM
CONSUMER HAD TO REPLACE TRANSMISSION FOUR TIMES . HOLD LIGHT WILL ILLUMINATE, AND SHIFTING IN GEARS WILL BE EXTREMELY ROUGH. MANUFACTURER HAS BEEN INFORMED. *AK
WHEN SHIFTING VEHICLE IT JERKS REALLY HARD. TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALER, AND DEALER STATED THAT VEHICLE NEEDED ENGINE COOLING SYSTEM AND TRANSMISSION REPLACED. *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.