Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.
When problems were reported
Mileage at the reported incident
50–25K
625–50K
1550–75K
3475–100K
47100–150K
26150K+
133 reports with mileage · 355 unknown
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 337 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
Air Bags. Review the 67 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
Engine And Engine Cooling. Review the 28 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
43 crash reports8 fire reports33 injury reports
What owners actually said
488 reports
Mileage unknown · Apr 10, 2007
Power Train
MY 1995 MAZDA 626 HAS GONE THOUGH TWO TRANSMISSIONS DESPITE BEEING WELL CARED FOR. THE VEHICLE HAD ONLY 130,000 MILES ON IT. MY GIRLFREINDS 1996 MAZDA 626 HAS GONE THOUGH TWO AS WELL AND HAS 101,000 MILES. MY BROTHERS MAZDA 626 HAD SIMULAR ISSUES BEFORE SELLING IT TO SOME OTHER NON SUSPECTING CONSUMER. CONSUMER REPORTS HAS S…
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MY 1995 MAZDA 626 HAS GONE THOUGH TWO TRANSMISSIONS DESPITE BEEING WELL CARED FOR. THE VEHICLE HAD ONLY 130,000 MILES ON IT. MY GIRLFREINDS 1996 MAZDA 626 HAS GONE THOUGH TWO AS WELL AND HAS 101,000 MILES. MY BROTHERS MAZDA 626 HAD SIMULAR ISSUES BEFORE SELLING IT TO SOME OTHER NON SUSPECTING CONSUMER. CONSUMER REPORTS HAS SHOWN THEM TO BE TROUBLED IN THIS AREA, TO SAY THE LEAST. MAZDA HAS MADE NO EFFORTS TO RESOLVE THIS ISSUE. FOR SOME MAZDA OWNERS AN UNEXPECTED $2,000-$2,500 BILL COULD BE A LIFE ALTERING EXPENSE. WHEN WILL WE SEE A GOVERNMENT FORCED RECALL? MAZDA SHOULD BE HELD RESPONSIBLE. I WILL NEVER PURCHASE A MAZDA VEHICLE AGAIN. THANK YOU FOR PROVIDING A FORUM FOR SUCH COMPLAINTS.*AK
NHTSA ODI #10187526
Mileage unknown · Jan 29, 2007
Power Train
THE TRANSMISSION IS CRAP!! AND HAVE READ VARIOUS REPORTS OF THE SAME ISSUE ON THE SAME MODEL OF CAR. *NM
NHTSA ODI #10180961
121,000 miles · Jan 15, 2007
Power Train
TRANSMISSION IN 1995 MAZDA 626, JUST BOUGHT THIS CAR AND TRANSMISSION IS BAD ALREADY. CAR HAS 121,000 MILES ON IT..... IT HAS THE CD4E TRANSMISSION IN IT... WE WENT ON THE WEB AND DID SOME RESEARCH AND FOUND THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM..... TRANNY IS ABOUT TO GO..... *JB
NHTSA ODI #10178767
120,000 miles · Dec 5, 2006
Power Train
MAZDA 626 TRANSMISSION FAILED TWICE IN 2004 AND 2006. *NM
NHTSA ODI #10175148
78,000 miles · Nov 2, 2006
Power Train
THE TRANSMISSION ON MY 1995 MAZDA 626 DIED AFTER APPROX 75K MILES. THERE ARE NO REPLACEMENTS ANYWHERE IN THE COUNTRY. I WILL HAVE TO HAVE THE CURRENT TRANSMISSION REBUILT FOR APPROX $3K OR SELL THE VEHICLE FOR PARTS. THAT IS RIDICULOUS FOR SUCH A LOW-MILEAGE VEHICLE TO BE IN SUCH A SITUATION. RESEARCHING THE ISSUE ONLINE I SEE T…
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THE TRANSMISSION ON MY 1995 MAZDA 626 DIED AFTER APPROX 75K MILES. THERE ARE NO REPLACEMENTS ANYWHERE IN THE COUNTRY. I WILL HAVE TO HAVE THE CURRENT TRANSMISSION REBUILT FOR APPROX $3K OR SELL THE VEHICLE FOR PARTS. THAT IS RIDICULOUS FOR SUCH A LOW-MILEAGE VEHICLE TO BE IN SUCH A SITUATION. RESEARCHING THE ISSUE ONLINE I SEE THIS IS A VERY COMMON PROBLEM FOR THE 1995 MAZDA 626. I SEE MENTION OF THE TRANSMISSION POSSIBLY REQUIRING A TRANSMISSION COOLER, SUGGESTING THAT THE FAILURE OCCURS BECAUSE THE FLUID OVERHEATS. NOT SURE IF THAT IS THE CASE, BUT CLEARLY SOMETHING IN THE DESIGN HAS RESULTED IN AN UNREASONABLY SHORT LIFESPAN FOR THE TRANNY. IT IS NOT REASONABLE FOR THE CONSUMER TO TAKE THIS ON THE CHIN. MAZDA NEEDS TO BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE AND BEAR AT LEAST SOME OF THE PAIN THEIR FLAWED DESIGN HAS CAUSED. PLEASE CONTACT ME FOR ADDITIONAL DETAILS AS NEEDED. THANK YOU FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION. *NM
NHTSA ODI #10172428
Mileage unknown · Oct 16, 2006
Power Train
MY 1995 MAZDA 626 HAS MAJOR TRANSMISSION FAILURE. AFTER I GOT IT FIXED, IT STILL HAD THE SAME PROBLEM BUT I CRASHED BEFORE I HAD A CHANCE TO TAKE IT BACK AND USE THE WARRANTY. I HAVE HEARD THAT THIS IS A MAJOR PROBLEM WITH MANY 626 MAZDAS MADE BETWEEN 95' AND 00'. *NM
NHTSA ODI #10170884
100,200 miles · Oct 11, 2006
Power Train
MY 1995 MAZDA 626 HAD TRANSMISSION FAILURE WITH ONLY 79K MILES ON ENGINE. NOW, BARELY 2 YEARS LATER AND WITH ONLY 100,200 MILES, THE TRANSMISSION HAS FAILED AGAIN AND AN ESTIMATED COST OF $2,000! *JB
NHTSA ODI #10170511
203,000 miles · Sep 27, 2006
Power Train
I AM NOW ON MY THIRD TRANSMISSION SINCE I BOUGHT MY 1996 MAZDA 626 DX, 4 CYL. THE FIRST TRANSMISSION WAS UNDER WARRANTY. THE SECOND FAILURE WAS IN NOV 2005. I TOOK VEHICLE TO NON-DEALER SOURCE. THE TRANSMISSION STARTED ACTING UP AGAIN LAST WEEK. AFTER ABOUT 40 MILES SHIFTING GETS HARD AFTER A STOP. VEHICLE WILL DOWN SHIFT …
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I AM NOW ON MY THIRD TRANSMISSION SINCE I BOUGHT MY 1996 MAZDA 626 DX, 4 CYL. THE FIRST TRANSMISSION WAS UNDER WARRANTY. THE SECOND FAILURE WAS IN NOV 2005. I TOOK VEHICLE TO NON-DEALER SOURCE. THE TRANSMISSION STARTED ACTING UP AGAIN LAST WEEK. AFTER ABOUT 40 MILES SHIFTING GETS HARD AFTER A STOP. VEHICLE WILL DOWN SHIFT WHEN YOU TAKE FOOT OFF THE GAS. RIGHT NOW THE REPAIR SHOP IS TRYING TO TROUBLE SHOOT WITHOUT FINDING THE PROBLEM. *NM
NHTSA ODI #10169448
93,000 miles · Sep 12, 2006
Power Train
I OWN A 1995 MAZDA 626 - AND EVERY NOW AND THEN THE "OD OFF" LIGHT WILL FLASH CONTINUOUSLY FOR MONTHS....I HAVE CHANGED THE BELTS, WATER PUMPS, FAN BELTS, TRANSMISSION FLUID GASKETS AND EVEN THE BATTERY THREE TIMES. RECENTLY THE DEALER ADVISED ME TO CHANGE THE TRANSMISSION SINCE IT WAS LEAKING TO THE POINT OF NO REPAIR. WE CHANG…
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I OWN A 1995 MAZDA 626 - AND EVERY NOW AND THEN THE "OD OFF" LIGHT WILL FLASH CONTINUOUSLY FOR MONTHS....I HAVE CHANGED THE BELTS, WATER PUMPS, FAN BELTS, TRANSMISSION FLUID GASKETS AND EVEN THE BATTERY THREE TIMES. RECENTLY THE DEALER ADVISED ME TO CHANGE THE TRANSMISSION SINCE IT WAS LEAKING TO THE POINT OF NO REPAIR. WE CHANGED THE TRANSMISSION AND AFTER TWO DAYS OF DRIVING THE CAR JERKS WHEN TAKING OFF, THE OD OFF LIGHT IS FLASHING AGAIN, AND THE IT APPEARS TO BE OVERHEATING - BUT THE DEALER SAYS THERE IS NO PROBLEM WITH THE RADIATOR. THIS HAS BEEN GOING ON FOREVER WITH THE MAZDA - HOW MANY TIMES CAN ONE CHANGE PARTS ABOUT EVERY SIX MONTHS?...MAZDA SHOULD HAVE RECALLED THIS MODEL YEARS AGO - THERE IS A FAULT IN ITS TRANSMISSION OR COMPUTER SYSTEM. *NM
NHTSA ODI #10167958
112,000 miles · Aug 7, 2006
Power Train
I CURRENTLY HAVE APPROX. 112,000 MILES ON MY CAR. I DO NOT DRIVE IT A WHOLE LOT BUT DURING A TRIP FROM MARYLAND TO FLORIDA, MY TRANSMISSION STARTED TO GO UP. THE O/D LIGHT STARTED FLASHING, THE RPM AND MILEAGE NEEDLE WAS GOING WACKY AND THE CAR WOULD BARELY DRIVE. THE MILEAGE NEEDLE WOULD SAY THAT I WAS DOING 0 MPH WHEN IN FACT …
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I CURRENTLY HAVE APPROX. 112,000 MILES ON MY CAR. I DO NOT DRIVE IT A WHOLE LOT BUT DURING A TRIP FROM MARYLAND TO FLORIDA, MY TRANSMISSION STARTED TO GO UP. THE O/D LIGHT STARTED FLASHING, THE RPM AND MILEAGE NEEDLE WAS GOING WACKY AND THE CAR WOULD BARELY DRIVE. THE MILEAGE NEEDLE WOULD SAY THAT I WAS DOING 0 MPH WHEN IN FACT I WAS DRIVING AT 20 MPH. I HAD TO DRIVE ON GEAR 1 OR 2 HALF THE WAY BACK. THERE WAS ALSO THIS BURNT SMELL COMING FROM THE TRANSMISSION OIL. WHICH SCARED ME BECAUSE I THOUGHT THE CAR WAS SURELY GOING TO CATCH ON FIRE SINCE I WAS ONLY IN VIRGINIA (AGAIN, FINAL DESTINATION FLORIDA) NOW I TAKE CARE OF MY CAR, I HAD JUST HAD THE TRANSMISSION FLUID FLUSHED TWO MONTHS BEFORE. PRIOR TO THIS INCIDENT, DURING DAILY OPERATION, WHENEVER I WOULD SHIFT GEARS ON MY CAR, THE RESPONSE WAS ALWAYS DELAYED ABOUT 1 SECOND AND A HALF, WHICH I HAVE BEEN TOLD ARE CLEAR SIGNS OF IMPEDING TRANSMISSION FAILURE. I ALSO FOUND OUT FROM SEVERAL OTHER MAZDA 626 OWNERS THAT THESE MAZDA VEHICLES ARE WELL KNOWN FOR TRANSMISSIONS FAILURES. DUE TO THE FACT OF POOR VENTILATION FOR THE TRANS, THIS CAUSES TOO MUCH HEAT THAT LEADS TO TRANS. FAILURE. I FEEL THAT THIS IS THE MANUFACTURERS FAULT FOR LETTING A FAULTY ENGINEER AS THIS ONE GO TO THE MARKET. WHAT IF SOMEONE GETS HURT? NO I HAVE TO FRONT THE BILL FOR A TRANSMISSION THAT WAS DOOMED TO FAIL AND I DO NOT THINK THAT IS RIGHT. MAZDA SHOULD PAY, NOT ME. *NM
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.
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH THE SAS SENSOR UNIT. THESE VEHICLES CAN EXPERIENCE AIR BAG DEPLOYMENTS IN MINOR UNDERCARRIAGE IMPACTS.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: UNEXPECTED AIR BAG DEPLOYMENT CAN RESULT IN OCCUPANT INJURY.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPROGRAM THE SAS UNIT TO REDUCE THE PROBABILITY OF UNNECESSARY DEPLOYMENTS IN LOW SPEED UNDERCARRIAGE IMPACTS.
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
4
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.
EA97012 · Oversensitive Air Bag Deployment
Opened May 23, 1997 · Closed Oct 9, 1998
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Air Bags
IN MAY OF 1997, ODI UPGRADED TO AN ENGINEERING ANALYSIS WITH 51 COMPLAINTS.ODI IS NOW AWARE OF 88 COMPLAINTS OF ALLEGED INAPPROPRIATE AIRBAG DEPLOYMENTS.TYPICAL COMPLAINTS ALLEGE THAT THE AIRBAGS DEPLOYED AFTER THE VEHICLE HIT A POT HOLE AT BETWEEN 20 AND 45 MPH, OR THAT THE AIRBAGS DEPLOYED WHILE DRIVING AT BETWEEN 20 OR 60 MPH FOR NO APPARENT REASON.APPROXIMATELY 25 DRIVERS ALLEGED THAT THEY DID NOT HIT ANYTHING IN THE ROADWAY.MAZDA WILL CONDUCT A SAFETY RECALL OFALL 1995 AND 1996 MODELS OF THE MAZDA 626 AND MX-6, AS WELL AS A SMALL NUMBER OF 1997 MAZDA 626 MODELS, EQUIPPED WITH THE SAME SAS UNIT.THE SAS UNIT CONTROLS THE AIRBAG SYSTEMIT CONTAINS A BUILT-IN CRASH SENSOR TO DETECT VEHICLE DECELERATION DURING A COLLISION.AFFECTED MODELS WERE ASSEMBLED FROM JUNE 1, 1994 THROUGH SEPTEMBER 10, 1996 AND HAVE A VIN WITHIN THE FOLLOWING RANGES: MAZDA 626:1YVGE22**S5300001 THROUGH 1YVGE22**V5599030 MAZDA MX-6: 1YVGE31**S5300001 THROUGH 1YVGE31**T5589965ALL OWNERS WILL BE NOTIFIED OF THE POSSIBILITY THAT THEIR VEHICLE MAY EXPERIENCE AN UNNECESSARY AIRBAG DEPOYMENT IN CERTAIN SITUATIONS.THEY WILL BE INSTRUCTED TO BRING THEIR VEHICLE TO A MAZDA DEALER TO REPROGRAM THE SAS UNIT TO REDUCE THE FREQUENCY OF UNNECESSARY DEPLOYMENTS.
PE97006 · Inappropriate Air Bag Deployment
Opened Jan 30, 1997 · Closed May 23, 1997
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Air Bags
IN JANUARY OF 1997, ODI OPENED A PE BASED ON 9 ODI COMPLAINTS.ODI IS NOW AWARE OF 51 COMPLAINTS OF ALLEGED INAPPROPRIATE AIR BAG DEPLOYMENTS.TYPICAL COMPLAINTS INCLUDE AIR BAG DEPLOYMENTS AFTER THE VEHICLE HIT A POT HOLE WHILE DRIVING BETWEEN 20 AND 45 MPH AND AIR BAG DEPLOYMENTS WHILE DRIVING AT SPEEDS BETWEEN 20 AND 60 MPH FOR NO APPARENT REASON.APPROXIMATELY 21 DRIVERS ALLEGED THAT THEY DID NOT HIT ANYTHING PRIOR TO THE AIR BAG DEPLOYMENT.IN FOUR OF THESE INCIDENTS THE DRIVER CLAIMS TO HAVE LOST CONTROL AND HIT A CURB AFTER THE AIR BAGS DEPLOYED.IN ADDITION THERE ARE FOUR INCIDENTS WHERE THE DRIVER ALLEGES THAT THE AIR BAGS DEPLOYED AFTER A TIRE BLOWOUT WHILE DRIVING.LESS COMMON INCIDENTS INCLUDE ALLEGATIONS OF THE AIR BAGS DEPLOYING AFTER PARKING THE VEHICLE AND REMOVING THE KEY, CROSSING RAILROAD TRACKS, WHILE BEING TOWED, WHILE BRAKING, AFTER HITTING A CURB, AND AFTER HITTING A MANHOLE COVER.ODI IS UPGRADING THIS INVESTIGATION TO OBTAIN ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ABOUT THE REPORTS GATHERED TO DATE, THE SENSORS USED IN THE VEHICLES, AND TO ASSESS THE IMPACT THAT THE ALLEGED DEFECT HAS ON HIGHWAY SAFETY.
1995 Mazda 626 Problems, Complaints & Recalls | Skip That Year