NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
What owners actually said
488 reportsMileage unknown · Aug 22, 2005
Power Train
DT: THIS MAZDA IS ON 3RD TRANSMISSION AND THIS ONE HAS GONE BAD. DEALER IS NOT WILLING TO DO ANYTHING SINCE ITS NOT UNDER WARRANTY. CONTACTED MANUFACTURER, THEY SAID NOTHING THEY CAN DO. THIS STARTED ON AUGUST 19, 2005. WHEN AT A STOP THE VEHICLE WAS IN DRIVE TRIED TO ACCELERATE AND IT WOULD NOT DO ANYTHING FOR A FEW SECONDS …
Read full complaint
DT: THIS MAZDA IS ON 3RD TRANSMISSION AND THIS ONE HAS GONE BAD. DEALER IS NOT WILLING TO DO ANYTHING SINCE ITS NOT UNDER WARRANTY. CONTACTED MANUFACTURER, THEY SAID NOTHING THEY CAN DO. THIS STARTED ON AUGUST 19, 2005. WHEN AT A STOP THE VEHICLE WAS IN DRIVE TRIED TO ACCELERATE AND IT WOULD NOT DO ANYTHING FOR A FEW SECONDS THEN IT WOULD SURGE FORWARD. THEN , WHEN AT A STOP THE VEHICLE WOULD VIBRATE VIOLENTLY AND THE DRIVER HAD QUIT ALL TOGETHER.*AK
NHTSA ODI #10133713
98,000 miles · Aug 19, 2005
Power Train
I AM EXPERIENCING THE INFAMOUS MAZDA 626 TRANSMISSIOIN FAILURE WHICH IS AN EXTREME HAZARD FOR MYSELT AND MY CHILDREN. THE O/D LIGHT BLINKS AND AS EVIDENCED BY THE THOUSANDS OF COMPLAINTS I FOUND ON THE WEB, THE TRANSMISSION IS EXPERIENCING A MELTDOWN. I WAS DRIVING MY TWO YOUNG CHILDREN TO SCHOOL WHEN THE TRANSMISSION CAUSED T…
Read full complaint
I AM EXPERIENCING THE INFAMOUS MAZDA 626 TRANSMISSIOIN FAILURE WHICH IS AN EXTREME HAZARD FOR MYSELT AND MY CHILDREN. THE O/D LIGHT BLINKS AND AS EVIDENCED BY THE THOUSANDS OF COMPLAINTS I FOUND ON THE WEB, THE TRANSMISSION IS EXPERIENCING A MELTDOWN. I WAS DRIVING MY TWO YOUNG CHILDREN TO SCHOOL WHEN THE TRANSMISSION CAUSED THE CAR TO JERK UNCONTROLLABLY AND STOP. THIS IN MY VIEW HAS THE POTENTIAL OF A CATASTROPHIC ACCIDENT. THE DESIGN FLAW IS OBVIOUS AFTER READING SO MANY SIMILAR ACCOUNTS.
NHTSA ODI #10133533
165,271 miles · Aug 16, 2005
Power Train
TRANSMISSION FAILED ONE NIGHT ON THE WAY HOME FROM WORK. THE O/D LIGHT STARTED FLASHING ABOUT 3 MONTHS BEFORE. *NM
NHTSA ODI #10132981
118,845 miles · Aug 4, 2005
Power Train
DT: THE TRANSMISSION FAILED. CONTACTED THE DEALER, AND THEY SAID THERE WAS NO WARRANTY. THEY REPAIRED TRANSMISSION, THEY FIXED GASKET, PLATE, RINGS, NPN PLATE, MINI BULB, CLUTCH. THEY FIXED THIS 7-20-05. *AK
NHTSA ODI #10131519
Mileage unknown · Jul 7, 2005
Power Train
I HAVE A 1995 MAZDA 626 LX, WHILE DRIVING ON THE INTERSTATE MY SPEEDOMETER STOPPED WORKING, THE O/D OFF LIGHT STARTED BLINKING AND MY TRANSMISSION WOULD NOT GO PAST 2ND GEAR. THESE ARE THE SYMPTONS OF THE RECALL ON THE 1994 MAZDA 626, BUT THERE IS NO RECALL ON THE 1995.
NHTSA ODI #10127718
133,000 miles · Jul 6, 2005
Power Train
AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION FAILURE
NHTSA ODI #10127710
122,790 miles · Jul 3, 2005
Power Train
I OWN A 1995 MAZDA 626 4CYL, 4DR, AUTOMATIC. THE O/D LIGHT STARTED FLASHING THE OTHER DAY AND NOW MY TRANSMISSION WILL ONLY SHIFT INTO GEAR WHEN IT WANTS TO. THE CAR IDLES WELL, BUT WHILE ON THE ROAD FOR MORE THAN 10 MINS (WHILE THE ENGINE GETS HEATED UP), THEN THE CAR LOOSES POWER AND JERKS TRYING TO GET INTO A GEAR. AFT…
Read full complaint
I OWN A 1995 MAZDA 626 4CYL, 4DR, AUTOMATIC. THE O/D LIGHT STARTED FLASHING THE OTHER DAY AND NOW MY TRANSMISSION WILL ONLY SHIFT INTO GEAR WHEN IT WANTS TO. THE CAR IDLES WELL, BUT WHILE ON THE ROAD FOR MORE THAN 10 MINS (WHILE THE ENGINE GETS HEATED UP), THEN THE CAR LOOSES POWER AND JERKS TRYING TO GET INTO A GEAR. AFTER READING THE ISSUES ONLINE, AM PRETTY SURE THAT THE TRANSMISSION MAY HAVE TO BE REPLACED OR AT LEAST SOMETHING FIXED IN IT. LOOKING FOR SOME HELP...
NHTSA ODI #10127361
123,000 miles · Jun 10, 2005
Air BagsInjury
BOTH DRIVER AND PASSENGER FRONT AIRBAGS DEPLOYED COMPLETELY WITHOUT CAUSE. THERE WAS NO COLLISION, NO BUMP IN THE ROAD, NOTHING.
NHTSA ODI #10124941
77,730 miles · Jun 6, 2005
Power Train
THE OD OFF LIGHT BEGAN FLASHING IN MARCH OR APRIL OF THIS YEAR TOOK IT TO THE DEALERSHIP I PURCHASED IT FROM, WAS TOLD THEN THAT IT WAS A BEARING WITHIN THE TRANSMISSION THAT JUST WASNT MOVING THEY MOVED ELECTRONICALLY AND THE LIGHT WENT OUT THEN APPROXIMATELY TWO WEEKS AGO THE OVERDRIVE OFF LIGHT BEGAN FLASHING AGAIN, I TOOK IT…
Read full complaint
THE OD OFF LIGHT BEGAN FLASHING IN MARCH OR APRIL OF THIS YEAR TOOK IT TO THE DEALERSHIP I PURCHASED IT FROM, WAS TOLD THEN THAT IT WAS A BEARING WITHIN THE TRANSMISSION THAT JUST WASNT MOVING THEY MOVED ELECTRONICALLY AND THE LIGHT WENT OUT THEN APPROXIMATELY TWO WEEKS AGO THE OVERDRIVE OFF LIGHT BEGAN FLASHING AGAIN, I TOOK IT IN AND THEY SAY IT IS THR TORQUE CONVERTER AND PROBABLY A BUSHING INSIDE THE TRANSMISSION THAT IS CAUSING A MAJOR VIBRATION. MY 1995 MAZDA 626 HAS JUST OVER 77,000 MILES ON IT AND HAS THE SAME TRANSMISSION AS THE 94 WHICH IS KNOWN FOR ITS PROBLEMS AND BY ALL REPORTS MOST OF THOSE PROBLEMS WERE NOT FIXED UNTIL 96 NOW I AM FACING A SECONDARY WARRANTY COMPANY WHO MAY OR MAY NOT APPROVE MY CLAIM, MY CAR OCCASIONALL STALLS WHEN I PUSH THE GAS ETC, MANY SIMILAR PROBLEMS YOU CAN READ ON THE WEB WITH THIS SAME CAR. IF THE WARRANTY I PURCHASED JUST FOR THINGS LIKE THIS DOES NOT COVER THIS I AM STUCK WITH A BILL I CANNOT AFFORD, FOR A PROBLEM THAT IS WELL KNOWN AND WELL REPORTED. THIS IS A MAZDA AND FOR ISSUE AND SHOULD BE RESOLVED BY THEM...IT IS NOT SAFE TO HAVE THESE CARS ON THE ROAD. MY CAR IS CURRENTLY AT BAY FORD IN PORTORCHARD WASHINGTON. WHY SHOULD A CAR NEED A NEW TRANSMISSION WITH SUCH LOW MILEAGE. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME.
NHTSA ODI #10124368
22,174 miles · May 21, 2005
Unknown Or Other
GETTING THE TRANSMISSION REPAIRED COSTED ME $1,000. I ONLY PUT 10,000 MILES ON IT WHEN IT CAME FROM THE DEALER, AND IT NOW HAS 27,000 MILES AND IS SITTING IN MY DRIVE WAY UNUSEABLE. IM NOT PAYING ANOTHER $1,000 TO FIX IT AGAIN.
NHTSA ODI #10121772
NHTSA investigations
4RQ99022 · 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.