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1996 Mazda 626

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

More warning signs than most 626 years

Owner complaints for the 1996 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

115 reports with mileage · 244 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 239 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Air Bags. Review the 49 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Engine And Engine Cooling. Review the 33 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

35 crash reports2 fire reports30 injury reports

Air Bags complaints

49 reports
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213,365 miles · Feb 24, 2015
Air BagsVehicle Speed ControlCrashInjury

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1996 MAZDA 626. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE THE SHIFTER WAS IN THE PARK POSITION AND POWERED ON, THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY EXPERIENCED AN UNINTENDED ACCELERATION AND CRASHED INTO A BRICK PILLAR. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY. THE CONTACT SUSTAINED AN INJURED BACK THAT REQUIRED MEDICAL A…

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TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1996 MAZDA 626. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE THE SHIFTER WAS IN THE PARK POSITION AND POWERED ON, THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY EXPERIENCED AN UNINTENDED ACCELERATION AND CRASHED INTO A BRICK PILLAR. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY. THE CONTACT SUSTAINED AN INJURED BACK THAT REQUIRED MEDICAL ATTENTION. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 213,365.

NHTSA ODI #10690214

196,500 miles · Jun 28, 2010
Air BagsInjury

AIRBAGS DEPLOYED IN MY 1996 MAZDA 626. WITHOUT ANY REASON, WHILE DRIVING. CAUSING SCRAPES AND BRUISING, AND THE WINDSHIELD TO CRACK. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10340342

126,109 miles · Mar 4, 2007
Air BagsInjury

I WAS DRIVING ON 131 NORTH ABOUT 75-80 MPH AND MY AIRBAGS (BOTH SIDES) DEPLOYED. THERE IS NO DAMAGE AND I DID NOT HIT ANYTHING. I RECEIVED BURNS ON MY NOSE, ON MY LIPS, SPRAINED JAW, BLOODY NOSE, BURNS ON MY WRIST, AND FACIAL SCRAPES AND CONTUSIONS. THE PASSENGER SIDE STARTED TO SMOKE, AND WOULDN'T STOP UNTIL THE AIRBAG WAS R…

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I WAS DRIVING ON 131 NORTH ABOUT 75-80 MPH AND MY AIRBAGS (BOTH SIDES) DEPLOYED. THERE IS NO DAMAGE AND I DID NOT HIT ANYTHING. I RECEIVED BURNS ON MY NOSE, ON MY LIPS, SPRAINED JAW, BLOODY NOSE, BURNS ON MY WRIST, AND FACIAL SCRAPES AND CONTUSIONS. THE PASSENGER SIDE STARTED TO SMOKE, AND WOULDN'T STOP UNTIL THE AIRBAG WAS REMOVED. *JB

NHTSA ODI #10184137

85,600 miles · Sep 20, 2004
Air Bags

JUNE 28, 2002 -- WELLINGS MAZDA, RICHMOND, IN "PERFORMED RECALL SSP-34 AIR BAG CAMPAIGN. MARCH 2004, MATT CASTRUCCI'S AUTO MALL, "BODY ELECTRICAL: CUSTOMER STATES AIR BAG LIGHT IS ON PLEASE CHECK OUT AND ADV," AND "CUSTORMER STATES CAR IS RUNNING ROUGH, WAS TOLD VALVE COVER GASKETS ARE LEAKING AND ON THE SPARK PLUGS PLEASE CHECK…

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JUNE 28, 2002 -- WELLINGS MAZDA, RICHMOND, IN "PERFORMED RECALL SSP-34 AIR BAG CAMPAIGN. MARCH 2004, MATT CASTRUCCI'S AUTO MALL, "BODY ELECTRICAL: CUSTOMER STATES AIR BAG LIGHT IS ON PLEASE CHECK OUT AND ADV," AND "CUSTORMER STATES CAR IS RUNNING ROUGH, WAS TOLD VALVE COVER GASKETS ARE LEAKING AND ON THE SPARK PLUGS PLEASE CHECK OUT." RESULTS WERE: "CHECKED OUT LIGHT IS NOT ON, NO CORRECTION AT THIS TIME." AND "CHECKED OUT REPLACED VALAVE {SIC} COVER GASKETS AND INTAKE GASKETS CLEANED SPARK PLUG WIRES AND PLUGS. RECHECKED OK" SEPT. 19, 2004 -- WHILE MOTIONLESS AT A TRAFFIC LIGHT, BOTH FRONT AIR BAGS DEPLOYED. WE DO HAVE RELIABLE WITNESSES. THE DRIVER (ME) IS A PHYSICS PROFESSOR, THE RIGHT FRONT PASSENGER IS A PH.D. CANDIDATE, THE LEFT REAR PASSENGER IS A PSYCHOLOGY PROFESSOR, AND THE RIGHT REAR PASSENGER JUST FINISHED LAW SCHOOL. THERE WAS ALSO A PEDESTRIAN STANDING 3 FEET AWAY AND A HELPFUL DRIVER IN THE ADJACENT (ALSO MOTIONLESS) CAR.*AK

NHTSA ODI #10091346

89,900 miles · Nov 28, 2003
Air Bags

WHILE DRIVING AT 40 MPH, AND WITH NO WARNING BOTH FRONT AIR BAGS DEPLOYED. *AK

NHTSA ODI #10048761

Mileage unknown · Jun 3, 2003
Air BagsCrash

VEHICLE WAS IN AN ACCIDENT GOING 40MPH. BOTH FRONT AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. DEALER NOTIFIED.*AK

NHTSA ODI #10022116

Mileage unknown · Jun 3, 2003
Air Bags

AIRBAG WARNING LIGHT STAYS ON WHILE DRIVING. DEALER NOTIFIED.*AK

NHTSA ODI #10022115

Mileage unknown · Nov 18, 2002
Air BagsCrashInjury

THE CONSUMER IS CONCERN BECAUSE THE VEHICLE FLIPPED AND THE INTERIOR AIR BAG DIDN'T DEPLOY AT ALL. DEALER IS AWARE OF THE PROBLEM. TS

NHTSA ODI #8022955

Mileage unknown · Nov 12, 2002
Air BagsCrash

WHILE TRAVELING ABOUT 65 MPH ON THE HIGHWAY THE CONSUMER APPLY HIS BRAKES TO AVOID ANOTHER MOTORIST. AND THE DRIVER SIDE AIR BAG DIDN'T DEPLOY PLEASE FURNISH ADDITIONAL INFORMATION. DEALER IS AWARE OF THE PROBLEM. MR

NHTSA ODI #8022599

Mileage unknown · Oct 24, 2002
Air Bags

CONSUMER STATE WHILE TRAVELING 30-35 MPH IN RESULT OF FRONTAL CRASH VEHICLE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY AT ANY TIME. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. TS

NHTSA ODI #8021519

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.

98V249000 · Air Bags:frontal:sensor/control MODULE-INACTIVE

Oct 8, 1998

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.