IllustrationTHE VEHICLE EXPERIENCED A PROBLEM WITH THE HEADLIGHT SWITCH WHICH WAS REPLACED A YEAR AGO. NOW THE HEADLIGHTS AND TAIL LIGHTS SWITCH ARE INOPERABLE. PROBLEM WAS DUE TO BROKEN WIRE CONNECTOR INSIDE OF THE SWITCH.*JB *MR
1997 Mazda 626
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
More warning signs than most 626 years
Owner complaints for the 1997 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
90–25K
1025–50K
3450–75K
5275–100K
49100–150K
7150K+
161 reports with mileage · 197 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 233 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Engine And Engine Cooling. Review the 39 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Air Bags. Review the 36 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
17 crash reports5 fire reports22 injury reports
Electrical System complaints
32 reportsIN ADDITION TO SMELLING GAS - THE RADIO AND ANTENNA DOESN'T WORK. NOW THE SUNROOF WON'T CLOSE ALL THE WAY. THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT COMES ON MORE OFTEN THAN NOT SINCE I HAD THE CAR. THE KEY SOMETIMES WON'T FIT INTO DOOR LOCK AND EVEN THOUGH THE CAR LOOKS BRAND NEW AND HAS BEEN WELL TAKEN CARE OFF - IT JUST SEEMS TO FALL APART. …
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IN ADDITION TO SMELLING GAS - THE RADIO AND ANTENNA DOESN'T WORK. NOW THE SUNROOF WON'T CLOSE ALL THE WAY. THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT COMES ON MORE OFTEN THAN NOT SINCE I HAD THE CAR. THE KEY SOMETIMES WON'T FIT INTO DOOR LOCK AND EVEN THOUGH THE CAR LOOKS BRAND NEW AND HAS BEEN WELL TAKEN CARE OFF - IT JUST SEEMS TO FALL APART. THE GLOVE COMPARTMENT LOCK FELL APART BUT THE BIGGEST THING IS THE SUNROOF WON'T CLOSE ALL THE WAY. THIS IS MY 3RD MAZDA AND I WILL NEVER BUY ANOTHER ONE.
VEHICLE HORN STUCK, WENT TO PRESS DOWN TO USE HORN AND IT WOULD NOT STOP WHEN RELEASED.*AK
AFTER RUNNING THE CAR FOR A SHORT PERIOD (DROVE A FEW MILES). UPON TURNING OFF THE IGNITION, A FIRE STARTED FROM BEHIND THE STEERING COLUMN INSIDE OF THE CAB. MY MOTHER (87 YEARS OLD) WAS DRIVING THIS CAR AND BARELY ESCAPED BEFORE THE ENTIRE CAR WAS ENGULFED IN FLAMES. THE CAR IS A TOTAL LOSS. THIS CAR HAD 19000 ORIGINAL MIL…
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AFTER RUNNING THE CAR FOR A SHORT PERIOD (DROVE A FEW MILES). UPON TURNING OFF THE IGNITION, A FIRE STARTED FROM BEHIND THE STEERING COLUMN INSIDE OF THE CAB. MY MOTHER (87 YEARS OLD) WAS DRIVING THIS CAR AND BARELY ESCAPED BEFORE THE ENTIRE CAR WAS ENGULFED IN FLAMES. THE CAR IS A TOTAL LOSS. THIS CAR HAD 19000 ORIGINAL MILES AND I WAS THE ONLY OWNER. THE CAR NEVER HAD BEEN WORKED ON FOR ANY ELECTRICAL PROBLEM AND WAS NEVER IN ANY ACCIDENT. *LA
1997 MAZDA 626 LX - TRANSMISSION, CATALYTIC CONVERTER, OXYGEN SENSOR, AND COMPUTER HAVE ALL BEEN REPAIRED IN A SPAN OF 11 MONTHS. THE CAR DOES NOT HAVE 80,000 MILES ON IT!*AK
BATTERY CABLE CLAMPS ARE TOO LOOSE FOR THE BATTERY POLE
CONSUMER STATES VEHICLE HAS STALLED NUMEROUS TIMES, 2 TIMES DUE TO SPILLAGE FROM A CUP THAT'S IN THE CUP HOLDER, DEALER INSTALLED A COVER TO PROTECT PCM, VEHICLE HAS ALSO STALLED 3 OTHER TIMES WITH NO EXPLANATION, POSSIBLY AN ELECTICAL PROBLEM, HOWEVER CHECK ENGINE LIGHT WAS ALSO ILLUMINATED, STALLING COULD ALSO BE RELATED TO EN…
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CONSUMER STATES VEHICLE HAS STALLED NUMEROUS TIMES, 2 TIMES DUE TO SPILLAGE FROM A CUP THAT'S IN THE CUP HOLDER, DEALER INSTALLED A COVER TO PROTECT PCM, VEHICLE HAS ALSO STALLED 3 OTHER TIMES WITH NO EXPLANATION, POSSIBLY AN ELECTICAL PROBLEM, HOWEVER CHECK ENGINE LIGHT WAS ALSO ILLUMINATED, STALLING COULD ALSO BE RELATED TO ENGINE PROBLEM. *SLC
O/D OFF LIGHT BEGAN BLINKING AFTER 30 MIN OF DRIVING, DEALERSHIP REPLACED CPU, NEXT WEEK SAME PROBLEM--WHEN BLINKING BEGINS THE CAR JERKS FROM 1ST TO 2ND GEAR AND RESETS AFTER CAR TURNED OFF--AFTER SEVERAL TIMES IT BEGINS DRIVING ROUGHER AND ROUGHER IN 1ST AND 2ND GEAR.( DOT NUMBER: )
THE TRANSMISSION WENT OUT IN SEPT. OF 2000. THE CAR HAS BEEN SERVISED BY UNIVERSITY MAZDA FRONT BRAKES WEARING ENGINE LIGHT , BATTERY AND SHIFT CONSOLE PROBLEMS. THE CAR IS A LEMON.*AK( DOT NUMBER: )
THE ELECTRICAL MODULE FAILED (COMPUTER) CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO SHUT DOWN, WAS TOLD BY THE DEALER THAT THIS WOULD NOT BE COVER UNDER WARRENTY BECAUSE SOMETHING HAD SPILLED INTO IT. CONSUMER BELIEVES THIS HAPPENED BY DESIGN SINCE THE MODULE IS LOCATED IMMEDIATLY FORWARD AND BELOW THE CUP HOLDER MAKING IT POSSIBLE FOR THINGS TO SP…
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THE ELECTRICAL MODULE FAILED (COMPUTER) CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO SHUT DOWN, WAS TOLD BY THE DEALER THAT THIS WOULD NOT BE COVER UNDER WARRENTY BECAUSE SOMETHING HAD SPILLED INTO IT. CONSUMER BELIEVES THIS HAPPENED BY DESIGN SINCE THE MODULE IS LOCATED IMMEDIATLY FORWARD AND BELOW THE CUP HOLDER MAKING IT POSSIBLE FOR THINGS TO SPILL INTO THIS LOCATION. NLM
Official recalls
315V674000 · 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.
98V206001 · Engine And Engine Cooling:engine
Sep 8, 1998
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES. AN EXTERNAL SPRING IN THE TIMING BELT TENSIONER CAN BREAK AND GET CAUGHT IN THE TIMING BELT.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: THIS CONDITION CAN RESULT IN POSSIBLE ENGINE STALLING.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSPECT THE TENSIONER AND REPLACE IT IF NECESSARY.
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
2RQ02004 · Oversensitive Airbag Deployment
Opened Feb 8, 2002 · Closed Aug 19, 2002
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Air Bags
There is no summary currently available
SQ98024 · Speedometer Inoperative
Opened Oct 29, 1998 · Closed Sep 10, 1999
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Power Train
SEE RESUME FOR DETAILS.