LEFT HOME TO GO TO WORK MADE IT ABOUT 3 MILES FROM MY HOME AND MY TRANSMISSION QUIT WORKING AS I WAS IN THE MIDDLE OF A HWY. I WAS TURNING ONTO FROM A SIDE STREET. I WAS ABOUT HIT AS MY MAZDA WOULD NOT GO AND QUIT WORKING ON A BLIND CORNER. *TR
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
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.
Power Train complaints
233 reportsWE RECENTLY BOUGHT OR MAZDA 626 FROM A DEALER WE WERE TOLD THAT WE WERE GETTING A QUALITY CAR. WE WERE FOOLED. WITH IN THE FIRST WEEK WE HAD TO BUY PART AFTER PART.CHANGE THE TRANS FLUID, CHANGE THE DISTRIBUTOR , SPARK PLUG WIRES, SPARK PLUGS, ROUTER MOTOR, IGNITION COIL, CLEAN FUEL INJECTORS , REPLACE FUEL FILTER, STILL NEED TO…
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WE RECENTLY BOUGHT OR MAZDA 626 FROM A DEALER WE WERE TOLD THAT WE WERE GETTING A QUALITY CAR. WE WERE FOOLED. WITH IN THE FIRST WEEK WE HAD TO BUY PART AFTER PART.CHANGE THE TRANS FLUID, CHANGE THE DISTRIBUTOR , SPARK PLUG WIRES, SPARK PLUGS, ROUTER MOTOR, IGNITION COIL, CLEAN FUEL INJECTORS , REPLACE FUEL FILTER, STILL NEED TO GET A TRANS COOLER AS SOON AS I CAN. IT TOOK US A FEW YEARS TO SAVE FOR A CAR. WE TRUSTED A DEALER AND GOT SCREWED! WE HAVE NO MONEY LEFT AND A CAR WE CAN ONLY USE ON A LIMITED BASIS. WE THOUGHT AFTER LOOSING OUR INCOME THEN OUR FORMER CAR TO REPOSSESSION WITH ONLY $50.00 LEFT ON IT, THEN OUR HOME GETS FORECLOSED ON, AND THE LOSS OF A FATHER, AND SISTER IN A TWO YEAR TIME FRAME WAS ENOUGH. NOPE WE BUY A CAR WITH SO MANY DEFECTS IT CRAZY, I CAN BELIEVE THESE CARS A EVEN ALOUD TO BE SOLD TO ANYONE. FACE IT THEY ARE DEATH TRAPS AND ANYONE WHO OWNS ONE SHOULD GET THEM REPLACED AT MANUFACTURE COST. *TR
CPSC#I1190531A. 1997 MAZDA 626. CONSUMER STATED WHEN SHE BROUGHT THE CAR IT HAD SEVERE TRANSMISSION ISSUES, AND BEGAN SMOKING SEVERELY ONCE TAKEN THE SPEED LIMIT. SHE ALSO STATED IT RESULTED IN BEING TOWED ON THE 6TH DAY OF HAVING THE VEHICLE PURCHASED. *LN
1997 MAZDA 626 TRANNY WENT OUT AT 95K MILES IN 2005 AND AT 146795 MILES THE TRANNY HAS GONE OUT AGAIN. IT'S NOT WORTH FIXING AT THIS POINT. *TR
MAZDA 626 1997 4 CYLINDER TRANSMISSION PROBLEM ONCE THE O/D OFF LIGHT CAME ON. WHEN I SHIFT INTO REVERSE, SOMETIME IT DOES NOT MOVE. AFTER DRIVING FOR A FEW MINUTES THE CAR JERKS AND STRUGGLES WITH ERRATIC SHIFTING OF GEARS. THIS IS ACCOMPANIED BY AN INCREASE IN THE ENGINE RPM AND NOISE. CAR STILL DRIVES BUT MAY NOT BE…
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MAZDA 626 1997 4 CYLINDER TRANSMISSION PROBLEM ONCE THE O/D OFF LIGHT CAME ON. WHEN I SHIFT INTO REVERSE, SOMETIME IT DOES NOT MOVE. AFTER DRIVING FOR A FEW MINUTES THE CAR JERKS AND STRUGGLES WITH ERRATIC SHIFTING OF GEARS. THIS IS ACCOMPANIED BY AN INCREASE IN THE ENGINE RPM AND NOISE. CAR STILL DRIVES BUT MAY NOT BE SAFE. CHECK ENGINE LIGHT SHOWS FAULT WITH TRANSMISSION RANGE SWITCH. *TR
TRANSMISSION LIGHT KEEPS BLINKING ONCE RPM REACHES OF 3. *TR
I HAVE A 1997 MAZDA 626 WITH A FORD CD4E TRANSMISSION. I HAVE READ NUMEROUS STORIES OF EARLY TRANSMISSION FAILURE WITH THIS TRANSMISSION. I AM EXPERIENCING IT MYSELF. I HAVE FILED NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS AND THE ONLY THING I HAVE ACCOMPLISHED IT PUT WEAR AND TEAR ON MY KEYBOARD. I ALSO HAVE A 1998 BUICK LESABRE WITH A PLASTIC INTAKE…
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I HAVE A 1997 MAZDA 626 WITH A FORD CD4E TRANSMISSION. I HAVE READ NUMEROUS STORIES OF EARLY TRANSMISSION FAILURE WITH THIS TRANSMISSION. I AM EXPERIENCING IT MYSELF. I HAVE FILED NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS AND THE ONLY THING I HAVE ACCOMPLISHED IT PUT WEAR AND TEAR ON MY KEYBOARD. I ALSO HAVE A 1998 BUICK LESABRE WITH A PLASTIC INTAKE MANIFOLD. IT HAS 124,000 MILES ON IT AND THE ENGINE SOUNDS LIKE A DIESEL. THIS DEFECT HAS BEEN KNOWN TO CAUSE PREMATURE ENGINE FAILURE IN NUMEROUS CASES. WHAT IS GOING ON? I WOULD VOTE TO FIRE ALL THE FORD AND GENERAL MOTOR ENGINEERS. I AM A DISABLED MAN STUCK WITH TWO PIECES OF ENGINEERING STUPIDITY. ALL I CAN DO IS EVERY ONCE IN A WHILE IS TO BEAT ON THIS KEYBOARD AND FEEL LIKE THERE IS NOTHING I CAN DO ABOUT THIS. IS THERE? THE INJURY IS TO MY TRUST AS WELL AS MY WALLET. *TR
MY TRANSMISSION IS NOT FUNCTIONING PROPERLY. *TR
I DROVE MY 1997 MAZDA 626 FOR A DAY AFTER I BOUGHT IT FROM A USED CAR SALESMAN AS IS. ALL OF A SUDDEN THE O/D OFF LIGHT CAME ON AND ON, THEN PARKED IT, AND JUST 20 MINS LATER I COULD NOT REVERSE IT. WHEN I SHIFT INTO NEUTRAL IT ACTS AS IF ITS IN DRIVE AND NEUTRAL IN REVERSE AND DRIVE IS DRIVE. I'VE READ ONLINE ABOUT PEOPLE WITH…
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I DROVE MY 1997 MAZDA 626 FOR A DAY AFTER I BOUGHT IT FROM A USED CAR SALESMAN AS IS. ALL OF A SUDDEN THE O/D OFF LIGHT CAME ON AND ON, THEN PARKED IT, AND JUST 20 MINS LATER I COULD NOT REVERSE IT. WHEN I SHIFT INTO NEUTRAL IT ACTS AS IF ITS IN DRIVE AND NEUTRAL IN REVERSE AND DRIVE IS DRIVE. I'VE READ ONLINE ABOUT PEOPLE WITH THE SAME CAR HAVING THE EXACT SAME PROBLEMS AND WAS TOLD TO FILE A COMPLAINT HERE. PLEASE BRING MAZDA TO JUSTICE ON THEIR 626 TRANNYS!! *TR
THE MAZDA I OWN IS A 1997 MAZDA 625 WITH A CD-4E FORD AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION. IT HAS 96,000 MILES ON IT AND THE TRANSMISSION IS FAILING. I HAVE READ WHERE NUMEROUS PEOPLE HAVE REPLACED THIS TRANSMISSION MULTIPLE TIMES ONLY TO HAVE IT FAIL AGAIN AND AGAIN. I HAVE FILED THIS COMPLAINT WITH SEVERAL AGENCIES AND I HAVE NEVER BEEN…
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THE MAZDA I OWN IS A 1997 MAZDA 625 WITH A CD-4E FORD AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION. IT HAS 96,000 MILES ON IT AND THE TRANSMISSION IS FAILING. I HAVE READ WHERE NUMEROUS PEOPLE HAVE REPLACED THIS TRANSMISSION MULTIPLE TIMES ONLY TO HAVE IT FAIL AGAIN AND AGAIN. I HAVE FILED THIS COMPLAINT WITH SEVERAL AGENCIES AND I HAVE NEVER BEEN OFFERED A SOLUTION OR EVEN A RESPONSE. NUMEROUS PEOPLE ARE IN THE SAME BOAT AND DESPERATELY LOOKING FOR SOME RECOURSE. I REALLY WONDER IF ANYONE OUT THERE REALLY CARES THAT WE ARE BEING FORCED TO DEAL WITH A TOTALLY DEFECTIVE TRANSMISSION WHICH SHOULD HAVE BEEN RECALLED YEARS AGO. THIS IS TOTAL HIGHWAY ROBBERY. *TR
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.
Illustration