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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.

17 crash reports5 fire reports22 injury reports

What owners actually said

358 reports
82,000 miles · Apr 11, 2003
Power Train

THE OVER DRIVE LIGHT ALL OF A SUDDEN BLINKED, AND THE TRANSMISSION FAILED. *JB *TS

NHTSA ODI #10015685

81,000 miles · Apr 1, 2003
Power Train

THE OVER DRIVE LIGHT FLASHED. WHICH RESULTED IN THE VEHICLE NOT SWITCHING GEARS. THE DEALERSHIP STATED IT WAS CAUSED BY THE TCC SOLENOID. *JB

NHTSA ODI #10014946

Mileage unknown · Feb 19, 2003
Engine And Engine CoolingFire

THE VEHICLE STALLED, AND THEN CAUGHT ON FIRE.*JB

NHTSA ODI #10008724

74,000 miles · Jan 24, 2003
Power Train

PROBLEM WITH THE TRANSMISSION IN MY 1997 MAZDA 626

NHTSA ODI #10003350

Mileage unknown · Jan 24, 2003
Power Train

THE TRANSMISSION ON MY CAR WENT AT 63000 MILES, TOLD BY THE DEALER "ROSENTHAL MAZDA" THAT THIS WAS COMMON. ACCORDING TO THE DEALER, " THE 626'S ARE IN HERE ALL THE TIME TO HAVE THE TRANNIES REBUILT, YOU SHOULD BE HAPPY YOURS LASTED TO 60K" BULLCRAP, SHOULDN'T THERE BE SOME ACCOUNTABILITY ON MAZDA/FORD'S PART. ALL OVER THE NET…

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THE TRANSMISSION ON MY CAR WENT AT 63000 MILES, TOLD BY THE DEALER "ROSENTHAL MAZDA" THAT THIS WAS COMMON. ACCORDING TO THE DEALER, " THE 626'S ARE IN HERE ALL THE TIME TO HAVE THE TRANNIES REBUILT, YOU SHOULD BE HAPPY YOURS LASTED TO 60K" BULLCRAP, SHOULDN'T THERE BE SOME ACCOUNTABILITY ON MAZDA/FORD'S PART. ALL OVER THE NET YOU SEE PROBLEMS WITH THE TRANNY ON THIS PIECE OF CRAP YET THE NHTSA DOES NOTHING, WHAT A JOKE.

NHTSA ODI #10003316

70,200 miles · Dec 29, 2002
Power Train

I HAVE HAD NUMEROUS PROBLEMS OUT OF MY TRANSMISSION ON MY 1997 MAZDA 626 V4 AUTOMATIC. I HAVE TAKEN MY CAR TO A TRANSMISSION MECHANIC SHOP 3 TIMES NOW AND ONE OF THE TIMES IT HAD TO BE TOWED, AND THEY CANNOT FIND WHAT THE PROBLEM IS. THE OVERDRIVE LIGHT WOULD COME ON AND CONSTANTLY FLASH AND THE CAR WOULD START SHIFTING HARD AND…

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I HAVE HAD NUMEROUS PROBLEMS OUT OF MY TRANSMISSION ON MY 1997 MAZDA 626 V4 AUTOMATIC. I HAVE TAKEN MY CAR TO A TRANSMISSION MECHANIC SHOP 3 TIMES NOW AND ONE OF THE TIMES IT HAD TO BE TOWED, AND THEY CANNOT FIND WHAT THE PROBLEM IS. THE OVERDRIVE LIGHT WOULD COME ON AND CONSTANTLY FLASH AND THE CAR WOULD START SHIFTING HARD AND SOMETIMES WOULD NOT WANT TO SHIFT INTO PASSING GEAR AT ALL. BUT ONCE IT SETS FOR A FEW HOURS AND COOLS DOWN, THE OVERDRIVE LIGHT DOESN'T COME ON ANYMORE AND THE MECHANIC SHOP TELLS ME THAT THE CAR HAS RESET IT'S SELF AND THEY CANNOT DETECT THE DEFECT CODE BY THEIR COMPUTER DIAGNOSTICS. IT SEEMS LIKE THE OVERDRIVE LIGHT ONLY COMES ON WHEN YOU HAVE HAD THE CAR ON THE ROAD FOR A WHILE, AND IT GETS HEATED UP. I HAVE READ SEVERAL OTHER TRANSMISSION COMPLAINTS FROM OTHER MAZDA 626 OWNERS OFF THE INTERNET AND IN MY LOCAL RESIDENCE AREA. I'AM REQUESTING THAT THERE NEEDS TO BE SOMETHING DONE ABOUT THESE TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS BY MAZDA. MAZDA NEEDS TO HAVE A RECALL ON THE MAZDA 626 V4 CARS, BY REQUESTING PEOPLE TO GO TO THEIR LOCAL MAZDA DEALERSHIP AND HAVE THEIR CAR CHECKED FOR THESE TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS. AND IF A PROBLEM IS DETECTED ON THE TRANSMISSION BY THE MAZDA SERVICE DEPARTMENT, THEN MAZDA SHOULD BE FINANCIALLY RESPONSIBLE FOR THE CHARGES. I WOULD LIKE FOR MAZDA TO CONTACT ME ABOUT MY COMPLAINT. THANK YOU.

NHTSA ODI #10000418

Mileage unknown · Dec 3, 2002
Power Train

THERE HAVE BEEN AN OVERWHELMING NUMBER OF COMPLAINTS FROM MAZDA 626 OWNERS WITH THIS SAME PROBLEM. MY TRANSMISSION HAS FAILED TWICE AND IS ABOUT TO GO INTO ITS 3RD REBUILD IN 18 MONTHS. PLEASE, PLEASE JUST READ THIS PAGE OF THIS MESSAGE BOARD AND YOU WILL FIND AN INCREDIBLY HIGH NUMBER OF OWNERS REPORTING THE SAME PROBLEM. IF TH…

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THERE HAVE BEEN AN OVERWHELMING NUMBER OF COMPLAINTS FROM MAZDA 626 OWNERS WITH THIS SAME PROBLEM. MY TRANSMISSION HAS FAILED TWICE AND IS ABOUT TO GO INTO ITS 3RD REBUILD IN 18 MONTHS. PLEASE, PLEASE JUST READ THIS PAGE OF THIS MESSAGE BOARD AND YOU WILL FIND AN INCREDIBLY HIGH NUMBER OF OWNERS REPORTING THE SAME PROBLEM. IF THIS MANY PEOPLE REPORTED THE PROBLEM, IMAGINE HOW MANY OTHERS THERE ARE THAT HAVEN'T DONE SO. I WHOLE HEARTEDLY BELIEVE THAT THESE TRANSMISSIONS SHOULD BE RECALLED. PLEASE SEE: HTTP://WWW.CARTRACKERS.COM/FORUMS/LIVE/YOURLEMON/189.HTML DT

NHTSA ODI #770368

Mileage unknown · Nov 18, 2002
Power Train

AUTO TRANS IS NOT WORKING RIGHT SLIPING WHILE SHIFTS.

NHTSA ODI #769847

Mileage unknown · Oct 31, 2002
Power Train

THE LIGHT COMES ON AFTER ABOUT 60 MILES OF DRIVING. TURNING THE IGINTION OFF AND BACK ON WILL TURN OFF THE OD LIGHT BUT ONLY TEMP. AFTER THE SECOND TIME THE OD LIGHT COMES ON, THE ENGINE LIGHT COMES ON. I HAVE TAKEN THIS TO A MECHANIC AND HE CLEARED THE CODES AND CHANGED THE TRANSMISSION FLUID. THIS CYCLE OF EVENTS HAS HAPPE…

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THE LIGHT COMES ON AFTER ABOUT 60 MILES OF DRIVING. TURNING THE IGINTION OFF AND BACK ON WILL TURN OFF THE OD LIGHT BUT ONLY TEMP. AFTER THE SECOND TIME THE OD LIGHT COMES ON, THE ENGINE LIGHT COMES ON. I HAVE TAKEN THIS TO A MECHANIC AND HE CLEARED THE CODES AND CHANGED THE TRANSMISSION FLUID. THIS CYCLE OF EVENTS HAS HAPPENED 15 TIMES IN 6 MONTHS. I WAS TOLD BY THE MECHANIC THAT THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH MAZDA 626'S FROM ABOUT 1994 - 1997. I HAVE CONTACTED MY CLOSEST DEALERSHIP AND THEY TOLD ME THAT TO REMEDY THIS SITUATION, I WILL NEED A NEW TRANSMISSION WHICH WILL COST ABOUT $2000. I SEE ON THE INTERNET HUNDREDS OF PEOPLE WHO ARE REPORTING THE SAME PROBLEM IN THEIR MAZDA 626'S AS I AM HAVING. IF MAZDA KNOWS THAT THERE IS A PROBLEM WITH THEIR AUTOMOBILE, WHY DON'T THEY FIX IT FOR US. I SPENT VERY GOOD MONEY ON MY VEHICLE AND I TAKE VERY GOOD CARE OF IT. THE TRANSMISSION SHOULDN'T BE GOING OUT @ 60000 MILES. DT

NHTSA ODI #769142

Mileage unknown · Oct 15, 2002
Power Train

TRANSMISSION FAILED AT ONLY 60000 MILES. MR

NHTSA ODI #768485

Official recalls

3

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.

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

2

RQ02004 · 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.