IllustrationWHILE DRIVING FRONT AIR BAGS DEPLOYED WITHOUT BEING IN AN ACCIDENT, CAUSING MINOR INJURIES TO DRIVER, AND MAJOR INJURIES TO FRONT AND BACK PASSENGER.
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
What owners actually said
358 reportsWHILE DRVING OVERDRIVE LIGHT ILLUMINATES, INDICATING A MALFUNCTION. SHORTLY AFTER VEHICLE SHIFTS FROM DRIVE INTO ANOTHER GEAR, CAUSE UNKNOWN. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK
TRANSMISSION FLUID LEAKING FROM VEHICLE. TOOKEHICLE TO DEALER, AND DEALER INDICATED TRANSMISSION WAS BURNING ITSELF UP.*AK
TRANSMISSION HESITATING WHEN SHIFTING, OVERDRIVE WILL SUDDENLY KICK OUT AT ANY SPEED, OVERDRIVE LIGHT WILL FLASH.*AK
TRANSMISSION ON MY 1997 MAZDA 626 WENT OUT IN DECEMBER OF 2001. MAZDA WOULD NOT ACKNOWLEDGE THE PROBLEM, BUT THEY WERE WILLING TO LET ME PAY $3,000 FOR A NEW TRANSMISSION. I TRADED IT IN AT A LOSS, JUST TO BE RID OF IT. *AK
BATTERY CABLE CLAMPS ARE TOO LOOSE FOR THE BATTERY POLE
WHILE AT A STOP VEHICLE WOULD JERK UPON TAKING OFF. TOOK TO MECHANIC, AND THEY REPLACED TRANSMISSION. AT 67000 MILES VEHICLE HAS HAD 4 TRANSMISSIONS. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION.*AK
INTERMITTENTLY VEHICLE JERKS/ SPUTTERS AND JUMPS OUT OF GEAR OR GETS STUCK BETWEEN GEARS. GEAR IS SHIFTED TO NEUTRAL FIRST BEFORE GOING INTO DRIVE. SERVICE TECHNICIAN INDICATED THAT VEHICLE DIDN'T FALL WITHIN THE GUIDELINS OF RECALL 98-V-206-001/ MANUFACTURER'S RECALL 76810. VEHICLE HAS A PREEXISTING TIMING BELT PROBLEM. PL…
Read full complaint
INTERMITTENTLY VEHICLE JERKS/ SPUTTERS AND JUMPS OUT OF GEAR OR GETS STUCK BETWEEN GEARS. GEAR IS SHIFTED TO NEUTRAL FIRST BEFORE GOING INTO DRIVE. SERVICE TECHNICIAN INDICATED THAT VEHICLE DIDN'T FALL WITHIN THE GUIDELINS OF RECALL 98-V-206-001/ MANUFACTURER'S RECALL 76810. VEHICLE HAS A PREEXISTING TIMING BELT PROBLEM. PLEASE PROVIDE MORE INFORMATION. *AK
ENGINE TIMING CHAIN AND GEAR MALFUNCTIONED. *AK
WHILE TRAVELING NOTICED ENGINE CHECK LIGHT FLASHING, SOON AFTER VEHICLE STARTED JERKING. DEALER HAS BEEN CONTACTED, CAN'T DUPLICATE. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK
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.