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 reports
Mileage unknown · Sep 10, 2001
Power TrainUnknown Or Other
WHILE DRIVING FROM SARASOTA TO WPB GOING APPROX 65-70 MPH THE O/D OFF LIGHT STARTED BLINKING ALTHOUGH IT WASNT OFF. THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AND THE NEXT DAY I TOOK IT TO THE DEALER AND I WAS TOLD THE TRANSMISSION WAS FAILING AND SUGGESTED I HAVE THE TRANSMISSION SERVICED AND WATCH AND SEE SINCE THE TRANS WASNT SLIPPING. …
Read full complaint
WHILE DRIVING FROM SARASOTA TO WPB GOING APPROX 65-70 MPH THE O/D OFF LIGHT STARTED BLINKING ALTHOUGH IT WASNT OFF. THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AND THE NEXT DAY I TOOK IT TO THE DEALER AND I WAS TOLD THE TRANSMISSION WAS FAILING AND SUGGESTED I HAVE THE TRANSMISSION SERVICED AND WATCH AND SEE SINCE THE TRANS WASNT SLIPPING. WELL 1 MONTH LATER WHILE TRAVELING AGAIN FROM SARASOTA TO WPB NOT ONLY DID THE O/D OFF LIGHT COME ON WHILE TRYING TO PASS THE TRANS DID SLIP. I WAS TOLD THE TRANS WOULD NEED TO BE REPLACED AND SINCE I HAD COMPLAINED TO MAZDA THAT THERE WAS ABSOLUTELY NO REASON A 57K TRANS SHOULD BE FAILING THEY OFFERED TO PAY FOR THE TRANS BUT I WOULD BE RESPONSIBLE FOR LABOR. AT THIS TIME I HAVE YET TO HAVE IT DONE AND WILL INSIST THAT MAZDA PAY FOR THE LABOR ALSO. I HAVE DONE A LOT OF RESEARCH AND THIS APPARENTLY IS A MAJOR PROBLEM WITH THESE CERTAIN TRANS. I HAD MENTIONED TO STEPHANIE AT MAZDA CUSTOMER SERVICE THAT I FOUND IT FUNNY THAT MAZDA WILL RECALL GAS CAPS, BUT YET WITH SUCH A DEFECTIVE TRANSMISSION, NOT A THING IS MENTIONED. I ABSOLUTELY CAN NOT BELIEVE THAT THESE TRANSMISSIONS HAVE NOT BEEN RECALLED. IS IT BECAUSE NOT ENOUGH PEOPLE HAVE COMPLAINED? OR IS IT THAT NO ONE HAS DIED? HOW DOES THIS WORK. I AM VERY UPSET WITH THIS AND IT NEEDS TO BE TAKEN C ARE OF. MAZDA WILL NOT DO ANYTHING UNLESS THEY ARE MADE TO. PLEASE INVESTIGATE THIS. I HAVE SEEN HUNDREDS OF COMPLAINTS ON THIS EXACT PROBLEM ON SITES SUCH AS COMPLAINTCENTER.COM, COMPLAINCENTER.COM, YAHOO FORUMS,DUSTBURY.COM/626/TRANS.HTML ETC. ETC.*AK
NHTSA ODI #751983
Mileage unknown · Sep 5, 2001
Service Brakes, HydraulicVehicle Speed ControlCrashInjury
SUDDEN ACCLERATION, BRAKES FAILED. *AK
NHTSA ODI #751679
Mileage unknown · Sep 2, 2001
Power TrainUnknown Or Other
I STARTED HAVING TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS AT 45000 MILES TRANSMISSION WAS SUPPOSEDLY REPLACED AT 48OOO MILES. NOW ABOUT TWO YEARS LATER I'M HAVING THE SAME PROBLEMS AGAIN, BUT MY WARRANTY HAS EXPIRED.( O/D + ENGINE LIGHTS COME ON, TRANS STALLS WHILE ACCERLERATING, TRANS SLIPPING, BANGING SOUND WHEN PUT IN REVERSE)
NHTSA ODI #751545
Mileage unknown · Aug 23, 2001
Power Train
I CAN GET STATEMENTS FROM TWO DIFFERENT TRANSMISSION SHOPS SAYING THAT MAZDA 626 TRANSMISSIONS ARE WORKED ON MORE THAN ANY OTHER AUTOMOBILE.*AK
NHTSA ODI #751007
Mileage unknown · Jul 19, 2001
Power Train
THE TRANSMISSION ON MY 1997 MAZDA 626 FAILED AT JUST OVER 65,000. I TOOK THE CAR TO AN AUTHORIZED MAZDA DEALERSHIP FOR REPAIRS. THE MAZDA MECHANIC TOLD ME THAT I NEEDED TO COMPLETELY REPLACE THE TRANSMISSION. TO SAVE ON THE FINAL COST, I TOOK THE CAR TO A TRANSMISSION SPECIALIST, WHO REBUILT THE TRANSMISSION. I AM WRITING TO…
Read full complaint
THE TRANSMISSION ON MY 1997 MAZDA 626 FAILED AT JUST OVER 65,000. I TOOK THE CAR TO AN AUTHORIZED MAZDA DEALERSHIP FOR REPAIRS. THE MAZDA MECHANIC TOLD ME THAT I NEEDED TO COMPLETELY REPLACE THE TRANSMISSION. TO SAVE ON THE FINAL COST, I TOOK THE CAR TO A TRANSMISSION SPECIALIST, WHO REBUILT THE TRANSMISSION. I AM WRITING TODAY BECAUSE I HAVE SINCE LEARNED THAT MINE NOT AN ISOLATED PROBLEM. IF FACT, THE RESEARCH THAT I HAVE DONE (CONSUMER REPORTS, INTERENET, ETC.) INDICATES THAT THERE ARE SEVERE PROBLEMS WITH THE TRANSMISSION ON 1993-1998 MAZDA 626'S (SOME TRANSMISSIONS HAVE BEEN REPLACED AT ONLY 30,000 MILES). AND WHILE CERTAINLY NOT CONCLUSIVE EVIDENCE, I WAS TOLD BY THE TRANSMISSION SPECIALIST WHO WORKED ON MY CAR THEY "WORK ON MAZDA 626'S ALL THE TIME". IN FACT THERE WERE TWO OTHER MAZDA 626'S AT THE SHOP ON THE SAME DAY. ONE WAS A 1997 AND THE OTHER A 1996. MY SINCERE HOPE IS THAT THIS PROBLEM CAN BE RESOLVED.*AK
NHTSA ODI #748780
Mileage unknown · Jun 26, 2001
Power Train
ANOTHER MAZDA W/ TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS. HAVING TO HAVE REBUILT FOR $2K. OWNER'S MANUAL REFERENCES NOTHING ABOUT BEING REQUIRED TO REPLACE THE TRANSMISSION AT 60,000 MILES USE. I WAS VERY LUCKY THAT MYSELF AND PREGNANT WIFE WEREN'T ON THE INTERSTATE WHEN IT WENT OUT. *AK
NHTSA ODI #747409
Mileage unknown · Jun 19, 2001
Air Bags
WHILE DRIVING PASSENGER'S AIR BAG INTERMITTENTLY DEPLOYED. *AK
NHTSA ODI #890718
Mileage unknown · Jun 12, 2001
Engine And Engine CoolingPower TrainUnknown Or Other
ABOUT A YEAR AGO MY ENGINE CHECK LIGHT CAME ON. I TOOK IT TO THE MAZDA DEALER AND THEY SAID THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER WAS BAD. IT WAS REPLACE BECAUSE IT WAS STILL UNDER WARRANTY. TWO MONTHS AGO MY CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AGAIN. I WAS AGAIN TOLD THAT MY CATALYTIC CONVER WAS BAD AND IT WAS AGAIN REPLACED. TODAY I WAS DRIVING ON T…
Read full complaint
ABOUT A YEAR AGO MY ENGINE CHECK LIGHT CAME ON. I TOOK IT TO THE MAZDA DEALER AND THEY SAID THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER WAS BAD. IT WAS REPLACE BECAUSE IT WAS STILL UNDER WARRANTY. TWO MONTHS AGO MY CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AGAIN. I WAS AGAIN TOLD THAT MY CATALYTIC CONVER WAS BAD AND IT WAS AGAIN REPLACED. TODAY I WAS DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY AT ABOUT 75 MILES PER HOUR WHEN MY O/D LIGHT BEGAN TO FLASH ON AND OFF. FIVE MINUTES LATER MY CAR STARTED TO LOSE POWER. AFTER PULLING OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD MY CAR WOULD NOT CHANGE GEARS. IT WOULD NOT GO FORWARD OR IN REVERSE. I HAD IT TOWED TO THE MAZDA DEALER AND I WAS TOLD THAT THE TRANSMISSION WAS BAD AND THAT IT WOULD TAKE $2500.00 TO BE REPLACED.*AK
NHTSA ODI #746754
Mileage unknown · Jun 8, 2001
Air Bags
AFTER AIR BAG DEPLOYMENTCHEMICAL FROM THE AIR BAG CAUSES CONSUMER UPPER RESPIRATORY PROBLEMS, SUCH AS SHORTNESS OF BREATH, DIZZINESS AND RAPID HEART BEAT. SEEKING HELP FROM NHTSA TO LOCATE TYPE OF CHEMICAL USED IN THAT AIR BAG. PLEASE FEEL FREE TO PROVIDE ANY FURTHER DETAILS ON THIS MATTER . *AK
NHTSA ODI #890048
Mileage unknown · Apr 24, 2001
Power Train
I HAVE CONTACTED MAZDA DIRECTLY. THEY REFUSE TO ADMIT THAT THEY HAVE A DEFECT IN THE CD4E TRANSMISSIONS ON THESE CARS EVEN THOUGH ALL REPAIR SHOPS CONTACTED WARN NOT ONLY OF 70+% FAILURE RATE, BUT WARN NOT TO BUY MAZDA REBUILT BECAUSE THEY ARE STILL NOT REPAIRING THE DEFECTS IN THE TRANNY. SAME FAILURE RATE CAN BE FOUND IN THE P…
Read full complaint
I HAVE CONTACTED MAZDA DIRECTLY. THEY REFUSE TO ADMIT THAT THEY HAVE A DEFECT IN THE CD4E TRANSMISSIONS ON THESE CARS EVEN THOUGH ALL REPAIR SHOPS CONTACTED WARN NOT ONLY OF 70+% FAILURE RATE, BUT WARN NOT TO BUY MAZDA REBUILT BECAUSE THEY ARE STILL NOT REPAIRING THE DEFECTS IN THE TRANNY. SAME FAILURE RATE CAN BE FOUND IN THE POST 1995 AND UP FORD CONTOUR WHICH SHARES THE SAME TRANSMISSION. MFR REFUSES TO BE OF ANY HELP. PLEASE LET ME KNOW HOW I CAN PROCEED.*AK
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.
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.
Illustration