IllustrationENGINE WAS RUNNING BADLY, ENGINE AND OIL LIGHT CAME ON. DEALER FOUND ENGINE HAD "SLUDGED" UP, HAD TO REPLACE ENGINE. IN OCTOBER OF 1999, TRANSMISSION WENT OUT. *AK
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 reportsTRANSMISSION MISSES FROM 1ST TO SECOND GEAR. KNOW OF SEVERAL MAZDA OWNERS, ALL HAVE HAD TRANSMISSIONS REPLACED AT LEAST ONCE. / HAD ONE SENSOR REPLACED, FOLLOWING WEEK LIGHT BACK ON AND SERVICE DEPARTMENT REPLIED I NEED TO REPLACE TWO MORE. *AK
VEHICLE TAKEN TO SERVICE TWICE UNDER WARRANTY. SENSOR CLEANED INSTEAD OF REPLACED. PER MAZDA, THIS IS NOT A PROPER "REPAIR". NOW MASS AIR FLOW & O2 SENSOR DAMAGED. VEHICLE STALLS WHEN SLOWING OR STOPPED.*AK
SHOULDER BELT BECOMES WEDGED BETWEEN FLOORBOARD AND SEATBACK LATCH WHEN RELEASED. THIS CAUSES BELT TO PULL LATCH UP WHEN PULLING IT AND RELEASING BACK, CAUSING IT TO FALL BACK. DEALER HAS BEEN CONTACTED.*AK *SLC
BOTH AIRBAGS DEPLOYED WHEN CONSUMER WENT OVER A BUMP IN ROAD AT ABOUT 15 MPH, WINDSHIELD CRACKED WHEN AIRBAGS DEPLOYED.*AK
TRANSMISSION WOULD JUMP WHILE TRYING TO SHIFT FROM PARK TO DRIVE OR FROM DRIVE TO PARK. SOMETIMES WOULD FAIL TO SHIFT. HAPPENED AT LEAST 4-5 TIMES BEFORE TAKEN TO DEALER. MECHANIC INDICATED A DEFECT IN TRANSMISSION WAS CAUSING THE PROBLEM AND IT COULD BE REPAIRED.*AK
VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN A FRONTAL COLLISION. IMPACT WAS ON LEFT AND RIGHT FRONT OF VEHICLE. UPON IMPACT, AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY, RESULTING IN MINOR INJURIES.*AK THE VEHICL'S SENSOR SYSTEM FAILED. THE TRANSMISSION WAS REBUILT. THE VEHICLE HAD BEEN IN ACCIDENT BY THE PREVIOUS OWNER AND DEALER REFUSED TO TAKE IT BACK. *YH
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
RECALL 98V206001 DONE IN JUNE 1999, PROBLEMS WITH VEHICLE EVER SINCE, TIMING CHAIN REPLACED A SECOND TIME IN OCTOBER 2000. CURRENTLY VEHICLE IS SHAKING, CATALYTIC CONVERTER WAS REPLACED, DEALER THOUGHT THAT WAS THE PROBLEM, ENGINE LIGHT STILL ON, TIMING CHAIN NEEDED TO BE REPLACED A THIRD TIME. *AK
THE TIMING CHAIN HAS BROKE TWICE. IN JUN 1999 AND AGAIN IN OCT 2000. BOTH TIMES WE WERE AWAY FROM HOME AND HAD THE CAR TOWED TO MAZDA AT OUR EXPENSE. TO CARS ENGINE LIGHT CONTINUES TO COME ON AND MAZDA SAYS ITS THE EXHAUST/CATALICTIC CONVERTER. WE FIXED THE CONVERTER AND THE ENGINE LIGHT IS STILL ON AND THE CAR SHAKES. MAZDA REF…
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THE TIMING CHAIN HAS BROKE TWICE. IN JUN 1999 AND AGAIN IN OCT 2000. BOTH TIMES WE WERE AWAY FROM HOME AND HAD THE CAR TOWED TO MAZDA AT OUR EXPENSE. TO CARS ENGINE LIGHT CONTINUES TO COME ON AND MAZDA SAYS ITS THE EXHAUST/CATALICTIC CONVERTER. WE FIXED THE CONVERTER AND THE ENGINE LIGHT IS STILL ON AND THE CAR SHAKES. MAZDA REFUSES TO FIX THE ENGINE. OUR INSURANCE COMPANY EVEN SAID THEY WOULD REPLACE THE ENGINE WITH A NEW ONE BUT MAZDA REFUSED THAT ALSO. MAZDA WILL NOT FIX THIS CAR AND UNITL THEY DO WE DON'T DRIVE IT FOR LONG DISTANCES. WE CAN NOT EVEN SELL IT UNTIL THIS PROBLEM IS FIXED.
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.