IllustrationWHILE DRIVING 30 MPH CONSUMER'S VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN A REAR END COLLISION WHICH CAUSED A CHAIN REACTION. UPON IMPACT, AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. DRIVER AND TWO OTHER PASSENGERS SUSTAINED MINOR INJURIES AND WERE TRANSPORTED TO THE HOSPITAL. VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION. *AK
1998 Mazda 626
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
More warning signs than most 626 years
Owner complaints for the 1998 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
30–25K
825–50K
5350–75K
7875–100K
66100–150K
16150K+
224 reports with mileage · 210 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 313 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Engine And Engine Cooling. Review the 81 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Electrical System. Review the 12 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
12 crash reports5 fire reports11 injury reports
Air Bags complaints
11 reportsMY DAUGHTER HAS A 1998 MAZDA 626. SHE HIT A TREE HEAD ON AT ABOUT 40 MILES PER HOUR AND THE AIR BAG DID NOT COME OUT. WE HAVE HAD THE CAR REPAIRED AND SHE IS DRIVING IT NOW. IT REALLY CONCERNS ME THAT THIS IS A DANGEROUS CAR IF SHE HAS A WRECK THAT IS WORST THAT THE ONE SHE ALREADY HAS.
WHILE TRAVELING ABOUT 35MPH ON THE HIGHWAY AND WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING.ANOTHER VEHICLE MADE A SUDDEN STOP CAUSING THE CONSUMER TO HIT HER FROM BEHIND. UPON IMPACT, DRIVER'S SIDE AIR BAG DIDN'T DEPLOY. *AK
ON STATED DATE, I WAS REARENDED ON HIGHWAY. AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY, HOWEVER BACK PART OF DRIVERS SEAT BROKE. IT WAS FOUND COMPLETELY HORIZONTAL AT END OF IMPACT. MAZDA SAID IT WAS BUILT TO DO THAT FOR SAFETY REASONS! TOW TRUCK OPERATOR, AUTO BODY EMPLOYEES HAVE NEVER HEARD OR SEEN SUCH A "SAFETY FEATURE." DUE TO THIS DEFECT IN …
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ON STATED DATE, I WAS REARENDED ON HIGHWAY. AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY, HOWEVER BACK PART OF DRIVERS SEAT BROKE. IT WAS FOUND COMPLETELY HORIZONTAL AT END OF IMPACT. MAZDA SAID IT WAS BUILT TO DO THAT FOR SAFETY REASONS! TOW TRUCK OPERATOR, AUTO BODY EMPLOYEES HAVE NEVER HEARD OR SEEN SUCH A "SAFETY FEATURE." DUE TO THIS DEFECT IN SEAT MECHANISM,I SUSTAINED BACK INJURIES THAT CONTINUE TO THIS DAY. I HAVE KEPT THE BROKEN SEAT TRACK. I WOULD LIKE TO HAVE IT CHECKED OUT. IF MAZDA DESIGNED THE SEAT BACK TO BREAK ON IMPACT AS A SAFETY FACTOR, IT HAS FAILED ME QUITE DRASTICALLY!!
I SAW THE ITEM IN THE MIDDLE OF THE FREEWAY TRAVELING 55 MPH DURING RUSH HOUR TRAFFIC. IT WAS SMALL AND DUE TO TRAFFIC, I RAN OVER THE ITEM AND THE NEXT THING I REMEMBER WAS AN AIRBAG IN MY FACE. I LOOKED AROUND TO SEE IF SOMEONE HIT ME OR IF I HIT SOMEONE. DUE TO THE FORCE OF THE PASSENGER AIRBAG, IT CRACKED MY WINDSHEILD. …
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I SAW THE ITEM IN THE MIDDLE OF THE FREEWAY TRAVELING 55 MPH DURING RUSH HOUR TRAFFIC. IT WAS SMALL AND DUE TO TRAFFIC, I RAN OVER THE ITEM AND THE NEXT THING I REMEMBER WAS AN AIRBAG IN MY FACE. I LOOKED AROUND TO SEE IF SOMEONE HIT ME OR IF I HIT SOMEONE. DUE TO THE FORCE OF THE PASSENGER AIRBAG, IT CRACKED MY WINDSHEILD. NO DAMAGE WAS REPORTED UNDERNEATH MY VEHICLE SO WHY DID MY AIRBAGS DEPLOY? THIS DEFECT COULD HAVE CAUSED MAJOR DAMAGE IF I HADN'T REACTED CALMLY WHEN IT HAPPENDED.*AK
FRONT IMPACT CRASH AT 30 MPH, AND NEITHER AIRBAG DEPLOYED, DAMAGE $ 2200. *AK
BOTH DRIVER AND PASSENGER SIDE AIR BAGS DEPLOYED WITHOUT ANY APPARENT CAUSE, VIOLENT CONDITION OF DEPLOYMENT CAUSED INJURIES TO CONSUMERS FACE AND CHEST AREA. YH
WHILE DRIVING THROUGH A GREEN LIGHT CONSUMER WAS INVOLVED IN AN ACCIDENT WHICH RESULTED IN SERVERE INJURY. HOWEVER, BOTH AIRBAGS EXPERIENCED NO DEPLOYMENT WHICH COULD HAVE PREVENTED INJURY. *YC
FALSE DEPLOYMENT OF AIR BAG CAUSED INJURY TO CONSUMER UPON COLLISION, UPON INSPECTION CONCLUDED POSSIBLE UNDERCARRIAGE DAMAGE. NLM
WHILE DRIVING AT 65 MPH DRIVER'S SIDE AND PASSENGER'S SIDE AIR BAGS DEPLOYED FOR NO REASON. CONSUMER HAD TO PULL OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD DUE TO AIR BAG DEPLOYMENT. *AK
Official recalls
415V674000 · 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.
00V134000 · Engine And Engine Cooling:engine
May 9, 2000
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES. AN EXTERNAL SPRING IN THE TIMING BELT TENSIONER COULD BREAK.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: THE BROKEN SPRING MAY GET CAUGHT IN THE TIMING BELT, RESULTING POSSIBLE ENGINE STALLING.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL CHECK THE TENSIONER INSTALLED AND REPLACE IT IF THE VEHICLE IS EQUIPPED WITH THE AFFECTED TENSIONER.
98V243000 · Equipment:electrical:radio/tape Deck/cd Etc.
Oct 2, 1998
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: IF THE VEHICLE IS OPERATED IN A HOT, HUMID ENVIRONMENT WITH THE WINDOW OPEN AND AIR CONDITIONER RUNNING, IT IS POSSIBLE FOR CONDENSATION TO ENTER THE AUDIO UNIT AND CAUSE A SHORT CIRCUIT.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: IF THE SHORT CIRCUIT OCCURS AT ONE SPECIFIC SET OF TERMINALS, THE SPEAKER CAN OVERHEAT AND IN SOME CASES, CATCH FIRE.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL AFFIX ALUMINUM TAPE OVER THE AUDIO UNIT TO PREVENT WATER FROM ENTERING.
97V228000 · Fuel System, Gasoline:fuel Injection System
Dec 17, 1997
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES. DUE TO A PROGRAMMING ERROR, THE POWERTRAIN CONTROL MODULE (PCM) INSTALLED CAN, UNDER CERTAIN DRIVING CONDITIONS, TRIGGER A SHIFT IN AIR-FUEL RATIO TO AN OVERLEAN CONDITION.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: THIS CONDITION CAN RESULT IN AN ENGINE STALL, WHICH COULD LEAD TO LOSS OF VEHICLE CONTROL AND/OR A VEHICLE CRASH.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPROGRAM THE PCM WITH THE CORRECT ENGINE CONTROL LOGIC.
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
1SQ98024 · Speedometer Inoperative
Opened Oct 29, 1998 · Closed Sep 10, 1999
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Power Train
SEE RESUME FOR DETAILS.