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

Power Train complaints

313 reports

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69,000 miles · Jul 31, 2005

Power Train

MAZDA 626 LX, 1998 - TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS AT 69000 MILES. *JB

NHTSA ODI #10130674

40,000 miles · Jul 27, 2005

Power Train

DT: THE TRANSMISSION PERFORMED POORLY. BEEN IN THE REPAIR SHOP TWICE, THE FIRST TIME BECAUSE IT WAS LEAKING TRANSMISSION FLUID AND JERKING WHEN ACCELERATING PAST FIRST GEAR. HAD AROUND 40,000 MILES. SECOND TIME IT HAD 54,000 MILES FOR THE EXACT SAME THING, AND CURRENTLY, THE THIRD TIME THE VEHICLE WAS STILL LEAKING FLUID…

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NHTSA ODI #10130270

112,000 miles · Jul 27, 2005

Power Train

I HAVE A 1998 MAZDA 626 LX 4 CYLINDER AUTOMATIC. THE TRANSMISSION FAILED AND IS GIVING JERKY MOVEMENTS WHILE DRIVING ESPECIALLY AFTER A EXTENDED DRIVING. ESTIMATED COST IS 3375 PLUS TAXES. I READ ABOUT SIMILAR PROBLEMS ON THE WEB AND DID NOT KNOW IF ANYONE ELSE COMPLAINED TO YOU.

NHTSA ODI #10130262

65,000 miles · Jul 6, 2005

Power Train

MAZDA 1998 626....OVERDRIVE LIGHT STARTED COMING ON AND OFF.TRANS FLUID HAD BOILED OUT OVER MOTOR..ONLY HAD 65,000 MILES...CAR WAS FINE HAD TRANS AND COOLING SYSTEM SERVICED AT 52,000 MILES WAS TOLD EVERYTHING WAS FINE NEEDED TO BE DONE AGAIN AT 100,00...IT WILL COST ME BETWEEN 1,800 TO 3,600 TO GET FIXED.

NHTSA ODI #10127572

89,000 miles · Jun 6, 2005

Power Train

1998 MAZDA 626 TRANSMISSION DEFECTIVE.***NO ANSWER REQUIRED***. *MR *TT TWO DAYS AFTER THE VEHICLE WAS PURCHASED THE TRANSMISSION BEGAN TO MALFUNCTION. *NM

NHTSA ODI #10128086

Mileage unknown · Jun 3, 2005

Power Train

DT: THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 MAZDA 626. SHE STATES THAT TRANSMISSION IS BAD. SHE DID FIX THE TRANSMISSION IN MARCH OF 2005, AND IN JUNE 2005 THE PROBLEM RECURRED. *AK

NHTSA ODI #10124147

91,302 miles · May 31, 2005

Power Train

MAJOR TRANSMISSION FAILURE AFTER 91000 MILES ON A 626 MAZDA 2.0L AUTOMATIC. WHILE DRIVING ON A HIGHWAY TRANSMISSION WOULD JUST GIVE OUT MAKING ENGINE JUST REV WITH NO POWER. FORCING ME TO DRIVE OFF ROAD TO PREVENTING AN INCIDENT.

NHTSA ODI #10122474

35,999 miles · May 25, 2005

Power Train

THIS 1998 626 HAS 84,000 MILES AND IS ON ITS 3RD TRANSMISSION. THIS ONE IS SHOWING THE ALL TOO FAMILIAR SIGNS OF GOING OUT. UNBELIEVABLE HOW THE COMPANYCAN STAY IN BUSINESS.

NHTSA ODI #10122145

Mileage unknown · May 21, 2005

Power Train

MY COMPLAINT IS WITH THE TRANSMISSION IN THE MAZDA 626 (CD4E).

NHTSA ODI #10121766

50,000 miles · May 5, 2005

Power Train

DT: THE VEHICLE SHOOK PRIOR TO TRANSMISSION FAILURE. THE TRANSMISSION HAS BEEN REPLACED NUMEROUS TIMES. *NM

NHTSA ODI #10119982

Official recalls

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.

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

SQ98024 · Speedometer Inoperative

Opened Oct 29, 1998 · Closed Sep 10, 1999

Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Power Train

SEE RESUME FOR DETAILS.