NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
Power Train complaints
313 reportsClear category filter101,000 miles · Jan 14, 2005
Power Train
WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY, I STOPPED FOR FUEL. I GOT IN THE CAR TO LEAVE AND IT WOULD NOT MOVE. HAD THE CAR TOWED TO AAMCO . TRANSMISSION AND TORQUE CONVERTER WERE REPAIRED. TWO WEEKS LATER, I HAD TO RETURN TO AAMCO AND THE TORQUE CONVERTER WAS AGAIN REPLACED. THIS IS A WELL MAINTAINED CAR AND NOT ABUSED. THERE WAS NO WARNING…
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WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY, I STOPPED FOR FUEL. I GOT IN THE CAR TO LEAVE AND IT WOULD NOT MOVE. HAD THE CAR TOWED TO AAMCO . TRANSMISSION AND TORQUE CONVERTER WERE REPAIRED. TWO WEEKS LATER, I HAD TO RETURN TO AAMCO AND THE TORQUE CONVERTER WAS AGAIN REPLACED. THIS IS A WELL MAINTAINED CAR AND NOT ABUSED. THERE WAS NO WARNING THAT SOMETHING WAS WRONG. AAMCO SAID THE TRANSMISSION HAD OVERHEATED CAUSING THE FAILURE. THERE WAS NO APPARENT SLIPPAGE PRIOR TO THE EVENT. *JB
NHTSA ODI #10106310
89,600 miles · Jan 7, 2005
Power Train
I PURCHASED A 1998 MAZDA 626 8/14/01 APPROXIMATELY 29700 MILES. BEGAN EXPERIENCING A PROBLEM WITH OVERDRIVE APPROXIMATELY 9 MONTHS THEREAFTER. NO PROBLEM FOUND. RECENTLY THE TRANSMISSON HAS BEEN SLIPPING APPROXIMATELY 86000 MILES. ON 1/6/05 THE VEHICLE WILL GO INTO DRIVE BUT WILL NOT ACCELERATE AT ALL. RESEARCHED THIS INFO O…
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I PURCHASED A 1998 MAZDA 626 8/14/01 APPROXIMATELY 29700 MILES. BEGAN EXPERIENCING A PROBLEM WITH OVERDRIVE APPROXIMATELY 9 MONTHS THEREAFTER. NO PROBLEM FOUND. RECENTLY THE TRANSMISSON HAS BEEN SLIPPING APPROXIMATELY 86000 MILES. ON 1/6/05 THE VEHICLE WILL GO INTO DRIVE BUT WILL NOT ACCELERATE AT ALL. RESEARCHED THIS INFO ON THE WEB, IT SEEMS SEVERAL CONSUMERS HAVE HAD THE SAME PROBLEM. RECALL NEEDED. (HTTP://WWW.DUSTBURY.COM/626/TRANS.HTML) AND (HTTPS://WWW-ODI.NHTSA.DOT.GOV/IVOQ/COMPLAINT.CFM?TOSTEP=2&CFID=1219590&CFTOKEN=65108811). *AK
NHTSA ODI #10105910
83,959 miles · Dec 23, 2004
Power Train
MY 1998 626 ONE DAY WITHOUT WARNING THE O/D BUTTON STARTED BLINKING AND THE CAR BEGAN HESITATING WHEN DRIVING. I GOT HOME, AND PARKED THE CAR. THE NEXT DAY I GO TO TAKE THE CAR TO A CAR SHOP, AND I MISSED MY TURN. I WENT TO MAKE A U-TURN AND THEN SHIFTED GEARS INTO REVERSE, BUT MY CAR WOULDN'T MOVE. FINALLY I GO TO THE REPAIR SH…
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MY 1998 626 ONE DAY WITHOUT WARNING THE O/D BUTTON STARTED BLINKING AND THE CAR BEGAN HESITATING WHEN DRIVING. I GOT HOME, AND PARKED THE CAR. THE NEXT DAY I GO TO TAKE THE CAR TO A CAR SHOP, AND I MISSED MY TURN. I WENT TO MAKE A U-TURN AND THEN SHIFTED GEARS INTO REVERSE, BUT MY CAR WOULDN'T MOVE. FINALLY I GO TO THE REPAIR SHOP AND WAS TOLD THAT I NEEDED A NEW TRANSMISSION.*AK
NHTSA ODI #10104417
Mileage unknown · Dec 9, 2004
Power Train
THE GEARS WOULD SHIFT HARD WHICH MADE THE VEHICLE JERK FORWARD. OCCASIONALLY, THE GEAR WOULD JUMP TO NEUTRAL WHICH RENDERED THE VEHICLE FROM MOVING. THE CONSUMER TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER AND WAS INFORMED THAT A NEW TRANSMISSION WAS NEEDED. *JB
NHTSA ODI #10103390
Mileage unknown · Dec 8, 2004
Power Train
1998 MAZDA 626 - TRANSMISSION STARTED SLIPPING AND FINALLY GAVE OUT. ALSO WAS NOT THE FIRST TRANSMISSION REBUILT RECEIVED DIRECTLY FROM MAZDA THAT HAS GIVEN OUT, BUT WAS NOT REPORTED THE FIRST TIME DUE TO THE FACT I THOUGHT IT WAS A REGULAR PROBLEM CAUSED ON MY PART. RECENTLY HAD TO PAY $3000+TAXS TO REPLACE TRANSMISSION AND LAB…
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1998 MAZDA 626 - TRANSMISSION STARTED SLIPPING AND FINALLY GAVE OUT. ALSO WAS NOT THE FIRST TRANSMISSION REBUILT RECEIVED DIRECTLY FROM MAZDA THAT HAS GIVEN OUT, BUT WAS NOT REPORTED THE FIRST TIME DUE TO THE FACT I THOUGHT IT WAS A REGULAR PROBLEM CAUSED ON MY PART. RECENTLY HAD TO PAY $3000+TAXS TO REPLACE TRANSMISSION AND LABOR CHARGES. THERE HAS TO BE SOMETHING DONE ABOUT MAZDA AND THERE VEHICLES BECAUSE THEY ARE USELESS PRETTY MUCH AND SHOULD BE RECALLED. " HTTP://WWW.CARLOUNGE.COM/CGI/CARS/FRAMESET.PHP?BULLETIN=Y&URL=HTTP://WWW.CARLOUNGE.COM/CGI/CARSBBS/READ.PHP/F/2/I/31057/T/31057 " ......THIS URL PROVIDED IS JUST ONE OF THE MANY FORUMS AND CARTRACKING WEBSITES THAT HAVE NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS OF MAZDA OWNERS HAVING PROBLEMS WITH THEIR CARS, ESPECIALLY THE TRANSMISSION. NOT ONE , THIS IS A FACT AND CAN BE PROVEN, NOT ONE OWNER OF A MAZDA 626 HAS 'NOT' HAD EXTREMELY SERIOUS PROBLEMS WITH THEIR CAR, SPECIFICALLY IN THE TRANSMISSION. PLEASE..... DO SOMETHING ABOUT THIS BECAUSE SPENDING $3000+ DOLLARS ON REPAIRS REGULARLY IS OBVIOUSLY RIDICULOUS, EVEN IF THE MONEY WERE AVAILABLE. *JB
NHTSA ODI #10102377
938,023 miles · Nov 16, 2004
Power Train
I BOUGHT A USED 1998 MAZDA 626 ON OCT 8, 2004 AND NOV 15, 2004 THE TRANSMISSION DIED IN IT AND THE DEALER WON'T DO A THING, MAZDA IS DENYING THAT THERE IS A PROBLEM AND STILL THERE IS NO RECALL FORCED ONTO THE MANUFACTURE. I'M NOT SPENDING $1500 OR MORE, I'M GOING TO TRY TO REBUILD THE TRANNY MYSELF AND BILL MAZDA @ $85/HR PLUS…
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I BOUGHT A USED 1998 MAZDA 626 ON OCT 8, 2004 AND NOV 15, 2004 THE TRANSMISSION DIED IN IT AND THE DEALER WON'T DO A THING, MAZDA IS DENYING THAT THERE IS A PROBLEM AND STILL THERE IS NO RECALL FORCED ONTO THE MANUFACTURE. I'M NOT SPENDING $1500 OR MORE, I'M GOING TO TRY TO REBUILD THE TRANNY MYSELF AND BILL MAZDA @ $85/HR PLUS PARTS. WE NEED A CLASS ACTION SUIT FILED. ANY LAWYERS' OUT THERE, PLEASE HELP US. I DON'T WAN'T TO REPAIR THE TRANNY 3 TIMES OR MORE.*AK
NHTSA ODI #10100027
82,750 miles · Nov 12, 2004
Power Train
TRANSMISSION FAILURE AT 82,000 MILES (ON AN ALREADY REBUILT TRANSMISSION). *JB
NHTSA ODI #10098771
84,500 miles · Oct 22, 2004
Power Train
I KNOW I'M NOT THE FIRST TO SAY THIS, BUT THE TRANSMISSION IN MY 98 MAZDA 626LX (4 CYLINDER) IS A PIECE OF CRAP! AFTER A MERE 84,500 MILES, ITS SHOT. NICE WORK MAZDA, I'M NEVER BUYING YOUR FORD IN DISGUISE PRODUCT AGAIN. IF THERE WERE A DEGREE IN RUNNING OFF CONSUMERS, MAZDA WOULD HAVE A DOCTORATE!................NOW IM OUT $15…
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I KNOW I'M NOT THE FIRST TO SAY THIS, BUT THE TRANSMISSION IN MY 98 MAZDA 626LX (4 CYLINDER) IS A PIECE OF CRAP! AFTER A MERE 84,500 MILES, ITS SHOT. NICE WORK MAZDA, I'M NEVER BUYING YOUR FORD IN DISGUISE PRODUCT AGAIN. IF THERE WERE A DEGREE IN RUNNING OFF CONSUMERS, MAZDA WOULD HAVE A DOCTORATE!................NOW IM OUT $1500........THANKS FOR NOTHING AND AGAIN, I'M NEVER BUYING ANOTHER MAZDA PRODUCT FOR AS LONG AS I LIVE. *AK
NHTSA ODI #10096240
Mileage unknown · Oct 19, 2004
Power Train
COMPLAINT RECEIVED VIA E-MAIL."OUR CAR'S AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION IS LEAKING ,THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AND THE CAR IS SHIFTING AND JERKING; FRANKLY DANGEROUS. LOOKS LIKE THIS TRANSMISSION IS A PIECE OF CRAP. WHY AREN'T YOU GOING AFTER MAZDA AND FORD FOR THIS FIASCO? WE ARE LOOKING AT ABOUT A $2000 REPAIR ON A CAR WITH 75,00…
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COMPLAINT RECEIVED VIA E-MAIL."OUR CAR'S AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION IS LEAKING ,THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AND THE CAR IS SHIFTING AND JERKING; FRANKLY DANGEROUS. LOOKS LIKE THIS TRANSMISSION IS A PIECE OF CRAP. WHY AREN'T YOU GOING AFTER MAZDA AND FORD FOR THIS FIASCO? WE ARE LOOKING AT ABOUT A $2000 REPAIR ON A CAR WITH 75,000 MILES, AND COMICALLY, OUR REPAIR TECHNICIAN HAS AN EXACT DUPLICATE MAZDA IN HIS SHOP RIGHT NOW WITH THE SAME PROBLEM. .. GO FIGURE! THE CONSUMER DO FOR PROTECTION AND COMPENSATION?" *JB
NHTSA ODI #10097115
75,000 miles · Oct 14, 2004
Engine And Engine CoolingPower Train
MAZDA 626 1998, TRANSMISSION LEAKED AND CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON. *BF *JB
NHTSA ODI #10115308
Official recalls
4Oct 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.
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.
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.
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 ↗