IllustrationWHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED ON FLAT SURFACE AND NO WARNING TRANSMISSION WILL STALL, MAKING IT HARD FOR CONSUMER TO CONTROL VEHICLE. DEALER NOTIFIED.*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
Power Train complaints
313 reportsNO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK
THIS IS IN FOLLOWUP TO MY PREVIOUS VEHICLE OWNER'S QUESTIONNAIRE NHTSA ODI NUMBER 763482. I TOOK MY MAZDA 626 BACK TO THE DEALER FROM WHOM I PURCHASED THE VEHICLE. I EXPLAINED MY RESEARCH TO THE SERVICE MANAGER WHO ADMITTED THAT HE HAD SEEN THIS PROBLEM BEFORE AND THAT SOME VEHICLES EXPERIENCE THIS PROBLEM AGAIN AFTER A REBUI…
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THIS IS IN FOLLOWUP TO MY PREVIOUS VEHICLE OWNER'S QUESTIONNAIRE NHTSA ODI NUMBER 763482. I TOOK MY MAZDA 626 BACK TO THE DEALER FROM WHOM I PURCHASED THE VEHICLE. I EXPLAINED MY RESEARCH TO THE SERVICE MANAGER WHO ADMITTED THAT HE HAD SEEN THIS PROBLEM BEFORE AND THAT SOME VEHICLES EXPERIENCE THIS PROBLEM AGAIN AFTER A REBUILT TRANSMISSION HAS BEEN INSTALLED TO CORRECT THE INITIAL PROBLEM. THE SERVICE MANAGER STATED HE CONTACTED THE REGIONAL MAZDA ORGANIZATION AND DESCRIBED OUR CASE AND OUR LOW MILEAGE OF JUST OVER 32,000. MAZDA OFFERED TO PAY FOR THE REBUILT TRANSMISSION IF I WOULD BE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE LABOR. HAVING READ OTHER OWNER'S COMPLAINTS THAT IT COST THEM BETWEEN $2,200 AND $2,900 TO GET THEIR CAR ON THE ROAD, I ACCEPTED THE OFFER. I AM STILL HOPEFUL THAT THE NHTSA WILL INVESTIGATE THE MAZDA TRANSMISSION PROBLEM. IF RECALLED, I AM HOPEFUL OF GETTING MY MONEY REFUNDED, WHICH I BELIEVE IS REASONABLE GIVEN THE PERVASIVENESS OF THIS VEHICLE DEFECT. THANK YOU FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION. JJB*AK
WHILE TRAVELING ON HIGHWAY CONSUMER HEARD A LOUD CLINKING NOISE COMING FROM UNDERNEATH HOOD AREA, VEHICLE SHUT DOWN, AND WOULD NOT RESTART. DEALERSHIP IS AWARE OF PROBLEM. *AK CONSUMER STATED THE VEHICLE DID START BACK UP, BUT WOULD NOT FOWARD OR BACKWARD, CONSUMER STATED THE TRANSMISSION WAS REPLACED ABOUT A YEAR AGO.*JB
WHEN PULLING OUT OF PARKING LOT TRANSMISSION FAILED, WITH GEARS NOT RESPONDING TO ACCELERATION. RPMS WERE VERY HIGH FROM ATTEMPTING TO GET VEHICLE IN MOTION. PLEASE DESCRIBE DETAILS. *AK
THOUGH THIS IS A CANADIAN VEHICLE, IT WAS MANUFACTURED IN THE US. I AM HOPING THAT IT WILL HELP OTHERS TO FORCE THE MANUFACTURER TO DEAL WITH THIS PROBLEM. THE LA4A-EL TRANSMISSION IS A FLAWED DESIGN.*AK
NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK
I HAD STARTED TO NOTICE ROUGH SHIFTING AT AROUND 90,000 MILES. I TRAVEL WITH MY WORK AND AM GONE EVERY WEEK MON-FRI AND PUT ABOUT 1000 MILES A WEEK ON MY CAR. SOME WEEKS MORE THAN THAT, ALL HIGHWAY MILES. I THOUGHT THE ROUGH SHIFTING WAS DUE TO THE TRANSMISSION FLUID AND FILTER AND HAD THE TRANSMISSION FLUID CHANGED. YOU CANNOT …
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I HAD STARTED TO NOTICE ROUGH SHIFTING AT AROUND 90,000 MILES. I TRAVEL WITH MY WORK AND AM GONE EVERY WEEK MON-FRI AND PUT ABOUT 1000 MILES A WEEK ON MY CAR. SOME WEEKS MORE THAN THAT, ALL HIGHWAY MILES. I THOUGHT THE ROUGH SHIFTING WAS DUE TO THE TRANSMISSION FLUID AND FILTER AND HAD THE TRANSMISSION FLUID CHANGED. YOU CANNOT GET TO THE FILTER IN THE CD4 WITHOUT TAKING THE WHOLE THING APART. I WENT ANOTHER 10,000 MILES AND NOW THE TRANSMISSION WILL ALLOW ME TO TRAVEL ABOUT 10 MILES THEN QUITS. AFTER SITTING FOR A FEW MINUTES, I CAN TRAVEL ANOTHER 5-10 MINUTES THEN IT QUITS AGAIN. I HAVE CONTACTED MAZDA'S CUSTOMER SERVICE DEPARTMENT AND A LADY I SPOKE WITH WAS NO HELP AT ALL. SHE TOLD ME TO GO TO A DEALER AND THE CLOSEST IS 125 MILES AWAY. I ASKED IF THEY HAD A TECH DEPARTMENT I COULD TALK TO AND SHE SAID NONE EXISTED. I HAVE BEEN TOLD THAT THIS FORD TRANSMISSION IS NOTHING BUT TROUBLE. I CANNOT COMPLAIN ABOUT THE FIRST 100000 MILES ON THIS LITTLE CAR. THE ONLY REPAIRS WERE BRAKES AND A BATTERY PLUS THE NORMAL MAINTENANCE. I CANNOT SEE WHY MY TRANSMISSION IS ACTING SO WIERD THOUGH. I HAD ONE GO OUT YEARS AGO AND IT NEVER WOULD SHIFT AGAIN. THIS RUNS, THEN QUITS, THEN RUNS, THEN QUITS AGAIN. OH WELL, I WANTED TO VENT AND I HAVE. IF THERE IS A RECALL OUT THERE ON THIS I WOULD LOVE TO KNOW ABOUT IT. THANKS FOR LISTENING. FRED MARTINO.*AK
NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK
TRANSMISSION FAILURE AT RELATIVELY LOW MILEAGE, DEALER SUGGESTS REMAN. TRANSMISSION AT A COST OF $2700. TRANSMISSION REPAIR SHOP REPORTS INTERNAL FAILURE OF SOME SORT, COMPLETE REMOVAL AND DISASSEMBLY REQUIRED TO DETERMINE EXACT NATURE OF THE PROBLEM - $700 LABOR, PLUS PARTS. THERE SEEM TO BE QUITE A FEW COMPLAINTS OF THIS NAT…
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TRANSMISSION FAILURE AT RELATIVELY LOW MILEAGE, DEALER SUGGESTS REMAN. TRANSMISSION AT A COST OF $2700. TRANSMISSION REPAIR SHOP REPORTS INTERNAL FAILURE OF SOME SORT, COMPLETE REMOVAL AND DISASSEMBLY REQUIRED TO DETERMINE EXACT NATURE OF THE PROBLEM - $700 LABOR, PLUS PARTS. THERE SEEM TO BE QUITE A FEW COMPLAINTS OF THIS NATURE WITH THIS YEAR AND MODEL. PLEASE INVESTIGATE. HOW MANY COMPLAINTS MUST BE FILED BEFORE A RECALL IS WARRANTED?*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.