IllustrationMY TRANSMISSION SLIPS, AND WILL NOT GO INTO FIRST OR SECOND GEAR. CAR IS IN PERFECT SHAPE, COMPLETELY MAINTAINED THROUGHOUT LIFETIME, AND ONLY HAS 104,000 MILES. TRANSMISSION MUST BE REPLACED. *TR
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 reports7 MONTHS AGO, THE TRANSMISSION NEEDED TO BE REPLACED AT 150,000 MILES. THAT IS TO BE EXPECTED FOR THAT MILEAGE. WHEN I PUT THE CAR IN DRIVE IT IS SLUGGISH MOVING FORWARD. THIS IS BECAUSE THE CAR IS STARTING OUT IN 2ND GEAR INSTEAD OF 1ST. AT 15 - 20 MPH, THE CAR DOWNSHIFTS TO FIRST, THEN IMMEDIATELY BACK TO SECOND GEAR. AT …
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7 MONTHS AGO, THE TRANSMISSION NEEDED TO BE REPLACED AT 150,000 MILES. THAT IS TO BE EXPECTED FOR THAT MILEAGE. WHEN I PUT THE CAR IN DRIVE IT IS SLUGGISH MOVING FORWARD. THIS IS BECAUSE THE CAR IS STARTING OUT IN 2ND GEAR INSTEAD OF 1ST. AT 15 - 20 MPH, THE CAR DOWNSHIFTS TO FIRST, THEN IMMEDIATELY BACK TO SECOND GEAR. AT 20MPH, THE CAR DOES NOT WANT TO SHIFT INTO 3RD GEAR FOR ABOUT 15 SECONDS, BUT EVENTUALLY SHIFTS. THE O/D LIGHT BEGINS TO FLASH ON THE DASHBOARD. WHEN I SLOW DOWN, THE CAR WILL DOWN SHIFT ABRUPTLY IN TO A LOWER GEAR. I TOOK IT TO MY MECHANIC AND HE SAID THAT THIS SHOULD NOT HAPPEN TO A 7 MONTH OLD TRANSMISSION. I RESEARCHED ONLINE AND THERE ARE TONS OF PEOPLE THAT HAVE EXPERIENCE THIS VERY SAME PROBLEM WITH THE 626. THIS IS A MANUFACTURER DEFECT AND I WOULD LIKE TO SEE WHAT CAN BE DONE ABOUT IT. THE CAR IS UNSAFE TO DRIVE. *TR
1998 MAZDA 626 2.0L AUTOMATIC TRANNY ISSUES. CAR HAS 118K MILES AND THE TRANNY IS NEEDING A REBUILD. LOOKED IT UP AND SEVERAL PEOPLE ARE COMPLAINING ABOUT THE CD4E FORD NUMBER OR THE LA4A-EL MAZDA NUMBER TRANNY. *JB. UPDATED 01/02/08. *LJ UPDATED 12/12/07 *TR
MY 1998 MAZDA 626 HAS A FAULTY TRANSMISSION, WHICH HAS FAILED AT 110K. THE RESULTING FAILURE WILL COST ABOUT $2,000 TO FIX, AND THE REPLACEMENT TRANSMISSION WILL LIKELY HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM. I HAVE DONE NOTHING TO FIX THE PROBLEM, BECAUSE I AM AFRAID A NEW TRANSMISSION WILL ONLY FAIL AS WELL. *TR
TRANSMISSION ARE BAD IN 1998 MAZDA 626. *TR
I BOUGHT MY 626 NEW IN 1998. I HAVE HAD TRANSMISSION TROUBLES REGULARLYSINCE THEN. IN 2003-4, I HAD THE TRANSMISSION REBUILT, THEN PURCHASED A NEW ONE. THE NEW ONE IS HAVING PROBLEMS. IT WILL GET HOT, THE O/D LIGHT FLASHES, AND WE ARE STUCK ON THE SIDE OF THE ROAD WAITING FOR IT TO COOL.
I HAD MY FIRST MAZDA 626 TRANSMISSION FAIL AT 65,000 MILES AND I GOT IT REPLACED, AND THEN AT 120,000 MY TRANSMISSION NEEDED TO BE REAPLCED AGAIN. THEREWAS OBVIOUSLY SOMETHING WRONG WITH THE MAZDA 626 TRANSMISSION, AND THERE SHOULD BE A RECALL AND SOME FINANCIAL COMPENSATION TO ALL THOSE WHO HAVE HAD PROBLEMS. *AK
REPLACED TRANSMISSION AT 42,000 MILES AND AGAIN AT 128,000 MILES
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 MAZDA 626. WHILE DRIVING 45 MPH, THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO AUTOMATICALLY DECELERATE AND A WHINING NOISE WAS HEARD COMING FROM THE TRANSMISSION. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE MECHANIC WHO REBUILT THE TRANSMISSION. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 115,000. THE CONSUMER STATED THE CD4 TRANSMISSION IS U…
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TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 MAZDA 626. WHILE DRIVING 45 MPH, THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO AUTOMATICALLY DECELERATE AND A WHINING NOISE WAS HEARD COMING FROM THE TRANSMISSION. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE MECHANIC WHO REBUILT THE TRANSMISSION. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 115,000. THE CONSUMER STATED THE CD4 TRANSMISSION IS USED IN A MAZDA BUT MADE FOR A LIGHTER VEHICLE BUT USED IN A MAZDA 626. THE CONSUMER PROVIDED A COPY OF THE REPAIR INVOICE. UPDATED 09/05/07 *TR
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 MAZDA 626. WHEN ATTEMPTING TO START THE VEHICLE, IT FAILED TO SHIFT INTO NEUTRAL OR REVERSE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE FELT SLUGGISH WHILE DRIVING. THERE WERE NO WARNING INDICATORS. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN DIAGNOSED. THE CURRENT MILEAGE IS 106,138 AND THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN.
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.