NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
What owners actually said
434 reports58,000 miles · Mar 8, 2004
Power Train
1998 MAZDA 626 HAS BEEN IN THE AUTO SHOP ABOUT 8 TIMES IN THE LAST 6 MONTHS FOR TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS. THESE INCIDENTS HAVE BEGUN SINCE NOV 2002 AND ONGOING TO THIS DAY, MAR 08 2004. SINCE I CAN NOT AFFORD TO BUY A NEW AUTOMOBILE, I FEEL DEEPLY ANGRY THAT MAZDA HAS NOT RECALLED, MY CAR AND THOUSANDS OF OTHERS. MY MECHANIC SEE…
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1998 MAZDA 626 HAS BEEN IN THE AUTO SHOP ABOUT 8 TIMES IN THE LAST 6 MONTHS FOR TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS. THESE INCIDENTS HAVE BEGUN SINCE NOV 2002 AND ONGOING TO THIS DAY, MAR 08 2004. SINCE I CAN NOT AFFORD TO BUY A NEW AUTOMOBILE, I FEEL DEEPLY ANGRY THAT MAZDA HAS NOT RECALLED, MY CAR AND THOUSANDS OF OTHERS. MY MECHANIC SEE'S MANY MAZDA'S 626'S 1998'S IN HIS SHOP. I REALLY HOPE ANYONE HELP ME WITH THIS. I HOPE THE DEALERSHIP THAT SOLD ME THE VEHICLE CAN RELAY THIS INFORMATION TO MAZDA CORPORATION. BOTH THE DEALERSHIP AND THE MANUFACTURER SHOULD TRY TO STAND BY WHAT THEY SELL. MARCOS SANZ. *AK
NHTSA ODI #10060737
104,078 miles · Feb 28, 2004
Power Train
I OWN A 1998 MAZDA 626 AND THE TRANSMISSION JUST WENT OUT ON IT. I HAVE DONE A LITTLE RESEARCH AND FOUND OUT THAT THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM AMONG THESE VEHICLES AND I FEEL THAT MAZDA SHOULD START TAKING SOME RESPONSIBILITY. I HAVE TO PAY $2,004.50 TO GET IT REBUILT AND I HAVE ONLY OWNED IT FOR 2 YEARS. MY VEHICLE WAS 100 FEET …
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I OWN A 1998 MAZDA 626 AND THE TRANSMISSION JUST WENT OUT ON IT. I HAVE DONE A LITTLE RESEARCH AND FOUND OUT THAT THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM AMONG THESE VEHICLES AND I FEEL THAT MAZDA SHOULD START TAKING SOME RESPONSIBILITY. I HAVE TO PAY $2,004.50 TO GET IT REBUILT AND I HAVE ONLY OWNED IT FOR 2 YEARS. MY VEHICLE WAS 100 FEET FROM THE TRAIN TRACKS WHEN IT DECIDED TO STOP WORKING. IT COULD HAVE BEEN A VERY BAD SITUATION AS THE TRAIN CAME BY A COUPLE MINUTES AFTER MY TRANSMISSION FAILED. *AK
NHTSA ODI #10059994
70,000 miles · Feb 28, 2004
Power Train
MY CD4E TRANSMISSION FAILED. IT HAS BEEN DENOTED BY MECHANICS AND BY CONSUMERS THAT THESE CD4E TRANSMISSIONS ARE DEFECTIVE. I'D JUST LIKE TO MAKE A COMPLAINT AGAINST FORD/MAZDA FOR SUPPLYING THIS TRANSMISSION TO MY 1998 MAZDA 626.*AK
NHTSA ODI #10059966
100,000 miles · Feb 27, 2004
Power Train
WHILE PULLING OUT OF A PARKING LOT ENGINE REVVED, BUT VEHICLE WOULD ACCELERATE FASTER THAN 20 MPH. THEN VEHICLE STOPPED ACCELERATING. DEALERSHIP INDICATED THAT CONVERTER COOLER WAS FRIED AND FAILED TO COOL THE TRANSMISSION.*AK
NHTSA ODI #10060916
Mileage unknown · Feb 27, 2004
Power Train
I HAVE AN EXTENDED WARRENTY ON MY CAR. I OWN A MAZDA 626 (1998). WHEN MY CAR'S TRANSMISSION FAILED, MAZDA REPLACED MY TRANSMISSION ( I HAD AROUND 74,000 MILES) WHICH WAS STILL W/IN MY EXTENDED WARRENTY PERIOD. NOW AT 90,000 THE NEW TRANSMISSION FAILED AGAIN AND I HAVE TO PAY FOR IT!*AK
NHTSA ODI #10059932
68,400 miles · Feb 26, 2004
Power Train
TRANSMISSION NEEDS REPLACING AT THE RIDICULOUSLY LOW MILEAGE OF 68,000 MILES. AFTER CHECKING VARIOUS WEB SITES, I DISCOVERED THAT THE PROBLEM IS ENDEMIC FOR MAZDA 626 CARS WITH AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSIONS.*AK
NHTSA ODI #10059083
67,687 miles · Feb 26, 2004
Power Train
TRANSMISSION FAILED AT 67,687 MILES. *AK THE VEHICLE STALLED IN THE MIDDLE OF AN INTERSECTION. *JB
NHTSA ODI #10057628
Mileage unknown · Feb 10, 2004
Power Train
WHEN VEHICLE WAS PUT INTO GEAR ENGINE SHUT OFF. TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALER, AND DEALER DETERMINED THAT CONTROL MODULE NEEDED REPLACEMENT. *AK
NHTSA ODI #10057796
Mileage unknown · Feb 8, 2004
Power Train
MY SON WAS GIVEN A 1998 MAZDA 626 WITH 70,000 MILES BY HIS GRANDMOTHER. WE KNEW THE HISTORY ON THIS CAR, IT HAD BEEN WELL MAINTAINED AND WE THOUGHT IT WOULD BE A GOOD SAFE FIRST CAR FOR HIM. BEFORE MY SON EVEN GOT HIS LICENCE WE STARTED HAVING PROBLEMS, THE CAR APPEARED TO BE SLIPPING IN AND OUT OF GEAR, THE RPM'S WOULD JUMP A…
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MY SON WAS GIVEN A 1998 MAZDA 626 WITH 70,000 MILES BY HIS GRANDMOTHER. WE KNEW THE HISTORY ON THIS CAR, IT HAD BEEN WELL MAINTAINED AND WE THOUGHT IT WOULD BE A GOOD SAFE FIRST CAR FOR HIM. BEFORE MY SON EVEN GOT HIS LICENCE WE STARTED HAVING PROBLEMS, THE CAR APPEARED TO BE SLIPPING IN AND OUT OF GEAR, THE RPM'S WOULD JUMP AND THE VEHICLE WOULD LURCH FORWARD. WE PUT THE CAR IN THE SHOP AND WERE TOLD IT WOULD NEED A NEW TRANSMISSION. WE ARE THANKFUL THE PROBLEM APPEARED BEFORE MY SON WAS OUT ON THE ROAD ALONE. I HAVE READ NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS ABOUT MAZDA TRANSMISSIONS AND SOME OF THE THINGS THAT HAVE HAPPENED COULD HAVE BEEN FATAL IN THE HANDS OF AN INEXPERIENCED DRIVER. MAZDA HAS BEEN MADE AWARE OF THE PROBLEM BUT SEEMS TO BE IGNORING IT. DO WE HAVE TO WAIT UNTIL THERE ARE FATALITIES BEFORE SOMETHING IS DONE?*AK
NHTSA ODI #10056770
81,000 miles · Feb 4, 2004
Engine And Engine Cooling
WHILE DRIVING AT 35 MPH VEHICLE STALLED TIMING BELT T TENSIONER MALFUNCTIONED, CAUSING THE TIMING BELT TO BREAK. THERE'S A TIMING RECALL 00V134000 WAS ISSUED, HOWEVER, THIS VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED DUE TO VIN. *AK
NHTSA ODI #10057492
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 ↗
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