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

What owners actually said

434 reports

Mileage unknown · May 25, 1999

Air BagsCrashInjury

FALSE DEPLOYMENT OF AIR BAG CAUSED INJURY TO CONSUMER UPON COLLISION, UPON INSPECTION CONCLUDED POSSIBLE UNDERCARRIAGE DAMAGE. NLM

NHTSA ODI #545752

Mileage unknown · May 5, 1999

Power Train

CONSUMER PURCHASED VEHICLE TWO WEEKS AGO, AND NOTICED THAT WHEN SHIFTING FROM DRIVE TO REVERSE THERE WAS A LOUD THUMPING NOISE. *AK

NHTSA ODI #837504

Mileage unknown · Apr 15, 1999

Air Bags

WHILE DRIVING AT 65 MPH DRIVER'S SIDE AND PASSENGER'S SIDE AIR BAGS DEPLOYED FOR NO REASON. CONSUMER HAD TO PULL OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD DUE TO AIR BAG DEPLOYMENT. *AK

NHTSA ODI #836775

Mileage unknown · Mar 17, 1999

Service Brakes, Hydraulic

THE CAR THAT I PURCHASED WAS ON DEMONSTRATION AND THERE WAS LIKELY A DEFECT ON THE CAR BEFORE I PURCHASED IT. I CONTACTED THE DEALER ON NUMEROUS OCCASIONS, BUT THEY FAILED TO REPAIR THE PROBLEM. THEREFORE, THIS WAS MY LAST RESORT.

NHTSA ODI #704550

Mileage unknown · Feb 1, 1999

Exterior Lighting

HEADLIGHT FAILED. *YC

NHTSA ODI #607194

Mileage unknown · Feb 1, 1999

Power Train

CLUTCH STALLED DUE TO LEAK IN HOSES TO AND FROM SLAVE CYLINDER. YH

NHTSA ODI #606791

Mileage unknown · Jan 27, 1999

Suspension

WHEN DRIVING AT 60 MPH THE LEFT REAR WHEEL VIBRATES AND THERE IS NOISE COMING FROM UNDER THE FRONT OF THE VEHICLE. ALSO, FRONT PASSENGER'S/ DRIVER'S SEATS VIBRATE. *AK

NHTSA ODI #834105

Mileage unknown · Jan 13, 1999

Service Brakes, Hydraulic

WHENEVER BRAKES ARE APPLIED VEHICLE FAILS TO STOP RIGHT AWAY. THE STOPPING DISTANCE IS LONGER. TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALER. WAS INFORMED NEEDED TO HAVE THE BRAKE PADS & ROTORS REPLACED. *AK

NHTSA ODI #833514

Mileage unknown · Dec 18, 1998

Air BagsCrash

CONSUMER WAS IN AN ACCIDENT WITH ANOTHER CAR ON 17 DEC 98, AND AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. ALSO, PASSENGER'S SEAT BELT INERTIA DEVICE DID NOT LOCK. FAILURE OF PASSENGER'S SEAT BELT ALLOWED PASSENGER TO BE THROWN FORWARD, STRIKING LEGS IN DASH AND HEAD HITTING WINDSHIELD. CONSUMER SUSTAINED ALOT OF BRUISING AND SWELLING, BUT DI…

Read full complaint

NHTSA ODI #832578

Mileage unknown · Oct 24, 1998

Engine And Engine CoolingPower Train

Read full complaint

626 TAKEN TO MAZDA TO HAVE TRANSMISSION CHECKED FOR ROUGH SHIFTING AND CLUNKING NOISE. MAZDA SAID THE TRANSMISSION WAS DEFECTIVE AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. ONCE REPLACED, NEW TRANSMISSION ACTED IN THE SAME MANNER. MAZDA THEN DECIDED TO REPLACE ALL 4 MOTOR MOUNTS. THAT DID NOT CORRECT THE PROBLEM EITHER. THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT THEN TOLD ME THAT ROUGH SHIFTING AND CLUNKING SOUNDS ARE NORMAL FOR THE 98'626. I FOUND THAT EXPLAINATION VERY HARD TO BELIEVE TO SAY THE LEAST, SO I AM MEETING WITH THE REGIONAL SALES REP FOR MAZDA IN AN EFFORT TO HAVE THE PROBLEM RECTIFIED.

NHTSA ODI #700070

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.