AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION SHIFTING PROBLEM, IRREGULAR RPM'S WHEN IDLING, POPPING NOISE IN FRONT (SUSPENSION?) WHEN DRIVING OVER BUMPS AT HIGH RATES OF SPEED I.E. HIGHWAYS, INTERIOR LIGHT FAULTY,
1999 Mazda 626
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
More warning signs than most 626 years
Owner complaints for the 1999 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
209 reports with mileage · 109 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 233 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Engine And Engine Cooling. Review the 48 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Service Brakes, Hydraulic. Review the 13 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
Interior Lighting complaints
2 reportsI PURCHASED THIS VEHICLE, NEW, ON APRIL 8, 1999. IMMEDIATELY I NOTICED PROBLEMS, THE CAR MADE AN ODD NOISE AND VIBRATION AT REST, THIS WAS REPAIRED, A MISSING BOLT FROM THE HEAT SHIELD . THE CD PLAYER STOPPED WORKING WITHIN 10 DAYS OF PURCHASE, REPLACED. WARPED WIND DEFLECTER REPLACED, AND BLOWN INTERIOR LIGHT FUSES. THE MAJOR P…
Read full complaint
I PURCHASED THIS VEHICLE, NEW, ON APRIL 8, 1999. IMMEDIATELY I NOTICED PROBLEMS, THE CAR MADE AN ODD NOISE AND VIBRATION AT REST, THIS WAS REPAIRED, A MISSING BOLT FROM THE HEAT SHIELD . THE CD PLAYER STOPPED WORKING WITHIN 10 DAYS OF PURCHASE, REPLACED. WARPED WIND DEFLECTER REPLACED, AND BLOWN INTERIOR LIGHT FUSES. THE MAJOR PROBLEM OF COURSE IS THE TRANSMISSION. CAR WAS TAKEN TO DEALER ON APRIL 19, 1999 REPORTED CONCERNS WITH THE TRANSMISSION, SHIFTING ROUGHLY, LURCHING AND SLIPPING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS. TECHNICIAN TEST DROVE CAR, SAID THERE WAS NO PROBLEM, DID NOT DO ELECTRONIC ANALYSIS OF TRANSMISSION. I INDICATED MY CONCERN REGARDING THE TRANSMISSION TO MAZDA CORP. IN THE MAZDA CARE SURVEY AS WELL. ON DEC. 15, I WENT TO DEALERSHIP AND DEMANDED THAT A TECH. RIDE WITH ME AS I EXPRESSED CONCERNS. CAR HAD ALMOST CUT OFF WHILE DRIVING 3 DAYS BEFORE. I HAD TO RENT A CAR TO GO TO FLORIDA BECAUSE I WAS AFRAID TO PUT CAR ON THE ROAD. CAR WAS LEFT WITH DEALER, AND FINALLY FOUND TO HAVE TRANSMISSION PROBLEM. THEY WANT TO REPLACE TRANSMISSION, AND THEN OFFER ME A 12,000 MILE WARRANTY ON THE REPLACED TRANSMISSION, WHEN I CURRENTLY HAVE 35,000 MILES REMAINING AN MY BUMPER TO BUMPER WARRANTY. THIS IS INEQUITABLE, AND UNACCEPTABLE. THIS CAR WAS SOLD TO ME WITH A FAULTY TRANSMISSION, AND I WANT A REPLACEMENT VEHICLE (NEW) OR MY MONEY.
Official recalls
200V134000 · 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.
00V074000 · Service Brakes, Hydraulic:foundation Components:master Cylinder
Mar 7, 2000
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES. CERTAIN RESERVOIR TANK CAPS ON THE BRAKE MASTER CYLINDER WERE PRODUCED WITH A WORN OUT DIE AND LACK VENTILATION HOLES. AS A RESULT, THE PRESSURE IN THE RESERVOIR TANK CAN DROP GRADUALLY AS THE BRAKE PAD OR SHOE WEARS AND AMBIENT TEMPERATURE DROPS. ALSO, THE PRESSURE COULD REACH A POINT THAT THE BRAKE CALIPER AND DRUM CYLINDER ARE PULLED BACK BY THE VACUUM IN THE RESERVOIR TANK WHEN THE VEHICLE IS PARKED FOR A LONG TIME.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: THIS CONDITION COULD CAUSE REDUCED BRAKE EFFICIENCY, INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSPECT THE RESERVOIR CAP AND REPLACE IT, IF NECESSARY.
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
0No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.
Illustration