THE 1999 MAZDA 626 THAT I PURCHASED HAD COST ME OVER 4,000 IN TRANSMISSION REPAIR COST AND HAD BEEN THE WORST MISTAKE OF MY LIFE. *JB
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.
Power Train complaints
233 reportsDT: TRANSMISSION QUIT WORKING WHILE THE CONSUMER WAS DRIVING. SHE WAS LESS THAN MILE FROM HOME WHEN THIS OCCURRED. THE CONSUMER HAD THE TRANSMISSION REPLACED BY HER MECHANIC. THE NEW TRANSMISSION WAS PURCHASED FROM MAZDA. THE NEW TRANSMISSION HAS SLIPPED TWICE. THE VEHICLE JERKED WHILE TRYING TO ACCELERATE. THE CONSUME…
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DT: TRANSMISSION QUIT WORKING WHILE THE CONSUMER WAS DRIVING. SHE WAS LESS THAN MILE FROM HOME WHEN THIS OCCURRED. THE CONSUMER HAD THE TRANSMISSION REPLACED BY HER MECHANIC. THE NEW TRANSMISSION WAS PURCHASED FROM MAZDA. THE NEW TRANSMISSION HAS SLIPPED TWICE. THE VEHICLE JERKED WHILE TRYING TO ACCELERATE. THE CONSUMER TOOK VEHICLE TO A DEALERSHIP AND THEY RAN A DIAGNOSTIC TEST. THEY FOUND NOTHING, AND THAT THERE SHOULD BE A WARNING LIGHT COMING ON IF ANYTHING WAS WORKING. THERE WERE NO OTHER PROBLEMS WITH THE VEHICLE AT THIS TIME.*AK
1999 MAZDA 626 TRANSMISSION DIED I HAVE BEEN INFORMED BY READING ON THE FORUMS ABOUT TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS ON THE MAZDA 626. I JUST PURCHASED THIS CAR ABOUT A YEAR AGO WITH ABOUT 110K MILES (THE CAR WAS IN EXCELLENT SHAPE). I HAVE PUT ABOUT 7K MILES AND THREE WEEKS AGO THE TRANSMISSION STARTED TO SLIP. A COUPLE OF MONTHS AGO…
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1999 MAZDA 626 TRANSMISSION DIED I HAVE BEEN INFORMED BY READING ON THE FORUMS ABOUT TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS ON THE MAZDA 626. I JUST PURCHASED THIS CAR ABOUT A YEAR AGO WITH ABOUT 110K MILES (THE CAR WAS IN EXCELLENT SHAPE). I HAVE PUT ABOUT 7K MILES AND THREE WEEKS AGO THE TRANSMISSION STARTED TO SLIP. A COUPLE OF MONTHS AGO I TOOK A TRIP AND ON THE WAY BACK HOME THE O/D LIGHT CAME ON AND IT DID NOT TURN OFF UNTIL I STOPPED AT A REST STOP AND THE CAR COOLED DOWN. I GUESS IT WAS A SIGN THE TRANSMISSION WAS OVERHEATING. WELL, I HAVE SINCE TAKEN IT TO A TRANSMISSION SHOP AND HAVE BEEN TOLD THAT IT NEEDS TO BE REBUILT ($1500 MIN.). I HAVE SINCE TRIED DRIVING IT TO ANOTHER SHOP AND NOW IT RUNS FOR A COUPLE OF MINUTES AND QUITS. WILL NOT MOVE AT ALL. I TURN IF OFF AND WAIT A COUPLE OF MINUTES TO LET IT COOL OFF AND IT WORKS AGAIN FOR ANOTHER COUPLE OF MINUTES. WHAT A CROCK!! IF MAZDA NEW ABOUT THIS ISSUE AND RELUCTANTLY ISSUED A TECH BULLETIN ABOUT THE TRANSMISSION OVERHEATING, WHY DID THEY PUT THIS CAR OUT TO BEGIN WITH. MOTOR AND TRANNY ARE THE LIFE OF THE CAR, IF NEITHER WORK WHAT IS THE CAR GOOD FOR! *JB
MY CAR IS MAZDA 626 LX 1999 WITH 66K MILES. THIS CAR HAS BAD TRANSMISSION. 1. FROM 30K MILES. THIS CAR SOMETIMES HAD TRANSMISSION JERKING 2. ONE DAY MY WIFE DRIVE THIS CAR. THE SHE PUT SHIFT ON REVERSE, BUT THE CAR WAS FORWARD ON FLAT PARKING LOT. SHE SHIFTED BACK ON PARK THEN SHIFTED ON REVERSE AGAIN, THE CAR WAS…
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MY CAR IS MAZDA 626 LX 1999 WITH 66K MILES. THIS CAR HAS BAD TRANSMISSION. 1. FROM 30K MILES. THIS CAR SOMETIMES HAD TRANSMISSION JERKING 2. ONE DAY MY WIFE DRIVE THIS CAR. THE SHE PUT SHIFT ON REVERSE, BUT THE CAR WAS FORWARD ON FLAT PARKING LOT. SHE SHIFTED BACK ON PARK THEN SHIFTED ON REVERSE AGAIN, THE CAR WAS STILL FORWARD. SO SHE TURNED OFF THE ENGINE, THEN STARTED THE ENGINE, THE CAR WORKED FINE. 3. JULY 30,2005. AFTER DRIVING ONE AND HALF HOURS. THE O/D OFF LIGHT CAME OUT, THEN THE TRANSMISSION BEGAN JUMPING AND THE CAR LOST POWER. I TOOK EXIT RIGHT AWAY. I STOP THE CAR AND TOOK A LOOK. I FOUND WHITE SMOKING AND A LOT TRANSMISSION OIL ALREADY SPILLED OUT. THE TRANSMISSION WAS OVERHEATED. FOR THIS CAR I TOOK ALL MAINTENANCE SERVICE SINCE I BOUGHT THIS CAR. ACTUALLY I FOUND THE TRANSMISSION FLUID LEAKED MANY TIMES. I LET MECHANIC GUY CHECKED. THEY DIDN'T FOUND ANYTHING WRONG BECAUSE I DIDN'T DRIVE THE CAR MORE THAN ONE HOUR BEFORE CHECKING. *NM
I BOUGHT A 1999 MAZDA 626 LX IN NOVEMBER OF 1998. VIN [XXX] THE TIME THE WARRANTY RAN OUT I HAD TAKEN MY CAR INTO AN OIL CHANGE FRANCHISE. THEY SUGGESTED THAT I FLUSH AND RENEW THE TRANSMISSION FLUID. SO I DID. THAT'S WHEN ALL THE PROBLEMS BEGAN. I THEN DROVE THE CAR FROM NJ TO FL WHERE I LIVED. IT STARTED BURNING UP A LOT…
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I BOUGHT A 1999 MAZDA 626 LX IN NOVEMBER OF 1998. VIN [XXX] THE TIME THE WARRANTY RAN OUT I HAD TAKEN MY CAR INTO AN OIL CHANGE FRANCHISE. THEY SUGGESTED THAT I FLUSH AND RENEW THE TRANSMISSION FLUID. SO I DID. THAT'S WHEN ALL THE PROBLEMS BEGAN. I THEN DROVE THE CAR FROM NJ TO FL WHERE I LIVED. IT STARTED BURNING UP A LOT OF OIL SO I TOOK IT INTO TO MAZDA. THEY SAID THAT IT WAS WELL KNOWN THAT MY MAKE AND MODEL CAR RUNS HOT. THEY SAID THEY COULD NOT SEE ANYTHING WRONG WITH WHAT THE OIL CHANGE FRANCHISE DID. THEY RECOMMENDED THAT I PUT A RADIATOR ON THE TRANSMISSION TO KEEP IT FROM BOILING...WHICH IS WHAT IT WAS DOING. I BELIEVE IT IS THE BOILING TRANSMISSION WHICH HAS CAUSE MY ENGINE TO HEAT UP SO MUCH THAT THE OIL HAS GUNKED MY ENGINE. ANYWAY, I TOOK THE CAR TO A MECHANIC AND THEY PUT IN A RADIATOR WHICH SEEMS TO HELP SOME BUT NOW I'M CONTINUALLY HAVING PROBLEMS WITH THE OIL BURNING UP WITHOUT THERE BEING ANY LEAKS. I HAVE CONTINUALLY HAD PROBLEMS WITH THE VEHICLE EVERY SINCE. IN AND OUT OF THE SHOPS. NO ONE SEEMS TO BE ABLE TO GET THE CAR RIGHT. I HAVE SEEN NUMEROUS REPORTS OF OTHER MAZDA OWNERS HAVING PROBLEMS OF THIS SIMILAR NATURE ON THE NET. MAZDA SHOULD TAKE CARE OF THESE PROBLEMS AND ADMIT PUBLICLY THAT THEY'VE GOT PROBLEMS WITH THEIR VEHICLES AND THEY SHOULD MAKE IT RIGHT. *JB UPDATED 07/19/2012 *JS INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
I WAS DRIVING IN MY MAZDA 626 99 LX ON HWY 41 TO CHICAGO AND NEAR MILWAUKEE IT LOST POWER AND SLOWING DOWN. I PULL DOWN TO THE SIDE.I TRY TO START THE CAR AGAIN AND FOUND THAT THE CAR DOESN'T MOVE. I HAVE TO TOW THE CAR TO NEAREST MAZDA DEALER.
TRANSMISSION FAILURE - 1999 MAZDA 626. MECHANIC INDICATED THAT TRANSMISSION OVERHEATED CAUSING FAILURE.
AUTO TRANSMISSION HAS BEEN LEAKING AND SHIFTING POORLY SINCE ABOUT 40,000 MILES. NOW AT 87000, THE O/D LIGHT IS FLASHING ON AND OFF. SUSPECT I'LL HAVE TO HAVE IT REBUILT. FOUND MANY COMPLAINS ON THIS TRANSMISSION, BUT MAZDA AND FORD APPEAR TO WANT TO DO NOTHING ABOUT IT.
NORMAL CITY DRIVING. AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION FAILURE. OVERHEATING, CATASTROPHIC. REBUILT.
DRIVING FOR A COUPLE OF HOURS, 1999 MAZDA 626 THE TRANSMISSION OD LIGHT FLASHES AND THE TRANSMISSION OVERHEAT AND BLOWS THE EXTREMLY HOT TRANSMISSION FLUID OUT INTO THE ENVRONMENT AND ONTO THE EXAUST PIPE AND ENGINE COMPONENT AND COULD CAUSE A FIRE. NOT VERY ENVIRONMENT FRIENDLY IF ALL MAZDA AND FORD DO THIS, AND ACCORDING TO HT…
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DRIVING FOR A COUPLE OF HOURS, 1999 MAZDA 626 THE TRANSMISSION OD LIGHT FLASHES AND THE TRANSMISSION OVERHEAT AND BLOWS THE EXTREMLY HOT TRANSMISSION FLUID OUT INTO THE ENVRONMENT AND ONTO THE EXAUST PIPE AND ENGINE COMPONENT AND COULD CAUSE A FIRE. NOT VERY ENVIRONMENT FRIENDLY IF ALL MAZDA AND FORD DO THIS, AND ACCORDING TO HTTP://ATXPROBES.COM/CD4E.HTML AND MAZDA TSB 05-005/02 THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM. MAZDA SAY TO REPLACE THE RADIATOR AND ADD A TRANSMISSION COOLER AT OWNERS EXPENSE. I SAY YOU AND THE EPA NEED TO MAKE MAZDA AND FORD RECALL AND MAKE THE REPAIRS.
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.
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