1999 Mazda 626

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 MAZDA 626. THE CONTACT HAS EXPERIENCED TRANSMISSION FAILURE TWICE. SHE ONLY HAD THE VEHICLE FOR APPROXIMATELY SIX MONTHS WHEN THE FIRST FAILURE OCCURRED. WHILE DRIVING 45 MPH, THE ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATED. SHE TOOK THE VEHICLE TO A REPAIR SHOP AND THE MECHANIC STATED THAT THE TRANSMISSION FAILED. THE TRANSMISSION WAS REBUILT AND A YEAR AND A HALF LATER, THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT SHIFT INTO REVERSE AND THE CONTACT FELT AS IF THE GEARS WERE JUMPING WHEN DRIVING. SHE RETURNED TO THE REPAIR SHOP AND WAS INFORMED THAT THE TRANSMISSION FAILED AGAIN. SHE DOES NOT BELIEVE THAT A VEHICLE SHOULD GO THROUGH TWO TRANSMISSIONS WITHIN TWO YEARS. THE VEHICLE IS CURRENTLY PARKED IN HER DRIVEWAY. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 87,000 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 76,000.

OUR MAZDA 626 1999 WAS WELL MAINTAINED. AT 72,134 MILES I TOOK IT TO A TRANSMISSION PLACE FOR A TRANSMISSION FLUSH. I DROVE HOME FOR 5 MILES AND IN THE EVENING ON THE FREEWAY. THE MAZDA NOW FELT A BIT JERKY AT 55-60 MPH. (I NEVER NOTICED THAT BEFORE.) AFTER 23 MILES THE MAZDA SUDDENLY LOST POWER AND STOPPED. I WAS LUCKY TO GET TO THE SIDE OF THE FREEWAY WITHOUT ACCIDENT. I WAS STRANDED ON THE FREEWAY IN DARKNESS AND HEAVY TRAFFIC FOR 1 1/2 HOURS. SCARY!!!! THERE WAS A LONG TRAIL OF TRANSMISSION FLUID BEHIND THE CAR, A PUDDLE UNDER THE CAR, ALSO UNDER THE HOOD AND ALONG THE DRIVER'S SIDE DOORS. THE TOWING SERVICE NOTICED A DISCONNECTED TRANSMISSION HOSE UNDER THE HOOD. I WAS TOWED HOME AND THE NEXT MORNING TO THE MAZDA DEALER. THEY SAY I NEED A NEW TRANSMISSION FOR $3225. THE DEALER SAYS THE 30A EGI INJ FUSE IS BURNT. FLUID LEVEL OF TRANS WAS AT LEAST 3 QTS OVER FULL, WAS DARK BROWN AND HAD SEVERE BURNT SMELL. FLUID APPEARS TO HAVE LEAKED OUT OF COOLER LINE AND VALVE BODY PAN DUE TO HIGH PRESSURE. (I NEVER SAW A LEAK ON OUR GARAGE FLOOR.) TRANSMISSION IS STUCK IN REVERSE. (I DON'T KNOW HOW IT GOT INTO REVERSE FROM MY DRIVING ON THE FREEWAY???) THIS IS COSTING US BIG BUCKS AND AGGRAVATION: NEW TRANSMISSION, THREE TIMES TOWING CHARGES, DIAGNOSTIC BY DEALER, TRANSMISSION FLUSH, RENTAL CAR, LOSS OF WORK... AND NO GUARANTEE THAT THINGS WILL BE MADE GOOD! AFTER READING ALL THE COMPLAINTS ABOUT BAD MAZDA TRANSMISSIONS, I AM NOT SURE WHETHER THE FAULT HERE LIES IN A BAD PRODUCT (TRANSMISSION) OR BAD WORKMANSHIP WITH THE TRANSMISSION FLUSH. NOW THE MAZDA IS BACK AT THE TRANSMISSION SERVICE PLACE THAT ORIGINALLY DID THE TRANSMISSION FLUSH, IN HOPES THAT THEY WILL MAKE GOOD. I COULD HAVE BEEN ROAD KILL! CAN SOMEBODY INVESTIGATE AND HELP? *JB

I HAVE A 1999 MAZDA 626 LX 4 CYLINDER AND FOR A FEW YEARS HAVE NOTICED HARSH SHIFTING THAT HAS ONLY GOTTEN WORSE. THE OTHER DAY THE ODOMETER LIGHT STARTED FLASHING, AND I TOOK VEHICLE TO A TRANSMISSION SHOP, AND THEY SCANNED AND CODES, AND TOLD ME THAT I HAD AN OVERHEATING PROBLEM WITH THE TRANSMISSION ,AND THAT IT HAD TO BE REPLACED. THIS SEEMED SO WRONG BECAUSE THE CAR ONLY HAD 111,000 MILES ON IT, AND IT WAS WRONG BECAUSE I KNEW THIS PROBLEM STARTED A LOT EARLIER WHEN I GOT THIS CAR AT 64,000 MILES. IF MAZDA KNEW ABOUT THIS COOLING ISSUE BECAUSE THEY HAVE RELEASED A SERVICE BULLETIN ABOUT IT , AND IF THEY KNEW THEY WILL ULTIMATELY FAIL WHY DIDN'T THEY ISSUE A RECALL? IF THEY KNEW THEY HAD INADEQUATE COOLING THEY SHOULD HAVE INSTALLED A COOLER AT THEIR EXPENSE NOT T AT HE OWNERS , AND THEY SHOULD ALSO REPLACE THE TRANSMISSION AT THEIR EXPENSE.*AK