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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.

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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.

11 crash reports3 fire reports4 injury reports

Power Train complaints

233 reports
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132,678 miles · Jul 2, 2006
Power Train

TRANSMISSION FAILING AT 120,000 MILES. *NM

NHTSA ODI #10161249

86 miles · Jun 24, 2006
Power Train

I HAVE A 1999 MAZDA 626 LX 2.0 THAT I PURCHASE IN OCTOBER 2001. WHAT SEEMED TO BE A PRETTY RELIABLE CAR TURNED TO CRAP IN 2003 WHEN THE TRANSMISSION FAILED SUDDENLY WITHOUT MUCH NOTICE. I HAD THE TRANSMISSION REBUILT AT AAMCO (THE BIGGEST RIP OFFS ON THE PLANET NEXT TO MAZDA) FOR $2650.00. THE CAR RAN FINE FOR 2 MORE YEARS WHEN …

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I HAVE A 1999 MAZDA 626 LX 2.0 THAT I PURCHASE IN OCTOBER 2001. WHAT SEEMED TO BE A PRETTY RELIABLE CAR TURNED TO CRAP IN 2003 WHEN THE TRANSMISSION FAILED SUDDENLY WITHOUT MUCH NOTICE. I HAD THE TRANSMISSION REBUILT AT AAMCO (THE BIGGEST RIP OFFS ON THE PLANET NEXT TO MAZDA) FOR $2650.00. THE CAR RAN FINE FOR 2 MORE YEARS WHEN ONCE AGAIN WITH OUT MUCH NOTICE THE CAR STARTS MAKING A GRINDING NOISE IN REVERSE, I TOOK IT BACK TO AAMCO WHERE THEY TOLD ME THAT I ONCE AGAIN NEEDED A REPLACEMENT AND THAT MY EXTENDED WARRANTY JUST RAN OUT "GO FIGURE". SO HERE I AM LEFT WITH THIS CAR THAT I OWE $1500.00 ON AND I NEED $2000.00 WORTH OF WORK. I COME TO FIND OUT THAT I AM ONE OF MANY WITH THE SAME PROBLEM WITH THIS CAR. THANKS MAZDA, AFTER MUCH RESEARCH I BOUGHT A HONDA A MUCH MORE RELIABLE CAR. *JB

NHTSA ODI #10160670

72,000 miles · Jun 15, 2006
Power Train

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING ON THE FREEWAY AT 65 MPH, THE VEHICLE GEARED DOWN SUDDENLY. THE CONTACT PULLED OFF OF THE ROAD AND THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT TRANSMISSION SHOP. AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC AT THE SHOP DETERMINED THE TRANSMISSION HAD FAILED AND WOULD HAVE TO BE REBUILT. THE MECHANIC INFORMED THE…

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DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING ON THE FREEWAY AT 65 MPH, THE VEHICLE GEARED DOWN SUDDENLY. THE CONTACT PULLED OFF OF THE ROAD AND THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT TRANSMISSION SHOP. AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC AT THE SHOP DETERMINED THE TRANSMISSION HAD FAILED AND WOULD HAVE TO BE REBUILT. THE MECHANIC INFORMED THE CONTACT THIS WAS A COMMON OCCURRENCE IN THESE VEHICLES. UPDATED 7/13/2006 - *NM

NHTSA ODI #10159897

128,900 miles · May 28, 2006
Power Train

ON MARCH 27TH 2005, I WAS RETURNING FROM A 4 HOUR TRIP WHEN THE OVERDRIVE LIGHT ON MY DASH STARTED FLASHING, THE TRANSMISSION SHIFTED INTO OVERDRIVE AND SMOKE BEGAN COMING FROM UNDER THE HOOD, TRANSMISSION FLUID COVERED MY ENGINE. I STOPPED TO ALLOW FOR THE TRANSMISSION TO COOL, IT WAS FINE AFTER THIS. THE SAME THING HAPPENED …

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ON MARCH 27TH 2005, I WAS RETURNING FROM A 4 HOUR TRIP WHEN THE OVERDRIVE LIGHT ON MY DASH STARTED FLASHING, THE TRANSMISSION SHIFTED INTO OVERDRIVE AND SMOKE BEGAN COMING FROM UNDER THE HOOD, TRANSMISSION FLUID COVERED MY ENGINE. I STOPPED TO ALLOW FOR THE TRANSMISSION TO COOL, IT WAS FINE AFTER THIS. THE SAME THING HAPPENED 7 MONTHS AGO. AT THAT TIME I HAD THE TRANSMISSION FLUID REPLACED. MAZDA DEALERSHIP TOLD ME THAT THE MAZDA TRANSMISSION WERE KNOWN FOR THIS PROBLEM, THAT ON LONG TRIPS AT ROADWAY SPEEDS THEY TEND TO OVERHEAT AND SHOULD HAVE A TRANSMISSION COOLER INSTALLED. THIS IS THE SECOND TIME THIS HAS OCCURRED, MY FLUID HAS ONLY 5000 MILES ON IT. THERE IS NO REASON FOR THIS TO CONTINUE HAPPENING, OR HAPPENING IN THE FIRST PLACE. MAZDA/FORD, WHOEVER, SHOULD BE REPLACING ALL THESE TRANSMISSIONS. *JB

NHTSA ODI #10158451

20 miles · May 3, 2006
Power Train

THE CHAIN IN THE TRANSMISSION IS "BREAKING" OFF THE TEETH OF THE SPROCKETS. CAR SPUTTERING AND JERKING. MAKES A CLICKING/POPPING SOUND. HAVE CONTACTED MAZDA ONLY TO BE TOLD I WOULD HAVE TO HAVE THE TRANSMISSION REBUILT. *JB

NHTSA ODI #10156760

75,500 miles · Apr 18, 2006
Power Train

TRANSMISSION FAILURE, AUTOMATIC WITH 4 CYL MAZDA 626 1999. *NM

NHTSA ODI #10155647

160,000 miles · Apr 6, 2006
Power Train

PURCHASED THIS VEHICLE AND TRANSMISSION HAS BEEN FAULTY. AWARE THAT THIS IS VERY COMMON AS EACH TRANSMISSION SHOP THAT I HAVE CALLED FOR REPAIR DETAILED EXACTLY WHAT IT WAS DOING BEFORE I EVEN TOLD THEM ABOUT IT. REPAIR COST OF $2000 WITH ADDITION OF TRANSMISSION COOLER AND 12 MONTH WARRANTY WERE FAIRLY COSTLY AND WARRANTS A REC…

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PURCHASED THIS VEHICLE AND TRANSMISSION HAS BEEN FAULTY. AWARE THAT THIS IS VERY COMMON AS EACH TRANSMISSION SHOP THAT I HAVE CALLED FOR REPAIR DETAILED EXACTLY WHAT IT WAS DOING BEFORE I EVEN TOLD THEM ABOUT IT. REPAIR COST OF $2000 WITH ADDITION OF TRANSMISSION COOLER AND 12 MONTH WARRANTY WERE FAIRLY COSTLY AND WARRANTS A RECALL ON THIS VEHICLE. *JB

NHTSA ODI #10154691

215,000 miles · Apr 4, 2006
Power Train

FAULTY AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION IN MAZDA 626. THIS WILL BE MY SECOND TRANSMISSION FAILURE. BOTH TRANSMISSIONS BEGAN SLIPPING AND OVERHEATING MANY MILES BEFORE FAILURE. THE DEALER NEVER INFORMED ME OF ANY BULLETINS OR PROBLEMS WITH THE TRANSMISSIONS. *NM

NHTSA ODI #10154562

100,005 miles · Mar 25, 2006
Power Train

MY WIFE WAS ENROUTE FROM WORK TO HOME WHEN THE 626 STARTED LOSING SPEED. IT WOULDN'T PULL-OFF FROM STOP LIGHT. UNEVENTFULLY IT WOULD MOVE FOR THE DISTANCE OF A FOOTBALL FIELD AND QUIT IN HIGH SPEED TRAFFIC. I TOOK IT OUT FOR A DRIVE AND BARELY MADE IT BACK HOME. THE TRANSMISSION WILL DISENGAGE AND ENGAGE FROM TIME TO TIME. *JB

NHTSA ODI #10153711

Mileage unknown · Mar 20, 2006
Power Train

I PURCHASED A MAZDA 626 (1999 MODEL). THE TRANSMISSION IS NOW OVERHEATING. THIS IS SUCH A PREVALENT PROBLEM THAT MAZDA NEEDS TO PAY FOR IT. PUTTING A FORD TRANSMISSION IN A BIG MAZDA WAS A HUGE MISTAKE AND THEN NEED TO MAKE RESTITUTION FOR THE THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS THOSE OF US WHO GOT DUPED MUST PAY. BOTTOM LINE: THEY MANUFA…

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I PURCHASED A MAZDA 626 (1999 MODEL). THE TRANSMISSION IS NOW OVERHEATING. THIS IS SUCH A PREVALENT PROBLEM THAT MAZDA NEEDS TO PAY FOR IT. PUTTING A FORD TRANSMISSION IN A BIG MAZDA WAS A HUGE MISTAKE AND THEN NEED TO MAKE RESTITUTION FOR THE THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS THOSE OF US WHO GOT DUPED MUST PAY. BOTTOM LINE: THEY MANUFACTURED TICKING TIME BOMBS AND ALL TRANSMISSION REBUILDS DO IS ADD A FEW SECONDS TO THE BOMB COUNTER. *NM

NHTSA ODI #10153257

Official recalls

2

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.

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

0

No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.