IllustrationTRANSMISSION WENT OUT IN MY 1999 MAZDA 626 AFTER 91,000 MILES.*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
100–25K
1325–50K
6150–75K
6475–100K
49100–150K
12150K+
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
What owners actually said
318 reportsTHE TIMING BELT TENSION SPRING BROKE AND CAUSED ENGINE DAMAGE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC FOR REPAIR. *NLM
THE VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN A FRONTAL COLLISION AND THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. *NLM *SCC *JB
THE CAR SHIFTED REALLY HARD WHEN I PUT THE GEAR ON REVERSE. IT SHIFTED SO HARD THAT THE ENGINE ALMOST STALLED. THE CAR ALSO JERKS AND HESITATES WHEN ACCELERATING FROM A STOP. I TOOK THE CAR IN TO A MECHANIC AND THEY HAD TO REPLACE THE TRANSMISSION FOR $2,500. HOWEVER, THE PROBLEM WAS NOT FIXED. IT IS STILL DOING THE SAME TH…
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THE CAR SHIFTED REALLY HARD WHEN I PUT THE GEAR ON REVERSE. IT SHIFTED SO HARD THAT THE ENGINE ALMOST STALLED. THE CAR ALSO JERKS AND HESITATES WHEN ACCELERATING FROM A STOP. I TOOK THE CAR IN TO A MECHANIC AND THEY HAD TO REPLACE THE TRANSMISSION FOR $2,500. HOWEVER, THE PROBLEM WAS NOT FIXED. IT IS STILL DOING THE SAME THING AND THE MECHANICS, AFTER 2 WEEKS, STILL CAN NOT FIGURE OUT WHAT'S WRONG WITH THE VEHICLE. THIS CAR ONLY HAD 45,000 MILES. I WISH I HAD CHECKED THIS WEBSITE BEFORE I BOUGHT THE CAR AND SAW ALL THE TRANSMISSION COMPLAINTS. I WILL NEVER BUY ANOTHER MAZDA. *NLM
THE VEHICLE EXPERIENCED THE SAME DEFECT WITH THE TIMING BELT TENSIONER AS STATED IN RECALL 00 V 134 000, HOWEVER THE VEHICLE IDENTIFICATION NUMBER WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL. *JB
WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. THE DEALER WAS NOTIFIED. *NLM
TRANSMISSION FAILURE IN 1999 MAZDA 626LX. *NLM
THE VEHICLE FAILED TO SHIFT INTO GEAR. *JB
I HAD ORIGINALLY TAKEN MY 626 IN TO THE DEALERSHIP TO HAVE THE TRANSMISSION FLUID FLUSHED BEFORE THE CAR REACHED 30,000. A SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE AT JAY MARKS MAZDA IN HOUSTON, TEXAS ADVISED ME THAT MAZDA DID S NOT CALL FOR A SERVICING OF THE TRANSMISSION. SOMEWHERE AROUND 52,000 MILES THE TRANSMISSION BEGAN TO DOWN SHIFTING P…
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I HAD ORIGINALLY TAKEN MY 626 IN TO THE DEALERSHIP TO HAVE THE TRANSMISSION FLUID FLUSHED BEFORE THE CAR REACHED 30,000. A SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE AT JAY MARKS MAZDA IN HOUSTON, TEXAS ADVISED ME THAT MAZDA DID S NOT CALL FOR A SERVICING OF THE TRANSMISSION. SOMEWHERE AROUND 52,000 MILES THE TRANSMISSION BEGAN TO DOWN SHIFTING PRETTY ROUGHLY. I HAD THE FLUID CHANGED, WHICH DID NOT RESOLVE THE PROBLEM. I PHONED THE HOUSTON AREA CORPORATE OFFICE AND NEVER RECEIVED A RETURN CALL. AT 63,300 MILES WHILE ON THE INTERSTATE AND CHANGING LANES, THE TRANSMISSION WENT OUT. THERE WAS FLUID SPEWING OUT FROM THE OVERFLOW HOSE UNDERNEATH THE HOOD. THIS CAUSED AN ENORMOUS AMOUNT OF SMOKE, WHICH I FEARED WAS ABOUT TO CATCH A FIRE. I WAS TOLD THAT MAZDA IS USING ALUMINUM HOUSING FOR THE PISTONS, WHICH IS NOT HOLDING UP. I FEEL THAT THE CHEAPER COST IS PUTTING INDIVIDUALS'' LIVES AT STAKE.
THE TIMING BELT TENSIONER SPRING BROKE. THE DEALER STATED THERE WAS A RECALL ISSUED FOR THIS PROBLEM, HOWEVER THE VEHICLE IDENTIFICATION NUMBER WAS NOT INCLUDED.*JB
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.