IllustrationIT IS CRAZY TO HAVE TO REPLACE A TRANSMISSON AFTER LESS THAN 72000 MILES. THERE ARE SO MANY COMPLAINTS ON THIS TYPE OF VEHICLE, THAT IT REALLY SHOULD BE LOOKED INTO. IT'S REALLY SAD FOR PEOPLE LIKE ME THAT CAN BARELY AFFORD THE MONTHLY PAYMENT, THEN SOMETHING LIKE THIS HAPPENS. DT
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 reportsTRANSMISSION FLUID WAS BLACK. DT
THE VEHICLES CLUTCH BAND WAS SLIPPING AND AS A RESULT THE TRANSMISSION HAD TO BE REPLACED. *TS *NLM
NO SUMMARY. DT
CONSUMER STATES WHEN THE VEHICLE ACCELERATES THE TRANSMISSION MAKES A CLICKING NOISE AND JERKS INTO GEAR. THE TORQUE CONVERTER WAS TURNING BACK AND FORTH INSTEAD OF ONE WAY WHICH WOULD CAUSE THE TRANSMISSION TO FALL OUT. THE DEALER WAS INFORMED. PLEASE PROVIDE MORE INFORMATION. MR
NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK
VEHICLE SERVICED AND ALL FLUIDS CHECKED AND TOPPED OFF ON 8/13/02. NO TRANSMISSION OR FLUID PROBLEMS REPORTED DURING THAT SERVICING. NO OTHER PROBLEMS, LIGHT INDICATORS, OR TRANSMISSION RELATED ISSUES BEFORE THIS INCIDENT. ON 8/26/02, WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY, OIL FLUIDS BEGAN SPRAYING THE WINDSHIELD AND SMOKE POURED FROM UN…
Read full complaint
VEHICLE SERVICED AND ALL FLUIDS CHECKED AND TOPPED OFF ON 8/13/02. NO TRANSMISSION OR FLUID PROBLEMS REPORTED DURING THAT SERVICING. NO OTHER PROBLEMS, LIGHT INDICATORS, OR TRANSMISSION RELATED ISSUES BEFORE THIS INCIDENT. ON 8/26/02, WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY, OIL FLUIDS BEGAN SPRAYING THE WINDSHIELD AND SMOKE POURED FROM UNDER THE HOOD. VEHICLE STALLED OUT IN THE MEDIAN OF EXTREMELY BUSY AND CONGESTED GEORGIA HWY 400. POLICE AND FIRE RESPONDED DUE TO THE AMOUNT OF SMOKE AND HAZARD OF BEING STALLED IN MEDIAN. VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO MAZDA DEALER WHO INFORMED US THAT THE TRANSMISSION OVERHEATED AND NEEDS REPLACEMENT AT A COST OF $2,700! MY RESEARCH HAS DISCOVERED SEVERAL OTHER COMPLAINTS ON THE SAME ISSUE. PLEASE ADVISE AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.*AK
OWNER STARTED HAVING PROBLEMS WITH STALLING. SHE WAS TOLD BY MAZDA THAT THE EXTERNAL SPRING IN TIMING BELT TESIONER BROKE. MAZDA DOES HAVE A RECALL 00V134000 ON TIMING BELT TENSIONER, PLEASE DESCRIBE DETAILS. *AK
WAS ABOUT 2 MILES FROM HOME, ACCELERATING FROM A TURN. TRANSMISSION WENT "CLUNK" THEN NOTICIBLE HESITATION WHEN APPLYING GAS. WHEN CAR WAS PARKED, SMOKE COMING FROM UNDERNEATH THE HOOD. CHECKED AND NOTICED "BURNED" TRANNIE FLUID COVERING COMPONENTS. HAD CAR TOWED TO JAPANESE AUTO. REPAIR SERVICE. TOLD NEEDED NEW TRANNIE. H…
Read full complaint
WAS ABOUT 2 MILES FROM HOME, ACCELERATING FROM A TURN. TRANSMISSION WENT "CLUNK" THEN NOTICIBLE HESITATION WHEN APPLYING GAS. WHEN CAR WAS PARKED, SMOKE COMING FROM UNDERNEATH THE HOOD. CHECKED AND NOTICED "BURNED" TRANNIE FLUID COVERING COMPONENTS. HAD CAR TOWED TO JAPANESE AUTO. REPAIR SERVICE. TOLD NEEDED NEW TRANNIE. HAD TOWED TO MAZDA DEALERSHIP. DEALERSHIP PROVIDED NEW TRANNIE, RADIATOR AND COOLANT SWITCH B/C COMMON KNOWLEDGE THAT RADIATOR WAS NOT SUFFICIENT TO HELP COOL TRANNIE. MAZDA COVERED PARTS, BUT IN ORDER FOR THEM TO DO THAT I NEED TO PAY LABOR AND GET TIMING BELT, GASKETS AND SEALS CHANGED. OVERALL I AM PLEASED WITH MAZDA'S ACTION, BUT I THINK IT SHOULD BE KNOWN THAT THERE ARE PROBLEMS WITH THIS TRANSMISSION/RADIATOR COMBO. FYI. TOM NASO'S STAFF WAS EXTREMELY COURTEOUS AND HELPFUL. I APPRECIATED ALL THEIR WORK.*AK
WHILE TRAVELING ON HIGHWAY AND WITHOUT PRIOR NOTICE HEARD A KNOCKING NOISE COMING FROM UNDERNEATH THE VEHICLE.*AK
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.