1999 Mazda 626

1) OVERDRIVE LIGHT FLASHING 2) TRANSMISSION OVER TEMPERATURE CONDITION, EXCESSIVE SLIPPAGE, TEMPERATURE EXCEEDED 132 DEGREES CENTIGRADE (270 DEGREES FAHRENHEIT. FLUID IS UP-BURNED AND CLUTCH MATERIAL IN OIL. 3) REPLACED TRANSMISSION WITH REBUILT ASSEMBLY, REPLACED ENGINE REAL MAIN SEAL, FLUSH TRANSMISSION COOLING LINES, ADD OIL, ROAD TEST, RECHECK FOR LEAKS AND CLEARED CODES. *NM

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHEN THE MANUFACTURER WAS CALLED, KNOWLEDGE OF RECALL # 00V134000 FOR THE TIMING BELT TENSIONER SPRING WAS DENIED, THEN, THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN ANY RECALL. THE VEHICLE HAD STALLED WHILE DRIVING 15 MPH. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT SERVICE MECHANIC WHO DETERMINED THAT THERE WAS DAMAGE TO THE TIMING BELT AND A BOLT THAT HAD BEEN SHEARED OFF. THE SUMMARY OF THE RECALL WAS SIMILAR TO THE STALLING OF THE VEHICLE.

A 1999 MAZDA 626 WAS PURCHASED IN JUNE 2006 FROM CARMAX IN TAMPA, FL. WE TRADED IN OUR 2004 FORD EXPLORER FOR THIS 626 TO SAVE ON GAS. THE MAZDA HAS BEEN IN THE SHOP 4 TIMES FOR TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS, NONE OF WHICH HAVE BEEN CLEARLY EXPLAINED TO US; NOR ARE THEY EXPLAINED ON THE RECEIPTS. THE FIRST PROBLEM WE EXPERIENCED WAS AN OVERHEATED TRANSMISSION WHICH CAUSED IT TO GET STUCK IN SECOND GEAR. THE MAZDA DEALER RECOMMENDED A TRANSMISSION COOLER ONCE THE TRANSMISSION WAS DISSECTED TO BE SURE THERE WAS NO INTERNAL DAMAGE. CARMAX TOWED THE VEHICLE FROM THE DEALER AND HAD AAMCO DO THE REPAIR WORK. NEW PARTS WERE ORDERED THOUGH CARMAX SAID AAMCO DIDN'T KNOW WHAT WAS WRONG WITH THE CAR. UPON DRIVING MY 1 YEAR OLD SON HOME AFTER THIS FIRST REPAIR, THE TRANSMISSION BEGAN TO LEAK AND MAKE GRINDING SOUNDS, NONE OF WHICH DID IT DO BEFORE BEING REPAIRED MIND YOU. THE SECOND TIME WE SIMPLY EXPERIENCE THE STUCK IN GEAR ISSUE AGAIN, HOWEVER, THIS TIME BELTS WERE ALSO SQUEALING AND OUR FUEL EFFICIENCY HAS DROPPED. THE THIRD TIME SEEMED DO BE THE CHARM, OR SO WE THOUGHT. THIS MORNING DRIVING THE CAR TO WORK, WE EXPERIENCED THE SAME STUCK IN SECOND GEAR PROBLEM WE HAD ORIGINALLY! AFTER CALLING THE LOCAL STORE THEY SAID TO TAKE IT TO AAMCO. I NEVER DEALT WITH AAMCO BEFORE WHY SHOULD I TAKE IT THERE NOW. I ALSO CALLED THE CARMAX CORPORATE HELP LINE AND THEY SAID THEY WOULD CALL THE LOCAL STORE WE ORIGINALLY PURCHASED THE CAR FROM. I HAVE YET TO RECEIVE ANY PHONE CALLS OR GET THE SERVICE OR GUARANTEE THAT CARMAX PROMISED WHEN I PURCHASED THIS CAR. *NM

OWN A 1999 MAZDA 626, 2.0 4-CYLINDER. IT ONLY HAS 52,170 MILES BUT THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION BURNT OUT. ACCORDING TO THE LOCAL TRANSMISSION SHOPS AND MAZDA DEALERS, THEY HAVE SEEN AND REPAIRED LOTS 626 (1999 -2001 MODELS) DUE TO THE FACT THAT THEY HAVE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSIONS WHICH HAD BEEN DESIGNED BY FORD FOR MUCH SMALLER AND LIGHTER VEHICLES THAN THE 626. CONSEQUENTLY, IF ONE DRIVES LONG DISTANCE, IT DOES BURN OUT. THE DEALERS AND AAMCO SHOPS RECOMMEND TO HAVE THE COOLING PUMP TO COOL THE TRANSMISSION. IT IS WELL KNOWN AND DOCUMENTED THE CASE OF AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION FAILURES AND SHOULD BE RECALLED BY MAZDA. *NM

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE MAKING A TURN AT 20 MPH, THE VEHICLE STOPPED AND WOULD NOT MOVE ANY FURTHER. THE VEHICLE WAS PUSHED TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD, AND THEN TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT REPAIR SHOP. THE SHOP DETERMINED THE SPRING FOR THE TIMING BELT FRACTURED AND A NEW TIMING KIT NEEDED TO BE INSTALLED. THERE WAS A NHTSA RECALL, #00V134000, FOR THE ENGINE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL DUE TO THE VIN.

TRANSMISSION FAILED FOUR TIMES IN TWO YEARS. THE FIRST TIME (AUGUST 2004) IT FAILED IT WAS 24 HOURS AFTER WE BOUGHT IT FROM A MAZDA USED DEALER, HOLIDAY MOTORS IN FOND DU LAC WI. THEY PULLED THE TRANSMISSION OUT AND REPLACED GASKETS. I ASKED THEN TO PUT ON THE COOLING KIT AND THEY DID NOT. A YEAR LATER (OCTOBER 2005) MY DAUGHTER WAS STRANDED NORTH OF CHICAGO IL WITH THIS CAR AND A PUDDLE OF TRANSMISSION FLUID UNDER IT (GASKETS AGAIN). THE THIRD TIME (MAY 2006) IT WAS SMOKING AND LEAKING FLUID (GASKETS). TWO MONTHS LATER (AUGUST 2006) IT WAS SMOKING AND LEAKING FLUID. THIS TIME IT LEFT MY DAUGHTER IN A VERY UN-SAFE NEIGHBORHOOD OF MILWAUKEE WI. A COOLING KIT PUT ON THIS CAR TWO WEEKS BEFORE THE LAST PROBLEM BUT IT WAS ALREADY TOO LATE. THIS TIME THE SHOP IS REPLACING THE TORQUE CONVERTER (?) THEY SAY IT OVER HEATED. REPAIR COST HAVE BEEN ABOUT $600-$300-$150 (COOLING KIT) $700-$300. *NM