IllustrationWHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLES POWER STEERING LEAKED FLUID WHICH MADE IT DIFFICULT TO DRIVE. THE DEALER WAS NOTIFIED. *NLM
2000 Mazda 626
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
More warning signs than most 626 years
Owner complaints for the 2000 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
30–25K
1625–50K
4250–75K
4075–100K
36100–150K
10150K+
147 reports with mileage · 70 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 160 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Engine And Engine Cooling. Review the 18 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Service Brakes, Hydraulic. Review the 14 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
6 crash reports0 fire reports6 injury reports
What owners actually said
217 reportsTHE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATED ON THE DASH BOARD. *JB
2000 VEHICLE HAS 1999 PARTS WHICH CAUSES MAJOR PROBLEMS DURING REPAIR/MAINTENANCE. *NLM
THE VEHICLE OVER HEATED TWICE. NO LEAKS WERE NOTICED AND ANTI FREEZE WAS ADDED. THE MECHANIC THEN NOTICED AN OPEN VALVE COVERED WITH A RUBBER CAP HAD ALLOWED ANTI FREEZE TO LEAK ONTO ENGINE.*JB
VEHICLE BEGAN TO MAKE PINGING NOISE, THAT WAS ONLY NOTICEABLE UNDER HEAVY ACCELERATION, THUS CAUSING ME, THE DRIVER, TO ACCLERATE WITH GINGERLY. APPROX. ONE DAY AFTER THE ENGINE MADE PINGING NOISE NO MATTER HOW FAST OR SLOW THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED, EVENTUALLY LEADING UP TO THE FOLLOWING: THE CAR WAS AT A SPEED OF APPROX 55-60 MP…
Read full complaint
VEHICLE BEGAN TO MAKE PINGING NOISE, THAT WAS ONLY NOTICEABLE UNDER HEAVY ACCELERATION, THUS CAUSING ME, THE DRIVER, TO ACCLERATE WITH GINGERLY. APPROX. ONE DAY AFTER THE ENGINE MADE PINGING NOISE NO MATTER HOW FAST OR SLOW THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED, EVENTUALLY LEADING UP TO THE FOLLOWING: THE CAR WAS AT A SPEED OF APPROX 55-60 MPH ON THE FREEWAY, WHEN ALL OF A SUDDEN THE PINGING GOT LOUDER, THE ENGINE LOST ALL POWER, A LOUD NOISE OCCURED, SOMETHING APPEARED TO SHOOT FROM UNDERNEATH THE VEHICLE, AND SMOKE BEGAN TO POUR FROM UNDER THE HOOD. AFTER THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A LOCAL SERVICE STATION, I WAS THEN TOLD THAT AN ENGINE ROD BLEW THROUGH THE ENGINE BLOCK, THUS REQUIRING A NEW ENGINE. APPROX 1 1/2 TO 2 WEEKS PRIOR AN OIL CHANGE WAS PERFORMED ON THE VEHICLE, AND THEREAFTER THE CAR RAN WITH NO PROBLEMS AT ALL UP UNTIL THE PINGING OCCURANCE. THE VEHICLE IS CURRENTLY UNDER MANUFACTURER EXTENDED WARRANT, BUT HAS NOT BEEN DETERMINED WHETHER IT COVERED UNDER WARRANT AT THIS POINT OR NOT.
THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY SLOWED DOWN, CONSUMER WAS ABLE TO PULL OVER, AND ATTEMPTED TO SHIFT GEAR IN REVERSE, HOWEVER IT WOULD ONLY GO INTO DRIVE, THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED THE DEALER. MR *JB
TRANSMISSION SHIFTS VERY HARD FROM 1ST TO 2ND GEAR WHEN COLD OR AT SLOW SPEEDS. HAVE TAKEN VEHICLE TO DEALER NUMEROUS TIMES FOR THIS PROBLEM BUT HAVE BEEN TOLD THAT IT IS NORMAL OR NO PROBLEM FOUND. DT
ENGINE FAILED AND MAZDA DEALERSHIP REFUSED TO COVER WARRANTY. THE CAR ONLY HAS 30,000 MILES. THERE IS NO REASON FOR ENGINE FAILURE OTHER THAN AN ENGINE DEFECT. DT
EXCESSIVE WEAR OF FRONT BRAKE ROTORS AND PADS. VEHICLE WOULD PULSATE AND VIBRATE WHEN BRAKES ARE APPLIED. DEALER NOTIFIED. *AK *JB
AIR BAG LIGHT WILL INTERMITTENTLY COME ON. CONSUMER HAS TAKEN VEHICLE TO THE DEALERSHIP, AND DEALER CANNOT FIND CAUSE. *AK
Official recalls
100V074000 · 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.