IllustrationDRIVING IN CITY TRAFFIC, PARKED IN PARKING SPACE, STARTED TO LEAVE, PULLED TRANSMISSION SHIFTER INTO REVERSE AND CAR WENT FORWARD. COULD NOT GET CAR TO GO IN REVERSE SO IT WAS TOWED BECAUSE OF TRANSMISSION FAILURE, APPEARS TRANSMISSION MUST BE REPLACED AGAIN. *TR
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 reports2000 MAZDA 626 LX TRANSMISSION FAILURE AFTER ONLY 81,200 MILES. *TR
2000 MAZDA 626 WITH FAILED TRANSMISSION. DEALER REPAIR SHOP SAID THAT THIS IS A KNOW PROBLEM AND THAT THEY ADD A "COOLER" TO COOL THE TRANSMISSION FLUID IN HOT CLIMATES. I'M IN TEXAS. MY REPAIR BILL SO FAR IS $1000 FOR A NEW TRANSMISSION. *TR
O/D LIGHT BLINKING AFTER LONG DRIVE. HARSH SHIFTING. OVER REVVING DURING ATTEMPTED SHIFTING.*AK
O/D LIGHT BLINKING AFTER LONG DRIVE. HARSH SHIFTING. OVER REVING DURING ATTEMPTED SHIFTING.*AK
I AM STARTING TO HAVE TROUBLE ON MY 2000 MAZDA 626 AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION. I HAVE BEEN DOING SOME RESEARCH ON THE ISSUE AND FOUND THAT I AM NOT THE ONLY ONE. WAS THERE ANY RECALL OR FIX FOR THE TRANSMISSIONS ON THESE VEHICLES, WITHOUT SPENDING THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS?*AK
TRANSMISSION FAILED, COMPLETELY OUT OF NOWHERE AT 110,000 MILES WHICH IS ABSOLUTELY RIDICULOUS. THE TRANSMISSION IN THE 2000 MAZDA 626 SHOULD LAST A LOT LONGER THAN THAT. IT COST ME $1600.00. *JB
TRANSMISSION OVER HEATS(OVERDRIVE LIGHT BLINKS), CAUSING THE CAR TO SHIFT GEARS IMPROPERLY AND IF UNTREATED BY ADDING AN EXTRA RADIATOR FOR THE TRANSMISSION IT WILL GO BAD!!!!! *JB
TRANSMISSION WENT OUT WITHOUT WARNING ON MY 2000 MAZDA 626 AND ALSO A FEW MONTH LATER THE MOTOR WENT OUT TOO, I HAD TO BUY A NEW TRANSMISSION AND MOTOR. *NM
MY 2000 MAZDA 626 HAS JUST EXPERIENCED A PROBLEM THAT MAZDA HAS BEEN AWARE OF FOR YEARS AND ISSUED A TSB #05-005/02 FOR- BLINKING OVERDRIVE/HOLD LIGHT ON DASH, TRANSMISSION FLUID SQUIRTING OUT OF THE DIPSTICK AND JERKY SHIFTING WHEN DRIVEN LONG DISTANCES. MAZDA SHOULD BE HELD FINANCIALL RESPONSIBLE FOR THESE REPAIRS SINCE THEY …
Read full complaint
MY 2000 MAZDA 626 HAS JUST EXPERIENCED A PROBLEM THAT MAZDA HAS BEEN AWARE OF FOR YEARS AND ISSUED A TSB #05-005/02 FOR- BLINKING OVERDRIVE/HOLD LIGHT ON DASH, TRANSMISSION FLUID SQUIRTING OUT OF THE DIPSTICK AND JERKY SHIFTING WHEN DRIVEN LONG DISTANCES. MAZDA SHOULD BE HELD FINANCIALL RESPONSIBLE FOR THESE REPAIRS SINCE THEY HAVE BEEN HAVE THIS TROUBLE WITH THE MAZDA 626 SINCE THE 1994 MODEL AND STILL PRODUCES THEM WITH THIS FAULT. *NM
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.