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2001 Mazda 626

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

More warning signs than most 626 years

Owner complaints for the 2001 Mazda 626 are substantially higher than the model-year median of 44.

About this comparison →

How this year compares

Owner complaints by model year

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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

140 reports with mileage · 48 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 139 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Engine And Engine Cooling. Review the 20 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Air Bags. Review the 11 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

10 crash reports4 fire reports11 injury reports

What owners actually said

188 reports
Mileage unknown · Aug 25, 2005
Air BagsCrashInjury

DT: THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 MAZDA 626. THE CONTACT'S VEHICLE HWAS INVOLVED IN AN ACCIDENT ON AUGUST 17, 2005 WHILE DRIVING 35-40 MPH. UPON IMPACT, NONE OF AIR BAGS DEPLOYED . THERE WHERE TWO OCCUPANTS IN THE VEHICLE, HUSBAND THE DRIVER AND CONTACT THE PASSENGER. BOTH OCCUPANTS WHERE WEARING SEAT BELTS. THERE WAS PRE-IMPACT…

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DT: THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 MAZDA 626. THE CONTACT'S VEHICLE HWAS INVOLVED IN AN ACCIDENT ON AUGUST 17, 2005 WHILE DRIVING 35-40 MPH. UPON IMPACT, NONE OF AIR BAGS DEPLOYED . THERE WHERE TWO OCCUPANTS IN THE VEHICLE, HUSBAND THE DRIVER AND CONTACT THE PASSENGER. BOTH OCCUPANTS WHERE WEARING SEAT BELTS. THERE WAS PRE-IMPACT BRAKING. THE IMPACT WAS ON THE RIGHT FENDER BENDING THE HOOD OF THE CAR. THE AIR BAG LIGHT CAME ON AND WENT OFF ONLY WHEN STARTING THE CAR, WHICH WAS WHAT THE MANUAL STATED THAT IT SHOULD DO. THERE WAS ONE PERSON INJURED. A POLICE REPORT WAS TAKEN. *AK

NHTSA ODI #10134253

87,634 miles · Aug 12, 2005
Power Train

STOPPED THE CAR AND TURNED OFF THE ENGINE TO PUT GAS IN , STARTED THE CAR, PUT GEAR INTO DRIVE AND FELT A SLIGHT JUMP WHEN I ACCELERATED. I CONTINUED TO ACCELERATE AND THE CAR BEGAN TO STALL BUT THE RPMS CONTINUED TO RISE. I STOPPED THE CAR AND TURNED IT OFF, LET IT COOL DOWN AND TURNED IT BACK ON. EVERYTHING WAS FINE UNTIL I…

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STOPPED THE CAR AND TURNED OFF THE ENGINE TO PUT GAS IN , STARTED THE CAR, PUT GEAR INTO DRIVE AND FELT A SLIGHT JUMP WHEN I ACCELERATED. I CONTINUED TO ACCELERATE AND THE CAR BEGAN TO STALL BUT THE RPMS CONTINUED TO RISE. I STOPPED THE CAR AND TURNED IT OFF, LET IT COOL DOWN AND TURNED IT BACK ON. EVERYTHING WAS FINE UNTIL I PUT IT INTO DRIVE, PUSHED ON THE GAS BUT THE CAR DIDN'T MOVE ONE INCH, JUST KEPT REVVING. TRANSMISSION GONE JUST LIKE THAT. PROBLEM JUST OCCURRED. ESTIMATE ABOUT 2000 DOLLARS FOR NEW TRANSMISSION AFTER ONLY 87000 MILES. *JB

NHTSA ODI #10132672

6,800 miles · Aug 9, 2005
Power Train

I HAVE A 2001 MAZDA 626 4 CYLINDER I HAVE JUST FOUND OUT I HAVE TO HAVE MY TRANSMISSION DONE DUE TO THE CD4E WHICH WERE ON MODEL 1994-2002 ALSO FORDS NOW I AM FINDING OUT THAT MAZDA KNEW BOUT THIS AN STILL HAVE NOT RECALLED THIS IS A SHAME BECAUSE BEING A SINGLE MOM WITH A DISABLED CHILD WORKING UP TO 3 JOBS THINKING SHE WAS PU…

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I HAVE A 2001 MAZDA 626 4 CYLINDER I HAVE JUST FOUND OUT I HAVE TO HAVE MY TRANSMISSION DONE DUE TO THE CD4E WHICH WERE ON MODEL 1994-2002 ALSO FORDS NOW I AM FINDING OUT THAT MAZDA KNEW BOUT THIS AN STILL HAVE NOT RECALLED THIS IS A SHAME BECAUSE BEING A SINGLE MOM WITH A DISABLED CHILD WORKING UP TO 3 JOBS THINKING SHE WAS PURCHASING A RELIABLE CAR TO FIND OUT $3,055.43 WILL BE MY COST IS HARD TO SHALLOW KNOWING THAT MAZDA KNEW THIS ALL ALONG EVEN PUTTING OUT TSB, NOW I'M STUCK WITH A CAR PAYMENT AND I CAN'T DRIVE THE CAR. *JB

NHTSA ODI #10132068

91,000 miles · Aug 1, 2005
Power Train

FIRST MY CAR STARTED JERKING, I WAS TOLD BY THE MAZDA DEALER THAT IT'S OKAY. THEN MY CHECK ENGINE LIGHT AND MY O/D STARTED BLINKING... NEXT THING I KNEW MY CAR STOPPED. IT WILL GO INTO REVERSE BUT NOT DRIVE. I NOW NEED A NEW TRANSMISSION. I HAVE SINCE FOUND THAT MAZDA SHOULD HAVE TOLD ME ABOUT A TRANSMISSION COOLANT SYSTEM THAT …

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FIRST MY CAR STARTED JERKING, I WAS TOLD BY THE MAZDA DEALER THAT IT'S OKAY. THEN MY CHECK ENGINE LIGHT AND MY O/D STARTED BLINKING... NEXT THING I KNEW MY CAR STOPPED. IT WILL GO INTO REVERSE BUT NOT DRIVE. I NOW NEED A NEW TRANSMISSION. I HAVE SINCE FOUND THAT MAZDA SHOULD HAVE TOLD ME ABOUT A TRANSMISSION COOLANT SYSTEM THAT WAS NEEDED FOR MY CAR, BUT NOT INSTALLED WHEN THE CAR WAS PURCHASED. SEVERAL PEOPLE HAVE THIS CONCERN.. I AM SO DISAPPOINTED. *JB

NHTSA ODI #10130814

47,100 miles · Aug 1, 2005
Power Train

1) CAR OVERHEATING, O/D LIGHT BLINKING, CAR NOT SHIFTING OUT OF 1ST GEAR 2) CAR EVENTUALLY WOULD NOT SHIFT AT ALL, HAD REPAIRS DONE = $1900 3) TRANSMISSION SHOP REPLACED TRANNY. MAZDA DEALER QUOTED $3500 TO DO SAME REPAIRS. *JB

NHTSA ODI #10130801

76,000 miles · Jul 28, 2005
Power Train

MY 2001 MAZDA 626 TRANSMISSION FAILED. ON JUNE 6, 2003 WE PLACED OUR 626 WITH JIM ELLIS MAZDA IN ATLANTA, GA BECAUSE THE OVERDRIVE WAS FLASHING. THE WARRANTY REPAIR ORDER STATES "TRANS OVER HEATED. NEEDS UPDATED COOLER. INSTALLED TRANS COOLER. SEE RO FOR DETAILS." TWO YEARS LATER OUR TRANSMISSION HAS FAILED, AND AFTER READ…

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MY 2001 MAZDA 626 TRANSMISSION FAILED. ON JUNE 6, 2003 WE PLACED OUR 626 WITH JIM ELLIS MAZDA IN ATLANTA, GA BECAUSE THE OVERDRIVE WAS FLASHING. THE WARRANTY REPAIR ORDER STATES "TRANS OVER HEATED. NEEDS UPDATED COOLER. INSTALLED TRANS COOLER. SEE RO FOR DETAILS." TWO YEARS LATER OUR TRANSMISSION HAS FAILED, AND AFTER READING EXPERIENCES FROM MANY OTHER PEOPLE WHO HAVE HAD THE SAME FAILURE, THIS IS DUE TO A FAULTY TRANSMISSION THAT MAZDA HAS INSTALLED IN THEIR 626'S. I FEEL STRONGLY THAT MAZDA KNOWS ABOUT THIS PROBLEM AND REFUSES TO ISSUE A RECALL, AND WILL CONTINUE TO DENY THIS PROBLEM UNTIL SOMETHING IS DONE TO FORCE THEIR HAND AND REQUIRE THEM TO FACE THE PROBLEM. *JB

NHTSA ODI #10130522

Mileage unknown · Jul 28, 2005
Power Train

STARTED WITH OVERDRIVE LIGHT FLASHING ON/OFF. CAR HESITATES AND CHUGS WHEN YOU STEP ON THE GAS FROM A STOPPED POSITION. JERKS WHILE SHIFTING AND TRANSMISSION IS FAILING. I HAVE HAD ALL THE RECOMMENDED SERVICES DONE INCLUDING TUNE UP, OIL CHANGE AND TRANSMISSION FLUID FLUSH. THE CAR HAS 73,000 MILES ON IT. *JB

NHTSA ODI #10130506

53,000 miles · Jul 1, 2005
Power Train

TRANSMISSION HAS ALWAYS BEEN ACTING UNUSUAL BUT I MISTAKINGLY THOUGHT IT WAS HOW THE RIDE WAS IN THE BRAND NEW 2001 MAZDA 626 WHEN BOUGHT IN APRIL 2001. IT WAS HEAVY AND I WAS USED TO DRIVING HEAVIER CARS. 53,000 MILES LATER THE TRANSMISSION DIES AND THE SERVICER AT THE DEALERSHIP TELLS ME ITS "BURNT." WANTS TO CHARGE $3700 TO R…

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TRANSMISSION HAS ALWAYS BEEN ACTING UNUSUAL BUT I MISTAKINGLY THOUGHT IT WAS HOW THE RIDE WAS IN THE BRAND NEW 2001 MAZDA 626 WHEN BOUGHT IN APRIL 2001. IT WAS HEAVY AND I WAS USED TO DRIVING HEAVIER CARS. 53,000 MILES LATER THE TRANSMISSION DIES AND THE SERVICER AT THE DEALERSHIP TELLS ME ITS "BURNT." WANTS TO CHARGE $3700 TO REPLACE THE TRANSMISSION WHEN I STILL OWE $3700 ON THE CAR IN PAYMENTS. RESEARCH ON THE WEB TELLS ME THE TRANSMISSION HAS A COOLING SYSTEM ISSUE WHICH NEEDS TO BE REPLACED (@ ABOUT $800) IN ORDER TO PREVENT THIS FROM HAPPENING AGAIN. DYING TRANSMISSION CAUSED CAR TO ROLL BACK IN D...BEWARE!!!

NHTSA ODI #10127238

78,140 miles · Jun 17, 2005
Power Train

TRANSMISSION WENT OUT AFTER 78,000 MILES, AND IT COST OVER $2600 TO FIX.

NHTSA ODI #10125615

Mileage unknown · Jun 16, 2005
Power Train

MAZDA 626 TRANSMISSION FAILURE, AT 75,000 MILES. DANGEROUS, ESPECIALLY IF THE MANUFACTURER KNOWS THIS TRANSMISSION IS FAULTY. WAS TRAVELLING ON A FREEWAY IN HEAVY TRAFFIC ... CAR STALLED IMMEDIATELY. COULD NOT MOVE THE CAR OUT OF TRAFFIC LANES ... VERY DANGEROUS RESULT.

NHTSA ODI #10125509

Official recalls

0

No recalls in this snapshot.

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

0

No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.