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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

Other model years Selected 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 · Mar 10, 2008
Power Train

1. TRANSMISSION SUDDENLY QUIT. 2. DRIVER AND VEHICLE WERE STRANDED IN UNSAFE AREA. 3. REPLACED TRANSMISSION A TWO THOUSAND DOLLAR COST. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10220696

Mileage unknown · Feb 22, 2008
Power Train

TRANSMISSION FAILURE OCCURRED AT 80,000 MILES. REBUILDER STATED THE PLATES WERE BURNED AND INSTALLED STANDARD SOFT PARTS KIT WITH STEEL PLATES. LESS THAN 2000 MILES AND 2 MONTHS LATER THE TRANSMISSION HAD A SPONTANEOUS FAILURE. THE FAILURE OCCURRED IN THE INTERSECTION OF TWO 45MPH STREETS IN LAS VEGAS HAZARDING OTHER DRIVERS.…

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TRANSMISSION FAILURE OCCURRED AT 80,000 MILES. REBUILDER STATED THE PLATES WERE BURNED AND INSTALLED STANDARD SOFT PARTS KIT WITH STEEL PLATES. LESS THAN 2000 MILES AND 2 MONTHS LATER THE TRANSMISSION HAD A SPONTANEOUS FAILURE. THE FAILURE OCCURRED IN THE INTERSECTION OF TWO 45MPH STREETS IN LAS VEGAS HAZARDING OTHER DRIVERS. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10218923

Mileage unknown · Jan 26, 2008
EquipmentPower Train

I BOUGHT A BRAND NEW MAZDA 626. AT ABOUT 13,000 MILES, THE TRANSMISSION WENT OUT. I REPORTED THE PROBLEM AND MAZDA REPLACED THE TRANSMISSION WITH A NEW ONE. AT ABOUT 33,000 MILES, THE TRANSMISSION WENT OUT AGAIN, AND THEY REPLACED IT WITH A NEW TRANSMISSION. AT ABOUT 55,000 MILES, THE TRANSMISSION WENT OUT AGAIN, AND MAZDA T…

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I BOUGHT A BRAND NEW MAZDA 626. AT ABOUT 13,000 MILES, THE TRANSMISSION WENT OUT. I REPORTED THE PROBLEM AND MAZDA REPLACED THE TRANSMISSION WITH A NEW ONE. AT ABOUT 33,000 MILES, THE TRANSMISSION WENT OUT AGAIN, AND THEY REPLACED IT WITH A NEW TRANSMISSION. AT ABOUT 55,000 MILES, THE TRANSMISSION WENT OUT AGAIN, AND MAZDA TOLD ME THAT IT WAS NO LONGER THEIR PROBLEM SINCE THE TRANSMISSION WAS NO LONGER UNDER WARRANTY. THEY SAID THAT SINCE THEY REPLACED MY TRANSMISSION, IT WAS ONLY WARRANTED FOR ONE YEAR, AND SINCE MY ORIGINAL WARRANTY HAD EXPIRED, THERE WAS NOTHING THAT THEY WOULD DO. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10216153

117,500 miles · Jan 23, 2008
Engine And Engine CoolingVisibility

2001 MAZDA 626 RIGHT REAR TIRE SIDEWALL SPLIT IN TWO AREAS. CONSUMER STATES THAT LEFT REAR TIRE WAS INSPECTED AND HAD SIMILAR CRACKING FORMING. CONSUMER WAS INFORMED THAT THE WARRANTY DOES NOT COVER THAT TYPE OF DAMAGE. *KB THE WIPER BLADES WERE REPLACED. THE ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATED DUE TO A BAD EGR FLOW WHICH WAS CLOGGED DUE…

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2001 MAZDA 626 RIGHT REAR TIRE SIDEWALL SPLIT IN TWO AREAS. CONSUMER STATES THAT LEFT REAR TIRE WAS INSPECTED AND HAD SIMILAR CRACKING FORMING. CONSUMER WAS INFORMED THAT THE WARRANTY DOES NOT COVER THAT TYPE OF DAMAGE. *KB THE WIPER BLADES WERE REPLACED. THE ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATED DUE TO A BAD EGR FLOW WHICH WAS CLOGGED DUE TO CARBON BUILD-UP. *JB

NHTSA ODI #10216111

103,000 miles · Dec 10, 2007
Power Train

CALLED THE LOCAL MAZDA DEALERSHIP, AND TALKED TO THE REPAIR CENTER FOR A GOOD FEW MINUTES. TOLD HIM ABOUT THIS WEBSITE AND HOW MANY COMPLAINTS ABOUT THE TRANSMISSION THERE ARE, AND HE SAID THAT ITS NOT THEIR FAULT. THAT THEY DON'T OFFER ANY DISCOUNTS OR ANYTHING FOR REPAIRS LIKE THIS. ALSO, HAVE A PROBLEM WITH A MISFIRE IN MY CA…

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CALLED THE LOCAL MAZDA DEALERSHIP, AND TALKED TO THE REPAIR CENTER FOR A GOOD FEW MINUTES. TOLD HIM ABOUT THIS WEBSITE AND HOW MANY COMPLAINTS ABOUT THE TRANSMISSION THERE ARE, AND HE SAID THAT ITS NOT THEIR FAULT. THAT THEY DON'T OFFER ANY DISCOUNTS OR ANYTHING FOR REPAIRS LIKE THIS. ALSO, HAVE A PROBLEM WITH A MISFIRE IN MY CAR. ALL AFTER GETTING A NEW 1200 DEALER ONLY PART. DO THEY CARE THAT THEY BUILT A VERY HORRIBLE MADE CAR? NO. I REALLY THINK THAT THEY SHOULD BE FORCED INTO ATLEAST CUTTING THE PRICE DOWN TO HALF. ITS JUST NORMAL DRIVING THAT IS CAUSING THE TRANSMISSION TO FAIL, AND THE MISFIRE. I HAVEN'T GOTTEN IT FIXED FOR I SPENT 6GRAND TO GET THE CAR, AND NOW I HAVE ALMOST PUT IN 6GRAND TO KEEP IT RUNNING. REALLY WISHED I HAD NEVER GOTTEN THIS CAR. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10211358

103,000 miles · Dec 8, 2007
Engine And Engine CoolingPower Train

AS WELL AS OTHER 626'S MY TRANSMISSION HAS BLOWN. WAS DRIVING IT, DOWN THE ROAD, THEN THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT FLASHED ABOUT 7 TIMES, AND IT REVVED, THEN WENT DOWN AND REVVED WITH THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT. TOOK IT TO AAMCO TRANSMISSIONS AND THEY DROVE IT AND LOOKED AND TOLD ME THAT ITS SHOT. OF COURSE THIS ALL HAPPENS AFTER SPENDING…

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AS WELL AS OTHER 626'S MY TRANSMISSION HAS BLOWN. WAS DRIVING IT, DOWN THE ROAD, THEN THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT FLASHED ABOUT 7 TIMES, AND IT REVVED, THEN WENT DOWN AND REVVED WITH THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT. TOOK IT TO AAMCO TRANSMISSIONS AND THEY DROVE IT AND LOOKED AND TOLD ME THAT ITS SHOT. OF COURSE THIS ALL HAPPENS AFTER SPENDING $1200 FOR A DEALER ONLY CATALYTIC CONVERTER. WHY WOULD ANYONE BUY THIS CAR KNOWING THAT THEY FALL APART, AND HAVE DEALER ONLY PARTS!? *TR

NHTSA ODI #10211251

69,000 miles · Dec 6, 2007
Engine And Engine Cooling

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 MAZDA 626. ON APPROXIMATELY NOVEMBER 22, 2007, WHILE DRIVING 60 MPH, THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER FAILED. THE MANUFACTURER AGREED TO PAY HALF OF THE REPLACEMENT COST FOR THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER. ON APPROXIMATELY OCTOBER 15, 2006, (15,000 MILES L…

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TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 MAZDA 626. ON APPROXIMATELY NOVEMBER 22, 2007, WHILE DRIVING 60 MPH, THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER FAILED. THE MANUFACTURER AGREED TO PAY HALF OF THE REPLACEMENT COST FOR THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER. ON APPROXIMATELY OCTOBER 15, 2006, (15,000 MILES LATER) THE ENGINE SHUT DOWN AND THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED. THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER WAS REPLACED AGAIN. THE CONTACT REQUESTED INFORMATION AS TO WHETHER THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER WAS FLAWED. THE DEALER STATED THAT THIS TYPE OF FAILURE WAS RARE AND THE CAUSE COULD NOT BE EXPLAINED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 69,000 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 84,000.

NHTSA ODI #10211700

Mileage unknown · Nov 1, 2007
Power Train

AUTOMATIC TRANS. WILL NOT GO INTO GEAR,OR WILL ENGAGE PARK. TRANS. REBUILT. AFTER 18 MONTHS SAME PROBLEM RETURNED! *TR

NHTSA ODI #10207674

Mileage unknown · Oct 13, 2007
Electrical SystemFire

IGNITION FIRE. *JB

NHTSA ODI #10205552

105,000 miles · Sep 24, 2007
Power Train

AFTER TWO HOURS OF HIGHWAY DRIVING, MY 2001 MAZDA 626 O/D OFF LIGHT BEGAN FLASHING, AS MY TRANSMISSION FLUID OVER-HEATED. I CHECKED THE TRANSMISSION FLUID LEVEL, WHICH WAS OK. MY ENGINE OIL LEVEL WAS 2 QTS. LOW. THIS DID NOT MAKE ANY SENSE SINCE I HAD JUST HAD MY OIL CHANGED TWO WEEKS PRIOR AND CHECKED THE OIL LEVEL AFTER THE…

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AFTER TWO HOURS OF HIGHWAY DRIVING, MY 2001 MAZDA 626 O/D OFF LIGHT BEGAN FLASHING, AS MY TRANSMISSION FLUID OVER-HEATED. I CHECKED THE TRANSMISSION FLUID LEVEL, WHICH WAS OK. MY ENGINE OIL LEVEL WAS 2 QTS. LOW. THIS DID NOT MAKE ANY SENSE SINCE I HAD JUST HAD MY OIL CHANGED TWO WEEKS PRIOR AND CHECKED THE OIL LEVEL AFTER THE WORK WAS COMPLETED. I CALLED THE MAZDA DEALERSHIP AND WAS TOLD TO BRING THE CAR IN TO HAVE IT EVALUATED. THE CAR REGISTERED A P1783 CODE DURING DIAGNOSTIC TESTING. I WAS TOLD THAT THERE WAS A SERVICE BULLETIN RECOMMENDING THAT AN ATF COOLING KIT BE INSTALLED TO REDUCE THE ATF TEMPERATURE, PREVENTING OVER-HEATING. THE SERVICE MANAGER RECOMMENDED THAT I NOT HAVE THE ATF COOLING KIT INSTALLED AT A COST OF $1,100 SINCE MY TRANSMISSION MAY POSSIBLY FAIL WITHIN A FEW MONTHS. AFTER READING TSB 634465 AND REALIZING THAT THE TRANSMISSION DESIGN IS UNDER-SIZED FOR THE 2001 626, I RECOMMEND THAT MAZDA RECALL THE 626 TRANSMISSIONS INSTALLING THE REQUIRED ATF COOLING KIT TO PREVENT PREMATURE FAILURE OF MAZDA'S UNDER-SIZED TRANSMISSION DESIGN FOR THE 626 MODEL. *JB

NHTSA ODI #10204019

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.