Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.
When problems were reported
Mileage at the reported incident
100–25K
2525–50K
3250–75K
3575–100K
34100–150K
4150K+
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
11,000 miles · Aug 15, 2006
Power Train
WHILE DRIVING CHILDREN TO SCHOOL MY CAR STARTED LOSING SPEED AND THE RPMS WERE WAY HIGH. PULLED OVER TO SIDE OF HIGHWAY AND WAS NOT ABLE TO GO IN ANY GEAR. LUCKILY I PULLED OVER WHEN I DID. CAR WAS TOWED TO TRANSMISSION SHOP AND WAS TOLD THEY SEE SO MANY MAZDA VEHICLES COME IN BECAUSE MAZDA PUT IN A FORD TRANSMISSION MADE FOR A …
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WHILE DRIVING CHILDREN TO SCHOOL MY CAR STARTED LOSING SPEED AND THE RPMS WERE WAY HIGH. PULLED OVER TO SIDE OF HIGHWAY AND WAS NOT ABLE TO GO IN ANY GEAR. LUCKILY I PULLED OVER WHEN I DID. CAR WAS TOWED TO TRANSMISSION SHOP AND WAS TOLD THEY SEE SO MANY MAZDA VEHICLES COME IN BECAUSE MAZDA PUT IN A FORD TRANSMISSION MADE FOR A SMALLER VEHICLE. THEREFORE THE TRANSMISSION BURNS OUT. WAS TOLD MY TRANSMISSION NEEDED REBUILT AND TO ADD THIS COOLING UNIT $2,100.00. THANK YOU MAZDA FOR KEEPING YOUR CUSTOMERS INFORMED OF THIS. IF I HAD KNOWN THAT IT NEEDED THIS COOLING UNIT OR MY TRANSMISSION WOULD BURN UP, I WOULD HAVE SPENT THE $140.00 FOR THE UNIT. BUT MAZDA DID NOT FEEL THAT THEIR CUSTOMERS WERE PRIVY TO THIS INFORMATION. NEVER WILL BY MAZDA AGAIN!!!!! *NM
NHTSA ODI #10165513
49,000 miles · Aug 9, 2006
Power Train
DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THE VEHICLE STALLED WHILE STOPPED AT A TRAFFIC SIGNAL. THE VEHICLE WAS RESTARTED AND SMOKE WAS SEEN COMING FROM UNDER THE HOOD. THE VEHICLE WAS DRIVEN TO AN INDEPENDENT REPAIR SHOP WHO DETERMINED THE TRANSMISSION HAD LEAKED FLUID. THE VEHICLE WAS LATER TOWED TO ANOTHER INDEPENDENT REPAIR SHOP FOR FURT…
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DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THE VEHICLE STALLED WHILE STOPPED AT A TRAFFIC SIGNAL. THE VEHICLE WAS RESTARTED AND SMOKE WAS SEEN COMING FROM UNDER THE HOOD. THE VEHICLE WAS DRIVEN TO AN INDEPENDENT REPAIR SHOP WHO DETERMINED THE TRANSMISSION HAD LEAKED FLUID. THE VEHICLE WAS LATER TOWED TO ANOTHER INDEPENDENT REPAIR SHOP FOR FURTHER INSPECTION, HOWEVER NO DETERMINATION HAS YET BEEN MADE ON THE CAUSE OF THE LEAK. THE DEALER WAS NOT CONTACTED.
NHTSA ODI #10165031
95,000 miles · Aug 1, 2006
Power Train
DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THE TRANSMISSION BURNED OUT AT THE END OF A LONG TRIP. INITIALLY, THE SERVICE DEALER OFFERED TO COVER THE COST OF THE TRANSMISSION IF THE CONTACT PAID FOR THE LABOR COST. THE DEALER'S OFFER WAS WITHDRAWN BECAUSE THE TRANSMISSION WAS REBUILT AT 65,000 MILES. A SERVICE BULLETIN (06012004, NHTSA ITEM #100139…
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DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THE TRANSMISSION BURNED OUT AT THE END OF A LONG TRIP. INITIALLY, THE SERVICE DEALER OFFERED TO COVER THE COST OF THE TRANSMISSION IF THE CONTACT PAID FOR THE LABOR COST. THE DEALER'S OFFER WAS WITHDRAWN BECAUSE THE TRANSMISSION WAS REBUILT AT 65,000 MILES. A SERVICE BULLETIN (06012004, NHTSA ITEM #10013965) REGARDING OVERHEATING OF THE TRANSMISSION WAS DISCOVERED WHICH RECOMMENDED THE INSTALLATION OF A TRANSMISSION CONTROL MODULE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED.
NHTSA ODI #10164088
Mileage unknown · Jul 31, 2006
Power Train
2001 MAZDA 626 TRANSMISSION FAILED WHILE DRIVING ON HIGHWAY. COULD HAVE BEEN KILLED. IS AT TRANSMISSION SHOP RIGHT NOW BEING REPLACED. ONLY HAVE APPROX 56 THOUSAND MILES ON CAR, SHOULD NOT HAVE TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS, I SEE MANY MANY OTHER MAZDA 626 HAVE SAME PROBLEM. MAZDA SHOULD HAVE TO PAY EVEN IF OFF WARRANTY. *NM
NHTSA ODI #10164038
Mileage unknown · Jul 18, 2006
Power Train
THE TRANSMISSION FAILED IN THE CONSUMER'S 2001 MAZDA 626. *KB *NM
NHTSA ODI #10163678
83,000 miles · Jul 17, 2006
Power Train
TRANSMISSION FAILURE AT 65,000 MILES. FLASHING O/D LIGHT. REPLACED TRANSMISSION IN 2/05 AFTER $300 75 MILE TOW. 07/06 AT 83000 MILES O/D LIGHT ENGAGES AUTOMATICALLY. CANNOT GET ABOVE 50 MPH. SHIFTING FROM 1ST TO 2ND VERY ROUGH. DEALERSHIP UNABLE TO IDENTIFY PROBLEM WITHOUT COMPUTER CODE THAT DOES NOT SHOW ANY DIAGNOSTICS. *JB
NHTSA ODI #10162688
106,000 miles · Jul 13, 2006
Engine And Engine Cooling
DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE ENGINE OVERHEATED DUE TO A COOLANT TANK LEAK. THE VEHICLE WAS INSPECTED BY A SERVICE DEALER, WHERE THE COOLANT TANK WAS REPLACED. AFTER A YEAR A HALF THE NEW COOLANT TANK STARTED TO LEAK CAUSING THE SAME OVERHEATING ISSUE.
NHTSA ODI #10162318
112,456 miles · Jun 13, 2006
Power Train
AUTO WAS PURCHASED BRAND NEW, THREE MONTHS LATER, THE TRANSMISSION, COMPUTER AND WIRING WAS REPLACED. THREE YEARS LATER , THE TRANSMISSION HAS PACKED UP AGAIN. *NM
NHTSA ODI #10159705
60,392 miles · May 31, 2006
Power Train
1. 2001 MAZDA 626 --- TRANSMISSION FAILURE. 2. AAMCO #4660-- KEPT MY CAR FOR 2 WEEKS. DIFFERENT STORY/EXCUSE FOR JOB NOT BEING COMPLETED. DIDN'T PUT IT BACK PROPERLY, ENDED UP WITH ENGINE LIGHT ON, TRANSMISSION FLUID SPILL ON RIGHT SIDE LEAKING DOWN ON THE GROUND; HOSE NOT CONNECTED & CAUSE FOR A 2ND TRANSMISSION FAILUR…
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1. 2001 MAZDA 626 --- TRANSMISSION FAILURE. 2. AAMCO #4660-- KEPT MY CAR FOR 2 WEEKS. DIFFERENT STORY/EXCUSE FOR JOB NOT BEING COMPLETED. DIDN'T PUT IT BACK PROPERLY, ENDED UP WITH ENGINE LIGHT ON, TRANSMISSION FLUID SPILL ON RIGHT SIDE LEAKING DOWN ON THE GROUND; HOSE NOT CONNECTED & CAUSE FOR A 2ND TRANSMISSION FAILURE. *JB
NHTSA ODI #10158711
79,818 miles · May 29, 2006
Power Train
MY 2001 MAZDA 626 TRANSMISSION SUDDENLY WENT BAD ON THE INTERSTATE. MY HUSBAND KNOWS A SALVAGE YARD OWNER AND HE SAYS HE CAN'T KEEP THEM IN STOCK BECAUSE THEY ARE NOTORIOUSLY BAD. IT ONLY HAS 79K MILES ON IT. THIS IS SO WRONG ON A WHOLE NEW LEVEL. I SEE THE OTHER PEOPLE ON THE INTERNET WITH THE EXACT SAME PROBLEM. MAZDA CORP. DO…
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MY 2001 MAZDA 626 TRANSMISSION SUDDENLY WENT BAD ON THE INTERSTATE. MY HUSBAND KNOWS A SALVAGE YARD OWNER AND HE SAYS HE CAN'T KEEP THEM IN STOCK BECAUSE THEY ARE NOTORIOUSLY BAD. IT ONLY HAS 79K MILES ON IT. THIS IS SO WRONG ON A WHOLE NEW LEVEL. I SEE THE OTHER PEOPLE ON THE INTERNET WITH THE EXACT SAME PROBLEM. MAZDA CORP. DOESN'T SEEM TO BE INTERESTED IN ACCEPTING RESPONSIBILITY FOR THEIR SHORTCOMINGS. I BOUGHT THIS CAR NEW AT THE DEALER. I WON'T MAKE THE MISTAKE OF PURCHASING A MAZDA AGAIN. *NM
NHTSA ODI #10158488
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.
2001 Mazda 626 Problems, Complaints & Recalls | Skip That Year
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