IllustrationWHILE SHIFTING VIBRATION CAME FROM THE FRONT OF THE VEHICLE. ALSO, DRIVER NOTICED THAT THE TRANSMISSION WOULD DOWN SHIFT ON ITS OWN. DRIVER TOOK VEHICLE TO THE DEALER, BUT MECHANIC COULD NOT DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. *AK
2002 Mazda 626
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
Similar to other model years
Owner complaints for the 2002 Mazda 626 do not stand out strongly from 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
60–25K
925–50K
1750–75K
1675–100K
7100–150K
5150K+
60 reports with mileage · 27 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 70 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Electrical System. Review the 4 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Suspension. Review the 4 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 reports4 injury reports
What owners actually said
87 reportsTHE SUN VISOR FELL DOWN WHILE DRIVING 65 MPH, WHICH OBSTRUCTED THE CONSUMER VIEW AND ALMOST CAUSED AN ACCIDENT. THE CONSUMER MADE SEVERAL ATTEMPTS TO CONTACT THE DEALER AND HAS NOT RECEIVED ANY RESPONSE. *JB
MY TRANSMISSION JERKS WHEN YOU PUT IN GEAR AND WHEN YOU BRAKE AND HIT THE GAS. THE TRANSMISSION ACTS LIKE SOMETHING IS WRONG. I TOOK IT TO THE DEALER, SENATOR MAZDA ON FLORIN RD IN SAC. AND THEY TOLD ME IT WAS THE MOTOR MOUNDS THAT NEEDED REPLACING BUT WHEN I TOOK IT TO ANOTHER CAR REPAIR PLACE THEY SAID THAT NOTHING WAS WRONG…
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MY TRANSMISSION JERKS WHEN YOU PUT IN GEAR AND WHEN YOU BRAKE AND HIT THE GAS. THE TRANSMISSION ACTS LIKE SOMETHING IS WRONG. I TOOK IT TO THE DEALER, SENATOR MAZDA ON FLORIN RD IN SAC. AND THEY TOLD ME IT WAS THE MOTOR MOUNDS THAT NEEDED REPLACING BUT WHEN I TOOK IT TO ANOTHER CAR REPAIR PLACE THEY SAID THAT NOTHING WAS WRONG WITH THE MOUNDS OR THE TRANSMISSION THAT THE 626 HAS A JERKY TRANSMISSION AND TO WATCH IT IN THE FUTURE.*AK
WHILE DRIVING 40-45 MPH AND MAKING A LEFT HAND TURN CONSUMER'S VEHICLE WAS HIT BY ANOTHER VEHICLE. UPON IMPACT, AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. THERE WERE INJURIES. CONSUMER WAS PREGNANT, AND HIT HER HEAD AND CHEST ON THE STEERING WHEEL. THERE WAS ALSO A THIRTEEN YEAR OLD IN THE VEHICLE THAT WAS INJURED. BOTH CONSUMER AND THE PASSE…
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WHILE DRIVING 40-45 MPH AND MAKING A LEFT HAND TURN CONSUMER'S VEHICLE WAS HIT BY ANOTHER VEHICLE. UPON IMPACT, AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. THERE WERE INJURIES. CONSUMER WAS PREGNANT, AND HIT HER HEAD AND CHEST ON THE STEERING WHEEL. THERE WAS ALSO A THIRTEEN YEAR OLD IN THE VEHICLE THAT WAS INJURED. BOTH CONSUMER AND THE PASSENGER WERE WEARING SEAT BELTS. VEHICLE WAS SALVAGED. *AK
TRANSMISSION ON MY 2002 MAZDA 626. IT WILL NOT GO FORWARD. MY MECHANIC HAS INFORMED ME THAT MAZDA IS AWARE OF THIS AND HAS CHOOSE NOT TO DO ANYTHING. ARE THEY WAITING FOR SOMEONE TO LOOSE THEIR LIFE BEFORE THEY WILL STEP UP TO THE PLATE AND CORRECT THEIR PROBLEM. *AK
CONSUMER HEARD NOISE IN THE VEHICLE. WHEN BROUGHT TO THE DEALERSHIP, NOTHING WAS FOUND. *LA THE NOISE WAS HEARD WHEN THE BRAKES WERE APPLIED. THERE WAS EXCESSIVE PLAY IN THE TIE RODS, A NOISE WHEN GOING OVER BUMPS, WHICH THE DEALER TIGHTENED THE RIGHT LOWER GRAVEL SHIELD, THE RIGHT FRONT AXLE SEAL WAS LEAKING AND THE SEAT BEL…
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CONSUMER HEARD NOISE IN THE VEHICLE. WHEN BROUGHT TO THE DEALERSHIP, NOTHING WAS FOUND. *LA THE NOISE WAS HEARD WHEN THE BRAKES WERE APPLIED. THERE WAS EXCESSIVE PLAY IN THE TIE RODS, A NOISE WHEN GOING OVER BUMPS, WHICH THE DEALER TIGHTENED THE RIGHT LOWER GRAVEL SHIELD, THE RIGHT FRONT AXLE SEAL WAS LEAKING AND THE SEAT BELT RETRACTOR WAS REPLACED BECAUSE OF A RATTLE. *JB
THE CONSUMER'S VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN A REAR END ACCIDENT. THE IMPACT WAS ABOUT 25 TO 30 MPH YET NEITHER OF THE AIR BAGS DEPLOYED NOR DID THE SEAT BELT HOLD THE DRIVER. THE AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT DID NOT ILLUMINATE PRIOR TO THE CRASH. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY ADDITIONAL INFORMATION. A POLICE REPORT WAS ISSUED. *NLM
WHILE DRIVING, SPEED NOT ESTIMATED, THE OVER DRIVE LIGHT ILLUMINATED ON THE DASHBOARD. THE DRIVER HAD THE VEHICLE TOWED TO THE DEALER. THE MECHANIC INFORMED THE OWNER THAT THE TRANSMISSION FAILED. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER DETAILS. *NLM
MAJOR TRANSMISSION FAILURE AGAIN WITH MY MAZDA 626. SECOND TIME SINCE PURCHASE OF THE CAR. ORIGINAL TRANSMISSION FAILED AT 5,000 MILES AND A REBUILT TRANSMISSION WAS INSTALLED. SECOND MAJOR FAILURE CAME JUST THE OTHER DAY. *LA
2002 MAZDA 626 LX, TRANSMISSION IS JERKY, BROUGHT TO 3 DIFFERENT DEALERSHIPS, TOLD ME THAT IT IS A CHARACTERISTIC OF 626'S. VERY WORRIED THAT SOMETHING MIGHT HAPPEN SOON IF SOMETHING ISN'T DONE. GOING TO CONTACT MAZDA TODAY.*AK
Official recalls
0No 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
0No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.