IllustrationWHEN TRAVELING AT REGULAR SPEED SPEEDOMETER JUMPS BACK AND FORTH. *AK
1994 Mazda 626
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
More warning signs than most 626 years
Owner complaints for the 1994 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
Limited mileage data: 64 of 282 reports include usable mileage. There isn’t enough coverage to show a useful chart.
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 177 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Engine And Engine Cooling. Review the 26 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Electrical System. Review the 24 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
18 crash reports6 fire reports14 injury reports
Power Train complaints
177 reportsWHILE DRIVING UP HILL VEHICLE BEGAN TO DOWN SHIFT ON ITS OWN. VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO DEALER NUMEROUS TIMES FOR DOWN SHIFTING PROBLEMS. FINAL REPAIRES COMPLETED ON THE SB - FAULTY COMPUTER CHIP REPLACED. *AK
MAZDA REP RANDY HAYNES INFORMED ME THAT TRANSMISSION FAILURE RATE IS EXTREMELY HIGH ON THIS MODEL AND ALSO 1994 FORD ESCORTS (SAME TRANSMISSION) DUE TO INADEQUATE TRANSMISSION COOLING UNIT. TORK CONVERTER OVERHEATS AND DAMAGES TRANSMISSION. CLEARLY THIS IS A DESIGN FLAW. HAYNES STATES THAT FAILURES HAVE OCCURRED AT 25,000 MIL…
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MAZDA REP RANDY HAYNES INFORMED ME THAT TRANSMISSION FAILURE RATE IS EXTREMELY HIGH ON THIS MODEL AND ALSO 1994 FORD ESCORTS (SAME TRANSMISSION) DUE TO INADEQUATE TRANSMISSION COOLING UNIT. TORK CONVERTER OVERHEATS AND DAMAGES TRANSMISSION. CLEARLY THIS IS A DESIGN FLAW. HAYNES STATES THAT FAILURES HAVE OCCURRED AT 25,000 MILES. ALSO STATES THAT MAZDA SPENT $25,000,000 LAST YEAR REPLACING TRANSMISSIONS ALONE. DEALER AND MANUFACTURER HAVE NO INTEREST IN CORRECTING PROBLEM.
CAR JUMPS INTO FIRST GEAR WITH VIOLENT JERKS AT SPEED WITHOUT WARNING. SEATBELTS LOCK UP AND CAR IS DIFFICULT TO CONTROL. DEALER UNABLE TO FIND THE PROBLEM WITH OVER 18 TRIES. HAVE PAID FOR LIMITER SWITCH REPLACEMENT SEVERAL TIMES WITH NO IMPROVEMENT. WANTS ME TO PAY FOR NEW TRANS. NO WAY! PROBLEM HAS BEEN AT LEAST MONTH…
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CAR JUMPS INTO FIRST GEAR WITH VIOLENT JERKS AT SPEED WITHOUT WARNING. SEATBELTS LOCK UP AND CAR IS DIFFICULT TO CONTROL. DEALER UNABLE TO FIND THE PROBLEM WITH OVER 18 TRIES. HAVE PAID FOR LIMITER SWITCH REPLACEMENT SEVERAL TIMES WITH NO IMPROVEMENT. WANTS ME TO PAY FOR NEW TRANS. NO WAY! PROBLEM HAS BEEN AT LEAST MONTHLY SINCE PURCHASE THEY CANNOT FIND THE PROBLEM AND NOW WANT TO SHOTGUN SOLUTION AFTER MUCH DANGER, FRUSTRATION AND EXPENSE.
MECHANIC WILL NOT TOUCH TRANSMISSION BECAUSE OF KNOWN DEFECT. *AK
DEALER SAYS TRANSMISSION ELECTRONICS ARE FAULTY,REQUIRING NEW TRANSMISSION. SEEMS TO BE A VERY COMMON PROBLEM WITH THIS MODEL YEAR. HOLD LIGHT ON DASH FLASHING INDICATING PROBLEM. *AK
TRANSMISSION BEGAN "JUMPING" GEARS AND ENGINE REVVING WILDLY AT APPROXIMATELY 35000 MILES. DEALER FAILED TO FIND ANY PROBLEM ON 2 OCCASIONS. ON THE 3RD ATTEMPT, I SAT SERVICE MANAGER IN CAR WITH ME TO EXPERIENCE PROBLEM. DEALER SUPPOSEDLY FIXED TRANSMISSION. AT APPROXIMATELY 71,000 MILES AIR FLOW SENSOR HAD TO BE REPLACED. …
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TRANSMISSION BEGAN "JUMPING" GEARS AND ENGINE REVVING WILDLY AT APPROXIMATELY 35000 MILES. DEALER FAILED TO FIND ANY PROBLEM ON 2 OCCASIONS. ON THE 3RD ATTEMPT, I SAT SERVICE MANAGER IN CAR WITH ME TO EXPERIENCE PROBLEM. DEALER SUPPOSEDLY FIXED TRANSMISSION. AT APPROXIMATELY 71,000 MILES AIR FLOW SENSOR HAD TO BE REPLACED. AT 72000 MILES "HOLD" LIGHT BEGAN FLASHING. DEALER PULLED CODE 628 FROM THE COMPUTER AND TOLD US THIS MEANT THE ENTIRE TRANSMISSION HAD TO BE REPLACED. I TOLD SERVICE MANAGER, GENERAL MANAGER AND DISTRICT SERVICE MANAGER THAT 72000 MILES WAS ENTIRELY TOO SOON FOR A TRANSMISSION TO NEED TO BE COMPLETELY REPLACED, ESPECIALLY IN LIGHT OF PREVIOUS PROBLEMS, AND WANTED MAZDA TO PAY FOR PART. I WAS TOLD "TOUGH LUCK". IT HAS BEEN BROUGHT TO MY ATTENTION THAT THIS IS NOT AN ISOLATED PROBLEM WITH MAZDA TRANSMISSIONS. I STILL WANT SOME FORM OF ASSISTANCE FROM MAZDA! *AK
THE HOLD LIGHT STARTED BLINKING ON AND OFF. THE CAR ALSO STARTED JERKING. I WAS MILES FROM A RESIDENCE ALMOST DIDN'T MAKE IT TO A REPAIR SHOP HAD TO HAVE IT TOWED TO A DEALER TO HAVE A NEW TRANSMISSION PUT IN, AND A NEW AIR FLOW METER INSTALLED. COST A COUPLE OF THOUSANDS DOLLARS TO HAVE A NEW TRANSMISSION PUT IN NOW THEY TELL M…
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THE HOLD LIGHT STARTED BLINKING ON AND OFF. THE CAR ALSO STARTED JERKING. I WAS MILES FROM A RESIDENCE ALMOST DIDN'T MAKE IT TO A REPAIR SHOP HAD TO HAVE IT TOWED TO A DEALER TO HAVE A NEW TRANSMISSION PUT IN, AND A NEW AIR FLOW METER INSTALLED. COST A COUPLE OF THOUSANDS DOLLARS TO HAVE A NEW TRANSMISSION PUT IN NOW THEY TELL ME THAT IT COULD HAPPEN AGAIN AND MY CAR HAS LESS THATN 50000 MILES ON IT.
THIS IS THE SECOND TIME THAT CONSUMER HAD TO REPLACE TRANSMISSION. HE DOESN'T KNOW THE REASON WHY THIS IS HAPPENING. THE FIRST TIME TRANSMISSION WAS REPLACED AT 70,000 MILES, AND SECOND TIME AT 100,000 MILES. *AK
TRANSMISSION LEAK CAUSES THE VEHICLE TO STALL WHILE DRIVING AT NORMAL SPEED. ALSO, THE REVERSE GEAR FADES OUT ALONG WITH DRIVE, NOT WORKING AT TIMES. DEALER HAS BEEN CONTACTED. *AK
Official recalls
215V674000 · Electrical System:ignition:switch
Oct 19, 2015
Mazda North American Operations (Mazda) is recalling certain model year 1989-1998 MPV, 1990-1995 323, 1990-1998 Protege, 1992-1993 MX-3, 1993-1995 929, 1993-1997 MX-6, and 1993-1998 626 vehicles. In the affected vehicles, grease applied to the contact points inside the ignition switch may become conductive and overheat.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: If the ignition switch overheats there would be an increased risk of a fire.
Remedy: Mazda will notify owners, and dealers will replace the ignition switch, free of charge. The recall began on December 17, 2015. Owners may contact Mazda Customer Experience Center at 1-800-222-5500, option#6. Mazda's number for this recall is 8715J.
99V358000 · Exterior Lighting:headlights:switch
Dec 17, 1999
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES. THE HEADLIGHT WIRE THAT RUNS THROUGH THE TURN SIGNAL LEVER CAN FAIL AT THE POINT WHERE IT IS SOLDERED TO THE HEADLIGHT SWITCH.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: THE FAILURE OF THIS WIRE COULD CAUSE A LOSS OF HEADLIGHTS, INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE HEADLIGHT SWITCH LEVER.
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
2RQ99022 · Headlight Failure
Opened Dec 20, 1999 · Closed Aug 30, 2000
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Exterior Lighting
OBTAINED RECALL 99V-358
SQ98024 · Speedometer Inoperative
Opened Oct 29, 1998 · Closed Sep 10, 1999
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Power Train
SEE RESUME FOR DETAILS.