IllustrationWHILE VEHICLE IS BEING DRIVEN TRANSMISSION WARNING LIGHT ILLIUMINATES, INDICATING A MALFUNCTION WITHIN THE SYSTEM. SYSTEM THEN NEEDS TO BE RESET TO RETURN TO NORMAL OPERATION. *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
What owners actually said
282 reportsCONSUMER BEGAN HAVING PROBLEMS WITH TRANSMISSION IN 1998 AT APPROXIMATELY 93,000 MILES. CURRENTLY, TRANSMISSION HAS COMPLETELY FAILED, VEHICLE HAS A FORD TRANSMISSION.CONSUMER STATES THAT MAZDA WAS AWARE OF DEFECT.*AK
MY TRANSMISSION ORIGINALLY WENT OUT IN MARCH OF 99, I HAD IT REBUILT BY A RECOMMENDED REPAIR SHOP BECAUSE THE DEALERSHIP'S REPAIR QUOTE WAS ABOUT $1000 MORE FOR THE SAME SERVICE. THE TRANSMISSION FAILED SEVERAL TIMES AFTER IT WAS REBUILT AND WAS TAKEN BACK TO THE REPAIR SHOP OVER 12 TIMES, FINALLY IN AUGUST OF 99 IT SEEMED TO B…
Read full complaint
MY TRANSMISSION ORIGINALLY WENT OUT IN MARCH OF 99, I HAD IT REBUILT BY A RECOMMENDED REPAIR SHOP BECAUSE THE DEALERSHIP'S REPAIR QUOTE WAS ABOUT $1000 MORE FOR THE SAME SERVICE. THE TRANSMISSION FAILED SEVERAL TIMES AFTER IT WAS REBUILT AND WAS TAKEN BACK TO THE REPAIR SHOP OVER 12 TIMES, FINALLY IN AUGUST OF 99 IT SEEMED TO BE FIXED CORRECTLY. BUT THE TRANSMISSION HAS FAILED AGAIN, AND IS NO LONGER UNDER ANY TYPE OF WARRENTY. I TOWED IT TO THE DEALERSHIP TO HAVE IT FIXED THIS TIME, BUT IT WILL BE THE 2ND TRANSMISSION I'VE HAD TO PAY FOR IN THE LAST 17 MONTHS. IT'S UNACCEPTABLE THAT A CAR COMPANY CAN GET AWAY WITH PUTTING FAULTY TRANSMISSIONS IN THEIR CARS AND THERE ARE NO RECALLS FOR THEM. I PERSONALLY KNOW 3 OTHER PEOPLE WITH MAZDA 626S AND THEY HAVE ALL HAD TO REPLACE THEIR TRANSMISSIONS ALSO. THERE IS TONS OF COMPLAINTS ON THE INTERNET OF THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE THAT HAVE HAD THE SAME PROBLEMS, WHY CAN'T ANYTHING BE DONE TO MAKE MAZDA PAY FOR THE REPAIRS?
BRAKES WON'T DEPRESS OR STAY DEPRESSED / TRANMISSION SHIFTS BACK AND FORTH WITHIN SECONDS AT 50 MPH
CAR DID NOT RUN WHEN SHIFT IN "D" POSITION, BUT IT WAS MOVING WHEN SHIFT IN "S" AND "L" POSITION.
TRANSMISSION WAS LEAKING, OVERDRIVE LIGHT CAME ON.VEHICLE JUST DIED. HAD TO TOWED TO DEALER, DEALER DID A VALVE JOB ON TRANSMISSION AT 47,000 AND 56,000 MILES. CONSUMER HAD TO REPLACE WHOLE TRANSMISSION. AT 97000 MILES TRANSMISSION DIED ON THE HIGHWAY. *AK
NO SUMMARY
MAZDA IS NOT HONORING THEIR RECALL INSTRUCTIONS FOR PREVIOUSLY PAID REPAIRS. HAVE WRITTEN (7/5/2000), BUT NO RESPONSE FOR REIMBURSEMENT. VEHICLE WAS SOLD AFTER RECALL NOTICE WAS RECEIVED BUT PRIOR TO PROVIDING MAZDA WITH REQUIRED REIMBURSMENT INFORMATION. PLEASE HELP! THANK YOU. NO SAFETY DEFECT LISTED WITHIN SUMMARY.*AK
THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION FAILED. YH
VEHICLE EXPERIENCED FAILURE OF THE RECALL COMPONENT (99V-358) HEADLIGHT SWITCH PRIOR TO RECALL NOTIFICATION AND IS BEING DENIED REIMBURSEMENT. *MJS
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.