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1995 Mazda 626

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

More warning signs than most 626 years

Owner complaints for the 1995 Mazda 626 are substantially higher than the model-year median of 44.

About this comparison →

How this year compares

Owner complaints by model 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

133 reports with mileage · 355 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 337 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Air Bags. Review the 67 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Engine And Engine Cooling. Review the 28 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

43 crash reports8 fire reports33 injury reports

Steering complaints

8 reports
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118,000 miles · Nov 5, 2004
SteeringCrash

WHILE DRIVING 40 MPH THE POWER STEERING FAILED INTERMITTENTLY. AS A RESULT THE VEHICLE STARTING SPINNING OUT OF CONTROL SENDING THE VEHICLE OVER THE MEDIAN. THE VEHICLE WAS TOTALED. *JB WHILE EXITING THE EXPRESSWAY THE CONSUEMR NOTICED , ON TWO ACCASIONS, THAT THE VARIABLE ASSIST POWER STEERING MOMENTARILY FALED TO ENGAGE. T…

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WHILE DRIVING 40 MPH THE POWER STEERING FAILED INTERMITTENTLY. AS A RESULT THE VEHICLE STARTING SPINNING OUT OF CONTROL SENDING THE VEHICLE OVER THE MEDIAN. THE VEHICLE WAS TOTALED. *JB WHILE EXITING THE EXPRESSWAY THE CONSUEMR NOTICED , ON TWO ACCASIONS, THAT THE VARIABLE ASSIST POWER STEERING MOMENTARILY FALED TO ENGAGE. THIS OCCURED ABOUT A YEAR PRIOR TO THE ACCIDENT. *NM *TC

NHTSA ODI #10087915

165,000 miles · Feb 27, 2004
Electrical SystemEngine And Engine CoolingSteering

1.HORN BUTTON BROKE AND POPPED OFF WHILE DRIVING. 2. CAR WILL REV BY ITSELF BETWEEN 1000-1500 RPM WHILE COMING TO A STOP. 3. CAR SOMETIMES HAS NO BASE IDOL AND WILL JUST TURN OFF. 4. CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON, TOOK CAR TO MACHANIC. MANIFOLD INTAKE GASKET HAD TO BE REPLACED. LIGHT HAS GONE OFF BUT CAR STILL REVS ITSELF. S…

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1.HORN BUTTON BROKE AND POPPED OFF WHILE DRIVING. 2. CAR WILL REV BY ITSELF BETWEEN 1000-1500 RPM WHILE COMING TO A STOP. 3. CAR SOMETIMES HAS NO BASE IDOL AND WILL JUST TURN OFF. 4. CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON, TOOK CAR TO MACHANIC. MANIFOLD INTAKE GASKET HAD TO BE REPLACED. LIGHT HAS GONE OFF BUT CAR STILL REVS ITSELF. SOMETIMES WHILE IDOLING CAR WILL REV BETWEEN 1500-2000 RPMS. 5. BOTH REAR STRUTS HAVE BEEN REPLACED. 6. COUPLER FOR RACK AND PINON HAD TO BE REPLACED. *AK

NHTSA ODI #10059929

Mileage unknown · May 24, 2001
Engine And Engine CoolingService Brakes, HydraulicSteering

COMPLETE LOSS OF POWER ON ROAD. STEERING AND BRAKES LOCKED. DEALERSHIP COULD NOT DIAGNOSE PROBLEM.

NHTSA ODI #745837

Mileage unknown · Dec 8, 2000
Power TrainSteering

MY VEHICLE STARTED WITH JACKING MOTIONS AND THE STEETING WHEEL KEPT VEERING. THEN THE VEHICLE STARTED TO REVERSE EVEN THOUGH IT WAS IN DRIVE BUT IT WAS NOT ACCELERATING AT ALL. VEHICLE WAS REVERSING AND NOT ON A HILLY AREA EITHER. I HAD TO SHUT THE VEHICLE OFFF COMPLETE TO STOP THE MOTION. I HAVE TO TELL YOU, THIS WAS VERY…

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MY VEHICLE STARTED WITH JACKING MOTIONS AND THE STEETING WHEEL KEPT VEERING. THEN THE VEHICLE STARTED TO REVERSE EVEN THOUGH IT WAS IN DRIVE BUT IT WAS NOT ACCELERATING AT ALL. VEHICLE WAS REVERSING AND NOT ON A HILLY AREA EITHER. I HAD TO SHUT THE VEHICLE OFFF COMPLETE TO STOP THE MOTION. I HAVE TO TELL YOU, THIS WAS VERY SCARY. IT WAS A GOOD THING MY SPEED WAS LOW. I ALMOST HIT SOMEONE BECAUSE THE VEHICLE WAS REVERSING INSTEADING OF GOING FORWARD. I LATER FOUND OUT THE TRANSMISSION HAD COMPLETELY BLOWN OUT PREMATURELY , THE GAS PUMP BROKEN WITH PIECES STILL INSIDE. I COULDN'T BELIEVE IT BECAUSE MY CAR IS JUST BARELY FIVE YEARS OLD.*AK

NHTSA ODI #737526

Mileage unknown · May 19, 2000
Steering

WHILE DRIVING ON HIGHWAY, GETTING OFF EXIT RAMP AND TRAVELING 35MPH ON A CURVE, STEERING WHEEL LOCKED UP. CONTACTED DEALER, AND WAS NOT ABLE TO DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. *AK

NHTSA ODI #862177

Mileage unknown · Oct 26, 1998
Steering

WHILE THE DAUGHTER OF THE CONSUMER WAS DRIVING THE STEERING WHEEL LOCKED, CAUSING TO THE DRIVER TO LOSE CONTROL AND SPIN IN THE MIDDLE OF THE ROAD. THE CAUSE REMAINS UNKNOWN. THE MANUFACTURER HAS BEEN CONTACTED. *AK

NHTSA ODI #829443

Mileage unknown · Jun 28, 1996
SeatsSteering

STEERING WHEEL LOCKS IF WHEELS SLIGHTLY TURNED WHEN PARKED ON INLCLINE, REQUIRING A GREAT DEAL OF STRENGTH TO UNLOCK STEERING WHEEL. *DH

NHTSA ODI #505924

Mileage unknown · Feb 9, 1995
Steering

STEERING WHEEL; CONSUMER WAS COMING OUT OF THE PARK LOT FROM THE MALL AND STEERING LOCK UP. TT

NHTSA ODI #959798

Official recalls

2

15V674000 · 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.

98V249000 · Air Bags:frontal:sensor/control MODULE-INACTIVE

Oct 8, 1998

VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH THE SAS SENSOR UNIT. THESE VEHICLES CAN EXPERIENCE AIR BAG DEPLOYMENTS IN MINOR UNDERCARRIAGE IMPACTS.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: UNEXPECTED AIR BAG DEPLOYMENT CAN RESULT IN OCCUPANT INJURY.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPROGRAM THE SAS UNIT TO REDUCE THE PROBABILITY OF UNNECESSARY DEPLOYMENTS IN LOW SPEED UNDERCARRIAGE IMPACTS.

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

4

RQ99022 · 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.

EA97012 · Oversensitive Air Bag Deployment

Opened May 23, 1997 · Closed Oct 9, 1998

Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Air Bags

IN MAY OF 1997, ODI UPGRADED TO AN ENGINEERING ANALYSIS WITH 51 COMPLAINTS.ODI IS NOW AWARE OF 88 COMPLAINTS OF ALLEGED INAPPROPRIATE AIRBAG DEPLOYMENTS.TYPICAL COMPLAINTS ALLEGE THAT THE AIRBAGS DEPLOYED AFTER THE VEHICLE HIT A POT HOLE AT BETWEEN 20 AND 45 MPH, OR THAT THE AIRBAGS DEPLOYED WHILE DRIVING AT BETWEEN 20 OR 60 MPH FOR NO APPARENT REASON.APPROXIMATELY 25 DRIVERS ALLEGED THAT THEY DID NOT HIT ANYTHING IN THE ROADWAY.MAZDA WILL CONDUCT A SAFETY RECALL OFALL 1995 AND 1996 MODELS OF THE MAZDA 626 AND MX-6, AS WELL AS A SMALL NUMBER OF 1997 MAZDA 626 MODELS, EQUIPPED WITH THE SAME SAS UNIT.THE SAS UNIT CONTROLS THE AIRBAG SYSTEMIT CONTAINS A BUILT-IN CRASH SENSOR TO DETECT VEHICLE DECELERATION DURING A COLLISION.AFFECTED MODELS WERE ASSEMBLED FROM JUNE 1, 1994 THROUGH SEPTEMBER 10, 1996 AND HAVE A VIN WITHIN THE FOLLOWING RANGES: MAZDA 626:1YVGE22**S5300001 THROUGH 1YVGE22**V5599030 MAZDA MX-6: 1YVGE31**S5300001 THROUGH 1YVGE31**T5589965ALL OWNERS WILL BE NOTIFIED OF THE POSSIBILITY THAT THEIR VEHICLE MAY EXPERIENCE AN UNNECESSARY AIRBAG DEPOYMENT IN CERTAIN SITUATIONS.THEY WILL BE INSTRUCTED TO BRING THEIR VEHICLE TO A MAZDA DEALER TO REPROGRAM THE SAS UNIT TO REDUCE THE FREQUENCY OF UNNECESSARY DEPLOYMENTS.

PE97006 · Inappropriate Air Bag Deployment

Opened Jan 30, 1997 · Closed May 23, 1997

Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Air Bags

IN JANUARY OF 1997, ODI OPENED A PE BASED ON 9 ODI COMPLAINTS.ODI IS NOW AWARE OF 51 COMPLAINTS OF ALLEGED INAPPROPRIATE AIR BAG DEPLOYMENTS.TYPICAL COMPLAINTS INCLUDE AIR BAG DEPLOYMENTS AFTER THE VEHICLE HIT A POT HOLE WHILE DRIVING BETWEEN 20 AND 45 MPH AND AIR BAG DEPLOYMENTS WHILE DRIVING AT SPEEDS BETWEEN 20 AND 60 MPH FOR NO APPARENT REASON.APPROXIMATELY 21 DRIVERS ALLEGED THAT THEY DID NOT HIT ANYTHING PRIOR TO THE AIR BAG DEPLOYMENT.IN FOUR OF THESE INCIDENTS THE DRIVER CLAIMS TO HAVE LOST CONTROL AND HIT A CURB AFTER THE AIR BAGS DEPLOYED.IN ADDITION THERE ARE FOUR INCIDENTS WHERE THE DRIVER ALLEGES THAT THE AIR BAGS DEPLOYED AFTER A TIRE BLOWOUT WHILE DRIVING.LESS COMMON INCIDENTS INCLUDE ALLEGATIONS OF THE AIR BAGS DEPLOYING AFTER PARKING THE VEHICLE AND REMOVING THE KEY, CROSSING RAILROAD TRACKS, WHILE BEING TOWED, WHILE BRAKING, AFTER HITTING A CURB, AND AFTER HITTING A MANHOLE COVER.ODI IS UPGRADING THIS INVESTIGATION TO OBTAIN ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ABOUT THE REPORTS GATHERED TO DATE, THE SENSORS USED IN THE VEHICLES, AND TO ASSESS THE IMPACT THAT THE ALLEGED DEFECT HAS ON HIGHWAY SAFETY.