NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
What owners actually said
488 reports91,000 miles · Apr 30, 2004
Power Train
OVERDRIVE LIGHT FOR TRANSMISSION CAME ON REPEATEDLY, SHIFTLOCK WOULD NOT ALLOW ME TO SHIFT TRANSMISSION WITHOUT FIRST INSERTING IGNITION KEY IN SHIFT LOCK AND PLACING TRANSMISSION IN NEUTRAL...DRIVING ON EXPRESSWAY CAR START LOSING POWER LIKE DOWNSHIFTING WITH MANUAL TRANSMISSION THEN STOPS NEED NEW TRANSMISSION! PROBLEM STATED …
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OVERDRIVE LIGHT FOR TRANSMISSION CAME ON REPEATEDLY, SHIFTLOCK WOULD NOT ALLOW ME TO SHIFT TRANSMISSION WITHOUT FIRST INSERTING IGNITION KEY IN SHIFT LOCK AND PLACING TRANSMISSION IN NEUTRAL...DRIVING ON EXPRESSWAY CAR START LOSING POWER LIKE DOWNSHIFTING WITH MANUAL TRANSMISSION THEN STOPS NEED NEW TRANSMISSION! PROBLEM STATED AT 67,0000...CAR TRANSMISSION COMPLETELY GOES AT 91,000. *LA
NHTSA ODI #10068093
Mileage unknown · Apr 26, 2004
Power Train
FAILURE OF TRANSMISSION FOR MAZDA 626. *AK
NHTSA ODI #10067867
Mileage unknown · Apr 17, 2004
Power Train
MAZDA 626, BAD TRANSMISSION, 1ST REPLACEMENT 100,000 MILES, NOW NEEDS ANOTHER TRANSMISSION, TOO COSTLY. *AK
NHTSA ODI #10066382
165,000 miles · Apr 12, 2004
Power Train
I PURCHASED MY 1995 MAZDA 626 NEW. AFTER HAVING THE CAR FOR ONLY A FEW MONTHS AND LESS THAN 3,000 MILES THE TRANSMISSION WENT OUT AND HAD TO BE REPLACED. BECAUSE THE CAR WAS UNDER WARRANTY, THEY REPLACED IT. HOWEVER, IT WAS ONLY AFTER THE CAR LEFT ME ON THE SIDE OF THE ROAD THAT THEY AGREED TO FIX IT. I HAD TAKEN THE CAR IN …
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I PURCHASED MY 1995 MAZDA 626 NEW. AFTER HAVING THE CAR FOR ONLY A FEW MONTHS AND LESS THAN 3,000 MILES THE TRANSMISSION WENT OUT AND HAD TO BE REPLACED. BECAUSE THE CAR WAS UNDER WARRANTY, THEY REPLACED IT. HOWEVER, IT WAS ONLY AFTER THE CAR LEFT ME ON THE SIDE OF THE ROAD THAT THEY AGREED TO FIX IT. I HAD TAKEN THE CAR IN THREE TIMES PREVIOUSLY BECAUSE OF PROBLEMS, BUT EACH TIME THEY SAID IT WAS SOMETHING DIFFERENT AND THAT THEY HAD FIXED IT. RECENTLY, I HAD THE TRANSMISSION REBUILT. I HAVE TAKEN IT BACK 4 TIMES IN THE PAST 4 MONTHS BECAUSE I AM STILL HAVING PROBLEMS WITH IT. NO ONE SHOULD EVER BUY A MAZDA AGAIN! I HAVE SEEN THE NUMEROUS POSTS REGARDING PROBLEMS WITH THE TRANSMISSION AND EACH OF THEM DESCRIBE WHAT HAPPENED TO MINE. THE OVERDRIVE LIGHT FLASHES OFF AND ON, IT HAS DIFFICULTY GOING INTO GEAR, IT STALLS BETWEEN GEARS AND CONSTANTLY LEAKS TRANSMISSION FLUID. MAZDA SHOULD BE FORCED TO RECALL THIS TRANSMISSION!*AK
NHTSA ODI #10065961
76,000 miles · Mar 27, 2004
Power Train
1995 MODEL MAZDA 626'S TRANSMISSION GOES BAD TWO TIMES WITHIN TWO YEARS.*AK
NHTSA ODI #10063986
30,000 miles · Mar 10, 2004
Power Train
'95 MAZDA 626, AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION FAILURES. @30,000 MILES, ANTY) @65,000 MILES, (WARRANTY - I PAID FOR LABOR) AND @78,000 MILES.*AK MAZDA/FORD IS AWARE OF THE ISSUE AND CONTINUES TO ACCEPT ZERO RESPONSIBILITY.
NHTSA ODI #10061821
Mileage unknown · Mar 3, 2004
Power Train
I OWN A 1995 MAZDA 626, IT HAS 80,000 MILES ON IT AND THE O/D OFF LIGHT FLASES, OIL LIGHT COMES ON PERIODICALLY, IT SHIFTS ERADICALLY, AND IT'S LEAKING TRANSMISSION FLUID. MY MECHANIC SAYS I CAN KEEP REFILLING THE TRANSMISSION FLUID, BUT IT SHOULD ONLY LAST ANOTHER 2000 MILES. OR I COULD PAY ALMOST THE SAME AMOUNT I PAID FOR THE…
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I OWN A 1995 MAZDA 626, IT HAS 80,000 MILES ON IT AND THE O/D OFF LIGHT FLASES, OIL LIGHT COMES ON PERIODICALLY, IT SHIFTS ERADICALLY, AND IT'S LEAKING TRANSMISSION FLUID. MY MECHANIC SAYS I CAN KEEP REFILLING THE TRANSMISSION FLUID, BUT IT SHOULD ONLY LAST ANOTHER 2000 MILES. OR I COULD PAY ALMOST THE SAME AMOUNT I PAID FOR THE CAR TO GET A NEW TRANSMISSION.*AK
NHTSA ODI #10060291
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
85,000 miles · Feb 20, 2004
Power Train
O/D LIGHT FLASHING, FIXED THE SAME PROBLEM ABOUT 6 MONTHS AGO. MECHANIC SAYS HAPPENS TO ALL MAZDA'S WITH THE FORD TRANSMISSION. MAZDA NOT MAKING A RECALL.*AK
NHTSA ODI #10058603
Mileage unknown · Jan 9, 2004
Power Train
TRANSMISSION FAILED! I BOUGHT THE CAR 3 MONTHS AGO FROM A DEALER AND THE TRANSMISSION IS NOW FINISHED. REBUILT THE TRANSMISSION AND THE DAY I TOOK IT HOME (I DIDN'T EVEN GET 5 MILES FROM THE SHOP ) THE SAME PROBLEM OCCURED. SLIPS IN AND OUT OF GEARS AT ALL SPEEDS, OD LIGHT COMES ON OUT OF NO WHERE. 2000 DOLLARS LATER I STILL DON…
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TRANSMISSION FAILED! I BOUGHT THE CAR 3 MONTHS AGO FROM A DEALER AND THE TRANSMISSION IS NOW FINISHED. REBUILT THE TRANSMISSION AND THE DAY I TOOK IT HOME (I DIDN'T EVEN GET 5 MILES FROM THE SHOP ) THE SAME PROBLEM OCCURED. SLIPS IN AND OUT OF GEARS AT ALL SPEEDS, OD LIGHT COMES ON OUT OF NO WHERE. 2000 DOLLARS LATER I STILL DON'T HAVE MY CAR. THANX MAZDA. *AK
NHTSA ODI #10052745
NHTSA investigations
4RQ99022 · 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.
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