IllustrationTIRES FAILED.
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
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
50–25K
625–50K
1550–75K
3475–100K
47100–150K
26150K+
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
What owners actually said
488 reportsOVERDRIVE LIGHT ILLUMINATED, INDICATING A MALFUNCTION WITHIN THE TRANSMISSION. TRANSMISSION HAS BEEN REPLACED THREE TIMES WITH NO CORRECTION TO THE PROBLEM. DEALER CANNOT IDENTIFY THE PROBLEM. *AK THE CONSUMER STATED THAT THE INTIAL PROBLEM WAS THE OD LIGHT WAS BLINKING, WHEN THE LIGHT BLINKED THE VEHICLE WOULD JERK AND SHIFT …
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OVERDRIVE LIGHT ILLUMINATED, INDICATING A MALFUNCTION WITHIN THE TRANSMISSION. TRANSMISSION HAS BEEN REPLACED THREE TIMES WITH NO CORRECTION TO THE PROBLEM. DEALER CANNOT IDENTIFY THE PROBLEM. *AK THE CONSUMER STATED THAT THE INTIAL PROBLEM WAS THE OD LIGHT WAS BLINKING, WHEN THE LIGHT BLINKED THE VEHICLE WOULD JERK AND SHIFT VERY HARD. ALSO, WHILE DRIVING AT SPEEDS OF 60 MPH OR MORE THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT SHIFT INTO GEAR. *YH
TRANSMISSION WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED, INDICATING MALFUNCTION WITHIN THE SYSTEM. AFTERWARDS, THE TRANSMISSION EXPERIENCED A PROBLEM SHIFTING GEARS. DEALER STATES THAT THE ENTIRE TRANSMISSION HAS TO BE REPLACED. PLEASE GIVE ANY FURTHER DETAILS. *AK
TRANSMISSION SLIPS OUT OF GEAR/DOWNSHIFTS INAPPROPRIATELY, WITHOUT WARNING. PROBLEM IS INTERMITTENT. DEALERSHIP IS AT A LOSS.
TRANSMISSION WAS NOT SHIFTING PROPERLY, JERKING INTO GEAR, ETC. DEALER NOTIFIED. *AK
CONSUMER WAS DRIVING ABOUT 30 MPH WHEN THE VEHICLE DIDN'T GIVE ANY PRIOR WARNNIG AND EVERYTHING IN THE VEHICLE SHUT DOWN. THE CONSUMER HAD TO WAIT FIVE TO TEN MINUTES BEFORE THE VEHICLE WOULD START UP. DEALER PUT A COMPUTER CHIP ON THE VEHICLE AND STILL COULDN'T FOUND THE PROBLEM. *AK
WHEN DRIVING AT ANY SPEED THE TRANSMISSION IS GOING OUT. GIVING PRIOR WARNNIG BEFOR GOING OUT, AND THE OVERDRIVE WARNING LIGHT WILL COME AND KICK THE GEAR OUT OF OVERDRIVE.THE ENGINE RAISES UP REAL FAST AND GOT NOT GOING ANYWHERE, BUT THEN THE GEAR WILL GO BACK INTO NEUTRA.L AFTER 45 SECONDS IT WILL GO RIGHT BACK INTO DIFFEREN…
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WHEN DRIVING AT ANY SPEED THE TRANSMISSION IS GOING OUT. GIVING PRIOR WARNNIG BEFOR GOING OUT, AND THE OVERDRIVE WARNING LIGHT WILL COME AND KICK THE GEAR OUT OF OVERDRIVE.THE ENGINE RAISES UP REAL FAST AND GOT NOT GOING ANYWHERE, BUT THEN THE GEAR WILL GO BACK INTO NEUTRA.L AFTER 45 SECONDS IT WILL GO RIGHT BACK INTO DIFFERENT GEARS, AND THEN IT MIGHT NOT HAPPEN FOR ABOUT TWO DAYS. *AK
THE CAUSE OF THIS PROBLEM WAS AN INTERNAL GASKET DEFECT FOR WHICH THERE IS A
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
DRIVETRAIN MALFUNCTIONED AND TRANSMISSION SLIPS.
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.
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
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.