IllustrationNO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK
1997 Mazda 626
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
More warning signs than most 626 years
Owner complaints for the 1997 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
90–25K
1025–50K
3450–75K
5275–100K
49100–150K
7150K+
161 reports with mileage · 197 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 233 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Engine And Engine Cooling. Review the 39 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Air Bags. Review the 36 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
17 crash reports5 fire reports22 injury reports
Power Train complaints
233 reportsWILL NOT PURCHASE ANOTHER MAZDA IN THE FUTURE, THIS WAS MY THIRD.NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK
THE GEAR CHANGE IS VERY JERKY AND AT HIGH SPEEDS AFTER DRIVING FOR ABOUT 30 MINS IT GETS EVEN MORE JERKY AS IF SOMEONE HAS HIT YOU FROM BEHIND. DURING RUSH HOUR TRAFFIC IT GETS RISKY AS IN STOP AND GO TRAFFIC CONDITIONS THE SUDDEN GEAR JERKS ARE SO SEVERE THAT THE CAR JUMPS FORWARD AND GETS VERY CLOSE TO THE CAR IN FRONT. *AK
IN JUNE OF 2002, THE OD WARNING LIGHT STARTED TO FLASH. I WOULD STOP THE CAR AND SHUT IT OFF AND THEN RESTART IT AND THE OD LIGHT WOULD GO OFF. ON ONE OCCASION, THE OD LIGHT CAME ON AND STAYED ON AND THEN THE ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON. I LOST POWER AND THE TACHOMETER JUMPED FROM ABOUT 2500 RPM TO OVER 4000 RPM AT ABOUT 60 MPH. I …
Read full complaint
IN JUNE OF 2002, THE OD WARNING LIGHT STARTED TO FLASH. I WOULD STOP THE CAR AND SHUT IT OFF AND THEN RESTART IT AND THE OD LIGHT WOULD GO OFF. ON ONE OCCASION, THE OD LIGHT CAME ON AND STAYED ON AND THEN THE ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON. I LOST POWER AND THE TACHOMETER JUMPED FROM ABOUT 2500 RPM TO OVER 4000 RPM AT ABOUT 60 MPH. I PULLED OVER AND SHUT THE CAR OFF AGAIN AND ABOUT AN HOUR LATER RESTARTED IT WITH THE OD AND ENGINE WARNING LIGHTS STILL ACTIVATED. THERE WAS NOT VERY MUCH POWER GOING TO THE TRANSMISSION. I TOOK IT TO MY MECHANIC AND HE TOLD ME THAT I SHOULD GET THE TRANSMISSION FLUID CHECKED EVEN THOUGH THAT TYPE OF MAITENENCE WAS NOT SCHEDULED UNTIL 60,000 MILES AND MY CAR ONLY HAD 57,000 MILE ON IT. I AGREED TO HAVE IT CHECKED OUT AND CHANGE THE FLUID. HE RESET THE WARNING LIGHTS AND CLEANED OUT THE TRANSMISSION AND CHANGED THE FLUID. ABOUT 2 WEEKS LATER, I AM DRIVING TO KANSAS CITY WHEN I NOTICE THE OD LIGHT COMING ON AGAIN. I PULLED OFF OF THE FREEWAY AND TURNED OFF MY CAR AND RESTARTED IT. 4 TIMES I DID THIS WITH THE THE OD LIGHT GOING OFF AND THEN COMING BACK ON. FINALLY, THE OD LIGHT CAME ON, THE ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AND THE CAR LOST ALL POWER AND THE SPEEDOMETER WENT FROM 65 TO 0. SMOKE STARTED TO COME FROM THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT AND TRANSMISSION OIL BLEW EVERWHERE. I COASTED TO A GAS STATION AND LET THE CAR SIT FOR ABOUT 3 HOURS. I STARTED THE CAR AND NO WARNING LIGHTS CAME ON. I CHECKED THE TRANSMISSION FLUID AND SINCE IT WAS LOW, I ADDED ENOUGH TO BRING IT BACK TO FULL. I WAS TOLD BY MY MECHANIC THAT I COULD PROBABLY EXPECT TO HAVE TO REPLACE MY TRANSMISSION VERY SOON SINCE THESE PROBLEMS I AM HAVING ARE VERY COMMON FOR THE 1997 MAZDA 626. I THINK THAT MAZDA SHOULD HAVE TO TELL ITS CUSTOMERS THAT THIS PROBLEM EXISTS AND FIX IT BEFORE IT COSTS PEOPLE THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS IN REPAIR BILLS.*AK
NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AKI
MAZDA HAS BEEN AWARE OF THIS PROBLEM AND REFUSES TO ADMIT AN UNSAFE PRODUCT. $4000 INTO THIS CAR WOULD ONLY BE A BAND-AID FOR THIS PROBLEM. I WANT MAZDA TO TAKE THEIR CAR BACK AND WIPE MY CREDIT RECORD CLEAN. NO SAFETY DEFECT LISTED. *AK
WHILE DRVING OVERDRIVE LIGHT ILLUMINATES, INDICATING A MALFUNCTION. SHORTLY AFTER VEHICLE SHIFTS FROM DRIVE INTO ANOTHER GEAR, CAUSE UNKNOWN. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK
TRANSMISSION FLUID LEAKING FROM VEHICLE. TOOKEHICLE TO DEALER, AND DEALER INDICATED TRANSMISSION WAS BURNING ITSELF UP.*AK
TRANSMISSION HESITATING WHEN SHIFTING, OVERDRIVE WILL SUDDENLY KICK OUT AT ANY SPEED, OVERDRIVE LIGHT WILL FLASH.*AK
TRANSMISSION ON MY 1997 MAZDA 626 WENT OUT IN DECEMBER OF 2001. MAZDA WOULD NOT ACKNOWLEDGE THE PROBLEM, BUT THEY WERE WILLING TO LET ME PAY $3,000 FOR A NEW TRANSMISSION. I TRADED IT IN AT A LOSS, JUST TO BE RID OF IT. *AK
Official recalls
315V674000 · 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.
98V206001 · Engine And Engine Cooling:engine
Sep 8, 1998
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES. AN EXTERNAL SPRING IN THE TIMING BELT TENSIONER CAN BREAK AND GET CAUGHT IN THE TIMING BELT.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: THIS CONDITION CAN RESULT IN POSSIBLE ENGINE STALLING.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSPECT THE TENSIONER AND REPLACE IT IF NECESSARY.
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
2RQ02004 · Oversensitive Airbag Deployment
Opened Feb 8, 2002 · Closed Aug 19, 2002
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Air Bags
There is no summary currently available
SQ98024 · Speedometer Inoperative
Opened Oct 29, 1998 · Closed Sep 10, 1999
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Power Train
SEE RESUME FOR DETAILS.