IllustrationTRANSMISSION WOULD JUMP WHILE TRYING TO SHIFT FROM PARK TO DRIVE OR FROM DRIVE TO PARK. SOMETIMES WOULD FAIL TO SHIFT. HAPPENED AT LEAST 4-5 TIMES BEFORE TAKEN TO DEALER. MECHANIC INDICATED A DEFECT IN TRANSMISSION WAS CAUSING THE PROBLEM AND IT COULD BE REPAIRED.*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 reportsVEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN A FRONTAL COLLISION. IMPACT WAS ON LEFT AND RIGHT FRONT OF VEHICLE. UPON IMPACT, AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY, RESULTING IN MINOR INJURIES.*AK THE VEHICL'S SENSOR SYSTEM FAILED. THE TRANSMISSION WAS REBUILT. THE VEHICLE HAD BEEN IN ACCIDENT BY THE PREVIOUS OWNER AND DEALER REFUSED TO TAKE IT BACK. *YH
TRANSMISSION FAILED. *SLC
I HAVE HAD THE CAR LESS THAN 3 MONTHS AND ALREADY THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT IS ON CONSTANTLY. ALSO, EVERYTIME I TRY TO CHANGE GEARS THE TRANSMISSION STALLS AND IT SEEMS AS IF I AM IN NEUTRAL. IT HAS A HARD TIME AFTER I CHANGE GEARS IN EITHER GOING FOWARD AND REVERSE. IT STALLS THAN JUMPS AND MOVES. I HAVE HAD SEVERAL CARS WITH …
Read full complaint
I HAVE HAD THE CAR LESS THAN 3 MONTHS AND ALREADY THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT IS ON CONSTANTLY. ALSO, EVERYTIME I TRY TO CHANGE GEARS THE TRANSMISSION STALLS AND IT SEEMS AS IF I AM IN NEUTRAL. IT HAS A HARD TIME AFTER I CHANGE GEARS IN EITHER GOING FOWARD AND REVERSE. IT STALLS THAN JUMPS AND MOVES. I HAVE HAD SEVERAL CARS WITH MORE MILEAGE THAN THIS AND I NEVER HAD SUCH PROBLEMS. I SHOULD NOT BE PAYING AS MUCH AS I AM FOR A CAR THAT IS FAULTY. I WOULD SUGGEST TO MAZDA TO RECALL ALL THESE CARS VERY SOON.
O/D OFF LIGHT BEGAN BLINKING AFTER 30 MIN OF DRIVING, DEALERSHIP REPLACED CPU, NEXT WEEK SAME PROBLEM--WHEN BLINKING BEGINS THE CAR JERKS FROM 1ST TO 2ND GEAR AND RESETS AFTER CAR TURNED OFF--AFTER SEVERAL TIMES IT BEGINS DRIVING ROUGHER AND ROUGHER IN 1ST AND 2ND GEAR.( DOT NUMBER: )
VEHICLE SHIFTED INTO OVERDRIVE AND BUCKED AT HIGH SPEEDS. THEN, TRANSMISSION MALFUNCTIONED. THIS HAS BEEN HAPPENING FOR ABOUT 4 MONTHS. PROBLEM WAS REPORTED TO DEALERSHIP. PROBLEM HAS NOT BEEN CORRECTED.*AK
TRANSMISSION WENT OUT AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. OVERDRIVE LIGHT CAME OUT, AND GEARS STARTED COMING OUT.*AK
VEHICLE WOULD NOT SHIFT GEARS, IT WOULD JERK AND KNOCK WHILE DRIVING.*AK
THE TRANSMISSION WENT OUT IN SEPT. OF 2000. THE CAR HAS BEEN SERVISED BY UNIVERSITY MAZDA FRONT BRAKES WEARING ENGINE LIGHT , BATTERY AND SHIFT CONSOLE PROBLEMS. THE CAR IS A LEMON.*AK( DOT NUMBER: )
TORQUE CONVERTER CLUTCH FAILED CAUSING A JERK FEELING WHEN THE TRANSMISSION SHIFTS. NLM
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.