← New search

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

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

Vehicle Speed Control complaints

9 reports
Clear category filter
147,400 miles · Dec 8, 2018
Electrical SystemEngineVehicle Speed Control

THE VEHICLE IS STALLING DURING ACCELERATION AND AFTER. SOMETIMES IT'S STOPS AND CLEAR ITSELF UP AND THEN THROWS ITSELF INTO OVERDRIVE (O/D OFF LIGHTS STARTS FLASHING) ALL WHILE DRIVING IT IN THE STREET(CITY AND INTERSTATE). WHEN YOU LET THE CAR SIT AND NOT RUN IT WILL NOT FLASH BUT AFTER DRIVING AMD NOT GETTING ANY SPEED IT DOES…

Read full complaint

THE VEHICLE IS STALLING DURING ACCELERATION AND AFTER. SOMETIMES IT'S STOPS AND CLEAR ITSELF UP AND THEN THROWS ITSELF INTO OVERDRIVE (O/D OFF LIGHTS STARTS FLASHING) ALL WHILE DRIVING IT IN THE STREET(CITY AND INTERSTATE). WHEN YOU LET THE CAR SIT AND NOT RUN IT WILL NOT FLASH BUT AFTER DRIVING AMD NOT GETTING ANY SPEED IT DOES IT AGAIN.

NHTSA ODI #11157034

11,678 miles · Aug 13, 2013
Fuel/propulsion SystemPower TrainVehicle Speed Control

WE RECENTLY BOUGHT OR MAZDA 626 FROM A DEALER WE WERE TOLD THAT WE WERE GETTING A QUALITY CAR. WE WERE FOOLED. WITH IN THE FIRST WEEK WE HAD TO BUY PART AFTER PART.CHANGE THE TRANS FLUID, CHANGE THE DISTRIBUTOR , SPARK PLUG WIRES, SPARK PLUGS, ROUTER MOTOR, IGNITION COIL, CLEAN FUEL INJECTORS , REPLACE FUEL FILTER, STILL NEED TO…

Read full complaint

WE RECENTLY BOUGHT OR MAZDA 626 FROM A DEALER WE WERE TOLD THAT WE WERE GETTING A QUALITY CAR. WE WERE FOOLED. WITH IN THE FIRST WEEK WE HAD TO BUY PART AFTER PART.CHANGE THE TRANS FLUID, CHANGE THE DISTRIBUTOR , SPARK PLUG WIRES, SPARK PLUGS, ROUTER MOTOR, IGNITION COIL, CLEAN FUEL INJECTORS , REPLACE FUEL FILTER, STILL NEED TO GET A TRANS COOLER AS SOON AS I CAN. IT TOOK US A FEW YEARS TO SAVE FOR A CAR. WE TRUSTED A DEALER AND GOT SCREWED! WE HAVE NO MONEY LEFT AND A CAR WE CAN ONLY USE ON A LIMITED BASIS. WE THOUGHT AFTER LOOSING OUR INCOME THEN OUR FORMER CAR TO REPOSSESSION WITH ONLY $50.00 LEFT ON IT, THEN OUR HOME GETS FORECLOSED ON, AND THE LOSS OF A FATHER, AND SISTER IN A TWO YEAR TIME FRAME WAS ENOUGH. NOPE WE BUY A CAR WITH SO MANY DEFECTS IT CRAZY, I CAN BELIEVE THESE CARS A EVEN ALOUD TO BE SOLD TO ANYONE. FACE IT THEY ARE DEATH TRAPS AND ANYONE WHO OWNS ONE SHOULD GET THEM REPLACED AT MANUFACTURE COST. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10535068

113,156 miles · Apr 9, 2007
Vehicle Speed Control

MY CAR IDLES BACK AND FORTH LIKE SOMEONE IS PRESSING THE GAS AND LETTING OFF. I HAD IT PUT ON A COMPUTER AT ADVANCED AUTOMOBILE AND I GOT A THROTLE POSITION SENSOR , AND HAD IT PUT ON. MY CAR STILL DID THE SAME EXACT THING. HAD IT PUT BACK ON THE COMPUTER, AND HAD A MASS FLOW SENSOR PUT ON IT. MY CAR STILL DID THE SAME THING .…

Read full complaint

MY CAR IDLES BACK AND FORTH LIKE SOMEONE IS PRESSING THE GAS AND LETTING OFF. I HAD IT PUT ON A COMPUTER AT ADVANCED AUTOMOBILE AND I GOT A THROTLE POSITION SENSOR , AND HAD IT PUT ON. MY CAR STILL DID THE SAME EXACT THING. HAD IT PUT BACK ON THE COMPUTER, AND HAD A MASS FLOW SENSOR PUT ON IT. MY CAR STILL DID THE SAME THING .TOOK CAR TO DEALER, PUT IDLE AIR CONTROL VALVE AND REPLACED WIRING TO THIS SENSOR. I EVEN PUT AN EMC FROM A SALVAGE YARD IN MY CAR. STILL MY CAR DID THE SAME THING . WERE THERE ANY OTHER MAZDAS DOING THE SAME THING? I' SPENT ALOT OF MONEY TO TRY AND FIX MY CAR .*AK

NHTSA ODI #10187378

95,000 miles · Aug 3, 2005
Vehicle Speed Control

DT: CALLER WAS DRIVING HER CAR AND ENGINE STALED AT SPEEDS 20, 25, 35, 45 OR 55 MPH. CAR RAN GOOD FOR A WHILE THEN IT JUST STALLED WHEN ACCELERATOR WAS PRESSED. . NUMEROUS TIMES CALLER HAD VEHICLE SERVICED, BUT IT IS STILL DID NOT WORKING PROPERLY. *AK

NHTSA ODI #10131405

72,796 miles · Jul 2, 2003
Vehicle Speed ControlCrash

UNEXPECTED ACCELERATION SURGE CAUSING CAR TO JUMP CURB, LOW WALL, AND THROUGH A FENCE, LANDING NOSE DOWN ON SWIMMING POOL DECK.*AK

NHTSA ODI #10025324

Mileage unknown · Sep 5, 2001
Service Brakes, HydraulicVehicle Speed ControlCrashInjury

SUDDEN ACCLERATION, BRAKES FAILED. *AK

NHTSA ODI #751679

Mileage unknown · Oct 23, 2000
Vehicle Speed Control

THROTTLE PEDAL STICKS AND VEHICLE WILL ACCELERATE FORWARD AFTER PEDAL IS DEPRESSED SEVERAL TIMES. DEALER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED.*AK

NHTSA ODI #873585

Mileage unknown · Apr 7, 1999
Vehicle Speed Control

VEHICLE EXPERIENCED SUDDEN ACCELERATION RESULTING IN VEHICLE GOING THROUGH GLASS PLATE WINDOW OF COMMERCIAL BUSINESS.

NHTSA ODI #544862

Mileage unknown · Dec 7, 1998
Electrical SystemSeatsService Brakes, Hydraulic

DOOR TRIM PANEL FALLING OFF ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS.

NHTSA ODI #542918

Official recalls

3

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.

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

2

RQ02004 · 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.