IllustrationTRANSMISSION FAILURE FOR 1997 MAZDA 626 LX WITH 58,000 MILES COST OVER $2500 TO REPAIR. *LA
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
What owners actually said
358 reportsAUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION FAILURE 1997 MAZDA 626. *LA
I HAVE A 1997 MAZDA 626 LX. THE TRANSMISSION FAILED RIGHT AT 70,000 MILES. IT COST ME $2,600 TO GET IT FIXED. IT WAS NOT UNDER WARRANTY SO I HAD TO PAY FOR IT. I CHECKED AROUND AND HAVE FOUND NUMEROUS OTHERS WHO HAVE ALSO HAD TRANSMISSION FAILURES UNDER 70,000 MILES. THE TRANSMISSION REPAIR SHOP SAID THEY GET A TON OF THESE CARS…
Read full complaint
I HAVE A 1997 MAZDA 626 LX. THE TRANSMISSION FAILED RIGHT AT 70,000 MILES. IT COST ME $2,600 TO GET IT FIXED. IT WAS NOT UNDER WARRANTY SO I HAD TO PAY FOR IT. I CHECKED AROUND AND HAVE FOUND NUMEROUS OTHERS WHO HAVE ALSO HAD TRANSMISSION FAILURES UNDER 70,000 MILES. THE TRANSMISSION REPAIR SHOP SAID THEY GET A TON OF THESE CARS WITH TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS. I FEEL MAZDA SHOULD COMPENSATE US FOR THESE REPAIRS BECAUSE OF THEIR FAULTY TRANSMISSION. *LA
1997 MAZDA 626 TRANSMISSION GOING OUT AND THE DEALERS WOULD NOT AGREE TO REPLACE OR ACKNOWLEDGE THE PROBLEM WITH A CAR.
TRANSMISSION IS FAILING ON OUT "97 MAZDA 626. LOUD CLICKS AND JUMPS ON ACCELERATIONS. NOT THE CV JOINTS. *JB
CONSUMERS VEHICLE BEGAN SHAKING, MAKING NOISES AND THE DASH LIGHT CAME ON. CONSUMER HAD TENSIONER KIT, GASKET CONVERTER FAILURES. THE VEHICLE EXPERIENCED SEVERAL ENGINE RELATED PROBLEMS. THE DEALER HAD TO REPLACE THE THERMOSTAT, WATER PUMP, CATALYTIC CONVERTER AND SENSORS. THE A/C ALSO FAILED. *NLM
1997 MAZDA 626 TRANSMISSION FAILURE. THE CAR HAS 100,000 MILE AND THE TRANSMISSION IS A TOST. IT LOOKS LIKE THERE ARE TONS OF OTHER MAZDAS WITH THE SAME PROBLEM. IT SHOULD BE RECALLED. *AK
AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION HAS TO BE REBUILT DUE TO IT NOT SHIFTING GEARS. *AK
CONTINUED TRANSMISSION/GEAR PROBLEMS. *AK
I HAVE A 1997 MAZDA 626 AND WITH ANY WARNING THE TRANSMISSION HAS FAILED AND THE DEALER IS ASKING 2,400.00 TO FIX IT AND I THINK IT IS WRONG THAT THEY HAVEN'T CAME FORTH TO TELL ANYONE ABOUT THE COOLING SYSTEM THAT IS SOPPOSE TO FIX 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.