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 reports

99,000 miles · Aug 21, 2003

SteeringSuspension

STEERING WHEEL IS MISALIGNED SO THE DRIVER HAS TO KEEP THE STEERING WHEEL TO THE LEFT IN ORDER TO MAINTAIN A STRAIGHT COURSE. THIS OCCURES EVEN AFTER THE STEERING WHEEL IS REALIGNED.*AK

NHTSA ODI #10033243

Mileage unknown · Aug 11, 2003

Power Train

CONSUMER STATES OVERDRIVE LIGHT COMES ON INTERMITTENTLY, CAUSING VEHICLE TO JERK AND STALL. DEALER NOTIFIED. *AK

NHTSA ODI #10033611

70,000 miles · Aug 9, 2003

Power Train

OVERDRIVE LIGHT CONTINUALLY FLASHES AFTER CAR'S ENGINE BECOMES HOT WHICH IS APPROXIMATLEY 20-30 MINUTES. CARIS EXTREMELY JERKY WHEN SHIFTING INTO LOWER GEARS WHILE THIS LIGHT IS ON. MECHANICS SAY TO FIX THIS PROBLEM ENTIRE TRANSMISSION MUST BE REPLACED. *AK

NHTSA ODI #10031135

87,000 miles · Aug 7, 2003

Power Train

TRANSMISSION HAD TO BE REPLACED AT 87,000 MILES. O/D LIGHT KEPT BLINKING AND CAR WOULDN'T RUN. O2 SENSORS KEEP NEEDING REPLACING. *PH

NHTSA ODI #10030989

112,000 miles · Aug 6, 2003

Power Train

TRANSMISSION KEEPS FAILING, WITH ONLY REGULAR DAILY DRIVING. FAILED AT 6000.AD TO PAY 2000K FOR T TO BE FIXED. THIS IS A VERY BAD TRANSMISSION FOR THE CAR!*AK

NHTSA ODI #10030944

74,000 miles · Aug 4, 2003

Power Train

Read full complaint

DEFECTIVE TRANSMISSION IN MY 1997 MAZDA 626 LX SEDAN. I AM ONLY OWNER OF MY VEHICLE AND PURCHASED BRAND-NEW IN AUGUST 1997. I TOOK METICULOUS CARE OF THIS CAR AND HAVE ALL RECEIPTS TO PROVE SO. A FEW WEEKS AGO, THE O/D LIGHT BEGAN TO FLASH ON AND OFF AND THE ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON. NOW THE CAR DOES NOT ACCELERATE PROPERLY AND CANNOT TRAVEL ABOVE 60 MILES PER HOUR. I TOOK THE CAR TO MY MECHANIC, WHO RECOMMENDED REPLACING THE TRANSMISSION FOR $2,000. I GOT A SECOND OPINION FROM THE MAZDA DEALER, WHO SUGGESTED THE SAME FOR $3,500-4,000. AFTER RESEARCHING THIS PROBLEM, I FOUND THAT THERE ARE HUNDREDS (OR MORE) PEOPLE WHO HAVE EXPERIENCED THE SAME COSTLY DEFECT. I FEEL THAT MAZDA SHOULD HAVE ISSUED A RECALL ON THIS CAR. PLEASE LOOK INTO THIS MATTER, IT IS VERY UPSETTING. *AK

NHTSA ODI #10030759

Mileage unknown · Jul 18, 2003

Power Train

AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION FAILING; BLINKING LIGHTS; ROUGH SHIFTING. (NOTE: I HAVE TWO 97 MAZDA 626 2.0 LTR CARS. ONE AUTO TRANS HAS FAILED TOTALLY, AND THIS IS MY SECOND ONE THAT IS STARTING TO FAIL.) *JB

NHTSA ODI #10028589

Mileage unknown · Jul 17, 2003

Engine And Engine Cooling

WHILE TRAVELING ON THE HIGHWAY AND WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING OIL WAS LEAKING FROM UNDERNEATH THE VEHICLE. *AK

NHTSA ODI #10029591

Mileage unknown · Jul 17, 2003

Steering

WHILE TRAVELING ON THE HIGHWAY AND WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING POWER STEERING BELT FELL OFF, CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO SHUT DOWN. *AK

NHTSA ODI #10029586

60,000 miles · Jul 8, 2003

Power TrainService Brakes, Hydraulic

Read full complaint

1997 MAZDA 626 HIS CAR CONTINUES TO HAVE TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS. ALL OF THE PROBLEMS ARE INTERMITTENT. OCCASIONALLY THE CAR WILL NOT ACCELERATE EVEN WHEN THE RPM'S CLIMB. THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION SHIFTS HARD, IT SLAMS FROM GEAR TO GEAR ESPECIALLY WHEN SHIFTING UP A GEAR. OVERDRIVE SLIPS IN AND OUT, THE OVERDRIVE LIGHT FLASHES WHEN THE OVERDRIVE SLIPS. THERE IS ONE ISOLATED INCIDENT ON A LONG HIGHWAY TRIP WHERE THE CAR WOULD NOT GO ABOVE 45. IT STARTED TO SMOKE AND SO I PULLED OVER AND SHUT OFF THE CAR. I STILL HAVE NOT FIGURED OUT WHERE THE TRANSMISSION FLUID CAME FROM BUT WHEN I LOOKED UNDER THE HOOD THERE WAS FLUID EVERYWHERE, AS IF ABOUT A QUART OF FLUID HAD BEEN SPRAYED OR BURST.*AK

NHTSA ODI #10025651

Official recalls

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

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.