IllustrationTHE 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: )
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 reportsCONSUMER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF RECALL ON TIRES WHICH WERE PRACTICALLY BALD AT 14,400 MILES. WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE WOULD SKID OFF THE ROAD WHEN TURNING INTO DRIVEWAY AND WHILE DRIVING IN THE SNOW (FIRESTONE/BRIDGESTONE ALL SEASON RADIAL, TIRES SIZE P19565SR14). NLM
FROM START UP VEHICAL RUNS VERY ROUGH IDLE. CHECK ENGINE LIGHT COMES ON OFTEN. BEEN TO DEALER THREE TIMES ABOUT THE SAME PROBLEMS. THEY ALWAYS SAY IT IS NORMAL FOR THIS VEHICLE ?
TORQUE CONVERTER CLUTCH FAILED CAUSING A JERK FEELING WHEN THE TRANSMISSION SHIFTS. NLM
THE ELECTRICAL MODULE FAILED (COMPUTER) CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO SHUT DOWN, WAS TOLD BY THE DEALER THAT THIS WOULD NOT BE COVER UNDER WARRENTY BECAUSE SOMETHING HAD SPILLED INTO IT. CONSUMER BELIEVES THIS HAPPENED BY DESIGN SINCE THE MODULE IS LOCATED IMMEDIATLY FORWARD AND BELOW THE CUP HOLDER MAKING IT POSSIBLE FOR THINGS TO SP…
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THE ELECTRICAL MODULE FAILED (COMPUTER) CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO SHUT DOWN, WAS TOLD BY THE DEALER THAT THIS WOULD NOT BE COVER UNDER WARRENTY BECAUSE SOMETHING HAD SPILLED INTO IT. CONSUMER BELIEVES THIS HAPPENED BY DESIGN SINCE THE MODULE IS LOCATED IMMEDIATLY FORWARD AND BELOW THE CUP HOLDER MAKING IT POSSIBLE FOR THINGS TO SPILL INTO THIS LOCATION. NLM
VEHICLE WAS IN REPAIR SHOP. COMPUTER CHIP AND SENSOR HAD TO BE REPLACED. ALSO, OVERDRIVE LIGHT KEPT BLINKING, AND TRANSMISSION MALFUNCTIONED AND HAS TO BE REBUILT. *AK *ML
RIGHT AFTER THE VEHICLE WAS STARTED DRIVER'S SIDE AIR BAG AND PASSENGER'S SIDE AIR BAG DEPLOYED FOR NO REASON. ALSO, WINDSHIELD WAS BROKEN WHEN AIR BAGS DEPLOYED.VEHICLE WAS BEING REPAIRED. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK
THIS CAR HAS BEEN IN THE SHOP FIVE TIMES FOR THE SAME SYMPTOMS, THE CAR RUNS VERY ROUGH, STALLS, NO ACCELERATION ETC. IN NOVEMBER, 1998 (25,657 MILES), JIM ELLIS MAZDA IN ATLANTA DIAGNOSED THE PROBLEM AS BEING A DEFECTIVE POWERTRAIN CONTROL MODULE. THIS PART WAS REPLACED UNDER WARRANTY. AT 63,000 MILES, THE POWER TRAIN CONTRO…
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THIS CAR HAS BEEN IN THE SHOP FIVE TIMES FOR THE SAME SYMPTOMS, THE CAR RUNS VERY ROUGH, STALLS, NO ACCELERATION ETC. IN NOVEMBER, 1998 (25,657 MILES), JIM ELLIS MAZDA IN ATLANTA DIAGNOSED THE PROBLEM AS BEING A DEFECTIVE POWERTRAIN CONTROL MODULE. THIS PART WAS REPLACED UNDER WARRANTY. AT 63,000 MILES, THE POWER TRAIN CONTROL MODULE GOES BAD AGAIN. HOWEVER, THIS TIME, THE DEALER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE AS WELL AS THE "MAZDA" REPRESENTATIVE STATED THAT THE REASON THE PART WAS BAD WAS DUE TO ME SPILLING A DRINK ON IT AND THUS BREAKING IT. IT SHOULD BE NOTED THAT THE PART HAS AN 80,000 MILE WARRANTY, WHICH BECOMES AND VOID IF THE PART IS DAMAGED THROUGH OWNER NEGLIGENCE. TO MY ASTONISHMENT, THE SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE TOLD ME THAT THE POWER TRAIN CONTROL MODULE IS LOCATED DIRECTLY UNDER THE DRINK HOLDER NEAR THE GEAR SHIFT. THE UNPROTECTED LOCATION OF THIS CRITICAL PART UNDER A DRINK HOLDER IS EXCEEDING HAZARDOUS TO HUMAN LIFE BECAUSE WHEN THE POWER TRAIN CONTROL MODULE BREAKS DOWN, THE CAR DOES NOT RUN. LOCATING THIS CRITICAL ELECTONIC PART UNDER A DRINK HOLDER IS EXTREMELY DANGEROUS AND IN MY OPINION REQUIRES AN INVESTIGATION BY THE NHTSA. IMAGINE IF SOME OF MY GRANDCHILDEN SPILLED A DRINK ON THE INTERSTATE? IT SHOULD BE NOTED THAT THE MAZDA REPRESENTIVES ACKNOWLEDGED TO ME THAT THIS IS A DESIGN FLAW, BUT, IN MY CASE, SINCE I SPILLED A DRINK ON THE CONTROL MODULE, IT INVALIDATED THE WARRANTY. HOWEVER, THEY WERE GRACIOUS ENOUGH TO RELEASE MY CAR TO ME BY ME PAYING 1/2 OF THE REPAIR COSTS AS A GESTURE OF GOODWILL. SINCE A REPRESENTATIVE WITH MAZDA ACKNOLWEDGED THAT THIS IS A DESIGN FLAW, I WOULD HAVE TO ASSUME THAT OTHER PEOPLE HAVE COMPLAINED ABOUT IT AND THAT MAZDA IS AWARE OF THE PROBLEM. PLEASE TAKE THIS MATTER SERIOUSLY AND INVESTIGATE THIS COMPLAINT. THE CAR BARELY RUNS WITH A DEFECTIVE POWER TRAIN CONTROL MODULE. WITH THIS PART BEING SO EASILY SUSCEPTIBLE TO "DRINK" DAMAGE, THIS IS A DISASTER WAITING TO HAPPEN. *AK
BRAKES HAVE WORN UNEVENLY AND WHEN BRAKING AT HIGH SPEEDS VEHICLE PULLS TO SIDE. PADS WEAR UNEVENLY AND STICKS AT TIMES. VEHICLE ONCE SPUN 540DEG WHEN BRAKING ON HWY. THIRD SET OF PADS INSTALLED ON VEHICLE SINCE PURCHASED. MOSTLY HWY DRIVING.
WHILE DRIVING WATER PUMP BUSTED, CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO STALL OUT AND DIE WITHOUT WARNING. DEALER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED. *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.