IllustrationWHILE DRIVING TIRE BLEW OUT, CAUSING AIRBAG TO DEPLOY. DEALER SAYS AIRBAG NEEDS TO BE REPLACED. *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
What owners actually said
358 reportsI WAS DRIVING HOME FROM WORK AT 6 PM. RIGHT FRONT WHEEL WENT INTO A LARGE POTHOLE THAT I DIDN'T SEE, CAUSING AIRBAGS TO DEPLOY, WHICH CAUSED WINDSHIELD TO CRACK, AND THE PASSENGER FRONT DOOR TO BE BENT OUT OF ALIGNMENT BY THE FORCE OF THE AIRBAGS PUSHING INTO THE CAR. THE POTHOLE WAS LARGE ENOUGH TO BEND THE ALUMINUM WHEEL A…
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I WAS DRIVING HOME FROM WORK AT 6 PM. RIGHT FRONT WHEEL WENT INTO A LARGE POTHOLE THAT I DIDN'T SEE, CAUSING AIRBAGS TO DEPLOY, WHICH CAUSED WINDSHIELD TO CRACK, AND THE PASSENGER FRONT DOOR TO BE BENT OUT OF ALIGNMENT BY THE FORCE OF THE AIRBAGS PUSHING INTO THE CAR. THE POTHOLE WAS LARGE ENOUGH TO BEND THE ALUMINUM WHEEL AND PUT A BUBBLE IN THE SIDEWALL OF THE TIRE, AND KNOCKED THE SUSPENSION OUT OF ALIGNMENT. DASHBOARD ALSO NEEDS TO BE REPLACED. FACE RECEIVED SEVERAL LACERATIONS ABOUT THE MOUTH AND NOSE, AND IT'S TOO EARLY TO SAY IF I'VE SUFFERED ANY PERMANENT HEARING LOSS. MY BIGGEST PROBLEM IS THAT MAZDA PARTS DIVISION SEEMS TO HAVE A NATIONAL BACKORDER ON THIS PASSENGER SIDE AIRBAG, MEANING I WILL BE CAR-LESS FOR AN UNSPECIFIED AMOUNT OF TIME. IT HAS BEEN TWO WEEKS SO FAR. THIS SHOULD HAVE BEEN A WHEEL AND TIRE CLAIM ONLY, AND I'M LUCKY I DIDN'T SWERVE INTO ONCOMING TRAFFIC AS A RESULT OF THIS. *AK
PIVOT BOLT LOOSE CAUSING CLUTCH PEDAL TO SQUEAK WHEN DEPRESSED.
ON 15 JAN 99, CONSUMER RECEIVED A MANUFACTURER'S RECALL NOTICE CONCERNING MAZDA/AIR BAG DEPLOYMENT / NHTSA RECALL # 98V-249000. CONSUMER MADE AN APPOINTMENT FOR 20TH. JAN 99. ON THE 16 JAN 99, VEHICLE HIT A POTHOLE AT APPROXIMATELY 40 MPH WHICH CAUSED THE AIR BAGS TO DEPLOY ON BOTH SIDES. NOTIFIED MANUFACTURER, AND INFORMED CON…
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ON 15 JAN 99, CONSUMER RECEIVED A MANUFACTURER'S RECALL NOTICE CONCERNING MAZDA/AIR BAG DEPLOYMENT / NHTSA RECALL # 98V-249000. CONSUMER MADE AN APPOINTMENT FOR 20TH. JAN 99. ON THE 16 JAN 99, VEHICLE HIT A POTHOLE AT APPROXIMATELY 40 MPH WHICH CAUSED THE AIR BAGS TO DEPLOY ON BOTH SIDES. NOTIFIED MANUFACTURER, AND INFORMED CONSUMER THAT THEY ARE NOT RESPONSIBLE. *AK
ROTORS HAVE BEEN REPLACED THREE TIMES WITH 38,000 MILES ON VEHICLE. BRAKES GET WET AND THEY SQUEAL. DEALER CONTACTED, AND STATED THE PROBLEM WAS NORMAL. SPEEDOMETER RPM WILL GO WAY UP WHEN DRIVING AND CAR IS WARM. DEALER STATED THIS PROBLEM WAS NORMAL. PLEASE PROVIDE MORE INFORMATION. *AK
WAS NOTIFIED FROM MAZDA ON A RECALL. THE RECALL WAS FOR A DEFECTIVE TENSION SPRING FOR THE TIMING BELT. TOOK IT TO DEALER AND THEY HAD TO REPLACE PART. NOW I HAVE STRANGE NOISE IN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. I HAVE TAKEN THE CAR BACK TO THE DEALER SEVERAL TIMES WITH NO RESULTS. THEY STATE THAT THERE IS NOTHING WRONG BUT I STILL…
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WAS NOTIFIED FROM MAZDA ON A RECALL. THE RECALL WAS FOR A DEFECTIVE TENSION SPRING FOR THE TIMING BELT. TOOK IT TO DEALER AND THEY HAD TO REPLACE PART. NOW I HAVE STRANGE NOISE IN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. I HAVE TAKEN THE CAR BACK TO THE DEALER SEVERAL TIMES WITH NO RESULTS. THEY STATE THAT THERE IS NOTHING WRONG BUT I STILL HAVE AN ENGINE NOISE THAT WASN'T THERE BEFORE I TOOK IT IN FOR THE RECALL. I AM LOOKING FOR THE FACTORY REP. TO HELP SOLVE THIS PROBLEM.
DOOR TRIM PANEL FALLING OFF ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS.
RECALL REPAIR WORK ON THE TIMING BELT TENSIONER DENIED DUE TO LACK OF PARTS.
COLLISION WAS CAUSE BY LOSS OF CONTROL DUE TO ENGINE STALLING. CONSUMER RECEIVED A RECALL NOTICE FROM THE MFR. CONCERNING MAZDA/TIMING BELT # 98V-206.001. CONSUMER BELIEVED THAT WAS THE CAUSE OF VEHICLE STALLING AND THEN BEING OUT OF CONTROL. *AK
FRONT BRAKE PADS ARE PREMATURELY WEARING, CAUSE UNKNOWN. DEALER CANNOT IDENTIFY THE PROBLEM. *AK THE ROTORS HAS BEEN TURNED. THREE PAIR OF BRAKE SHOES REPLACED WITHIN MONTHS OF EACH OTHER. *YH
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.