Power Train. Review the 313 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
Engine And Engine Cooling. Review the 81 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
Electrical System. Review the 12 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

12 crash reports5 fire reports11 injury reports

Power Train complaints

313 reports

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Mileage unknown · Oct 14, 2004

Power Train

THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION IS JERKING AND THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT IS ON AND FLUID IS LEAKING ON OUR 1998 MAZDA 626 AT 75,000 MILES. (A COMMON COMPLAINT.)*AK

NHTSA ODI #10095781

131,850 miles · Sep 30, 2004

Power Train

I WOULD LIKE TO MAKE A COMPLAINT ABOUT MY 1998 MAZDA 626. THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION IS A PEACE OF CRAP. THE CAR IS A 98 MODEL WITH 132,000 MILES AND HAS HAD THE TRANSMISSION REBUILT OR REPLACED 2 TIMES. THIS IS NOT NORMAL.*AK

NHTSA ODI #10093355

78,935 miles · Sep 28, 2004

Power Train

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THE FIRST TRANSMISSION FAILURE WAS IN JULY 2003. IT WAS REPAIRED BY AAMCO TRANSMISSIONS. THE TRANSMISSION FAILED AGAIN IN OCTOBER 2003. REPAIRED AGAIN BY AAMCO. IT FAILED AGAIN IN APRIL 2004. REPAIRED AGAIN BY AAMCO. NOW THE TRANSMISSION HAS FAILED AGAIN IN SEPTEMBER 2004. THIS IS 4 TIMES WITHIN 1 YEAR AND 2 MONTHS. THIS IS UTTERLY RIDICULOUS. IT IS OBVIOUS SOMETHING IS WRONG WITH THE MAZDA 626 AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION BEING THAT THERE ARE MANY COMPLAINTS ABOUT THIS SAME PROBLEM. MAZDA NEEDS TO STEP UP AND TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR A MAJOR DEFECT IN THE 626. NO WONDER THEY STOPPED PRODUCING THE 626 IN ORDER TO AVOID THE PROBLEM AT HAND.*AK

NHTSA ODI #10093233

137,000 miles · Sep 13, 2004

Power Train

WHILE DRIVING 40 MPH, THE TRANSMISSION FAILED WITHOUT WARNING. AS A RESULT THE VEHICLE STALLED OUT IN TRAFFIC. THE CAUSE HAS YET TO BE DETERMINED. PLEASE PROVIDE ADDITIONAL INFORMATION. *NM THE VEHICLES TRANSMISSION FAILED TWICE. IT WAS DETERMINED THAT THE TRANSMISSION WAS PROPERLY REPAIRED BY LEE MYLES MECHANIC BUT FAILED DUE…

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NHTSA ODI #10082087

Mileage unknown · Sep 11, 2004

Power Train

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I PURCHASED MY 626 IN JUNE 1998. AT 58,700 MILES (NOV 2001), THE 1ST TRANSMISSION WENT UP (FLASHING O/D, WOULDN'T SHIFT, ETC). I HAD A REBUILT TRANSMISSION INSTALLED AT A LOCAL TRANSMISSION SHOP BECAUSE IT WAS NO LONGER COVERED UNDER THE WARRANTY. IT COST $1,500. AT 92,000 MILES (NOV 2003), THE 2ND TRANSMISSION ALSO WENT UP. I HAD THE THIRD TRANSMISSION INSTALLED AT THE SAME SHOP AT A COST OF $1,800. THE VEHICLE CURRENTLY HAS A LITTLE OVER 100,000 MILES ON IT AND IT IS CURRENTLY IN THE SHOP GETTING IT'S 4TH TRANSMISSION. THIS TIME, WE WERE HEADED OUT OF TOWN WITH THE CAR FULLY PACKED FOR VACATION WHEN IT DECIDED TO DUMP ALL OF THE TRANSMISSION FLUID, STARTED SMOKING, FLASHED O/D LIGHTS, ETC. FOUR TRANSMISSIONS IN 100,000 MILES IS A GLARING FAILURE ON THE PART OF MAZDA AND/OR FORD (WHO BUILT THE TRANSMISSION). I WILL NEVER BUY ANOTHER MAZDA AND I WILL ADVISE EVERYONE I KNOW THAT MAZDA VEHICLES CAN'T BE TRUSTED. I DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY THERE WAS NO RECALL ON THIS HORRENDOUS PIECE OF JUNK. *AK

NHTSA ODI #10090844

163,467 miles · Sep 10, 2004

Power Train

TRANSMISSION TAKES ABOUT 10 SEC TO SHIFT FROM PARK TO DRIVE AND FROM PARK TO REVERSE. WONT ACCELERATE BUT RPMS GO UP AND WONT SHIFT.I HAD THE CAR CHECKED BY SEVRAL MECHANICS AND THEY ALL SAY I NEED A NEW TRANSMISSION.*AK

NHTSA ODI #10090742

82,000 miles · Sep 4, 2004

Power Train

TRANSMISSION FAILURE - 82000 MILES - - NEEDED COMPLETE REBUILDING WHICH UPON FURTHER CHECKING WILL NOT SOLVE THE ISSU. *AKE

NHTSA ODI #10090421

100,190 miles · Sep 2, 2004

Power Train

TRANSMISSION BEGAN TO SLIP. AFTER 10 MINUTES OF DRIVING CAR BECAME IMMOBILE AND HAD TO BE TOWED. 100K MILES. TOTAL TRANSMISSION FAILURE. REBUILD COST AT LOCAL SHOP: $2,550.*AK

NHTSA ODI #10089020

87,000 miles · Aug 25, 2004

Power TrainFire

TRANSMISSION SLIPPING, OD LIGHT BLINKING, TRANSMISSION FLUID BOILING OUT OF DIP STICK AREA, COVERING MOTOR WHICH THEN STARTED BURNING WITH LOTS OF SMOKE. TOOK IT TO TRANSMISSION REPAIR SHOP THEY CHANGED THE FILTER AND FLUID, NOW IT DOING THE SAME THING. I'M SCARED TO DRIVE IT! *AK

NHTSA ODI #10088555

70,000 miles · Aug 17, 2004

Power Train

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STARTED OFF AS A SPEEDOMETER PROBLEM. SPEEDOMETER WOULD PEG FROM 0 TO WHATEVER SPEED I WAS TRAVELING WHEN TAKING MY FOOT OFF THE ACCELERATOR, THEN IT WOULD REVERSE IT AND ONLY PEG BACK AND FORTH WHEN MY FOOT WAS ON THAT ACCELERATOR. OVERDRIVE LIGHT BLINKS ON AND OFF AND OVERDRIVE FAILS. TRANSMISSION SHIFTS INTO GEARS QUICKLY,CHIRPING TIRES. ALSO, WHEN SPEEDOMETER DROPS TO ZERO, IF YOU PUSH THE ACCELERATOR THE CAR SEEMS TO THINK IT NEEDS TO SHIFT INTO FIRST OR SECOND GEAR NO MATTER HOW FAST YOU ARE GOING. ALMOST CAUSED ME TO HAVE 3 ACCIDENTS IN ONE DAY JUST DRIVING HOME FROM WORK. *JB

NHTSA ODI #10088094

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.

00V134000 · Engine And Engine Cooling:engine

May 9, 2000

VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES. AN EXTERNAL SPRING IN THE TIMING BELT TENSIONER COULD BREAK.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: THE BROKEN SPRING MAY GET CAUGHT IN THE TIMING BELT, RESULTING POSSIBLE ENGINE STALLING.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL CHECK THE TENSIONER INSTALLED AND REPLACE IT IF THE VEHICLE IS EQUIPPED WITH THE AFFECTED TENSIONER.

98V243000 · Equipment:electrical:radio/tape Deck/cd Etc.

Oct 2, 1998

VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: IF THE VEHICLE IS OPERATED IN A HOT, HUMID ENVIRONMENT WITH THE WINDOW OPEN AND AIR CONDITIONER RUNNING, IT IS POSSIBLE FOR CONDENSATION TO ENTER THE AUDIO UNIT AND CAUSE A SHORT CIRCUIT.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: IF THE SHORT CIRCUIT OCCURS AT ONE SPECIFIC SET OF TERMINALS, THE SPEAKER CAN OVERHEAT AND IN SOME CASES, CATCH FIRE.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL AFFIX ALUMINUM TAPE OVER THE AUDIO UNIT TO PREVENT WATER FROM ENTERING.

97V228000 · Fuel System, Gasoline:fuel Injection System

Dec 17, 1997

VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES. DUE TO A PROGRAMMING ERROR, THE POWERTRAIN CONTROL MODULE (PCM) INSTALLED CAN, UNDER CERTAIN DRIVING CONDITIONS, TRIGGER A SHIFT IN AIR-FUEL RATIO TO AN OVERLEAN CONDITION.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: THIS CONDITION CAN RESULT IN AN ENGINE STALL, WHICH COULD LEAD TO LOSS OF VEHICLE CONTROL AND/OR A VEHICLE CRASH.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPROGRAM THE PCM WITH THE CORRECT ENGINE CONTROL LOGIC.

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

SQ98024 · Speedometer Inoperative

Opened Oct 29, 1998 · Closed Sep 10, 1999

Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Power Train

SEE RESUME FOR DETAILS.