IllustrationWHILE TRAVELING CONSUMER NOTICED OVERDRIVE INDICATOR LIGHT FLASHING. THEN, ENGINE WOULD IDLE WITHOUT ANY INDICATION. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK
1998 Mazda 626
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
More warning signs than most 626 years
Owner complaints for the 1998 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
30–25K
825–50K
5350–75K
7875–100K
66100–150K
16150K+
224 reports with mileage · 210 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 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 reportsAFTER ONLY ONE YEAR OF OWNING THIS CAR AND A DAY AFTER HAVING A FULL MAINTENANCE JOB DONE IT'S STRANGE TO FIND OUT THAT YOUR TRANSMISSION IS DAMAGED AND THE TOTAL COSTS IS $2470.00. *AK
AFTER STARTING ENGINE AND STEPPING ON BRAKE TO SHIFT GEAR, THE SHIFT GEAR REMAINS LOCKED. DOES NOT MOVE. MUST PLAY (SOMETIMES HARD) TO GET FROM PARK TO REVERSE AND THEN MOVE. DEALER CANNOT DUPLICATE. *AK
CAR JERKS IN AND OUT OF GEAR VERY ROUGH SHIFTING. PROCEEDED WITH LEMON LAW
AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION MALFUCTIONED, CAUSING VEHICLE TO STALL OR HESITATE, WHICH MAY RESULTIN A CRASH. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK
TRANSMISSION WAS REPLACED. *SLC
NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR THIS VEHICLE. *AK
CONSUMER PURCHASED VEHICLE TWO WEEKS AGO, AND NOTICED THAT WHEN SHIFTING FROM DRIVE TO REVERSE THERE WAS A LOUD THUMPING NOISE. *AK
CLUTCH STALLED DUE TO LEAK IN HOSES TO AND FROM SLAVE CYLINDER. YH
626 TAKEN TO MAZDA TO HAVE TRANSMISSION CHECKED FOR ROUGH SHIFTING AND CLUNKING NOISE. MAZDA SAID THE TRANSMISSION WAS DEFECTIVE AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. ONCE REPLACED, NEW TRANSMISSION ACTED IN THE SAME MANNER. MAZDA THEN DECIDED TO REPLACE ALL 4 MOTOR MOUNTS. THAT DID NOT CORRECT THE PROBLEM EITHER. THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT TH…
Read full complaint
626 TAKEN TO MAZDA TO HAVE TRANSMISSION CHECKED FOR ROUGH SHIFTING AND CLUNKING NOISE. MAZDA SAID THE TRANSMISSION WAS DEFECTIVE AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. ONCE REPLACED, NEW TRANSMISSION ACTED IN THE SAME MANNER. MAZDA THEN DECIDED TO REPLACE ALL 4 MOTOR MOUNTS. THAT DID NOT CORRECT THE PROBLEM EITHER. THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT THEN TOLD ME THAT ROUGH SHIFTING AND CLUNKING SOUNDS ARE NORMAL FOR THE 98'626. I FOUND THAT EXPLAINATION VERY HARD TO BELIEVE TO SAY THE LEAST, SO I AM MEETING WITH THE REGIONAL SALES REP FOR MAZDA IN AN EFFORT TO HAVE THE PROBLEM RECTIFIED.
Official recalls
415V674000 · 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
1SQ98024 · Speedometer Inoperative
Opened Oct 29, 1998 · Closed Sep 10, 1999
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Power Train
SEE RESUME FOR DETAILS.