IllustrationTRANSMISSION FAILURE, REPAIRED RECURRING PROBLEM. *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 reports1998 MAZDA 626 4 CYLINDER TRANSMISSION BEING REPLACED FOR THE FOURTH TIME...THE AUTO IS UNDER 100,000 MILES...*JB
WE ARE COMPLAINING ABOUT OUR 1998 MAZDA 626 BECAUSE THE TRANSMISSION FAILED WITH ONLY 76,691 MILES ON THE CAR. WE ARE THE ORIGINAL OWNERS, SO THAT MILEAGE IS CORRECT. THE TOTAL COST TO HAVE IT REBUILT WAS $2,222.87. HAD THIS HAPPENED ON THE HIGHWAY IN HEAVY TRAFFIC, THERE CERTAINLY WOULD HAVE BEEN A HORRIBLE ACCIDENT WITH S…
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WE ARE COMPLAINING ABOUT OUR 1998 MAZDA 626 BECAUSE THE TRANSMISSION FAILED WITH ONLY 76,691 MILES ON THE CAR. WE ARE THE ORIGINAL OWNERS, SO THAT MILEAGE IS CORRECT. THE TOTAL COST TO HAVE IT REBUILT WAS $2,222.87. HAD THIS HAPPENED ON THE HIGHWAY IN HEAVY TRAFFIC, THERE CERTAINLY WOULD HAVE BEEN A HORRIBLE ACCIDENT WITH SERIOUS, IF NOT FATAL INJURIES. WHEN WE LOOKED ON THE INTERNET, WE FOUND MANY OTHER PEOPLE COMPLAINING OF TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS. THE PROBLEM, WHICH MAZDA IS AWARE OF IS, IT THAT THEY PUT A FORD TRANSMISSION IN THE MAZDA 626, BUT THIS TRANSMISSION WAS MEANT FOR A SMALLER, LIGHTER CAR, WHICH IS THE REASON FOR THE OVERHEATING AND EVENTUAL TRANSMISSION FAILURE. THEIR BULLETIN TSB# 0500502.ADDRESSES THIS PROBLEM. MAZDA HAS REFUSED TO REPLACE THESE TRANSMISSIONS OR COMPENSATE OWNERS FOR THIS PROBLEM. SINCE THIS TRANSMISSION FAILURE HAPPENS VERY SUDDENLY, IT IS ONLY A MATTER OF TIME BEFORE SOMEONE IS GRAVELY INJURED OR KILLED IN AN ACCIDENT ON A BUSY HIGHWAY. PLEASE MAKE MAZDA DO THE RIGHT THING!*AK
TRANSMISSION FAILURE ON MAZDA 626 ( AGAIN) SECOND TIME. *JB
I OWN A 1998 MAZDA 626 4 CYLINDER AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION, THE TRANSMISSION HAS FAILED TWICE NOW, 1ST REPAIR WAS OVER $2,000 SECOND REPAIR WILL BE JUST AS MUCH OR MORE. AFTER CHECKING MESSAGE BOARDS ON THE INTERNET AND TALKING TO TRANSMISSION MECHANICS THIS IS A HUGE PROBLEM WITH ALL THESE FORD/MAZDA VEHICLES. WITH A FAILURE RATE…
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I OWN A 1998 MAZDA 626 4 CYLINDER AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION, THE TRANSMISSION HAS FAILED TWICE NOW, 1ST REPAIR WAS OVER $2,000 SECOND REPAIR WILL BE JUST AS MUCH OR MORE. AFTER CHECKING MESSAGE BOARDS ON THE INTERNET AND TALKING TO TRANSMISSION MECHANICS THIS IS A HUGE PROBLEM WITH ALL THESE FORD/MAZDA VEHICLES. WITH A FAILURE RATE THIS HIGH AND CONTINUAL PROBLEMS WITH THESE VEHICLES OVER SEVERAL YEARS SOME SORT OF RECALL NEEDS TO BE MADE. THERE IS ALSO A DANGER FACTOR WITH THESE TRANSMISSIONS, THEY HAVE A HUGE TENDENCY TO OVER HEAT CAUSING TRANSMISSION FLUID TO BOIL OVER THROUGH THE DIPSTICK CAUSING OIL SLICKS ON STREETS AND HIGHWAYS. *NM
1998 MAZDA 626 TRANSMISSION FAILURE. *JB
MAZDA DEALER DIAGNOSIS PO732 AND PO734 INTERNAL TRANSMISSION FAILURE OF 1998 MAZDA 626. *NM
I HAVE A 1998 MAZDA 626 WITH 2 FAILED TRANSMISSIONS COSTING $1800-$2100 EACH. THIS IS UTTERLY RIDICULOUS! THE FIRST ONE FAILED AT ONLY 70,000 MI.,NOW THE SECOND REBUILT ONE HAS FAILED AT 140,000 MI. NEVER BUY MAZDA AGAIN!! *NM
DRIVING DOWN THE HIGHWAY DURING NORMAL RUSH HOUR TRAFFIC, TRANSMISSION STARTS TO SLIP. CAR GOES SLOWER AND SLOWER UNTIL IT FINALLY WON'T MOVE AT ALL. HAD TRANSMISSION FLUID CHANGED AT REGULAR 30K INTERVALS. CAR WAS TAKEN TO A LOCAL TRANSMISSION SHOP WHERE I WAS TOLD THAT THE TRANS WAS SHOT, RUINED, KAPUT, ETC...ESTIMATE OF $2…
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DRIVING DOWN THE HIGHWAY DURING NORMAL RUSH HOUR TRAFFIC, TRANSMISSION STARTS TO SLIP. CAR GOES SLOWER AND SLOWER UNTIL IT FINALLY WON'T MOVE AT ALL. HAD TRANSMISSION FLUID CHANGED AT REGULAR 30K INTERVALS. CAR WAS TAKEN TO A LOCAL TRANSMISSION SHOP WHERE I WAS TOLD THAT THE TRANS WAS SHOT, RUINED, KAPUT, ETC...ESTIMATE OF $2500. HAVE BEEN INFORMED THAT THIS IS A VERY COMMON FAILURE IN MY CAR. AND THE DEALER REFUSES TO HELP OR EVEN TALK ABOUT HELPING ON THE REPAIR COST. MY CAR ONLY HAS 89K ON IT!! NOW THE CAR IS SITTING IN MY DRIVEWAY COLLECTING DUST, I DON'T HAVE $2500 TO FIX A PROBLEM THAT THE MANUFACTURER IS WELL AWARE OF SINCE MOST MAZDA 626'S ARE HAVING THIS FAILURE. *JB
TRANSMISSION FAILURE... ALMOST GOT INTO AN ACCIDENT ON THE FREEWAY WHEN MY CARS TRANSMISSION FAILED. LUCKILY THERE WAS SOME TRAFFIC ON THE FREEWAY. IT HAS BEEN DOING THAT FOR THE PAST MONTH. *NM
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.