IllustrationDT: THE VEHICLE SHOOK PRIOR TO TRANSMISSION FAILURE. THE TRANSMISSION HAS BEEN REPLACED NUMEROUS TIMES. *NM
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
What owners actually said
434 reportsMY SON HAS A 1998 MAZA 626 AND THE TRANSMISSION IS BURNT UP, HE ONLY HAS A 100,000 MILES ON IT. I READ WHERE MAZDA WAS HAVING A LOT OF TROUBLE WITH THE TRANSMISSION .*AK
WHEN ACCELERATING FROM A STOP VEHICLE LURCHED FORWARD. DEALERSHIP WAS NOTIFIED, BUT DID NOT RESOLVE THE PROBLEM. *AK
O/D OFF LIGHT BEGAN FLASHING. EVERY TIME THE VEHICLE SHIFTED THERE WAS A LOUD BANG. I BROUGHT IT INTO A TRANSMISSION REPAIR CENTER WHERE THEY TOLD ME THE TRANSMISSION NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. FLUID WAS LEAKING THROUGH THE BUSHINGS AND BURNING.*AK
THE CAR CUT OFF WHILE I WAS DRIVING. THE REPAIRMAN SAID THE PROBLEM WAS DUE TO OIL SLUG BUILD. I HAD ALL MY OIL CHANGES DONE AT THE DEALERSHIP. THE BROWN SAID THEY WILL NOT PAY FOR THE REPAIR, THE EXTENDED WARRANTY COMPANY WILL NOT PAY FOR THE REPAIR OF $5,000 FOR REBUILT OR $7,000 FOR A NEW ENGINE. MY FRIEND WAS TOLD THE PERS…
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THE CAR CUT OFF WHILE I WAS DRIVING. THE REPAIRMAN SAID THE PROBLEM WAS DUE TO OIL SLUG BUILD. I HAD ALL MY OIL CHANGES DONE AT THE DEALERSHIP. THE BROWN SAID THEY WILL NOT PAY FOR THE REPAIR, THE EXTENDED WARRANTY COMPANY WILL NOT PAY FOR THE REPAIR OF $5,000 FOR REBUILT OR $7,000 FOR A NEW ENGINE. MY FRIEND WAS TOLD THE PERSON WHO HAD THE CAR BEFORE DID NOT HAVE THE OIL CHANGED REGULARLY. I GUESS I AM LUCKY I WAS NOT ON THE HIGHWAY BECAUSE THE CAR CUT OFF WITH NO WARNING. (SHOULDN'T THE CAR DEALSHIP MAKE SURE EVERYTHING IS OK BEFORE SELLING THE CARS?
TRANSMISSIONS SHIFTING IN JERKY MOTIONS, NEEDED TO FLUSH FLUID OUT. MANY PROBLEMS NOTED WITH MAZDA CD4E TRANSMISSIONS. *AK
MAZDA 626 2.0L AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION. FAILED AT 97,000 AND WILL REQUIRE MAJOR REBUILD AT COST IN EXCESS OF 2K. TRANSMISSION SHOP INDICATES ONE OF THE LEADING CAUSES DUE TO POOR MATERIALS AND LACK OF TRANSMISSION COOLER.*AK
MY 1998 626 WAS PURCHASED IN 2000. IN SEPTEMBER 2003 MY TRANSMISSION COMPLETELY FAILED ON ME AND HAD TO BE REPLACED. THS CAR HAS BEEN NOTHING BUT PROBLEMS FOR ME, I HAVE HAD THE TIMING BELT TO BREAK ON ME CAUSING MY CAR TO KILL IN TRAFFIC, MY CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CONSTANTY COMES ON, MY CAR STALLS AND JERKS AND YET NO MECHANIC CAN …
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MY 1998 626 WAS PURCHASED IN 2000. IN SEPTEMBER 2003 MY TRANSMISSION COMPLETELY FAILED ON ME AND HAD TO BE REPLACED. THS CAR HAS BEEN NOTHING BUT PROBLEMS FOR ME, I HAVE HAD THE TIMING BELT TO BREAK ON ME CAUSING MY CAR TO KILL IN TRAFFIC, MY CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CONSTANTY COMES ON, MY CAR STALLS AND JERKS AND YET NO MECHANIC CAN FIND A REASON FOR THIS.*AK
UPON PUTTING VEHICLE IN GEAR IT WILL NOT MOVE. CONSUMER CONTACTED THE MANUFACTURER. HOWEVER, PROBLEM STILL EXISTS. *AK
WELL THIS IS THE SECOND TIME I HAVE HAD TO REPLACE MY TRANSMISSION DUE TO POOR DESIGN. THIS IS A DANGEROUS PROBLEM AND VERY COSTLY. MAZDA SAYS THERE IS NOTHING WRONG WITH THERE TRANSMISSIONS GOIN OUT EVERY YEAR OR TWO. WELL I AM UPSET THAT NEITHER THE GOVERNMENT NOR MAZDA HAS DONE ANYTHING ABOUT IT? JUST GLAD I WILL NEVER HAVE …
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WELL THIS IS THE SECOND TIME I HAVE HAD TO REPLACE MY TRANSMISSION DUE TO POOR DESIGN. THIS IS A DANGEROUS PROBLEM AND VERY COSTLY. MAZDA SAYS THERE IS NOTHING WRONG WITH THERE TRANSMISSIONS GOIN OUT EVERY YEAR OR TWO. WELL I AM UPSET THAT NEITHER THE GOVERNMENT NOR MAZDA HAS DONE ANYTHING ABOUT IT? JUST GLAD I WILL NEVER HAVE THIS PROBLEM AGAIN.*AK
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.