NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
What owners actually said
434 reports80,000 miles · Dec 6, 2004
Electrical SystemEngine And Engine CoolingEquipment
I HAVE SPENT OVER $2000 TRYING TO GET MY ENGINE LIGHT TO TURN OFF. NOTHING WORKS. NOW I AM BEING FINED FOR NOT PASSING INSPECTION. WHAT IS GOING ON? I HAVE BEEN HAVING THIS PROBLEM FOR 2 YEARS. AFTER VARIOUS REPAIRS THE LIGHT WOULD FINALLY GO OFF. NOW IT WILL NOT AND HAS BEEN ON FOR OVER 6 MONTHS. I HAVE HAD O2 SENSOR AND CAT SE…
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I HAVE SPENT OVER $2000 TRYING TO GET MY ENGINE LIGHT TO TURN OFF. NOTHING WORKS. NOW I AM BEING FINED FOR NOT PASSING INSPECTION. WHAT IS GOING ON? I HAVE BEEN HAVING THIS PROBLEM FOR 2 YEARS. AFTER VARIOUS REPAIRS THE LIGHT WOULD FINALLY GO OFF. NOW IT WILL NOT AND HAS BEEN ON FOR OVER 6 MONTHS. I HAVE HAD O2 SENSOR AND CAT SENSOR REPLACED, SINCE THAT IS SUPPOSEDLY WHAT THE CODE WAS. STILL NOTHING AND NOONE SEEMS TO CARE.*AK
NHTSA ODI #10102252
938,023 miles · Nov 16, 2004
Power Train
I BOUGHT A USED 1998 MAZDA 626 ON OCT 8, 2004 AND NOV 15, 2004 THE TRANSMISSION DIED IN IT AND THE DEALER WON'T DO A THING, MAZDA IS DENYING THAT THERE IS A PROBLEM AND STILL THERE IS NO RECALL FORCED ONTO THE MANUFACTURE. I'M NOT SPENDING $1500 OR MORE, I'M GOING TO TRY TO REBUILD THE TRANNY MYSELF AND BILL MAZDA @ $85/HR PLUS…
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I BOUGHT A USED 1998 MAZDA 626 ON OCT 8, 2004 AND NOV 15, 2004 THE TRANSMISSION DIED IN IT AND THE DEALER WON'T DO A THING, MAZDA IS DENYING THAT THERE IS A PROBLEM AND STILL THERE IS NO RECALL FORCED ONTO THE MANUFACTURE. I'M NOT SPENDING $1500 OR MORE, I'M GOING TO TRY TO REBUILD THE TRANNY MYSELF AND BILL MAZDA @ $85/HR PLUS PARTS. WE NEED A CLASS ACTION SUIT FILED. ANY LAWYERS' OUT THERE, PLEASE HELP US. I DON'T WAN'T TO REPAIR THE TRANNY 3 TIMES OR MORE.*AK
NHTSA ODI #10100027
82,750 miles · Nov 12, 2004
Power Train
TRANSMISSION FAILURE AT 82,000 MILES (ON AN ALREADY REBUILT TRANSMISSION). *JB
NHTSA ODI #10098771
84,500 miles · Oct 22, 2004
Power Train
I KNOW I'M NOT THE FIRST TO SAY THIS, BUT THE TRANSMISSION IN MY 98 MAZDA 626LX (4 CYLINDER) IS A PIECE OF CRAP! AFTER A MERE 84,500 MILES, ITS SHOT. NICE WORK MAZDA, I'M NEVER BUYING YOUR FORD IN DISGUISE PRODUCT AGAIN. IF THERE WERE A DEGREE IN RUNNING OFF CONSUMERS, MAZDA WOULD HAVE A DOCTORATE!................NOW IM OUT $15…
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I KNOW I'M NOT THE FIRST TO SAY THIS, BUT THE TRANSMISSION IN MY 98 MAZDA 626LX (4 CYLINDER) IS A PIECE OF CRAP! AFTER A MERE 84,500 MILES, ITS SHOT. NICE WORK MAZDA, I'M NEVER BUYING YOUR FORD IN DISGUISE PRODUCT AGAIN. IF THERE WERE A DEGREE IN RUNNING OFF CONSUMERS, MAZDA WOULD HAVE A DOCTORATE!................NOW IM OUT $1500........THANKS FOR NOTHING AND AGAIN, I'M NEVER BUYING ANOTHER MAZDA PRODUCT FOR AS LONG AS I LIVE. *AK
NHTSA ODI #10096240
Mileage unknown · Oct 19, 2004
Power Train
COMPLAINT RECEIVED VIA E-MAIL."OUR CAR'S AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION IS LEAKING ,THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AND THE CAR IS SHIFTING AND JERKING; FRANKLY DANGEROUS. LOOKS LIKE THIS TRANSMISSION IS A PIECE OF CRAP. WHY AREN'T YOU GOING AFTER MAZDA AND FORD FOR THIS FIASCO? WE ARE LOOKING AT ABOUT A $2000 REPAIR ON A CAR WITH 75,00…
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COMPLAINT RECEIVED VIA E-MAIL."OUR CAR'S AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION IS LEAKING ,THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AND THE CAR IS SHIFTING AND JERKING; FRANKLY DANGEROUS. LOOKS LIKE THIS TRANSMISSION IS A PIECE OF CRAP. WHY AREN'T YOU GOING AFTER MAZDA AND FORD FOR THIS FIASCO? WE ARE LOOKING AT ABOUT A $2000 REPAIR ON A CAR WITH 75,000 MILES, AND COMICALLY, OUR REPAIR TECHNICIAN HAS AN EXACT DUPLICATE MAZDA IN HIS SHOP RIGHT NOW WITH THE SAME PROBLEM. .. GO FIGURE! THE CONSUMER DO FOR PROTECTION AND COMPENSATION?" *JB
NHTSA ODI #10097115
85,000 miles · Oct 17, 2004
Electrical System
MY 1998 MAZDA 626 IS UNRELIABLE. IT HAS BEEN IN AND OUT OF A DEALERS SERVICE DEPARTMENT TO GET THEM TO FIND OUT WHY IT CUTS OFF IN THE MIDDLE OF OPERATION OR WHY IT WILL ONLY CRANK SPORADICALLY. THEY CHECK, SAY THEY HAVE IDENTIFIED THE PROBLEM, CHARGE US FOR A REPAIR (BECAUSE IT IS OUT OF WARRANTY. IT RARELY WORKS MORE THAN …
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MY 1998 MAZDA 626 IS UNRELIABLE. IT HAS BEEN IN AND OUT OF A DEALERS SERVICE DEPARTMENT TO GET THEM TO FIND OUT WHY IT CUTS OFF IN THE MIDDLE OF OPERATION OR WHY IT WILL ONLY CRANK SPORADICALLY. THEY CHECK, SAY THEY HAVE IDENTIFIED THE PROBLEM, CHARGE US FOR A REPAIR (BECAUSE IT IS OUT OF WARRANTY. IT RARELY WORKS MORE THAN A DAY AFTER IT HAS BEEN REPAIRED AND THEN IT IS ON THE BLINK AGAIN. THE REPORTED PROBLEM FROM DAY ONE HAS NOT CHANGED, IT WILL NOT WORK PROPERLY DUE TO FAILURE TO CRANK. WE WANT IT FIXED AND WE EXPECT TRAINED TECHNICIANS TO KNOW WHAT TO LOOK FOR TO FIX IT. WE HAVE NOW PAID OUT OVER $1000 WITH PARTS AND LABOR AND STILL WE HAVE A CAR THAT WILL NOT WORK. NORTH PARK MAZDA, JACKSON, MS HAS ALL OF THE RECENT SERVICE RECORDS WHICH BACK UP WHAT I HAVE STATED. *JB
NHTSA ODI #10095927
75,000 miles · Oct 14, 2004
Engine And Engine CoolingPower Train
MAZDA 626 1998, TRANSMISSION LEAKED AND CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON. *BF *JB
NHTSA ODI #10115308
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
Mileage unknown · Oct 7, 2004
Electrical System
WHILE DRIVING CHECK ENGINE LIGHT APPEARED ON THE DASHBOARD AND REMAINED ON. CONSUMER DROVE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER, WHO PLACED IT ON A DIAGNOSTIC MACHINE. MECHANIC DETERMINED THAT THE COMPUTER NEEDED TO BE RESET. CONSUMER INFORMED THE MECHANIC THAT THIS PROBLEM OCCURRED MORE THAN ONCE AND HAD NOT BEEN RESOLVED. *AK
NHTSA ODI #10095448
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
Official recalls
4Oct 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.
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.
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.
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 ↗
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