IllustrationTHE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION FAILED WHILE DRIVING AT 25 MPH WITHOUT WARNING. *JB
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 reportsWHILE DRIVING UP I-75N , I NOTICED THE O/D OFF LIGHT HAD STARTED FLASHING AND THE ENGINE SOUNDED STRANGE. AFTER A FEW MILES OF THIS, I CAME UPON A REST AREA AND PULLED OFF THERE. AS SOON AS I STOPPED THE CAR, THE ENGINE STARTED SMOKING, AND MAKING A GURGLING, SIZZLING NOISE. I HAD TO CALL AAA TO TOW ME BACK HOME, WHICH WAS 3 …
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WHILE DRIVING UP I-75N , I NOTICED THE O/D OFF LIGHT HAD STARTED FLASHING AND THE ENGINE SOUNDED STRANGE. AFTER A FEW MILES OF THIS, I CAME UPON A REST AREA AND PULLED OFF THERE. AS SOON AS I STOPPED THE CAR, THE ENGINE STARTED SMOKING, AND MAKING A GURGLING, SIZZLING NOISE. I HAD TO CALL AAA TO TOW ME BACK HOME, WHICH WAS 3 HOURS AWAY. AFTER GOING BACK TO TAMPA, HAD MY CAR DROPPED OFF AT AAMCO TRANSMISSIONS. I WAS ADVISED THAT THE TRANSMISSION HAD TO BE REPLACED BECAUSE IT WAS COMPLETELY BURNED UP INSIDE. SO I HAD THEM REPLACE THE TRANSMISSION. I SPENT ALOT OF MONEY BETWEEN THE TRANSMISSION REPLACEMENT, TOWING, AND ALTERNATIVE TRANSPORTATION WHILE MY CAR WAS BEING REPAIRED. *NLM
TRANSMISSION REPAIR ON A 1998 MAZDA 626. COST ME $2936.32 *JB
I BOUGHT THIS CAR 1 YEAR AGO, IT HAS 83,000 MILES ON IT, THE TRANSMISSION NEEDS TO BE REPLACED AT THE COST OF $2,400. ACCORDING TO THE SHOP REPAIRING IT, THIS IS A VERY COMMON OCCURRENCE WITH THIS YEAR OF CAR. ALL INVESTIGATIONS INTO RECALLING THIS TRANSMISSION HAVE BEEN CLOSED. OUCH!! *JB
THE VEHICLE EXPERIENCED THE SAME DEFECT WITH THE ENGINE STALLING AS STATED IN RECALL 97 V 228 000. THE CONSUMER VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL DUE TO VIN. *NLM
THE VEHICLE SHIFTED GEARS ON ITS OWN WHILE DRIVING. *JB
TRANSMISSION. WHAT WAS TOLD TO ME BY DEALER, WAS THAT A PIECE CAME APART FROM THE TRANSMISSION, CLOGGED UP THE TRANSMISSION FILTER, WHILE HITTING MOVING PARTS AND RUINING PARTS OF TRANSMISSION. *NLM
1998 MAZDA 626 WITH 71,909 MILES. TRANSMISSION FAILURE. WILL COST ME $2100.00 TO FIX. STILL PAYING A LOAN ON THIS VEHICLE. *NLM
MY 1998 MAZDA 626 LX TRANSMISSION IS BAD. SOMETHING THAT IS NOT EXPECTED FROM THIS MAKE AND MODEL AND CAR THIS RECENT. EVEN AFTER REPAIRS, THE TRANSMISSION STILL FAILS SHORTLY AFTER, LOSING HYDRAULIC PRESSURE, RINGS AND CLUTCH ARE WORN AND MUST BE REPLACED. THE ENTIRE TRANSMISSION MUST BE REPLACED. *JB
THE TRANSMISSION WENT OUT SUDDENLY AT APPROXIMATELY 62,800 MILES. WHEN I LIMPED IT INTO THE DEALERSHIP IMMEDIATELY AFTER THIS OCCURRED I WAS TOLD IT NEEDED TO BE TESTED TO SEE IF THE PROBLEM WAS INTERNAL TO THE TRANSMISSION OR NOT. UNFORTUNATELY, PER THEIR TEST, IT WAS AND NOW THEY WANT $3200 TO REPLACE IT WITH A NEW ONE. …
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THE TRANSMISSION WENT OUT SUDDENLY AT APPROXIMATELY 62,800 MILES. WHEN I LIMPED IT INTO THE DEALERSHIP IMMEDIATELY AFTER THIS OCCURRED I WAS TOLD IT NEEDED TO BE TESTED TO SEE IF THE PROBLEM WAS INTERNAL TO THE TRANSMISSION OR NOT. UNFORTUNATELY, PER THEIR TEST, IT WAS AND NOW THEY WANT $3200 TO REPLACE IT WITH A NEW ONE. MY UNDERSTANDING FROM DOING RESEARCH (UNFORTUNATELY WELL AFTER I BOUGHT THIS CAR) IS THAT THIS IS A PROBLEM COMMON TO MAZDA , ESPECIALLY THE 626'S I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW IF THIS PROBLEM IS AS PREVALENT AS IT APPEARS TO BE WHY THERE HAS NOT BEEN A RECALL AS THE PROBLEM APPEARS TO BE RELATED TO THE MAZDA TRANSMISSION DESIGN.*JB
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.