IllustrationWHILE DRIVING AT 45-50 MPH ENGINE STARTED TO REV UP, AND THEN WITHOUT ANY NOTICE, TRANSMISSION JUST WENT OUT, AND VEHICLE BECAME INOPERABLE. CONTACTED DEALER, AND DEALER WAS CHECKING VEHICLE.*AK *MR
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 reportsVEHICLE STALLED AT 5 MPH. DEALER REPLACED A BROKEN TIMING BELT TENSIONER.*AK
ONGOING PROBLEM WITH ENGINE STALLING AT ANY SPEED VEHICLE BEEN TO DEALER ON ONE OCCASION ,AND THE PROBLEM STILLOCCURRING. FEEL FREE TO PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION.*AK
CONSUMER STATED THE VEHICLE STALLED AT 40-50 MPH, THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO DEALER. DEALER DETERMINED THAT TIMING BELT TENSIONER HAD BROKEN AND HAD TO BE REPLACED.*AK CONSUMER SEARCHED RECALLS IN NHTSA DATABASE AND FOUND A SAFETY RECALL BULLETIN ON THE VERY SAME PROBLEM. *YD
ON STATED DATE, I WAS REARENDED ON HIGHWAY. AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY, HOWEVER BACK PART OF DRIVERS SEAT BROKE. IT WAS FOUND COMPLETELY HORIZONTAL AT END OF IMPACT. MAZDA SAID IT WAS BUILT TO DO THAT FOR SAFETY REASONS! TOW TRUCK OPERATOR, AUTO BODY EMPLOYEES HAVE NEVER HEARD OR SEEN SUCH A "SAFETY FEATURE." DUE TO THIS DEFECT IN …
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ON STATED DATE, I WAS REARENDED ON HIGHWAY. AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY, HOWEVER BACK PART OF DRIVERS SEAT BROKE. IT WAS FOUND COMPLETELY HORIZONTAL AT END OF IMPACT. MAZDA SAID IT WAS BUILT TO DO THAT FOR SAFETY REASONS! TOW TRUCK OPERATOR, AUTO BODY EMPLOYEES HAVE NEVER HEARD OR SEEN SUCH A "SAFETY FEATURE." DUE TO THIS DEFECT IN SEAT MECHANISM,I SUSTAINED BACK INJURIES THAT CONTINUE TO THIS DAY. I HAVE KEPT THE BROKEN SEAT TRACK. I WOULD LIKE TO HAVE IT CHECKED OUT. IF MAZDA DESIGNED THE SEAT BACK TO BREAK ON IMPACT AS A SAFETY FACTOR, IT HAS FAILED ME QUITE DRASTICALLY!!
WHILE TRAVELING ON HIGHWAY VEHICLE HESITATED WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING, AND WOULDN'T MOVE. DEALERSHIP WAS AWARE OF PROBLEM.*AK
TIMING BELT WAS NOT WORKING PROPERLY. BELT WORE OUT AND TENSIONER HAS POPPED OFF. CONTACTED DEALER ,AND DEALER NOTED THAT VEHICLE WAS NOT PART OF RECALL 00-V-134-000. *AK
TIMING BELT TENSIONER HAS BROKEN. A RECALL HAS BEEN ISSUED ON VEHICLE MAKE AND MODEL; HOWEVER, THIS VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED DUE TO VIN. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER DETAILS.*AK
THE PROBLEM THAT I AM EXPERIENCING WITH MY CAR IS AN EXTERNAL SPRING IN THE TIMING BELT TENSIONER BROKE.THIS IS A PROBLEM THAT HAS LED TO A RECALL OF SOME 1998 &1999 MAZDA 626'S . I TOOK MY CAR TO A MECHANIC TODAY BECAUSE I WAS HEARIND A KNOCKING/RATTLING NOISE UNDER THE HOOD.UPON INSPECTION THE MECHANIC FOUND THE PROBLEM AND K…
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THE PROBLEM THAT I AM EXPERIENCING WITH MY CAR IS AN EXTERNAL SPRING IN THE TIMING BELT TENSIONER BROKE.THIS IS A PROBLEM THAT HAS LED TO A RECALL OF SOME 1998 &1999 MAZDA 626'S . I TOOK MY CAR TO A MECHANIC TODAY BECAUSE I WAS HEARIND A KNOCKING/RATTLING NOISE UNDER THE HOOD.UPON INSPECTION THE MECHANIC FOUND THE PROBLEM AND KNEW ALMOST IMMEDIATELY THAT THIS WAS NOT A COMMON OCCURRENCE AND THAT POSSIBLY THIS WOULD BE A RECALL PROBLEM,HE THEN CHECKED AND FOUND OUT THAT THERE WAS INFACT A RECALL AND ADVISED ME THAT I SHOULD CONTACT MJAZDA WHICH I DID. I FOUND OUT THAT MY CAR IS NOT ONE OF THOSE INCLUDED IN THE RECALL,WHICH LEADS ME TO MY COMPLAINT.THIS IS SUCH A SERIOUS MECHANICAL PROBLEM,MY MECHANIC TOLD ME THAT THE ENGINE COULD STOLL WHILE DRVING!! I HOPE THAT THIS COMPLAINT IS TAKEN SERIOUSLY,AND I HOPE THAT MAZDA WILL EXTEND THE RECALL TO INCLUDE ALL AFFECTED VEHICLES. *AK
PRIOR TO PULLING OFF VEHICLE JERKS INTO GEAR. DEALER AND MANUFACTURER HAVE BEEN NOTIFIED. PLEASE PROVIDE ADDITIONAL INFORMATION. *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.