IllustrationWHILE DRIVING VEHICLE STALLED AND WOULD NOT RESTART. VEHICLE WAS TOWED, AND THE TIMING CHAIN WAS FOUND TO BE DEFECTIVE.*AK DEALER REPLACED TIMING BELT AND TENSIONER. *TT
1999 Mazda 626
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
More warning signs than most 626 years
Owner complaints for the 1999 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
100–25K
1325–50K
6150–75K
6475–100K
49100–150K
12150K+
209 reports with mileage · 109 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 233 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Engine And Engine Cooling. Review the 48 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Service Brakes, Hydraulic. Review the 13 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
11 crash reports3 fire reports4 injury reports
Engine And Engine Cooling complaints
48 reportsENGINE AND TRANSMISSION BOTH FAULTY. ENGINE DID NOT REVERSE, SOON AFTER ENGINE EXPLODED.*AK
VEHICLE CONTINUOUSLY STALLED WHEN BRAKING FROM 40 MPH OR MORE AND WHEN COMING TO A STOP POSITION. VEHICLE HAD BEEN TO THE DEALER ON TWO SEPARATE OCCASIONS. DEALER INFORMED CONSUMER THAT TRANSMISSION NEEDED TO BE REPLACED THE FIRST TIME, AND THE TIMING BELT SPRING NEEDED TO BE REPLACED THE SECOND TIME. CONSUMER HAD BOTH PART…
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VEHICLE CONTINUOUSLY STALLED WHEN BRAKING FROM 40 MPH OR MORE AND WHEN COMING TO A STOP POSITION. VEHICLE HAD BEEN TO THE DEALER ON TWO SEPARATE OCCASIONS. DEALER INFORMED CONSUMER THAT TRANSMISSION NEEDED TO BE REPLACED THE FIRST TIME, AND THE TIMING BELT SPRING NEEDED TO BE REPLACED THE SECOND TIME. CONSUMER HAD BOTH PARTS REPLACED, BUT PROBLEM RECURRED. *AK
CONTINUOUS 3 CYLINDER MISFIRE, RESULTING IN THE REPLACEMENT OF THE PLUG WIRES AND SPARK PLUGS 4 TIMES SINCE I HAVE PURCHASED THE CAR IN SEP 2003. THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT SPORADICALLY COMES ON AND DOES NOT THROW CODE. WHEN THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT COMES ON THE TRANSMISSION "HARD SHIFTS" AND I LOSE SIGNIFICANT GAS MILEAGE.*JB
I AM THE ORIGINAL VEHICLE OWNER. THE CAR HAS 120,000 MILES ON IT. I HAD TO REPLACE THE RADIATOR, OXGEN SENSOR AND THE TRANSMISSION THIS SUMMER. IT SEEMS UNUSUAL FOR A CAR THIS YOUNG TO HAVE SUCH EXTENSIVE, EXPENSIVE PROBLEMS.
I PURCHASED A CRANKSHAFT PULLEY FOR MY 99 MAZDA 626 ON 06/01/04 & HAD IT INSTALLED. ON 07/10/04 THE SAME PART BROKE AGAIN & HAD TO BE REPLACED. THIS COST ME $1100 IN LESS THAN 2 MONTHS. THE SHOP THAT REPAIRED MY VEHICLE THE 2ND TIME INFORMED ME THAT WHEN THEY ORDERED THE PART FROM MAZDA, THEY WERE ADVISED THAT THEY CAN'T KEEP T…
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I PURCHASED A CRANKSHAFT PULLEY FOR MY 99 MAZDA 626 ON 06/01/04 & HAD IT INSTALLED. ON 07/10/04 THE SAME PART BROKE AGAIN & HAD TO BE REPLACED. THIS COST ME $1100 IN LESS THAN 2 MONTHS. THE SHOP THAT REPAIRED MY VEHICLE THE 2ND TIME INFORMED ME THAT WHEN THEY ORDERED THE PART FROM MAZDA, THEY WERE ADVISED THAT THEY CAN'T KEEP THIS PART ON THE SHELF. SINCE MAZDA IS AWARE OF THIS PROBLEM-THEY NEED TO TAKE ACTION TO HELP THE OWNERS OF THESE VEHICLES.*AK
CONSUMER STATED AIR CONDITIONER FAILED TO WORK, AND COOLANTWAS LEAKING FROM THE VEHICLE. DEALERSHIP WAS NOTIFIED, BUT DID NOT RESOLVE THE PROBLEM.*AK
RECALL 00V134000 CONCERNING TIMING BELT FAILURE. WHILE DRIVING AT 55 MPH VEHICLE STALLED. THE VEHICLE HAD JUST ENOUGH MOMENTUM TO GET OVER TO THE SHOULDER WITHOUT CAUSING A COLLISION. VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A MECHANIC, WHO DETERMINED THAT THE TIMING BELT WAS DEFECTIVE. CONSUMER'S VEHICLE WAS NOT COVERED UNDER THE RECALL DU…
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RECALL 00V134000 CONCERNING TIMING BELT FAILURE. WHILE DRIVING AT 55 MPH VEHICLE STALLED. THE VEHICLE HAD JUST ENOUGH MOMENTUM TO GET OVER TO THE SHOULDER WITHOUT CAUSING A COLLISION. VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A MECHANIC, WHO DETERMINED THAT THE TIMING BELT WAS DEFECTIVE. CONSUMER'S VEHICLE WAS NOT COVERED UNDER THE RECALL DUE TO VIN. *AK
WHILE DRIVING 40 MPH VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. THE DEALER STATED THAT SLUDGE BUILT UP IN THE ENGINE. *AK
MOTOR MOUNTS WERE CHANGED WITH LESS THAN 40,000 MILES WITHOUT HAVING ANY FRONT END DAMAGES. COVERED BY EXTENDED WARRANTY. DESPITE REGULAR OIL CHANGES AND ONLY 40,000 PLUS MILES, THE DEALER SAID THE ENGINE'S OIL PORTS WERE CLOGGED REQUIRING THE REMOVAL OF THE VALVE COVER AND OIL PAN TO REMEDY THE ALLEGED PROBLEM. COST OF REPA…
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MOTOR MOUNTS WERE CHANGED WITH LESS THAN 40,000 MILES WITHOUT HAVING ANY FRONT END DAMAGES. COVERED BY EXTENDED WARRANTY. DESPITE REGULAR OIL CHANGES AND ONLY 40,000 PLUS MILES, THE DEALER SAID THE ENGINE'S OIL PORTS WERE CLOGGED REQUIRING THE REMOVAL OF THE VALVE COVER AND OIL PAN TO REMEDY THE ALLEGED PROBLEM. COST OF REPAIRS, APPROX $700. DESPITE HAVING THE FRONT BRAKE PADS CHANGED AND THE ROTORS TURNED TWICE WITHIN 50,000 MILES, THE FRONT WHEEL BEARING FAILED AND WERE CHANGED. NOW WITH 60,000 MILES THE ENGINE SUDDENLY BEGAN LEAKING OIL FROM EVERY MAJOR AREA: OIL PAN, VALVE COVER, REAR MAIN SEAL, ETC., ETC., ETC. IN ADDITION TO THOSE OIL LEAK AREAS, ONE CV JOINT AND BOOT IS BAD, THE ENGINE MOUNTS ARE ONCE AGAIN BAD WITHOUT ANY FRONT-END DAMAGES, AND THE WATER PUMP IS BAD. THERE ARE MANY OTHER ITEMS THAT HAVE FAILED DURING THIS SHORT PERIOD OF TIME. REGARDLESS OF PERFORMING REGULARLY SCHEDULED ROUTINE SERVICE AS REQUIRED BY THE MANUFACTURER, THIS VEHICLE FAR EXCEEDS WHAT ANYONE WOULD CONSIDER TO BE STANDARD FAILURES. *AK
Official recalls
200V134000 · 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.
00V074000 · Service Brakes, Hydraulic:foundation Components:master Cylinder
Mar 7, 2000
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES. CERTAIN RESERVOIR TANK CAPS ON THE BRAKE MASTER CYLINDER WERE PRODUCED WITH A WORN OUT DIE AND LACK VENTILATION HOLES. AS A RESULT, THE PRESSURE IN THE RESERVOIR TANK CAN DROP GRADUALLY AS THE BRAKE PAD OR SHOE WEARS AND AMBIENT TEMPERATURE DROPS. ALSO, THE PRESSURE COULD REACH A POINT THAT THE BRAKE CALIPER AND DRUM CYLINDER ARE PULLED BACK BY THE VACUUM IN THE RESERVOIR TANK WHEN THE VEHICLE IS PARKED FOR A LONG TIME.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: THIS CONDITION COULD CAUSE REDUCED BRAKE EFFICIENCY, INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSPECT THE RESERVOIR CAP AND REPLACE IT, IF NECESSARY.
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
0No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.