1999 Mazda 626

A 1999 MAZDA 626 WAS PURCHASED IN JUNE 2006 FROM CARMAX IN TAMPA, FL. WE TRADED IN OUR 2004 FORD EXPLORER FOR THIS 626 TO SAVE ON GAS. THE MAZDA HAS BEEN IN THE SHOP 4 TIMES FOR TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS, NONE OF WHICH HAVE BEEN CLEARLY EXPLAINED TO US; NOR ARE THEY EXPLAINED ON THE RECEIPTS. THE FIRST PROBLEM WE EXPERIENCED WAS AN OVERHEATED TRANSMISSION WHICH CAUSED IT TO GET STUCK IN SECOND GEAR. THE MAZDA DEALER RECOMMENDED A TRANSMISSION COOLER ONCE THE TRANSMISSION WAS DISSECTED TO BE SURE THERE WAS NO INTERNAL DAMAGE. CARMAX TOWED THE VEHICLE FROM THE DEALER AND HAD AAMCO DO THE REPAIR WORK. NEW PARTS WERE ORDERED THOUGH CARMAX SAID AAMCO DIDN'T KNOW WHAT WAS WRONG WITH THE CAR. UPON DRIVING MY 1 YEAR OLD SON HOME AFTER THIS FIRST REPAIR, THE TRANSMISSION BEGAN TO LEAK AND MAKE GRINDING SOUNDS, NONE OF WHICH DID IT DO BEFORE BEING REPAIRED MIND YOU. THE SECOND TIME WE SIMPLY EXPERIENCE THE STUCK IN GEAR ISSUE AGAIN, HOWEVER, THIS TIME BELTS WERE ALSO SQUEALING AND OUR FUEL EFFICIENCY HAS DROPPED. THE THIRD TIME SEEMED DO BE THE CHARM, OR SO WE THOUGHT. THIS MORNING DRIVING THE CAR TO WORK, WE EXPERIENCED THE SAME STUCK IN SECOND GEAR PROBLEM WE HAD ORIGINALLY! AFTER CALLING THE LOCAL STORE THEY SAID TO TAKE IT TO AAMCO. I NEVER DEALT WITH AAMCO BEFORE WHY SHOULD I TAKE IT THERE NOW. I ALSO CALLED THE CARMAX CORPORATE HELP LINE AND THEY SAID THEY WOULD CALL THE LOCAL STORE WE ORIGINALLY PURCHASED THE CAR FROM. I HAVE YET TO RECEIVE ANY PHONE CALLS OR GET THE SERVICE OR GUARANTEE THAT CARMAX PROMISED WHEN I PURCHASED THIS CAR. *NM

OWN A 1999 MAZDA 626, 2.0 4-CYLINDER. IT ONLY HAS 52,170 MILES BUT THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION BURNT OUT. ACCORDING TO THE LOCAL TRANSMISSION SHOPS AND MAZDA DEALERS, THEY HAVE SEEN AND REPAIRED LOTS 626 (1999 -2001 MODELS) DUE TO THE FACT THAT THEY HAVE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSIONS WHICH HAD BEEN DESIGNED BY FORD FOR MUCH SMALLER AND LIGHTER VEHICLES THAN THE 626. CONSEQUENTLY, IF ONE DRIVES LONG DISTANCE, IT DOES BURN OUT. THE DEALERS AND AAMCO SHOPS RECOMMEND TO HAVE THE COOLING PUMP TO COOL THE TRANSMISSION. IT IS WELL KNOWN AND DOCUMENTED THE CASE OF AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION FAILURES AND SHOULD BE RECALLED BY MAZDA. *NM

TRANSMISSION FAILED FOUR TIMES IN TWO YEARS. THE FIRST TIME (AUGUST 2004) IT FAILED IT WAS 24 HOURS AFTER WE BOUGHT IT FROM A MAZDA USED DEALER, HOLIDAY MOTORS IN FOND DU LAC WI. THEY PULLED THE TRANSMISSION OUT AND REPLACED GASKETS. I ASKED THEN TO PUT ON THE COOLING KIT AND THEY DID NOT. A YEAR LATER (OCTOBER 2005) MY DAUGHTER WAS STRANDED NORTH OF CHICAGO IL WITH THIS CAR AND A PUDDLE OF TRANSMISSION FLUID UNDER IT (GASKETS AGAIN). THE THIRD TIME (MAY 2006) IT WAS SMOKING AND LEAKING FLUID (GASKETS). TWO MONTHS LATER (AUGUST 2006) IT WAS SMOKING AND LEAKING FLUID. THIS TIME IT LEFT MY DAUGHTER IN A VERY UN-SAFE NEIGHBORHOOD OF MILWAUKEE WI. A COOLING KIT PUT ON THIS CAR TWO WEEKS BEFORE THE LAST PROBLEM BUT IT WAS ALREADY TOO LATE. THIS TIME THE SHOP IS REPLACING THE TORQUE CONVERTER (?) THEY SAY IT OVER HEATED. REPAIR COST HAVE BEEN ABOUT $600-$300-$150 (COOLING KIT) $700-$300. *NM

(1) JERKING MOTION OF VEHICLE WHEN DRIVING. MAZDA DEALERSHIP INFORMED ME THAT WAS NORMAL FOR MAZDA TRANSMISSIONS. (2) TRANSMISSION FAILURE. (3) REBUILT TRANSMISSION $1600.00. 1 YEAR LATER, IT FAILED AGAIN, DUE TO OVER HEATING. NEEDS TO BE REBUILT AGAIN. I HAD NO KNOWLEDGE THAT THERE WAS A TSB ON THE TRANSMISSION FOR THIS VEHICLE REQUIRING A COOLING UNIT TO AVOID OVERHEATING. NOW, I HAVE TO PAY FOR MORE REPAIRS TO THE TRANSMISSION, WITH NO END IN SIGHT. THIS IS NOT FAIR. HAD I KNOWN ABOUT THESE PROBLEMS, I WOULD NEVER HAVE PURCHASED THE VEHICLE (BRAND NEW) IN THE FIRST PLACE. THIS IS JUST NOT FAIR. *JB

I OWN A 99 MAZDA 626 4 CYLINDER I HAVE ONLY OWNED IT FOR A YEAR AND SINCE I BOUGHT IT THE TRANSMISSION HAS ACTED UP AND AFTER DOING A LOT OF RESEARCH I HAVE COME TO THE CONCLUSION IT ISN'T JUST MINE EVERYBODY'S IS MESSED UP FIRST IT STARTED WITH THE TRANSMISSION OVERHEATING MAKING THE O/D LIGHT BLINK ON AND OFF AND THEN SLIPPING REALLY HARD AND NOW IT IS OUT. *JB

PURCHASED MAZDA 626 (1999) NEW IN 12/98. AT 27870 MILES TRANSMISSION OVERHEATED. DEALER SAID I HAD TO PURCHASE A COOLING KIT FOR TRANS AT MY EXPENSE. I KNEW THEN I WOULD NEVER BUY ANOTHER MAZDA. WHAT CUSTOMER SERVICE! PROBLEM RECURRED AND I DISCOVERED IT WAS A KNOW PROBLEM TO MAZDA ABOUT TRANSMISSION FAILURES IN THE MAZDA 626. NOW AT 74000 MILES THEY TELL ME I NEED A NEW TRANS AT $3600, NO WAY. DON'T BUY MAZDA. *NM