Illustration1999 626 STALLED DUE TO A FAILURE IN THE TIMING BELT TENSIONER. *TS THE CONSUMER DISCOVERED A RECALL HAD BEEN ISSUED FOR THE SAME MAKE MODEL AND YEAR SHE HAS. *JB
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
What owners actually said
318 reportsON MARCH 27TH 2005, I WAS RETURNING FROM A 4 HOUR TRIP WHEN THE OVERDRIVE LIGHT ON MY DASH STARTED FLASHING, THE TRANSMISSION SHIFTED INTO OVERDRIVE AND SMOKE BEGAN COMING FROM UNDER THE HOOD, TRANSMISSION FLUID COVERED MY ENGINE. I STOPPED TO ALLOW FOR THE TRANSMISSION TO COOL, IT WAS FINE AFTER THIS. THE SAME THING HAPPENED …
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ON MARCH 27TH 2005, I WAS RETURNING FROM A 4 HOUR TRIP WHEN THE OVERDRIVE LIGHT ON MY DASH STARTED FLASHING, THE TRANSMISSION SHIFTED INTO OVERDRIVE AND SMOKE BEGAN COMING FROM UNDER THE HOOD, TRANSMISSION FLUID COVERED MY ENGINE. I STOPPED TO ALLOW FOR THE TRANSMISSION TO COOL, IT WAS FINE AFTER THIS. THE SAME THING HAPPENED 7 MONTHS AGO. AT THAT TIME I HAD THE TRANSMISSION FLUID REPLACED. MAZDA DEALERSHIP TOLD ME THAT THE MAZDA TRANSMISSION WERE KNOWN FOR THIS PROBLEM, THAT ON LONG TRIPS AT ROADWAY SPEEDS THEY TEND TO OVERHEAT AND SHOULD HAVE A TRANSMISSION COOLER INSTALLED. THIS IS THE SECOND TIME THIS HAS OCCURRED, MY FLUID HAS ONLY 5000 MILES ON IT. THERE IS NO REASON FOR THIS TO CONTINUE HAPPENING, OR HAPPENING IN THE FIRST PLACE. MAZDA/FORD, WHOEVER, SHOULD BE REPLACING ALL THESE TRANSMISSIONS. *JB
THE CHAIN IN THE TRANSMISSION IS "BREAKING" OFF THE TEETH OF THE SPROCKETS. CAR SPUTTERING AND JERKING. MAKES A CLICKING/POPPING SOUND. HAVE CONTACTED MAZDA ONLY TO BE TOLD I WOULD HAVE TO HAVE THE TRANSMISSION REBUILT. *JB
TRANSMISSION FAILURE, AUTOMATIC WITH 4 CYL MAZDA 626 1999. *NM
RUMBLING NOISE UNDER THE HOOD; MALFUNCTIONING BRAKE SYSTEM. *JB
PURCHASED THIS VEHICLE AND TRANSMISSION HAS BEEN FAULTY. AWARE THAT THIS IS VERY COMMON AS EACH TRANSMISSION SHOP THAT I HAVE CALLED FOR REPAIR DETAILED EXACTLY WHAT IT WAS DOING BEFORE I EVEN TOLD THEM ABOUT IT. REPAIR COST OF $2000 WITH ADDITION OF TRANSMISSION COOLER AND 12 MONTH WARRANTY WERE FAIRLY COSTLY AND WARRANTS A REC…
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PURCHASED THIS VEHICLE AND TRANSMISSION HAS BEEN FAULTY. AWARE THAT THIS IS VERY COMMON AS EACH TRANSMISSION SHOP THAT I HAVE CALLED FOR REPAIR DETAILED EXACTLY WHAT IT WAS DOING BEFORE I EVEN TOLD THEM ABOUT IT. REPAIR COST OF $2000 WITH ADDITION OF TRANSMISSION COOLER AND 12 MONTH WARRANTY WERE FAIRLY COSTLY AND WARRANTS A RECALL ON THIS VEHICLE. *JB
FAULTY AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION IN MAZDA 626. THIS WILL BE MY SECOND TRANSMISSION FAILURE. BOTH TRANSMISSIONS BEGAN SLIPPING AND OVERHEATING MANY MILES BEFORE FAILURE. THE DEALER NEVER INFORMED ME OF ANY BULLETINS OR PROBLEMS WITH THE TRANSMISSIONS. *NM
MY WIFE WAS ENROUTE FROM WORK TO HOME WHEN THE 626 STARTED LOSING SPEED. IT WOULDN'T PULL-OFF FROM STOP LIGHT. UNEVENTFULLY IT WOULD MOVE FOR THE DISTANCE OF A FOOTBALL FIELD AND QUIT IN HIGH SPEED TRAFFIC. I TOOK IT OUT FOR A DRIVE AND BARELY MADE IT BACK HOME. THE TRANSMISSION WILL DISENGAGE AND ENGAGE FROM TIME TO TIME. *JB
I PURCHASED A MAZDA 626 (1999 MODEL). THE TRANSMISSION IS NOW OVERHEATING. THIS IS SUCH A PREVALENT PROBLEM THAT MAZDA NEEDS TO PAY FOR IT. PUTTING A FORD TRANSMISSION IN A BIG MAZDA WAS A HUGE MISTAKE AND THEN NEED TO MAKE RESTITUTION FOR THE THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS THOSE OF US WHO GOT DUPED MUST PAY. BOTTOM LINE: THEY MANUFA…
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I PURCHASED A MAZDA 626 (1999 MODEL). THE TRANSMISSION IS NOW OVERHEATING. THIS IS SUCH A PREVALENT PROBLEM THAT MAZDA NEEDS TO PAY FOR IT. PUTTING A FORD TRANSMISSION IN A BIG MAZDA WAS A HUGE MISTAKE AND THEN NEED TO MAKE RESTITUTION FOR THE THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS THOSE OF US WHO GOT DUPED MUST PAY. BOTTOM LINE: THEY MANUFACTURED TICKING TIME BOMBS AND ALL TRANSMISSION REBUILDS DO IS ADD A FEW SECONDS TO THE BOMB COUNTER. *NM
TRANSMISSION WENT OUT; FAILURE TO ENGAGE AND OVERHEATING WHEN RUNNING; HAD TO HAVE TRANSMISSION COMPLETELY REBUILT AT 85K MILES. *NM
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.