2001 Mazda 626

FAULTY/DEFECTIVE TRANSMISSIONS ARE BEING USED IN MAZDA VEHICLES WELL AFTER THE MANUFACTURER KNEW ABOUT THE ISSUE. THERE ARE LITERALLY HUNDREDS, IF NOT THOUSANDS OF INDIVIDUALS AND COMPANIES WHO HAVE HAD THEIR TRANSMISSIONS GO OUT...MANY WITH WELL UNDER 60K MILES. AND, MANY HAVE BEEN THROUGH SEVERAL TRANSMISSIONS BEFORE 100K MILES. ALL OF THE PROBLEM VEHICLES SHARE THE SAME SYMPTOMS: OD LIGHT FLASHING OFF AND ON, AND TRANSMISSION SLIPPING IN AND OUT OF GEAR, AS THE TRANSMISSION BURNS UP, LITERALLY FROM POOR DESIGN AND IMPLEMENTATION WHICH DOESN'T ALLOW FOR PROPER AIR FLOW AND COOLING. THIS PROBLEM IS WIDELY ACKNOWLEDGED BY THE MANUFACTURER, CAR OWNERS, DEALERS, SERVICE CENTERS, AND OTHER AUTOMOTIVE PROFESSIONALS. PROOF OF THIS FACT WAS A NOTICE SENT OUT TO DEALERS THAT THERE IS A COOLING KIT "AVAILABLE" FOR THIS TRANSMISSION THAT SHOULD AID IN KEEPING THE TRANSMISSION COOL. HOWEVER, THIS IS NOT A FREE ADDITION! MAZDA IS ACTUALLY CHARGING CUSTOMERS TO ADD A FIX TO THEIR DESIGN FLAW! I FEEL THIS PROBLEM IS NOT ONLY A FRAUDULENT ISSUE, BUT IS ALSO A SAFETY ISSUE. PEOPLE COULD BE (AND MAY HAVE ALREADY BEEN) SEVERELY INJURED OR KILLED, BY HAVING THEIR TRANSMISSION GO OUT AS THEY ATTEMPT TO ENTER HIGH TRAFFIC, HIGH-SPEED AREAS, SUCH AS A FREEWAY. I WAS NOT EVEN NOTIFIED ABOUT THE TRANSMISSION PROBLEM BY MAZDA AND ONLY FOUND OUT ABOUT IT AFTER MY TRANSMISSION FAILED. I AM EXPLORING THE POSSIBILITY OF FILING A CLASS ACTION LAW SUIT AGAINST MAZDA CORPORATION. *NM

I BOUGHT A MAZDA 626 IN AUGUST 2001. WHEN THE MILEAGE REACHED 74,414 IN EARLY MARCH 2006, THE CAR COULD NOT REVERSE AND WAS HARD TO GO FORWARD. I WAS TOLD BY THE MAZDA DEALER THAT THE TRANSMISSION FAILED AND THE ESTIMATED COST FOR PUTTING A RE-MANUFACTURED TRANSMISSION WOULD BE AROUND $3,800. SINCE MY CAR WAS OUT OF WARRANTY PERIOD, THEY COULD ONLY GIVE ME A DISCOUNT OF $1,000. I DID BRING MY CAR TO THE DEALER FOR REGULAR MAINTENANCE, AND I BELIEVED THEY DID NOT TRY THEIR BEST TO HELP ME OUT EVEN I TOLD THEM THERE ARE LOTS OF COMPLAINTS ABOUT THE MAZDA 626 TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS. SO I TOOK MY CAR TO OTHER SERVICE CENTER FOR REPAIRS, AND THE DEALER CHARGED ME $80 FOR DIAGNOSTIC FEES. THIS CAR HAS COST ME SO MUCH FOR REPAIRS: FIXING THE TRANSMISSION FOR $2,700, AND I JUST WORRY THAT THERE WILL BE MORE EXPENSIVE REPAIRS IN NEAR FUTURE. *JB

I BOUGHT A MAZDA 626 2001 IN OCTOBER 2005. IN JANUARY OF 2006 (4 MONTHS LATER) THE TRANSMISSION BLEW UP. TRANNY FLUID WAS EVERY WHERE AND THERE WAS A HOLE IN THE TRANNY IT'S SELF, I WAS STRANDED. THANKFULLY I PURCHASED THE EXTENDED WARRANTY, AND THE FACTORY WARRANTY COVERED THE COST. AGAIN. LESS THAN A MONTH AND A HALF, I HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM. I TOOK IT BACK TO THE TRANSMISSION SHOP AND THEY TOLD ME THAT IF WAS A 'WEAR AND TEAR" PROBLEM. I THEN TOOK IT TO THE ORIGINAL DEALER AND THE INFORMED ME THAT IT WAS THE TRANSMISSION MOUNTS THAT CAUSED IT TO SLIP. THE DEALER AGAIN SENT IT TO THEIR CONTRACTOR...THE SAME ONES THAT 'FIXED' IT BEFORE. NEEDLESS TO SAY I HAVE COME TO MY ENDS TRYING TO FIX MY CAR. I RELY ON MY CAR FOR TRANSPORTATION TO GET NOT ONLY MYSELF TO WORK, BUT ALSO MY NEPHEW TO DAYCARE, AND MY MOTHER TO WORK. IF YOU COULD PLEASE HELP ME GET RESOURCES, OR HELP ME RESOLVE MY PROBLEM I WOULD GREATLY APPRECIATE IT. THANK YOU FOR YOUR HELP. I HOPE TO HEAR FROM YOU SOON. *NM

WAS AT A STOP SIGN. STARTED TO MAKE A LEFT TURN, THE ENGINE STARTED REVVING, AND IT FELT AS THOUGH THE TRANSMISSION WAS IN NEUTRAL RATHER THAN DRIVE. FORTUNATELY, NO ONE WAS APPROACHING , AND THE TRANSMISSION FINALLY SHIFTED. ONCE UP TO SPEED, IT WORKS OKAY. THERE WAS NO EARLIER INDICATION THAT THIS PROBLEM WAS OCCURRING. CURRENTLY, I CAN DRIVE THE CAR, BUT I NEED TO SHIFT BETWEEN DRIVE AND 2ND. WHEN SLOWING TO STOP, I DOWNSHIFT TO 2ND JUST BEFORE COMING TO A STOP. WHEN STARTING FROM A STOP, I SHIFT TO DRIVE WHEN THE CAR REACHES AROUND 1500 RPM. MECHANIC SAYS IT'LL COST ME 3K OR MORE FOR A NEW TRANS, OR BETWEEN $1200 TO $2500 FOR REBUILT. CALLED THE MAZDA CUSTOMER SVC LINE. GIVEN MAZDA'S HISTORY WITH 626 TRANS, I'M UPSET THEY HAVE REFUSED TO GIVE ANY HELP WITH THIS SITUATION. *NM

MY 2001 MAZDA 626 WAS BROUGHT TO THE DEALER WHILE STILL UNDER WARRANTY DUE TO A BURNING SMELL IN THE ENGINE. THE CAR ALSO SMELLED MUSTY AS IF WATER WERE LEAKING SOMEWHERE. THE DEALER ADJUSTED THE MOONROOF SCREWS OUT IN THE PARKING LOT AND CLAIMS NO BURNING SMELL WAS PRESENT. AT APPROXIMATELY 50 MILES OVER THE WARRANTY, THE STEREO DISPLAY STOPPED ILLUMINATING AND MAZDA WOULD NOT COVER THE $300 REPAIR. AT AROUND 70,000 MILES, THE OVERDRIVE LIGHT SUDDENLY BEGAN TO FLASH CONTINUOUSLY. THE CAR STARTED TO CHUG UP HILLS AND JERK WHEN SHIFTING INTO DRIVE. I NOTIFIED MAZDA IMMEDIATELY, THINKING IT WAS AN ELECTRICAL PROBLEM AS STATED IN THE OWNER'S MANUAL. THE DEALER SAID TO DRIVE IT IN. ON THE WAY, THE CAR QUICKLY GOT WORSE, WOULD NOT ACCELERATE OVER 40 MPH AND STALLED WHILE MERGING ONTO THE HIGHWAY. THE CAR WAS UNABLE TO GO INTO REVERSE. THE DEALER SAID, "BAD NEWS, YOU NEED A NEW TRANNY". UNPROFESSIONAL AND IGNORANT WORDS TO ME. I PAID ANOTHER TRANSMISSION COMPANY FOR TOWING AND A REBUILT TRANSMISSION SINCE MAZDA WANTED OVER $3,000. HE STATED THAT MANY MAZDA 626 TRANSMISSIONS HAVE BEEN FAILING TOO EARLY SINCE THEY WERE BUILT WITH A FORD TRANSMISSION, NOT CAPABLE FOR A CAR LIKE THE 626. MAZDA MUST HAVE HAD SOME GOOD REASON TO OFFER 0 PERCENT FINANCING THEN SUDDENLY STOP MAKING THE LONG EXISTING AND ONCE RELIABLE 626. I STRONGLY FEEL THAT THE NUMEROUS AND SIMILAR COMPLAINTS SHOULD BE INVESTIGATED. THERE ARE PROBABLY SEVERAL OTHER OWNERS OF THE 626 OUT THERE REPAIRING THEIR TRANSMISSIONS TOO EARLY AND UNAWARE TO FILE A COMPLAINT. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. *JB

DRIVING ON INTERSTATE 95 SOUTH FROM RICHMOND, VA. AT APPROX. 70 MPH WHEN AUTO TRANSMISSION JUMPED OUT OF GEAR, CAUSING SUDDEN DECELERATION. WAS ABLE TO EXIT INTERSTATE HIGHWAY BY PULLING TO MY RIGHT AND DRIVING SLOWLY UNTIL EXIT RAMP WAS REACHED. CAR WAS ABLE TO LIMP HOME TO RALEIGH, NC BY TAKING SECONDARY ROADS AND NOT TOTALLY STOPPING FOR STOP SIGNS AS TRANSMISSION DID NOT WANT TO PULL CAR AWAY FROM A TOTAL STOP. THIS CAR ONLY HAS 73K MILES ON IT AND IT NOT DRIVEN HARSHLY NOR HAS IT EVER PULLED A TRAILER. TRANSMISSION NEEDS TO BE REPLACED ACCORDING TO MECHANICS. THEY ALSO SAY THIS MODEL TRANSMISSION HAS BAD REPUTATION WITHIN THE REPAIR INDUSTRY. APPEARS THAT I WILL NEED TO PURCHASE A "REBUILT" TRANSMISSION AND HAVE IT INSTALLED. *NM

DUE TO A LOW QUALITY OF MY VEHICLE'S TRANSMISSION, IT STOPPED ON THE ROAD WHILE I WAS DRIVING. TO ILLUSTRATE, TWO DAYS AFTER PURCHASING A USED 2001 MAZDA 626, I NOTICED THE TRANSMISSION'S WEAKNESS [NO POWER, SLUGGISH AND UNRESPONSIVE]. TO CLAIM, IMMEDIATELY I CALLED TO THE MAZDA-DEALERSHIP SALES DEPARTMENT AND EXPLAIN THE ISSUES AND I REQUESTED A REPAIR OR SERVICE. AFTER A SHORT CONVERSATION WITH THE SALES DEPARTMENT FOR RETURNING THE CAR, MR. DAVE WILSON AGREED TO FIX THE PROBLEMS, SO HE TRANSFERRED MY CALL TO THE DEALERSHIPS SERVICE CENTER MANAGER, MR. STEVE POLLARD. BASED ON MY PHONE CONVERSATION WITH THE MANAGER, I WENT TO THE CENTER TO GET THE PROBLEMS FIXED. HOWEVER, MR. STEVE POLLARD BY REJECTING MY REQUEST FOR A TRANSMISSION-REPLACEMENT, AFTER A MINOR CHECK, HE FIXED THE AUDIO-SET AND THE STEERING WHEEL NOISE ONLY. AFTER PICKING UP THE CAR, I FOUND THE SAME WEAK TRANSMISSION PROBLEM. I CALLED BACK TO THE SERVICE CENTER, AND REMINDED THE PROBLEM BUT THE MANAGER GAVE THE SAME REPLY AS BEFORE (THERE IS NO PROBLEM WITH THE TRANSMISSION). THEN HE ASKED: DO YOU HAVE AN EXTENDED WARRANTY? YES, I SAID. THEN HE ADDED: DON'T WORRY AND ADVISED ME TO USE IT FOR ANY FUTURE MAJOR PROBLEMS! AS A RESULT, I STARTED TO USE AND DRIVE THE POWERLESS CAR WITH ITS WEAK TRANSMISSION, NOT ONLY CAREFULLY AND STRESSFULLY FOR 2 YEARS, BUT ALSO FULL OF ANXIETY AND DEPRESSION, UNTIL IT STOPPED ON THE ROAD COMPLETELY. UNFORTUNATELY, AFTER TOWING THE CAR TO THE CENTER FOR THE SAME ISSUE, TRANSMISSION REPAIR/REPLACEMENT, LATER, I WAS REMINDED THAT THE CAR IS NOT UNDER WARRANTY ANY MORE, AND I MUST PAY A TOTAL COST OF $3148.46 FROM MY POCKET!!

MY NAME IS [XXX]. I HAVE A 2001 MAZDA 626 LX. 4 CYL. WITH ONLY 97,000 MILES ON IT THE TRANSMISSION HAS GONE BAD. WHEN I PUT MY CAR INTO DRIVE GEAR THE CAR WOULD NOT MOVE ONLY THE RPMS WOULD REV UP. THE CAR DRIVES IN 1ST AND 2ND GEAR AND REVERSE BUT NOT IN DRIVE. AFTER TAKING TO THE TRANSMISSION SHOP IT IS COSTING ME $2000 TO HAVE THE TRANSMISSION REBUILT. THIS IS RIDICULOUS THAT SO MANY PEOPLE HAVE FILED A COMPLIANT AGAINST THIS CAR FOR TRANSMISSION PROBLEM AND THE CAR MANUFACTURER IS NOT DOING ANYTHING FOR THEIR CONSUMERS. WHY DON'T THEY HAVE A RECALL FOR THIS CAR?? DOESN'T MAZDA WANT TO SELL MORE CARS IN THE FUTURE? I WILL NEVER BUY ANOTHER MAZDA AND WILL DISCOURAGE ANYONE I KNOW FROM BUYING IT. IS THIS TRANSMISSION EVEN WORTH REBUILDING? I AM SCARED THAT THIS ISSUE WILL HAPPEN AGAIN. IS MAZDA EVEN REIMBURSING ANY COST FOR THIS REPAIR? DOES ANYONE KNOW? *NM INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR