IllustrationMY CAR WAS PURCHASED FEBRUARY 2001. SEVERAL MONTHS LATER MY TRANSMISSION WAS REPLACED BECAUSE THE TRANSMISSION STOP SHIFTING. *LA
2001 Mazda 626
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
More warning signs than most 626 years
Owner complaints for the 2001 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
2525–50K
3250–75K
3575–100K
34100–150K
4150K+
140 reports with mileage · 48 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 139 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Engine And Engine Cooling. Review the 20 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Air Bags. Review the 11 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
10 crash reports4 fire reports11 injury reports
What owners actually said
188 reportsI HAVE A 2001 MAZDA 626. THE OVER DRIVE LIGHT BEGAN TO FLASH, WITHIN 15 MINUTES I WAS AT THE DEALER. I NEED A NEW TRANSMISSION. MY CAR IS NOT SHOWING ANY SIGNS OF FAILURE. THE LIGHT KEEPS FLASHING. I PUT AN EXTERNAL TRANSMISSION RADIATOR AND THE LIGHT HAS NOT TURNED ON. I HAVE TO REPLACE MY BRAKES 4 TIMES IN SIX MONTHS. T…
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I HAVE A 2001 MAZDA 626. THE OVER DRIVE LIGHT BEGAN TO FLASH, WITHIN 15 MINUTES I WAS AT THE DEALER. I NEED A NEW TRANSMISSION. MY CAR IS NOT SHOWING ANY SIGNS OF FAILURE. THE LIGHT KEEPS FLASHING. I PUT AN EXTERNAL TRANSMISSION RADIATOR AND THE LIGHT HAS NOT TURNED ON. I HAVE TO REPLACE MY BRAKES 4 TIMES IN SIX MONTHS. THEY SAY IT IS MY DRIVING. HOW CAN THIS BE? ONCE IT TOOK THEM A WEEK TO PUT BRAKE PADS. THAT MONDAY THEY SAID IT NEEDED ROTORS AND DID NOT HAVE THE PARTS. THAT FRIDAY I PICKED UP MY CAR AND THEY SAID IT DID NOT NEED ROTORS AFTER ALL!!! THEY RENTED ME A CAR, 2 MONTHS LATER MY CREDIT CARD WAS CHARGED FOR THE WEEKS RENTAL. BESIDES THIS THE NATIONAL CITY MILE OF CARS WESCOTT MAZDA-KIA DEALER ARE SEXIST AND DISCRIMINATE AGAINST WOMEN. THE CUSTOMER SERVICE GUY (TOM) CALLED ME AN ASS AND NEVER APOLOGIZED EVEN AFTER I TOLD HIS BOSS. *LA
2001 MAZDA 626 V6: WINDSHIELD WIPER ARM ON DRIVERS SIDE QUIT BECAUSE NUT THAT HOLDS THE ARM ON FELL OFF. THE WORKING ARE ENCLOSED AND I COULD NOT FIX. WHEN THE REPAIR WAS MADE IT WAS FOUND THAT THE NUT ON THE DRIVERS SIDE WAS OFF COMPLETELY AND THE PASSENGERS SIDE NUT WAS ALMOST OFF. DANGEROUS! *LA
TRANSMISSION BURNED OUT AT 60,000 MILES. SINCE IT'S OUT OF WARRANTY, MAZDA WON'T HANDLE RESPONSIBILITY AND OFFER HELP. *LA
WHILE DRIVING AT HIGHWAY SPEED REAR RIGHT TIRE BLEW OUT, CAUSING THE DRIVER TO PULL OVER. *AK
2001 MAZDA 626 LX TRANSMISSION. TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS: SHIFT HUNTING, LURCHING, INABILITY TO SELECT GEARS, VIBRATION, NOISE, HARSH STARTS, SLOW STARTS, CHUGGING, SLIPPING. SECOND TRANSMISSION IN VEHICLE (DEALER/WARRANTY REBUILT TRANSMISSION INSTALLED BY DEALER).
VEHICLE STALLED SEVERAL TIMES WHILE DRIVING. ALSO, WATER LEAKED INTO SUN ROOF. LAST WEEK THE CAR STALLED. TOWED IT TO MARLIN MAZDA. CONSUMER HAD TO PAY $65 FOR A NEW BATTERY.CONSUMER CANCELLED WARRANTY, STATING SLUDGE IN ENGINE. THAT WAS A LIE. TOWED VEHICLE TO OCEAN MAZDA, THEY DID NOT FIND SLUDGE. THEY SAID THEY COULD NOT…
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VEHICLE STALLED SEVERAL TIMES WHILE DRIVING. ALSO, WATER LEAKED INTO SUN ROOF. LAST WEEK THE CAR STALLED. TOWED IT TO MARLIN MAZDA. CONSUMER HAD TO PAY $65 FOR A NEW BATTERY.CONSUMER CANCELLED WARRANTY, STATING SLUDGE IN ENGINE. THAT WAS A LIE. TOWED VEHICLE TO OCEAN MAZDA, THEY DID NOT FIND SLUDGE. THEY SAID THEY COULD NOT FIX IT BECAUSE WARRANTY WA SCANCELLED BY MARLIN MAZDA (CODE W8). OCEAN MAZDA SAID THIS CODE DID NOT EXIST. THIS CAR WAS PURCHASED NEW 03/2001. MY FACTORY WARRANTY WAS FOR 3 YEARS OR 50,000 MILES. CONSUMER ONLY HAD 38,000 MILES AND AN EXTENDED WARRANTY. *AK
CONSUMER HAS BEEN EXPERIENCING PROBLEMS WITH TRANSMISSION. OWNER TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALER FOR REPAIRS SEVERAL TIMES, ONLY TO HAVE A REBUILT TRANSMISSION INSTALLED AT 5000 MILES , AND IT IS WORSE THAN THE ORIGINAL TRANSMISSION.*AK
I OWN A 2001 MAZDA 626 WITH 45,000 MILES. HIGH MILEAGE DO TO 90%HIWAY DRIVING IN MY WORK. AT ABOUT 38000 MILES NOTICED A VIOLENT VIBRATION WHEN BRAKING AT HI SPEED AND A LOUD CLUNK WHEN BRAKES APPLIED. DEALER SAID NO WARRANTY NORMAL WEAR AND TEAR. DEALER ADVISED ME TO GET THE ROTORS TURNED WHEN THE BRAKE PADS WEAR OUT AT AROUN…
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I OWN A 2001 MAZDA 626 WITH 45,000 MILES. HIGH MILEAGE DO TO 90%HIWAY DRIVING IN MY WORK. AT ABOUT 38000 MILES NOTICED A VIOLENT VIBRATION WHEN BRAKING AT HI SPEED AND A LOUD CLUNK WHEN BRAKES APPLIED. DEALER SAID NO WARRANTY NORMAL WEAR AND TEAR. DEALER ADVISED ME TO GET THE ROTORS TURNED WHEN THE BRAKE PADS WEAR OUT AT AROUND 80000 TO 90000 MILES. THEY SAID THE CLUNKING SOUND IS NORMAL WHEN THE ROTORS ARE WARPED. DEALER SAID WARRNTY DOES NOT COVER ROUTINE MAINTENANCE. DEFECTIVE BRAKE AT 38000 HIGHWAY MILES IS NOT ROUTINE IN MY OPINION. LAST TIME I WILL OWN A MAZDA.*AK
THE TRANSMISSION BURN OUT AND THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT SHIFT AT ALL. *NLM
Official recalls
0No recalls in this snapshot.
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.