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1998 Mazda 626

Safety ratings, recalls, and consumer complaints from NHTSA

NHTSA Safety Ratings

1998 Mazda 626 DX 4-DR.

Overall
Not Rated
Front Crash
Not Rated
Side Crash
Not Rated
Rollover
Not Rated

Recalls(6)

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:SWITCH

Mazda North American Operations (Mazda) is recalling certain model year 1989-1998 MPV, 1990-1995 323, 1990-1998 Protege, 1992-1993 MX-3, 1993-1995 929, 1993-1997 MX-6, and 1993-1998 626 vehicles. In the affected vehicles, grease applied to the contact points inside the ignition switch may become conductive and overheat.

Campaign: 15V674000

EXTERIOR LIGHTING

SABERSPORT IS RECALLING 16,270 COMBINATION CORNER AND BUMPER LAMP ASSEMBLIES OF VARIOUS PART NUMBERS SOLD FOR USE AS AFTERMARKET EQUIPMENT FOR VARIOUS PASSENGER VEHICLES. THESE HEADLAMPS FAIL TO CONFORM TO THE REQUIREMENTS OF FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 108, "LAMPS, REFLECTIVE DEVICES, AND ASSOCIATED EQUIPMENT." THESE LAMPS DO NOT CONTAIN THE REQUIRED AMBER SIDE REFLECTORS.

Campaign: 09E012000

FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE

CERTAIN SPX FILTRAN FUEL FILTERS WITH A 45-DEGREE ANGLE INLET TUBE, MODEL 800F350-S1, SOLD AS REPLACEMENT FILTERS FOR 1993-1997 FORD PROBE,1993-2001 MAZDA 626 AND MX-6, AND 1983-1994 LOYAL, 3-DOOR COUPE, HATCHBACK, SEDAN, WAGON, BRAT, DL, GL, GL-10, RX, XT, AND XT6 PASSENGER VEHICLES WITH EFI OR TURBO ENGINES. THESE FILTERS ARE PACKAGED AS WIX, NAPA, AND CARQUEST BRAND FUEL FILTERS. CERTAIN SPX FILTRAN FUEL FILTERS WITH A 90-DEGREE ANGLE INLET TUBE, MODEL 800F300-S2, SOLD AS REPLACEMENT FILTERS FOR 19983-1994 SUBARU VEHICLES WITH EFI OR TURBO ENGINES. THESE FILTERS ARE PACKAGED AS WIX, NAPA, AND CARQUEST BRAND FUEL FILTERS. FUEL MAY LEAK FROM THE FILTER DUE TO NON-CONFORMING BRAZING WELDS WHERE THE INLET TUBE IS CONNECTED TO THE FILTER CAN.

Campaign: 05E065000

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE

VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES. AN EXTERNAL SPRING IN THE TIMING BELT TENSIONER COULD BREAK.

Campaign: 00V134000

FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:FUEL INJECTION SYSTEM

VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES. DUE TO A PROGRAMMING ERROR, THE POWERTRAIN CONTROL MODULE (PCM) INSTALLED CAN, UNDER CERTAIN DRIVING CONDITIONS, TRIGGER A SHIFT IN AIR-FUEL RATIO TO AN OVERLEAN CONDITION.

Campaign: 97V228000

EQUIPMENT:ELECTRICAL:RADIO/TAPE DECK/CD ETC.

VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: IF THE VEHICLE IS OPERATED IN A HOT, HUMID ENVIRONMENT WITH THE WINDOW OPEN AND AIR CONDITIONER RUNNING, IT IS POSSIBLE FOR CONDENSATION TO ENTER THE AUDIO UNIT AND CAUSE A SHORT CIRCUIT.

Campaign: 98V243000

Consumer Complaints(438 total, showing 10)

POWER TRAIN,ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

SINCE OWNING THE MAZDA 626 I HAVE HAD A VERY BIG PROBLEM THE TRANSMISSION SLIPPING. IT WILL SLIP GOING INTO SECOND GEAR. IF ITS BELOW 60 DEGREES THE CAR WONT SHIFT INTO DRIVE UNTIL THE MOTOR GETS HOT ENOUGH. THE CAR IS LIKE THIS EVERY SINGLE DAY AND DOES IT EVERY TIME IT IS DRIVEN. ALSO THE INTERIOR LIGHTS WORK SOMTIMES ON AND OFF AND THE BACK WINDOWS WONT ROLL DOWN FROM THE DRIVER BUTTON

POWER TRAIN,ENGINE

TAKATA RECALL. THE TRANSMISSION CD4E TRANNY DOESN'T HAVE SWITCH GEARS UNLESS YOU USE EXCESSIVE RPM.

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 MAZDA 626. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE FAILED TO START AND THE IGNITION FAILED TO RELEASE THE KEY. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 15V674000 (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM) AND STATED THAT THE PART NEEDED FOR THE REPAIR WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIR. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 173,735. PARTS DISTRIBUTION DISCONNECT.

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,ENGINE

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 MAZDA 626. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 15V674000 (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM); HOWEVER, THE PART TO DO THE REPAIR WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIR. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE CHECK ENGINE WARNING LIGHT AND OTHER WARNING LIGHTS WERE ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE ALSO MADE A WARNING SOUND AND EMITTED A BURNING ODOR FROM THE FRONT END. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 200,000. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE ISSUE.

Fire reported

STEERING,STRUCTURE,WHEELS

I WAS DRIVING 60MPH SLOWING DOWN TO THE SPEED LIMIT WHICH WAS 55 ALL OF A SUDDEN SOMETHING POPPED THERE WAS NOTHING ON THE ROAD AND MY STEERING WHEEL LOCKED THE CAR WENT IN TO THE WALL AND FLIPPED OVER TWICE. EVERYTHING ON THE VEHICLE WAS DAMAGED INCLUDING THE WINDOWS. *TR

Crash reported1 injury

POWER TRAIN

TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS! RIGHT NOW THE CAR IS AT THE MECHANIC HAVING THE TRANSMISSION REPLACED. I KNOW I AM NOT THE ONLY ONE WITH THIS PROBLEM, PLEASE DO SOMETHING. RIGHT NOW REPLACING IT FOR A REBUILT ONE IS $1,100, BUT BEING A MANUFACTURER PROBLEM, IT MAY NOT LAST ANOTHER YEAR. I AM THE 3RD OWNER, SO I AM NOT SURE HOW MANY MORE TIMES THIS TRANSMISSION HAVE BEEN REPAIRED OR REPLACED, BUT WHEN I BOUGHT IT WAS WORKING WELL. *TR

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 MAZDA 626LX. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT START AND AT TIMES WOULD STALL. APPROXIMATELY ONE YEAR AGO, THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE THEY REPLACED THE TIMING BELT. THE PROBLEM CONTINUED. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 198,000 AND THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 187,000. THE VEHICLE WAS AT THE DEALER AWAITING REPAIRS.

POWER TRAIN

105,626 ORIGINAL MILEAGE. COMING FROM A LONG HIGHWAY DRIVE. CAR BEGAN TO REV REALLY HIGH. TRANSMISSION WAS SLIPPING. O/D LIGHT BEGAN BLINKING. CRAWLED THE VEHICLE TO REPAIR SHOP. WAS TOLD THERE WAS A COMPLETE FAILURE OF THE TRANSMISSION. TRANSMISSION WAS REBUILT. *TR

POWER TRAIN

I BOUGHT A MAZDA 626 1998 AND IT HAD 116,000 MILES ON IT THE TRANSMISSION O/D LIGHT BEGAN TO FLASH AND THEN IT STARTED SHIFTING HARD THEN OIL STARTED TO BURN AND I HAD TO INSTALL A EXTERNAL TRANSMISSION COOLER THIS ONLY LASTED FOR A WHILE AND THEN THE TRANSMISSION SHIFTED HARD AND OIL WENT EVERYWHERE. *TR

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

WHILE DRIVING EXIT THE HIGHWAY, THE ENGINE SHUT DOWN. PUSH TO THE SIDE AND COULD NOT RESTART THE CAR. AFTER TOLL BACK TO HOME, WE CAN START THE CAR NEXT DAY. *TR

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