U.S. public vehicle records

1997 Mazda 626 problems and owner complaints

Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.

Key facts

301 owner complaints analyzed

3 distinct recall campaigns

90,000 mi median reported failure mileage

Scope: 1997 model year. Data snapshot: 2026-09-12 (September 12, 2026). 161 complaints include usable failure mileage.

Owner-reported patterns

Most common problems

Power Train:Automatic Transmission is the most frequently named component, appearing in 201 of 301 complaints (66.8%). A complaint can name multiple components.

Recurring terms in complaint narratives
Topic	Matching reports	Share of complaints
Transmission and shifting	198	65.8%
Engine operation	20	6.6%
Electrical and battery issues	12	4.0%
Braking behavior	8	2.7%
Steering behavior	5	1.7%
Fuel system concerns	1	0.3%

Topic matches use published keyword rules. They describe mentions, including negations or comparisons, and do not confirm a diagnosis. Read the matching rules.

Component breakdown

Number of unique complaints naming each component. Top eight shown.

Power Train:Automatic Transmission

201

Unknown Or Other

Air Bags:Frontal

Electrical System

Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine

Power Train

Air Bags

Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine:Gasoline

Component breakdown data
Category	Count
Power Train:Automatic Transmission	201
Unknown Or Other	13
Air Bags:Frontal	12
Electrical System	11
Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine	11
Power Train	8
Air Bags	7
Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine:Gasoline	6

Power Train:Automatic Transmission: 201; Unknown Or Other: 13; Air Bags:Frontal: 12; Electrical System: 11; Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine: 11; Power Train: 8; Air Bags: 7; Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine:Gasoline: 6

Reported problems by failure mileage

Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.

Under 25,000

25,000 to 49,999

50,000 to 74,999

75,000 to 99,999

100,000 to 149,999

150,000 and above

Under 25,000: 9; 25,000 to 49,999: 10; 50,000 to 74,999: 34; 75,000 to 99,999: 52; 100,000 to 149,999: 49; 150,000 and above: 7

75,000 to 99,999 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (52). 140 complaints have missing, zero or invalid mileage.

Complaints over time

Year the complaint was filed, not the vehicle model year or incident year. The snapshot year is partial.

2000

2001

2002

2003

2004

2005

2006

2007

2008

2009

2011

2012

2013

2015

2016

2017

2018

2000: 21; 2001: 41; 2002: 34; 2003: 43; 2004: 44; 2005: 49; 2006: 21; 2007: 11; 2008: 21; 2009: 5; 2011: 1; 2012: 1; 2013: 1; 2015: 1; 2016: 4; 2017: 2; 2018: 1

Pattern summary

Power Train:Automatic Transmission leads the component reports. Transmission and shifting appears in 198 complaint narratives. Engine operation appears in 20 complaint narratives. Electrical and battery issues appears in 12 complaint narratives. Use these patterns to inspect individual reports and prepare questions for a mechanic.

Calculated from recorded counts. An AI narrative has not been published for this selection.

Complaint evidence

Examples provide context, not a representative sample or a verified diagnosis.

Owner report 10000418 · 2002-12-29 (December 29, 2002)

I HAVE HAD NUMEROUS PROBLEMS OUT OF MY TRANSMISSION ON MY 1997 MAZDA 626 V4 AUTOMATIC. I HAVE TAKEN MY CAR TO A TRANSMISSION MECHANIC SHOP 3 TIMES NOW AND ONE OF THE TIMES IT HAD TO BE TOWED, AND THEY CANNOT FIND WHAT THE PROBLEM IS. THE OVERDRIVE LIGHT WOULD COME ON AND CONSTANTLY FLASH AND THE CAR WOULD START SHIFTING HARD AND SOMETIMES WOULD NOT WANT TO SHIFT INTO PASSING GEAR AT ALL. BUT ONCE IT SETS FOR A FEW HOURS AND COOLS DOWN, THE OVERDRIVE LIGHT DOESN'T COME ON ANYMORE AND THE MECHANIC SHOP TELLS ME THAT THE CAR HAS RESET IT'S SELF AN…

Owner-reported narrative. 70,200 miles reported. Look up ODI 10000418 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10003316 · 2003-01-24 (January 24, 2003)

THE TRANSMISSION ON MY CAR WENT AT 63000 MILES, TOLD BY THE DEALER "ROSENTHAL MAZDA" THAT THIS WAS COMMON. ACCORDING TO THE DEALER, " THE 626'S ARE IN HERE ALL THE TIME TO HAVE THE TRANNIES REBUILT, YOU SHOULD BE HAPPY YOURS LASTED TO 60K" BULLCRAP, SHOULDN'T THERE BE SOME ACCOUNTABILITY ON MAZDA/FORD'S PART. ALL OVER THE NET YOU SEE PROBLEMS WITH THE TRANNY ON THIS PIECE OF CRAP YET THE NHTSA DOES NOTHING, WHAT A JOKE.

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10003316 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10008724 · 2003-02-19 (February 19, 2003)

THE VEHICLE STALLED, AND THEN CAUGHT ON FIRE.*JB

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10008724 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10018175 · 2003-05-05 (May 5, 2003)

CONSUMER STATES WHILE DRIVING TRANSMISSION FAILED CAUSING VEHICLE TO STALL. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY ADDITIONAL INFORMATION.

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10018175 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10051080 · 2003-12-25 (December 25, 2003)

AFTER RUNNING THE CAR FOR A SHORT PERIOD (DROVE A FEW MILES). UPON TURNING OFF THE IGNITION, A FIRE STARTED FROM BEHIND THE STEERING COLUMN INSIDE OF THE CAB. MY MOTHER (87 YEARS OLD) WAS DRIVING THIS CAR AND BARELY ESCAPED BEFORE THE ENTIRE CAR WAS ENGULFED IN FLAMES. THE CAR IS A TOTAL LOSS. THIS CAR HAD 19000 ORIGINAL MILES AND I WAS THE ONLY OWNER. THE CAR NEVER HAD BEEN WORKED ON FOR ANY ELECTRICAL PROBLEM AND WAS NEVER IN ANY ACCIDENT. *LA

Owner-reported narrative. 19,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10051080 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10068141 · 2004-05-01 (May 1, 2004)

CAR TRAVELING AT 70MPH. CAR UNEXPLAINABLY ACCELERATES AND THEN MODERATE "POP" HEARD UNDER HOOD. DEBRIS NOTICED FALLING FROM CAR. CAR IS BROUGHT TO STOP ON SHOULDER. SMOKE EMINATING FROM UNDER HOOD. LATCH OF HOOD IS RELEASED TO INVESTIGATE WHEN FLAMES ERUPT. ENGINE IS ON FIRE. ELECTRIC COOLING FAN WAS MELTED AND DESTROYED. DAMAGE TO RADIATOR AND SURROUNDING COMPONENTS AND WIRING AS WELL AS HOOD, CHASSIS, AND TRIM PAINT DAMAGE.*AK

Owner-reported narrative. 100,313 miles reported. Look up ODI 10068141 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10053162 · 2004-01-14 (January 14, 2004)

AIRBAGS DEPLOYED WHILE DRIVING ON A SURFACE STREET WITHOUT BRAKING. DRIVING 30 MILES AND HOUR AND THE BAGS EXPLODED WITH NO IMPACT OF ANY KIND. I WAS BURNED AND BRUSED. MAZDA WILL NOT TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR THIS AND INSISTS THAT I HAVE MY INSURANCE PAY FOR REPAIR. THE BAGS WERE ON FIRE.*AK

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10053162 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10114680 · 2005-03-24 (March 24, 2005)

TRANSMISSION FAILURE,MOTOR MOUNT FAILURES,OVERHEATING PROBLEMS. BRAKE LINE FAILURE. EVER SINCE I PURCHASED MY MAZDA 626 USED FROM A DEALERSHIP I HAVE HAD ONE PROBLEM AFTER ANOTHER. WHEN I PURCHASED THE CAR IT ONLY HAD 63,000 MILES. MAZDA SHOULD BE ASHAMED OF THE KIND OF CARS THEY PUT OUT ON THE ROAD.

Owner-reported narrative. 63,100 miles reported. Look up ODI 10114680 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10029586 · 2003-07-17 (July 17, 2003)

WHILE TRAVELING ON THE HIGHWAY AND WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING POWER STEERING BELT FELL OFF, CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO SHUT DOWN. *AK

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10029586 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10033243 · 2003-08-21 (August 21, 2003)

STEERING WHEEL IS MISALIGNED SO THE DRIVER HAS TO KEEP THE STEERING WHEEL TO THE LEFT IN ORDER TO MAINTAIN A STRAIGHT COURSE. THIS OCCURES EVEN AFTER THE STEERING WHEEL IS REALIGNED.*AK

Owner-reported narrative. 99,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10033243 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10134238 · 2005-08-25 (August 25, 2005)

1) PURCHASED A USED '97 MAZDA 626 DX, WITH 115000+ MILES ON IT, SUPPOSEDLY IN DECENT CONDITION. THE VEHICLE REQUIRED A NEW FUEL PUMP, SO WASN'T IN ANY KIND OF ROAD USE UNTIL REPLACEMENT. AFTER REPLACING, THE CAR SEEMED TO WORK FINE, BUT HAD ODD 'JUMPS' FORWARD IN LOW SPEEDS AND STOPS (MAKING ME BELIEVE I WOULD RUN STOP SIGNS). THE DEALERSHIP REFUSED THIS LEMON BACK. 2) AFTER HAVING THE CAR 8WKS, & ONLY TESTING IT AROUND THE BLOCK UNTIL ALL TESTS COMPLETED ON THE FUEL SYSTEM, IT BEGAN TO STEAM & MAKE POPPING NOISES DRIVING <400 YARDS AT <20…

Owner-reported narrative. 116,459 miles reported. Look up ODI 10134238 at NHTSA ↗