1996 Mazda 626 complaints

I OWN A 1996 MAZDA 626 THAT I PURCHASED FROM THE ORIGINAL OWNER AT 20K IN 1999. MY TRANSMISSION FINALLY JUST FAILED AT 101K AND I SPENT $2000 FOR A REBUILT TRANS. THE OD LIGHT HAS BEEN COMING ON FOR OVER 12 MONTHS BUT WOULD GO OFF WHEN CAR IS RESTARTED.I RECENTLY DISCOVERED THE CHRONIC TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS WITH THE 626 AND WILL GET RID OF IT ASAP. BEFORE THIS MAJOR FAILURE, I HADN'T NOTICED ANY TRANSMISSION-RELATED PROBLEMS BUT I WILL NEVER BUY ANOTHER MAZDA/FORD.*AK

IM A USED CAR DEALER AND I SELL MAZDA 626'S 1996 TO 1999 THE TRANSMISSION SEEMS TO KEEP GOING OUT I REPLACED THEM AND THEY GO OUT AGAIN. THIS IS COSTING ME MONEY AND MY CUSTOMERS.*AK

WHEN SHIFTING GEARS TRANSMISSION LOCKED UP, MAKING IT DIFFICULT TO SHIFT TO FIRST AND SECOND GEARS. DEALERSHIP WAS NOTIFIED, BUT WAS UNABLE TO RESOLVE THE PROBLEM. *AK *MR

OCTOBER 2003 79,500 MILES OD LIGHT BLINKING, ROUGH IDLE, STICKY HARD GAS PEDAL, REMEDY : NEW TRANSMISSION, IDLE CONTROL VALVE 80,000 MILES TRANSMISSION FAILURE NO WARNING LOST 2ND, 3RD,4TH GEAR. REMEDY: REBUILT TRANSMISSION WAS TOLD PART FAILED. PICKED UP CAR ON FEB 17TH DROVE CAR FOR 5 MILES 2ND AND 3RD, GEAR BLOWN AGAIN. *JB

MAJOR TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS OVER THE PAST 3 YEARS WITH 1996 MAZDA 626, CURRENTLY AT 89,000 MILES. *AK

SINCE MY 1996 MAZDA 626 PURCHASE I'VE HAD 3 TRANSMISSIONS. THE 1ST BREAKDOWN HAPPENED ON ROUTE 70 A HIGHLY TRAVELED ROADWAY MY WIFE 7 MONTHS PREGNANT. THIS WAS THE BEGINNING OF MY TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS. HOWEVER LOOKING AT MOST OF THE COMPLAINTS, THERE SEEMS TO BE SERIOUS MECHANICAL PROBLEMS AND MAZDA SHOULD BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE. *AK

WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED, THERE WAS A PROBLEM WHEN SHIFTING INTO OVER DRIVE. THE OVER DRIVE LIGHT FLASHED CONSTANTLY, WHICH CAUSED THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT TO COME ON. THE DEALER FOUND THAT A NEW TRANSMISSION WAS NEEDED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT AWARE OF THE PROBLEM. *JB *SC *JB

STATUS OF RECALL ON 1996 MAZDA 626.*MR CONSUMER INQUIRED AS TO THE STATUS OF GETTING THE VEHICLE RECALLED FOR THE TRANSMISSION. *PH

MY CAR HAS 79,170 MILES ON IT. I BORROWED MONEY & WORKED 2 JOBS TO MAKE THE PYMT. I WAS OKAY WITH THAT B/C I THOUGHT I PURCHASED A DEPENDABLE & RELIABLE CAR. TWO YEARS AGO W/O WARNING, WHILE SITTING AT A STOPLIGHT, MY CAR LUNGED FORWARD. I CALLED MY DEALERSHIP, & HAD THE CAR SERVICED. IT WASNT DIAGNOSED THAT I HAD TRANS. PROBLEMS TIL I WAS TRAVELING DOWN A BUSY HWY. IN EARLY MORNING RUSH HOUR TRAFFIC, THAT MY CAR LUNGED FORWARD AGAIN & LOST ALMOST 50% OF ITS POWER. IN AN INSTANT MY CAR WENT FROM TRAVELING AT 70+ MILES PER HOUR TO 40 MILES PER HOUR. I LOST MY ENTIRE TRANS. AT 57,000 MILES. MAZDA CORP. HELPED THAT TIME. I PAID $700 FOR LABOR, MAZDA PICKED UP THE REST. NOTE  I HAD ALREADY PAID @ $1300 IN OTHER REPAIRS. TWO YEARS & 22,000 MILES LATER I AM FACING THE SAME PROBLEM AGAIN. I WAS TRAVELING FOR THE CHRISTMAS HOLIDAY. ABOUT AN HOUR INTO MY TRIP, MY OVERDRIVE LIGHT FLASHED OFF & MY CAR DOWNSHIFTED BY 20 MILES. WHEN I RETURNED HOME, I TOOK IT TO THE DEALERSHIP AGAIN. AFTER THE 2ND VISIT & MY PERSISTENCE TO DIG FOR THE TRUE PROBLEM, THE NEWS FROM MAZDA CORP. IS TRANS. FAILURE & ITS MY PROBLEM. AS I LISTEN TO OTHER NON- MAZDA CAR OWNERS, SAYING THEIR CARS HAVE CLOSE TO 200,000 MILES ON THEM WITH LITTLE OR NO PROBLEMS, I AM HURT, DISAPPOINTED & FRUSTRATED TO KNOW MY CAR WILL NEVER MAKE IT. I AM BEING FORCED TO BUY ANOTHER VEHICLE THAT I HAD NO PLANS TO BUY FOR A FEW MORE YEARS. I AM NOW GOING HAVE TO TAKE A HARD FINANCIAL HIT B/C MAZDA CORP. BUILT A CAR WITH REPEATED TRA

MY 1996 MAZDA 626 HAD BEEN EXPERIENCING TROUBLE SHIFTING AND THE O/D OFF LIGHT KEPT FLASHING SO I TOOK IT IN TO THE DEALERSHIP. I WAS TOLD THAT THE TRANSMISSION WAS ABOUT TO GO. I FOUND THIS REALLY STRANGE SINCE THE CAR ONLY HAS 81K MILES ON IT AND I THOUGHT MAZDA WAS SUPPOSED TO BE REALLY RELIABLE. I HAVE SINCE FOUND OUT THAT MANY HAVE HAD THIS EXACT SAME PROBLEM (SEE THESE 2 WEBSITES: HTTP://WWW.CARTRACKERS.COM/FORUMS/LIVE/YOURLEMON/189.HTML ; HTTP://WWW.CARSURVEY.ORG/VIEWMORECOMMENTS_REVIEW_17103_3.HTML ) AND MAZDA HAS DONE NOTHING TO REMEDY THIS PROBLEM. *AK

CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON. TRANSMISSION HESITATES BETWEEN 1ST AND 2ND. DIAGNOSED AS TRANSMISSION FAILURE BY MAZDA DEALER. DEALER SUGGESTS REPLACING WITH REBUILT TRANSMISSION FOR $2800. AM CURRENTLY RESEARCHING OTHER ALTERNATIVES. *AK

THE CONSUMER STATED THAT WHILE SHE WAS DRIVING THE VEHICLE JERKED A LOT. SHE ALSO STATED THAT HER OVERDRIVE LIGHT FLASHED ON AND OFF. THE CONSUMER TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER/MECHANIC AND WAS TOLD THAT THE VEHICLE HAD AN ELECTRICAL WIRING PROBLEM. THE CONSUMER IS AFRAID SHE MAY HAVE AN ACCIDENT. *NM

TRANSMISSION FAILED WITHOUT WARNING. IT WAS REPLACED THREE TIMES; HOWEVER, THE PROBLEM STILL EXISTS.*AK *MR

WHILE DRIVING AT 40 MPH, AND WITH NO WARNING BOTH FRONT AIR BAGS DEPLOYED. *AK

SUNROOF SHATTERED AS I WAS DRIVING AND SENT GLASS FLYING THROUGHOUT MY CAR. PULLED SMALL SHARDS FROM MY SCALP, FORTUNATELY NONE GOT INTO MY EYES. THE GLASS PORTION OF THE SUNROOF WAS CLOSED AND I WAS NOT ATTEMPTING TO OPEN IT. IT SIMPLY EXPLODED. *LA

TRANSMISSION FAILURE. *LA

I HAVE A 1996 MAZDA 626 WITH 80,000 MILES ON IT. THE TRANSMISSION HAS FAILED ON IT, AND I AM TOLD BY THE DEALER THAT IT NEEDS TO BE REPLACED AND A COOLING UNIT HAS TO BE INSTALLED. APPARENTLY, THIS IS A WELL KNOWN PROBLEM BY THE MAZDA AND THEY FAILED TO WARN THE OWNERS TO INSTALL THIS COOLING UNIT TO PREVENT TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS. *LA

1996 MAZDA 626 78,000 O/D LIGHT BLINK AFTER APP 30 MINUTES OF DRIVING CAR STARTS TO SLIP. CHECK ENGENE LIGHT COMES ON AFTER APP 45 MINUTES. GAS PEDAL STICKS ON TAKE OFF USUALLY LOSSENS UP WHEN DRIVING. WAS TOLD REPAIRS WILL TOP 3,000 CANT AFFORD!

TRANSMISSION FAILED ON MY 1996 MAZDA 626 AT 72,000 MILES. RIGHT AFTER REPARIS, O/D LIGHT FLASHES ON EXTENDED TRIPS. WILL DROP OUT OF OD CAUSING CAR TO DANGEROUSLY SLOW DOWN. DEALER IS ENCOURAGING ANOTHER TRANSMISSION REBUILD FOR ANOTHER $2,500. THIS IS ABSURD!

I HAVE A 96 MAZDA 626 AND THE CAR HAD 25,000 MILES WHEN IT WAS PURCHASED.I HAVE HAD THE TRANSMISSION REPLACED 4 TIMES TOTALING ABOUT 8,200 DOLLARS. IT IS THE NOTORIOUS CD43 TRANS. THE O/D LIGHT COMES ON THEN THE TRANSMISSION GOES OUT. I ALWAYS MAKE SURE THAT IT HAS A TRANS. SERVICES DONE AROUND 22,000 MILES BUT THIS DOESN'T SEEM TO MATTER. I WOULD LIKE FOR THE MAZDA/FORD CORP. TO FIX THIS PROBLEM AND RECALL THIS TRANSMISSION SO I WILL NOT HAVE TO PAY THIS RIDICULOUS PRICE AGAIN. I REALLY LOVE THIS CAR AND NOTHING ELSE HAS EVER WENT WRONG WITH THIS CAR.

PROBLEM WITH TRANSMISSION WHEN DRIVEN FOR MORE THAN 30 MINUTES. MOST TRANSMISSION SHOPS WANT ME TO REBUILD IT FOR ABOUT $1600, SAME AS WILKINS MAZDA DEALERSHIP. ONE TRANSMISSION SHOP SAYS IT COULD BE A COMPUTER PROBLEM. EITHER WAY MAZDA SHOULD PAY TO FIX IT. THIS HAS HAPPENED ON ALMOST ALL MAZDA 626 4CYL 2.0L TRANSMISSIONS FROM WHAT I CAN SEE ON THE INTERNET AND FROM WHAT I'VE HEARD FROM TRANSMISSION SHOPS. CURRENTLY I CAN'T EVEN DRIVE MY CAR AT 45 MPH FOR OVER 15-20 MINUTES WITHOUT HAVING TO PULL OVER FOR AT LEAST TEN MINUTES ON THE HIGHWAY. I ALSO HAVE TO DRIVE ON STREETS WITHOUT SHOULDERS SO I JUST PULL OVER IN THE RIGHT LANE DURING RUSH HOUR THANKS TO FORD'S SLEEK DESIGN. IT'S REALLY A COMPETITION TO TOYOTA'S LEXUS AND HONDA'S ACCORD AND NISSAN'S INFINITY...SIKE!!!*JB

MY TRASMISION WENT OUT GOING UP A MOUNTAIN ON HWY 299, I HAVE ONLY HAD THIS CAR FOR 11 MONTHS & HAVE ALREADY HAD TO REPLACE THE WATER PUMP, HEATER SWITCH, TIMING BELT, BRAKES, TIRES...WHAT DO I DO NOW? I STILL HAVE 2 YEARS LEFT ON MY LOAN & CAN'T AFFORD A NEW TRANSMISSION OR A NEW CAR!!*AK

TRANSMISSION IN MY '96 MAZDA 626 IS SHOT AFTER 98,000 MILES. THE DEALERSHIP SAYS MAZDA WILL DO NOTHING AND EVERYTHING I'VE READ ON THE INTERNET SAYS THAT THE TRANSMISSIONS ARE FAULTY AND THEY REFUSE TO HELP ANYONE.

TRANSMISSION FAILED PREMATURELY. VEHICLE HAD BEEN REPAIRED THREE TIMES; HOWEVER, PROBLEM STILL EXISTS. *AK

I HAVE A MAZDA, 626, 1996 AND 1ST TRAMSMISSION WENT OUT AT 30.000 MILES. NOW MY 2ND IS GOING OUT AT 120,000 MILES. I SEE THAT THIS HAS BEEN A RECURRING PROBLEM FOR MAZDA AND FORD.WHY HAS NOTHING BEEN DONE ABOUT IT.*AK

I HAVE A 1996 MAZDA 626 LX. WITH IN THREE OR FOUR MONTHS OF HAVING THIS CAR I HAD TO HAVE THE TRANSMISSION REBUILT. NOW SEVEN MONTHS LATER MY OVERDRIVE LIGHT HAS STARTING FLASHING AND IT DOESNT WANT TO GO..MY CAR IS IN THE SHOP NOW HAVING TRANSMISSION FIXED AGAIN ..THIS TIME SOMETHING IS WRONG WITH SECOND GEAR. I HAVE READ THOUSANDS OF THE SAME PROBLEM WITH THE SAME TYPE OF CAR .SOMETHING MUST BE DONE ABOUT THIS I FEEL A RECALL IS NEEDED ON THESE TRANSMISSIONS.*AK

WHILE TRAVELING ON THE HIGHWAY AND WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING SMOKE WAS COMING FROM UNDERNEATH THE VEHICLE. *AK

TRANSMISSION PROBLEM WITH 1996 MAZDA 626-I BOUGHT THE CAR (A DEMONSTRATOR) FROM ALLENTOWN MAZDA IN ALLENTOWN PA. ON MAY15, 1997 WITH 10,000 MILES ON IT. I STOPPED AT A LIGHT 2 MILES BEFORE I WAS ABOUT TO GET ONTO ONTO THE NE EXTENSION OF THE PA TURNPIKE. AS I PULLED OUT, THE CAR BARELY PICKED UP ENOUGH SPEED TO MAKE THE TURN AND I PULLED TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. ALTHOUGH THE ENGINE REVVED, THE CAR WOULDN'T MOVE. I HAD THE CAR TOWED TO A GARAGE WHERE THEY TOLD ME THE TRANSMISSION HAD FAILED - AT 56,000 MILES! I HAD A REBUILT TRANSMISSION PUT INTO IT FOR $2000. THERE IS NOW 86,000 ON THE CAR AND I AM HAVING TROUBLE WITH THE CAR SHIFTING INTO 2ND AND 3RD GEAR AND I AM AFRAID, AFTER READING ABOUT EVERYONE ELSE'S PROBLEMS WITH THIS CAR THAT IT IS THE TRANSMISSION AGAIN. MY ENGINE LIGHT HAS ALSO BEEN ON CONTINUOUSLY, ALMOST FROM THE TIME I BOUGHT IT. NO ONE HAS BEEN ABLE TO FIX IT. I UNDERSTAND THIS HAS ALSO BEEN A COMMON PROBLEM WITH THIS MODEL AND YEAR AND WOULD LIKE TO ADD MY NAME TO THE LIST OF DIS-SATISFIED MAZDA OWNERS WHO WOULD LIKE TO MAKE MAZDA ACCOUNTABLE IN SOME WAY FOR THESE EXPENSIVE, DANGEROUS, AND CHRONIC PROBLEMS.*AK

INTERMITTENTLY (IN LOW GEAR, MANUAL SHIFT), AS I PULL THE CAR TO THE LEFT (ONLY), TO PARK OR TURN A CORNER, THE CAR DIES. THE INCIDENT DATE BELOW DENOTES THE LATEST INCIDENT.NOT CERTAIN OF EXACT DATA OF PURCHASE FROM 128 MAZDA, BUT WEB SITE DEMANDED A SPECIFIC DAY SO, TO SATISFY IT, I ENTERED IN AUGUST 7. *AK

AT 59,000 MILES I PAID FOR A NEEDED, NEW TRANSMISSION AT A MAZDA DEALER. NOW @ 106,000 MILES IT IS IN NEEDED AGAIN. *JB

LESS THAN A YEAR A 3RD AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION HAD TO BE REPLACED. THE 2ND ONE FAILED WHILE DRIVING BACK FROM REPAIR SHOP, CAR WAS LEAKING FLUID. REPAIR SHOP DIAGNOSED LEAKING TRANSMISSION FLUID, AND RECOMMENDED DEALER REPLACEMENT. DEALER SERVICE DEPT ADVISED FRONT PUMP FAILED, AND REPLACED. THIS WAS NOW THE 4TH TRANSMISSION ON A CAR WITH EXACTLY 60,000 MILES. FRONT PUMP FAILED ON THIS TRANSMISSION AFTER ONLY 6,000 MILES IN ONE YEAR. *TT

AIRBAG WARNING LIGHT STAYS ON WHILE DRIVING. DEALER NOTIFIED.*AK

VEHICLE WAS IN AN ACCIDENT GOING 40MPH. BOTH FRONT AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. DEALER NOTIFIED.*AK

WHILE DRIVING AND WITHOUT WARNING THE TRANSMISSION SHIFTED OUT OF GEAR BUT STILL INDICATED THAT IT WAS STILL IN DRIVE ON THE GEAR PANEL. *TT

I AM SENDING THIS E-MAIL IN REGARDS TO MY 1996 MAZDA 626 THAT HAS BEEN HAVING CONSTANT TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS. MAZDA WON'T DO JACK. I WILL NEVER BY ANOTHER AGAIN, BUT THEY SHOULD BE HELD RESPONSIBLE FOR THESE TRANSMISSIONS. PLAIN AND SIMPLE THEY ARE DEFECTIVE AND MAZDA SHOULD STEP UP TO THE PLATE AND TAKE RESPONSIBILITIES. *JB

I HAVE A 96 626 THAT HAS 125,000 MILES. I PURCHASED MY CAR IN 98 WITH 60,000 MILES. IN MAY OF 2000 I HAD TO REPLACE THE OXYGEN SENSOR. I HAVE ALSO HAD TO REPLACE THE LEFT FRONT AXEL AND THE RIGHT CV JOINT BOOT IN FEB. 2003. NOW I HAVE REPLACE MY ENTIRE TRANSMISSION WHICH IS GOING TO COST AROUND 2300. I HAD NO INDICATIONS THAT I HAD TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS UNTIL IT JUST QUIT. ON MY WAY TO WORK MY CAR JUST STOPPED MOVING ON THE INTERSTATE. WHEN I PRESSED THE ACCELERATOR IT WOULDN'T PULL. SO I GOT OFF THE ROAD SAFELY AND ATTEMPTED TO SEE WHAT THE PROBLEM WAS. THE CAR WAS NOT MOVING FORWARD OR BACKWARDS. I HAD TO HAVE IT TOWED TO THE TRANSMISSION SHOP TO BE TOLD THE WONDERFUL NEWS. I HAVE BEEN DOING RESEARCH AND I'M FINDING THIS CAR HAS LOTS OF PROBLEMS. I AM ALSO HAVING PROBLEMS WITH OIL LEAKING AND OCCASIONALLY THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL APPEARS TO BE HARD TO PRESS AS IF IT'S STUCK FOR A FEW MINUTES OR IT'S REAL TIGHT. I WOULD NOT ADVISE ANYONE TO PURCHASE A MAZDA. DON'T EVEN TAKE IT IF IT'S FREE BECAUSE IT WOULD BE CHEAPER TO PURCHASE A CAR. I REALIZE MY CAR HAS 125,000 MILES BUT I HAD A NISSAN THAT I DROVE 180,000 MILES FOR BEFORE MAJOR PROBLEMS OCCURRED. I'M FILING THIS COMPLAINT IN HOPES SOMETHING CAN BE DONE BECAUSE THIS IS A MAJOR PROBLEM. *JB

MY 1996 MAZDA 626 TRANSMISSION BURNED UP APPROXIMATELY 100 MILES INTO A ROAD TRIP TO HOUSTON. THE TRANSMISSION HAD BEEN REBUILT IN DEC 2001 AND ONLY HAD 11,000 MILES PUT ON SINCE THE REPAIR. I BROUGHT THE CAR TO A MECHANIC IN HOUSTON WHO SAID THE TRANSMISSION WOULD HAVE TO BE REPLACED, AT AROUND $2200. I CALLED MY DEALER IN AUSTIN AND WAS TOLD TO BRING THE CAR BACK TO THEM AND IF THE TRANSMISSION WAS FAILING WE WOULD CONTACT MAZDA AND MAYBE THEY WOULD WORK WITH ME ON THE COST. I HAD THE CAR TOWED BACK TO AUSTIN AND LEFT IT AT THE DEALER. THE NEXT MORNING THE SERVICE WRITER CALLS TO TELL ME ALL MY TRANSMISSION NEEDED WAS A "COOLER" INSTALLED AND I WOULD BE GOOD TO GO. ALTHOUGH I FELT THIS COULD NOT BE ANYTHING BUT A BAND-AID, I PAID FOR THE REPAIR AND WENT ON MY WAY. I DECIDED TO DO SOME RESEARCH AND FOUND COUNTLESS STORIES SIMILAR TO MINE ON THE INTERNET. MAZDA WAS AWARE OF THIS TRANSMISSION PROBLEM WHEN THE TRANSMISSION WAS REBUILT AND SHOULD HAVE OFFERED ME THE COOLER THEN. I DID COMPLAIN TO THE GENERAL MANAGER OF THE DEALER AND HE REIMBURSED ME FOR THE COOLER. MY PURPOSE IN FILING THIS COMPLAINT IS JUST TO GET THE WORD OUT THERE ABOUT THESE CRUMMY TRANSMISSIONS. I USED TO BELIEVE MAZDAS WERE RELIABLE, SAFE CARS BUT MY CONFIDENCE HAS BEEN SHAKEN. I PLAN TO SELL THE CAR AND BUY ANOTHER KIND OF VEHICLE JUST FOR PEACE OF MIND.*JB

HAVE ATTEMPTED NUMEROUS REPAIRS OF OVER $2,000, BECAUSE MECHANICS COULD NOT IDENTIFY THE NATURE OF THE PROBLEM DUE TO CAR SPEEDOMETER FREQUENTLY CHANGING INTO OVER DRIVE, AND THE CAR'S MPH NEVER REACHES 60 MPH WITH OUT GOING INTO OVER DRIVE.*JB

WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING MAKING THE VEHICLE DIFFICULT TO CONTROL. THE DEALER WAS NOTIFIED. *NLM

MAZDA 1996 626 AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION HORROR STORY HERE! WHY IS THE NHTSA.DOT NOT FORCING MAZDA TO RECALL OR PAY DAMAGES TO THE HUNDREDS AND HUNDREDS OF FOLKS LIKE ME WHO ARE OUT THOUSANDS FOR REPEATED TRANSMISSION FAILURES? BOUGHT USED CAR FROM TRANSMISSION SHOP OWNER 2 YEARS AGO NOW. HE WARRANTED TRANSMISSION (CLAIMED "NEW") ONE YEAR. THIS ITSELF SHOWS TRANSMISSION WAS FAILED AND REPLACED ONCE ALREADY. BROUGHT IT IN TWICE UNDER WARRANTY, TOLD ME "HE DIDN'T KNOW WHAT WORK WAS DONE BECAUSE MECHANIC WAS NOT IN THAT DAY". FOR ALL I KNOW, HE DID NOTHING AND WAITED UNTIL WARRANTY LAPSED ON PURPOSE. NOW AFTER WARRANTY ON TRANSMISSION COMPLETELY FAILED. FLUID WAS BLACK SIGN OF BURNING. ONLY 2ND YEAR FROM PURCHASE NOW, EXPENSIVE PRICE. UNMATCHING FORD TRANSMISSION HAS DIFFERENT LIQUID/PRESSURE SPECS WHICH DO NOT MATCH MAZDA ENGINE SPECS. THIS IS HOW MAZDA IS SELLING IT, THE TWO PARTS DON'T WORK TOGETHER. THIS IS WHY EVEN THE "REBUILDS" AND "REPLACEMENTS" STILL FAIL 1-2 YEARS.(RIDICULOUS!!!!) THE WEBSITE WWW.CARREVIEWS.COM CONTAINS HUNDREDS OF SIMILAR HORROR STORIES ABOUT THIS TRANSMISSION ON THIS MODEL, ALL AUTOMATIC. EXPLODING TRANSMISSION FLUID ON MY WAY HOME FROM REPAIR/REPLACE, FAILING AT ONLY 100 MILES ON BRAND NEW MAZDA FOR ANOTHER NEW BUYER!!!!, 3-4-5 REPLACEMENTS PER CONSUMER IN 2-3 YEARS IS THE MOST TYPICAL COMPLAINT!!! THIS IS OUTRAGEOUS THAT YOU HAVE DONE NOTHING TO PUNISH THEM< THEY KNOW ALL ABOUT IT!!!!! WHY IS THERE NO INVESTIGATION IN YOUR INVESTIGATIONS PAGE?

WHILE DRIVING THE CAR ON THE EXPRESSWAY OR ANYWHERE FOR THAT MATTER THE CAR ENGINE LIGHT COMES ON AND THE "OVER DRIVE OFF" LIGHT BEGINS TO BLINK AND MY OVERDRIVE TURN OFF. I USUALLY HAVE TO PULL OVER TO THE SHOULDER OR AT A RED LIGHT AND TURN THE CAR OFF AND BACK ON TO FIX IT. THIS IS VERY UNSAFE AND ANNOYING BECAUSE IT HAPPENS ALMOST EVERYDAY. I HAVE TO DO THIS DURING RUSH HOUR ON I-294 IN CHICAGO. I AM RELUCTANT TO TAKE IT TO MAZDA REPAIR BECAUSE THEY CHARGE $100 JUST TO TAKE THE CAR IN THE SHOP AND THEY TRY TO FIND LITTLE WAYS TO SLAP ON A BIGGER BILL. I HAD THEM CHANGE MY TRANSMISSION FLUID AND A WEEK LATER IT LEAKED AND THEY TOLD ME THERE WAS A HOLE IN THE TRANSMISSION. APPARENTLY IT WAS NOT THERE BEFORE THE TRANSMISSION FLUID CHANGE AND THEY DID NOT NOTICE IT DURING. SO I HAD THEM JUST REFILL IT AND I ADDED SEALANT FROM AUTO ZONE. I CHECKED MY TRANSMISSION FLUID WEEKLY AND ITS JUST FINE. ENGINE LIGHT COMES AND GOES AT WILL. THERE SEEMS TO BE A PROBLEM WITH THE COMPUTER CHIP OR SOMETHING WHICH IS MAZDA'S FAULT AND I SHOULD NOT HAVE TO PAY TO REPLACE OR FIX. EVERYTHING ON THE CAR IS STOCKED AND I MAINTAIN THE CAR BETTER THAN MAZDA SUGGESTS. I CHECK ALL FLUIDS, OIL CHANGE EVERY 2000 MILES, ETC... I KNOW THAT MANY PEOPLE (THOUSANDS OF THEM) THAT HAVE THE SAME PROBLEMS WITH THE ENGINE LIGHTS AND THE "OVER DRIVE OFF" LIGHT BLINKING. *JB

TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS WITH 1996 MAZDA 626: MAZDA HAS A VERY HIGH FAILURE RATE ON THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSIONS IN THE MAZDA 626 VEHICLES. MY CAR IS ON THE SECOND TRANSMISSION AND PROBABLY NEEDS A THIRD. I BELEIVE THAT MAZDA SHOULD FIX THE PROBLEM WITHOUT COST TO THE OWNER. THANKS FOR LISTENING GARY

'96 MAZDA 626 (BOUGHT NEW) . TRANSMISSION FAILED AT 83,000+/_ MI. INITIALLY TOOK CAR TO A DEALER FOR OIL LEAK (REPLACED OIL PRESSURE SWITCH). THEY BROUGHT CAR TO ME, IT STARTED & DIED REPEATEDLY. THE SPEEDOMETER NEEDLE JUMPED ALL AROUND THE DIAL AND ODOMETER WOULD SPIN, ADDING MILEAGE. SERVICE WRITER SAID THE SERVICE TECH. NOTICED THE PROBLEM WHEN WORKING ON IT/THEY COULD CHECK IT OUT FOR ADDITIONAL $75 FEE. I TOLD HER I HADN'T HAD THAT PROBLEM BEFORE. SHE SAID THEY DIDN'T REPAIR ANYTHING IN THE AREA OF TRANSMISSION OR SPEEDOMETER THAT THEY MIGHT HAVE DAMAGED TO CAUSE THIS. I SPOKE TO THE TECH. & HE HAD NO IDEA WHAT THE PROBLEM MIGHT BE. HE OPENED THE HOOD AND CHECKED SOMETHING AS I TALKED TO THE SERVICE WRITER AND STARTED THE CAR AND IT RAN OKAY. WHILE DRIVING HOME, SPEEDOMETER NEEDLE INTERMITTENTLY DID THE SAME THING, ADDING EXTRA MILEAGE, BUT DROVE OK. ON ANOTHER DAY, AFTER DRIVING APPROX. 15 - 25 MI. & RETURN HOME, CAR WON'T RUN AFTER STOP AND RESTART TRY. TURNED THE IGNITION/SPEEDOMETER NEEDLE JUMPED ALL AROUND THE DIAL/THE ODOMETER SPUN/ADDED MILEAGE/CAR NOT MOVING. IT STARTS AND DIES REPEATEDLY. AFTER SITTING A FEW HOURS, IT STARTS & DRIVES OK. DROVE TO ANOTHER DEALER; THEY SAY PROBLEM WON'T MANIFEST WHILE THEY HAD IT. REPORT: MOISTURE IN SENSOR CONTACTS/DRIED THEM & CAR OK. DROVE CAR HOME. THE NEXT TIME THAT I DROVE THE CAR; SAME THING HAPPENED. TOWED IT BACK TO THE DEALER. THEIR REPORT REPORT: TRANSMISSION SHOT/TORQUE CONVERTER FALLING APART & THAT CAUSED ALL THE PRO

AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION THE WEEKEND OF DEC 14, 2002 I COULDN'T PUT THE CAR IN GEAR, SO I ADVISE TO TAKE THE CAR TO THE SHOP. I WAS TOLD THE TRANSMISSION HAD GONE BAD.

CONSUMER STATES WHILE DRIVING 60MPH THE TRANSMISSION FAILED CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO LOSE ACCELERATION. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY ADDITIONAL INFORMATION. TS

CONSUMER STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED AND WITHOUT WARNINF THE TRANSMISSION WILL LOCK UP AND IT WILL BE HARD TO CONTROL THE VEHICLE AND THE CONSUMER WILL BE FORCED TO PULL OVER. DEALER NOTIFIED. TS

"O/D OFF" LIGHT BEGAN FLASHING, ENGINE REVVED AND WOULD NOT SHIFT FROM 1ST GEAR. DIAGNOSIS IS THAT A NEW TRANSMISSION IS NEEDED AT THE COST OF $2300.00.

CONSUMER STATED THE VEHICLE FELT LIKE IT HAD GONE INTO NEUTRAL ON TWO OCCASIONS, AND WOULD NOT ACCELERATE ALTOGETHER ON ONE OCCASION. CONSUMER HAD TO REPLACE THE TRANSMISSION. SCC *JB

FAULTY TRANSMISSION

TRANSMISSION IS SLIPPING BADLY IN LOWER GEARS. SHIFTING FROM 1ST TO 2ND TO 3RD IS VERY BAD AND OFTEN THE RPMS ARE APPROX. 5000 BEFORE THE SHIFT OCCURS. (EVEN ON A DOWNHILL SLOPE) AS OF EARLY NOVEMBER, THE TRANSMISSION WILL PERIODICALLY NOT GO INTO REVERSE. I HAVE CHANGED THE TRANSMISSION FLUID ON THE RECOMMENDED SCHEDULE OF EVERY 5K MILES. DT