1996 Mazda 626 complaints

WHEN DRIVING THE O/D OFF LIGHT FLASHES, THE CRUISE CONTROL WILL CUT OFF WITHOUT TOUCHING THE BRAKES. WHEN ACCELERATING FROM STOPS THE ENGINE REVS BUT THE CAR CONTINUES TO MOVE AS THOUGH IT IS IN NEUTRAL FOR ABOUT 5 TO 10 MINUTES BEFORE IT KICKS IN GEAR VERY HARD. OCCASSIONALLY THE CAR WILL NOT EVEN ROLL FORWARD WHEN TRYING TO ACCELERATE AFTER STOPPING.

IN DECEMBER, 1998 OUR CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AND THE OVERDRIVE LIGHT STARTED TO FLASH AFTER OUR 626 WAS DRIVEN AT 65+ MPH FOR 10-15 MINUTES. AFTER THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON, THE TRANSMISSION STARTED SHIFTING ERRATICALLY AT LOW SPEEDS. THE PROBLEM WAS MIS-IDENTIFIED BY A SERVICE TECHNICIAN AS DIRTY TRANSMISSION FLUID AND SUBSEQUENTLY DIAGNOSED AS HAVING A FAULTY TRANSMISSION. THE TRANSMISSION HAD TO BE REPLACED. WE ORIGINALLY PURCHASED THE VEHICLE AT POLAR MAZDA IN WHITE BEAR LAKE, MN WHERE THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION WAS REPLACED.

AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION FAILED. NLM

TRANSMISSION SLIPS OUT OF GEAR; LOST GEAR AT 70 MPH ON INTERSTATE 75

TRIED OTHER 626 CARS SAME NOISE IS HEARD - WHY IS THE NOISE THERE?

UPON ACCELERATING FROM A DEAD STOP, CAR SOMETIMES CAUSES HARD SHIFT ON GEARS 1 AND 2.

SHOULD THE REAR END GO OUT THIS SOON PLEASE CONTACT ME WORRIED ABOUT DAUGTHER-IN-LAW DRIVING THIS CAR LIKE THIS

TRANSMISSION BEGAN WHINING AND THEN FAILED AT HIGH SPEED GOING UPHILL. UNABLE TO STAY IN FLOW OF TRAFFIC. VERY HAZARDOUS SITUATION THAT NEARLY LED TO AN ACCIDENT DUE TO SUDDEN DECELERATION. MAZDA IS UNWILLING TO ASSIST IN ANY WAY AT THIS POINT TO REMEDY THE PROBLEM. ACCORDING TO OTHER OWNERS EVEN REPLACED TRANSMISSIONS ARE KNOWN TO FAIL AGAIN. I AM HESITANT TO REPAIR THE CAR BECAUSE I AM CONCERNED IT WILL PUT ME AND MY FAMILY IN A SIMILAR UNSAFE SITUATION AGAIN. I REALLY HOPE SOME PRESSURE CAN BE BROUGHT TO BEAR ON MAZDA TO FIX THIS PROBLEM BEFORE SOMEONE GETS SERIOUSLY INJURED OR KILLED.

SECOND TRANSMISSION IN UNDER ONE YEAR. MAZDA WILL NOT ADMIT TO THIS BEING A PROBLEM THAT THEY ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR. MEANING, THEY WILL NOT ADMIT THAT THIS TRANNY SHOULD HAVE LAST MORE THAN 19,000 MILES. DO NOT CONSIDER IT ANYTHING BUT COINCIDENCE THAT IT HAS HAPPENED TWICE IN UNDER A YEAR. THE FIRST TIME I WAS COVERED UNDER WARRANTY. THIS TIME I AM NOT, AND WAS TOLD I SHOULD FEEL LUCKY THAT THEY ARE WILLING TO HONOR THE PARTS, BUT I NEED TO PAY FOR LABOR $545.00 THEY SAY IS A FAIR PRICE. I DISAGREE. I HAVE DONE SOME RESEARCH ON THIS MAKE AND MODEL AND HAVE NOTICED THAT THERE ARE SEVERAL PEOPLE OUT THERE THAT HAVE HAD THE SAME PROBLEMS. IT APPEARS THAT THIS TRANNY SHOULD BE RECALLED AND MAZDA WILL NOT ADMIT IT. THEY ARE BEING VERY UN-ETHICAL IN MY OPINION.

TRANSMISSION FAILED AFTER OWNING THE CAR FOR LESS THAN ONE MONTH. IT WAS COVERED UNDER WARRANTY, SO THE DEALER REPLACED ALL PARTS AND INSTALLED FREE OF CHARGE. THEY ASSURED ME AT THE DEALER THAT THIS WAS A FLUKE, AND THAT THEY HAD NO KNOWLEDGE OF THIS BEING A PROBLEM IN MAZDA 626, 1996 4-CYLINDER AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION MODELS. LITTLE DID I KNOW THAT LESS THAN ONE YEAR LATER, THE TRANSMISSION WOULD GO OUT AGAIN, THIS TIME AFTER WARRANTY, AND WOULD FACE MAZDA CORP. STATING THAT THERE IS NO PROBLEM WITH THERE TRANSMISSIONS, AND THAT TECHNICALLY THEY DON'T HAVE TO DO ANYTHIGN TO HELP ME, BUT THEY WOULD DO ME A FAVOR BY REPLACING THE PARTS, BUT I WOULD BE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE LABOR $545.00. I'M NOT EVEN SURE IF THIS IS A FAIR PRICE FOR LABOR ON INSTALLING A TRANSMISSION.

FOUND OUT THERE IS A KNOWN PROBLEM WITH THE 626 TRANS, SHOULD BE A RECALL, EVEN REPLACMENT ONES ARE DEFECTIVE

NO SUMMARY

I WAS DRIVING ON I-10. I MADE A ROUTINE LANE CHANGE. AT THAT MOMENT I LOST COMPLETE CONTROL OF MY VEHICLE. MY STEERING FAILED. I WAS REAR-ENDED. I WAS SHOVED INTO ANOTHER CAR ON MY DRIVER SIDE. I CAME TO REST ON A CONCRETE BARRIER. THE MECHANIC AT THE COLLISION CENTER SAID THE RACK AND PINION FELL APART. A PRIVATE MECHANIC EXAMINED THE MAZDA AND ALSO CONCLUDED THAT THE SHAFT IN THE RACK AND PINION UNIT FAILED DUE TO A DEFECTIVE PART.

ENGINE FAILURE. *SLC

WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE START JERKING OVER 50 MPH AND SPEED COULD DROP ON THE FREEWAY WHERE TRANSMISSION/OVERDRIVE LIGHT WILL START FLASHING.*AK

PASSENGER'S AIRBAG DEPLOYED UNEXPECTEDLY WHEN VEHICLE WAS REAR ENDED. A RECALL HAS BEEN ISSUED ON THE VEHICLE; HOWEVER, OWNER NOTIFICATION WAS NOT RECEIVED.*AK

CONSUMER WAS PULLING OUT OF A PARKING SPACE HEARD NOISE THAT SOUNDED LIKE A GUN SHOT. CONSUMER THEN NOTICED THAT BOTH AIRBAGS HAD DEPLOYED.*AK

I WAS ON MY WAY TO WORK AT 5:45 P.M. AND AS I WAS GOING OVER A SET OF RAILROAD TRACKS AT 15 MILES PER HOUR THE DRIVER'S SIDE AND PASSENGER SIDE AIR BAGS DEPLOYED. I RECEIVED AN ABRASION ON MY CORNEA IN MY LEFT EYE, A RASH AND SCRAPES ON MY LEFT CHEEK, A SCRAPE ABOVE MY LEFT EYELID, AND SOME HEARING LOSS IN MY LEFT EAR. I HAVE BEEN OUT OF WORK FOR A WEEK AND A DAY SO FAR. I HAVE BEEN SEEING AN EYE DOCTOR SINCE THE NIGHT OF THIS INCIDENT AND HE HAS TOLD ME THAT HE DOESN'T KNOW WHEN I'LL BE ABLE TO GO BACK TO WORK. I'M LOSING WAGES FROM BOTH OF MY JOBS. *AK

TRANSMISSION BROKE WHILE CAR WAS STOPPED AT A RED LIGHT IN DRIVE, RESTART AND CAR WOULD NOT ACCELERATE.

ENGINE CHECK LIGHT CAME ON THE DASHBOARD. SECOND GEAR TO THE TRANSMISSION WAS GONE. VEHICLE COULD ONLY TRAVEL ABOUT 15MPH BECAUSE SECOND GEAR BURNED OUT. *AK

WHILE CONSUMER WAS DEPRESSING THE BRAKES, THEY WOULD MAKE A GRINDING NOISE. DEALER HAS BEEN CONTACTED. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK

CAR SEEMED TO DRAG, BECAME VERY SLUGGISH AND ROUGH, MADE ROARING NOISE, SMOKE CAME FROM AXLE AREA, TRANSMISSION FLUID BEGAN LEAKING. FOUND OUT DIFFERENTIAL WAS MESSED UP, NEEDED REPLACEMENT--TWO MONTHS AFTER TRANSMISSION AND AXLE REPLACED (FILED EARLIER C

I HAD BEEN HAVING TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS WITH MY 626 FOR SEVERAL MILES BEFORE MY MILEAGE ROLLED OVER TO 50,000. I HAD TAKEN THE CAR TO THE DEALERSHIP AND REPORTED PROBLEMS WITH THE DEALER'S REPLY BEING "WE CAN'T FIND ANYTHING WRONG". FINALLY I TOOK IT BACK AGAIN AT 56,000 MILES. THE DEALERSHIP THEN TOLD ME I NEEDED A NEW TRANSMISSION! AFTER REPORTING THIS PROBLEM UNDER WARRANTY, THEY ARE TELLING ME AFTER THE WARRANTY EXPIRED THAT I NEEDED TO PAY FOR A NEW TRANSMISSION. I FOUGHT THIS AND ENDED UP GETTING MAZDA TO PAY FOR $2000 OF THE REBUILT TRANSMISSION. THE COMPANY SHOULD HAVE REPLACE THE WHOLE THING FOR FREE SEEING AS HOW I HAD REPORTED THE PROBLEM PLUS THE FACT THAT MY CAR HAD ONLY 56,000 MILES ON IT. WHAT KIND OF TRANSMISSION GOES OUT AT 56,000 MILES? FROM WHAT I HEAR NOW, MAZDA 626S ARE NOTORIOUS FOR TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS. I WISH THE MAZDA COMPANY WOULD TAKE SOME CREDIT FOR PUTTING CHEAP PARTS IN THEIR CARS THAT CONSUMERS PAY HARD-EARNED MONEY FOR...I WON'T BUY ANOTHER MAZDA. *AK

THE HEADLIGHT COMBO SWITCH FAILED DUE TO POOR DESIGN. NLM

WHEN CONSUMER STATRTS VEHICLE THE ENGINE TAPS LOUD NOISES. ALSO, THE ENGINE CHECKLIGHT STAYS ON FOR A LONG PERIOD OF TIME. CONSUMER TOOK VEHICLE TO THE DEALERSHIP,AND STILL EXPERIENCED THE SAME PROBLEM. *AK

VEHICLE CRASHED INTO THE REAR OF ANOTHER VEHICLE, TRAVELING ABOUT 25 MPH AND THERE WAS NO DEPLOYMENT OF THE DRIVER'S SIDE OR THE PASSENGER'S SIDE AIR BAGS. FRONT END DAMAGE TOTALLED $3,000.00. VEHICLE IS BEING REPAIRED. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK

TRANSMISSION INITIALLY SHIFTED ROUGHLY THEN REVVED DURING SHIFTING 3-4, THEN A LOUD BANG DURING BRAKING QUICKLY, THIS PROGRESSED TO LURCHING FORWARD AFTER BRAKING, THEN POPPING NOISES IN LOW GEAR WHEN ACCELERATING FROM STOP OR AT SPEEDS LESS THAN 40 MPH. AN INDEPENDENT TRANSMISSION REPAIR SHOP SAID THAT CHAIN INSIDE TRANS IS SLIPPING OFF SPROCKETS - REPAIR ESTIMATED AT $950-1150. HAVE APPOINTMENT WITH DEALERSHIP TO GET AN ESTIMATE ON TRANSMISSION WORK. THE ENGINE CHECK COMES ON AND STAYS ON FOR WEEKS AT A TIME. THIS INITIALLY STARTED AT ABOUT 1000 MILES AND HAS CONTINUED TO OCCUR. DEALERSHIP HAS MADE REPAIRS AND ADJUSTMENTS UNDER NEW VEHICLE WARRANTY, AND ACCORDING TO RECALL ADVISEMENTS AND EACH TIME SAYS THAT SHOULD FIX IT, BUT IT CONTINUES EVEN TODAY. THE VEHICLE IS NOW OUT OF WARRANTY. *AK

OVERDRIVE LIGHT CAME ON, AND ENGINE CHECK LIGHT CAME ON. THIS IS THE SECOND TIME THAT THE ENGINE CHECK LIGHT HAS COME ON, CAUSING ME TO RETURN THE CAR TO THE DEALER. THE CURRENT PROBLEM IS TRANSMISSION. *AK

TWO TRANSMISSION SHOPS REFUSED TO FIX OR REPLACE TRANSMISSIO. , BOTH STATED MAZDA HAS HAD PROBLEMS WITH TRANSMISSIONS, I HAD TO TAKE IT TO A MAZDA DEALER FOR A MANUFACTURER TRANSMISSION - $2,200.00! *AK

CONSUMER HAS BEEN HAVING TROUBLE WITH TRANSMISSION. USUALLY WHEN CHANGING GEARS . *AK *YC

AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION COMPLETELY WENT OUT WHILE DRIVING DURING RUSH HOUR ON A MAJOR FREEWAY. WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER WHO SAID A NEW TRANSMISSION WAS NEEDED. THE CAR ONLY HAS 68000 MILES ON IT. WAS THEN TOWED TO A TRANSMISSION SHOP WHO DID THE WORK FOR A LOT LESS THEN THE DEALER. *AK

STANDING WHILE THE CAR WAS IN DRIVE, WHEN PRESSING ON ACCELERATOR CAR WOULD REV UP BUT NOT MOVE, THEN LURCH FORWARD SUDDENLY WHILE IN TRAFFIC.FORWARD CLUTCH BUSTED. MAZDA TRANSMISSIONS ARE KNOWN PROBLEMS, WAS TOLD.

FOURTH GEAR FAILURE- DAMAGED INTERNAL STRUCTURE OF THE TRANSMISSION. EXPERIENCED HESITATION AND OVERREVING OF THE ENGINE JUST PRIOR TO TRANSMISSION FAILURE. *AK

THE INSTRUMENT PANEL LIGHTS AND THE TAIL LIGHTS ARE INOPERATIVE, WHICH MAY RESULT VISUAL DIFFICULTY. OWNER'S MANUAL STATED TO REPLACE THE FUSE. THE OCCUPANT REPLACE THE FUSE, BUT PROBLEM STILL OCCURRING. DEALER SAID THAT THE HEADLIGHT SWITCH NEEDS TO BE REPLACED MANUFACTURER WAS WILLING TO PAY HALF OF THE BILL. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK

STEERING RACK AND PINION FELL APART CAUSING LOSS OF CONTROL AND VEHICLE COLLISION, INJURY TO CONSUMER. MJS

AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC INSPECTED THE CAR AND STATED:INSPECT CAR AT BODY SHOP AND FOUND A BROKEN SHAFT IN THE RACK AND PINION UNIT. THE CAR HAS NO DIRECT IMPACT TO ANY COMPONENTS RELATED TO THE STEERING FAILURE. THE SHAFT FAILED DUE TO A DEFECTIVE PART.THE BODY SHOP EMPLOYEE STATED: THE RACK AND PINION FELL APART CAUSING THE ACCIDENT TO OCCUR.

AUTOMATIC TRANSAXLE FAILED ON TWO OCCASIONS. MJS

DRIVER'S SIDE SEAT HAS A PROBLEM. IF IT IS LEANED BACK ON WITH A CERTAIN A MOUNT OF WEIGHT, IT WILL COLAPSE WHILE DRIVING THIS HAS HAPPENED THREE TIME IN THE LAST THREE YEARS. DEALER HAS BEEN CONTACTED. *AK

BRAKE FAILURE- PURCHASED USED CARE 6/98, REPLACED BRAKE PADS 10/98, BRAKES FAILED 6/8/99 AND HAD TO REPLACE BRAKE PADS AND ROTORS (FRONT) AFTER ACCIDENT. TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS- THE CAR BEGAN TO JUMP WHILE ACCELERATING FROM 0-30MPH, SO I PULLED OVER AND PARKED (7/20/99) AND WHEN I PUT THE CAR IN DRIVE IT WOULD NOT GO. I HAD THE CAR TOWED TO A MECHANIC WHO TOLD ME THAT I WAS HAVING TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS AND ADVISED ME TO DRIVE THE CAR W/THE OVERDRIVE OFF AND THAT IS THE ONLY WAY THE CAR MOVES IN DRIVE. I HAVE BEEN HAVING PROBLEMS WITH THE HEARING KNOCKING NOISES WHEN TURNING THE STEERING WHEEL, AND MY MECHANIC TOLD ME THAT THE RACK AND PINION NEEDS TO BE REPLACED. PLEASE ADVISE ME, BECAUSE THESE ARE VERY EXPENSIVE REPAIRS FOR A CAR THAT DOES NOT EVEN HAVE 70K MILES. DOES THE MANAFACTURER HAVE ANY RESPONSIBILITY, BECAUSE IT APPEARS THAT THERE HAVE BEEN SERVERAL SIMULAR COMPLAINTS.

THE VEHICLE OVERDRIVE LIGHT WAS BLINKING AND THE SERVICE ENGINE LIGHT ON, DUE TO TRANSMISSION FAILURE. *ET

VEHICLE EXPERIENCING PROBLEMS WITH AIR BAG DUE TO POSSIBLE RECALL COMPONENT 98V-249 (SENSOR), HOWEVER NOT NOTIFIED OF RECALL AND DEALERSHIP WANTS TO REPLACE COMPLETE SYSTEM. MJS

WHEN TURN SIGNAL USED TO SIGNAL TURN, HEADLIGHTS GO OUT. PROBLEM CONSISTENT AND CONTINUOUS. *AK

NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR THIS VEHICLE. *AK

CONSUMER WAS INVOLVED IN A 35 MPH FRONTAL COLLISION IN WHICH DRIVER'S AND PASSENGER'S AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY, CAUSE UNKNOWN. PLEASE GIVE ANY FURTHER DETAILS. *AK

CAR WAS PURCHASED WITH 15,000 MILES. I HAVE HAD THESE PROBLEMS WITH THE CAR AND I WOULD LIKE FOR THESE THINGS TO BE INVESTIGATED. I KNOW OF 4 OTHER PEOPLE WHO HAVE HAD SOME OF THESE SAME PROBLEMS WITH THEIR 1996 626.

REPORTED TO MAZDA THAT IN TWO FRONT-END COLLISIONS NO AIRBAGS DEPLOYED. AND THEY SAID "TOO BAD." CAR WAS ALMOST TOTALLED IN JUNE 96 WRECK, AND WE WERE BOTH INJURED. THE CAR WAS REPAIRED, AND IN DECEMBER 96, WE HIT TWO DEERS/AN EMBANKMENT AND ROLLED 175 FEET AND THE AIRBAGS STILL DID NOT DEPLOY, SO WHAT EXACTLY DOES IT TAKE FOR THEM TO GO OFF. NEEDLESS TO SAY, THE CAR WAS DEMOLISHED IN THE SECOND ACCIDENT AND WE NO LONGER HAVE IT. *AK

STARTING FROM A STOP, ENGINE SEEMED TO RACE AT FULL THROTTLE, BRAKES NOT EFFECTIVE, AFTER CRASH ENGINE CONTINUED TO RUN @6000 RPM UNTILL IGNITION WAS TURNED OFF. *AK

ENGINE VIBRATES AND IT IS TRANSMITTING THE VIBRATION TO THE STEERING WHEEL AND TO ACCELERATOR PEDAL WHEN MAKING STOPS. *AK

TRANSMISSION FAILED STARTED TO SOME ON THE HWY/WORKED ON BY AAMCO-FAILED AGAIN/WORK ON BY AAMCO AGAIN-FAILED AGAIN/WORK ON BY AMMCO AGAIN-AAMCO WILL NOT EXTEND THE WARRANTY-PLEASE CONTACT ME

NO SUMMARY