1997 Mazda 626 complaints

1997 MAZDA 626 LX 2.0 AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION IS SLIPPING. THE CAR HESITATES EXCELERATING AT DIFFERENT SPEEDS, MOSTLY AROUND 40 TO 60 MPH. I AM NOW AT 82500 MILES AND HAVE FOUND NUMEROUS POSTS ON THE INTERNET ABOUT TRANSMISSION ISSUES. ALONG WITH THIS MY CHECK ENGINE LIGHT HAS BEEN ON FOR THE LAST 3 YRS WITH NOT ONE MAZDA DEALERSHIP OR MECHANIC BEING ABLE TO KEEP IT OFF FOR LONGER THAN 30 MILES. I HAVE REPLACED TIMING BELT TENSIONERS, MASS AIR FLOWS, O2 SENSORS, FUEL FILTERS PCV VALVE, AND NUMEROUS MORE. I GUESS THE PROBLEMS NEVER END AND I AM TIRED OF IT BEING "MY" PROBLEMS AND NOT MAZDA'S!

THERE IS A FAULT WITH THE 1997 MAZDA'S 626 TRANSMISSION THAT THE COMPANY IS AWARE ABOUT. PER PHONE CONVERSATION WITH TRANSMISSION REPAIR SHOP SPECIALIST THEY FOUND A PROBLEM WITH THE TRANSMISSIOM AND ARE ONLY FIXING PROBLEM IF REPAIRS TO THE TRANSMISSION ARE NEEDED. COULD CAUSE POTENTIAL HAZARD TO DRIVERS OF 97 MAZDA 626 OWNERS IF TRANSMISSION BREAKS IN DRIVE WHILE TRAVELING.

WHILE DRIVING 35 MPH TRANSMISSION DOWN SHIFTED ON ITS OWN. CONSUMER TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION, AND MECHANIC DETERMINED THAT THE ENGINE NEEDED REPLACING. *AK

THE VEHICLE EXPERIENCED A PROBLEM WITH THE HEADLIGHT SWITCH WHICH WAS REPLACED A YEAR AGO. NOW THE HEADLIGHTS AND TAIL LIGHTS SWITCH ARE INOPERABLE. PROBLEM WAS DUE TO BROKEN WIRE CONNECTOR INSIDE OF THE SWITCH.*JB *MR

THE HEADLIGHTS DO NOT WORK WHEN I TURN THE SWITCH BUT, IF I SHIFT THE HANDLE TO ACTIVATE THE TURN SIGNALS, THEN THE HEADLIGHTS TURN ON. MORE DETAILS REGARDING THIS CONDITION ARE THAT THE DASHBOARD LIGHTS DO NOT WORK AS WELL. IN ADDITION, I NOTICED THAT THE ENGINE ACCELERATES A BIT WHEN THE HEADLIGHTS GO ON THIS WAY. COINCIDENTLY, WHILE SEARCHING ONLINE FOR RECALLS FOR MY VEHICLE I RAN INTO AN ARTICLE POSTED AT THIS WEBSITE HTTP://WWW.MAZDAVICTORIA.COM/RECALLS/RECALLS_626.HTM WHERE, THERE IS A RECALL FOR A 1994 MAZDA 626 FOR THE SAME CONDITION I AM EXPERIENCING WITH MY CAR. PLEASE LET ME KNOW IF THERE IS SOMETHING I CAN DO TO HAVE MAZDA ISSUE ANOTHER RECALL AND REPAIR MY CAR. THIS APPEARS TO BE A CLEAR REPEAT OF THE DEFECT. THANKS A LOT. ORLANDO AYALA - GARFIELD, NJ. *AK

IN ADDITION TO SMELLING GAS - THE RADIO AND ANTENNA DOESN'T WORK. NOW THE SUNROOF WON'T CLOSE ALL THE WAY. THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT COMES ON MORE OFTEN THAN NOT SINCE I HAD THE CAR. THE KEY SOMETIMES WON'T FIT INTO DOOR LOCK AND EVEN THOUGH THE CAR LOOKS BRAND NEW AND HAS BEEN WELL TAKEN CARE OFF - IT JUST SEEMS TO FALL APART. THE GLOVE COMPARTMENT LOCK FELL APART BUT THE BIGGEST THING IS THE SUNROOF WON'T CLOSE ALL THE WAY. THIS IS MY 3RD MAZDA AND I WILL NEVER BUY ANOTHER ONE.

MY WIFE STRUCK A CURB WITH THE RIGHT-FRONT TIRE AT ABOUT 25-30 MPH. THE DRIVERS SIDE AIRBAG DEPLOYED, THOUGH NOT THE PASSENGER SIDE. WHEN I LOOKED ON THE DOT WEBSITE I FOUND THAT 97 626 DRIVERS-SIDE AIRBAGS HAD BEEN RECALLED FOR DEPLOYING TOO EASILY. WHEN I SPOKE WITH THE DEALER THEY SAID THAT MY VIN WAS NOT COVERED UNDER THAT RECALL. MY INSURANCE COMPANY PAID FOR THE REPAIR, LESS OUR $300 DEDUCTIBLE, AND PUT IN A COMPLAINT ON THE AIRBAG. BECAUSE THEY WERE PAYING AROUND $1800, I THOUGHT THE INSURANCE COMPANY WOULD INVESTIGATE THE AIRBAG DEPLOYMENT. MY QUESTION IS, IF THERE WAS NOTHING WRONG WITH MY CAR, WHY DID THE AIRBAG DEPLOY WHEN THERE WAS NO BODY DAMAGE, AND WHY DIDN'T THE PASSENGER SIDE AIRBAG DEPLOY WHEN THE PASSENGER SIDE WHEEL WAS STRUCK? EITHER THE DRIVER'S SIDE DEPLOYS TOO EASILY, OR THE PASSENGER SIDE DOESN'T DEPLOY WHEN IT SHOULD.

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

OUR 1997 MAZDA 626, 76,000 MILES SUFFERED TRANSMISSION FAILURE. REPAIR SHOP HAS INDICATED A REPLACEMENT COST OF $2500. I FEEL THIS IS AN EQUIPMENT FAILURE THAT OUGHT TO BE REIMBURSED BY MAZDA. *AK

THE CAR DOOR OF MY MAZDA 626 1997, HAS A SAFETY DEFECT. THE FRONT PASSENGER DOOR DOES NOT STAY CLOSED AFTER IT HAS RAINED AND THEN THE NEXT MORNING WHEN IT REMAINS BELOW FREEZING TEMPERATURE. THE DOOR LOCKED AND WAS CLOSED, BUT FLEW OPEN WHEN I WAS DRIVING TO WORK. I STOPPED MY VEHICLE OPENED AND CLOSED THE DOOR AND RELOCKED IT, IT REMAINED CLOSED UNTIL I WENT AROUND A CORNER AND THE DOOR OPENED ON ITS OWN. THIS IS A SERIOUS SAFETY CONCERN.*AL

VEHICLE HORN STUCK, WENT TO PRESS DOWN TO USE HORN AND IT WOULD NOT STOP WHEN RELEASED.*AK

TRANSMISSION REBUILT 1 YEAR AGO, AND HAS BEEN INTO THE SHOP TO BE FIXED 6 TIMES SINCE THAT. THE OVERDRIVE LIGHT FLASHES ON AND OFF, WHICH MEANS THERE IS STILL MORE TROUBLE WITH THE TRANSMISSION.*AK

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

WHEN AT A STOP WITH THE HEAT ON FRONT WINDSHIELD FOGGED UP, AND CONSUMER SMELLED SMOKE INSIDE THE VEHICLE. DEALERSHIP WAS NOTIFIED, BUT THE PROBLEM WAS NOT RESOLVED.*AK

1997 MAZDA 626. THE TRANSMISSION WAS COMPLETELY REBUILD AT 70,000 MILES. *NLM

1997 MAZDA 626 LX - TRANSMISSION, CATALYTIC CONVERTER, OXYGEN SENSOR, AND COMPUTER HAVE ALL BEEN REPAIRED IN A SPAN OF 11 MONTHS. THE CAR DOES NOT HAVE 80,000 MILES ON IT!*AK

I OWN A 1997 MAZDA 626 LX, WHICH I BOUGHT USED WITH 36,000 MILES. AT APPROXIMATELY 60,000 MILES THE TRANSMISSION SEIZED UP, STRANDING MY WIFE AND I. HAD CAR TOWED TO DEALERSHIP, WHERE THEY INFORMED US WE NEEDED A NEW TRANSMISSION. THEIR EXACT WORDS WERE: "WE HAVE GOOD NEWS AND BAD NEWS. THE BAD NEWS IS THAT YOUR WARRANTY HAS EXPIRED. THE GOOD NEWS IS THAT WE HAVE A NEW TRANSMISSION IN STOCK." WE THEN SHOPPED AROUND AND FOUND A LESS EXPENSIVE TRANSMISSION SHOP THAT GAVE US A ONE YEAR GUARANTEE, AND CAME RECOMMENDED BY A MECHANIC FRIEND OF OURS. ONE YEAR AND TWO WEEKS LATER, THE TRANSMISSION IS OVERHEATING ON LONG DRIVES, SPEWING TRANSMISSION FLUID OUT THE VENT CAP. MECHANICS TELL US WE NEED A NEW TORQUE CONVERTER, THEY THINK. IN ANY CASE, WE'LL PROBABLY NEED ANOTHER TRANSMISSION SOON. WE'RE DUMPING THE HEAP AND BUYING A TOYOTA CAMRY. I'M APPALLED TO SEE PAGE AFTER PAGE OF NEARLY IDENTICAL COMPLAINTS ABOUT THE 1994 - 1998 626S. MAZDA DOES NOT ACKNOWLEDGE THE PROBLEM. HOW DARE MAZDA/FORD DO THIS TO HARD WORKING FOLKS WHO JUST WANT TO DRIVE A DEPENDABLE VEHICLE? *LA

CD4E TRANSMISSION FAILURE. *LA

TRANSMISSION FAILURE HAD TO BE REPLACED, OVERDRIVE LIGHT CONSTANTLY FLASHING, DEALERS STATED WAS OXYGEN SENSOR REPLACED BOTH SENSORS, PROBLEM NOT SOLVED, REPLACED TRANSMISSION REPLACED SEVERAL DAYS LATER WITH ANOTHER, FIRST REPLACEMENT WAS DEFECTIVE. *LA

!997 MAZDA 626 AUTO TRANSMISSION FAILING ... WITH ONLY 38,000 MILES! *LA

TRANSMISSION FAILURE FOR 1997 MAZDA 626 LX WITH 58,000 MILES COST OVER $2500 TO REPAIR. *LA

AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION FAILURE 1997 MAZDA 626. *LA

I HAVE A 1997 MAZDA 626 LX. THE TRANSMISSION FAILED RIGHT AT 70,000 MILES. IT COST ME $2,600 TO GET IT FIXED. IT WAS NOT UNDER WARRANTY SO I HAD TO PAY FOR IT. I CHECKED AROUND AND HAVE FOUND NUMEROUS OTHERS WHO HAVE ALSO HAD TRANSMISSION FAILURES UNDER 70,000 MILES. THE TRANSMISSION REPAIR SHOP SAID THEY GET A TON OF THESE CARS WITH TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS. I FEEL MAZDA SHOULD COMPENSATE US FOR THESE REPAIRS BECAUSE OF THEIR FAULTY TRANSMISSION. *LA

1997 MAZDA 626 TRANSMISSION GOING OUT AND THE DEALERS WOULD NOT AGREE TO REPLACE OR ACKNOWLEDGE THE PROBLEM WITH A CAR.

TRANSMISSION IS FAILING ON OUT "97 MAZDA 626. LOUD CLICKS AND JUMPS ON ACCELERATIONS. NOT THE CV JOINTS. *JB

1997 MAZDA 626 TRANSMISSION FAILURE. THE CAR HAS 100,000 MILE AND THE TRANSMISSION IS A TOST. IT LOOKS LIKE THERE ARE TONS OF OTHER MAZDAS WITH THE SAME PROBLEM. IT SHOULD BE RECALLED. *AK

CONSUMERS VEHICLE BEGAN SHAKING, MAKING NOISES AND THE DASH LIGHT CAME ON. CONSUMER HAD TENSIONER KIT, GASKET CONVERTER FAILURES. THE VEHICLE EXPERIENCED SEVERAL ENGINE RELATED PROBLEMS. THE DEALER HAD TO REPLACE THE THERMOSTAT, WATER PUMP, CATALYTIC CONVERTER AND SENSORS. THE A/C ALSO FAILED. *NLM

I HAVE A 1997 MAZDA 626 AND WITH ANY WARNING THE TRANSMISSION HAS FAILED AND THE DEALER IS ASKING 2,400.00 TO FIX IT AND I THINK IT IS WRONG THAT THEY HAVEN'T CAME FORTH TO TELL ANYONE ABOUT THE COOLING SYSTEM THAT IS SOPPOSE TO FIX IT.*AK

CONTINUED TRANSMISSION/GEAR PROBLEMS. *AK

AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION HAS TO BE REBUILT DUE TO IT NOT SHIFTING GEARS. *AK

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

CONSUMER STATES OVERDRIVE LIGHT COMES ON INTERMITTENTLY, CAUSING VEHICLE TO JERK AND STALL. DEALER NOTIFIED. *AK

OVERDRIVE LIGHT CONTINUALLY FLASHES AFTER CAR'S ENGINE BECOMES HOT WHICH IS APPROXIMATLEY 20-30 MINUTES. CARIS EXTREMELY JERKY WHEN SHIFTING INTO LOWER GEARS WHILE THIS LIGHT IS ON. MECHANICS SAY TO FIX THIS PROBLEM ENTIRE TRANSMISSION MUST BE REPLACED. *AK

TRANSMISSION HAD TO BE REPLACED AT 87,000 MILES. O/D LIGHT KEPT BLINKING AND CAR WOULDN'T RUN. O2 SENSORS KEEP NEEDING REPLACING. *PH

TRANSMISSION KEEPS FAILING, WITH ONLY REGULAR DAILY DRIVING. FAILED AT 6000.AD TO PAY 2000K FOR T TO BE FIXED. THIS IS A VERY BAD TRANSMISSION FOR THE CAR!*AK

DEFECTIVE TRANSMISSION IN MY 1997 MAZDA 626 LX SEDAN. I AM ONLY OWNER OF MY VEHICLE AND PURCHASED BRAND-NEW IN AUGUST 1997. I TOOK METICULOUS CARE OF THIS CAR AND HAVE ALL RECEIPTS TO PROVE SO. A FEW WEEKS AGO, THE O/D LIGHT BEGAN TO FLASH ON AND OFF AND THE ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON. NOW THE CAR DOES NOT ACCELERATE PROPERLY AND CANNOT TRAVEL ABOVE 60 MILES PER HOUR. I TOOK THE CAR TO MY MECHANIC, WHO RECOMMENDED REPLACING THE TRANSMISSION FOR $2,000. I GOT A SECOND OPINION FROM THE MAZDA DEALER, WHO SUGGESTED THE SAME FOR $3,500-4,000. AFTER RESEARCHING THIS PROBLEM, I FOUND THAT THERE ARE HUNDREDS (OR MORE) PEOPLE WHO HAVE EXPERIENCED THE SAME COSTLY DEFECT. I FEEL THAT MAZDA SHOULD HAVE ISSUED A RECALL ON THIS CAR. PLEASE LOOK INTO THIS MATTER, IT IS VERY UPSETTING. *AK

AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION FAILING; BLINKING LIGHTS; ROUGH SHIFTING. (NOTE: I HAVE TWO 97 MAZDA 626 2.0 LTR CARS. ONE AUTO TRANS HAS FAILED TOTALLY, AND THIS IS MY SECOND ONE THAT IS STARTING TO FAIL.) *JB

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

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

1997 MAZDA 626 HIS CAR CONTINUES TO HAVE TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS. ALL OF THE PROBLEMS ARE INTERMITTENT. OCCASIONALLY THE CAR WILL NOT ACCELERATE EVEN WHEN THE RPM'S CLIMB. THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION SHIFTS HARD, IT SLAMS FROM GEAR TO GEAR ESPECIALLY WHEN SHIFTING UP A GEAR. OVERDRIVE SLIPS IN AND OUT, THE OVERDRIVE LIGHT FLASHES WHEN THE OVERDRIVE SLIPS. THERE IS ONE ISOLATED INCIDENT ON A LONG HIGHWAY TRIP WHERE THE CAR WOULD NOT GO ABOVE 45. IT STARTED TO SMOKE AND SO I PULLED OVER AND SHUT OFF THE CAR. I STILL HAVE NOT FIGURED OUT WHERE THE TRANSMISSION FLUID CAME FROM BUT WHEN I LOOKED UNDER THE HOOD THERE WAS FLUID EVERYWHERE, AS IF ABOUT A QUART OF FLUID HAD BEEN SPRAYED OR BURST.*AK

CHECK ENGINE LIGHT IS ACTIVATED AND THE O/D LIGHT IS FLASHING. WHEN STARTING FROM STOPPED THE ACCELERATOR MUST BE PUCHED TO THE FLOOR FOR THE CAR TO GO ANYWHERE, AND IT SHIFTS VERY JERKY. HAVE CHANGED THE TRANSMISSION FLUID AND FILTER AND THE PROBLEM CONTINUES. THE CAR ONLY HAS 92 K MILES AND I'M AFRAID THAT THE TRANSMISSION NEEDS TO BE REPLACED.

UNEXPECTED ACCELERATION SURGE CAUSING CAR TO JUMP CURB, LOW WALL, AND THROUGH A FENCE, LANDING NOSE DOWN ON SWIMMING POOL DECK.*AK

TRANSMISSION FAILURE- CAR IS SERVICED ON A REGULAR BASIS- ONE DRIVE 87,000 MILES NO TOWING OR HEAVY LOADS. *NLM

MY HUSBAND AND I HAD BOUGHT OUR 1997 MAZDA 626 LX USED THAT WE HAD FOR 40 MONTHS NOW AND OUR 1ST TRANSMISSION FAILURE HAPPENED AT ABOUT 68,000 MILES IN APRIL 2002, AND NOW OUR TRANSMISSION IS FAILING AGAIN THIS WILL MARK THE 2ND TIME THAT WE HAVE TO FIX THIS TRANSMISSION THE FIRST TIME IT COST US $2,160.53. ALSO OUR O/D LIGHT HAS BEEN FLASHING OFF AND ON SINCE OUR TRANSMISSION FIRST MESSED UP JUST LAST YEAR. ITS REALLY MESSED UP THAT IT HAS JUST BEEN A LITTLE OVER A YEAR AND IT IS TIME TO FIX THIS TRANSMISSION AGAIN. IF THERE IS ANY CLASS ACTION LAWSUITS THAT IS GOING TO BE FILED AGAINST THIS SITUATION WE ARE GOING TO MAKE SURE THAT WE JOIN IN. THERE ARE CARS THAT RUN FOR YEARS THAT NEVER NEED TRANSMISSIONS FIXED, IF WE KNEW THIS CAR HAD THIS MANY COMPLAINTS AND PROBLEMS WE WOULD HAVE NEVER GOT IT!! *NLM

TRANSMISSION DEFECT. *NLM

DEFECTIVE 1997 MAZDA 626 TRANSMISSION. FAILURE AFTER ONLY 65,000 MILES. OVERDRIVE OFF LIGHT STARTS BLINKING AND TRANSMISSION STARTS ACTING UP. I'VE BEEN SURFING THE INTERNET AND FOUND THAT MANY PEOPLE HAVE ENCOUNTERED THIS PROBLEM. MANY OF THEM WITH EVEN LESS MILES. THIS TRANSMISSION IS CLEARLY DEFECTIVE AND SOMETHING NEEDS TO BE DONE, ESPECIALLY SINCE THE COST OF FIXING THIS PROBLEM IS OVER $2000. *NLM

WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE JERKED AND SLIPPED GEARS. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHO STATED THAT THE VEHICLE NEEDED A NEW TRANSMISSION. THE CONSUMER SEARCHED THE WEB AND FOUND THAT SOME OF THESE CARS DO HAVE THIS TYPE OF PROBLEM. *NLM

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

WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED THE TRANSMISSION WOULD DECELERATE EVEN WHEN THE CONSUMERS FOOT WAS ON THE ACCELERATOR. THIS MADE IT DIFFICULT FOR THE CONSUMER TO CONTROL THE VEHICLE. *NLM

AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS. THIS IS THE SECOND TIME THE TRANSMISSION HAS GONE OUT. FIRST TRANSMISSION WAS REPLACED BY MAZDA IN 2001. SECOND, WHEN CAR WAS PLACED IN "PARK" IT BECAME STUCK. IT COULD NOT BE UNLOCKED FROM PARK, COULD NOT BE PUSHED OUT OF THE WAY, AND THE CAR HAD TO BE TOWED. THE MECHANIC SAYS IT IS A COMPUTER CHIP IN THE CONSOLE THAT IS CAUSING THE PROBLEM. *JB