1994 Mazda 626 Engine cooling Problems
- Complaints
- 26about this part
- Share
- 9%of 282 total for the year
- Median mileage
- 103,696miles
- Trend
- StableComplaints filed in the last 3 full calendar years are within 25% of the 3 years before.
NHTSA recorded 26 complaints about the engine cooling of the 1994 Mazda 626, 9% of the 282 complaints for this model year. Where a mileage was given, the median is 103,696 miles. 1 of these say a crash was involved and 2 a fire, according to the filers.
Example complaints
Selected from NHTSA records; personal details are removed. They are consumer reports, not findings.
“The 1994 Mazda 626lx with a v-6 2.5l motor has required 3 transmissions in the 8 years I have owned the car. The water pump went out twice and the alternator twice as well. This last time the transmission failed, I was on I-5 heading north near the los banos turnoff when it just started slipping and came to a complete stop on the freeway. I am very frustrated with the design and longevity of many parts of this vehicle.”
NHTSA complaint #10361472, filed 2010-10, 138,000 miles“The alternator or water pump belt broke due to water pump pulley alignment causing the engine to overheat and require rebuilding process. Water pump pulley is positioned too close to the engine and not aligned with the alternator and harmonic balancer. V-belt shreds over time due to misalignment and lost of charging and cooling is instant. Water pump pulley alignment should be checked and adjusted if needed, during engine assembly.”
NHTSA complaint #10041181, filed 2003-10, 90,504 miles“The hold light started blinking on and off. The car also started jerking. I was miles from a residence almost didn't make it to a repair shop had to have it towed to a dealer to have a new transmission put in, and a new air flow meter installed. Cost a couple of thousands dollars to have a new transmission put in now they tell me that it could happen again and my car has less thatn 50000 miles on it.”
NHTSA complaint #706450, filed 1999-05“The contact owns a 1994 Mazda 626. The vehicle was overheating and a noise was coming from the brakes. The mechanic didn't check the overheating failure. However, stated that the vehicle had a terrible vibration. The mechanic rebuilt the front end. After the repairs were performed the vehicle would pull from the left to the right, the vehicle would not drive straight , and the brakes were completely damaged. The second repair shop stated that they couldn't repair the vehicle due to the damages. The vehicle had not been repaired. …”
NHTSA complaint #10188860, filed 2007-04, 103,696 miles“Exhaust failure...fire under car, car stopped running, catalytic converters melted, entire system replaced, covered by california warranty. Transmission failure, no reverse, no neutral gears. Only have 1st and 3 rd gears. Transmission oil read okay till this happened, now it is gone and dealer says the fluid is fried. Looking at $3000. For automatic transmission replaced.”
NHTSA complaint #754626, filed 2001-11Related service bulletins
- 10154879Mar 20, 2019In support of the new MRT distribution, Mazda will ship to dealers a new Dual Purpose Diagnostic Leak Detector beginning March, 2019. Training videos will be posted to MGSS…
Engine cooling: other model years
| Year | Complaints | Share of year |
|---|---|---|
| 2003 | 1 | 11% |
| 2002 | 3 | 3% |
| 2001 | 20 | 11% |
| 2000 | 18 | 8% |
| 1999 | 48 | 15% |
| 1998 | 81 | 19% |
| 1997 | 39 | 11% |
| 1996 | 33 | 9% |
| 1995 | 28 | 6% |
| 1994 | 26 | 9% |
| 1993 | 12 | 10% |
| 1991 | 5 | 8% |
| 1990 | 8 | 18% |
| 1989 | 6 | 14% |
| 1988 | 3 | 7% |
| 1987 | 2 | 7% |
| 1986 | 2 | 13% |
Other parts of the 1994 Mazda 626
177 complaintsElectrical system
24 complaintsBrakes
18 complaintsAir bags
14 complaintsExterior lighting
12 complaintsSuspension
10 complaintsVehicle speed control
9 complaintsOther or unknown
8 complaintsVisibility (wipers, defrost, mirrors)
6 complaintsSeat belts
5 complaintsSteering
4 complaintsFuel system
3 complaints
← All problems reported for the 1994 Mazda 626
About this data. Data from NHTSA (ODI) complaints, recalls, TSBs and investigations, updated Oct 27, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate.
To check a specific vehicle for open recalls, use its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls. Methodology