1997 Mazda 626 Problems

What owners report

Owner complaints for this model year center overwhelmingly on the automatic transmission: a flashing overdrive-off light, harsh or erratic shifting, slipping and eventual loss of gears, often leading to rebuild or replacement. The reports arrive steadily rather than in one burst, most often somewhere around 60,000 to 130,000 miles. Smaller groups of complaints concern air bag deployments in minor impacts, engine cooling and stalling, and electrical or starting problems.

1. 1
   Transmission and drivetrain

   Automatic transmission failure (flashing O/D light)

   • 190 complaints (53%)
   • median 92,000 mi at 8.1 yrs old (122 state mileage)
   • 4 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • owner-quoted repair $2,500 (median of 37 quotes)
   • filed 1998–2018

   Complaints describe the overdrive-off lamp beginning to flash, sometimes together with the check engine light, followed by hard or jerky shifts, slipping, delayed engagement and occasionally losing gears or dropping into neutral while driving. Many owners say the transmission had to be rebuilt or replaced, sometimes more than once, and several mention being told by dealers or shops that heat was involved and that an auxiliary cooler was fitted afterwards. Reported repair costs in the complaints generally fall in the $1,500-$3,000 range at independent shops, with dealers often quoting more. Reported across a wide mileage range, most often between roughly 60,000 and 130,000 miles, frequently after the car has been driven for a while and warmed up.

   What to check: Ask whether the transmission has been rebuilt or replaced and keep the receipts; on a test drive watch for a flashing O/D-off lamp, harsh engagement into drive or reverse, and slipping under acceleration. Checking the fluid condition and whether an auxiliary cooler was added is also worthwhile.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “When driving for approximately 2-4 hours the od off light started flashing. I've researched this incident and apparently the transmission gets too hot frequently resulting in costly repair! I had to drive back home after deciding not to continue my vacation and every 2 hours stopped to let the car cool because light ( od off) started to flash.”

   NHTSA complaint #10091217, filed 2004-09, 85,000 miles

   “I have some problem about my car. Mazda 626 1997 automatic. Like everyone else,the transmission went down at 95,822 miles. I've found out that that problem happens to every 626 Mazda. They [Mazda] have to do something about this.I'm just only student from thailand. I don't have that much money to fix it.{2000-3000$}. My car is not worth that much. Please help me tell them {Mazda} to do something.”

   NHTSA complaint #10080977, filed 2004-07, 98,500 miles
2. 2
   Air bags

   Air bag deploys in minor impacts or warning light flashes

   • 33 complaints (9%)
   • median 86,000 mi at 9.7 yrs old (9 state mileage, few)
   • 20 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • filed 1997–2016

   Several complaints describe the driver air bag deploying in what the owner considered a minor impact, such as striking a curb, a pothole or driving over a raised sewer cover, and in some cases the deployment was followed by facial injuries and a broken windshield. Others report a blinking air bag warning light that dealers traced to a sensor. Owners of cars said not to be covered by the air bag sensor recall describe being told by the dealer to go through their insurer instead. Reported anywhere from about 40,000 to 160,000 miles, with the deployments tied to low-speed impacts or rough road surfaces rather than a particular mileage range.

   Recall 98V2490001 related service bulletin

   What to check: Check that the air bag warning light behaves normally on startup and ask whether the car was ever included in or serviced under the air bag sensor campaign. Note that non-genuine accessories can affect air bag operation according to a service bulletin.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “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. …”

   NHTSA complaint #10070672, filed 2004-01, 86,000 miles

   “We had just bought my 1997 Mazda 626 from a family member and had only had it about 3 weeks. My mother in law had used my car and was coming down the drive and hit a pot hole when the air bags deployed hitting her in the face and busting the windshield. She had to be taken to the hospital for injuries sustained due to the airbags deploying. I then went online where I saw that Mazda had a recall on my car model. I called Mazda and they said there was nothing they could do, that I would have to contact my insurance company. …”

   NHTSA complaint #10407636, filed 2011-06, 157,821 miles
3. 3
   Engine cooling

   Stalling and rough running while driving

   • 43 complaints (12%)
   • median 101,985 mi at 8.8 yrs old (18 state mileage)
   • 3 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • filed 1997–2018

   Complaints describe the engine stalling at low speeds and while accelerating, sometimes recovering on its own, and occasionally with the check engine light or the O/D-off lamp coming on at the same time. Several owners link this to sensors, ignition components or the timing belt tensioner area, and one complaint describes the engine shaking with warning lights on and a subsequent sequence of thermostat, water pump, converter and sensor repairs. Mostly in the 60,000 to 150,000 mile range, with no clear weather or driving pattern in the sample.

   Recall 98V2060011 related service bulletin

   What to check: Ask for service records showing whether the timing belt and tensioner were replaced, and have a scan tool read any stored codes during a pre-purchase inspection. A sulfur or rotten-egg smell from the exhaust is described in a service bulletin as not an indication of an emission problem.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “The vehicle is stalling during acceleration and after. Sometimes it's stops and clear itself up and then throws itself into overdrive (o/d off lights starts flashing) all while driving it in the street(city and interstate). When you let the car sit and not run it will not flash but after driving amd not getting any speed it does it again.”

   NHTSA complaint #11157034, filed 2018-12, 147,400 miles

   “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.”

   NHTSA complaint #10038490, filed 2003-09, 60,161 miles

Buying note. A thorough test drive with attention to transmission behavior, plus receipts for any transmission work or ignition switch recall service, is the most useful step on this model year. Because many complaints concern a rebuild or replacement rather than a minor adjustment, factor potential transmission costs into the price you are willing to pay.

Summary written with AI from a sample of 60 NHTSA complaints for this model year (picked at random, with complaints that state a mileage and recent ones taken first), then checked automatically against the source records. Where a problem shows a complaint count, every complaint for this model year was matched with fixed keyword rules (written with AI and tested against the sample), and the mileage, age and repair figures are calculated from those complaints; owners' figures are as stated, not verified. Other counts refer to the sample. The excerpts come from NHTSA's public complaint records and are unverified; capitalisation is normalised, NHTSA staff notes are removed, and shortened text ends with “…”. Something wrong? Request a correction.