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Mazda 626Model year report

1998 Mazda 626 Problems

Complaints
434filed with NHTSA
Median mileage
89,155miles, 223 complaints with mileage
Recalls
4campaigns on record
Trend
StableComplaints filed in the last 3 full calendar years are within 25% of the 3 years before.
NHTSA crash rating
—overall rating starts with 2011 models
EPA fuel economy
22 mpgcombined, 2.0L 4-cyl FWD · 19 city / 26 hwy

Sources: NHTSA records for the 1998 Mazda 626 (complaints, recalls, investigations), EPA fuel economy. Report an error

What owners report

Owners of this model year report transmission problems far more than anything else, most often a slipping or jerking automatic that eventually stops moving, with the overdrive light flashing beforehand. A smaller but consistent group describes engine stalling linked to a broken timing belt tensioner spring, which several owners note falls outside a related recall because of VIN coverage.

  1. Transmission and drivetrain

    Automatic transmission slips, jerks, then fails

    • 274 complaints (63%)
    • median 89,800 mi at 7.1 yrs old (168 state mileage)
    • 6 mention a crash, fire or injury
    • owner-quoted repair $2,189 (median of 64 quotes)
    • filed 1998–2018

    Complaints describe hard or jerky shifts, especially between first and second gear, along with slipping, high revs without acceleration, and a flashing overdrive light. Many owners say the car later stopped moving in any gear and required a rebuild or replacement. Some report the transmission fluid was discolored or burnt, and dealers or shops sometimes told them the behavior was normal before the unit failed. Reported across a wide mileage range, from under 20,000 miles up to roughly 200,000, with many clustered between about 70,000 and 120,000 miles.

    1 related service bulletin

    What to check: Check the transmission fluid for color and burnt smell, and test drive from a cold start watching for hard 1-2 shifts or a flashing overdrive light. Ask whether the transmission has ever been rebuilt or replaced and keep records of the fluid service history.

    2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

    “Well this is the second time I have had to replace my transmission due to poor design. This is a dangerous problem and very costly. Mazda says there is nothing wrong with there transmissions goin out every year or two. Well I am upset that neither the government nor Mazda has done anything about it? Just glad I will never have this problem again.”

    NHTSA complaint #10114273, filed 2005-03, 137,000 miles

    “Imade a complaint earlier but I forgot a few things. My o/d light sometimes flashes and my check engine light is always on. I took it to autozone to get the light read and the man gave me a list of problems wrong with the car. I don't remember every thing but one thing was just a sensor and the other problem was something wrong inside of the transmission.”

    NHTSA complaint #10111941, filed 2005-02, 77,999 miles
  2. Engine cooling

    Engine stalls from broken timing belt tensioner spring

    Mentioned in 14 of 60 sampled complaints

    Complaints describe the engine quitting without warning, sometimes at speed or at a stop, and then failing to restart; in several cases a shop found the external spring on the timing belt tensioner had broken. Owners frequently note that a recall covers this part on some cars but that their vehicle was excluded by VIN, and some report the broken belt also damaged the cylinder head or required a used engine. Mostly reported between roughly 55,000 and 115,000 miles, often with no warning before the stall.

    Recall 00V1340001 related service bulletin

    What to check: Ask whether the timing belt and tensioner have been replaced and when, and whether the car's VIN was included in the tensioner recall. A pre-purchase inspection that includes the timing components is worthwhile on a car of this age.

    2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

    “The external spring in my timing belt tensioner has broken, and there is no recall on my specific vehicle. However, there is one on the Mazda 626 2.0 ltr engine (4 cyl).”

    NHTSA complaint #10267242, filed 2009-04, 180,000 miles

    “My daughter was driving the car in heavy traffic when it stalled and lost all power. It would not start and it was towed to a shop where it was found that the timing belt had broken and caused much damage. We had to have the following replaced: cylinder head gasket, timing belt, timing belt tensioner, idler, spark plugs, thermostat, 2 drive belts, and the water pump. It cost us almost $1,700 to get it repaired. I have owned this car since it was new and have lived at the same address and was never notified of any recall before this happened. …”

    NHTSA complaint #10163408, filed 2006-07, 77,359 miles

Buying note. These cars are old enough that condition and service history matter more than the badge, so have any candidate inspected with attention to the automatic transmission and the timing belt components. Confirming which recalls were completed for the specific VIN is worth the effort before purchase.

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.

NHTSA recorded 434 consumer complaints for the 1998 Mazda 626. 223 of the complaints include a mileage, and 5% of those were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles; the median is 89,155 miles. Of all complaints, 12 involved a crash, 5 a fire, 15 an injury, 5 a death, according to the filers. NHTSA lists 4 recall campaigns and 58 technical service bulletins for this model year.

Not compared (before 2008). Model years 2008–2023 of the same vehicle that have at least 25 complaints are compared, and a model needs at least 3 of them.

Which parts are reported most

Complaints can name more than one part, so the counts add up to more than the total. Select a part to see its complaints, recalls and bulletins.

Also reported: Steering (5), Seat belts (4), Body and structure (3), Brakes (2), Engine (2), Exterior lighting (1), Suspension (1), Visibility (wipers, defrost, mirrors) (1), Wheels (1).

Example complaints

Transmission and drivetrain: “I bought a Mazda 626 1998 and it had 116,000 miles on it the transmission o/d light began to flash and then it started shifting hard then oil started to burn and I had to install a external transmission cooler this only lasted for a while and then the transmission shifted hard and oil went everywhere.”

NHTSA complaint #10379972, filed 2011-02, 116,000 miles

Engine cooling: “I am complaining about my 1998 Mazda 626. This car has been trouble ever since day one. I have had to replace the timing belt, the drive axles twice, and put in 4 transmissions. I have had the car since 2002 and had to replace the transmission every year. I could hardy make my car payments for having to spend extra money to repair my car.”

NHTSA complaint #10133479, filed 2005-08, 63,081 miles

Electrical system: “I have spent over $2000 trying to get my engine light to turn off. Nothing works. Now I am being fined for not passing inspection. What is going on? I have been having this problem for 2 years. After various repairs the light would finally go off. Now it will not and has been on for over 6 months. I have had o2 sensor and cat sensor replaced, since that is supposedly what the code was. Still nothing and noone seems to care.”

NHTSA complaint #10102252, filed 2004-12, 80,000 miles

Air bags: “My daughter has a 1998 Mazda 626. She hit a tree head on at about 40 miles per hour and the air bag did not come out. We have had the car repaired and she is driving it now. It really concerns me that this is a dangerous car if she has a wreck that is worst that the one she already has.”

NHTSA complaint #10070196, filed 2004-01

Mileage when problems were reported

5% of the 223 complaints with a mileage were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles; the middle half falls between 72,000 and 112,000 miles.

0%0–101%10–254%25–5024%50–7535%75–10030%100–1507%150+
Share of complaints by mileage when the problem was reported, in thousands of miles (223 complaints with mileage). Red bars: under 50,000 miles. Bucket widths differ. Median: 89,155 miles.

Complaints by year filed

Trend: stable. Complaints filed in the last 3 full calendar years are within 25% of the 3 years before.

’00’037474’06’09’14’18
Complaints by year the complaint was filed with NHTSA. Red bars: the last 3 full calendar years used for the trend. The current year (2026) is partial.

Fuel economy and running cost

EPA ratings for each 1998 Mazda 626 version. Annual fuel cost is the EPA's estimate at its current fuel prices for 15,000 miles a year (55% city driving).

VersionEngineTransmissionCityHwyComb.Fuel / yr
626 FWD2.0L 4-cyl5-speed manual233026$2,600
626 FWD2.0L 4-cyl4-speed automatic192622$3,050
626 FWD2.5L 6-cyl5-speed manual192521$3,900
626 FWD2.5L 6-cyl4-speed automatic182420$4,100

Source: U.S. EPA and Department of Energy, fueleconomy.gov. Ratings are for comparing vehicles; real-world mileage varies with driving and conditions.

Recalls and investigations

Recall details for the 1998 Mazda 626 → · Check a VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls

NHTSA investigations

Technical service bulletins

TSBs are manufacturer notes to dealers about known repair procedures. They are not recalls and do not by themselves mean a vehicle has a fault. 58 on record; the latest 10 are shown.

See all 58 bulletins →

Other model years of the Mazda 626

YearComplaintsMedian miRecallsCrash ★MPGScore (50 = typical)Trend
2003918,0000———Not enough data
20028772,6000—22Not compared (before 2008)Falling
200118878,3460—22Not compared (before 2008)Stable
200021781,1001—22Not compared (before 2008)Stable
199931880,0002—22Not compared (before 2008)Stable
199843489,1554—22Not compared (before 2008)Stable
199735890,0003—24Not compared (before 2008)Stable
199635995,0002—23Not compared (before 2008)Stable
1995488102,2622—23Not compared (before 2008)Stable
1994282112,0002—23Not compared (before 2008)Stable
1993122106,0001—23Not compared (before 2008)Stable
199219155,5060—22—Stable
199162131,0001—22Not compared (before 2008)Stable
199044121,4161—22Not compared (before 2008)Stable
19894260,0001—22Not compared (before 2008)Stable
19884550,0006—22Not compared (before 2008)Stable
19872938,4231—22Not compared (before 2008)Stable
198616235,0002—23—Stable
19856—0—25—Not enough data

All Mazda 626 model years · Best and worst years by complaints

Frequently asked questions

What are the most common problems with the 1998 Mazda 626?

Owners of this model year report transmission problems far more than anything else, most often a slipping or jerking automatic that eventually stops moving, with the overdrive light flashing beforehand. The issues reported most often: Automatic transmission slips, jerks, then fails; Engine stalls from broken timing belt tensioner spring.

How many NHTSA complaints does the 1998 Mazda 626 have?

NHTSA recorded 434 consumer complaints for the 1998 Mazda 626 as of Oct 27, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate.

What part of the 1998 Mazda 626 is reported most often?

Transmission and drivetrain is named most often, in 313 complaints (72% of the total), followed by engine cooling with 81.

Has the 1998 Mazda 626 been recalled?

NHTSA lists 4 recall campaigns for this model year. To check a specific vehicle, enter its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.

What gas mileage does the 1998 Mazda 626 get?

The EPA rates the 1998 Mazda 626 (626, 2.0L 4-cyl) at 22 mpg combined, 19 city and 26 highway, with an estimated annual fuel cost of $3,050 at 15,000 miles a year. Other engine and drive versions are rated differently.

At what mileage are problems with the 1998 Mazda 626 reported?

Among the 223 complaints that include a mileage, the median is 89,155 miles and the middle half falls between 72,000 and 112,000 miles; 5% were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles.

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. Fuel economy is from the EPA and DOE (fueleconomy.gov).

Complaint counts come from NHTSA’s public complaint database; we count each complaint once. The source records for this vehicle are on nhtsa.gov. Scores and trends are our own summaries of that data, described in the methodology. This page is not legal, safety or repair advice: for a specific vehicle, check its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls and ask a qualified mechanic. See an error? Tell us.