1998 Mazda B-Series Truck Transmission and drivetrain Problems
- Complaints
- 5about this part
- Share
- 7%of 67 total for the year
- Median mileage
- 65,000miles
- Trend
- Not enough dataFewer than 15 complaints, too few for a reliable trend.
NHTSA recorded 5 complaints about the transmission and drivetrain of the 1998 Mazda B-Series Truck, 7% of the 67 complaints for this model year. Where a mileage was given, the median is 65,000 miles. 2 of these say a crash was involved, according to the filers.
Fewer than 15 complaints name this part, so treat the figures as a rough indication only.
Example complaints
Selected from NHTSA records; personal details are removed. They are consumer reports, not findings.
“Four wheel drive system engaged on it's own, causing severe left turns as front wheel locks up. Has happened three times, even thou fixed twice. There is no locking hub conversion available for this model or the ford ranger it's clone. Will not drive this on snow or ice covered roads. Four wheel drive system consistently does not engage when you want it to. Truck built by ford.”
NHTSA complaint #10544539, filed 2013-09, 65,000 miles“The problem I experienced with my vehicle was sporadic. The clutch pedal would not depress and I was unable to get my vehicle into any gear. It did not matter how fast I was going or what gear I was shifting to. In order to get my vehicle into gear I had to shut the engine off, then shift into gear and restart the engine. This happened to me in traffic and on the highway. When this occurred I was unable to move my vehicle and was afraid that another vehicle would hit me. …”
NHTSA complaint #708726, filed 1999-07“Truck shudders 4 to 5 times coming to a complete stop and taking off from a complete stop all the time and occasionally also shudders in 2nd gear[truck is an automatic]. This has occurred since the 1st day I picked up the truck. It has been back to 2 different Mazda dealers after I had the transmission checked by an independent shop which gave the truck a clean bill of health and then took to independent shop for a diagnostic check where they found the problem to be the driveshaft. With this info I went back to Mazda where they regreased and repacked the driveshaft. The problem continues. …”
NHTSA complaint #712752, filed 1999-10“Had pushed clutch on way in and then released it. To engage, clutch pedal would come almost all way back before starting or moving vehicle. Had taken vehicle to 4 different dealerships. At two dealerships, mechanics indicated no problem. At other 2, mechanics indicated clutch was bad, and would need to replace or repair entire system.”
NHTSA complaint #883190, filed 2001-03“While the driver's foot was pressing the clutch, the plastic cover ripped off and caused the driver's foot to release the clutch. As a result the vehicle rear ended another vehicle. Both the manufacturer and the dealership were contacted.”
NHTSA complaint #10048710, filed 2003-11Related service bulletins
- 10222564Sep 26, 2022Some customers may experience a squeaking noise may be heard from the exhaust manifold when the idle speed drops from fast idle to normal idle speed during cold start. This is…
- 10206002Dec 8, 2021Automatic Transmission/Transaxle Cooler and Lines Flushing Procedure: Automatic Transaxle/Transmission (A/T) oil cooler and lines must be power flushed completely before an…
- 10016857Nov 22, 2004Thump / clunk from driveline on light acceleration or when stopping.
- 10013965Jun 1, 2004Programmable module installation. ( 2004 mazda b series)
Transmission and drivetrain: other model years
| Year | Complaints | Share of year |
|---|---|---|
| 2006 | 1 | 9% |
| 2003 | 3 | 14% |
| 2002 | 6 | 21% |
| 2001 | 5 | 14% |
| 2000 | 13 | 22% |
| 1999 | 9 | 12% |
| 1998 | 5 | 7% |
| 1997 | 7 | 13% |
| 1996 | 3 | 5% |
| 1995 | 1 | 2% |
| 1994 | 8 | 7% |
| 1993 | 1 | 11% |
| 1990 | 1 | 6% |
Other parts of the 1998 Mazda B-Series Truck
19 complaintsVehicle speed control
13 complaintsEngine cooling
9 complaintsBrakes
5 complaintsAir bags
4 complaintsSuspension
4 complaintsElectrical system
3 complaintsInterior lighting
3 complaintsBody and structure
3 complaintsFuel system
2 complaintsOther or unknown
2 complaintsEquipment
1 complaints
← All problems reported for the 1998 Mazda B-Series Truck
About this data. Data from NHTSA (ODI) complaints, recalls, TSBs and investigations, updated Oct 31, 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