Consumer Complaints
| Fail date | miles | occurences | Purchase date |
|---|---|---|---|
| POWER TRAIN | |||
| 06/02/2008 | 1 | ||
| My 98 mazda 626 transmission went out twice within 2 years after i bought it! mazda did a | |||
| 08/04/2002 | 86000 | 1 | |
| I purchased my 1998 mazda 626lx in december 2000 with 65,000 miles on it. in july 2002 the transmission went out completely while driving up a hill at 65 mph with the cruise control on and the air conditioning turned on. the car suddenly shifted into second gear and proceeded to strip all the gears in the transmission (as i was told by the transmission repair shop) rendering my car useless for three months while i saved the money to have it repaired. i put a remanufactured one in from phoenix hard parts (never got my rebate, so don't go to them for help!). it cost me $1300 for the transmission and $1200 in labor to have it installed. now this transmission overheats (flashing o/d light) after only an hour on the interstate! please someone look into this issue. it may not be child seats, but this is costing lots of people thousands of dollars!*ak | |||
| 03/22/2003 | 73350 | 1 | 07/24/1998 |
| Problems with vehicle's engine and transmission.*mr the consumer believed recall#00v134000 was related to the problem he experienced with his vehicle. the consumer requested reimbursement for the engine and transmission repairs. *jb | |||
| POWER TRAIN - AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION | |||
| 11/29/2009 | 105626 | ||
| 105,626 original mileage. coming from a long highway drive. car began to rev really high. transmission was slipping. o/d light began blinking. crawled the vehicle to repair shop. was told there was a complete failure of the transmission. transmission was rebuilt. | |||
| 01/04/2011 | 116000 | ||
| 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. | |||
| 11/29/2009 | 105626 | ||
| 105,626 original mileage. coming from a long highway drive. car began to rev really high. transmission was slipping. o/d light began blinking. crawled the vehicle to repair shop. was told there was a complete failure of the transmission. transmission was rebuilt. | |||
| 01/04/2011 | 116000 | ||
| 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. | |||
| 10/25/2009 | 163450 | 1 | |
| 1998 mazda 626 lx 4 cyl car was fine took it to have transmission service next day slipping starting out in 2nd gear shifting hard before service was done car drove like a dream. *tr | |||
| 07/17/2009 | 133600 | 1 | |
| 1. long highway drive (8-10h) during temp. stormy conditions (1-2h) 2. transmission defect, 3800$ repair bill + additional costs for rentals/motels 3. replaced transmission. *tr | |||
| 03/13/2009 | 145700 | 1 | |
| I was driving home(logan) after driving from logan,ut. to layton,ut. when i heard a loud pop, the rpms redlined and the car stalled out. i pushed the car (1998 mazda 626) to the side of the road, the car was smoking so i opened the hood and smelled transmission fluid, i looked under the car and seen transmission fluid leaking on the road. this car has had an external transmission fluid added and it has still gone out. i am trying to investigate the problem for myself and have not come to a conclusion yet. i do not have the money for the service to be don so i will try to contact mazda or ford to get the issue corrected, luckily i wasn't on a very busy highway or the problem could have possibly resulted in a serious accident or damage to myself or someone else. *tr | |||
| 03/13/2009 | 145000 | 1 | |
| The tranny was slipping and the od light kept blinking on and off and the transmission stopped working due to faulty parts, with all the other complaints on this transmission they should either replace the part(s) or buy the vehicles back from the consumer! *tr | |||
| 01/03/2009 | 105000 | 1 | |
| I own two 1998 mazda 626s. the transmission went out in the first one. i bought a replacement and installed it. at the same time, i bought another mazda 626 and my wife started driving it. each transmission had about 100, 000 miles on it. we are small business owners on a budget with a big family and very mindful of preventable maintenance and driving with integrity. to make a long story short, i am sitting here this morning with three, yes three, useless transmissions and several thousands of dollars wasted thus far. mazda needs to own up to this problem with your help! *tr | |||
| 12/21/2008 | 89155 | 1 | |
| I have a 1998 mazda 626 4cyl. automatic transmission. i have had numerous problems with this transmission, i have had the torque converter replaced, along with fluid flushes and even some electrical connections replaced and now the car sits in my driveway with a perfect motor and when its in reverse it is in drive, there is no reverse anymore. i have spent thousands of dollars trying to get this fixed and i am on a fixed income and need help repairing it. *tr | |||
| 12/01/2008 | 120215 | 1 | |
| Transmission problems with the year of 98's transmissions made by ford. transmissions have had multiple issues starting from shifting issues, transmission fluid overheating requiring more and more mazda 626's to have aftermarket transmission coolers installed, transmission overheating. this year that ford made this transmission has caused many people to often replace transmissions for this vehicle. you will see many people have replaced their transmissions 2 or 3 times within putting 150k on the vehicle. please look into as i have had my transmission slip and completely not work, to getting rebuilt and now my o/d is now flashing, which requires me to install an aftermarket oil cooler for my transmissions, which does not come with the vehicle already. transmission rebuild is costing over 2,000 dollars due to the unavailability of parts from the dealer and aftermarket suppliers. please recall this transmission!!!!!! a mazda technical service bulletin exists for some 1998-2001 models. tsb 05-005/02 deals with one specific circumstance: after extended highway driving, the o/d off light is blinking and code p1783 is set (excessive atf temperature). occasionally there will be overflow through the dipstick tube and harsh shifting. mazda's recommended fix is to replace the radiator and to install an auxiliary cooler for the transmission. when the light goes on, it enters a fail-safe mode? (the epc solenoid opens up and brings line pressure up to 'max') ... the only catch is it raises the fluid pressure well beyond normal specs (it goes from 100 to 400 psi). ford cd4e transmission http://www.answerbag.com/q_view/724066 - issues also with transmission. *tr | |||
| 06/26/2008 | 146000 | 1 | |
| My mazda was doing just fine then one day it started having major problems shifting from 1st to 2nd gear and revs very high going between gears, and the o/d light flashes. i have not been able to afford the repairs yet. *tr | |||
| 10/18/2008 | 112134 | 1 | |
| I was driving the car at 75 mph on the freeway, when all of a sudden, the transmission basically went into neutral. traffic was light, and i was able to cost to the right shoulder of the freeway. i was unable to get the car to work in any gear (r, d, 1, 2). the car was towed to a local transmission shop for repairs. the shop discovered that the torque converter had a catastrophic failure and littered metal parts through the entire transmission. the entire transmission had to be required at the cost of $2,212. *tr | |||
| 10/18/2007 | 119000 | 2 | 10/03/2007 |
| The vehicle jolts when coming off the highway which i was informed was due to the overheating transmission. after about two hours of highway driving i had to pull to the side of the highway because the vehicle became unstable. *tr | |||
| 03/03/2008 | 130200 | 1 | 01/11/2006 |
| I was driving at 65 mph on a freeway when o/d light started blinking, then the engine accelerated to 7000 rpm at the speed. pulled over and stopped, after that i could not move the car. apparently, the transmission is blown (as what everyone says). i researched this extensively and it looks like it is a defect that the manufacturer was aware of and, as such, should help mitigate. looks like tons of 626s were damaged like this. i will attempt to have dealer take a look at it and hopefully they will fix it. but i believe all the complaints on this forum are a valid ground for a recall. *tr | |||
| 02/20/2008 | 126480 | 1 | |
| Transmission failure. i know of a lot of people with 626's that has transmission problems, and the bad thing about it is mazda knew about it. we are hoping to get mazda to do something about it, it's pathetic. i was hoping i wouldn't have any problems out of mine, but i have. we need to have something done about this, i can't afford to replace this transmission, and mazda knows about it. why don't they do a recall? it could pose as a hazard. my car erratically changes gears, and rpms, it could just stop in the middle of the road and cause a serious wreck. why wait until accidents happen, why not go ahead and do a recall???? *tr | |||
| 01/03/2008 | 1 | ||
| Transmission failure.*cn | |||
| 12/07/2007 | 160000 | 2 | |
| This will be the second time that i have replaced the transmission on my 626. the first time was august of 2006. it started with the o/d light flashing the smoking and finally going out completely. the car left me stranded on the freeway in the middle of no-where. i had to wait for a tow truck for 3 hours and $200.00 to get it towed to a shop near my house. i was able to find a used transmission from a junk yard and had it replaced for a total cost of $1200.00. cheap compared to what everyone else has paid. the second time was just recent 12/7/07. the transmission started jumping between gears (2nd and 3rd) then it stayed stuck on 2nd gear. finally it went out and would not engage any gear including reverse. so far i have not found another (reasonably priced) transmission. the cheapest i found with a 30 day warranty is $1000.00. this does not include the labor which is about $400.00. *tr | |||
| 08/01/2007 | 118000 | 1 | 01/27/1998 |
| 1998 mazda 626 2.0l automatic tranny issues. car has 118k miles and the tranny is needing a rebuild. looked it up and several people are complaining about the cd4e ford number or the la4a-el mazda number tranny. *jb. updated 01/02/08. *lj updated 12/12/07 *tr | |||
| 06/01/2007 | 110000 | 1 | 05/05/2001 |
| My 1998 mazda 626 has a faulty transmission, which has failed at 110k. the resulting failure will cost about $2,000 to fix, and the replacement transmission will likely have the same problem. i have done nothing to fix the problem, because i am afraid a new transmission will only fail as well. *tr | |||
| 04/21/2004 | 95000 | 20 | 09/30/1998 |
| I bought my 626 new in 1998. i have had transmission troubles regularlysince then. in 2003-4, i had the transmission rebuilt, then purchased a new one. the new one is having problems. it will get hot, the o/d light flashes, and we are stuck on the side of the road waiting for it to cool. | |||
| 05/12/2007 | 128000 | 4 | 07/01/1998 |
| Replaced transmission at 42,000 miles and again at 128,000 miles | |||
| 02/14/2007 | 98344 | 4 | 04/12/2006 |
| 1998 mazda 626 4 cylinder transmission being replaced for the fourth time...the auto is under 100,000 miles...*jb | |||
| 12/02/2006 | 140000 | 3 | |
| Transmission failure... almost got into an accident on the freeway when my cars transmission failed. luckily there was some traffic on the freeway. it has been doing that for the past month. *nm | |||
| 07/31/2006 | 89000 | 1 | 06/01/1998 |
| While driving, my '98 626lx the transmission will disengage from the engine. aamco transmission determined the problem to be that due to excessive heat, the torque converter failed and fragments penetrated the transmission while being suspended by the transmission fluid. no less than $2000 to repair. here's where i really got upset. mazda published a technical service bulletin-005/02 in 2002 which outlines preventive measures to take to avoid this heat related failure. when contacted about a claims procedure, they told me that there was no such bulletin and that there was no recall for my vehicle. i understand that failures do occur on vehicles. however, when the manufacturer is aware of the issue and fails to even make a cursory effort to inform the vehicle owner/purchaser, it seems to me that the company is negligent and should in part bare the burden of the cost of repair. *jb | |||
| 07/11/2006 | 1 | 05/14/2006 | |
| I just bought a 98 626 with a little over a 100k on it in may before i bought it i took it to mazda to have all parts and componets checked out they said the transmission was healthy and the engine was good and all parts looked great. so i bought the car the same day the check engine light came on they told me it was the gas i was using then reset my code. since then i have had problems with the alternator the belts and now the transmission. since may i have put over 1100 in parts and labor in this car now they say i need a new transmission which is over 2200 any suggestions on what to do. *jb | |||
| 05/07/2006 | 1 | ||
| Purchased car used one week ago and immediately transmission failure at ~155k probably earlier...awaiting repairs costing 3k dollars. *nm | |||
| 03/13/2006 | 105300 | 1 | 08/30/2001 |
| I have a 1998 mazda 626 lx 4 cylinder, automatic transmission. i am sure you are aware of the transmission problems with these vehicles from 92-02. during long drives (over 30 miles), i began experiencing problems with the o/d (overdrive) light flashing. accompanying this phenomenon, was erratic shifting at high speeds between third and fourth gears. when pulling over and stopping the car, black smoke can be seen coming from the left side under the hood. this only seems to occur at high speeds, above 50 mph. this occurred on long drives as soon as i purchased the car. multiple mechanics were unable to diagnose the o/d light problem. i had the o2 sensors replaced. i found out later through internet chat rooms for the mazda 626(aka: support group for automatic transmission 626 owners), that this problem is the first sign that the transmission is burning up. the transmission finally failed at 105,000 miles(lucky to last that long). cost me $2000 to replace transmission with one from a junk yard. now the o/d light still flashes when driving over 30 miles over 50 mph. just waiting for the transmission to go out again. mazda should pay for these repairs, and the thousands of other unfortunate mazda 626 owners out there. *nm | |||
| 03/28/2006 | 88000 | 1 | 08/01/2002 |
| Dt*: the contact stated while driving 65mph, the automatic transmission began to hesitate, and the overdrive light illuminated. the vehicle was seen by an independent repair shop. a diagnostic test was performed which detected a failing transmission. the dealer was alerted about the problem. | |||
| 10/24/2005 | 1 | ||
| Automatic transmission failure. *nm | |||
| 08/01/2005 | 14000 | 3 | 12/12/2004 |
| (1)transmission occasionally shifted with a hard jolt from 1st to 2nd and from 2nd to 3rd, then began to emit a loud whizzing/squeaking type of sound in all gears(including park and neutral). the sound was very similar to that of a loose belt, but was clearly coming for within the transmission. (2)within a week of making that sound, the transmission, although apparently shifting in the correct sequence, started slipping. obviously this resulted in the vehicle being extremely unsafe to drive. (3)at this point i have: a - received estimates ranging from $1800-$2700 for a complete transmission rebuild with installation, as well as estimates ranging from $650-$1750+shipping for a used transmission without installation. so far, i have replaced the transmission fluid after draining and flushing the system, at which point i discovered that unlike virtually all other automatic transmissions, the ford cd4e transmission must be removed and completely disassembled in order to replace the transmission fluid filter. obviously, as the filter becomes clogged with debris, the pressure and flow of the fluid is restricted, resulting in loss of performance, over-heating, and eventually a complete system failure. *jb | |||
| 09/03/2005 | 143800 | 1 | 08/03/2005 |
| The transmission started slipping 2 days after i bought the car. as i was driving home from the store the transmission stopped responding while i was driving. after this the car did move in any gear. i since then have had the transmission rebuilt. *jb | |||
| 09/14/2005 | 54524 | 2 | 05/04/2002 |
| I bought mazda 626 lx 1998 and two months after transmission failed. car started making clinging noise,slow performance and abrupt shifts, slow start ups. took it to aamoco and they diagnosed failing transmission and charged me $2200,didn't have money so end up getting loan to pay of,plus interest. just paid of loan and my rebuilt transmission (original one but fixed it by aamoco) is failing again,abrupt shifts,very slow starts and i actually got ticket from police. found place to get car repaired second time for $1500. so far in 3 1/2 years transmission failed 2 and around $4300 in repairs costs and loans. luckily i did not drive car on highway while it have transmission problems,otherwise would be in danger of accident. car takes slow shift,around 30-40 mph makes moves like it will stall,it takes from 0-60 minutes not seconds...very dangerous to operate on highway during failure. *jb | |||
| 07/26/2005 | 112000 | 1 | 08/18/1998 |
| I have a 1998 mazda 626 lx 4 cylinder automatic. the transmission failed and is giving jerky movements while driving especially after a extended driving. estimated cost is 3375 plus taxes. i read about similar problems on the web and did not know if anyone else complained to you. | |||
| 05/17/2005 | 03/12/1998 | ||
| My complaint is with the transmission in the mazda 626 (cd4e). | |||
| 03/27/2005 | 99000 | 1 | |
| O/d off light began flashing. every time the vehicle shifted there was a loud bang. i brought it into a transmission repair center where they told me the transmission needed to be replaced. fluid was leaking through the bushings and burning.*ak | |||
| 03/13/2005 | 98200 | 1 | 03/11/2005 |
| Transmissions shifting in jerky motions, needed to flush fluid out. many problems noted with mazda cd4e transmissions. *ak | |||
| 09/24/2003 | 3 | 06/01/2000 | |
| My 1998 626 was purchased in 2000. in september 2003 my transmission completely failed on me and had to be replaced. ths car has been nothing but problems for me, i have had the timing belt to break on me causing my car to kill in traffic, my check engine light constanty comes on, my car stalls and jerks and yet no mechanic can find a reason for this.*ak | |||
| 03/15/2005 | 2 | ||
| Upon putting vehicle in gear it will not move. consumer contacted the manufacturer. however, problem still exists. *ak | |||
| 03/16/2005 | 137000 | 2 | 06/22/2002 |
| 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.*ak | |||
| 05/15/2004 | 65000 | 1 | 08/18/1998 |
| Sluggish shifting, finally: failure to shift from 1st to 2nd gears. cd4e tranmission failure @ 65,000 miles. total rebuild of transmission including hard parts (gears). suspect failure due to insufficent pressure in oil pump (suspected design flaw), as suggested by several asc mechanic information websites.*ak | |||
| 02/27/2005 | 92000 | 1 | 05/12/2003 |
| Transmission failed. problem appears to be common to all 626's manufactured in the late 90's. *jb | |||
| 12/28/2004 | 77999 | 1 | 09/15/2004 |
| 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.*ak | |||
| 11/03/2004 | 77999 | 1 | 09/15/2004 |
| Ijust bought my 626 about 6 months ago and it is having major problems that it did not have when i bought it. the transmission is failling, it jerks, it smokes, and sometimes it will not even go. to get it fixed i will have to pay about $3000 unless they find more problems in the car. i see many people have the same problem as me and i do not understand why they don't fix it.*ak | |||
| 02/07/2005 | 1 | ||
| Mazda 626 has always jerked on occasion when shifting. driving without any warning (no warning lights of any kind came on), my car started jerking and lurching (this is while going 45 mph). worried about making it to my destination, just barely made it to where i was headed, had it towed from this spot to dealer to evaluate because i felt the vehicle was not safe to drive at this point. was told by the dealer that the clutches had burnt out and the debris from this caused other problems, needed new transmission $2,700 to fix. just previously had them do some transmission work costing me over $500 for the service. *jb | |||
| 01/20/2005 | 80400 | 1 | 07/14/1998 |
| Transmission is giving serious problem. 1998 mazda 626 lx, auto transmission, 80k miles. v4. *ak | |||
| 10/15/2004 | 69000 | ||
| Vehicle is experiencing problems with the transmission. the vehicle only has 69,000 miles on it. when putting the transmission in drive, the vehicle will not move. it can only move forward when the transmission is in first gear. vehicle is currently outside of the warranty. provide further details. *nm | |||
| 09/01/2004 | 101000 | 1 | 04/21/2004 |
| While driving on the highway, i stopped for fuel. i got in the car to leave and it would not move. had the car towed to aamco . transmission and torque converter were repaired. two weeks later, i had to return to aamco and the torque converter was again replaced. this is a well maintained car and not abused. there was no warning that something was wrong. aamco said the transmission had overheated causing the failure. there was no apparent slippage prior to the event. *jb | |||
| 12/12/2004 | 83959 | 1 | 01/03/2002 |
| My 1998 626 one day without warning the o/d button started blinking and the car began hesitating when driving. i got home, and parked the car. the next day i go to take the car to a car shop, and i missed my turn. i went to make a u-turn and then shifted gears into reverse, but my car wouldn't move. finally i go to the repair shop and was told that i needed a new transmission.*ak | |||
| 08/11/2004 | 2 | ||
| 1998 mazda 626 - transmission started slipping and finally gave out. also was not the first transmission rebuilt received directly from mazda that has given out, but was not reported the first time due to the fact i thought it was a regular problem caused on my part. recently had to pay $3000+taxs to replace transmission and labor charges. there has to be something done about mazda and there vehicles because they are useless pretty much and should be recalled. http://www.carlounge.com/cgi/cars/frameset.php?bulletin=y&url=http://www.carlounge.com/cgi/carsbbs/read.php/f/2/i/31057/t/31057 ......this url provided is just one of the many forums and cartracking websites that have numerous complaints of mazda owners having problems with their cars, especially the transmission. not one , this is a fact and can be proven, not one owner of a mazda 626 has 'not' had extremely serious problems with their car, specifically in the transmission. please..... do something about this because spending $3000+ dollars on repairs regularly is obviously ridiculous, even if the money were available. *jb | |||
| 11/15/2004 | 938023 | 1 | 10/08/2004 |
| I bought a used 1998 mazda 626 on oct 8, 2004 and nov 15, 2004 the transmission died in it and the dealer won't do a thing, mazda is denying that there is a problem and still there is no recall forced onto the manufacture. i'm not spending $1500 or more, i'm going to try to rebuild the tranny myself and bill mazda @ $85/hr plus parts. we need a class action suit filed. any lawyers' out there, please help us. i don't wan't to repair the tranny 3 times or more.*ak | |||
| 11/08/2004 | 82750 | 1 | 10/26/2004 |
| Transmission failure at 82,000 miles (on an already rebuilt transmission). *jb | |||
| 10/21/2004 | 84500 | 1 | 10/15/2000 |
| I know i'm not the first to say this, but the transmission in my 98 mazda 626lx (4 cylinder) is a piece of crap! after a mere 84,500 miles, its shot. nice work mazda, i'm never buying your ford in disguise product again. if there were a degree in running off consumers, mazda would have a doctorate!................now im out $1500........thanks for nothing and again, i'm never buying another mazda product for as long as i live. *ak | |||
| 05/08/2004 | 131850 | 2 | 03/07/2001 |
| I would like to make a complaint about my 1998 mazda 626. the automatic transmission is a peace of crap. the car is a 98 model with 132,000 miles and has had the transmission rebuilt or replaced 2 times. this is not normal.*ak | |||
| 09/22/2004 | 78935 | 4 | 02/21/2002 |
| The first transmission failure was in july 2003. it was repaired by aamco transmissions. the transmission failed again in october 2003. repaired again by aamco. it failed again in april 2004. repaired again by aamco. now the transmission has failed again in september 2004. this is 4 times within 1 year and 2 months. this is utterly ridiculous. it is obvious something is wrong with the mazda 626 automatic transmission being that there are many complaints about this same problem. mazda needs to step up and take responsibility for a major defect in the 626. no wonder they stopped producing the 626 in order to avoid the problem at hand.*ak | |||
| 08/01/2004 | 3 | 06/05/1998 | |
| I purchased my 626 in june 1998. at 58,700 miles (nov 2001), the 1st transmission went up (flashing o/d, wouldn't shift, etc). i had a rebuilt transmission installed at a local transmission shop because it was no longer covered under the warranty. it cost $1,500. at 92,000 miles (nov 2003), the 2nd transmission also went up. i had the third transmission installed at the same shop at a cost of $1,800. the vehicle currently has a little over 100,000 miles on it and it is currently in the shop getting it's 4th transmission. this time, we were headed out of town with the car fully packed for vacation when it decided to dump all of the transmission fluid, started smoking, flashed o/d lights, etc. four transmissions in 100,000 miles is a glaring failure on the part of mazda and/or ford (who built the transmission). i will never buy another mazda and i will advise everyone i know that mazda vehicles can't be trusted. i don't understand why there was no recall on this horrendous piece of junk. *ak | |||
| 08/23/2004 | 87000 | 2 | 01/28/2003 |
| Transmission slipping, od light blinking, transmission fluid boiling out of dip stick area, covering motor which then started burning with lots of smoke. took it to transmission repair shop they changed the filter and fluid, now it doing the same thing. i'm scared to drive it! *ak | |||
| 04/15/2004 | 115637 | 2 | 01/04/2002 |
| On april 15th, 2004 i was driving to work in my 1998 mazda 626 lx and the automatic transmission began to slip then failed completely. i had to drive off the highway in first gear. i then took my 626 to a local transmission shop and they informed me mazda transmissions had a faulty drum. he informed me the transmission would have to be replaced. i picked up my vehicle from the transmission shop on april 23rd, 2004 and on april 24th, 2004 i was driving on the freeway and the overdrive light began flashing and the the car began to decelerate and also began smoking. i had the vehicle towed to the transmission shop and they informed me the transmission had blown once again. they replaced the transmission a second time and on sunday, may 2nd, 2004 i was driving on the freeway and the overdrive light began to flash once again. i immediately pulled off of the freeway and had the vehicle towed to the same transmission shop. i called mazda and they informed me they were aware of the faulty transmission and stated i needed to install a transmission cooler to keep this from happening. they informed me a recall has not been done on the faulty transmission. the original transmission is not available. during this time i not only had to pay for a new transimssion and cooler i also had to pay for towing costs and car rentals for almost 3 weeks.*ak | |||
| 08/04/2002 | 86000 | 1 | |
| I purchased my 1998 mazda 626lx in december 2000 with 65,000 miles on it. in july 2002 the transmission went out completely while driving up a hill at 65 mph with the cruise control on and the air conditioning turned on. the car suddenly shifted into second gear and proceeded to strip all the gears in the transmission (as i was told by the transmission repair shop) rendering my car useless for three months while i saved the money to have it repaired. i put a remanufactured one in from phoenix hard parts (never got my rebate, so don't go to them for help!). it cost me $1300 for the transmission and $1200 in labor to have it installed. now this transmission overheats (flashing o/d light) after only an hour on the interstate! please someone look into this issue. it may not be child seats, but this is costing lots of people thousands of dollars!*ak | |||
| 03/28/2003 | 65000 | 1 | 11/24/1998 |
| I purchased a 1998 mazda 626 lx sedan in november 1998. at some point in the year 2002 the vehicle began to hesitate when shifting from first to second gear and then the overdrive off light began to flash. ocean mazda in miami, florida told me there was an incorrect gear ratio between first and second gear. when i told them to fix the problem they stated that they did not repair transmissions, they only replaced them. i was told the cost of that with parts and labor would be $4,000.00 which i did not have at that time. i continued to drive my mazda until the transmission went out on me on march 28, 2003 while i was traveling from tallahassee, florida back to miami. i had to leave the car in orlando, florida at a friend's house for two months and then could not afford to have it repaired until march 4, 2004. at the time of my transmission failure the car had approximately 65,000 miles on it. it cost me $2,400.00 to have a rebuilt transmission installed at a local shop and now i am on pins and needles hoping that it won't fail again for at least another 3 - 5 years. the gentleman who installed the rebuilt transmission stated that the transmission simply got to hot and burned up the components inside. reading other complaints i am not that optimistic that it won't fail again and i'm just hoping it will last long enough for me to save and get another car (not a mazda though).*ak | |||
| 06/04/2004 | 59000 | 1 | 02/28/1998 |
| Transmission failure. *ak | |||
| 05/22/2004 | 87666 | 1 | 01/14/2004 |
| Transmission seized abrubtly during a highway drive at 45 mi./ hr. locked up no reverse on my 1998 mazda 626. near accident, none resulted fortunately. this will be the second transmission in less than a year. will be taking in shop for replacement 5/24/2004.*ak | |||
| 02/18/2001 | 0 | ||
| I have had my mazda in the shop 5 times in the past year and a half all transmission related! it has cost me so much money, inconvienced me and just given me major migrains! i have had the transmission rebuilt twice, the differential barring replaced, a seal which was pouring out fluid and caused me to be stranded on interstate replaced. this car is a joke! mazda you should be ashamed to have your name on this car! i just got it out of the shop tuesday and i'm on my way to trade it!! i still owe on this car and i am not a happy and satisfied customer. why there is not a recall on this car is unbelievable! i have been so emotionally stressed out because i never know where or when my car is going to break down next. this mazda is history!!! | |||
| 04/05/2004 | 90666 | 1 | 11/10/2001 |
| Transmission failed in mar 03. rebuilt. failed less than 10,000 miles, brought back to service, failed again after another 10,000 miles on apr 5, 04.*ak | |||
| 01/23/2003 | 33000 | 3 | 06/01/2001 |
| I brought my mazda 626 lx on 6/1/01 with about 33,000 miles, since then i had to replace my timing belt at 44,000 due to the tension pin.meanwhile, i have made numberous amounts of repairs to this car. at about around 70,000 miles my transmission started having problems. sounded like it was making a popping noise and the car began jerking when under 30 mph. now the o/d light flashes on and off and my car starts smoking.*ak | |||
| 02/27/2004 | 104078 | 1 | 05/25/2001 |
| I own a 1998 mazda 626 and the transmission just went out on it. i have done a little research and found out that this is a common problem among these vehicles and i feel that mazda should start taking some responsibility. i have to pay $2,004.50 to get it rebuilt and i have only owned it for 2 years. my vehicle was 100 feet from the train tracks when it decided to stop working. it could have been a very bad situation as the train came by a couple minutes after my transmission failed. *ak | |||
| 02/26/2004 | 68400 | 1 | 06/06/2001 |
| Transmission needs replacing at the ridiculously low mileage of 68,000 miles. after checking various web sites, i discovered that the problem is endemic for mazda 626 cars with automatic transmissions.*ak | |||
| 09/20/2003 | 1 | ||
| My son was given a 1998 mazda 626 with 70,000 miles by his grandmother. we knew the history on this car, it had been well maintained and we thought it would be a good safe first car for him. before my son even got his licence we started having problems, the car appeared to be slipping in and out of gear, the rpm's would jump and the vehicle would lurch forward. we put the car in the shop and were told it would need a new transmission. we are thankful the problem appeared before my son was out on the road alone. i have read numerous complaints about mazda transmissions and some of the things that have happened could have been fatal in the hands of an inexperienced driver. mazda has been made aware of the problem but seems to be ignoring it. do we have to wait until there are fatalities before something is done?*ak | |||
| 01/13/2004 | 72500 | 1 | 05/25/2000 |
| Replaced transmission on 1998 mazda 626 at 72,500 miles. along with multiple repairs in the last 2 years, including abnormal burnout of tires, 3 windshield replacements and alignment issues. *cb | |||
| 12/02/2003 | 76126 | 1 | |
| I own a 1998 mazda 626 with approximately 76,000 miles. the transmission has failed and mazda said it will cost $4,000 to replace. *la | |||
| 11/10/2003 | 80047 | 1 | 04/03/1999 |
| The transmission is totally shot and i will have to replace it at a cost of about $2500 while i hear that if mazda had just informed the owners earlier they could have added about $100 cooling kit and saved all the cost and hassle. *la | |||
| 06/06/2003 | 120000 | 1 | 09/22/2000 |
| I have a 1998 mazda 626 and my transmission went out about 6 months ago. as i was researching, calling around and asking people about where i could find a transmission at a reasonable price, i came to realize that this has been a problem with several other people who owns or has owned a 626. *la | |||
| 11/01/2003 | 72000 | 2 | 07/01/2000 |
| I have replaced the auto-transmission on my 1998 mazda 626 twice, once at about 75,000 miles again at about 90,000 and now it is gone again at 113,000. thomas.smith9@us.army.mil *la | |||
| 10/12/2003 | 80000 | 1 | 01/01/2002 |
| My transmission failed at 80,000. the o/d light started bilnking on i-59. i pulled over because the car was jerking and acting very strange. when i opened my hood, i noticed smoke. i then closed my hood and slowly drove to a car repair shop. they said they couldn't find anything wrong with the car and returned it to me. one week later a noise that sounds like two gears grinding started in my car and this caused my car to jerk into each gear. this jerking was severe enough that it would cause my head to bounce back and hit the head rest. i then took it back to the shop and they thought that it was my cv driveshaft. they replaced it and the clicking continued. when they placed it on the rack, they then realized that the clicking was coming from the transmission. since they do not work on transmissions, i had it towed to a respected transmission shop. after inspection, they have informed me that it needs another transmission. the used one will cost me $1800 and a brand new one will cost me $2800. after looking online, i realize that this transmission problem is an on going one with mazda 626's. i think that it is absolutely absurd that mazda doesn't not recall this part since it is vital to the car's safety. the transmission going out in traffic could cause a serious accident. *la | |||
| 09/23/2003 | 88368 | 2 | 09/29/1998 |
| Transmission problems for the second time within the past 5 years. it was replaced on 09/01 at 47,544 miles, my check engine light came on and when i took my car to the shop they said that, the transmission was going out; the invoice states that the fluid was burnt and the torque converter was slipping. the second incident occurred on 9/23/03, coming from out of town, the overdrive light started flashing and stayed on for about 45 minutes so i stopped at a gas station and turned the car off, when i restarted the car i noticed smoke coming from under the hood. i raised the hood of my car and noticed some fluid coming out on the driver's side near the windshield and when a gentlemen came over to help, he told me that it was the transmission fluid overflowing. when i took my car to a repair shop i was told that pressure was building up in the transmission, the torque converter was replaced and i had to pay $2178.00. *la | |||
| 09/20/2003 | 1 | ||
| My car, a 1998 mazda 626 lx 4 cylinder automatic, has a dead transmission. this failure is due to defective ford transmission. *jb | |||
| 08/28/2003 | 105000 | 0 | 01/10/1998 |
| Transmission failed in year 5 of operation for 1998 mazda 626. i am aware that i am not alone with my transmission problem regarding 1994-1998 mazda 626s. this is too soon to be disposing of an automobile because of a big ticket item. very disappointed. won't ever buy mazda again. also, front, right axle joint was failing/loose a year ago, 3 repairs/axle replacement and $1000 later, the problem has not been fixed. absolutely no faith in mazda, or the service department located in burnsville, mn. | |||
| 08/10/2003 | 123000 | 1 | 09/20/1998 |
| While driving south on i75, i had noticed that my o/d light had started to flash. the car seemed okay, but the o/d continued to flash. i was in the process of passing a truck with an eighteen wheeler right behind me and all kinds of stuff started to happen. the speedometer quit working. then the battery and oil light came on. once that happen, the engine completely died. after calling stepps and having my car towed to my mechanic, he advised me that i had burned up the transmission. something blew inside the transmission which caused a fuse to blow and this cause the motor to turn off. my mechanic advised me to look into this because he recalls this happening to another client. he has given me a couple of different costs rainging from $1800 on up. i am shocked to read all of the posts from different people who have had the same issue. i have 123,000 miles on my car and am surprised this different happen sooner. something needs to be done about this.*ak | |||
| 05/20/2002 | 70000 | 1 | 07/03/1998 |
| Transmission failure. transmission completed failed at 70,000 miles. the transmission in this car is the infamous cd4e - used on the ford contour, probe, mercury mystique, etc... from what i hear, there's been nothing but complaints on these failing prematurely, costing driver's many thousands of dollars. the dealer wanted $3,500 to replace the transmission with a new one. i instead went to another business, and had a used cd4e put in. (the used one had 17,000). now, at 105,000, i'm starting to have transmission problems again. it's sluggish at times and o/d flashes now and then. the problem may not be the transmission's fault, but perhaps mazda's implementation of it. many people have complained to mazda to issue some sort of recall on this transmission, only to be ignored. add me to that list. *ak | |||
| 07/03/2003 | 1 | ||
| Transmission failure. i have been reading all types of posts from websites saying the same thing about the poor transmissions in the mazda 626. how could you disregard the quality of a part thats so vital to a newly manufactured car? most people who are writing posts about the mazda 626 transmission problem say that they will never buy mazda again, and i feel the same way. every post that i've seen has been about the faulty transmission. people having their transmissions die at 37k, 55k, 48k. what's going on? can we atleast get 150k. i'm still making payments on this car. if i have to get serious service like this, i would expect for it to be something way down the line after the car is paid for.*ak | |||
| 06/27/2003 | 103000 | 1 | 06/19/2002 |
| 1998 mazda 626 transmission failure experienced on a freeway. the car lost power and i had to pull over immediately. it repeatedly slipped out of gear.*ak | |||
| 06/24/2003 | 1 | 05/02/2003 | |
| I have a 98 626 mazda lx with 54k miles. my transmission is going out on me. i took the car to a mazda specialist. they told me it may cost a round $2800. this is not the first case of transmission failure on mazda. i heard and read that there are thousands of transmission problems with mazda. something must be done about this problem and mazda should pay for the transmission and labor. i am still paying for may car. *jb | |||
| 06/19/2003 | 59268 | 1 | 08/31/1998 |
| The consumer reported to the dealer the vehicle jerked and kicked and the transmission fluid was very dirty, the symptoms remained, and the consumer was led to believe it was normal. the consumer was stopped at a red light when the transmission failed. *ak *ts *jb | |||
| 09/01/2002 | 50000 | 1000 | 11/27/1997 |
| Transmission failure. when stopping, transmission down-shifts so hard that all passengers feel as if they will be thrown through the windshield, like being rear-ended. also, the transmission is very slow to shift. when it finally does, it kicks like having been hit by another car. transmission takes itself out of cruise control and out of o/d. mazda dealer service manager has driven the vehicle and has experienced these problems first hand, but because the car is not generating a code, mazda's official position is that there is no problem. this is extremely upsetting and unacceptable, since i complained of this problem (and others) sept. 2002. the car would not accelerate at all but would sputter, then jolt forward into traffic. i made three separate trips to the dealership and the first two times was again told there is no problem, since we can't find a code - even though the engine light was on! finally, on the third trip, they were able to diagnose the problem - spark wires and plugs. recently, when they weren't able to find the current problem, they suggested that it was an engine mount problem, so i paid nearly $700.00 (and had a rental car for nearly three weeks waiting for parts) to have that fixed. when i got the car back, the transmission problem was actually worse! further, the car seems to have some sort of electrical problem, as occasionally, all the dash lights will come on when i depress the brake pedal, and the left or right turn signal will remain on, static - not blinking. i have reported all the above on more than one occasion to the dealership and to mazda corporation. this vehicle has only 63,000 miles and is just now paid off. i complained about this problem while the car was still under warranty and was told there is no problem. now, the car is out of warranty, and since mazda says there is no problem, i will have to pay all costs involved in transmission replacement. i intend to retain legal counsel. *nlm | |||
| 03/16/2002 | 83000 | 12/03/2000 | |
| While driving up i-75n , i noticed the o/d off light had started flashing and the engine sounded strange. after a few miles of this, i came upon a rest area and pulled off there. as soon as i stopped the car, the engine started smoking, and making a gurgling, sizzling noise. i had to call aaa to tow me back home, which was 3 hours away. after going back to tampa, had my car dropped off at aamco transmissions. i was advised that the transmission had to be replaced because it was completely burned up inside. so i had them replace the transmission. i spent alot of money between the transmission replacement, towing, and alternative transportation while my car was being repaired. *nlm | |||
| 04/16/2003 | 92000 | 1 | |
| Transmission repair on a 1998 mazda 626. cost me $2936.32 *jb | |||
| 03/15/2003 | 80000 | 2 | |
| Transmission. what was told to me by dealer, was that a piece came apart from the transmission, clogged up the transmission filter, while hitting moving parts and ruining parts of transmission. *nlm | |||
| 03/22/2003 | 71909 | 1 | 05/10/2001 |
| 1998 mazda 626 with 71,909 miles. transmission failure. will cost me $2100.00 to fix. still paying a loan on this vehicle. *nlm | |||
| 03/04/2003 | 62800 | 1 | 09/08/1998 |
| The transmission went out suddenly at approximately 62,800 miles. when i limped it into the dealership immediately after this occurred i was told it needed to be tested to see if the problem was internal to the transmission or not. unfortunately, per their test, it was and now they want $3200 to replace it with a new one. my understanding from doing research (unfortunately well after i bought this car) is that this is a problem common to mazda , especially the 626's i would like to know if this problem is as prevalent as it appears to be why there has not been a recall as the problem appears to be related to the mazda transmission design.*jb | |||
| 02/04/2003 | 72000 | 1 | 02/07/2000 |
| Transmission failure and replacement at 72,000 miles.*jb | |||
| POWER TRAIN - AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION - CONTROL MODULE (TCM, PCM) | |||
| 50000 | 5 | 10/01/1999 | |
| Transmission problems. this is the fifth time that transmission has gone bad. manufacturer was contacted ,and stated that there was nothing they could do.*ak | |||
| POWER TRAIN - AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION - COOLING UNIT AND LINES | |||
| 11/03/2004 | 77999 | 1 | 09/15/2004 |
| Ijust bought my 626 about 6 months ago and it is having major problems that it did not have when i bought it. the transmission is failling, it jerks, it smokes, and sometimes it will not even go. to get it fixed i will have to pay about $3000 unless they find more problems in the car. i see many people have the same problem as me and i do not understand why they don't fix it.*ak | |||
| POWER TRAIN - AXLE ASSEMBLY | |||
| 07/19/2002 | 63081 | 4 | |
| 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. | |||
| 08/28/2003 | 105000 | 0 | 01/10/1998 |
| Transmission failed in year 5 of operation for 1998 mazda 626. i am aware that i am not alone with my transmission problem regarding 1994-1998 mazda 626s. this is too soon to be disposing of an automobile because of a big ticket item. very disappointed. won't ever buy mazda again. also, front, right axle joint was failing/loose a year ago, 3 repairs/axle replacement and $1000 later, the problem has not been fixed. absolutely no faith in mazda, or the service department located in burnsville, mn. | |||
| POWER TRAIN - MANUAL TRANSMISSION | |||
| 06/04/2008 | 123000 | 1 | |
| While driving down the rode the transmission just began to lurch, shift in and out of gear, no warning at all, very dangerous. no transmission light or check engine light illuminated. *tr | |||
| 07/19/2002 | 63081 | 4 | |
| 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. | |||
| 03/01/2002 | 136000 | 2 | 08/28/2001 |
| The transmission failed in 03/02, i got it replace for about $2000.00. in nov of 02 it started slipping gears and performing badly after highway driving. i took it back to have it looked at and was told nothing was wrong. then in 08/03, it failed completely again, my car will not move no matter in what gear. i took it in to find out the depth of the damage i was looking at and was told that my transmission is beyond being rebuilt and need to have it totally replace at a cost of $2500. this problem needs to be taken care of by mazda and/or ford. i can't believe they expect their customers to keep shelling out this type of money for the faulty product they are clearly aware of. this problem has put me in dangerous circumstances for it decided to quit in the middle of the highway during rush hour traffic, it was the grace of god that i made it home. it hasn't moved since. | |||
| POWER TRAIN - MANUAL TRANSMISSION - SHIFT PATTERN INDICATOR | |||
| 04/11/2001 | 55000 | 5 | 02/11/2001 |
| I purchased a car in april 2001 (a used car) and have an extended warranty for it. car started giving me problems in 2002 so i decided to use my extended warranty to get the car fixed once it broke down on me on the highway; i found out that the warranty company never heard of me and that my warranty never existed. the place that i brought the car from went out of business because of fraudulent activities, but they did have one other car place that was still operating, so i called that place and explain the problem to them. they assured me that they would take care of me. they tried twice too fix the problem and supposedly fixed the problem, the car is still the same way it was when i brought it to them. they are giving me the run around. my extended warranty is suppose to last 60 months or 100,000 meters which ever comes first. i used my car daily because i have small children and it seems like the company still wont honor the fake warranty that i have that was given by them. my transmission on the car is worse than before. the company is dick gidron ford/cadillac. they were all over the news for fraud. please help. *la | |||