1994 Mazda 626 Transmission Problems

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. *TR

NHTSA ID

10361472

Incident

Aug 10, 2010

Mileage

138,000 mi

I PUCHASED A 1994 MAZDA 626 2.0L AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION, WHEN I PURCHASED THE CAR THEY HAD TOLD ME THAT THE TRANSMISSION HAD ALREADY BEEN REPLACED ONCE DUE TO FALURE. I DO NOT KNOW THE STORY OF HOW THE TRANSMISSION CAME TO FAIL ON THE PREVIOUS OWNER. NOW THAT I OWN IT THE CAR HAS STARTED TO SHIFT VERY HARD, AND RANDOMLY SHIFT DOWN FOR A SPLIT SECCOND AT CRUISING SPEEDS(NO CHANGE IN ACCELARATOR TRAVEL OR GRADE CHANGE). THE TRANSMISSION ALSO CAUSES A FLUCTUATION IN RPM'S IN CRUISING CONDITIONS FOR ABOUT 5 SECONDS. *CN

NHTSA ID

10302568

Incident

Jan 10, 2010

Mileage

220,000 mi

I PURCHASE A 1994 MAZDA 626LX AUTOMATIC SEDAN APPROXIMATELY 3 MONTHS AGO, FROM AN INDIVIDUAL HERE IN AUSTIN, TX. APPROXIMATELY ONE MONTH AFTER OBTAINING, AND PUTTING NEW TIRES, NEW BRAKES AND A COMPLETE TUNE-UP, THE TRANSMISSION WENT OUT. AFTER DOING SOME FURTHER INVESTIGATION ON THE CAR, I FOUND OUT THAT THE TRANSMISSION(CDF4E) FOR THAT YEAR MODEL HAS GOTTEN A LOT OF COMPLAINTS. APPARENTLY, THE TRANSMISSION IS TO SMALL FOR THE 2.0 LITER ENGINE, AND BURNS UP AFTER SO MANY MILES OR LENGTH OF DRIVING. I CHECKED IT OUT ONLINE, AND THE SITE THAT I CHECKED GAVE A FAIRLY DECENT APPROVAL RATING OF THE VEHICLE. ANYHOW, THE VEHICLE, AS OF NOW, IS DISABLED AND RIGHT NOW, I DON'T HAVE THE MONEY TO FIX IT. THE TRANSMISSION QUIT WORKING WHILE I WAS DRIVING DOWN I-35 AT 65MPH, IN A CONSTRUCTION ZONE. LUCKILY, I WAS GOING FAST ENOUGH TO COAST TO THE END OF THE CONSTRUCTION AREA, TO PARK ON THE SHOULDER OF THE ROAD, SAFELY. *TR

NHTSA ID

10257797

Incident

Jan 2, 2009

Mileage

149,500 mi

I BOUGHT A 1994 USED MAZDA 626 LX A LITTLE OVER A MONTH AGO FOR $1600.00. AND I PUT ANOTHER $500.00 IN IT GETTING 2 NEW FRONT TIRES A COMPLETE TUNE UP, AND A COMPLETE BRAKE JOB. I TEST DROVE IT AND IT RAN FINE. I FOUND OUT LATER AFTER I BOUGHT THE CAR IN A FEW DAYS WHILE GOING UP A STEEP HILL HERE IN AUSTIN, AND PUT IT IN D2 A LOWER GEAR, AND THE TRANSMISSION STARTED SLIPPING. SO, AT THE TOP OF THE HILL, I PUT IT BACK IN DRIVE, AND IT WORKED OK. BUT SOMETIMES IS WOULD TAKE OFF VERY SLUGGISHLY AFTER WARMING UP. THE HOLD LIGHT STARTED FLASHING ALSO. I FIXED THE HOLD LIGHT PROBLEM, BUT 2 WEEKS LATER, GOING ON THE HIGHWAY, THE TRANSMISSION WENT COMPLETELY OUR, RIGHT AT A CONSTRUCTION ZONE, WITH THE CONCRETE BARRIER WALLS ON BOTH SIDES. SO FORTUNATELY, I MANAGED TO COAST ABOUT ANOTHER MILE TO THE END OF THE CONSTRUCTION ZONE AND OFF THE HIGHWAY, ONTO THE SHOULDER SAFELY. I HAVE JUST RECENTLY FOUND OUT HERE ONLINE ON THESE AUTO FORUMS, THAT THE 1994 MAZDA 626 LX AUTOMATIC IS A LEMON. LOT'S OF PEOPLE HAVE COMPLAINED ABOUT THE CD4E FORD TRANSMISSION ON THE CAR. I HONESTLY CAN'T BELIEVE THERE HASN'T BEEN A RE-CALL ON THEM. I'VE ONLY HAD THE CAR A LITTLE OVER A MONTH, AND IM OUT OF AROUND $2100.00 DOLLARS ON IT. I HAVING A HARD TIME FINDING ANYONE AROUND HERE THAT WILL WORK ON IT, AT A FAIR PRICE. I COULD REPAIR IT MYSELF, WITH SOME HELP, BUT FROM WHAT I'VE READ, THE WHOLE CAR WAS A DESIGN FLAW, IN THAT THE TRANSMISSION WAS ACTUALLY TO SMALL FOR THE 626 BODY, AND CAUSES THE TRANSAXLE TO OVERHEAT AFTER A WHILE. AND I DIDN'T KNOW YOU HAD TO BUY A EXTRA COOLING KIT FOR THE TRANSAXLE TO KEEP IT FROM OVERHEATING. I LIKED THE CAR WHEN I FIRST BOUGHT IT, BUT,MAN, I DIDN'T EXPECT ALL OF THESE PROBLEMS. THAT IS ABOUT ALL I HAVE. *TR

NHTSA ID

10255119

Incident

Jan 10, 2009

Mileage

146,545 mi

ROUGH TRANSMISSION SHIFTING THAT OCCURS ALMOST EVERY DAY WITH O/D LIGHT FLASHING. NO REPAIR SHOP IS ABLE TO FIND WHAT THE PROBLEM IS. LAST REPAIR SHOP CHARGED ME $800 TO REPLACE THE ENGINE MOUNTS BUT THAT DID NOT FIX THE PROBLEM. ISSUE IS STILL ON GOING. THERE WAS A RECALL FOR THE 94 MAZDA 626 MODEL FOR THIS PARTICULAR ISSUE BUT I WAS NOT NOTIFIED. SEE THIS LINK FOR MORE INFO HTTP://WWW.DUSTBURY.COM/626/94SPEEDO.HTML. *TR

NHTSA ID

10234406

Incident

Jul 15, 2008

Mileage

90,000 mi

TRANSMISSION ON 1994 MAZDA HOLD LIGHT FLASHING. *TR

NHTSA ID

10228288

Incident

May 13, 2008

Mileage

102,000 mi

AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION FAILED. *TR

NHTSA ID

10217462

Incident

Jan 25, 2008

Mileage

200,000 mi

1994 MAZDA 626 AUTO TRANSMISSION FAILURE. KNOWN TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS BY MANUFACTURER RESULTING IN DEFECTIVE AUTO TRANSMISSIONS THAT FAIL PREMATURELY. ONLY SOLUTIONS ARE TOTAL TRANSMISSION REPLACEMENT SOMETIMES ON MULTIPLE OCCASIONS. THIS HAS BEEN ADDRESSED IN A TSB BY MAZDA, BUT NOTHING HAS BEEN DONE BY THEM TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM. *TR

NHTSA ID

10196034

Incident

Jul 10, 2007

Mileage

201,652 mi

MAZDA 1994 100K MILES TRANSMISSION SHIFTS BADLY AND HOLD LIGHT BLINKS AND JUMPS LIKE A MONSTER WHEN SHIFTS GEARS. LOSES POWER.*AK

NHTSA ID

10194825

Incident

Jun 21, 2007

Mileage

100,000 mi

TRANSMISSION NOT SHIFTING PROPERLY. HIGH RPM RACING FOR PROLONGED PERIODS BETWEEN EACH GEAR SHIFT. TODAY, "HOLD" BUTTON STARTED FLASHING ON DISPLAY PANEL. *TR

NHTSA ID

10189846

Incident

May 4, 2007

Mileage

120,900 mi

TL*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. THE CURRENT AND THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 103696 ,AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 104,000. *AK THE CONSUMER STATED PRIOR TO THE MOST RECENT REPAIRS THE FOLLOWING SERVICES WERE PERFORMED: NEW RADIATOR, COMPLETE TRANSMISSION SERVICE, ENGINE TUNED, AND NEW TIRES. THE DEALER STATED STEERING GEAR DRIFTS DURING TURNS. UPDATED 06/26/07 *TR

NHTSA ID

10188860

Incident

Nov 13, 2006

Mileage

103,696 mi

REPETITIVE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION FAILURES ON MY 1994 MAZDA 626 ALREADY COST ME MANY THOUSANDS DOLLARS. HISTORY: DECEMBER 1992 - INITIAL TRANSMISSION ERROR CODES. AUTHORIZED MAZDA REPAIR SERVICE CHANGED TRANSMISSION FILTER AND FLUID. CODES WERE COMING BACK. INSTALLED EXTRA COOLER. MAY 1993 - TOTAL TRANSMISSION FAILURE; TRANNY REBUILT AT ST. JAMES TRANSMISSION REPAIR SHOP; WARRANTY 1 YEAR OR 12K MILES; MARCH 1995 - TRANSMISSION ERROR CODES BACK AND UNEXPLAINABLE FAILURES. TOOK IT TO LEE MYLES IN YONKERS - GAVE ME 2 YEARS WARRANTY. ON THE WAY HOME SIGNAL WAS BACK. SINCE THEN THE CAR WAS BACK IN THE STORE FOR MORE THAN 6 MONTHS. DURING THAT TIME LEE MYLES MANY TIMES OPEN AND REPAIRED TRANSMISSION TO FIX TR, INSTALLED ANOTHER EXTRA COOLER, REPLACED MY ORIGINAL RADIATOR, REPLACED MAIN ELECTRICAL WIRING SYSTEM AND MANY OTHER PARTS. I HAD ALSO MY ENGINE INSPECTED AND TUNED SEVERAL TIMES IN ANOTHER SHOPS, INCLUDING REPLACING OF FUEL PUMP, SPARK PLUGS AND WIRES, DISTRIBUTOR AND OTHER. HOWEVER TRANSMISSION WAS FAILING AGAIN AND AGAIN. CAR HAD TO BE TOWED AWAY BY LEE MYLES 3 TIMES AND I DROVE IT SEVERAL TIMES AT SLOW SPEED ON SIDE ROADS BACK TO THE LEE MYLES. FINALLY LEE MYLES BOUGHT ME A FACTORY REBUILD TRANSMISSION AND FOR ABOUT 2 WEEKS EVERYTHING LOOKED NICE AGAIN. THEN AFTER 20 MILES OF DRIVING AT HIGHWAY SPEED RPM STARTED TO GO UP AND THE ERROR CODE CAME BACK AGAIN. SINCE THEN I AM USING MY CAR ONLY VERY LOCALLY AND AFTER ABOUT $10,000 (YES 10K) SPENT ON TRANSMISSION REPAIRS AND CAR UPGRADES, MY MAZDA 626 IS JUNK I CANNOT EVEN SELL. *JB

NHTSA ID

10176379

Incident

Dec 18, 2006

MY TRANSMISSION FAILED. *JB

NHTSA ID

10169198

Incident

Sep 9, 2006

Mileage

120,000 mi

I HAVE A MAZDA 626 1994. ON 9/9/06 I CALLED BIDOLUPH MAZDA TO ASK ABOUT A RECALL ON MY TRANSMISSION FOR MY 94, 626. THEY SAID "SURE BRING IT DOWN WE WILL TAKE CARE OF EVERYTHING. ONCE I PAID $80 IN TOWING FEES. THE NEXT DAY THEY CALLED AND SAID THAT THE RECALL EXPIRED AND PROCEEDED TO CHARGE ME OVER $400 TO FIX THE RECALL. THEN ONE WEEK LATER THE TRANSMISSION FAILED COMPLETELY. THIS IS UNACCEPTABLE BUSINESS RELATIONS. MAZDA IS NO GOOD. *JB

NHTSA ID

10169195

Incident

Sep 9, 2006

Mileage

120,000 mi

TRANSMISSION WAS REBUILT 6 YEARS AGO AT 40,000 MILES AND NEEDS REBUILD AGAIN AT 57,000 MILES .AN EXTERNAL COOLER WAS INSTALLED AFTER FIRST REBUILD AND CAR IS BABIED . ITS A FORD CD4E AND IT IS A LEMON. *JB

NHTSA ID

10168446

Incident

Feb 10, 2000

Mileage

40,000 mi

TRANSMISSION FAILURE. *NM

NHTSA ID

10160552

Incident

Jan 13, 2003

Mileage

128,000 mi

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THE TRANSMISSION OVERHEATS. THE TRANSMISSION FLUID SPILLS INTO A VENT IN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. THE DEALER INFORMED THE CONTACT THERE WERE NO RECALLS ON THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT FOUND A TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN ON THE VEHICLE THAT ADDRESSES THE TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS. THE BULLETIN NUMBER WAS NOT AVAILABLE. NO REPAIRS HAVE BEEN MADE TO THE VEHICLE.

NHTSA ID

10151468

Incident

Feb 28, 2005

Mileage

80,000 mi

TRANSMISSION HOLD LIGHT COME ON AND OFF,WILL NOT OPERATE IN DRIVE,REVERSE OR ANY OTHER GEAR. TRANS SEEM TO BE OVER HEATING. LOUD SQUEAKING SOUNDS LIKE A FAN BELT. *NM

NHTSA ID

10148244

Incident

Jan 18, 2006

Mileage

100,100 mi

POWER TRAIN FAILURE AT 68000 MI IN 10/09/02, REBUILT FAILURE AT 88000 MI 12/20/05. *NM

NHTSA ID

10145990

Incident

Oct 9, 2002

Mileage

68,703 mi

I HAVE A 1994 MAZDA 626. THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION BURNT OUT ONE MONTH AFTER A FACTORY RECONDITIONED TRANSMISSION WAS INSTALLED IN IT. I WAS STRANDED ON I-84 IN PORTLAND OREGON WHEN THE TRANSMISSION WENT OUT. THERE WAS NO SHOULDER ON THE INTERSTATE AND WAS STRANDED IN THE RIGHT LANE. I WAS SIDE SWIPED AND SLIGHTLY INJURED. I HAVE READ HUNDREDS,POSSIBLY THOUSANDS OF COMPLAINTS ABOUT THE MAZDA 626 TRANSMISSION BUILT FROM 1994 TO 2002. MAZDA SHOULD HAVE ADDRESSED THIS PROBLEM AND CORRECTED THE FAULTY TRANSMISSIONS ON THESE CARS. THE FIRST TRANSMISSION WAS THAT WAS INSTALLED WAS $1800.00 AND WAS NOT EVEN THE ORIGINAL TRANSMISSION THAT CAME WITH THE CAR.THIS WILL BE AT LEAST THE FOURTH TRANSMISSION IN THIS CAR IN ITS 105,000 MILE LIFE.

NHTSA ID

10133992

Incident

Aug 13, 2005

Mileage

105,516 mi

PURCHASED A 1994 MAZDA 626 THAT SEEMS TO HAVE PROBLEMS CONSISTENT WITH MANY OTHER OWNERS COMPLAINTS. IDLES HARD AND JUMPS BETWEEN GEARS, HOLD BUTTON FLASHES AND TRANSMISSION IS FAILING. *NM

NHTSA ID

10130628

Incident

Jul 29, 2005

Mileage

192,200 mi

I THOUGHT I WAS GTOOD TO GO AFTER INSTALLING MY THE SECOND TRANSMISSION IN MY 94 MAZDA 626, ONE YEAR LATER I AM IN THE SAME POSITION I WAS WHEN THE FIRST TRANSMISSION FAILED...GOING NOWHERE. FORTUNATELY IT MOVED ENOUGH TO GET TO DEALER WHERE I TRADED MY BELOVED CAR IN FOR A "NEWER" CAR...NO NOT A MAZDA 626.

NHTSA ID

10128542

Incident

Jul 3, 2005

Mileage

178,000 mi

I OWN A 94 MAZDA 626 4 CYLINDER. IT HAS 116000 MILES AND NOW THE HOLD(O/D) LIGHT IS BLINKING, IT IS SHIFTING HARD, AND THE RPM'S ARE ACTING FUNNY BETWEEN GEARS. THIS JUST STARTED DURING A SHORT TRIP. THIS HAS BEEN AN OVERALL GOOD CAR, BUT THE TRANSMISSION IS SCREWED UP NOW. I HAVE HEARD THAT MANY OTHER PEOPLE HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM AND I DON'T REALLY WANT TO PAY $2500 FOR A REBUILT TRANSMISSION JUST TO HAVE IT SCREW UP 30000 MILES FROM NOW. THE CD4E IS CRAP AND SOMETHING SHOULD BE DONE ABOUT IT.

NHTSA ID

10127629

Incident

Jul 5, 2005

Mileage

116,000 mi

94 MAZDA 626 TRANSMISSION FAILURE (3 TIMES), HOLD LIGHT FLASHES, JERKS INTO GEARS.

NHTSA ID

10124976

Incident

Jun 10, 2005

Mileage

225,000 mi

AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION FAILED TO ENGAGE IN DRIVE. ONLY REVERSE WORKED. BUT DEALER FIXED. LATER, FAILED TO DOWNSHIFT INTO FIRST GEAR, CONTINUED TO STAY IN 3RD OR 4TH GEAR. ALSO, DOES NOT DOWNSHIFT TO 2ND GEAR WHEN AT LOW SPEEDS, STAYS IN 3RD AND OVERDRIVE KICKS IN MUCH EARLIER THAN NORMAL. ALSO, ENGINE TEMPERATURE SEEMS TO BE ABOVE AVERAGE.

NHTSA ID

10122458

Incident

Apr 16, 1999