Reports submitted to NHTSA by owners and drivers, shown in full
Data refreshed
Complaints on fileComplaints are reports submitted to NHTSA by owners and drivers. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a complaint does not establish that a defect exists. Volume is influenced by how many of a vehicle were sold, how long it has been on the road, and how much attention an issue has received.
87
Latest Feb 2, 2020
Crash or fire reportedComplaints whose submitter recorded that a crash or a fire occurred. These are the reporter's own answers on the NHTSA form, not verified findings.
6
Filed in the last 12 monthsReports filed with NHTSA in the trailing 365 days. Recent volume reflects attention and vehicle age as much as anything else.
0
Reports on file since Jun 19, 2002
What this page shows
Our database holds 87 NHTSA owner-reported complaints for the 2002 Mazda 626. Each one is a report filed by an owner or driver and published by NHTSA without most of them being verified. A complaint is not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. Narratives are shown exactly as filed.
Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.
Complaints, most recent first
Showing 1–25 of 87 · page 1 of 4
Powertrain (other)
Filed Feb 2, 2020
Crash reported2 injuries reported
WITHOUT ANY WARNING THE TRANSMISSION STARTED SLIPPING OUT OF FORWARD GEAR WHILE AT A TRAFFIC LIGHT AFTER RELEASING THE BRAKES AND GENTLY PRESSING THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL THE VEHICLE DIDNT MOVE. MANUALLY SHIFTING INTO 1ST GEAR WAS THE CAR ABLE TO MOVE BUT CAUSING A VERY HARSH LURCHING FORWARD CAUSING A LOUD "CLUNKING" NOISE. I WAS ABLE TO LIMP THE CAR 3 MILES TO MY HOME. I WAS INVOLVED IN A REAR END ACCIDENT AT THE NEXT TRAFFIC LIGHT. WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS IN 1ST GEAR AND HAVING THE BRAKES APPLIED THE TRANSMISSION CAUGHT IN GEAR AND LUNGED FORWARD CAUSING ME TO CONTACT THE CAR IN FRONT OF ME. BOTH MYSELF AND THE OCCUPANT OF THE VEHICLE I HIT SUSTAINED MINOR INJURIES AND WELL AS PROPERTY DAMAGE TO THE FRONT OF MY VEHICLE AND THE BACK OF THEIRS.
NHTSA ID
11306609
Incident
Oct 13, 2019
Mileage
85,000 mi
Engine
Filed Jun 7, 2017
THE TRANSMISSION HAS BEEN REPLACED TWICE NOW. EVEN AFTER WE GET IT FIXED IT STILLS JERKS AND SOUNDS LIKE THE ENGINE IS GOING TO FALL OUT. IT HAS A TERRIBLE TIME SHIFTING FROM 1ST TO 2ND AND SOMETIMES WHEN YOU PUT IT IN REVERSE IT JUMPS AND SOUNDS LIKE IT IS GOING TO FALL OUT. MY DAD IS 94 YEARS OLD AND NEEDS THIS CAR TO WORK. HE DOESN'T NEED TO GO OUT AND BUY ANOTHER ONE OR SPEND ANOTHER $1800 OR SO TO GET THIS ONE FIXED. I HAVE READ A LOT OF COMPLAINTS ABOUT THIS CAR AND THE TRANSMISSION AND I FEEL MAZDA NEEDS TO MAKE IT RIGHT.
NHTSA ID
10993720
Incident
Jun 6, 2017
Powertrain (other)
Filed Dec 2, 2016
TAMARA RECALL
NHTSA ID
10929667
Incident
Jul 31, 2016
Powertrain (other)
Filed Sep 17, 2016
Crash reported
MY CAR WAS DRIVING FINE AND THEN ONE DAY AS I WAS LEAVING WORK MY CAR STARTED ACTING AS THOUGH IT WANTED TO SHUT OFF. I MADE IT ALL THE WAY HOME AND WAS GOING TO GO TO THE STORE AND MY CAR WOULD NOT SHIFT INTO GEAR I TRIED TO ADD TRANSMISSION FLUIDS BUT IT SOUNDS NOT MOVE.
NHTSA ID
10907323
Incident
Sep 12, 2016
Mileage
214,000 mi
Powertrain (other)
Filed Aug 28, 2016
TRANSMISSION JERKS-HARD KICKING FROM FIRST TO SECOND GEAR AUTOMATIC TRANSMISION/DEFECTIVE TRANSMISION ON THIS MODEL NO MATTER WHAT I DO TO TRY TO FIX THE PROBLEM.(FLUID FILTER SPEED SENSOR ETC)STILL HAS THE SAME PROBLEM...THIS PROBLEM IS WELL KNOWN ON ALL THE MAZDA VEHICLES WITH THIS TYPE OF TRANSMISSION
NHTSA ID
10902003
Incident
Aug 25, 2016
Electrical
Filed Dec 19, 2015
THE CAR STARTED TO NOT WANT TO CRANK IT WOULD CRANK SOMETIMES THEN ONE DAY WE WENT TO THE STORE THEN WHEN WE WENT TO LEAVE THE STORE IT FINALLY JUST STOPPED TRYING TO CRANK ONLY MAKING A CLICKING SOUND AND WHILE TRYING TO CRANK IT THE STEERING COLUMN STARTED SMOKING AND ALMOST CAUGHT ON FIRE I BELIEVE IT IS THE IGNITION SWITCH
NHTSA ID
10811234
Incident
Dec 12, 2015
Mileage
100,000 mi
Powertrain (other)
Filed Oct 27, 2014
TRANSMISSION FAILED WHILE ON HIGHWAY. TRANSMISSION FAILED AT APPROXIMATELY 45,000 MILES. REPAIR ENDED UP COSTING APPROXIMATELY $3,000 FOR A REBUILT TRANSMISSION. I HAD OWNED THE CAR FOR ABOUT 2 YEARS AT TIME OF TRANSMISSION FAILURE AND HAD PUT LESS THAN 10,000 MILES ON IT PERSONALLY. CAR WAS PURCHASED USED BUT IN GOOD CONDITION. *TR
NHTSA ID
10650433
Incident
Jun 13, 2010
Mileage
45,000 mi
Powertrain (other)
Filed Jul 16, 2014
MY CAR WILL MOVE FINE UNTIL IT WARMS UP BUT THEN SLIPS OUT OF ALL GEARS AND WONT MOVE UNTIL THE NEXT DAY. *TR
NHTSA ID
10611087
Incident
Jul 15, 2014
Mileage
129,000 mi
Powertrain (other)
Filed May 27, 2013
TRANSMISSION MAKING POPPING NOISES AND LAGGING WHEN MAKING TURNS SOUNDS HORRIBLE TOOK TO A MECHANIC HE SAYS HE CAN FIX IT FOR 1700.00 THE TRANSMISSION IS BAD. AT A LITTLE OVER A 100 THOUSAND MILES IT SHOULDN'T NEED REPLACED. FORD SHOULD HAVE TO FIX IT. *TR
NHTSA ID
10513615
Incident
Sep 13, 2012
Mileage
110,000 mi
Powertrain (other)
Filed Dec 3, 2012
ON ACCELERATION FROM BEING STOPPED THE TRANSMISSION WOULD MAKE A SERIES OF POPPING SOUNDS. I TOOK IT TO A MECHANIC AND IT WAS DIAGNOSED TO BE A STRETCHED DRIVE CHAIN IN THE TRANSMISSION. INSTANCES OF HIGH TORQUE WOULD CAUSE THE CHAIN TO SKIP PAST TEETH, CAUSING THE POPPING NOISE. DUE TO THE SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT IF PROBLEMS THAT PLAGUE THE CD4E TRANSMISSION THE ENTIRE UNIT WAS REPLACED. *TR
NHTSA ID
10487180
Incident
Nov 26, 2012
Mileage
148,000 mi
Powertrain (other)
Filed Nov 4, 2012
HAD TRANSMISSION REPLACED IN 2010 AFTER HARD SHIFTING AND SKIPPING GEARS, SAME PROBLEM AGAIN STARTED IN SEPTEMBER 2012. SHOULD NOT BE REPLACING A TRANSMISSION EVERY TWO YEARS. *TR
NHTSA ID
10483313
Incident
Apr 1, 2010
Mileage
120,000 mi
Electrical
Filed Mar 8, 2012
SMOKE CAME FROM AROUND THE STEERING COLUMN. *TR
NHTSA ID
10450729
Incident
Mar 8, 2012
Transmission
Filed Oct 13, 2010
TRANSMISSION DOWNSHIFTED WHILE DRIVING ON THE FREEWAY. WHILE TRYING TO MAINTAIN SPEED TO EXIT THE FREEWAY, THE ENGINE STARTED TO OVERHEAT. AS SOON AS I WAS ABLE TO PULL INTO THE LOCAL GAS STATION PARKING SPOT, THE ENGINE DIED. THE TRANSMISSION APPEARS TO NEED A REBUILD. *TR
NHTSA ID
10360348
Incident
Oct 9, 2010
Mileage
167,000 mi
Transmission
Filed Oct 4, 2010
2002 MAZDA 626 TRANSMISSION BROKE ON ME AT 107,000 ODO . *TR
NHTSA ID
10359015
Incident
Sep 30, 2010
Mileage
107,000 mi
Transmission
Filed Sep 25, 2010
AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION FAILURE. *TR
NHTSA ID
10357492
Incident
Sep 22, 2010
Transmission
Filed Aug 28, 2010
AUTO TRANSMISSION HAS CONSTANT PROBLEMS WITH LEAKING AND SHIFTING. TONS OF COMPLAINTS ONLINE OF PROBLEMS WITH THESE CARS. WHY CANT SOMETHING BE DONE ABOUT THIS LIKE A RECALL? *TR
NHTSA ID
10352478
Incident
Aug 28, 2010
Mileage
125,000 mi
Fuel systemTransmission
Filed Feb 17, 2010
FAILURE OF TRANSMISSION, 2002 MAZDA 626, TWICE IN LAST 6 MONTHS. CAR LURCHES, STALLS, WILL NOT SHIFT INTO GEARS, HAVE BEEN STUCK ON BUSY FREEWAY. ALSO FUEL PUMP JUST CUTS OFF AND CAR WILL NOT START. *TR
NHTSA ID
10311419
Incident
Feb 12, 2010
Transmission
Filed Jan 17, 2010
TRANSMISSION FAILURE, 2002 MAZDA 626 4CYL. TRANSMISSION BEGAN SLIPPING AND SHIFTING HARD BETWEEN 2ND AND 3RD GEARS. 97,000 MILES BUT HAD REGULAR "HARSH CONDITIONS" MAINTENANCE AS IT WAS BEING OPERATED IN THE AZ DESERT HEAT. TRANSMISSION WAS REBUILT BUT NOW SHIFTS HARD 1ST TO 2ND IN ADDITION TO 2ND AND 3RD DESPITE BEING SENT BACK. THERE ARE WIDESPREAD FAILURES OF 626 TRANSMISSIONS BUT MAZDA WAS NEVER FORCED BY THE GOVERNMENT TO ISSUE A RECALL. THE TRANSMISSION IS TOO SMALL FOR THE WEIGHT OF THE VEHICLE PER SOME REPORTS. $2,500 FOR REBUILT TRANSMISSION. I'VE NEVER HAD A AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION GO OUT THIS SOON AND I HAVE BEEN DRIVING FOR 35 YEARS. *TR
NHTSA ID
10300087
Incident
Dec 23, 2009
Mileage
97,000 mi
Suspension
Filed Oct 15, 2009
2002 MAZDA 626 ES, LEFT FRONT WHEEL BEARING FAILED. FRONT DRIVE SHAFT FAILED. *TR
NHTSA ID
10288556
Incident
Jan 1, 2008
Mileage
82,000 mi
Transmission
Filed Sep 9, 2009
2002 MAZDA 626 TRANSMISSION CHAIN FAILURE. CAR HAS ONLY 72K MILES ON IT, NEEDS ENTIRE RE-BUILT TRANSMISSION COSTING OVER $1900.00. *TR
NHTSA ID
10283434
Incident
Aug 10, 2009
Mileage
72,000 mi
Transmission
Filed Jun 11, 2009
TRANSMISSION FAILURE AT 75,000 MILES. *TR
NHTSA ID
10273539
Incident
Jun 6, 2009
Mileage
75,000 mi
Body & structureTransmission
Filed Apr 18, 2009
94,000 MILES ON MY 2002 MAZDA 626 AND THE TRANSMISSION IS SHOT AND STRUTS WERE WORTHLESS. WAS STRANDED ON THE ROAD WHEN THE CAR WOULD GO IN REVERSE BUT WAS DIFFICULT TO OPERATE IN DRIVE AND AT SLOWER SPEEDS AND STOP SIGNS/LIGHTS. *TR
NHTSA ID
10265977
Incident
Apr 1, 2009
Mileage
94,000 mi
Transmission
Filed Mar 27, 2009
I HAVE MAZDA 626 YEAR 2002. IT HAD AROUND 53,000 MILES ON IT. VERY LOW MILEAGE AND WELL MAINTAINED. ONE DAY, WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY, THERE WAS SUDDEN JERKING MOTION AND OD LIGHT BEGAN TO FLASH, AFTER WHICH THE CAR SLOWED DOWN AND WAS MOVING AT A VERY SLOW SPEED. (ON THE HIGHWAY). AS AND WHEN I STOPPED/SLOWED, THE CAR HAD DIFFICULTY TO GAIN SPEED. SOME HOW, I GOT IT HOME AFTER WHICH , IT WOULD NOT MOVE FORWARD. NEUTRAL AND REVERSE GEARS WORKED FINE. TOOK IT MAZDA DEALER IN TROY, AND THEY SAID A BAD TRANSMISSION. FIRST THEY SAID THAT THEY WILL GET A NEW TRANSMISSION AND THEY WERE CHARGING EXORBITANTLY. LATER THEY SAID THAT IT WOULD BE REBUILT FOR THE SAME AMOUNT OF MONEY. I TOOK MY CART TO A TRANSMISSION SHOP AND GOT IT REPAIRED. I HAVE READ ONLINE THAT THERE ARE NUMEROUS NUMEROUS PEOPLE WHO HAVE HAD ISSUES WITH TRANSMISSION WITH MAZDA 626. I CALLED UP MAZDA COMPANY AND COMPLAINED ABOUT IT. BUT MY WORDS FELL ON DEAF EARS SOMETHING NEEDS TO BE DONE, MAZDA KNOWS ABOUT THIS ISSUE AND HAS NOT ADDRESSED IT. *TR
NHTSA ID
10263295
Incident
Aug 6, 2008
Mileage
53,000 mi
Transmission
Filed Mar 6, 2009
2002 MAZDA 626 TRANSMISSION BURNOUT. PURCHASED USED MAZDA WITH 138000 MILES, PREVIOUS OWNER SAID HE'D REPLACED THE TRANSMISSION ONCE BEFORE. AT AROUND 160 K MILES MY TRANSMISSION WENT OUT, I HAD A SHOP REPLACE WITH REBUILT TRANS, BUT MORE PROBLEMS RESULTED. 2000 DOLLARS LATER, PLUS RENTAL CAR FEES AND THE "NEW" TRANSMISSION IS ON THE BLINK STILL, HAS BEEN BACK IN THE SHOP THREE TIMES. SYMPTOMS ARE WELL DOCUMENTED IN THE INTERNET, BUCKING, NO POWER, HIGH RPM'S, FLASHING O/D LIGHT, SPEWING OIL. IF THIS CAR IS EVER DRIVABLE AGAIN I WILL SELL AND NEVER BUY MAZDA AGAIN. *TR
NHTSA ID
10260975
Incident
Jan 8, 2009
Mileage
160,000 mi
Transmission
Filed Jan 24, 2009
MAZDA 626 WAS BUILT WITH A BAD TRANSMISSION THAT HAS HAD PROBLEMS SINCE 50,000 MILES. THE CAR STARTED FORCEFULLY SHIFTING, AND NOW WILL HAVE PROBLEMS ACCELERATING. THIS HAPPENS EVERY TIME I DRIVE IT SINCE 50000 MILES WITH CONDITIONS GETTING WORSE. NOTHING HAS BEEN DONE YET TO FIX THE PROBLEM ACCEPT MY MECHANIC SAYS I NEED TO EITHER REBUILD THIS TRANSMISSION OR PUT IN A NEW TRANSMISSION. *TR
NHTSA ID
10256186
Incident
Mar 10, 2008
Mileage
78,000 mi
Higher-selling and older vehicles accumulate more reports. Counts are not failure rates and are not directly comparable between vehicles that sold in very different numbers.
Narrow this down by component
Categories with enough reports to have a page of their own