1996 Mazda 626: problems, recalls and reliability
3 recalls and 359 owner complaints on record; the weakest area is power train (65% of complaints).
Data updated weekly · latest recall Oct 2015
All counts are reports filed with NHTSA in the United States - US market only, not worldwide totals.
Common problems
Computed from 359 owner complaints filed with NHTSA for this exact model year.
“Tl* the contact owns a 1996 mazda 626. After placing the key in the ignition and starting the vehicle, the contact noticed a fuel odor under the hood of the vehicle. The contact turned the vehicle off for a while and proceeded to turn the vehicle back on with the front driver and passenger side windows rolled down. The contact could no longer smell the fuel odor and a warning light was illuminated. The contact received notification of NHTSA campaign number: 15v674000 (electrical system). The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. VIN tool confirms parts not available. The approximate failure mileage was 80,000.”Owner report · Fuel/Propulsion System · Jan 2016
“Tl* the contact owns a 1996 mazda 626. While driving, the check engine sensor light suddenly illuminated and the instrument panel lights would not illuminate. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic who diagnosed that the ignition switch wire harness was faulty and needed to be replaced. The wire harness was replaced. Approximately six months later, the vehicle experienced the same failure. While operating the vehicle, the engine head gasket malfunctioned. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified. The failure mileage was 165,000.”Owner report · Engine · Apr 2015
“Tl*the contact owns a 1996 mazda 626. The contact stated that while the shifter was in the park position and powered on, the vehicle suddenly experienced an unintended acceleration and crashed into a brick pillar. The contact stated that the air bags failed to deploy. The contact sustained an injured back that required medical attention. A police report was filed. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 213,365.”Owner report · Air Bags · Feb 2015
Show 7 more owner reports
“I smelled gas whenever I would get gas for the car or speed up the car. So I took the car to my mechanic and he said it was some sort of a problem with the gas tank. I need to know what it is. *tr”Owner report · Fuel/Propulsion System · Feb 2012
“Tl* the contact owns a 1996 mazda 626. The contact stated that while reversing from a driveway, the vehicle stalled without warning. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic for diagnosis where it was stated the torque converter needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired and the manufacturer was not notified. The approximate failure mileage was 140,000. *tr”Owner report · Power Train · Dec 2010
“Airbags deployed in my 1996 mazda 626. Without any reason, while driving. Causing scrapes and bruising, and the windshield to crack. *tr”Owner report · Air Bags · Jun 2010
“Three inch crack in top of rule tank ,seat belts broke and slow to role back up and plastic parts used in door opening mechanism broke. *tr”Owner report · Structure · Apr 2010
“Tl* the contact owns a 1996 mazda 626. After refueling the vehicle, a strong odor of fuel emitted outside of the vehicle. There was no fuel visible on the ground. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic who discovered that the top of the fuel tank exhibited a three inch crack. The mechanic would need to find a new fuel tank for the replacement. In addition, the engine air intake valve and radiator were faulty. The manufacturer was not notified. The approximate failure mileage was 132,000.”Owner report · Fuel/Propulsion System · Apr 2010
“Hi I have a 1996 mazda 626 lx and the o/d light just went off at 167,000 miles. I read several forums online and they all said its most likely a an electrical problem in the transmission. This can be very dangerous to us drivers as well as drivers next to us on the road. I advice to please have mazda recall all models with this problem and reimburse us or fix our transmissions at no cost. Thank you very much for reading my post. *tr”Owner report · Power Train · Jan 2010
“Hi I have a 1996 mazda 626 lx and the o/d light just went off at 176,000 miles. I read several forums online and they all said its most likely a an electrical problem in the transmission. This can b very dangerous to us drivers as well as drivers next to us on the road. I advice to please have mazda recall all models with this problem and reimburse us or fix our transmissions at no cost. Thank you very much for reading my post. *tr”Owner report · Power Train · Jan 2010
When filing, owners marked a crash in 35 of these complaints and injuries in 138 - self-reported to NHTSA, not verified accident statistics.
Recalls - 3 campaigns
Mazda North American Operations (Mazda) is recalling certain model year 1989-1998 MPV, 1990-1995 323, 1990-1998 Protege, 1992-1993 MX-3, 1993-1995 929, 1993-1997 MX-6, and 1993-1998 626 vehicles. In the affected vehicles, grease applied to the contact points inside the ignition switch may become conductive and overheat.
Remedy: Mazda will notify owners, and dealers will replace the ignition switch, free of charge. The recall began on December 17, 2015. Owners may contact Mazda Customer Experience Center at 1-800-222-5500, option#6. Mazda's number for this recall is 8715J.
CERTAIN SPX FILTRAN FUEL FILTERS WITH A 45-DEGREE ANGLE INLET TUBE, MODEL 800F350-S1, SOLD AS REPLACEMENT FILTERS FOR 1993-1997 FORD PROBE,1993-2001 MAZDA 626 AND MX-6, AND 1983-1994 LOYAL, 3-DOOR COUPE, HATCHBACK, SEDAN, WAGON, BRAT, DL, GL, GL-10, RX, XT, AND XT6 PASSENGER VEHICLES WITH EFI OR TURBO ENGINES. THESE FILTERS ARE PACKAGED AS WIX, NAPA, AND CARQUEST BRAND FUEL FILTERS. CERTAIN SPX FILTRAN FUEL FILTERS WITH A 90-DEGREE ANGLE INLET TUBE, MODEL 800F300-S2, SOLD AS REPLACEMENT FILTERS FOR 19983-1994 SUBARU VEHICLES WITH EFI OR TURBO ENGINES. THESE FILTERS ARE PACKAGED AS WIX, NAPA, AND CARQUEST BRAND FUEL FILTERS. FUEL MAY LEAK FROM THE FILTER DUE TO NON-CONFORMING BRAZING WELDS WHERE THE INLET TUBE IS CONNECTED TO THE FILTER CAN.
Remedy: SPX WILL NOTIFY ITS CUSTOMERS AND PROVIDE A FULL REFUND. THE RECALL BEGAN SEPTEMBER 27, 2005. OWNERS MAY CONTACT MR. CHRIS GREESON AT 704-869-3733 OR CONTACT THE WIX INFORMATION HOTLINE AT 800-949-6698.
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH THE SAS SENSOR UNIT. THESE VEHICLES CAN EXPERIENCE AIR BAG DEPLOYMENTS IN MINOR UNDERCARRIAGE IMPACTS.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPROGRAM THE SAS UNIT TO REDUCE THE PROBABILITY OF UNNECESSARY DEPLOYMENTS IN LOW SPEED UNDERCARRIAGE IMPACTS.
Trouble codes owners mention
OBD-II codes that appear in NHTSA complaints about this car.
How other years compare
Check your exact 626 by VIN
Recalls and equipment differ between individual vehicles. Decode your VIN to see what applies to yours.
Open VIN decoderFrequently asked questions
Is the 1996 Mazda 626 reliable?
NHTSA has 359 owner complaints and 3 recall campaigns on record for the 1996 Mazda 626. The most complained-about area is power train (65% of complaints).
At what mileage do 1996 Mazda 626 problems usually appear?
Half of the complaints that mention mileage were filed at 95,500 miles or less.
Does the 1996 Mazda 626 have open recalls?
3 recall campaigns have been issued, the latest concerning electrical system:ignition:switch. Check your specific vehicle by VIN - recall repairs are free at franchised dealers.
Source: NHTSA recall campaigns and owner complaints (public domain). Counts reflect reports on file and are not a defect rate.