1999 Mazda 626 Problems, Complaints & Recalls
- Compared with other 626 years
- About as many complaints as other years 5th of 9 for complaints
- Safety recalls
- 2 recalls: check your VIN
- NHTSA crash rating
- Not rated
Owners have filed 318 complaints with NHTSA about the 1999 Mazda 626. That ranks 5th out of 9 626 model years for complaints. The most reported problem area is power train (233 complaints, 73%), typically at around 80,000 miles. Complaints mention 11 crashes, 3 fires, 4 injuries. There are 2 safety recalls covering this model year.
- 318owner complaints
- 2safety recalls
- 0NHTSA investigations
- 11complaints mentioning a crash
Complaints are unverified owner reports and are not adjusted for sales volume.
Most common 1999 Mazda 626 problems
Complaints grouped by the part of the car owners reported, with the median mileage when the problem happened.
| Problem area | Complaints | Share | Median miles | Owners mention most | Typical repair cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Power Train problems | 233 | 73% | 80,000 | “transmission failed” (12%) | $4,400 |
| Engine and Engine Cooling | 48 | 15% | 78,000 | — | — |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic | 13 | 4% | 145,000 | — | — |
| Electrical System | 11 | 3% | 70,500 | — | — |
| Equipment | 8 | 3% | 83,800 | — | — |
| Air Bags | 5 | 2% | 77,250 | — | — |
| Seat Belts | 4 | 1% | 86,500 | — | — |
| Seats | 4 | 1% | 50,000 | — | — |
| Suspension | 4 | 1% | 40,009 | — | — |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 4 | 1% | — | — | — |
| Steering | 3 | 1% | — | — | — |
| Tires | 3 | 1% | — | — | — |
| Unknown or Other | 3 | 1% | 120,000 | — | — |
| Engine | 2 | 1% | 10,000 | — | — |
| Exterior Lighting | 2 | 1% | — | — | — |
| Fuel/propulsion System | 2 | 1% | 10,000 | — | — |
| Fuel System, Gasoline | 2 | 1% | — | — | — |
| Interior Lighting | 2 | 1% | 40,009 | — | — |
| Service Brakes | 2 | 1% | 10,000 | — | — |
| Structure | 2 | 1% | — | — | — |
| Visibility | 2 | 1% | 42,750 | — | — |
| Service Brakes, Electric | 1 | 0% | — | — | — |
| Wheels | 1 | 0% | — | — | — |
One complaint can list several problem areas, so shares can add up to more than 100%.
Complaints by year received
1999 Mazda 626 recalls (2)
Tap a recall to see the problem, the risk and the fix.
Engine and engine cooling:engine
Problem: Vehicle description: passenger vehicles. An external spring in the timing belt tensioner could break.
Risk: The broken spring may get caught in the timing belt, resulting possible engine stalling.
Fix: Dealers will check the tensioner installed and replace it if the vehicle is equipped with the affected tensioner.
Service brakes, hydraulic:foundation components:master cylinder
Problem: Vehicle description: passenger vehicles. Certain reservoir tank caps on the brake master cylinder were produced with a worn out die and lack ventilation holes. As a result, the pressure in the reservoir tank can drop gradually as the brake pad or shoe wears and ambient temperature drops. Also, the pressure could reach a point that the brake caliper and drum cylinder are pulled back by the vacuum in the reservoir tank when the vehicle is parked for a long time.
Risk: This condition could cause reduced brake efficiency, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: Dealers will inspect the reservoir cap and replace it, if necessary.
To see whether a specific car still has an open recall, enter its VIN on NHTSA's official recall lookup. You can also decode a VIN here.
Recent owner reports
Short excerpts of the latest complaints filed with NHTSA, with personal details removed. Full reports can be searched on NHTSA.gov.
Ignition switch is defected. After starting the vehicle, only for a few moments, smoke begin to flow from the steering column and i must immediately disengage the the key from the ignition position.
When engaging the ignition switch to start the vehicle, smoke comes from the steering column, i must immediately turn off the contact position. This problem occurs seconds after the ignition switch is engaged.
Tl* the contact owns a 1999 mazda 626. The contact stated that the key was extremely difficult to turn over to start the vehicle. In addition, the failure was progressing to the point that the vehicle may not start intermittently. The vehicle was not inspected or diagnosed. The manufacturer was…
When engaging ignition switch to start vehicle, smoke comes up from the steering column. Have to immediately turn off switch. This problem started 2011. Vehicle is in storage at this time.
The transmission started acting up which is apparently a known issue by mazda that the transmission will malfunction causing the transmission to go bad. This bs with it cost my wife her job
Other Mazda 626 years
| Year | Complaints | Recalls |
|---|---|---|
| 2003 626 | 9 | 0 |
| 2002 626 | 87 | 0 |
| 2001 626 | 188 | 0 |
| 2000 626 | 217 | 1 |
| 1999 | 318 | 2 |
| 1998 626 | 434 | 4 |
| 1997 626 | 358 | 3 |
| 1996 626 | 359 | 2 |
| 1995 626 | 488 | 2 |
See all Mazda 626 problems by year, every Mazda model, or the Mazda VIN decoder.
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Frequently asked questions
What are the most common problems with the 1999 Mazda 626?
Owners most often report power train, engine and engine cooling, service brakes, hydraulic problems. The top one, power train, accounts for 233 complaints.
Was there a recall on the 1999 Mazda 626?
Yes, 2 safety recalls. Enter your VIN at NHTSA.gov to check whether the repairs were done on your car.
Was the 1999 Mazda 626 a good year?
Complaint data can't fully answer that, because counts aren't adjusted for sales. Compared with other 626 model years, the 1999 has about as many complaints as a typical year. Always get a pre-purchase inspection and check the VIN for open recalls.