Complaints
451
Crashes
22
Fires
8
Injuries
35
Fatalities
—
Recalls
1
Worst 1997 Mazda 626 Problems
Top 3 most-reported issues with average mileage at failure.
#1210 complaints
Automatic Transmission
Avg mileage:88,774 mi
Crash-related:2
#222 complaints
Air Bags:Frontal
Avg mileage:105,569 mi
Crash-related:5
#315 complaints
Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine
Avg mileage:82,054 mi
Crash-related:1
Fires:1
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All Problems by Category
Every NHTSA complaint category for the 1997 Mazda 626.
| Component | Complaints | Crashes | Fires | Avg Mileage | Volume |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Automatic Transmission | 210 | 2 | — | 88,774 mi | |
| Air Bags:Frontal | 22 | 5 | — | 105,569 mi | |
| Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine | 15 | 1 | 1 | 82,054 mi | |
| Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine:Gasoline | 14 | — | — | — | |
| Electrical Faults | 11 | — | 1 | 74,062 mi | |
| Airbags | 10 | 5 | 1 | 84,300 mi | |
| Transmission / Drivetrain | 8 | — | — | 94,252 mi | |
| Manual Transmission | 8 | — | — | — | |
| Power Train:Automatic Transmission:Torque Converter | 6 | — | — | 95,831 mi | |
| Unintended Acceleration | 6 | 1 | — | 91,808 mi | |
| Other Equipment | 5 | — | — | 57,000 mi | |
| Power Train:Automatic Transmission:Cooling Unit And Lines | 5 | — | — | 109,000 mi | |
| Air Bags:Frontal:Sensor/Control Module | 4 | 1 | — | — | |
| Electrical System:Ignition:Module | 4 | — | — | — | |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Antilock/Traction Control/Electronic Limited Slip | 4 | — | — | — | |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Foundation Components:Disc | 4 | — | — | — | |
| Tire Defects | 4 | 1 | — | — | |
| Air Bags:Side/Window | 3 | — | — | — | |
| Electrical System:12v/24v/48v Battery | 3 | — | — | — | |
| Electrical System:Ignition | 3 | — | 1 | — | |
| Engine & Cooling | 3 | — | — | — | |
| Engine And Engine Cooling:Exhaust System:Emission Control:Catalytic Convertor | 3 | — | — | — | |
| Fuel System, Gasoline:Fuel Injection System | 3 | — | — | — | |
| Power Train:Automatic Transmission:Lever And Linkage:Floor Shift | 3 | — | — | — | |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Foundation Components | 3 | 2 | — | — | |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Foundation Components:Disc:Pads | 3 | — | — | — | |
| Electrical System:Horn | 2 | — | — | — | |
| Electrical System:Starter Assembly | 2 | — | 1 | — | |
| Electrical System:Wiring | 2 | — | — | — |
Automatic Transmission
210
complaints
Crashes
2
Fires
—
Avg Miles
88,774
Air Bags:Frontal
22
complaints
Crashes
5
Fires
—
Avg Miles
105,569
Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine
15
complaints
Crashes
1
Fires
1
Avg Miles
82,054
Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine:Gasoline
14
complaints
Crashes
—
Fires
—
Avg Miles
—
Electrical Faults
11
complaints
Crashes
—
Fires
1
Avg Miles
74,062
Airbags
10
complaints
Crashes
5
Fires
1
Avg Miles
84,300
Transmission / Drivetrain
8
complaints
Crashes
—
Fires
—
Avg Miles
94,252
Manual Transmission
8
complaints
Crashes
—
Fires
—
Avg Miles
—
Power Train:Automatic Transmission:Torque Converter
6
complaints
Crashes
—
Fires
—
Avg Miles
95,831
Unintended Acceleration
6
complaints
Crashes
1
Fires
—
Avg Miles
91,808
Other Equipment
5
complaints
Crashes
—
Fires
—
Avg Miles
57,000
Power Train:Automatic Transmission:Cooling Unit And Lines
5
complaints
Crashes
—
Fires
—
Avg Miles
109,000
Air Bags:Frontal:Sensor/Control Module
4
complaints
Crashes
1
Fires
—
Avg Miles
—
Electrical System:Ignition:Module
4
complaints
Crashes
—
Fires
—
Avg Miles
—
Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Antilock/Traction Control/Electronic Limited Slip
4
complaints
Crashes
—
Fires
—
Avg Miles
—
Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Foundation Components:Disc
4
complaints
Crashes
—
Fires
—
Avg Miles
—
Tire Defects
4
complaints
Crashes
1
Fires
—
Avg Miles
—
Air Bags:Side/Window
3
complaints
Crashes
—
Fires
—
Avg Miles
—
Electrical System:12v/24v/48v Battery
3
complaints
Crashes
—
Fires
—
Avg Miles
—
Electrical System:Ignition
3
complaints
Crashes
—
Fires
1
Avg Miles
—
Engine & Cooling
3
complaints
Crashes
—
Fires
—
Avg Miles
—
Engine And Engine Cooling:Exhaust System:Emission Control:Catalytic Convertor
3
complaints
Crashes
—
Fires
—
Avg Miles
—
Fuel System, Gasoline:Fuel Injection System
3
complaints
Crashes
—
Fires
—
Avg Miles
—
Power Train:Automatic Transmission:Lever And Linkage:Floor Shift
3
complaints
Crashes
—
Fires
—
Avg Miles
—
Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Foundation Components
3
complaints
Crashes
2
Fires
—
Avg Miles
—
Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Foundation Components:Disc:Pads
3
complaints
Crashes
—
Fires
—
Avg Miles
—
Electrical System:Horn
2
complaints
Crashes
—
Fires
—
Avg Miles
—
Electrical System:Starter Assembly
2
complaints
Crashes
—
Fires
1
Avg Miles
—
Electrical System:Wiring
2
complaints
Crashes
—
Fires
—
Avg Miles
—
Search Owner Complaints
Read what owners actually reported to NHTSA for the 1997 Mazda 626. Type a keyword (e.g. “transmission”, “stalling”, “brakes”) to filter.
Recalls for 1997 Mazda 626
1 NHTSA recall campaign affecting ~1,368,500 vehicles.
15V674000Electrical System:ignition:switch
~1,368,500 affectedMazda 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.
Other Mazda 626 Years
1997 Mazda 626 — FAQ
Answers based on real NHTSA complaint and recall data for this specific model year.
Is the 1997 Mazda 626 reliable?
Verdict: High Complaint Volume. The 1997 Mazda 626 has 451 NHTSA complaints, 22 crash-related, and 1 recall campaign. The most common issue is Automatic Transmission with 210 complaints. Source: NHTSA via VinItel.
What are common problems with the 1997 Mazda 626?
Top reported problems: Automatic Transmission (210 complaints, avg 88,774 mi); Air Bags:Frontal (22 complaints, avg 105,569 mi); Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine (15 complaints, avg 82,054 mi). Every complaint is filed by an owner with NHTSA — this is raw reported data, not editorial opinion.
At what mileage do problems start on the 1997 Mazda 626?
The weighted average mileage at time of complaint is about 89,139 miles. Some components fail earlier, some later — check the "All Problems by Category" table above for per-issue averages.
How safe is the 1997 Mazda 626?
NHTSA complaints for the 1997 Mazda 626 include 22 crash-related reports, 8 fire reports, 35 injuries, and 0 fatalities. These are owner-reported incidents, not official crash-test ratings — a complaint being filed doesn't confirm a defect, but clusters around specific components are worth investigating.
Does the 1997 Mazda 626 have any recalls?
Yes — 1 NHTSA recall campaign affecting an estimated 1,368,500 vehicles. Recalls are free to fix at the dealer. Always verify by VIN whether the specific car you're looking at has had its recalls addressed.
Should I buy a 1997 Mazda 626?
This year has a higher-than-normal complaint volume. It's not an automatic no, but focus inspection on the top reported issue (automatic transmission) and verify open recalls have been addressed.
Source: NHTSA (National Highway Traffic Safety Administration) complaint and recall databases, aggregated by VinItel.
Wider context: See the full Mazda 626 reliability report with year-by-year comparison and generation analysis.
Check Your Specific 1997 Mazda 626
Real owner complaints tell you about the model. The VIN tells you about your specific car — accidents, title issues, odometer fraud.
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