1995 Mazda 626 LX from North America - Comments

Look into a Chevrolet..

Or another GM car..

Gosh. Wish I had been able to warn many of you to stay away from Mazda. I owned a 97 626 from May 0f 98 until December of 2002. Luckily, I bought an extended warranty from the bank that financed it. First transmission failed at 69,000 miles, second transmission failed at 80,000 miles, third transmission failed at 98,000 miles. The third time, I picked it up from the repair shop and drove it straight to a lot to trade. I was honest with the salesmen, and I told them NOT to sell it on their lot, but to take it to auction. I traded for a 2000 Camry -BEST THING I ever did.

Besides the transmission, I also replaced the O2 sensor twice, along with many other costly repairs. I warn everyone I know to NEVER by a Mazda.

I bought a used 97 Mazda 626 in year 2000 with a LOT of money. It has 90 K on it now. I drove it rarely, but still got a lot of problems. Recently the O/D light is flashing and when I shift to D it jerks heavily. After reading you guys posts, I kind of know the transmission is in trouble. I have already paid about 2000 dollars on other repairs. Don't know if I should put more on it.

Very sad about this car. I can only blame myself for being such an idiot to buy this car, but would like to warn anyone to stay away from Mazda.

Purchased the 626 new in 1999 for my daughter in college.

This has been a great car for her. She drove to my home last weekend. About an hour into the trip she called me to tell me that the O/D light was flashing. The car has 56713 miles. Called transmission shops and got estimates from $1000 to $2500. I am selling this car, but must first repair the transmission. Will go to the nhtsa sight and make a report. I have called the Law office in Michigan and am waiting for them to return the call. What a bummer! She really likes her new Escape!

I have a 97 ford prob. I bought it new. only thing that needed replaced was the O2 senser, but the engine light has been on for a year now. The O/D light was flasing the other day and the car is bucking. I don't know if I should trade in the car or get it fixed.

I purchased a 91 Probe brand new in 91. For the most part it has been a good car. At about 100,000 I have to have a valve job, but that was the most I've had to do.

For the past year it's been going down hill with small things. Gas tank leaks (I only put in 1/2 tank now), parking light switch wouldn't turn on, drivers seat belt motor stopped working, horn died, antenna motor died, speedometer died, head light motors failed, cassette doesn't work... time to get it out of my drive for good. It now has about 155,000 and has been PAID OFF for 8 years!

I JUST purchased a 1996 Mazda 626 for $1600. I thought I was getting a good buy (Japanese car) until I read all these posts! I guess I didn't do enough research! Anyway, it has 178K highway miles. I haven't had any transmission problems yet, but it DOES shake like MAD when I'm in idling in drive. Does anyone know why it does that? I was thinking it was something w/the engine...

Hi,

I was just reading the last post of March 6th. I have a 1995 Mazda 626 LX. My car also shakes like crazy when on idle. I took it to a mechanic to look it, and I was told the rear engine mount was broken. It will cost about $70 for the part and about $45 for labor. So, maybe that could be why your car shakes like that. Hope this helps.

Hi, I have had my 626 since 94 and I notice a lot of people have the holdlight flashing problem, I have had this problem many times and paid quite a lot of money to get this fixed, once I watched my mech. fix it and is all he did was unplug the battery and let it sit for 5 minutes, then reconnect it. I guess this resets the sensor. It works fine after I do it now. -nicb903@aol.com.

I own a 95 626, have had it since 95. Have just started to have any type of trouble with the transmission. The only problem I have is it shifts hard into reverse when cold. It has almost 100,000 miles on it so it is normal to have some problems. Engine has a rough idle when stopped in drive…pretty sure it is a motor mount…again typical replace and repair part. Bad vibration at 65 mph from the back end and the car eats rear tires for lunch. This is the only problem I have not been able to pinpoint.

Very good car and would buy another Mazda. To think a car and its parts will last a lifetime is absurd. Every car on the road needs to have some type of repair and work done on it. If you get 100,000 miles or close to it before you have to change things then consider yourself lucky. These cars are not made like the good old days. Nothing more than an aluminum can with a small motor. If you want a car that will live forever then get a 50’s or 60’s Chevy.

I guess I lucked out with my '95 626. Bought it in 1995 as a used rental vehicle with 33000 km and apart from a faulty pressure switch that caused extremely rough gear shifting about 7 years ago, (Mazda dealership was not able to find the problem, local transmission shop fixed it for about $270) I have not had problems until this past weekend. At 223,000 km, the transmission gave up the ghost. Apparently this will cost me $3300 to fix. So my dilemma is fix or not. The car is still in pretty good shape... very little rust, but it's still 10 years old.

Ottawa, Canada.

I was very stupid to have purchased my 1995 626 LX without even doing a research about it till it was too late. I had the car for 2 weeks now with 109855 miles on it and the previous owner did not even bother to fix the mechanical problems before selling the car. It failed the smog test and the technician at the smog test center had to tinker with the car in order to pass the test but still I decided to buy the car. Before the smog test the rpm gauge kicks up to 6,000 rpm which is not normal. After the fix it got back down to 4,000 rpm, but still the inconsistent idling was not remedied at all. Bought it for $3,600 for the previous owner does not want to go any lower than that. The car had a sound set up in it that's why and what a set up; 12" subs, 2 amps, a 10 disc cd changer and component speakers. The reason why I bought the car in the first place so that I don't need to spend a lot of cash on a sound set up.

I do not know the reason why my car guzzles gas like a v6 even though it's not and I hope it's not a major problem and will cost me dearly to fix. I will have to bring it to an auto shop to have it checked. when I start the car I hear a shrieking noise coming from the engine and when I turn on the a/c. I hope that I will never have the dreaded tranny problem happen to me and just have to give the car a proper maintenance regimen.

I have a 1993-4 626 2.5 ABS light stays on unable to find the fault 2mths now a bigger problem with front brakes binding after 2miles. stationary select drive car does not move forward, using excessive fuel. this problem intermittent can anyone help?

I own a 1994 Mazda 626 and I regret ever buying it. My first problem is with the belts. I have had the belts replaced THREE times in one year. They still squeak terribly and will probably go again in a few months.

I had to pay $100 for rewiring during a routine tune-up because they were being melted from heat due to where they were placed.

Hold light started flashing last summer. I brought it to TWO shops and was told there were no mechanical problems. I had the codes reset and it ran fine for about 8 months. 3 months ago the hold light started to flash and it jerked while driving over 40mph. The rpm jumped to 4 back to 3, etc. it was also leaking transmission fluid. I brought it in and was told it needed a rebuild by two different specialists. I had the rebuild done for $1500. LO AND BEHOLD I have my car for 2 days and the hold light flashes again and it jerks insanely. I am told it needs a new speed sensor which costs $25.

Yes I too was given a Mazda 626LX for a graduation gift. It looked like it was in good shape. After about 2 months transmission starts to go out. Eventually it did and I was stuck later to find out that I would have to pay 400 bucks to get my transmission worked on. After I get it back, transmission goes out again, so I'm stuck 2 hours away from home without a car. Then I pay 800 dollars to get it fixed again. It does just fine until once again the transmission goes out 5 months later. Now here I sit probably never to get it fixed again, and I have to walk everywhere. The car didn't even make it a year so to everyone out there who plan on or just have to get a Mazda 626, do yourself a favor and look away. Go to a different car, its not worth it. I'm out 4000 dollars all because of this car.