Your vehicle report
1999 Mazda 626
The problems owners report. The recalls to check. The evidence behind each.
Your vehicle at a glance
Complaint patterns and official recall records, kept distinct.
- Owner complaints
- 318
- Received Nov 1998 to Sep 2017
Owner reports
Most reported problems
- 1Transmission fails or loses power while driving67 complaints · 21% of this vehicle’s complaints
- 2Automatic transmission shifts unexpectedly or slips20 complaints · 6.3% of this vehicle’s complaints
- 3Radiator transmission cooler leaks fluid into transmission18 complaints · 5.7% of this vehicle’s complaints
Official NHTSA records
Recalls to check
- Recall #00V134000Vehicle description: passenger vehicles. An external spring in the timing belt tensioner could break.
- Recall #00V074000Vehicle 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.
BrakeNews signals
Flagged complaint patterns
Unusual complaint patterns with no matched recall yet. A flag does not mean a recall will happen.
No problems currently meet BrakeNews’s flagging criteria. This is not a safety rating.
How flags are identifiedComplaint counts reflect reports submitted to NHTSA, not failure rates or a reliability ranking. Reported in these complaints: 11 crashes, 3 fires, 4 people injured, 0 deaths.
Explore by system
Where do owners report problems?
Choose an area on the car or a system below to explore the reported problems.
Illustrative only; not this vehicle’s exact design. Areas represent complaint categories, not confirmed defective parts.
Showing all 18 listed problems by system.
Engine & powertrain
Brakes
Electrical & lights
Airbags, belts & seats
Steering, suspension & tires
Body, doors & glass
No problems in this category meet this page’s listing criteria. This does not establish that the system is free of problems.
Driver assistance
No problems in this category meet this page’s listing criteria. This does not establish that the system is free of problems.
Other
Complaint history
When NHTSA received these reports. Changes in reporting alone do not establish a change in failure rates.
Show as a table
| Year | Complaints |
|---|---|
| 1998 | 1 |
| 1999 | 9 |
| 2000 | 14 |
| 2001 | 12 |
| 2002 | 24 |
| 2003 | 54 |
| 2004 | 59 |
| 2005 | 45 |
| 2006 | 40 |
| 2007 | 23 |
| 2008 | 9 |
| 2009 | 8 |
| 2010 | 5 |
| 2011 | 4 |
| 2012 | 4 |
| 2013 | 0 |
| 2014 | 0 |
| 2015 | 2 |
| 2016 | 3 |
| 2017 | 2 |
| 2018 | 0 |
| 2019 | 0 |
| 2020 | 0 |
| 2021 | 0 |
| 2022 | 0 |
| 2023 | 0 |
| 2024 | 0 |
| 2025 | 0 |
| 2026 (to Oct 2026) | 0 |
| Total | 318 |
Problems owners report
Listed groups have at least 3 complaints. The page includes the 20 largest groups plus any additional flagged groups; some complaints are not assigned to a group.
| Problem | Complaints | Share | Share ratio | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Transmission fails or loses power while driving | 67 | 21% | – | |
| Automatic transmission shifts unexpectedly or slips | 20 | 6.3% | – | |
| Radiator transmission cooler leaks fluid into transmission | 18 | 5.7% | – | |
| Engine suddenly shuts off while driving | 13 | 4.1% | – | |
| Vehicle catches fire from wiring | 10 | 3.1% | – | |
| Seat belt fails to latch or retract | 9 | 2.8% | – | |
| Unintended acceleration despite braking | 9 | 2.8% | – | |
| Check engine light comes on repeatedly | 9 | 2.8% | – | |
| Transmission will not engage reverse gear | 9 | 2.8% | – | |
| Tires blow out or tread separates | 4 | 1.3% | – | |
| Brake pedal sinks due to leaking lines | 4 | 1.3% | – | |
| Timing chain fails and destroys engine | 4 | 1.3% | – | NHTSA recall #00V134000 |
| Air conditioner blows hot air or fails | 4 | 1.3% | – | |
| Suspension clunking or rattling noise over bumps | 4 | 1.3% | – | |
| Airbags fail to deploy in crashes | 3 | 0.9% | – | |
| Ignition key sticks or will not turn | 3 | 0.9% | – | |
| Engine knocking from rod or main bearings | 3 | 0.9% | – | |
| Manual clutch wears out or fails early | 3 | 0.9% | – |
AI groups complaints by meaning; the groups are approximate. Share ratio compares the problem’s share of this vehicle’s complaints with its share on other vehicles over the last 24 months (shown from 3 recent complaints). A 2× ratio means twice the complaint share, not twice the failure risk. Flags mark unusual shares or recent surges after an AI review of the complaint content. “First signal” does not mean the pattern has persisted continuously.How recall estimates are calculated.
Recalls
NHTSA recall #00V134000May 9, 200031,000 vehicles affected
engine and engine cooling: engine
Vehicle description: passenger vehicles. An external spring in the timing belt tensioner could break.
The broken spring may get caught in the timing belt, resulting possible engine stalling.
Remedy
Dealers will check the tensioner installed and replace it if the vehicle is equipped with the affected tensioner.
NHTSA recall #00V074000March 7, 200071,000 vehicles affected
service brakes, hydraulic: foundation components: master cylinder
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.
This condition could cause reduced brake efficiency, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy
Dealers will inspect the reservoir cap and replace it, if necessary.
Other model years
About this data
NHTSA complaints and recalls through October 2026. Complaints are counted once each, however many components they name. Original complaints are on NHTSA's page for the 1999 Mazda 626.
Problem groups are formed by AI and may be approximate. BrakeNews flags unusual complaint patterns; they are not official defect findings. Investigation reports are written and checked by AI, with no human review. Owner reports do not establish that a defect exists.
Read the methodology and track record · Check current recalls by VIN