Problems with 2001 Mazda 626 POWER TRAIN

My 2001 mazda 626 has had two transmissions installed and now installing the third one @104000 miles first time the overdrive light flashed and would not shift into the proper gear at 53000 miles we had to fight with mazda north america for several weeks to take care of it. also wheeler mazda in yuba city did not help or care witch the car was purchased at new. i have had the car serviced at the dealer for all recommended service. now the second one just went out @ 104000 miles and the mazda rep for mazda north america will not help at all. the cost to repair this one is2,900 dollars. i have 3 children and one on the way. this is not what i expect from a new car that has been well taken care of. the axles went out @ 70000 miles the stereo went out 2 times in the first month. the 2nd transmission started squeaking for about 10 minutes then the transmission just quit. thanks. *jb

2001 mazda 626 lx 4 cyl auto trans. at 80k miles, after long highway trips, the o/d off light started flashing intermittently. then, there was difficulty shifting, then the entire transmission failed. i have had two transmission rebuilds at a cost of $3500 over the past 2 years. it has been a year since my last rebuild and i am seeing the same problems again. i have seen reports all over the internet sitting similar problems. i am not happy with this vehicle at all. *nm

Dt*: the contact stated the vehicle stalled while stopped at a traffic signal. the vehicle was restarted and smoke was seen coming from under the hood. the vehicle was driven to an independent repair shop who determined the transmission had leaked fluid. the vehicle was later towed to another independent repair shop for further inspection, however no determination has yet been made on the cause of the leak. the dealer was not contacted.

While driving children to school my car started losing speed and the rpms were way high. pulled over to side of highway and was not able to go in any gear. luckily i pulled over when i did. car was towed to transmission shop and was told they see so many mazda vehicles come in because mazda put in a ford transmission made for a smaller vehicle. therefore the transmission burns out. was told my transmission needed rebuilt and to add this cooling unit $2,100.00. thank you mazda for keeping your customers informed of this. if i had known that it needed this cooling unit or my transmission would burn up, i would have spent the $140.00 for the unit. but mazda did not feel that their customers were privy to this information. never will by mazda again!!!!! *nm

Dt*: the contact stated the transmission burned out at the end of a long trip. initially, the service dealer offered to cover the cost of the transmission if the contact paid for the labor cost. the dealer's offer was withdrawn because the transmission was rebuilt at 65,000 miles. a service bulletin (06012004, nhtsa item #10013965) regarding overheating of the transmission was discovered which recommended the installation of a transmission control module. the manufacturer was contacted.

2001 mazda 626 transmission failed while driving on highway. could have been killed. is at transmission shop right now being replaced. only have approx 56 thousand miles on car, should not have transmission problems, i see many many other mazda 626 have same problem. mazda should have to pay even if off warranty. *nm

The transmission failed in the consumer's 2001 mazda 626. *kb *nm

Auto was purchased brand new, three months later, the transmission, computer and wiring was replaced. three years later , the transmission has packed up again. *nm

My 2001 mazda 626 transmission suddenly went bad on the interstate. my husband knows a salvage yard owner and he says he can't keep them in stock because they are notoriously bad. it only has 79k miles on it. this is so wrong on a whole new level. i see the other people on the internet with the exact same problem. mazda corp. doesn't seem to be interested in accepting responsibility for their shortcomings. i bought this car new at the dealer. i won't make the mistake of purchasing a mazda again. *nm

Automatic transmission failure (twice). first time transmission went out was at 107,105 miles. i paid for the removal,rebuilding, and re-installing of my transmission. parts replaced were, torque converter, mokcd4e, shift kit, filter inside, washer dir drum, sprag fwd, drum fwd, direct shell, t/bearing kit, bushing kit. total cost $1701.82. now at 138, 652 miles my transmission has went out again and has been in the shop for over a week. this time it will cost me $700.00. *jb

1. 2001 mazda 626 --- transmission failure. 2. aamco #4660-- kept my car for 2 weeks. different story/excuse for job not being completed. didn't put it back properly, ended up with engine light on, transmission fluid spill on right side leaking down on the ground; hose not connected & cause for a 2nd transmission failure. *jb

On saturday september 26 at around 3:00 pm i was driving down the florida turnpike in homestead when my 2001 mazda 626 v4 started to spike in rpm's up above normal. at this same time i noticed that i started to decelerate in speed. i have never experienced this before and before this i have been extremely happy with my automobile purchase. upon inspection of my vehicle i noticed that in drive and reverse my car would not move at all. i had to tow my car home and upon calling a mechanic i was informed that i had a transmission failure. once i was able to get online i started to search for a new transmission and with great displeasure i found out that this was a common problem with the mazda 626 line. i want to know why there has not been any kind of recall or acknowledgement of this issue by the government or by mazda at all. why is there no accountability when it comes to companies and faulty equipment? it is just like the saying goes ??the poor get poorer and the rich get richer". my car is a 2001 and only has 35000 miles on it. i do not drive like a crazy person and drive a total of 8 miles a day to and from work. there was no indication of my transmission failing it just went from one moment to the next. fortunately i was not on the busy part of the highway or on i-95 where there are large semi trucks going by at very high speeds. this could have ended worse than it did. does someone have to die for the government to start doing what they should have been doing in the first place? i would like to think that my government would be more proactive than that. please do not prove me wrong and investigate this issue before someone loses their life. thank you very much. *jb

Faulty/defective transmissions are being used in mazda vehicles well after the manufacturer knew about the issue. there are literally hundreds, if not thousands of individuals and companies who have had their transmissions go out...many with well under 60k miles. and, many have been through several transmissions before 100k miles. all of the problem vehicles share the same symptoms: od light flashing off and on, and transmission slipping in and out of gear, as the transmission burns up, literally from poor design and implementation which doesn't allow for proper air flow and cooling. this problem is widely acknowledged by the manufacturer, car owners, dealers, service centers, and other automotive professionals. proof of this fact was a notice sent out to dealers that there is a cooling kit "available" for this transmission that should aid in keeping the transmission cool. however, this is not a free addition! mazda is actually charging customers to add a fix to their design flaw! i feel this problem is not only a fraudulent issue, but is also a safety issue. people could be (and may have already been) severely injured or killed, by having their transmission go out as they attempt to enter high traffic, high-speed areas, such as a freeway. i was not even notified about the transmission problem by mazda and only found out about it after my transmission failed. i am exploring the possibility of filing a class action law suit against mazda corporation. *nm

2001 mazda 626 with a flashing over-drive light at 48,000 miles. the gear ratio is off and the transmission needs to be replaced for $3300.00. *nm

1-complete transmission failure, car would slightly move under gas. gave no warning. transmission failure at 65,000 mi. - rebuilt at an aamco transmission - cost approx. $2,000.00. dealer did not help. complained to mazda north america via letter, gave me $200. in gift cert. for service. complained to consumer reports who gave car best buy rating - no negative rating on transmission. 2-rebuilt transmission started to slip - had trans shop check out, problem due to transmission failure of rebuilt transmission. this happened just this last week at 88,000 mi. rebuilt at stop and go transmission. cost to me approx $2,400.00 3- noticed mildew smell in car - discovered trunk leak noticed at 65,000mi. 2in. of water would form in spare tire well after rain. car never hit prior to when it was fixed. cost approx $400. *tr

I bought a mazda 626 in august 2001. when the mileage reached 74,414 in early march 2006, the car could not reverse and was hard to go forward. i was told by the mazda dealer that the transmission failed and the estimated cost for putting a re-manufactured transmission would be around $3,800. since my car was out of warranty period, they could only give me a discount of $1,000. i did bring my car to the dealer for regular maintenance, and i believed they did not try their best to help me out even i told them there are lots of complaints about the mazda 626 transmission problems. so i took my car to other service center for repairs, and the dealer charged me $80 for diagnostic fees. this car has cost me so much for repairs: fixing the transmission for $2,700, and i just worry that there will be more expensive repairs in near future. *jb

I bought a brand new mazda 626. at about 13,000 miles, the transmission went out. i reported the problem and mazda replaced the transmission with a new one. at about 33,000 miles, the transmission went out again, and they replaced it with a new transmission. at about 55,000 miles, the transmission went out again, and mazda told me that it was no longer their problem since the transmission was no longer under warranty. they said that since they replaced my transmission, it was only warranted for one year, and since my original warranty had expired, there was nothing that they would do. *tr

Was at a stop sign. started to make a left turn, the engine started revving, and it felt as though the transmission was in neutral rather than drive. fortunately, no one was approaching , and the transmission finally shifted. once up to speed, it works okay. there was no earlier indication that this problem was occurring. currently, i can drive the car, but i need to shift between drive and 2nd. when slowing to stop, i downshift to 2nd just before coming to a stop. when starting from a stop, i shift to drive when the car reaches around 1500 rpm. mechanic says it'll cost me 3k or more for a new trans, or between $1200 to $2500 for rebuilt. called the mazda customer svc line. given mazda's history with 626 trans, i'm upset they have refused to give any help with this situation. *nm

After being parked my car went in reverse when put into drive, i put on the brakes and shifted into park and the car still went backwards, the same with neutral. turned the car off and the car was dead. if this had happened at traffic signal i would have been in an accident. the car dealer mentioned they had seen the same problem in 10 same model cars with the same problem. the shifter bushing was replaced, was told this part will wear out in 3-4 years time, the bushing should have been made in a stronger rubber material. *nm

I bought a mazda 626 2001 in october 2005. in january of 2006 (4 months later) the transmission blew up. tranny fluid was every where and there was a hole in the tranny it's self, i was stranded. thankfully i purchased the extended warranty, and the factory warranty covered the cost. again. less than a month and a half, i have the same problem. i took it back to the transmission shop and they told me that if was a 'wear and tear" problem. i then took it to the original dealer and the informed me that it was the transmission mounts that caused it to slip. the dealer again sent it to their contractor...the same ones that 'fixed' it before. needless to say i have come to my ends trying to fix my car. i rely on my car for transportation to get not only myself to work, but also my nephew to daycare, and my mother to work. if you could please help me get resources, or help me resolve my problem i would greatly appreciate it. thank you for your help. i hope to hear from you soon. *nm

2001 mazda 626 only 68,000 miles, transmission totally failed $2,800 to fix! *nm

My name is [xxx]. i have a 2001 mazda 626 lx. 4 cyl. with only 97,000 miles on it the transmission has gone bad. when i put my car into drive gear the car would not move only the rpms would rev up. the car drives in 1st and 2nd gear and reverse but not in drive. after taking to the transmission shop it is costing me $2000 to have the transmission rebuilt. this is ridiculous that so many people have filed a compliant against this car for transmission problem and the car manufacturer is not doing anything for their consumers. why don't they have a recall for this car?? doesn't mazda want to sell more cars in the future? i will never buy another mazda and will discourage anyone i know from buying it. is this transmission even worth rebuilding? i am scared that this issue will happen again. is mazda even reimbursing any cost for this repair? does anyone know? *nm information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u.s.c. 552(b)(6). *tr

Failed transmission. new transmission costing over $3000.00 required. i cannot afford to fix this problem so i cannot drive, neither can i have my emission testing done. i have asked for two postponement from mva already. *jb

Driving on interstate 95 south from richmond, va. at approx. 70 mph when auto transmission jumped out of gear, causing sudden deceleration. was able to exit interstate highway by pulling to my right and driving slowly until exit ramp was reached. car was able to limp home to raleigh, nc by taking secondary roads and not totally stopping for stop signs as transmission did not want to pull car away from a total stop. this car only has 73k miles on it and it not driven harshly nor has it ever pulled a trailer. transmission needs to be replaced according to mechanics. they also say this model transmission has bad reputation within the repair industry. appears that i will need to purchase a "rebuilt" transmission and have it installed. *nm

I was alone in the car with my 9 yr old autistic son when the transmission failed on my 2001 mazda 626. i was fortunate enough to get off the road with out being rear ended however we were forced to pull over in a very dangerous part of austin. i am being told that my transmission has failed and needs to be rebuilt or replaced. i am learning that this is a common problem with all mazda 626 models 94-2002. apparently the transmission is a ford and too small to support the 626 model therefore the cooling system is not sufficient to cool the transmission hence the system overheats. how many complaints have to be filed for mazda to be forced to recall this vehicle. my research is discovering that tons of accidents have happened because of this defect and nothing is being done to hold mazda accountable. *nm

Dt: the contact states he experienced a down shifting of the transmission while driving on the interstate. the transmission rapidly down shifted to a very low speed in a matter of seconds. this was the first incident of this type however he previously discovered there was some leakage of transmission fluid. he had the vehicle towed to his home. no repairs have been made at this time due to the expense. *jb

I have a 2001 mazda 626 that had a transmission failure at less than 60k miles. my problems began when i started noticing a jerking motion when i accelerated out of a full stop. then, the transmission would sometimes delay engaging in reverse or drive. i had multiple mechanics look at the car, all of whom recommended a replacement transmission. i spoke with even more mechanics about the situation, including three at mazda dealerships, and all fully and openly acknowledged widespread problems with mazda transmissions. one service manager at a mazda dealership recommended i get rid of the car altogether. another independent mechanic, a transmission specialist, refused to work on mazdas at all. to add insult to injury, mazda is also charging exorbitant prices for replacement transmissions (perhaps because they're in such demand?): just under $3000 for the part itself, not to mention labor. i paid over $3700 for the transmission to be replaced at a mazda dealership. even then, i had to return the car twice to the mechanic because the transmission wasn't engaging properly when i shifted gears from park to drive, for example. finally, the dealership determined that the transmission range sensor on my brand-new transmission needed to be replaced. i strongly urge nhtsa to take action to begin a recall of mazda transmissions. on this site, the 2001 mazda 626 has 10 times the transmission complaints than 2001 honda and nearly 12 times more than the 2001 camry. *nm

I have had to replace my transmission three times now. twice under warranty once out of my pocket and the latest lasted only 13,000 so its not covered again. *jb

my 2001 mazda 626 was brought to the dealer while still under warranty due to a burning smell in the engine. the car also smelled musty as if water were leaking somewhere. the dealer adjusted the moonroof screws out in the parking lot and claims no burning smell was present. at approximately 50 miles over the warranty, the stereo display stopped illuminating and mazda would not cover the $300 repair. at around 70,000 miles, the overdrive light suddenly began to flash continuously. the car started to chug up hills and jerk when shifting into drive. i notified mazda immediately, thinking it was an electrical problem as stated in the owner's manual. the dealer said to drive it in. on the way, the car quickly got worse, would not accelerate over 40 mph and stalled while merging onto the highway. the car was unable to go into reverse. the dealer said, "bad news, you need a new tranny". unprofessional and ignorant words to me. i paid another transmission company for towing and a rebuilt transmission since mazda wanted over $3,000. he stated that many mazda 626 transmissions have been failing too early since they were built with a ford transmission, not capable for a car like the 626. mazda must have had some good reason to offer 0 percent financing then suddenly stop making the long existing and once reliable 626. i strongly feel that the numerous and similar complaints should be investigated. there are probably several other owners of the 626 out there repairing their transmissions too early and unaware to file a complaint. thank you for your time. *jb

Stopped the car and turned off the engine to put gas in , started the car, put gear into drive and felt a slight jump when i accelerated. i continued to accelerate and the car began to stall but the rpms continued to rise. i stopped the car and turned it off, let it cool down and turned it back on. everything was fine until i put it into drive, pushed on the gas but the car didn't move one inch, just kept revving. transmission gone just like that. problem just occurred. estimate about 2000 dollars for new transmission after only 87000 miles. *jb

Automatic trans. will not go into gear,or will engage park. trans. rebuilt. after 18 months same problem returned! *tr

I have a 2001 mazda 626 4 cylinder i have just found out i have to have my transmission done due to the cd4e which were on model 1994-2002 also fords now i am finding out that mazda knew bout this an still have not recalled this is a shame because being a single mom with a disabled child working up to 3 jobs thinking she was purchasing a reliable car to find out $3,055.43 will be my cost is hard to shallow knowing that mazda knew this all along even putting out tsb, now i'm stuck with a car payment and i can't drive the car. *jb

My 2001 mazda 626 transmission failed. on june 6, 2003 we placed our 626 with jim ellis mazda in atlanta, ga because the overdrive was flashing. the warranty repair order states "trans over heated. needs updated cooler. installed trans cooler. see ro for details." two years later our transmission has failed, and after reading experiences from many other people who have had the same failure, this is due to a faulty transmission that mazda has installed in their 626's. i feel strongly that mazda knows about this problem and refuses to issue a recall, and will continue to deny this problem until something is done to force their hand and require them to face the problem. *jb

Started with overdrive light flashing on/off. car hesitates and chugs when you step on the gas from a stopped position. jerks while shifting and transmission is failing. i have had all the recommended services done including tune up, oil change and transmission fluid flush. the car has 73,000 miles on it. *jb

1) car overheating, o/d light blinking, car not shifting out of 1st gear 2) car eventually would not shift at all, had repairs done = $1900 3) transmission shop replaced tranny. mazda dealer quoted $3500 to do same repairs. *jb

Transmission has always been acting unusual but i mistakingly thought it was how the ride was in the brand new 2001 mazda 626 when bought in april 2001. it was heavy and i was used to driving heavier cars. 53,000 miles later the transmission dies and the servicer at the dealership tells me its "burnt." wants to charge $3700 to replace the transmission when i still owe $3700 on the car in payments. research on the web tells me the transmission has a cooling system issue which needs to be replaced (@ about $800) in order to prevent this from happening again. dying transmission caused car to roll back in d...beware!!!

Mazda 626 transmission failure, at 75,000 miles. dangerous, especially if the manufacturer knows this transmission is faulty. was travelling on a freeway in heavy traffic ... car stalled immediately. could not move the car out of traffic lanes ... very dangerous result.

Transmission went out after 78,000 miles, and it cost over $2600 to fix.

First my car started jerking, i was told by the mazda dealer that it's okay. then my check engine light and my o/d started blinking... next thing i knew my car stopped. it will go into reverse but not drive. i now need a new transmission. i have since found that mazda should have told me about a transmission coolant system that was needed for my car, but not installed when the car was purchased. several people have this concern.. i am so disappointed. *jb

My 2001 mazda 626 4 cyl had low power from the beginning. when it reached about 52000 miles i noticed that it was shifting slowly. at about 53000 the overdrive light began flashing and within a week or so the car would not go in reverse and was very difficult to start moving after a stop. i called harold mazda and they told me i needed a new transmission which they put in for a mere $3800 as it was 3013 miles over the 50000 mi warantee period.. at the time i asked them if there was a reason it failed and they told me no there were no problems with the mazda 626. they also told me there was nothing i could do to reduce the likelyhood of it's happening again - they did not mention the cooling unit i have read about. now my mazda 626 is again shifting slowly and i afraid it will happen again. there is only 67000 miles on it now but the new transmission is out of it's 1 yr warantee period. mazda should be made to acknowledge this problem and offeer compensation to it's victims.

I have had my 2001 mazda 626 for 3 years. there is only 69,000 miles on this car, and now my transmission needs to be replaced. there is an obvious problem here. mazda should have this problem with these vehicles recalled. i do not feel that consumers should be held responsible with the expense of replacing the transmission after a car being only 4 years old. *ak

Vehicle broke down and o/d off light flashed. vehicle overheated. had not been repaired. extended warranty declined to pay for services.*ak

Due to a low quality of my vehicle's transmission, it stopped on the road while i was driving. to illustrate, two days after purchasing a used 2001 mazda 626, i noticed the transmission's weakness [no power, sluggish and unresponsive]. to claim, immediately i called to the mazda-dealership sales department and explain the issues and i requested a repair or service. after a short conversation with the sales department for returning the car, mr. dave wilson agreed to fix the problems, so he transferred my call to the dealerships service center manager, mr. steve pollard. based on my phone conversation with the manager, i went to the center to get the problems fixed. however, mr. steve pollard by rejecting my request for a transmission-replacement, after a minor check, he fixed the audio-set and the steering wheel noise only. after picking up the car, i found the same weak transmission problem. i called back to the service center, and reminded the problem but the manager gave the same reply as before (there is no problem with the transmission). then he asked: do you have an extended warranty? yes, i said. then he added: don't worry and advised me to use it for any future major problems! as a result, i started to use and drive the powerless car with its weak transmission, not only carefully and stressfully for 2 years, but also full of anxiety and depression, until it stopped on the road completely. unfortunately, after towing the car to the center for the same issue, transmission repair/replacement, later, i was reminded that the car is not under warranty any more, and i must pay a total cost of $3148.46 from my pocket!!

Mazda 626 2001 58,000 mi, transmission failure transmission was rebuilt for a cost of $2400.

I purchased a 2001 mazda 626 in july of 2002 and have had extensive problems with the tires on the car. i've had to change usually two tires at a time every six months. as of today along with problems with the tires my transmission blew out and i'm being quoted $3,300 to replace it. this shouldn't be happening on any car that is only four years old. it has 72,000 miles on it. i've researched this problem and have come across 200 other individuals that have had this same problem with the transmission. some of them with brand new mazda's and some of them with the same car that is older than mine. it's amazing to me that mazda can get away with selling this car for so long with this same problem. i have three children that are in the car with me daily and i almost had an accident when the car died on me in the middle of a busy road. but yet, mazda can continue to put this car on the road even with all of the same complaints. my parents had a 1994 mazda 626 that they purchased brand new with zero miles and they had the same exact problem, had the car repaired and it happened again within two months. they are astonished that the mazda 626's are still on the road when they havn't corrected the problem and have the nerve to sell this car with pride in their dealerships. *ak

On or before february, 2005, my 2001 mazda 626 began experiencing a problem while changing gears. i was on the highway when the vehicle began sputtering, changing gears very roughly and backfired. as this was taking place, the o/d light began flashing on and off. i immediately pulled off the road to prevent an accident and turned the vehicle off. it took about forty-five minutes before it turned on again. ever since this incident, the vehicle continued to have the same problem ( rough gear shifting). it is now at a transmission shop who has explained that the transmission has burned out because of the lack of a cooling system. after doing some research, i found that there are many consumers with mazda 626's that were manufactured in the years 1992 to 2002 with the same problem. i have not had the problem fixed as yet, i will do so and request to keep the old parts if necessary.*ak

Less than one month ago i had a flashing engine light on my 4cyl-mazda 626. the dealer claimed it was the converter and changed that out. now the o/d light is flashing and the transmission is not shifting properly. i have taken it to two shops for checking and of course it is the transmission. i have not and cannot have it repaired at the recommended costs..and still pay the car note. also, i do not think i should have to replace it at 68,000 miles on a car that has been serviced and maintained properly.*ak

I just bought a used 2001 mazda 626 from carmax in sterling, va in november of 2005. the vehicle had 29,400 miles on it on the date of purchase. now it has 33, 000 miles, and the car began to frequently jerk, the "o/d off" light came on...then the car would not move. i've since read about others with similar issues with this vehicle, and find that there is nothing being done by mazda to rectify the situation. so, i want to document my problem with the vehicle in the hopes that something will be done in the near future.*ak

I have a 2001 mazda 626. i am being told by the dealer i should not drive the car due to the potential transmission failure could lead to an accident or death and property damage. my research shows that this vehicle has a history of transaxles failure and i want to notify the nhtsa of this issue. *jb

Dead transmission on a 2001 mazda 626 lx. *ak