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1998 Mazda 626 Recalls & Complaints

6

open safety recalls on record

Critical

499 owner complaints filed · Severity Index 0.44 · updated 2026-08-07

The recalls

Critical15V674000

Electrical System:Ignition:Switch

If the ignition switch overheats there would be an increased risk of a fire.

Remedy & full details

Mazda will notify owners, and dealers will replace the ignition switch, free of charge. The recall began on December 17, 2015. Owners may contact Mazda Customer Experience Center at 1-800-222-5500, option#6. Mazda's number for this recall is 8715J.

Mazda 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.

Critical05E065000

Fuel System, Gasoline

IN THE PRESENCE OF AN IGNITION SOURCE, A VEHICLE FIRE CAN OCCUR.

Remedy & full details

SPX WILL NOTIFY ITS CUSTOMERS AND PROVIDE A FULL REFUND. THE RECALL BEGAN SEPTEMBER 27, 2005. OWNERS MAY CONTACT MR. CHRIS GREESON AT 704-869-3733 OR CONTACT THE WIX INFORMATION HOTLINE AT 800-949-6698.

CERTAIN SPX FILTRAN FUEL FILTERS WITH A 45-DEGREE ANGLE INLET TUBE, MODEL 800F350-S1, SOLD AS REPLACEMENT FILTERS FOR 1993-1997 FORD PROBE,1993-2001 MAZDA 626 AND MX-6, AND 1983-1994 LOYAL, 3-DOOR COUPE, HATCHBACK, SEDAN, WAGON, BRAT, DL, GL, GL-10, RX, XT, AND XT6 PASSENGER VEHICLES WITH EFI OR TURBO ENGINES. THESE FILTERS ARE PACKAGED AS WIX, NAPA, AND CARQUEST BRAND FUEL FILTERS. CERTAIN SPX FILTRAN FUEL FILTERS WITH A 90-DEGREE ANGLE INLET TUBE, MODEL 800F300-S2, SOLD AS REPLACEMENT FILTERS FOR 19983-1994 SUBARU VEHICLES WITH EFI OR TURBO ENGINES. THESE FILTERS ARE PACKAGED AS WIX, NAPA, AND CARQUEST BRAND FUEL FILTERS. FUEL MAY LEAK FROM THE FILTER DUE TO NON-CONFORMING BRAZING WELDS WHERE THE INLET TUBE IS CONNECTED TO THE FILTER CAN.

Critical00V134000

Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine

THE BROKEN SPRING MAY GET CAUGHT IN THE TIMING BELT, RESULTING POSSIBLE ENGINE STALLING.

Remedy & full details

DEALERS WILL CHECK THE TENSIONER INSTALLED AND REPLACE IT IF THE VEHICLE IS EQUIPPED WITH THE AFFECTED TENSIONER.

VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES. AN EXTERNAL SPRING IN THE TIMING BELT TENSIONER COULD BREAK.

Critical97V228000

Fuel System, Gasoline:Fuel Injection System

THIS CONDITION CAN RESULT IN AN ENGINE STALL, WHICH COULD LEAD TO LOSS OF VEHICLE CONTROL AND/OR A VEHICLE CRASH.

Remedy & full details

DEALERS WILL REPROGRAM THE PCM WITH THE CORRECT ENGINE CONTROL LOGIC.

VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES. DUE TO A PROGRAMMING ERROR, THE POWERTRAIN CONTROL MODULE (PCM) INSTALLED CAN, UNDER CERTAIN DRIVING CONDITIONS, TRIGGER A SHIFT IN AIR-FUEL RATIO TO AN OVERLEAN CONDITION.

Critical98V243000

Equipment:Electrical:Radio/Tape Deck/Cd Etc.

IF THE SHORT CIRCUIT OCCURS AT ONE SPECIFIC SET OF TERMINALS, THE SPEAKER CAN OVERHEAT AND IN SOME CASES, CATCH FIRE.

Remedy & full details

DEALERS WILL AFFIX ALUMINUM TAPE OVER THE AUDIO UNIT TO PREVENT WATER FROM ENTERING.

VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: IF THE VEHICLE IS OPERATED IN A HOT, HUMID ENVIRONMENT WITH THE WINDOW OPEN AND AIR CONDITIONER RUNNING, IT IS POSSIBLE FOR CONDENSATION TO ENTER THE AUDIO UNIT AND CAUSE A SHORT CIRCUIT.

Serious09E012000

Exterior Lighting

DECREASED LIGHTING VISIBILITY MAY RESULT IN A VEHICLE CRASH.

Remedy & full details

SABERSPORT WILL NOTIFY OWNERS AND OFFER A FULL REFUND FOR THE NONCOMPLIANT COMBINATION LAMPS. THE SAFETY RECALL BEGAN ON MAY 11, 2009. OWNERS MAY CONTACT SABERSPORT AT 1-909-598-7589.

SABERSPORT IS RECALLING 16,270 COMBINATION CORNER AND BUMPER LAMP ASSEMBLIES OF VARIOUS PART NUMBERS SOLD FOR USE AS AFTERMARKET EQUIPMENT FOR VARIOUS PASSENGER VEHICLES. THESE HEADLAMPS FAIL TO CONFORM TO THE REQUIREMENTS OF FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 108, "LAMPS, REFLECTIVE DEVICES, AND ASSOCIATED EQUIPMENT." THESE LAMPS DO NOT CONTAIN THE REQUIRED AMBER SIDE REFLECTORS.

Complaint volume

499 this model-year 8 median, same year

Volume alone is not a fault rate — popular vehicles attract more reports. Read it next to the severity mix below.

What owners reported happened

15Crashes
6Fires
18Injuries
10Deaths

Across 499 complaints. Severity Index 0.44.

Severity Index weights each complaint's reported outcome (death ×10, injury ×4, fire ×3, crash ×2) and divides by total complaints. It measures how severe reports are, not how often faults occur.

What owners report most

Power Train · Automatic T…278 · 56%Engine And Engine Cooling…42 · 8%Engine And Engine Cooling…14 · 3%Power Train13 · 3%Power Train · Manual Tran…12Engine And Engine Cooling11Engine And Engine Cooling…10Unknown Or Other9
  1. Power Train:Automatic Transmission — 278 reports
  2. Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine — 42 reports
  3. Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine:Gasoline:Belts And Associated Pulleys — 14 reports
  4. Power Train — 13 reports
  5. Power Train:Manual Transmission — 12 reports
  6. Engine And Engine Cooling — 11 reports
  7. Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine:Gasoline — 10 reports
  8. Unknown Or Other — 9 reports
  9. Electrical System — 9 reports
  10. Air Bags:Frontal — 8 reports

What to do

  1. Find your 17-character VIN on the driver's door jamb or the base of the windscreen.
  2. Check it against NHTSA's official lookup at nhtsa.gov/recalls — the authoritative record for your exact car.
  3. Book the repair with any franchised dealer. Safety recall work is free, with no time limit and regardless of who owns the car now.

Other model years

1995 (4) · 1996 (3) · 1997 (4) · 1998 · 1999 (4) · 2000 (2) · 2001 (1) · 2002 · 2003

Numbers in brackets are open recall campaigns for that year.

Questions

Does an open recall mean the car is unsafe to drive?

Not usually. NHTSA issues a "do not drive" or "park outside" advisory when a defect is dangerous enough to keep you out of the car — those are flagged Critical above. Everything else should be repaired promptly but is not an immediate stop-driving order.

Do I pay for recall repairs?

No. Federal law requires the manufacturer to fix a safety recall free of charge, including parts and labour, whether or not you are the original owner.

Why are there complaints but no recalls?

Complaints are unverified reports filed by owners. They can prompt an investigation, but many never become recalls — either the fault isn't safety-related or it isn't widespread.