Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (engine, cooling system, oil leaks, timing chain, exhaust).
Mileage when the problem started
Owner reports
Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 1999 Mazda 626 owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
I bought a 1999 Mazda 626 lx in November of 1998. VIN [redacted] the time the warranty ran out I had taken my car into an oil change franchise. They suggested that I flush and renew the transmission fluid. So I did. That's when all the problems began. I then drove the car from nj to fl where I lived. It started burning up a lot of oil so I took it into to Mazda. They said that it was well known that my make and model car runs hot. They said they could not see anything wrong with what the oil change franchise did. They recommended that I put a radiator on the transmission to keep it from boiling...which is what it was doing. I believe it is the boiling transmission which has cause my engine to heat up so much that the oil has gunked my engine. …
I was driving and the car was losing speed even though my foot was on the gas pedal. I took my foot off for a moment and then pushed on the gas pedal again hoping to regain speed. I did not regain any speed, and it continued to drop. I was able to get a break in traffic where I could turn into a small parking lot to remove myself from traffic. As I began to make the turn I noticed that I had lost all power steering and had to turn the car manually. When I got into the parking lot, I had help attempting to jump the vehicle to see if that was the problem, but nothing worked. I called a tow truck and had the vehicle towed to my local mechanic. As they were attempting to locate the problem it was discovered that the timing belt had "jumped". This was caused by the tensioner spring breaking. …
August 26, 2003 the Mazda was in an auto accident. Approximately 2 weeks before the accident the Mazda started stuttering. We had the Mazda put on computer and was told it needed new sensor. The check engine light continue to go on and off. Immediately before the accident the Mazda started stuttering and lost speed and that LED to not being able to keep speed up and when we entered the traffice light it turned yellow then while we were under it it turned red and we were hit on the passenger side. Sept 26, 2003 I am approximately 115 miles from home the over drive light starts flashing and I lose speed again the engine is smoking. The car is towed back to charleston, sc where I live. I had to spend 3hrs at a rest area all alone with my 15 yr old daughter. This is the exact rest area were a woman was murdered 2 years ago. We were scared to death. The check engine light is back on. …
Motor mounts were changed with less than 40,000 miles without having any front end damages. Covered by extended warranty. Despite regular oil changes and only 40,000 plus miles, the dealer said the engine's oil ports were clogged requiring the removal of the valve cover and oil pan to remedy the alleged problem. Cost of repairs, approx $700. Despite having the front brake pads changed and the rotors turned twice within 50,000 miles, the front wheel bearing failed and were changed. Now with 60,000 miles the engine suddenly began leaking oil from every major area: oil pan, valve cover, rear main seal, etc., etc., etc. In addition to those oil leak areas, one cv joint and boot is bad, the engine mounts are once again bad without any front-end damages, and the water pump is bad. There are many other items that have failed during this short period of time. …
Dt: the car stalled while driving at 70 MPH on the interstate on August 7, 2005. No warning indicator lights appeared, and no noises were heard. Owner felt the engine died and pulled over to the shoulder of the road. The car had no electrical power. The owner tried to restart vehicle twice, but it did not restart. Then he called the insurance company, who, in turn, called a tow truck. The car was towed to a repair shop. The mechanic said the engine was burned and a new engine would cost $3000-$4000. But owner will talk with Mazda before paying for repairs.
Tl contact owns a 1999 Mazda 626. While driving approximately 35 MPH, the contact heard a loud noise coming from the engine compartment. A local mechanic stated that the external spring in the timing belt tensioner failed and damaged the engine. The dealer stated that the VIN was not included in NHTSA campaign id number 00V134000 (engine and engine cooling:engine); therefore, they would not assume responsibility for the repairs. The vehicle has not been repaired and the manufacturer did not assist. The failure and current mileages were 70,000.
1. & 2.timing belt tension spring broke, making vehicle inoperable & damaging timing belt. 3. Will have to pay for replacement of spring and belt as well as related labor. Old parts will be available. Note: Mazda issued a recall in 2000 for this part on some vehicles (campaign 00V134000) , one group of VIN # were provided nhtsb and then a correction was provided, but it stopped short of the # on my vehicle. Since the very problem described in the recall happened to my vehicle, I believe Mazda understated its recall.
The Mazda 626 transmission is not known for its reliability. It fact, there have been numerous complaints about problems encountered with the Mazda 626 transmission. A common problem on the vehicle is the failure of the automatic transmission. When this fails, this May cause the overdrive light to flash. Other problems include slipping and vibration. Not understanding why there are no recalls on this product being that this has been going on for years why is Mazda not liable for this issue.......
Dt*: the contact stated when the manufacturer was called, knowledge of recall # 00V134000 for the timing belt tensioner spring was denied, then, the contact was informed the VIN was not included in any recall. The vehicle had stalled while driving 15 MPH. The vehicle was towed to an independent service mechanic who determined that there was damage to the timing belt and a bolt that had been sheared off. The summary of the recall was similar to the stalling of the vehicle.
Tl contact owns a 1999 Mazda 626. While driving 45 MPH, the vehicle suddenly lost all power. The vehicle was towed to a mechanic and he stated that the internal spring in the timing belt failed. The failure was similar to that of NHTSA campaign id number 00V134000 (engine and engine cooling:engine), however, the VIN was not included. The vehicle was repaired. The current and failure mileages were 72,000. Updated 01-15-08. Updated 12/12/07.
Related recalls
Engine and engine cooling › Engine
Vehicle description: passenger vehicles. An external spring in the timing belt tensioner could break.
Remedy: Dealers will check the tensioner installed and replace it if the vehicle is equipped with the affected tensioner.
Engine complaints in other 626 years
Frequently asked questions
How common are engine problems on the 1999 Mazda 626?
NHTSA has 50 complaints about the engine & cooling of the 1999 Mazda 626, 16% of the model year's 318 complaints. The component named most often is engine (20 mentions).
Is there a recall for 1999 Mazda 626 engine problems?
Yes — NHTSA recall 00V-134 (engine, May 9, 2000). Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers.
At what mileage do 1999 Mazda 626 engine problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 78,000 miles, and 7% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 2 crashes, 2 fires and 1 injury to engine & cooling problems on this model year. If you notice symptoms, have the car checked before driving further.
Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) — owner complaints through October 20, 2026, recalls and defect investigations; fuel economy from the EPA. Complaints are unverified reports and are not proof of a defect. How we rate model years.