Most common 2002 Mazda 626 problems
Share of the 87 complaints; one complaint can involve more than one system. "~" is the median mileage when the problem started.
Mazda 626 complaints by model year
Best 626 years: 2003, 2002, 2001. Years to avoid: 1995, 1998. Compare all years →
What 2002 Mazda 626 owners say
Transmission & drivetrain all 70 →
Without any warning the transmission started slipping out of forward gear while at a traffic light after releasing the brakes and gently pressing the accelerator pedal the vehicle didnt move. Manually shifting into 1st gear was the car able to move but causing a very harsh lurching forward causing a loud "clunking" noise. I was able to limp the car 3 miles to my home. I was involved in a rear end accident at the next traffic light. While the vehicle was in 1st gear and having the brakes applied the transmission caught in gear and lunged forward causing me to contact the car in front of me. Both myself and the occupant of the vehicle I hit sustained minor injuries and well as property damage to the front of my vehicle and the back of theirs.
My car was driving fine and then one day as I was leaving work my car started acting as though it wanted to shut off. I made it all the way home and was going to go to the store and my car would not shift into gear I tried to add transmission fluids but it sounds not move.
Suspension
Heard noise and bad vibration from front left , it got worse and louder when making turns. Took vehicle to dealer, who stated that front wheel bearing was bad. Around two weeks before the same thing happened, heard loud noise on front right, got louder when turning. Took vehicle to dealer, who replaced front right bearing. Car always serviced at dealer, two weeks before took car to dealer for pulling to the right. Dealer stated it needed an alignment and balancing. Did that next day and same thing happened within the past month. I had new front brakes, new tires, new right and left bearings, and several attempts to balance and rotate tires. Also having problems with transmission, but dealer insisted that nothing was wrong, sometimes the car will not change gears like it should when going over speed bumps. Vehicle stalled several times. …
Vibration in the front (worse on the right) of the vehicle. Was told by salesperson, car had been sitting a while and should drive out, after 8 months and numerous visits to the dealer, I was told that this was the nature of the vehicle. While driving, the there is no front passenger, you can see the seat shaking !!! I have secured a lemon law attorney !!!
Electrical system
The car started to not want to crank it would crank sometimes then one day we went to the store then when we went to leave the store it finally just stopped trying to crank only making a clicking sound and while trying to crank it the steering column started smoking and almost caught on fire I believe it is the ignition switch
I have a 2002 Mazda 626 4cyl with 71,200 miles. I had just paid it off last month and come to find out my automatic transmission is going out on me. When accelerating it sounds as if gears are grinding. There was a couple times over the last 3 months my check engine light came on. I took it in and was told my battery connection was loose. Other than that there was no events leading up to this and happened all of a sudden. I have tried to change transmission fluid and the defected transmission is still in the vehicle continuing with grinding noise. Took it back in and told me the transmission is about to need rebuilding I have read many problems online dating back to 1996 regarding these 626's transmissions and here is another one.
2002 Mazda 626 engines & fuel economy
| Engine | Transmission | Drive | MPG city / hwy / combined |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2.0L 4-cyl | 5-speed manual | FWD | 23 / 29 / 25 |
| 2.0L 4-cyl | 4-speed automatic | FWD | 19 / 25 / 22 |
| 2.5L 6-cyl | 5-speed manual | FWD | 19 / 25 / 21 |
| 2.5L 6-cyl | 4-speed automatic | FWD | 18 / 24 / 20 |
EPA ratings. Class: Midsize car.
Frequently asked questions
Is the 2002 Mazda 626 a good car?
Based on 87 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the 2002 626 rates better than average: 74% fewer complaints than a typical year of the 626 at the same age. It is one of the best 626 years by this measure. Complaint counts don't account for sales volume or individual maintenance, so have any used car inspected before buying.
What is the most common problem with the 2002 Mazda 626?
The transmission & drivetrain — 70 complaints, 80% of all complaints for this model year, most often about automatic transmission. Next are the suspension (4) and electrical system (4).
How many recalls does the 2002 Mazda 626 have?
NHTSA lists no recalls for the 2002 Mazda 626. You can still confirm with your VIN using our VIN recall check.
What are the best and worst years of the Mazda 626?
The best years by complaints, compared at the same age, are 2003, 2002 and 2001. Years to avoid or approach with caution: 1995 and 1998. See the full Mazda 626 years comparison.
At what mileage do 2002 Mazda 626 problems happen?
The median mileage reported in complaints is about 73,000 miles; 25% of problems with a recorded mileage started before 50,000 miles.
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.