1997 MAZDA 626 Complaints

TRANSMISSION HESITATING WHEN SHIFTING, OVERDRIVE WILL SUDDENLY KICK OUT AT ANY SPEED, OVERDRIVE LIGHT WILL FLASH.*AK

TRANSMISSION ON MY 1997 MAZDA 626 WENT OUT IN DECEMBER OF 2001. MAZDA WOULD NOT ACKNOWLEDGE THE PROBLEM, BUT THEY WERE WILLING TO LET ME PAY $3,000 FOR A NEW TRANSMISSION. I TRADED IT IN AT A LOSS, JUST TO BE RID OF IT. *AK

WHILE AT A STOP VEHICLE WOULD JERK UPON TAKING OFF. TOOK TO MECHANIC, AND THEY REPLACED TRANSMISSION. AT 67000 MILES VEHICLE HAS HAD 4 TRANSMISSIONS. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION.*AK

INTERMITTENTLY VEHICLE JERKS/ SPUTTERS AND JUMPS OUT OF GEAR OR GETS STUCK BETWEEN GEARS. GEAR IS SHIFTED TO NEUTRAL FIRST BEFORE GOING INTO DRIVE. SERVICE TECHNICIAN INDICATED THAT VEHICLE DIDN'T FALL WITHIN THE GUIDELINS OF RECALL 98-V-206-001/ MANUFACTURER'S RECALL 76810. VEHICLE HAS A PREEXISTING TIMING BELT PROBLEM. PLEASE PROVIDE MORE INFORMATION. *AK

WHILE TRAVELING NOTICED ENGINE CHECK LIGHT FLASHING, SOON AFTER VEHICLE STARTED JERKING. DEALER HAS BEEN CONTACTED, CAN'T DUPLICATE. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK

WHILE TRAVELING AT 35 MPH CONSUMER HIT A POTHOLE, AND BOTH DRIVER'S SIDE AND PASSENGER'S SIDE AIRBAGS DEPLOYED. CONSUMER FEELS AIRBAGS SHOULD NOT HAVE DEPLOYED. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION.*AK

WHILE DRIVING AT HIGHWAY SPEED VEHICLE STARTS TO JERK. ENGINE LIGHT AND OD LIGHT CAME ON. TOOK TO DEALER, AND DEALER INDICATED VEHICLE NEEDED NEW TRANSMISSION. THIS WAS SECOND TRANSMISSION.*AK

WHILE TRAVELING 20-25 MPH AND WITHOUT ANY INDICATION AIR BAGS DEPLOYED CAUSING INJURY TO CONSUMER. DEALER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION.*AK

CONSUMER STATES WHILE DRIVING 20-25 MPH WITHOUT WARNING OR INVOLVEMENT OF A COLLISION, THE AIR AIR BAGS DEPLOYED CAUSING INJURY TO THE DRIVER.*AK. ALSO THE RIGHT TIRE AND WHEEL WERE DAMAGED AS THE VEHICLE CAME TO A STOP AT THE CURB.*YD

I FEEL THE NEED TO DO MY CIVIC DUTY BY REPORTING THIS PROBLEM BECAUSE A LOT OF 626 OWNERS ARE HAVING DRIVE-TRAIN-TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS AND EVENTUALLY ENOUGH OF US WILL GET THEM TO RECALL AND PAY FOR THE PROBLEM. FLASHING O/D OFF LIGHT STARTED FLASHING PERIODICAL ABOUT 12 MONTHS AGO. TOOK VEHICLE IN CONCERNING OTHER PROBLEMS TO INGRAM PARK MAZDA, 6990 NW LOOP 410 SAN ANTONIO, TX (210) 406-0122, AND THE AFTERNOON I PICKED UP THE CAR THE O/D OFF LIGHT STARTED FLASHING. I IMMEDIATELY CALLED JEFF VARHOFF, SERVICE CONSULTANT, AND HE TOLD ME THAT THE CLUTCH ON THOSE CARS ARE REALLY THIN AND THAT THE TRANSMISSION IS PROBABLY FIXING TO 'GO OUT'. HE SUGGESTED THAT I EITHER REPAIR IT NOW, LET IT GO ALL THE WAY OUT AND THEN GET IT FIXED OR GET RID OF THE CAR. IT WOULD BE AROUND $2500 TO FIX HE TOLD ME. ON THE EVENING OF FEB. 26, 2002 THE TRANSMISSION DID FINALLY GO OUT AND THE CAR WILL CRANK BUT THE ENGINE SPINS. I HAVE FOUND A LOT ON THE INTERNET CONCERNING THIS PROBLEM BUT MOST OF THE PROBLEMS HAPPENED EARLIER IN THE CARS LIFE-SPAN.*AK