1996 MAZDA 626 Complaints

LAST FRIDAY MY TRANSMISSION FAILED ON MY 1996 MAZDA 626 AT 55MPH ON THE TACONIC STATE PARKWAY. WHILE I WAS DRIVING AND PRESSINGON THE GAS PEDAL, THE ENGINE DID NOTHING BUT REV, THE O/D LIGHT BEGAN FLASHING AND I THE CAR SLOWLY CAME TO A STOP. I WAS ABLE TO PULL OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD, AND I TRIED PUTTING THE CAR IN REVERSE, 1ST AND 2ND GEAR AND STILL NOTHING, IT WAS JUST LIKE THE CAR WAS IN NEUTRAL. I CALLED A TOW TRUCK AND WAS TOWED TO THE NEAREST SERVICE STATION WHERE I WAS INFORMED THAT THE TRANSMISSION WAS "GONE". THE CAR HAS ONLY 83,000 MILES AND HAS BEEN SERVICED REGULARLY AT THE MAZDA DEALER, THE CAR NOW NEEDS A NEW TRANSMISSION. THE CAR HAS ONLY 83,000 MILES AND HAS BEEN SERVICED REGULARLY AT THE MAZDA DEALER SINCE1996, I AM THE ORIGNAL OWNER. I HAVE HEARD THAT THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH THE 4 CYLINDER TRANSMISSION AND THINK THAT MAZDA SHOULD BE FORCED TO DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT. ONE MAZDA DEALER WANTED $2500 TO REPLACE THE TRANSMISSION, ANOTHER WANTED $4300. I FOUND AN AUTO REPAIR SHOP THAT WILL DO IT FOR $1800. I NEED THE CAR SO I AM FORCED TO PAY THIS NOW AS I HAVE NO OTHER MODE OF TRANSPORTATION. I HOPE THAT THIS COMPLAINT ADDS TO THE AMMUNITION OF FORCING MAZDA TO REALIZE THAT THIS TRANMISSION SHOULD HAVE BEEN RECALLED A WHILE BACK AND THAT THEY SHOULD REIMBURSE THOSE WHO HAVE BEEN FORCED TO HAND OVER $2000 TO FIX SOMETHING THAT SHOULD NOT FAIL ON A CAR THIS YOUNG WITH LESS THAN 100,000 MILES. ANYTHING THAT YOU CAN DO TO ASSIST ME WITHT HIS PROBLEM WILL BE GREATLY APPRECIATED. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. SINCERELY, JENNIFER PACE. *AK

DRIVER'S SAFETY BELT SOMETIMES PPPPS OUT. SAFETY BELT INDICATOR LIGHT IS OFF AND THE SAFETY BELT BEEP SOUND SOMETIMES IS ON,SOMETIMES IS OFF. *AK

CONSUMER HAS REPLACED TRANSMISSION 3 TIMES, STARTING AT 42,000 MILES, AND IT WAS REPLACED UNDER WARRANTY. OVERDRIVE LIGHT FLASHED ON VEHICLE/ LOST POWER/ STARTED SHIFTING AND GAVE GAS TO ACCELERATE, BUT IT DIDN'T HELP. THE SAME SIGN EACH TIME, TRANSMISSION WENT OUT. MARCH 1999 90,000 & NOV-2000 149,000; THERE WAS NO WARRANTY. IT HAS COST $2400 FOR EACH REPLACEMENT. *AK

I AM WRITING TO REPORT A PROBLEM I HAVE HAD WITH OUR 1996 MAZDA 626. I HAD AN INCIDENT WHERE THE DRIVER'S SEAT COLLAPED WHILE DRIVING. THE INCIDENT CAUSED AN ACCIDENT, RESULTING IN APPROXIMATELY $720 WORTH OF DAMAGE. NO ONE WAS INJURED IN THE ACCIDENT AS I WAS TRAVELLING VERY SLOWLY. THE PROBLEM HAPPENED A SECOND TIME WITH NO ACCIDENT, BUT I AM UNWILLING TO LET MY WIFE DRIVE THE VEHICLE NOW DUE TO SAFETY CONCERNS. I AM CONVINCED THAT IT IS A DEFECT- A DANGEROUS ONE. I NOTICED ON YOUR ODI LIST THAT SOMONE ELSE HAD THE SAME PROBLEM (ODI ID NO. 823823). I CONTACTED THE MANUFACTURER ABOUT THE PROBLEM BUT THEY HAD NO KNOWLEGE OF ANY SIMILAR PROBLEMS. PLEASE LET ME KNOW HOW I SHOULD PROCEED WITH THIS PROBLEM. I THINK MAZDA SHOULD REPAIR THE DAMAGES AND CHECK THE SEAT TRACK ASSEMBLY. IS THIS UNACCEPTABLE? THANK YOU. GREG GERKE. *AK

CONSUMER RECEIVED RECALL#98V249000/ CONCERNING AIR BAG MODULE AND CONTACTED CONTCRIPPEN AUTO MALL. WAS TOLD THERE WAS A WAITING PERIOD OF 6 WEEKS DUE TO LACK OF PERSONNEL. DEALER ONLY HAD 1 TECHNICIAN THAT WEEKS ON VOLVO AND MAZDA. DEALER LOCATED IN LANSING MI, TELE#517-627-8411.*AK

TEMPERATURE GUAGE NEEDLE MOVES ABOVE HALF-WAY MARK, ALMOST TO RED ZONE, THEN QUICKLY JERKS BACK TO ORIGINAL POSITION. TWO THERMOSTATS HAVE BEEN REPLACED BY DEALER, BUT CONTINUES TO EXIST. *AK

CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON. REACHED THE INTERSTATE EXIT AND THE TRANSMISSION WAS GONE. ENGINE WAS STILL RUNNING, BUT WOULD NOT ACCELERATE. GARAGE STATED THAT 1ST, 2ND AND 3RD GEARS WERE GONE. MAZDA REFUSES TO ADMIT THAT THERE IS A PROBLEM WITH THIS TRANSMISSION AND THEY WILL NOT HELP WITH THE REPAIRS BECAUSE THEY WERE DONE BY AN INDEPENDENT GARAGE. AFTER RESEARCHING THIS IT APPEARS THAT 626'S FROM 1994-96 (4 CYL AUTO) HAVE THIS PROBLEM IN COMMON. WILL THERE BE A FORMAL INVESTIAGATION?

TRANSMISSION PREMATURELY FAILED. ALSO THERE WAS NO MAINTENANCE SCHEDULE FOR TRANSMISSION, AND NO WARNING INSTRUCTIONS WRITTEN IN OWNERS MANUAL ABOUT WHAT TO DO WHEN OVERDRIVE BUTTON ILLUMINATES. *AK

WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE IT STARTING SHAKING AND WENT DEAD. VEHICLEWAS DRIVEN TO A BODYSHOP IN FIRST GEAR. VEHICLE WAS ONLY DRIVEABLE IN FIRST GEAR AND REVERSE, AND THEN ONLY REVERSE.TRANSMISSION WAS REPLACED AT OWNER'S EXPENSE. MAZDA WAS CONTACTED ABOUT THIS PROBLEM. CONSUMER WAS TOLD TO CONTACT FORD BECAUSE THE MOTOR WAS MADE BY FORD. FORD WAS CONTACTED, BUT DID NOT HELP CONSUMER. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK

WHEN DRIVING THE O/D OFF LIGHT FLASHES, THE CRUISE CONTROL WILL CUT OFF WITHOUT TOUCHING THE BRAKES. WHEN ACCELERATING FROM STOPS THE ENGINE REVS BUT THE CAR CONTINUES TO MOVE AS THOUGH IT IS IN NEUTRAL FOR ABOUT 5 TO 10 MINUTES BEFORE IT KICKS IN GEAR VERY HARD. OCCASSIONALLY THE CAR WILL NOT EVEN ROLL FORWARD WHEN TRYING TO ACCELERATE AFTER STOPPING.