MAZDA · vehicle model
MAZDA 626
3,877 NHTSA complaints and 2 safety recalls across model years 1983–2003.
- Complaints
- 3,877
- Recalls
- 2
- Model years
- 21
The MAZDA626 appears in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database with 3,877 consumer safety complaints and 2 recall campaigns across 21 model years (1983–2003). That averages roughly 185 complaints per model year. Report counts can differ between model years for many reasons; this dataset does not establish the cause of a difference.
Complaint volume on a nameplate alone is not a reliability verdict: a long-running bestseller can accumulate more filings than a low-volume niche model because more vehicles are on the road. The table below shows report counts and published NHTSA crash-test ratings side by side for each model year. The filing-year histogram shows the timing of submitted reports, not a causal trend.
NHTSA has 21 investigation files tied to this model, with 1 currently open. Investigation records, complaint reports, and recall campaigns each provide different context. Use the official NHTSA VIN lookup and the underlying notices to research a specific vehicle; PlainCars does not infer a vehicle-risk or pricing conclusion from these records.
Complaints by Year
| Year | Complaints |
|---|---|
| 2003 | 9 |
| 2002 | 99 |
| 2001 | 235 |
| 2000 | 280 |
| 1999 | 372 |
| 1998 | 499 |
| 1997 | 451 |
| 1996 | 426 |
| 1995 | 587 |
| 1994 | 353 |
| 1993 | 202 |
| 1992 | 24 |
| 1991 | 99 |
| 1990 | 62 |
| 1989 | 48 |
| 1988 | 58 |
| 1987 | 40 |
| 1986 | 20 |
| 1985 | 7 |
| 1984 | 4 |
| 1983 | 2 |
Complaint Filing Trend
NHTSA complaint volume by year filed (not model year).
Year filed (bar labels show the complaint count).
Compare MAZDA626 to Similar Vehicles
NHTSA Investigations 1 Open
Momentary increase in steering effort after recall remedy
Inadvertent Curtain Air Bag Deployment
Front Subframe Corrosion
Lower ball joint separation
Brake Booster Failure
Door Latch Failures Due to Loose Screws
Cruise Control Cable
Brake master cylinder leak
Engine Compartment Fire
CLUTCH PEDAL BRACKET FAILURE
Frequently Asked Questions
How reliable is the MAZDA 626?▼
What years of MAZDA 626 are available?▼
Does the MAZDA 626 have safety ratings?▼
What are the most common MAZDA 626 complaints?▼
How do I check if my MAZDA 626 has been recalled?▼
Data sources
Data vintage: August 2026. Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) complaints database, NHTSA recall campaign API, NHTSA NCAP crash-test ratings, and NHTSA FARS for fatality cross-reference.
Every figure on PlainCars is rendered directly from NHTSA complaint and safety data, no number is typed in by an editor. MAZDA 626 totals are aggregated from the linked NHTSA model-year rows; no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of August 2026.