PlainCars

MAZDA 626 · model year

1987 MAZDA 626

40 NHTSA complaints, 5 crash reports for this specific cohort.

NHTSA overall rating

Not crash-tested

New Car Assessment Program

The 1987MAZDA626 carries 40 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 5 crashes, 1 fire, 3 injuries, and 0 fatalities. No NCAP 5-star crash-test rating is available for this model year in the federal database.

Component-level analysis is where model-year complaints become actionable: the top complaint category for the 1987 626 is electrical system:ignition:switch with 9 filings, followed by electrical system:ignition (4) and seat belts:front:retractor (3). Concentration in one or two component groups is the classic signature of a systemic defect; a flat distribution usually reflects normal aging, warranty complaints, or isolated build-plant variability.

NHTSA currently has 21 investigation files overlapping the 1987 626, and 1 remain open. Owners comparing this cohort against neighboring years should pair the counters above with the complaint-by-year trend on the parent model page — a spike in a single year often tracks to a platform refresh, a new transmission supplier, or an updated ECU calibration. Use the related-complaint feed below to read raw owner narratives before deciding whether any pattern here affects your specific use case.

40
Complaints
5
Crashes
1
Fires
3
Injuries
0
Deaths

Total Complaints

40 filings

Crashes Reported

5 reports

Source

NHTSA ODI

Federal complaints database

Complaints vs. fleet median (215)

At or below the fleet median complaint volume.

Complaints by Component

ComponentCount
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:SWITCH9
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION4
SEAT BELTS:FRONT:RETRACTOR3
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL3
SEAT BELTS:FRONT:WEBBING2
SEAT BELTS2
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:INTERIOR/UNDER DASH1
SEAT BELTS:FRONT:BUCKLE ASSEMBLY1
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM:FAN1
POWER TRAIN:MANUAL TRANSMISSION1
STRUCTURE:FRAME AND MEMBERS1
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:STARTER ASSEMBLY1
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:12V/24V/48V BATTERY:CABLES1
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:ALTERNATOR/GENERATOR/REGULATOR1
EXTERIOR LIGHTING:TURN SIGNAL1

Recent Complaints

20050610ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION

DT: THE VEHICLE NEEDED A COMPLETE ELECTRICAL SWITCH ASSEMBLY. THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT START AND TURNING THE KEY DOESN'T HELP AT ALL. THERE IS NO SOUND OF THE ENGINE TURNING ON. THE OWNER IS UPSET BECAUSE HIS VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL. *AK RECALL CAMPAIGN# 90V118000. *SC *JB

Mileage: 38,423

19991115CrashVEHICLE SPEED CONTROL

WHILE PARKING OR DRIVING VEHICLE SUDDENLY ACCELERATED AND JUMPED FORWARD WHICH CAUSED TWO CRASHES. DEALER DISCONNECTED THE CRUISE CONTROL AND THE PROBLEM HAS NOT ARISEN. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK

19991109ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:SWITCH

NHTSA RECALL # 90V118000: VEHICLE EXPERIENCED IGNITION SWITCH MALFUNCTION. DEALER NOTIFIED. *AK

19990726ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:SWITCH

THE IGNITION SWITCH WAS OFF, BUT OTHERS WERE ON.CONSUMER CONTACTED DEALER. *AK

19990720ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:SWITCH

WHEN STARTING CAR, IF THE IGNITION SWITCH WASN'T TURNED IN THE EXACT RIGHT POSITION, ELECTRICAL DEVICES WOULD PERFORM ERRATICALLY. DEALER REPLACED THE IGNITION SWITCH. *AK

19980220ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:SWITCH

IGNITION SWITCH FAILED, RECALL ON OTHER MODELS HOWEVER CONSUMERS VEHICLE DID NOT QUALIFY.

19970325ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:SWITCH

IGNITION SWITCH TERMINAL FAILED 30 TIMES, CAUSING AIR CONDITIONER/WINDSHIELD WIPERS/RADIO/ OTHER ACCESSORIES TO BECOME INOPERATIVE.

19970203POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION

WHILE DRIVING AT SPEEDS OF 30MPH, THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION FAILED, CAUSE UNKNOWN. *AK

19961231ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION

VEHICLE FAILED TO START INTERMITTENTLY DUE TO BEING DESIGNED WITHOUT A STARTER RELAY.

19961231FireELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:SWITCH

IGNITION SWITCH OVERHEATING, CAUSING WIRES TO MELT/SMOKE TO ISSUE FROM STEERING COLUMN/FIRE.

19961220SUSPENSION:REAR

REAR STRUTS RUSTED AROUND THE WELDS, CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO DROP TO THE GROUND. *AK

19961218CrashVEHICLE SPEED CONTROL

AFTER INTIAL STARTUP WHILE LEAVING HOME, VEHICLE SUDDENLY ACCELERATED AND LOST CONTROL, RESULTING IN A CRASH WITH A WALL OF BUILDING. *AK

19961106STRUCTURE:BODY:DOOR

LEFT REAR DOOR WON'T OPEN FROM INSIDE.

19960715WHEELS

WHILE GOING 35MPH THE REAR LEFT WHEEL FLEW OFF. *AK CONSUMER ALSO HAD REAR BRAKE SERVICE PERFORMED. *JB

19960715SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DRUM

WHILE GOING 35MPH THE REAR LEFT WHEEL FLEW OFF. *AK CONSUMER ALSO HAD REAR BRAKE SERVICE PERFORMED. *JB

19960601ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:SWITCH

IGNITION SWITCH RECALL REPAIR REFUSED BY DEALERSHIP. *SD

19960601ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM

EXHAUST SYSTEM REPAIRED. *SD

19960425VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL

CRUISE CONTROL MAKES ENGINE RPM JUMP WHEN ENGAGED. *SD

19960425SEAT BELTS

AUTOMATIC SEAT BELT DOES NOT MOVE FORWARD. *SD

19960425EXTERIOR LIGHTING:TURN SIGNAL

LEFT TURN SIGNAL BLINKS RAPIDLY. *SD

Compare 1987MAZDA626 to Similar Vehicles

626 vs FORDF-150 → 626 vs FORDEXPLORER → 626 vs JEEPGRAND CHEROKEE → 626 vs FORDESCAPE →

NHTSA Investigations 1 Open

RQ26002Recall QueryOpen

Momentary increase in steering effort after recall remedy

PE19006Preliminary EvaluationClosed

Inadvertent Curtain Air Bag Deployment

PE18006Preliminary EvaluationClosed

Front Subframe Corrosion

PE15022Preliminary EvaluationClosed

Lower ball joint separation

PE14005Preliminary EvaluationClosed

Brake Booster Failure

View all investigations

Frequently Asked Questions

How many complaints does the 1987 MAZDA 626 have?▼
The 1987 MAZDA 626 has 40 NHTSA complaints, 5 crashes, 1 fires, 3 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
What are the most common problems with the 1987 MAZDA 626?▼
The most-complained component for the 1987 MAZDA 626 is ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:SWITCH with 9 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION and SEAT BELTS:FRONT:RETRACTOR.
Is the 1987 MAZDA 626 safe to buy?▼
Review the complaint history, crash and fire reports, safety ratings, and recall status on this page to make an informed decision. No NHTSA crash test rating is available for this model year. Compare with other model years using the links above.
Where does this data come from?▼
All complaint, recall, and safety rating data is sourced from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Complaints are filed by vehicle owners through NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation.

Vehicle Safety Guides

Understanding NHTSA Complaints → Vehicle Recalls Explained → Safest Car Brands 2026 → Most Reliable Used Cars → Lemon Law Guide →

Data as of 2025. 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.

Read our methodology — how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.