Total Complaints
58 filings
MAZDA 626 · model year
1988 MAZDA 626
58 NHTSA complaints, 1 crash report for this specific cohort.
NHTSA overall rating
Not crash-tested
New Car Assessment Program
The 1988MAZDA626 carries 58 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 1 crash, 3 fires, 1 injury, 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 1988 626 is seat belts with 20 filings, followed by latches/locks/linkages:doors:latch (5) and structure:body:door (4). 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 1988 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.
58
Complaints
1
Crashes
3
Fires
1
Injuries
0
Deaths
Crashes Reported
1 reports
Source
NHTSA ODI
Federal complaints database
Complaints vs. fleet median (215)
At or below the fleet median complaint volume.
Complaints by Component
| Component | Count |
|---|---|
| SEAT BELTS | 20 |
| LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES:DOORS:LATCH | 5 |
| STRUCTURE:BODY:DOOR | 4 |
| SEAT BELTS:FRONT:RETRACTOR | 4 |
| POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION | 3 |
| FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:STORAGE:TANK ASSEMBLY | 2 |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM:MANIFOLD/HEADER/MUFFLER/TAIL PIPE | 2 |
| SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC:PADS | 1 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:FUSES AND CIRCUIT BREAKERS | 1 |
| SEAT BELTS:FRONT:BUCKLE ASSEMBLY | 1 |
| VISIBILITY:POWER WINDOW DEVICES AND CONTROLS | 1 |
| VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD | 1 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:FRONT UNDERHOOD | 1 |
| SEAT BELTS:FRONT:WEBBING | 1 |
| SUSPENSION | 1 |
Recent Complaints
20050704ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:HORN
1. BOUGHT A 1998 MAZDA 626 LX. 2. AT 56000 MILES, ENGINE NEEDED A NEW HEADER. 3. AT 57000 MILES, STARTER MOTOR FAILED. 3. AT 60000 MILES, TRANSMISSION FAILED. 4. CURRENTLY AT 70000 MILES, NEED NEW EXHAUST SYSTEM
Mileage: 50,000
20050704ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
1. BOUGHT A 1998 MAZDA 626 LX. 2. AT 56000 MILES, ENGINE NEEDED A NEW HEADER. 3. AT 57000 MILES, STARTER MOTOR FAILED. 3. AT 60000 MILES, TRANSMISSION FAILED. 4. CURRENTLY AT 70000 MILES, NEED NEW EXHAUST SYSTEM
Mileage: 50,000
20050704ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM:EMISSION CONTROL:GAS RECIRCULATION VALVE (EGR VALVE)
1. BOUGHT A 1998 MAZDA 626 LX. 2. AT 56000 MILES, ENGINE NEEDED A NEW HEADER. 3. AT 57000 MILES, STARTER MOTOR FAILED. 3. AT 60000 MILES, TRANSMISSION FAILED. 4. CURRENTLY AT 70000 MILES, NEED NEW EXHAUST SYSTEM
Mileage: 50,000
20050704ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:ANTI-THEFT:CONTROL MODULE
1. BOUGHT A 1998 MAZDA 626 LX. 2. AT 56000 MILES, ENGINE NEEDED A NEW HEADER. 3. AT 57000 MILES, STARTER MOTOR FAILED. 3. AT 60000 MILES, TRANSMISSION FAILED. 4. CURRENTLY AT 70000 MILES, NEED NEW EXHAUST SYSTEM
Mileage: 50,000
20050704ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:ALTERNATOR/GENERATOR/REGULATOR
1. BOUGHT A 1998 MAZDA 626 LX. 2. AT 56000 MILES, ENGINE NEEDED A NEW HEADER. 3. AT 57000 MILES, STARTER MOTOR FAILED. 3. AT 60000 MILES, TRANSMISSION FAILED. 4. CURRENTLY AT 70000 MILES, NEED NEW EXHAUST SYSTEM
Mileage: 50,000
20050704POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
1. BOUGHT A 1998 MAZDA 626 LX. 2. AT 56000 MILES, ENGINE NEEDED A NEW HEADER. 3. AT 57000 MILES, STARTER MOTOR FAILED. 3. AT 60000 MILES, TRANSMISSION FAILED. 4. CURRENTLY AT 70000 MILES, NEED NEW EXHAUST SYSTEM
Mileage: 50,000
20050704BACK OVER PREVENTION:WARNINGS:EXTERNAL/PEDESTRIAN ALERT
1. BOUGHT A 1998 MAZDA 626 LX. 2. AT 56000 MILES, ENGINE NEEDED A NEW HEADER. 3. AT 57000 MILES, STARTER MOTOR FAILED. 3. AT 60000 MILES, TRANSMISSION FAILED. 4. CURRENTLY AT 70000 MILES, NEED NEW EXHAUST SYSTEM
Mileage: 50,000
20030129ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM:MANIFOLD/HEADER/MUFFLER/TAIL PIPE
DEFECTIVE TAILPIPE CAUSED CARBON MONOXIDE TO ENTER VEHICLE'S INTERIOR CABIN RESULTING IN CONSUMER CONTRACTING CARBON MONOXIDE POISONING. DEALER DIAGNOSED SEVERAL HOLES ALONG TOP OF TAILPIPE BETWEEN THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER AND THE MUFFLER. PH TOP SEAM OF EXHAUST PIPE HAD ROTTEN OUT BETWEEN CATALYTIC CONVERTER AND MUFFLER. *TT
20020528FireFUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERY
WHILE DRIVING THE FRONT OF VEHICLE CAUGHT ON FIRE DUE TO FUEL LINES. *AK CONSUMER STATES THAT THE FIRE PROGRESSED TO THE REAR UNDERSIDE FROM CENTER THIRD OF UNDERSIDE, THE PASSENGER WAS INJURED WHEN BEING ESCORTED OUT OF THE VEHICLE. *SLC
20011205SEAT BELTS
RECALL 88 V 063 000/PASSIVE RESTRAINT BELT: BOTH DRIVER'SAND PASSENGER'S MOTOR BELTS FAILED TO OPERATE. DEALER WAS CONTACTED, AND INFORMED CONSUMER THAT THIS VEHICLE WAS NOT COVERED UNDER THERECALL DUE TO VIN. FEEL FREE TO PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION CONCERNING THIS MATTER.*AK
20000531SEAT BELTS
AUTOMATIC MOTORIZED SHOULDER RESTRAINTS FAIL TO COMPLETE CYCLE UPON ENGINE START-UP CHOKING PASSENGER. UPON OPENING DOOR AT STOP, RESTRAINTS FAIL TO DISENGAGE TRAPPING OCCUPANT UNTIL MANUALLY DISCONNECTED . RECALL AT DEALER FAILED TO YIELD VIN MATCH. ALSO TOLD VEHICLE TOO OLD TO REPAIR. PROBLEM EXISTS ANYWAY, DUE TO SAME MANUFACTURER DEFECT AS IN CAMPAIGN 88V06300. CAN CAUSE INJURY TO OCUCPANTS. *AK
19991115LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES:DOORS:LATCH
PASSENGER DOOR NOT ABLE TO BE OPENED FROM INSIDE OR OUTSIDE. *AK
19991114CrashPOWER TRAIN:AXLE ASSEMBLY
FRONT AXLE OF CAR RUSTED COMPLETEL,Y AND BROKE APART WHILE DRIVING. *AK( DOT NUMBER: )
19990908SEAT BELTS
AUTOMATIC SHOULDER BELT IS BROKE, AND CONSUMER CAN'T GET OUT OF THE SEAT BELT. *AK
19990813LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES:DOORS:LATCH
FRONT DOOR LOCKS REPAIRED UNDER RECALL SEVERAL YEARS AGO -- NOW DRIVERS' SIDE DOOR LOCK HAS FAILED IN EXACTLY THE MANNER DESCRIBED IN RECALL NOTICE -- LOWERING DRIVERS' WINDOW CAUSED DOOR TO UNLATCH AND FLY OPEN!
19990806FireELECTRICAL SYSTEM:12V/24V/48V BATTERY:CABLES
JUST PARKED VEHICLE & LEFT. NEIGHBORS KNOCKED ON DOOR TO INFORM OWNER VEHICLE WAS ON FIRE. FIRE DEPARTMENT CALLED & PUT FLAMES OUT. WAS INFORMED THE BATTERY WAS CAUSE OF FIRE. THERE WAS NO PRIOR WARNING. *AK *ML
19990709SEAT BELTS:FRONT:RETRACTOR
SHOULDER BELTS ON DRIVER'S SIDE/PASSENGER'S SIDE RETRACT INTERMITTENTLY. SOMETIMES CONSUMER HAS TO PUT HIS HAND OUT OF THE WINDOW TO GET THE SHOULDER BELT TO WORK. DEALER CAN'T DETERMINE CAUSE OF THE PROBLEM. *AK
19990628SEAT BELTS:FRONT:ANCHORAGE
WHENEVER THE DOOR IS OPENED AND THE SUNVISOR HAS NOT BEEN RETURNED TO ITS LOCKED POSITION THE AUTOMATIC SEATBELT CATCHES ON THE VISOR AND BREAKS IT WHILE RETRACTING. I HAVE BROKEN THREE AND WOULD HAVE BROKEN MORE IF I HAD NOT DISCONNECTED THE AUTOMATIC SEATBELT. I CONSIDER THIS REMEDY TO BE UNACCEPTABLE.
19990518SEAT BELTS
LEFT FRONT MOTORIZED SEAT BELT FAILED. YH
19990518LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES:DOORS:LATCH
DRIVERS SIDE DOOR LATCH FAILED. YH
Compare 1988MAZDA626 to Similar Vehicles
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
Frequently Asked Questions
How many complaints does the 1988 MAZDA 626 have?▼
The 1988 MAZDA 626 has 58 NHTSA complaints, 1 crashes, 3 fires, 1 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
What are the most common problems with the 1988 MAZDA 626?▼
The most-complained component for the 1988 MAZDA 626 is SEAT BELTS with 20 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES:DOORS:LATCH and STRUCTURE:BODY:DOOR.
Is the 1988 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
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.