Total Complaints
48 filings
MAZDA 626 · model year
1989 MAZDA 626
48 NHTSA complaints, 4 crash reports for this specific cohort.
NHTSA overall rating
Not crash-tested
New Car Assessment Program
The 1989MAZDA626 carries 48 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 4 crashes, 1 fire, 0 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 1989 626 is power train:automatic transmission with 11 filings, followed by seat belts (7) 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 1989 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.
48
Complaints
4
Crashes
1
Fires
0
Injuries
0
Deaths
Crashes Reported
4 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 |
|---|---|
| POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION | 11 |
| SEAT BELTS | 7 |
| STRUCTURE:BODY:DOOR | 4 |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE | 3 |
| SEAT BELTS:FRONT:RETRACTOR | 2 |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE | 2 |
| EXTERIOR LIGHTING:TURN SIGNAL | 2 |
| VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL | 2 |
| SEAT BELTS:REAR/OTHER | 1 |
| SEAT BELTS:FRONT:BUCKLE ASSEMBLY | 1 |
| STRUCTURE:BODY:HATCHBACK/LIFTGATE:SUPPORT DEVICE/STRUT | 1 |
| SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC:PADS | 1 |
| PARKING BRAKE:CONVENTIONAL:MECHANICAL:LINKAGE AND CABLE | 1 |
| STEERING:RACK AND PINION:RACK | 1 |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM:MANIFOLD/HEADER/MUFFLER/TAIL PIPE | 1 |
Recent Complaints
20060108POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
MAZDA 626 TRANSMISSION FAILURE, TWO TRANSMISSIONS PUT INTO A CAR WITH LESS THAN 150,000 MILES. NOW DEAD BUT MONEY OWED ON CAR. HOW CAN YOU KEEP GETTING THESE COMPLAINTS AND NOT DO ANYTHING ABOUT IT? *JB
Mileage: 60,000
20020924ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE
NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK
20020924ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE
NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK
20001101TIRES:TREAD/BELT
THE FIRESTONE FIREHAWK SS10 P195/60R15 TIRES ON THE VEHICLE EXPERIENCED BULGES UNDER THE TREAD WHICH CAUSED VIBRATION WHILE DRIVING, ORIGINALLY REPORTED (ODI# 732737). *MJS
20001010TIRES
THE TIRE HAS NOT COMPLETELY FAILED. IT HAS A LONGITUDINAL BULGE ON THE TREAD THAT GOES ABOUT A QUARTER OF THE WAY AROUND THE TIRE. *AK (TIRESIZE: P195/60R15)( DOT NUMBER: TIRE SIZE: P195/60R15 )
20000711STRUCTURE:BODY:DOOR
CONSUMER CONTACTED THE DEALER IN REFERENCE TO RECALL NUMBER 93V174000/ DOOR OUTSIDE HANDLE. DEALER CORRECTED THE RECALL. CONSUMER CURRENTLY IS HAVING PROBLEMS WITH THE RECALL REPAIRS. WHEN LOWERING THE WINDOW, DOOR UNEXPECTEDLY OPENS. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER DETAILS.*AK
19990707CrashVEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
TRAVELING S. ON I93 WITH CRUISE CONTROL ENGAGED AT SPEED LIMIT. EXIT AT #42 & TAPPED BRAKE TO DISENGAGE SPEED CONTROL. NO RESPONSE! CAR CONTINUED UP RAMP TOWARDS 5 PM TRAFFIC. BRAKES DID NOT AFFECT SPEED AS CONTROLL STILL ENGAGED. TURNED OFF IGNITION JUST BEFORE ENTERING RT 302 INTERSECTION, ATTEMPTING TO AVOID HITTING OTHER VEHICLES. STRUCK MEDIUN SIDEWAYS, CAR ALSO HIT I93 SIGN. STOPPED AT END OF MEDIAN. *AK
19990406EXTERIOR LIGHTING:TURN SIGNAL
FRONT/REAR TURN SIGNALS MALFUNCTIONED. *AK
19990406CrashVEHICLE SPEED CONTROL:ACCELERATOR PEDAL
GAS PEDAL GOT STUCK, CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO SUDDENLY AND QUICKLY SURGE AND LUNGE. CONSUMER APPLIED BRAKES, BUT VEHICLE DID NOT STOP, RESULTING IN VEHICLE RUNNING THROUGH THE GARAGE. *AK
19990322STRUCTURE:BODY:DOOR
FRONT DRIVER DOOR HANDLE BROKE AFTER RECALL REPAIR.(RECALL# 53404)
19990222POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
WHEN SHIFTING FROM PARK TO DRIVE, THE TRANSMISSION OFTEN DOES NOT SELECT FIRST GEAR. DEFAULTS TO WHAT FEELS MORE LIKE 3RD GEAR. SUSPECT ELECTRICAL POSITION SWITCH PROBLEM. COULD CAUSE ACCIDENT IF PULLING OUT INTO TRAFFIC SINCE CAR ACCELERATES VERY SLOWLY FROM STANDSTILL IN 3RD GEAR.
19990222VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
PLASTIC EAR TABS ON SWITCH FAILED DUE TO AGE OR HEAT RELATED DEGRADATION, LEAVING METAL SWITCH CONTACT AND LAMP BULB SPRING LOOSE INSIDE SWITCH. SIMILAR PROBLEM READY TO OCCUR WITH A/T SWITCH.
19981118SEAT BELTS
DRIVERS MOTORBELT FAILED.
19980906EXTERIOR LIGHTING:TURN SIGNAL
LEFT TURN SIGNAL FAILED TO OPERATE PROPERLY.
19980713LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES:DOORS:LATCH
THE LATCH ASSEMBLY IN DRIVERS DOOR FAILED.
19970414STRUCTURE:BODY:DOOR
RECALL RELATED 93V174000, IN FOR REPAIRS, DRIVER'S DOOR HANDLE WILL OPEN FROM THE OUTSIDE, THE ROD CONTINUES TO FALL INSIDE THE PANEL DOOR, AND IF THE WINDOW IS DOWN THE DOOR WILL POP OPEN. *AK
19970325FireFUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERY
GASOLINE LEAK IN RUBBER FUEL LINE HOSE, CAUSING FIRE.
19970207SEAT BELTS:FRONT:WEBBING
MOTORIZED SHOULDER HARNESS FAILURES.
19970122POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
WHEN TO PUT LEVER INTO REVERSE WOULDN'T MOVE INTO DRIVE OR REVERSE, TOOK TO MECHANIC SAID TRANSMISSION NEEDS REBUILDING. *AK
19961210STEERING:RACK AND PINION:RACK
POWER STEERING GEAR FAILED.
Compare 1989MAZDA626 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 1989 MAZDA 626 have?▼
The 1989 MAZDA 626 has 48 NHTSA complaints, 4 crashes, 1 fires, 0 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
What are the most common problems with the 1989 MAZDA 626?▼
The most-complained component for the 1989 MAZDA 626 is POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION with 11 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include SEAT BELTS and STRUCTURE:BODY:DOOR.
Is the 1989 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.