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Mazda 626 Troubles

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Comments

  • buck17buck17 Member Posts: 2
    I knew it! Thank you for verifying that for me. We had to wait a week but we got the part (finally). The mechanic did it for free (what?!). I am so glad to know what actually happened.
  • ka1975ka1975 Member Posts: 1
    I have a 1997 Mazda 626LX which has been problem-free for a long time. About a couple months ago, the dashboard lights started to shut down every time I used the left turn signal. Now the dashboard lights will not turn on at all, and my taillights are not working either. (Interestingly the headlights and all three brakelights are working perfectly. Upon examining the wiring diagrams in the Haynes manual, I realized that they were completely separate circuits)

    Because of the earlier problem with the turn signal, I am guessing that the switch might be faulty. I did some research online, and many others reported similar problems with their Mazdas where their taillights and dashboard lights would stop working. Any ideas what the reason might be?
  • vashtievashtie Member Posts: 10
    I recently had the same problems with my 95 626. You most likely need to replace the combination switch. This requires pulling the sterring wheel to access the switch. Recommend you find a combination switch from a reputable salvage part dealer since a new combination switch from the dealer will likely be well over $300. My switch cost about $100 and came with a 3 month warranty. You can find sources on the internet. Mine came from a mazda parts dealer in Atlanta..mazdamart..that specializes in mazda parts. Good luck.
  • e44e44 Member Posts: 10
    My 4 - cyl. 5 - speed 2002 626 with 110000 km sometimes makes a grinding noise when downshifting into first gear at low speed. I cannot figure out what causes this. The noise is like trying to put a car into gear without engaging the clutch - the sound of the gears not meshing together. Suggestions?
  • coastiejohncoastiejohn Member Posts: 1
    I had the same clunking noise coming from the trunk area on my 2000 626. I read on another forum it is the sway bar bushings that could cause that. I changed them out and it fixed the problem.
  • backybacky Member Posts: 18,949
    Yes, it was the sway bar bushings:

    backy, "Mazda 626 Troubles" #2073, 2 Jun 2006 4:05 pm
  • lanebo40lanebo40 Member Posts: 1
    i've taken my car to 2 different mechanics for this code and they havent been able to find the problem.it has to do with the catalyst but i've replaced it .
  • mike1235mike1235 Member Posts: 1
    I have a 98 Mazda 626 and the brake lights quit working. I have checked the fuse under the dash and it is still good. I think it is highly unlikely that all three brake lights burned out at the same time, but that is what I plan to check next. Anyone have any suggestions? Is there something else I should be looking at?

    Thanks,

    Mike
  • nik8nik8 Member Posts: 9
    My 2000 626(79k miles) shudders quite violently at around 40-45mph. Typically I lift my foot off the gas pedal and sometimes do this a couple of times to get past the shudder. Pepboys told me today(90 bucks for telling me this) that the torque converter is shattering and recommended that I take it to a tranny shop.
    Anybody on this board have any advice/experience on what kind of bill I'm looking at? I'm in the Dallas area so if anybody can recommend any local shop here I'd appreciate it.

    Any other advice/comments would be highly appreciated.
    Thanks.
  • p100p100 Member Posts: 1,116
    105,000 miles for the first timing belt change. the belt still looked good. I replaced it with a Mazda OEM belt. I bought a timing belt kit from Auto zone that included the idler pulleys, because those were prohibitively expensive from Mazda. Did not use the timing belt in the kit though.
  • p100p100 Member Posts: 1,116
    You could have an internally leaking clutch master cylinder, which causes the clutch not to release fully when the clutch pedal is pressed.
  • e44e44 Member Posts: 10
    Thanks so much for the tip, and I will have it verified by my mechanic at next service. I would like to take this opportunity to thank you, p100, for your excellent and detailed advice on all matters 626 . Noteworthy is message #2237 concerning the requiremmet of a special tool for the harmonic balancer removal when changing the timing belt. It is so important to get your vehicle serviced by a good mechanic, and the best way to find one is by personal referral from someone who knows about cars.
  • blowmeuptomblowmeuptom Member Posts: 3
    I don't know anything about my girlfriends 626, other then I have made every attempt possible to not work on it, but it's sitting on a major road, last night a belt broke, I was told it had s serpentine belt, but It doesn't appear like that's correct, seeing there is still a belt that is not broke, this appears to be the belt that runs the Alternator maybe? I have to fix this myself, and can't even figure out what belt's this car runs, when the belt broke, the battery light came on, and the tempeture shot up and floored out, can anybody throw me a crumb??? Please, I've gotta get this car running, and am not having any luck getting started, why is this car so hard to find out information about? thank you, please help!!!
  • firefighterfoxfirefighterfox Member Posts: 3
    car runs great except, it idles about 2400 rpm on cold start up and will eventually slow down to around 700 rpm after 4 to 5 minutes. It also takes about 2 to 3 times longer than normal for the engine to idle down after being reved up. ( cold or hot doesn't matter? ) If I unplug the idle control valve, both of these problems go away, but then the engine won't idle without dieing.
    No codes in memory.
    thanks in advance,
    firefighterfox
  • urb0123urb0123 Member Posts: 5
    I had a similar problem with a Toyota Corolla. One of the wires had come loose on the lights themselves and the entire back end quit working. (Also melted the light housing, no fire fortunately.)
  • urb0123urb0123 Member Posts: 5
    Probably not, pulling the springs off the old struts and putting the springs back on the new struts is labor intensive and dangerous.
  • urb0123urb0123 Member Posts: 5
    Hi there,

    Does it still pull to the right on accell and then left on letup?

    I ask because I have a similar problem with 2 of my vehicles and have heard it can be caused by worn motor mounts.

    Thanks
  • urb0123urb0123 Member Posts: 5
    No clue dadio, I just recently discovered that water or some other liquid is getting in my trunk on the passenger side. Pull up the carpet a little bit in the trunk and see if the felt underneath is wet on the passenger side.

    Is the antenna back there? I wonder if that is the cause. I have so many problems I am working on right now that it is a low priority at the moment. (The car is in my garage and safe from more rain too.)
  • urb0123urb0123 Member Posts: 5
    I had a quite similar problem where I was driving my 626 up a long grade (crossing the rockies) with a LOT of weight on it. There was a loud bang sound, and I pulled off at the next service station. There was transmission fluid all over the engine block. It looked like at least a quart had exploded from somewhere. I never could find the cause, so it must have been one of those seals going back into place. The tranny ran much better after the burp too.
  • dickmetsdickmets Member Posts: 2
    I think my auto transmission is shot on my 1998 Mazda 626 LX with 163,000 miles on it. I did replace a Speed Sensor and a Throttle Position Sensor about 5,000 & 10,000 miles ago when I thought I was having transmission problems at that time....but the sensor replacements made my problems disappear. Other than the transmission the car is in great shape, inside & out. Is it worth putting a junk yard transmission into it for $1,200 or having a rebuilt transmission for around $2,000 put into it. I don't know how long these Mazda 626's go for mileage wise? Coincidentally, 10 days before I had transmission problems, I ran over a dead deer (it had just been hit) and I had to straddle it and it rumbled under the car. Could the deer have caused something to break in the transmission?
    Any help or guidance would be apprectiated.
  • moccamocca Member Posts: 1
    I am having the EXACT same issue on my '91 626.

    Did you fix it ? How?
  • elove930elove930 Member Posts: 1
    :confuse: :(
    I just bought this car and im noticing already that it having problems. (1) If i leave the car off for a while, let say overnight, it turns on fine. but when i park and and come back let say for like 20 mins or so, the car cuts off!!! (2) When it idle, it vibrates and makes this weird sound now and again. i can't explain it. Like its about to turn off and then it pick up again... (i hope ya can understand this)

    Any input. PLEASE!!!!
  • ajhugsajhugs Member Posts: 2
    My car doesn't seem to be getting any gas. When you press on the gas the car just barely putts along. We replaced the fuel filter, but it didn't make a difference. Someone told us we need to replace the Emission Switch? Can someone tell me what exactly that is and is it something we could replace ourselves. Any help is appreciated.
    Thanks.
  • ganglinggangling Member Posts: 6
    My mazda 1999 at 60k miles have had the same problem as you mentioned for at least two years. It's running fine. Funny things is that the check engine light will be on every one to three months and I need cut off the battery cable each time when it's on. I once put $700 to Pep boy to replace two sensors and they couldn't fix it and refunded the money to me. If you have fixed your car's problem, Please let me know here. Thanks!
  • mhhalabemhhalabe Member Posts: 3
    My 1996 Mazda 626 Cronos is having some problems. I recently changed the battery because the car wouldn't start when we were experiencing the -50F weather in my town. Also, in the past 2 months, my check engine soon light has come on atleast 3 times and now it is on again. It doesn't blink, but is just staying on steady. I remove the battery post and it goes away, for a while, and then comes back. Does anyone know what it could be?
  • qjulianqjulian Member Posts: 1
    My 626 automatic is downshifting normaly when going at a steady speed above 45mph, although it will do it sometimes below that speed. I've taken it to 2 different transmission shops. 1st one said it was bad motor mounts which i ended up replacing myself and the problem continued. 2nd one said it was a bad speed control module which they replaced yesterday and the problem continued. both places said that the transmission was fine, but the malfunction only happens sometimes and neither mechanics saw it when taking it on a road test. is anybody familiar with this problem? any ideas?
  • ganglinggangling Member Posts: 6
    I can't remember where it's said that there are 6,000,000 cars are running with check engine light on in USA. I suggest you buy a OBDII scanner from Walmart(about $70)and read the error code to ask online or local store where need fix (most times, some sensor need clean or change). Meantime you can use your scanner as switch to erase the error code in your car's computer(turn off the check engine light) and no need cut off battery cable under hood every time when the light is on. Until some day the light always is on when start the car. Then the some where is truly need fix. May at that time your new car should be coming.
  • mhhalabemhhalabe Member Posts: 3
    Thanks a lot for the information. I'll look into buying one of the ODBII scanners.
  • stormmystormmy Member Posts: 2
    I have a 93 626 lx 4 cycl. that has the same issuse. I have replaced the throtel cable and now the altanator it costed me 1,000 so far. it's a a good car and worth putting the money into it. mine had 190,000 mile's and I only got it lats year. but one thing DO NOT TAKE IT TO A MAZDA DEALER. THEY WILL CHARGE YOU BIG TIME. on my 626 I have relpaced the control arm the sway bard 4 tires an altanator the distributor and the throtal cable .
  • stormmystormmy Member Posts: 2
    :cry: anyone come here any more or what???
  • Mr_ShiftrightMr_Shiftright Member Posts: 64,481
    Hosts are here but we're no fun :P

    You might also use "keyword search" on the left for "technical questions" or "no start"---these are pretty active topics and can cover all sorts of cars.
  • joelleinjoellein Member Posts: 7
    I bought this car last year with only 32K miles on it. One of the first things I noticed was blue smoke when starting it after not being run for a few days. I talked with my local service guy (mazda dealer service writer); he said this was very unusual for this engine. He suggested that I put Mobil 1 (10w-30) in it and see if that helps. Well, it does seem to have helped. But, it still seems to go through more oil than I'm used to for a car with only 44K miles (current mileage). My questions are: 1) Do any of you readers have experience with the V6 burning oil at low mileage? 2) In all respects, the car seems to have been well taken care of by the original owner, but could they have really screwed up the engine by not changing oil or ??, and 3) Do any of you have trouble determining the oil level in this engine on the dipstick? When I change the oil I put in exactly what the owner's manual says to put in, which is 3.9 quarts. But, after putting in 3.9 quarts the oil level on the dipstick is below the add line. Whats up with that?
  • czechoczecho Member Posts: 3
    How hard is it to change the front hub bearing (driver's side) on a 1997 626 with 5 speed? The bearning has been noisy, now it sounds like a 747 is flying above me. Thanks for any advice
  • philj57philj57 Member Posts: 1
    My 1995 626, auto trans, 2.0 is such a chore to turn. backing out of the drive way is terrible. I do not know what I need to do to fix the problem. The axle is not bent but the tires sometimes rub against the fender and thats what is causing the problems. What do you suppose it is that I need to fix to be able to turn correctly with ease again? Arms,driveshaft,alignment?
  • p100p100 Member Posts: 1,116
    I have a '99 ES V6 with almost 170k miles on it. The car has always used a little oil since I bought it new. Not excessive by any definition, but between 3k oil changes, the oil level would come down from "FULL" on the mark to 3/4 way down to the lower line. So about 3/4 of a quart per 3k miles. I change oil every 3k miles and usually I do not need to add oil between changes, but the oil level will be pretty close to he low mark by the time oil is changed. The oil usage has not gotten any worse since new and I do not see any blue smoke coming out of the exhaust upon cold startup, which means that the valve seals are still good. Mazda says that minor oil usage like this is normal for these cars.

    You need to make sure that the car is parked level when you check the oil level because you can get really erroneous readings when the car is parked even on a very mild incline. BTW, it takes 4 quarts of oil to refill the crankcase (with a new filter).
  • p100p100 Member Posts: 1,116
    First, do you have the OEM size tires/wheels on the car? Oversize rims and tires can cause these problems. Your alignment, especially the front toe setting would have to be grossly out of spec to have this happen.
  • joelleinjoellein Member Posts: 7
    Thanks for the information. I've about decided to just live with what seems to be excessive oil usage since the car runs so good. And with only 45K miles it should have many more years of good running as long as I check the oil frequently. I know this is anecdotal, but my son has a '96 MX6 with the 2.5 liter V6 and it doesn't use any oil between changes (currently with 85K). He also uses Mobil 1 and lets it go up to 7,000 miles between changes. That car was the one I was comparing my V6 to.
  • whitallwhitall Member Posts: 190
    Looking at a 2000 ES 4 cyl. with 74k. Will this likely be a reliable car for my new driving son, or will it probably come with a host of troubles? I assume the owner is getting rid of it for a reason....I have emailed him to see if the timing belt was ever changed, and asked for proof. Can a mechanic tell by looking? What else should I worry about. Also, sizewise, is this more like a corolla or a camry? Mom's look for saftey and reliabilty, the kid is looking for cool. Hard compromise to reach!
  • e44e44 Member Posts: 10
    I bought my 2002 with 92000 km on it last July because it was a 4-cylinder / 5-speed and because it was about $5000(CAN) less than an '02 Accord or Camry. It holds its own on all fronts against these cars, except for its high depreciation rate. The regular maintenance schedule must be followed (not cheap). I have spent $1700(CAN) so far doing this for 30000 km of usage. My mechanic says count on a lifespan of 300 000 km. The real issue seems to be with the automatic transmission. If this is the case with you, negotiate the vendor to a much lower price and walk if there is no agreement. The Blue Book shouldn't be too high for a 2000 to begin with. The car is not fast or cool but I love driving it. As for your kid, tell him he's lucky to get the car in the first place, as long as he does his chores!
  • joelleinjoellein Member Posts: 7
    My brother has a '95 626 LX 4 cyl, 5 speed. It's been a very reliable car for him, and not much expense. It has about 137,000 miles now. He got it about 4 years ago with around 90,000 miles. I think he's had to replace an axle or two, routine maintenance stuff, and probably a brake job. That's about it. It's not the coolest car on the road, but not bad either, especially with alloy wheels and sunroof. The only thing I don't particularly like about his car is that the driver's seat sits very low; I like to sit up higher in the "cockpit", which my '01 ES does with it's power seat.
  • riswami1riswami1 Member Posts: 33
    I have a 95 MX-6, with the 4 banger and 5 speed manual. The car has 186,000 and runs like new. I also consistenly get 31 to 34 mpg.This car is the same as a 626 mechanically.If you find a good one used grab it. The only issue I'm aware of with these cars is automatic transmissions.

    Mine was hit a couple of times and the body work repair was not up to spec. I plan on driving it until it dies and I get hit with a repair that makes sense to say I'm better off putting the money into a new vehicle.
  • edagger3274edagger3274 Member Posts: 7
    hi. came back once again with a problem. im working on my mazda 626 and im replacing the cv joints. im stuck on the driver's side right now because i cant seem to get the cv joint out of the transmission. the new one just has a metal ring around the shaft that goes into the transmission. is there any special tool i need or do i just keep beating on it with a prybar and a sledge hammer?
  • peterp96apeterp96a Member Posts: 4
    I had same problem before too. I took the card to shop, the mechanic just beated on it with a prybar, chain and a sledge hammer.
  • edagger3274edagger3274 Member Posts: 7
    ..........and thats what it took. i got that sucka off. i just beat on it until fiunally it gave. the passenger side was a whole lot easier. it rides so much better now. thanks for the help.
  • vashtievashtie Member Posts: 10
    My left taillight is broken and needs to be replaced. Before I attempt to replace it, appreciate advice on how to replace it. I have a replacement unit.

    Thanks/Vashtie
  • misticmindmisticmind Member Posts: 3
    My car would shift out of gear as in going into neutral then it would kick back in. My transmission has been recently rebuilt. Same problem occuring. Said I needed to bring it to Mazda to get it checked before they would re-open my transmission. Mazda said it was the transmission - however when they were testing electricals - the code for the TRansmission Range Switch was identified - Mazda said current is flowing all is ok with switch. Transmission place brought my car to another garage to get the switch checked - guess what - faulty switch - they say - picking up my car to test it tonight. $3000 dollars later..... :mad: This may be your problem - might want to get it checked out.
  • savvyboysavvyboy Member Posts: 10
    Recently, due to my return to college, I sold my 98 Honda Civic because the payments were high. I bought a 97 626 LX with low miles pretty cheap - THIS IS THE BIGGEST MISTAKE I HAVE EVER MADE!!! I have had the car for a week, and I can't even get a MA inspection sticker. The starter and the cadaliddic (?) converter need to be replaced. Because I bought the car in NH, I have no recourse. Is anyone else having such problems? The car has only 27,000 miles on it. I think I have been hosed!

    My '97 has 170,000 trouble free miles. A shame that you happened to have purchased a vehicle with that problem.
  • ashleydw85ashleydw85 Member Posts: 6
    I just got a 2000 Mazda 626 and after driving it for a couple days, it will not go into reverse. When I test drove it everything was fine. Does anyone know what would cause this or how to fix it w/ out going to a dealership?
  • joelleinjoellein Member Posts: 7
    Manual or automatic transmission? If it's a manual, try changing the transmission oil to one of the newer versions. Also, I used to have a '94 Protege that was balky to get into reverse (manual tranny). The Mazda dealer service dept put in a mixture of 50% regular gear oil and 50% automatic tranny fluid....really worked well.
  • ashleydw85ashleydw85 Member Posts: 6
    It's an automatic. I think the transmission filter is clogged. Know how I could change that without having to take it to a dealership? Everywhere I call says it's a non-serviceable transmission and that I have to take it to a dealer.
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