Mazda 626 Troubles

godestiny · September 2001

i have the aforementioned vehicle and recently the atx has a problem it only has 120k highway miles on it but it now has a distinct rattling in the tranny while idling....i've been told my bands are lose and only hope is a rebuild....but i have found it's cheaper to replace here in texas, than it is to rebuild. does anyone have advice on what i should look for in a tranny. i found a place in houston that grabs the rejects of japanese inspection and sells them "low mileage used". they gave me a quote of $995. whadda ya think

marc45 · September 2001

Hello, I own a 1998lx 626 2.0l 4cyl. auto Transission. This Ford unit failed at 53K miles.
I changed the fliud by dropping the drain plug every other oil change. Easy to do and cheap about 3.50 a change 3.5 qts.
owned the car since 1999. Paid 13k for the car w/12k miles. Seemed to be a good buy..the car handles well and has a spacious interior and trunk. Dash looks Quality..and it was 3k cheaper than a Camry and 5k cheaper than the Accord.
Mazda went 50/50 on the repairs still came out to $1650. Totally unacceptable. It looks like I'm married to this car. I checked the used market
and one can be had for $7500. Not a good resale value. I wonder if the word is out on dealership trade-ins to avoid this Car. My Plan is to install Transmisson cooler and change the dog out of the fluid. What else can I do?

windowphobe6 · September 2001

The most important thing, I think, is to make sure you get a box for the '93. A later tranny might work; '92 and before will not work. (For 1993, the transmission was switched to complete computer control; there isn't even a throttle cable.) I have no experience with, um, slight irregulars, but if the seller is willing to back the product, go for it.

windowphobe6 · September 2001

Drain and refill is nice so far as it goes, but it doesn't go much of anywhere with the CD4E with its internal filter; this is a tranny that really needs to be power-flushed on a regular basis. (I follow a 2-year/24k schedule myself.) Adding the cooler will likely help, since the earliest units tended to run hot. Transmissions remanufactured by Mazda (which are now actually remanufactured by Delco Remy, which bought Mazda's Jacksonville tranny facility) are supposed to have the most recent incremental improvements, but you never know exactly how old the replacement unit is - and there was a running change halfway through model year 1998 - so I can appreciate a certain level of wariness.

lore1 · September 2001

I know this may sound silly, and perhaps/probably I am missing something... Does anyone know how to remove the air filter on the 99 626 v6?? I checked the owners manual and it simply says to remove the clamps.. I see only one clamp (RT Front of Air box as you face the car) and that won't help open the box by itself... What am I missing here???

Thanks.. I have changed air filters before:)

mrdetailer · September 2001

I have a mechanic who is a Mazda specialist for 20 years. Here is what he does when he transmission overhauls are needed.

1. He uses factory rebuilds only like you should have had.

2. He installs a transmission cooler -- a more expensive one that can regulate temperature.

3. He changes the transmission fluid every 15,000 miles.

4. He adds Lubegard, or another product called Wear Guard.

He feels that this is adequate, but since you had transmission problems even changing regularly, I would recommend spending the extra and getting synthetic fluid.

z88 · September 2001

Hi, all

I am approaching 60,000 mark on my 98'626 V6-ES and thinking about let the dealer do the 60K service. It costs $450. Fair deal?? Necessary?? Does anyone changed their cars timing belt? I am going to change it, it will cost me $400, ouch!!

Thanks,

Z88

mrdetailer · September 2001

Don't do it yourself. Unless you know how to change the Cam and Crankshaft seals. Mine was changed at 90,000 and at 120,000 it has to be changed again because the seals leaked and softened the timing belt. If under warranty have the dealer do it, and make sure that they are using an experienced mechanic. Otherwise find a good local mechanic.

Clean the MAF sensor, retorque the engine and transmission mounting bolts, replace transmission fluid (if automatic, put in synthetic) and filter, replace the following fluids brake, power steering, engine coolant. I recommend Lubegard for the transmission and power steering. it can be found at Napa for about $20.00 for both.

tmica · September 2001

My 90 626 5spd makes a ticking/sputtering sound under load when it is cold. If I let the car idle, you can't hear it. It's more of a sputter than a tick and I am positive that it is not the lifters.
The sound goes away after the car has warmed up. My mechanic says i just have good ears
because he can't hear anything. They even hooked it up to some diagnosic machine and all read good. The car drives well even when it does sputter and i get 32-33mpg consistently.
Please help, this is driving me nuts.

vkatluri · September 2001

Hi,

First of all I have a 2000 Mazda 626 ESV6 with about 40,000 miles on it. It goes with out saying that I use it fairly heavily. I have a problem that has been going on on and off for several months. Every thing seems to be fine but the car won't start. As "windowphobe6" suggested earlier (thank you for that) it looks like a problem that the car some how thinks that the gear is on and it won't start. So, whenever this happens I just get down and give the car a push (while in park mode) and I invariably hear an audible click. Then the car starts fine. Is this sign of a major trouble waiting to happen? And also, my car is an auto shift and I noticed some thing concerning. After a long drive, the plate on top of the gear stick .. the one marked with the gear position (sorry for the low tech description) gets hot. I noticed this because I keep my cell plugged into the lighter plug and the cell gets hot too. Is this sign of some kind of trouble? And also, more importantly, my car makes a lot of noise/sound while accelerating from park (at traffic lights.. and I don't press to the floor) and it's definitely not as smooth as a Camry or an Accord. Is this normal for a Mazda 626? Any help/tips would be greatly appreciated.

- A concerned owner.

windowphobe6 · September 2001

If you have to move the car slightly to get it to start, most likely the neutral-safety switch is at fault. Relatively simple fix, not likely a prelude to worse things.

Heat far away from a duct usually suggests an exhaust pipe too close for comfort, or a heat shield gone away causing same.

The V6 has a distinct growl, although if you want to hear some serious noise, you should hear the four-banger at takeoff. Then again, maybe you shouldn't. Toyota, and to a lesser extent Honda, go to a lot of trouble to tune out manifestations that might make you think your car is some mundane mechanical device. Mazda figures (1) you probably want to Zoom Zoom and (2) if so, why should they spend the extra bucks to hide it under a bushel?

windowphobe6 · September 2001

Must be something in the expansion-contraction cycle. If everything else checks out, you may as well turn up the stereo.

xoomxoomxoom · September 2001

Have a 91' 626 DX, 2.2L, Auto with 120K miles on it. So far has been extremely reliable. Had it repainted last month and put on new tires.

The tranny died on me last week, was able to locate a used one for $350. How much of labour am I looking at ? Is it worth while ?

New tranny is going to cost $2000.00

mrdetailer · September 2001

Unfortunately, much as I love Mazda, the tranny's have weaknesses. The labor on the used one will be the same as the remanufactured one. It will then go sooner. You will double the labor unless it is a real low mileage one.

You have a great engine there. Love my 1991.

My mechanic is a Mazda specialist and he recommends a factory rebuild, installation of a good transmission cooler, and using wearguard, or Lugegard to keep it in better shape.

windowphobe6 · September 2001

Somewhere around seven or eight hours of labor to pull one out and put another one in, generally. Your mileage may vary.

xoomxoomxoom · September 2001

mrdetailer, are you in NJ by any chance ? Wouldn't the price of your recco. exceed the book value of the car ? How much would a factory rebuilt tranny come up to ?

Even with a used one, I am going to pay more for labour than the cost of the part ! I hate it when I get into such a situation.

johnny01 · September 2001

An idiot ran(at least 30 mph) into my rear at a red light on 9/12/01. Just me in the car. My air bag did not deploy. My seat back collapsed backwards. No injuries, maybe a sore neck.

Progresive ins said the car was totaled ($5k-7 damage) so I got a check the next day. I had a 97 626LX AT-4cyl, white, nothing extra added on to the LX package. 61K miles. The car was in good condtion according to Edmunds TMV.
Progressive cut me a check for $8.7k!? (this amount included ded which the other guy's ins paid). I was quite happy at that amount. I paid $10.8 for my 626 more than 2 1/2 yrs ago. I figure they gave me close to retail price. It's a good thing I held off on the 60k mile maintenance.
So now I just bought a used, 99 CR-V LX RT4WD. I wanted something different. More room. I feel I am not sitting 4 inches above the road anymore. Road visabilty is quite remarkable in the CR-V
I was a big reader of this board but only posted less than 5x.
This is my first Honda.

mrdetailer · October 2001

Xoomxoomxoom: My 1991 is a manual that hasn't had any problems. But yes according to Edmunds car value it would exceed the value of the car. My goal with this car though is to keep it running as long as possible since it is such a blast to drive. With my wife's accident and normal wear and tear we have had to replace most steering components and get new tires. Spent $3,000 this year, $1,700 covered by insurance. But last year my maintenence cost was only $350.00. Next year should be much cheaper.

But this car is still generally in style and now looks and drives like it was new. We should get at least another 85,000 miles. I like to keep cars to 200,000 miles. I've found over the years that if they are well maintained that it is not only less expensive, but that the cars still remain fun to drive.

jskho · October 2001

Procedures on how to clean the mass airflow sensor of the 2.0 engine was mentioned in a message above. I am wondering if the same procedures can be followed on the 2.5 V6.
I have a 93 ES.

jeffkchicago · October 2001

I have gone through 2 fuel pumps on my 98 626ES V6. Car runs fine, no signs of trouble - and then suddenly, without warning, it will not start (it cranks and cranks, but won't turn over). Several dealers now have diagnosed it as a fuel pump problem (no pressure, no fuel feed), so the pump is simply replaced (currently on my third). I have to think something else is wrong. Have others run into this? Other diagnosis?

No other problems with the car thus far.

windowphobe6 · October 2001

It's usually in the fuse box. The fuel pressure on these cars is relieved by pulling the relay out of the box, so it's easily removable - which suggests that it can work its way loose.

windowphobe6 · October 2001

I think the V6 uses a cone-type meter, in which case it wouldn't be quite the same procedure, though the cone itself can be cleaned and checked for free movement.

soundhack · October 2001

(This is slightly off topic, and I crossposted
to the general topic.)

I had my beautiful 94 Mazda 626 shipped from
Boston to San Diego recently (great condition
considering its age). Much to my
dismay, when I took delivery, the driver
pointed out several huge gashes/dents and
scratches on the trunk lid. It was totally
their fault, seems like some chains fell and
hit the trunk during transit.

The past couple of weeks I have been dealing
with the trucking company (Appollo, based
in KY, referred by All States). After a
bit of a runaround, they came out and said
they wouldnt pay for a new trunk lid, even though
the two auto body places I went to said it would
be better to replace the lid instead of to
fix it. (Besides the gashes, the lid is a bit
bent, so when closed there is a slightly larger
gap between lid and chassis than before)

The guy claimed that insurance companies don't
pay to replace with new parts any car that
is older than 2 years. I was wondering if
that was true, or is he just trying to
avoid paying a larger amount (860 vs 380).

I don't think even $860 is worth a lawsuit,
but I also don't want to get cheated out of
fair compensation. Any advice much appreciated!

Next time, I'm going to drive cross country!

Robert

qbrozen · October 2001

I never heard of that before. But, I think insurance varies from state to state. In NJ, for instance, I know that the person carrying the insurance has every right to insist on new factory parts and its even encouraged since anything else takes away from the value of the car.

I would call your insurance company and speak to someone there. Explain the situation, maybe they can give you some advice on dealing with the trucking company.

soundhack · October 2001

thanks for the advice. Unfortunately, it's not my insurance company I'm dealing with, it's the trucking company's (since it was their fault). I guess I can ask the trucking company to tell me their insurance company, but I doubt they would tell me. They wouldnt even give me a regular street address to send photographs/etc. (they
use a po box)

On a slightly different note, can anyone recommend a good auto body shop in San Diego?

qbrozen · October 2001

I realize that its not your insurance company that your dealing with. What I meant is that you should contact your insurance company for advice, that's all. They might be able to tell you what you should do in this case, since they are, after all, an insurance company. And, really, it might be in their best interest to help you since it is a car that they are covering. If the car doesn't get repaired or repaired correctly, it could ultimately fall in their lap as a claim when you want to get it fixed.

flamazda · October 2001

NEW 2001 626 WITH SQUEAKING REAR BRAKES--STARTED AT ABOUT 1,500 MILES, NOW HAS ABOUT 9,000. ANY EASY FIXES, HATE TO TAKE TO DEALER, WHEN I CALLED THEY WANTED TO KNOW IF A 'CHECK ENGINE LIGHT'WAS ON--COULD ONLY REPLACE PARTS THAT COMPUTER INDICATED. ARE THESE 'THROW AWAY CARS'?

dengle2 · October 2001

I have a '98 626 and would like to know if anyone has the correct method for flushing out the antifreeze. Would rather save the $40.00 for other things. I know about the drain plug below, but was wondering if there was anything else I needed to open up to completely drain and flush the system.

Thanks!

ece3446 · October 2001

Hi all,
I have a 93 626 w/ 183,000 in pretty good shape. The car is running great but in the fifth gear, when I accelerate, there is a knocking sound other than the usual jamboree of sounds. It only happens in the fifth gear when I acclerate.

It is not that loud but it is definitely there. Ijust wanted to know if I should ignore this and keep on driving.

Thanks for all the help.

mrdetailer · October 2001

This likely means start of failure in that gear. I'd immediately replace with Synthetic and put in Lubegard Gear Oil Suppliment.(Napa Auto Parts) It has made our transmission run much smoother.

ian18 · October 2001

Glad to hear that you have 183,000 miles on your 5 spd! My '93 626 ES is now at 90,000 miles and is running well (although the air bag no longer is operational). Do you have the 6 cylinder? Any maintenance advice you can offer?

fromatoz · October 2001

My 1993 626 often slips when cold start in the morning (say, within 100m from start), but after a while it just runs fine and there is no slips. I check the tranmission fluid and everything seems to be okay.

What can I do to prevent the slipping or any further damage? Warming up the care for a few minutes before starting?

Thanks for any answer.

jskho · November 2001

The 2.0 on new Protege/5 is the same engine as that on the 4-cyl 626. I wonder if the transmission is the same as the notorious Ford unit on the 626s. Protege/5s are built in Japan though.

Also, in reply to ian18, I have a 93 626ES with 133000 miles. Still strong. I did have a few common problems reported by others on this board.

1. valve cover gasket leaking, replacement is very expensive since the intake has to be removed to access the rear bank of cylinders.

2. rear passenger side brake caliper replaced. The parking brake got stuck once after parking on an uphill slope. I drove it for about 2 miles before being able to disengage it. Apparently, this damaged the caliper.

3. timing belt replacement is expensive. I spent over $500 on that plus water pump.

4. O2 sensor needs replacement. The check engine light came on at about 90k but I have been ignoring it for the past 3 years! No effect on fuel economy and emission yet. Still getting 23mpg mixed and over 26 hwy and passed emission test.

ian18 · November 2001

jskho- Thanks for your post. At 90,000 miles I have had similar experiences. Of course timing belt was changed ($250), water pump ($250), brake calipers (?), O2 sensors ($100). I would suggest trying the Bosh sensors as replacements since they were much, much cheaper and have worked without problems since changing at 70,000 miles.

Recent problem has been an airbag failure, indicated by dashboard light. Diagnosis has been that the clockspring electrical wire in the steering wheel needs to be replaced at a cost of $500. I have decided not to get it fixed and instead placed a piece of tape over the flashing dashboard light.

Still, a great car to drive and judging from your experience, mine still has many miles left.

windowphobe6 · November 2001

The Ford box in the Focus is a distant cousin to the Mazda box in the '99-up Protegé - they aren't interchangeable in practice, but they were developed jointly - and neither of them is related to the Ford CD4E that everyone remembers (largely no thanks to me) in the 626.

ece3446 · November 2001

Hi all,
I have a 93 626 w/ 184,000, 5 spd. in pretty good shape. I had posted here before about a rattling sound, I think the rattling is the CV joint up front. Sorry jan18, that I did'nt reply earlier but everyhting I have done is pretty routine on this car. Actually I have a great mechanic who is really cheap. ($150, timing belt change).

I recently had the distributor problem crop up cost me $400 to replace. You think Mazda would reimburse me for that, I mean it is a known problem and all ?? Anyway do u guys think I can realistically keep this car for another 100,000 ? Reason I ask is, beacuse my car got into an accident recently so I was just wondering if I should spend the $200 to paint it or just save it up for a new car. Thanks,

Ece3446.

qbrozen · November 2001

184,000 miles is quite a bit. I don't think you should have any gripes about the distributor. I certainly wouldn't call it a design flaw or even a weak point if you get 184,000 miles before it happens.

I think you should be happy with the service you've gotten out of the car.

What does "realistically" mean? You mean will you have no more problems with it? No, you'll have problems. Will it be economically sound? Possibly. What's the worst that could happen? I would start saving up and get everything you can out of it. If something catastrophic does happen, THEN go out and get another car. But, as long as its still going, what's the harm in continuing to drive it?

Would I bother getting an 8 year old car with almost 200K miles and suspected mechanical troubles painted? Probably not. But that's me. I'll buy another car at the drop of a hat. Just ask my wife and family.

good luck.

mrdetailer · November 2001

depends. If you want to take it to 200,000 probably not. I think a well maintained Mazda can reach 250,000. I have a 1991 with 120,000 and it still behaves like a new car.

On the other hand ... it's just a few hundred bucks.

jonbgood · November 2001

I've got a 99 626 with 4cyl. I'm at 53k miles. I'm under a Mazda 100k warranty. Should I let expensive Mazda dealer service the belt or find an independent, less expensive place? Are there any tricks to this. I'm going to have the transmission serviced as well. I really feel Mazda should do that after reading about all of the tranny problems. If something does go wrong, I want Mazda taking care of it under my extended warranty. Any ideas or thoughts?

windowphobe6 · November 2001

Getting to the belt isn't especially easy, though it's less of a hassle on the FS engine than on some other Mazda mills. The procedure is straightforward enough, though, so if you have a trusted mechanic, you can let him take a shot at it. The biggest worry, I suspect, is getting the belt exactly one tooth off, which will create timing issues and driveability problems you will not enjoy, and which the service shop will not enjoy diagnosing.

The going dealer rate here in the flyover zone has been officially $250, though it's almost always "on special" for fifty or sixty bucks off.

agt_cooper · November 2001

With a past car ('91 Plymouth Laser), I went the independent route and oh what a mistake that was!!! Whatever guide they used for specification was not too accurate when it came to belt tension. Within a week, the belt slipped at least one tooth, which obviously made the car run a bit off!!!

They swore they had done the job correctly, but I was able to prevail upon them to refund every penny I paid. I promptly took that money and my sputtering car to the Plymouth dealer who told me that the belt was installed with the wrong tension. They installed a new belt and guess what, no problems!!!

So, about a month ago, when my '97 626 V-6 hit the 60,000 mark, guess where I took it? The cost was $285.00 and there have been absolutely no problems with this repair. (Further note: service rep. did not recommend replacing the water pump "just because"....he said unless there was evidence of leakage, they would not recommend that until 120k miles.)

Now, I'm not saying an independent mechanic is not capable of doing a timing belt properly, but the odds are probably a bit better at a dealership that does the same repair several times a day.

mazdaal · November 2001

here's a secret tip for most of you. (excluding the smart ppl that perform there sched mat).. insted of sitting here complaining about your cars, try changing your oil,trans fluid, filters, ect, ect.. you would be thrilled how well your car would run. most problems i've seen (90%) are ppl who just 'only if absolutly needed' put gas in, then gripe about how bad the car is.. i got a kick out of the guy talking about a 'class action lawsuit' about his transmission, yes' they do go bad but i would bet my last dollar that trans was never serviced when it was suggested in there manual. i've seen enough of all this, seems like a bunch of cheapo's who rather cry than spend money on there ride

626manual · November 2001

I, too, drive a manual '93 626 ES with about 110k. I just had the 120k check done because a grounding wire going into my distributor detached and my engine stopped while I was doing 75 down I-75. That was fun. (I posted about this a couple of months ago). Anyway, the only forseeable thing I have left will be a new clutch. I'm pretty easy on it so I was wondering how many more miles I can expect to get out of my clutch.

Has anyone else had the problem I had with my distributor? I hope not. That was a real mess. Thank for any info.

windowphobe6 · November 2001

Well, I've owned two of these little darbs, and nowhere in the official maintenance schedule, as detailed in the manual, is any time frame for actually changing the transmission fluid. (These are model years 1993 and 2000; I would appreciate any references for any other model years.) I hasten to add that the absence of advice on the matter has never prevented me from having the transmission serviced, but if the manufacturer doesn't address the issue, how are Joe and Susan Sixpack and their 2.3 kids (the .3 has to sit on the raised part of the rear seat) supposed to know any better?

There is, of course, no excuse for not changing one's oil or coolant, both of which are spelled out quite clearly. I am persuaded, however, that Mazda has been remiss in not recommending transmission service all these years - whether or not people whine about it.

jonbgood · November 2001

Dittos on what windowphobe6 just posted. My 1999 Mazda 626 manual is silent on transmission servicing other than "add fluid when not in the cross hatches range". I've called two Mazda dealers and got two different approaches - one said bring it in and lets flush - the other said flush and you'll be sorry - we only change the fluid in the pan. I'm going that route since that is the local dealer and I'm under a 100k warranty. Everybody seems to agree that if you do nothing (like the manual seems to suggest) you'll be sorry. Sounds like lousy engineering to me.

jonbgood · November 2001

My local Mazda dealer wants $450 for a timing belt change. This sounds outrageous to me! When I told him about costs I'd seen on this msg board he scoffed. He said there is a good half day labor on that job. Any input out there?

maltb · November 2001

According to the Mitchell estimating guide
4cyl = 2.5 hrs & $40 belt
6cyl = 4.0 hrs & $60 belt

I'm not sure what area of the country you are in, but it seems that that your dealers labor rate is on the high side. Your best bet is to call 3-4 dealers and see where the prices fall.

mrdetailer · November 2001

I'm lucky I guess, I found an independent mechanic who worked for 20 years on Mazdas and Fords. His view of a manual transmission is to replace the fluid every 30,000 miles, and add an anti wear additive called Wearguard. He also says that Lubegard (which can be purchased at NAPA auto parts) is an acceptible substitute.

My 1991 indicates that the manual can use Automatic or Standard transmission fluid. He always uses the automatic.

With the Automatics he recommends a drain and replacement every 15,000 miles, and also using the additives listed above.

He is adamate that if you follow this schedule, the transmission should last.

windowphobe6 · November 2001

Two years or 24 months, whichever comes first.

gstern1994 · November 2001

Hey- Quick question

I have a 97 626 ES Auto with 61K, and it rides very roughly. The alignment is perfect, no problems there - but the steering wheel vibrates at speed, in fact the left side of the car vibrates at 65 mph and above. Also, the car pitches when going over small bumps and expansion joints. Is it possible that my struts are shot this early on? Could my bearings be shot - causing all the vibrations? Any advice would be great. Thanks for all the help in advance.

Mazda 626 Troubles

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