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Mazda 626 Troubles

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  • ebrinebrin Member Posts: 1
    I have read many posts, and its very interesting the amount of common problems that the 626 has. I have on that is not mentioned here, hopefully someone can help me out. I have a 99 mazda 626 4cyl. I have replaced the transmission about a year after purchasing it pre-owned from a dealership. I have been going through alternator belts like crazy here lately. I've tried replacing the alternator twice. I have them checked at Autozone prior to installation and they check out good. The belts get extremely hot and then snap. Ive tried adjusting the tensioner and ensuring alternator is mounted correctly. Ive replace the battery terminals. Also most recently the battery charges while idling and once you press the accelorator or manually accelorate from under the hood it drains the battery. The volt meter shows a very slow charge while idling and as soon as you give it gas it drains it very rapidly. Any suggestions and help would be greatly appreciated as We are down to one vehicle (FORD) American made. The wife wants to trade it in however the thought of PAYMENTS for the next 5 - 7 yrs is terrifying. Thank you in advance for your help.
  • aburl81aburl81 Member Posts: 1
    Hi, I know a little about cars and am having a hard time with this one. I have a 89 Mazda 626 non-turbo. It started dieing on me at idle a few weeks ago. This happened at night around 2-3 AM when I get off work. It has been really wet out around that time and is not sure if that could be the problem. I started to notice that when I shift to neutral and apply the brakes I would get a faint light on the dash in the charge and tail light sections. Then when I get up to freeway speed and do the same thing it dies on me at idle. It will restart fine but die at idle. Since then I have changed the fuel filter, plugs, rotor and distb cap. I also adjusted the idle so it was higher and wouldn’t cut out on me. It hasn’t cut out on me since the maintenance I performed but I still get the lights on the dash and it acts like it wants to stall. Any Ideas????? Also I think I may have a short somewhere too because my wipers won't work sometimes and other times they do.

    Adan
    :(
  • mazda626atxmazda626atx Member Posts: 227
    Is it a 4 cylinder? Can you pull any codes? I know is a OBD1 but maybe you can pull codes from the DLC box in the hood. That would be a good place to start.
    Let us know
    PGP
  • alcanalcan Member Posts: 2,550
    A common Mazda problem is a cracked air intake duct between the airflow sensor and the throttle body, allowing unmetered air to enter the engine. Remove the duct and check it for any cracks or other damage.
  • fstevebfsteveb Member Posts: 1
    I had a problem with overheating and wondered if this sounds reasonable. They say the water pump is leaking. They say you have to remove the timing belt and a lot of other stuff, so it's 5 hr job. It's $1000 to fix. The car has 140k miles and had the belt replaced at 80k. They said the belts are worn and should have been replaced before. I'm not too happy with the people that replaced the chain without replacing the belts. I also had it in there last month because they said the main seal was leaking to the tune of $900. Is replacing the water pump really that much?
  • twitmetwitme Member Posts: 7
    Hello. I found this forum searching for answers to my mazda problems, and found similar issues but possibly not the exact problem I'm having. here is a description:

    My 2001 4cyl mazda 626 intermittently fails to start. The problem is far more prevalent when the temperature outside is high, and when the car has been run recently [less than 30minutes]. However the problem does seem to occur on fewer occassions when the vehicle is cool [2+hours turned off]. When the vehicle fails to start it usually seems like on my first try I get a couple of firings from the spark plugs, and that's it [doesn't seem like enough to be flooding the engine]. Then repeated attempts lead to nothing more than the starter turning the engine with no ignition whatsoever. In most situations if I let the car cool for an hour or two after having problems starting it, it starts. Once the car is running, it runs fine almost always, except once when I had the A/C running with the car going for an hour straight, it almost died while idling.

    The starter turns fine in all situations, so I've ruled out battery or starter. I have replaced the plugs, wires, and fuel filter but to no avail; the problem is exactly the same after doing so.

    I have also brought the car to a couple of shops, including a mazda dealership. None found any issue while the vehicle was at their shop (no bad test codes, unable to reproduce the problem etc.) During this winter the car seemed to perform almost flawlessly [ambient temps ranging from -10 to 30 degrees fahrenheit], but now that it is 50 degrees fahrenheit out again, the problem has returned.

    thank you!
  • honda_man2honda_man2 Member Posts: 19
    Of all the problems I have encountered this is the first time I have heard of that issue. It sounds like vapor lock with the fuel system. You might try replacing the fuel pressure regulator that is located at the right side of the fuel rail (looking at the engine from front of car). It's the little metal canister that is screwed to the end of the fuel rail and has a fuel line connected to it. I don't know if that will help but it's worth a shot.

    '96 626 4-cylinder Auto 101K miles
  • honda_man2honda_man2 Member Posts: 19
    This also can be a problem with mounting piece that is on the top of struts. It does not take long for certain suspension parts to wear out on this car. Check CV boots (drive shaft rubber boots) first since they seem to wear out faster then the automatic transmissions on these cars. You can change the entire axle if you have more then 100K on the car it's more practical.
  • twitmetwitme Member Posts: 7
    Just last night I had a friend who's a mechanic look at my car. he said the fuel pressure regulator was bad. I actually just replaced that about 2 years ago. So something else in the vehicle is damaging the regulator it looks like. Any idea what could be causing this problem? faulty fuel pump? something else in the fuel supply system?

    thanks again!
  • ddiggsy21ddiggsy21 Member Posts: 1
    I have already replace over $1,700 worth of stuff in my car and the last thing that is left is the transmission. IF anyone knows of a cheap transmission or a rebuild kit for a 1996 mazda 626 please let me know I would appreciate it
  • czechoczecho Member Posts: 3
    How difficult is it to change the drive axles on a 97 mazda 626, 4 cylinder, 5 speed trans? I know I can handle the part of the job at the wheels. How hard is it to get the shafts out of the manual transaxle? That's the part the scares me. Been quoted labor rates of $220 to $600. Is it worth the hassle of doing it myself to save $250??Thanks
  • alcanalcan Member Posts: 2,550
    Simple. Use a big pry bar or the straighter end of a crowbar and it pops right out.
  • p100p100 Member Posts: 1,116
    Some oil will leak out of the transaxle when you pull out the axle shafts. Be prepared to catch the oil by placing the pan under the transaxle. Alternately, to avoid this, you can drain the oil beforehand and then refill with fresh oil. Mechanics often use plastic plugs, which they insert into the tranaxle axle holes when they remove the axles. These plugs keep the oil from leaking out, so only very small amount of oil is lost. Auto parts stores sell a set of these plugs pretty cheap.

    One thing to consider is replacement of axle seals in the trnasaxle when you change the axles. It is not difficult to do and can save you a lot of aggravation. To replace the seals, you need to pull the axles.

    After you pull the axles and replace them, and bolt the steering knuckle to the front struts, have an alignment done on the car. The original geometry will be altered.
  • p100p100 Member Posts: 1,116
    Replacement of the rear main seal requires removal and reinstallation of the transaxle, so it is rather pricey. It is best to combine this seal replacement with the clutch replacement (if you have a manual) becuase esssentially all the work must be done as for clutch replacement. Replacing the rear main seal by itself should cost about $ 500 at a Mazda dealership. They quoted me $ 750 for the clutch replacement which included a $ 190 clutch kit.

    As far as water pump replacement goes, $ 1000 is steep. Yes, you must remove and reinstall the timing belt to replace the pump and on my V6 engine you also need to support the the engine and remove the front engine mount. However, it should be about $ 500 job including the pump, which is new about $ 110 from Mazda. It is much easier to replace the pump on a 4 cylinder model than on the V6 due to more complicated timing belt routing on the V6 engine.
  • backybacky Member Posts: 18,949
    I would appreciate your ideas on what a rear-end noise on my 2000 626 could be. It happens when I go over a sharp bump and sounds a lot like something loose is rattling in the trunk. However, I've looked all throughout the trunk, tightened down the spare, removed the jack etc., and I still hear the sound. So I expect it might be from the suspension. Any ideas?

    Also, I think the power lock actuator is going out. It makes a high-pitched noise when I lock the car, but it still works. Any ideas on the cost to repair it, when it eventually fails?

    Thanks.
  • mazda626atxmazda626atx Member Posts: 227
    Did you get the car on a lift and look underneath it. It might be something obvious that you can see, and anyone guessing with just with your description, would be doing that "just guessing".
    Have someone sit in the back seat when you go over a bump and maybe you can isolate it better.
    Good Luck
    PGP
  • backybacky Member Posts: 18,949
    The car was looked over thoroughly during a complete (60k-style) service a few weeks ago, and nothing was found then. I've had people in the back seat but they haven't been able to narrow down the noise.
  • twitmetwitme Member Posts: 7
    I have something similar in my 2001 626...the mazda dealership said it was a loose bushing or something, not dangerous...and about $140 to fix. I've had other rattling in the rear end though as well, so it could be other things. my 626 has had a host of low-cost rear end noise issues, no idea why.
  • backybacky Member Posts: 18,949
    Thanks for the reply!
  • alcanalcan Member Posts: 2,550
    Rear strut upper mounts.
  • backybacky Member Posts: 18,949
    Is that an easy/cheap fix?
  • alcanalcan Member Posts: 2,550
    Requires removal of the rear struts from the vehicle, disassembling them on a strut compressor, and replacing the mounts. Same amount of work as replacing the struts themselves.
  • skibry1skibry1 Member Posts: 174
    There was a TSB about three or four years ago about a "rattle in the the trunk" but they came up with no definitive explanation or solution.Our DoubleOught has some of those fuzzyhaired little munchkins with chains living in our boot also and we just live with them 'cause
    it's not often they start tomfoolery! Our mechanic says that it sounds like a loose body panel.
  • mazda626atxmazda626atx Member Posts: 227
    I would suggest you listen to ALCAN. He knows his stuff. A good mechanic should be able to confirm his diagnosis. Have you tried that?
    Did you buy the manual for your car or join ALLDATA? Those are 2 other places to start if you intend on getting to know your car.

    Good Luck! I have done all three of them, and it took me over 2 years to find the gremlins in my 94 Mazda. ALCAN was a tremendous help.
    PGP
  • backybacky Member Posts: 18,949
    I do appreciate the diagnosis by ALCAN and will remember it when I take the car into the shop. Right now my time and credit card are busy repairing damage to my other two cars caused by my son and DW. :(

    This is a short-term "bridge" car for me and I will not do the maintenance on it myself (I no longer have time for that, unfortunately, nor the aptitude to do anything but basic maintenance) so I will forgo the manuals and ALLDATA.
  • bugman2bugman2 Member Posts: 1
    I have no fuel pressure or fuel coming out of return fuel line. I have lost of gas in tank. Pump seams not to be running. Is there a relay or bump shut-off switch in this system. Thanks
  • mazda626atxmazda626atx Member Posts: 227
    Well I guess if its a short term bridge car it is not worth the time to really get to know it.
    I on the other hand have my wifes Mazda In Greece which is a problem to diagnose because they only have European version specifications, and my 93 400 SEL Benz in NYC.
    The only work I actually do on my cars, is help diagnose the problems, and buy parts for both of them, and make sure the mechanics install them correctly.
    I intend to keep these cars for a few more years therefore it was worth the time to become a Quasi Mechanic. My wifes MAZDA has 55K and My Benz has 70K pampered miles on it
    Good Luck
    PGP
  • cholulamomcholulamom Member Posts: 1
    Sunday it flash flooded in Dallas, and while driving home I ran into high water and stalled. (I was not being stupid, there was just nowhere to go. Everything happened so fast.)

    I cannot get the car started again, so I had it towed home. It's a 1990 Mazda 626. It was on it's last legs anyway, but I need to get it running again til I can get a new car.

    Water got in to about 5 inches. Within an hour my boyfriend and some others got it pushed up into a driveway so it could drain. That was probably deep enough for water to come in the exhaust. And as people drove by me, there were waves. I checked the dipsticks for the oil and tranny and did not see any signs of water. It's time for an oil change anyway, so I will get that done.

    The electrical seems fine. The power windows, door locks, and sun roof work, the lights and radio come on, and the passive alarm works. The starter cranks once (a nice dull thud) and I get no ignition. I was on E when this happened, so I'm wondering if part of the problem is not enough fuel/pressure. I have no clue what if any computer components there are, where they are located, and if they got wet.

    I removed the floor mats to dry, and I bleached the carpet. I also plan on renting a shop vac to clean the carpet. It is finally sunny here, so can I just wait for things to dry out? Any suggestions? I need this car to last a few more months, and it's not worth me spending hundreds of dollars on.

    At least I live on a bus line and can get to work ok.

    Thanks!
  • skibry1skibry1 Member Posts: 174
    Have you got it Zoom'n yet? There's an oxygen sensor before the cat.
  • p100p100 Member Posts: 1,116
    I just hit 140K miles yesterday. The engine runs strong and smooth. No rust anywhere yet. A few issues: I am getting some creaking noise from the left strut(?) when making a sharp right turn. Maybe it is time for new struts? I am also thinking about replacing the drive axles, as the original CV joints and boots are showing signs of wear as well. Any thoughts?
  • slickdogslickdog Member Posts: 225
    Did you get that rear-end problem corrected yet? I used to have a '00 LX-V6 and it had the rear sway bar links and bushings replaced twice in two years under warranty. The symptom was a clunking sound heard from the trunk area when going over bumps/holes. I came across other owners back then with the same problem, so I think there must have been some design or manufacturing issues with those components.
  • backybacky Member Posts: 18,949
    No, will do it soon--but if there was a recall or TSB for the problem that would help. I am pretty sure there was no recall for it. Does Mazda have a public site that publishes TSBs?
  • skibry1skibry1 Member Posts: 174
    Back in OughtOne or Two there was a TSB for thisailment.
    No proven remedy...just a heads up for mechanics I guess. One of the problems was the malady was intermittent.The shop could never replicate the noise to address a solution. Ours sounds like a loose body panel and IS periodic!?!
  • p100p100 Member Posts: 1,116
    Did you say rear sway bar links too? i replaced the rear bar bushings several years ago, but now I am getting some of this rear clunk when going over bumps. Will the new rear sway bar links cure the problem?
  • mazda626atxmazda626atx Member Posts: 227
    140k Sounds like you are doing fairly well. Does the creaking noise happen when you are stationary or moving very slowly and making a right turn? or at normal speeds. If so it could be the top strut bearing.I replaced both of mine. Check them by having car in park , and have someone turn wheel left to right while you hold your hand on the spring. You feel it tensioning and releasing. If so then its the bearing but maybe changing entire upper strut mount would be advisable. In my case at 55K i only had to replace the bearing . 120K is a whole different ball game IMHO
    I also replaced half axles on my 94 626 and bought OEM remanufactured from mazda. They were reman by ARI and you could prolly get them $30-40 cheaper online or somewhere else. I would suggest you try to find ARI because thats who MAZDA uses to reman theirs.
    Good Luck
    PGP
  • slickdogslickdog Member Posts: 225
    Yes, sway bar links too. Seems to me that replacing just the bushings would be an adequate solution for that sort of problem but the dealer replaced the links and bushings both times. I remember asking the service manager why on one of those trips, and I believe he told me that since the bushings were shot that there was damage to the links as well. Not sure how possible that is, since I never had the rear suspension apart in my garage, but the work was performed under warranty both times (no $$$ out of my pocket) so I didn't argue with the guy.

    Your bushings could be bad again too, the first set on my car failed after probably 2 years, then the second set within another year.
  • tinanicholastinanicholas Member Posts: 1
    i own a 1997 626 and it had rough idling for a while then one day started getting worse. finally now every time its in idle it completely shuts off and no one can tell me what the pronblem is because they say its enternal and not worth it. do you have any ideas or suggestions
  • betcha1betcha1 Member Posts: 1
    My 99 Mazda 626 has started to have a very loud and rough idle when I start it up and also when I accelerate. Any ideas as to what could be causing the problem?
    The car has about 99,000 miles. About 10,000 miles ago, the spark plugs and wires, PCV valve and fuel filter were replaced. And around 6,000 miles ago I had the idler pulley and belts replaced.
  • brandnewbrandnew Member Posts: 5
    someone posted at other place and replaced fuel filter, it was reported the code was cleared.

    today i replaced mine and drived about 10km and error code did not show up yet.
    the code means: bank A lean.
  • patpat Member Posts: 10,421
    Some very VERY wide pictures were removed. Posting pictures is very welcomed here, but please understand that any picture wider than this text area distorts the whole page from that point forward and can't be accommodated.

    Just make sure the picture fits within the borders of the posting area if you want to display it within your post. If it does not, all you need to do is provide a link to it instead.

    Thanks.
  • p100p100 Member Posts: 1,116
    When I replaced the rear sway bar bushings, the original ones looked in perfect hsape, no cracks, no tears. I did look at the links and do not see anything wrong. But I definitely get some clunking once in a while from the back. So I guess I order a set of links and replace them to be sure. I have front sway bar bushings too, but putting them in looks like a real chore as access to these is difficult - even on a high lift.
  • p100p100 Member Posts: 1,116
    The creaking noise only occurs when I make a quick right turn and low speed and load the left wheel. I think you are right - it proably is the top strut bearing. there is no noixe when traveling in a straght line.
  • backybacky Member Posts: 18,949
    I had a service tech from my local Mazda dealer drive my 2000 626 yesterday (asked for an appraisal), and he said he thought the creaking noise in back (which sounds like something rattling in the trunk when it goes over sharp bumps) is the strut tower(s). I will have them take a close look at the next oil change.

    P.S. I declined their none-too-generous offer.
  • skibry1skibry1 Member Posts: 174
    How many miles on your doubleought? Ours has 70K and
    the INTERMITTENT noise from trunk sounds more like a
    loose body panel. The only way they'll be able to inspect
    will be a disasemble.How much was that"n-t-g" offer?
    Our DoubleOught
  • backybacky Member Posts: 18,949
    It has just over 85k now, bought it three months ago. The noise in its backend sounds a lot like a loose body panel--but I am pretty sure it's not.

    The n-t-g offer was $4000. I've already had one firm private party offer for $6400 (if I wanted to sell it, which I don't since my son has glommed onto it now), so no way I would take $4000. It just had the full 60k service at 84k and is in nearly like-new condition inside and out. So it's worth it to me to put a little money into fixing the rattle and see if it can get my son through college.
  • kburkeskburkes Member Posts: 1
    Hello all -- I have a 2001 626 LX with approx 86,000 miles. It has developed a sound in the rear end (shocks/struts/something else?) that sound like a "cuckoo" clock when I go over speed-bumps or bumpy roads in general.

    Questions:
    Any clue what this might be? And more important -- how serious / expensive this might be to fix?

    I am considering trading it in on a 2005 Mazda Tribute, 31,000 miles. Anyone have any experience with Tributes?

    Many Thanks!
  • vashtievashtie Member Posts: 10
    Light indicating some problem with electrical system is coming on and the book tells us we should see the dealer to determine the problem. We don't seem to have any problems with the car. It is not overheating, runs fine but we do know the clutch is going out since is hard to get into first gear. Appreciate any information you can share regarding potential problems causing the light to come on? Thanks
  • p100p100 Member Posts: 1,116
    You need to have the code pulled to know what the light is on for. Auto Zone will do this for free. As far as the clutch is concerned, it may not be a bad clutch. If it is reluctant to go into gear, this means that the clutch is not fully releasing when the pedal is depressed. The primary culprit here is an internally leaking clutch master cylinder/slave cylinder, which need to be rebuilt/replaced. A clutch that is worn out will normally cause slipping, and it will engage only when the pedal is almost fully released. You can do a simple test to see if your clutch is bad. Place the car in fourth gear, depress the clutch and start the engine. Then abruptily release the clutch (no foot on the brake). If the engine stalls immediately, your clutch is still good, if not, the clutch is toast.
  • vashtievashtie Member Posts: 10
    Very much appreciate the advice! Will try out your recommendations.
  • mazda626atxmazda626atx Member Posts: 227
    HEY P100,
    Did you finally get that noise resolved? Was it what we thought?
    PGP
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