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Mazda 626 Troubles

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Comments

  • lotsofemslotsofems Member Posts: 2
    I have a 99 Mazda 626 with 101k miles on it. I love my car and it runs like a tank. The check engine light has been on for 8 months and I have had three diagnostics and no one can figure out what is wrong but it does not run funny at all. My REAL problem is that I need struts. I don't think they have ever been replaced. I have 16 months until this car is paid off and I do not have $450 for the repair. What happens when you don't fix them. What if I just let them go like that? There is no noise at all but I hit hard. I am afraid of an accident or something but I would have to borrow the money from my friends or family to fix it!

    Help :confuse:
  • p100p100 Member Posts: 1,116
    I just ordered a pair of rear swaybar links. Will install them next week when they come in. Hopefully, this will resolve the issue. It has not been that bad - mostly when the car is cold and it seems to be less pronounced now.

    Will let everybody know if I see any difference after I instlal the new links.

    Also, the creaking noise that seems to be coming from the left front strut upper mount, is not as pronounced. i may let that one go until I replace the struts, along with the upper mounts.
  • p100p100 Member Posts: 1,116
    I still have the original struts at 144K. I do not think that they are bad yet, but if I keep the car, I will probably replace them in the next year or so.
  • backybacky Member Posts: 18,949
    Has anyone had to replace the two front airbags on a '98-02 vintage 626 and if so how much did it cost? My son had an accident in my '00 626 yesterday and it was enough to blow both bags (DPS officer said they blow at 12 mph), but fortunately no one was hurt and my son said the damage to the car doesn't seem to be that bad (I haven't seen it yet, I was out of town). I am hoping the damage is not enough to total the car--it doesn't take much these days. :cry:
  • Mr_ShiftrightMr_Shiftright Member Posts: 64,481
    Weak struts might cause a loss of control in certain extreme situations, but probably the only thing you have eto worry about is damage to the car's suspension, like ball joints, tie rods, etc. I don't see why you can't find a deal for even cheap struts (like KYB or Gabriel) at one of the discount chains. They won't last too long but they will get you through your loan.
  • lotsofemslotsofems Member Posts: 2
    Thanks for the help. Where can I find cheap struts. The cheapest ones I found were for between $60 and $70 each. This is $240 plus $200 for the installation. Am I being lied to? :sick:
  • anthojanthoj Member Posts: 1
    Hi...

    A week ago my 95' mazda 626 started having problems for the millionth time. At first, when I started the car, everything seemed fine and I was driving around town happily. Before I knew it, the car wouldn't rev up when I step on the gas. Or rather the rpm will go up and drops as I stepped on the gas. After that, the engine dies and won't start. I thought this was a problem with the fuel pump or something like that. So, I took it to a shop. They diagnosed it and told me that the distribution cap & rotor is old and needs to be replaced. Thinking that it would cost me less money (and it did), I replaced it myself, since it's a pretty easy job. Got the parts from napa and a few mins later my car was running again.

    One week later (today), my car has problems starting up again. I thought maybe the cap was loose or wasn't placed properly, so I unscrewed it and screwed it back on. The car starts now, but it doesn't start very normally. The car engine rattles a little more when it starts. It starts now, but I don't want to risk driving around and having it die on me again. I've already payed alot for towing and diagnostics.

    Considering my story, can anyone tell me what could be the possible source of this problem? I'd really appreciate if someone could give me some inputs.

    Thanks
  • guy9guy9 Member Posts: 1
    My '90 626 runs like a champ, but has developed an odd electrical problem. The wipers and air conditioner seem to have a mind of their own. Maybe we'll work, maybe we won't. This is not nice during a rain storm.

    However, I can always make them work by turning the wiper switch on before I switch on the ignition. Everything is then fine, until the next time it throws a fit.

    I'm not much of a mechanic, but have been known to throw up the hood and putz around. So, if anyone has a "Try this", I'd appreciate it.
  • p100p100 Member Posts: 1,116
    I finally replaced the rear sway bar links on my 99 V6. I found one socket joint on one of the old links worn out and loose. Installing the new links made the occassional rear clunk disappear for good (so far).

    To replace the links, you need a 14 mm open wrench, regular and deep 14 mm sockets, long ratchet or breaker bar, and a 5 mm Allen wrench. When you break the nuts loose on the old links, you will need to hold the socket bolt in place with the 5 mm Allen wrench while loosening the nut (otherwise the bolt will tun with the nut in the link socket hoint). And soak the nuts well with penetrating oil before you start. Those nuts were really tight!

    BTW, those links are not cheap. With 25% off the list price from my local Mazda dealer, the two links cost me about $60 plus tax.
  • kevin100kevin100 Member Posts: 2
    My friends 98 626 has working high beams no low beams a nd no dashboard lights. Any suggestions or clues as to where i should start? thanks
  • p100p100 Member Posts: 1,116
    The problem is most likely the light switch itself. I had something similar happen to my Nissan pickup - I had high beams, but no low beams. The culprit WAS the light switch (part of the turn signal stem).
  • kevin100kevin100 Member Posts: 2
    Thanks for the advice. my friend is on a tight budget and I'd like to help her out if I can, I'll test out the switch and see what happens Thank You very much
  • mposeymsmposeyms Member Posts: 1
    How did you resolve this problem? Did it turn out to be major transmission trouble or was it an electronic part that engages the transmission that needs to be replaced? I have the same trouble with a 1991 Mazda 626. The shift lever on the automatic transmission is moving, but none of the gears will engage. I would like to find out if anyone else has had this problem.
  • buchibuchi Member Posts: 1
    Hello. I have same problem like you and please tell me if you found any solution

    My 2000 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.
    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!
  • backybacky Member Posts: 18,949
    My son rearended a car a couple of weeks ago, almost totaled our 2000 626 I4 automatic (doesn't take much to do that, as the front bags deployed). Front-end damage really wasn't that bad, didn't even touch the hood. Got the car back the other day and drove it for the first time myself today. Noticed there seemed to be a lot of vibration from the engine when in gear, and it gets worse with the A/C on. This is hood-vibrating, wheel-shuddering vibration. It goes away when in P or N. I know it didn't do that before the crash. It wasn't silky-smooth, but it didn't vibrate to that degree. Any thoughts as to whether a front-end collision could cause this? I was thinking maybe a motor mount could have been damaged.
  • p100p100 Member Posts: 1,116
    Several possibilities:

    damaged hub(s), damaged strut(s), damaged tie rod(s), damaged steering box, bent axle or damaged CV joint, possibly an engine mount broken.
  • backybacky Member Posts: 18,949
    Thanks for the ideas. I am surprised that damaged hubs, struts, tie rods, steering box, or CV joint could cause the kind of vibration I am experiencing. That is because the vibration is really only noticeable when the car is stopped, in gear. On the road, the car drives fine. That is why I was thinking the engine mount might be the culprit. The car steers and handles fine, straight and true, and no noises from the front suspension.
  • Mr_ShiftrightMr_Shiftright Member Posts: 64,481
    Sure check the mounts carefully then. Some mounts LOOK great but are in fact broken...they can be trickly. You need to have the engine pried and lifted to see for certain.

    Also make sure your idle speed is not abnormally low.
  • nuttallnuttall Member Posts: 1
    Dear Forum members. I am experiencing a problem that is progressively getting worse. about 6 months ago my Mazda 626 4 cylinder started to 'drop a cylinder' at about 1800 revs... basically when it was under load and accelerating. Now the problem has got worse. When the car is cold, there is no problem.. then.. like a switch.. I can expect irregular pickup of the motor at light throttle speed. I have adjusted my driving to compensate e.g. slowly pressing the accelerator.. or making sure that the engine revs are above 2500 in every gear.
    I have changed the distributor.. cap and leads.. plugs, and given the car two treatments of Injector Cleaner.
    Has anyone had the same problem? I will clean the throttle body tomorrow and check the flow sensor... also I will try to check the TPS for any gaps in ohm resistance.
    Hope you can help. :cry:
  • twitmetwitme Member Posts: 7
    Hi. I've been having problems with my 2001 4cyl mazda 626 not starting in warm weather.

    The Fuel Pressure Regulator keeps going bad. I've replaced it twice in two years. There is something else in the car causing the regulator to become faulty, and causing other problems with the vehicle.

    Can anyone please tell me what components in the vehicle could possible do damage to the Fuel Pressure Regulator if they are faulty themself? Would the fuel pump relay have an effect? the fuel pump itself? the main computer brain? the fuel injectors?

    I'm just trying to get an idea of all the possible causes of repeated fuel pressure regulator failure. thank you.
  • veerentveerent Member Posts: 4
    Hi,

    I bought a second hand 1997 Mazda 626 V4 automatic 3 weeks back with 93K miles on it. The engine was doing fine until last week when the engine started to heat up all of a sudden and stopped in the middle of the road. I got it towed to the nearest Mazda dealer. He took a week to diagonize and told me that the compressor is bad and would cost a lot to repair it. So he suggested on changing the engine itself for $2600($900 engine[85K miles] + $1700 labor). Before this problem there was a lot of vibration in the engine during drive (D) and would come down a bit when in N or P. I do not know the cause for that! Can this be one of the reasons for the engine to heat fast and stop abruptly? Is there any other reason for the engine to heat up so fast and stall? Should I get the engine replaced or take it to any other local mechanic? I am student and can't afford to spend a lot on the car right now. Can anyone suggest what needs to be done?
    Any replies will be greatly appreciated.

    Thanks.
    :mad: & :cry:
  • Mr_ShiftrightMr_Shiftright Member Posts: 64,481
    I don't see the connection between a bad compressor and the overheating. I'd hook it out of there and get a second opinion or get some kind of credible explanation from the dealer. Is the engine damaged or not? How does the dealer KNOW the engine is damaged, that is, what quantifiable evidence is he presenting?

    Overheating needs to be carefully diagnosed, as there are many reasons this can occur.

    If you can't get any straight, solid answers, get the car out of there.
  • veerentveerent Member Posts: 4
    Well, actually I had posted it wrong. Sorry!
    The dealer told me that the engine has "bad compression" or "low compression". The head and the head gasket are OK. But since the compression is low, he will have to change the engine. Is it a good idea to get it done from a dealer or a private mechanic? The dealer is quoting US $2600.

    Any idea's how much does the engine for a 1997 Mazda 626 I4 automatic (2.0L, I think) cost?

    Thanks!
  • Mr_ShiftrightMr_Shiftright Member Posts: 64,481
    I still don't think you are getting enough information from the dealer, upon which to make an intelligent decision.

    What you need is results of a cylinder leakdown test to determine the cause of the low compression. This can be pinpointed exactly. Either bad valves, warped head, bad rings????
  • backybacky Member Posts: 18,949
    Well, good news--sort of. No problems with the engine mounts. The engine vibration is caused by some sort of vacuum leak, according to the shop. They weren't able to pinpoint it before they closed for the weekend, so I will bring it back next week. They think it could have been caused by the accident (pinched/damaged hose maybe) but are not sure. If it's accident related my insurance company will cover it.
  • veerentveerent Member Posts: 4
    Thank you for your help/reply.
    Good news...The mechanic said, he has stopped the engine from overheating. He had to change the water hose for this. But he also told me that the compression is low/bad. He wants me to change the engine as soon as possible.
    1) Can I drive my car with a low/bad compression? If so, for how long?
    2) How will the low/bad compression effect the engine?
    3) What must the ideal compression be for a 1997 626 Mazda I4 automatic?
    4) Is the compression a serious problem?

    He told me that the head and head gasket are OK.
    Is there a site where I can read more about all this stuff?
    All the info that I have posted so far is from the mechanic.

    Thanks again!
  • Mr_ShiftrightMr_Shiftright Member Posts: 64,481
    Well you need about a minimum of at least 85 lbs of compression in a cylinder to fire it, so sure, you can run with LOW compression but not with TOO LOW compression, or the cylinder or cylinders below about 85 lbs won't fire. You don't want to drive with cylinders misfiring...not only will the car be incredibly slow but you'll ruin your catalytic converter, which will be overwhelmed trying to burn raw gas.

    Here's a good explanation:

    http://www.motorage.com/motorage/article/articleDetail.jsp?id=16170
  • sicsty8sicsty8 Member Posts: 1
    I've got a '99 626 6cyl with 114K miles on it and it's been running pretty good. I recently had an accident though. Another car misjudged and made a left turn from their opposite lane of traffic too soon. I smashed into the side rear of them. I was going about 35mph and both driver and passenger airbags deployed. Most of the impact of my car seems to have been absorbed by the front, passenger side of my car. Aside from that body damage, the car still seems to be running pretty good though. Since the impact was absorbed by the front, I'm not completely sure what, if anything, I should tell the mechanic to double check as far as damage goes. Any advice? :sick:
  • vicvazvicvaz Member Posts: 1
    I just got a '95 626 4 cyl. 92,000 miles, infact driving it on the way home and the O/D light started blinking.. and then I did notice this morning a small spot of transmission fluid under it. I have been reading the forums here and it doenst look good.... does it. Any advice? :confuse:
  • backybacky Member Posts: 18,949
    My advice is, if you like your car, pray. Pray very hard. It is likely the damage from the accident will be more than 70% of your car's value, meaning it will be totalled. My son's 2000 626 had a front-end collision at much less than 35 mph recently, and due to the high cost of replacing the airbags and sensors the damage was a few bucks less than the "total it" limit (because they found a couple of used parts, the front bumper and headlamp cover, to bring the cost down), so they repaired the car. But the body had minimal damage--the hood wasn't even damaged, for example, and only one body panel needed to be touched up (and the bumper replaced).

    Check the engine compartment very carefully. It appears my son's 626 (I4) developed a vacuum leak of some sort due tot the collision. It got past the shop's inspectors, but we noticed a lot of vibration in the engine after we got the car back, so it is going in for a detailed analysis tomorrow (preliminary analysis is the vacuum leak).
  • backybacky Member Posts: 18,949
    Update: just talked to the shop, they confirmed the engine is missing but they can't figure out why after 2 days of analysis. They mentioned a TSB for an intake manifold gasket but said the car doesn't have a problem there. So they recommended I take it to a Mazda dealer. (FWIW, the car had a 60k-style servicing 2000 miles ago including new plugs.) Could bad spark plug wires cause this kind of problem? I seem to remember reading about the wires being an issue with the 626.
  • backybacky Member Posts: 18,949
    The "thunks" from the rear of my 2000 626 are gone. It was the rear sway bar bushings. Replacement cost, parts and labor, was $130 (not done at the dealer). I thought this was reasonable especially considering the shop didn't charge me for two days of work spent trying to find the cause of the engine missing slightly (and checking lots of stuff in the engine bay, including cleaning the mass airflow sensor).
  • standarkstandark Member Posts: 2
    Thought maybe somebody saw a similar problem..
    The driver side headlight does not work (Passenger side is fine), The brights do not work either.Checked all fuses, they are ok.. Tried 2 new bulbs.. When I press forward on the stem (head light controls) to put on the Brights, the Blue Indicator light does not come on on the dash panel (The brights do come on on the Passenger side headlight though).

    With the headlamps on, no brights, I checked the voltages and the 2 side connections to the headlamp bulb are both at 12V. The center Connection (TOP) has no voltage.

    I think the issue has something to do with both sides being at 12V, possibly cause the Brights switch is left on?

    Any suggestions are appreciated..

    TIA...

    Stan
  • skibry1skibry1 Member Posts: 174
    Good morning backy,congrats on silencing those pesky
    trolls in the trunk. How many miles on your double
    ought and how long had those trolls been active?
  • backybacky Member Posts: 18,949
    The 626 has about 86k on it now. I bought it in January with 84.2k. The trolls were in the back when I bought it. Since the car had been thoroughly inspected by a mechanic before I bought it, I assumed (stupidly) that the thunks were something loose in the trunk. Fortunately it didn't cost much to fix. The car is perfect now, save for a driver's power lock actuator that is going (still works, I will wait for it to fail) and the engine vibration I mentioned earlier, that started after my son's accident. It has stumped one mechanic, so I will take it to the dealer soon and hopefully they can trace it to the accident (meaning it would be covered under insurance).
  • davew58davew58 Member Posts: 1
    I have a 1999 626 - 4 cyl auto that has an annoying habit of stalling out when idling. The idle is rough- normal is approx 800 rpm, but it will drop down below 500 rpm, and occasionally will stall out. A quick shift from drive to park when parking will also result in a stall out.

    Any thoughts?
  • mazda626atxmazda626atx Member Posts: 227
    Have you pulled the codes. Is it a bastardized version of Ford EEC with Mazda components? If so it is simple to pull codes from it with just a back testing wire jumped to the neg side of battery and flashes can be read from check engine light on dash.
    This can be done from the second small box on the left of the battery not from the large DLC box. This small second box is overlooked in many manuals and not everyone knows about its existence. The STi ( self test input) is by itself at theend of the connector. If you have problems pulling codes let me know. I will check back in a day or 2
    PGP
  • backybacky Member Posts: 18,949
    Well, my 2000 626 I4 idles roughly also, but only when in gear. I have had two mechanics check it over thoroughly, including a Mazda tech this week. They can't find anything wrong with it. The Mazda tech said that is how the engine idles. So I guess I will live with it.

    You might try adjusting the idle speed?

    The good news is that the dealer did not charge any diagnosis fee after working on the car all day. I thought that was very decent of them (Walser Mazda in Burnsville, MN).
  • chacha62chacha62 Member Posts: 4
    I have a 01 626 v6 and recently had the front axle replaced. Since that time the left front tire sounds like its rattling (similar to lug nuts not tightened). Took it to a shop they thought it might need to be balanced. Tires rotated and balanced still having noise. Another shop said my right axle looked to short, he was able to move it up and down. Still can't figure out what the noise on the left is. Also is there a 4 cylinder 01 626 maybe Pep boys gave me the wrong right side axle and thats why it appears short. Has anyone had any problems with axle replacement?
  • p100p100 Member Posts: 1,116
    Most likely your healight switch is defective. It has sliding contacts in it which have either pitted or broken off inside the switch. I had a similar issue with a 95 Nissan truck. It was the headlight switch (intergrated with the turn singal stalk).
  • p100p100 Member Posts: 1,116
    Well, I am fast approaching the 150k mile mark on my '99 ES V6. The engine is still running strong and everything works.
  • p100p100 Member Posts: 1,116
    The best way to avoid automatic transmission failures is to get a manual transmission. Especially in a Mazda.
  • backybacky Member Posts: 18,949
    Adding a transmission cooler for about $200 seems to help also.
  • p100p100 Member Posts: 1,116
    Apparently it does. I recently talked to a Mazda tech who works at the local Mazda dealership. He has a Mazda 626 witha 4 cyl engine and the infamous Ford transmission. He has over 140k on the car and still no transmission issues with the original unit. He told me bought the car slightly used and immediately installed a large external oil cooler to keep the transmission oil cool.

    But I bet that he flushes the transmission and replaces the fluid very frequently too.
  • jeff46jeff46 Member Posts: 1
    my 1994 626 will not pass the nox emission test. any help
  • knownotknownot Member Posts: 3
    We have a 2001 Mazda 626 with over 75,000 miles. My check engine light came on yesterday after running a few errands. The car was running fine. I checked my coolant level and it is low, but car is not running hot. The light still came on after I added water. We do zip maintenance other than oil changes. The owners manual says use Mazda brand orange coolant. I want to try changing the coolant myself. Will I have to wait until Monday and buy coolant from the dealer? What would be the equivalent in another brand? I checked with our solid waste authority and I know where to take old coolant. The manual says 7.9 quarts of coolant. It seldom gets more than -5F here. So I figure a gallon jug and then water will be about the right mix. What do I need other than coolant and a container that will hold at least three gallons? What else simple can I do to possibly make the light go out? I think spark plugs are beyond me. My trusted independent mechanic has retired and I'm not very impressed with local dealer. Money is very tight.
  • skibry1skibry1 Member Posts: 174
    Deal with the CEL first by going to AutoZone and have them
    pull the codes...this procedure will fit your last sentence
    quite nicely...ITS FREE. Good luck
  • knownotknownot Member Posts: 3
    Thank you for replying. Advance Auto Parts is another chain that will read the code for free. The code is PO 455. I think that means major leak in emission control/exhaust system. I know this is probably a big expensive repair, but I did crawl under the car (first time ever) from several vantage points and inspect it with a flashlight. I think I found 3 problems. Is there someplace I can view a simple overview of the underside? I know I can buy a manual for under $20, but the last time I did that the car died forever soon after that. I don't remember who published the manual for my old Reviera. I know it was not Chilton.
    I found the manual frustrating because it would say remove part X to reach part Z. I want a manual that says remove part X by... to reach part X. If I a diagram similar to the engine compartment overview in the owner's manual, then I could say the bracket under A is only held by one screw/bolt and there is another hole on the bracket and and on A. I need a basic vocabulary. Our state does not have an emissions test. We have been driving in town with the windows wide open,rather than burn gas on air conditioning. We have a carport rather than a garage. We are down to the one car. Is it safe to drive it until I can get a service appointment?
    Thanks
  • windowphobe6windowphobe6 Member Posts: 765
    These are generally DIYable without much difficulty, though you have to be sure you purge all the air out of the water lines; otherwise you'll wind up with a bubble and poor flow and scary temp readings. (I've seen even dealerships mess this up.)
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