Mazda 626

p100 · March 2003

I have a strange performance issue with my 99 V6. It has a manual transmission and what I am experiencing is variations in engine response in top gear to slight accelerator pressure. Sometimes the car responds extremely well even slightest pressure on the accelerator will increase the speed from say 70 to 80 MPH without effort. At other times when cruising around 70 MPH the car does not respond as well and seems reluctant to accelerate and requires heavier foot. It almost feels as if the engine was fighting the accelerator pedal by putting up resistance. Heavy pressure on the accelerator will overcome this but at a fuel economy price. I tried using injector cleaners in my gas tank and after each cleaning the car responded better for a short while. Turning A/C on and off does not make any difference. It almost feels as if the engine computer is deliberately leaning out the mixture at times. Any ideas? I am so annoyed by this that I am thinking about getting rid of this car. Mazda dealers are no help here because if they do not see an engine light on, then obviously nothing is wrong. I tried different brands of fuel and sometimes the car runs better and responds very well. It does not really run better on premium gas. And the overall fuel economy is lousy, no better than 23 MPG no matter what you do or what fuel you use.

edpagan88 · March 2003

thanks for the info. the sway bar was replaced before the struts were put in. the dealer wasn't a mazda dealer but it's where i bought the car.
i'm thinking of taking it to a mazda dealer and handing the bill to the place o bought the car.
the struts don't look new. unless there's a sleeve or something they fit into.
i really appreciate all the help i get here.
can you check the strut mounts w/o going to a shop? i had this problem with my 94 camry and it was the strut mounts. just want to narrow it down a bit i guess befor i go screaming at someone. this will be the 3rd time with this problem

windowphobe6 · March 2003

I'm thinking that the throttle position sensor is giving out some dubious data at times. (Which, in turn, would motivate the engine computer to compensate in some equally-dubious fashion.)

rotarykid · March 2003

Just want to make sure you are clear that I was talking abut the sway bar bushings and not the sway bar. The diameter of the sway bar doesnt change over time(unless rusted)- it's the rubber bushings that need replacement......

rotarykid · March 2003

A very popular problem with all the 626 engines is carbon tracking. Remove each plug and check for a vertical line on the porcelain part of the plug. It would be a black/burnt line and usually goes the whole length of the porcelain. This can cause hesitation and power loss AND will not always turn on the check engine light. Not all dealerships turn away problems just because no light is on. I happen to have a 99 626 v6 right here in the shop now with the exact problem I mentioned and it came in with no light on.
If you should happen to find a plug that is bad, you will need to change the wire as well since it has the same track of carbon where it meets the plug.

p100 · March 2003

Thanks for your advice. I will check several things, including the throttle position sensor and the spark plugs. I need new plugs anyway. I also have new spark plug wires which I need to install. However, I do not believe that my problem is related to any of these. I ran two tankfulls of regular Chevron gas (with Techron)through this car and it ran a lot better than with other premium brands. Go figure. Could it be that they are mixing alcohol with the gas here in Florida and that my injectors need further cleaning? The car idles so smooth you can barely hear it and does not miss at all. Generally engine response is always good in the morning when I go to work, but in the afternoon it usually gets worse (when ambient temperature is higher). Is it also possible that my EGR valve could be covered in carbon and sticking open against the spring when the engine gets hot? This could cause the computer to lean out the mixture because the oxygen sensor would signal that the car is running too rich. I may be totally wrong on this.

rotarykid · March 2003

if your egr valve was sticking open (or closed) the check engine light would come on.

white626 · March 2003

I have been reading this board for a while, but not posted before. I have a 1998 626lx/v6 5 speed. It now has 86k miles and needs new struts. This is my third 626 and I notice the handling wasn't as good as my other ones (82 and 88)even when new. I think I will probably get KYB struts. What else would you suggest?
After reading some of the postings, I feel I must have been incredibly lucky. I sold my 82 in 1988 with 123k and it is still cruising around town with 200k+miles. The 88 was sold 1998 with 130k miles. Both cars were relatively trouble free and didn't require much beyond usual maintenance. With the 98 I am also having the hesitation problem and need to get new plug wires to see if that helps, Just replaced the O2 sensor last week. It is more peppy, but still hesitates. There is also a squeaking in the steering wheel as it turns when the weather is warm. Anyone else have that? The most bizarre problem with this car was overheating. After replacing a cracked reservoir, I still had overheating, just not as quickly. After pulling the radiator to get it cleaned out, discovered it was coated with a build-up of cat hair. Now I have to have the garage blow off the radiator when I get it serviced. Our cats sleep in the garage, and I guess hair gets sucked up there when we start the car.
Thanks for any info.

p100 · March 2003

Could you describe your V6 hesitation problem in more detail? I am familiar with defective spark plug wire problems - had that with Mazda Protege before- a bad plug wire will usually cause noticeable miss or stumble upon light acceleration. My car's hesitation is not accompanied by any roughness or miss at all. Proper performance is accompanied by a throaty growl from this engine. When it hesitates, this growl fades away and the car feels like it all of a sudden lost about 1/2 of its horsepower. It will still accelerate, but only with a heavy foot and not willingly.

I will list some problems/headaches with this 99 Mazda 626 ES V6:

1. Occassional hood shake because the hood reinforcement is not bonded to the hood metal properly.

2. Consistently rough ride - this car rides rough no matter what I do, no matter what tires I put on it. By rough I do not mean vibration in the steering wheel or in the seat - just rough feeling as if the axle CV joints were sloppy and the struts too stiff.

3. Axles/CV joints replaced under warranty due to annoying vibration upon hard acceleration at high RPM.

4. Front wheel hub/knuckle assembly replaced under warranty due to misaligned studs relative to the center hub . I could not get a wheel on without forcing it on and gouging it. And the brake rotor was jammed on so tight that it could not be removed.

5. Radiator overflow tank replaced due to leaks.
A/C quit working because coolant leaked into compressor clutch connector which is directly below the overflow tank. Cleaning the connector fixed the A/C.

6. Keyless entry remote key ring loop is thin, it broke off, and the remote was replaced under warranty

I am not impressed with this vehicle at all and I regret that I bought it. The resale value is terrible. Fuel economy is only mediocre considering the performance (or lack of). And considering many other vehicles with 100K plus mile tune up interval, maintenance requirements and prices associated for this car are intensive and high. I had to fight hard to get the axles and the hub replaced under warranty and they did it only because a local Mazda mechanic had the same car and had a terrible vibration problem and he was ready to start a litigation against Mazda under the lemon law. They finally figured out what it was and replaced the axles and CV joints under warranty. After this discovery, they replaced my axles without any further arguments. This, and replacing the hub/knuckle assembly fixed the problem. I believe this will be the last Mazda I will ever own. This vehicle has been reduced to Ford level in both performance and quality.

maxx4me · March 2003

good decision never to own another Mazda. I hope everyone will vote with their pocketbooks, and send Ford a message by giving your business elsewhere. As for the struts, I had all 4 replaced in my 1996 626. Be prepared to spend a good chunk of money on the labor for the rear two. Apparently they are a bear to put in. I put in Gas Struts instead of Oil filled. I would recommend the Oil frankly. The gas ones were very bouncy for the first month. While they are fine now, I think the ride was better with the oil filled ones.

p100 · March 2003

How many miles on your car? Was your car driven a lot on bumpy roads? It seems that just about everything that needs to be done to these cars is labor intensive. I wonder if I will need new struts before I hit 100K miles (I have 62K now). The roads I drive on are quite smooth with very few potholes or bumps.

I just found out that the 99 V6 needs valve adjustment every 60K miles. They use shims for this purpose so you need special tools and a selection of shims for the job. And if you do not have special feeler gauges you must remove the cams. And to remove the cams you must remove to intake manifold to get off the rear valve cover.

maxx4me · March 2003

I got my gas filled struts around 70,000 miles. The front ones seemed a bit "weak" to me at the time, and the two rear ones were seeping a little oil, so I decided to remove them all. The roads I drive on are pretty average; a mixture of suburban and city. As for the valves, I have not had that done (86,000 miles) so far. At this point, I am going to donate the car if it even looks at me the wrong way.

p100 · March 2003

Thanks for the reply. I am fast approaching the point of no return with this vehicle as well - either I get rid of it now or drive it until it quits. Once you have about 100K miles on these, you might as well give them away. You are lucky if you get $ 3K for them with that mileage, regardless of condition or year, for that matter. The game dealers play nowadays is that they subtract about 15 cents per mile for mileage over 12K a year (as if it was a leased vehicle). So if you were trading in a three year old ES V6 with 100K miles, you might get $ 1000 for it.

white626 · March 2003

The hesitation sounds very much like what p100 is describing. Just a loss of some horsepower, and acceleration only with a lot of pressure on the pedal. It was getting severe at around 60k miles and we replaced the plugs and it seemed to go away. We haven't done the throtle body cleaning that so many people have discussed yet. Wanted to try DIY things first.

My keyless remote entry (both of them) broke after the warranty. They wanted about $150 to get a new one and to program it. Maybe I can SuperGlue a loop to it on the back.

windowphobe6 · March 2003

I've broken two for my 2000 LX. Price is $23 at the dealership - at least, the one nearest me. ('97 and before apparently cost about five times as much.)

The '98 and '99 have softer suspensions than previous models, and were slammed in the press for comparatively sloppier handling. The 2000, accordingly, received a substantial stiffening (along with a facelift I consider retrograde).

The maintenance schedule calls for an inspection of valve clearance at 60k. This does mean that the valve cover comes off; it does not necessarily mean that you're going to have to have a lot of work done. And, like anything else, it's a tradeoff; '97 and before used hydraulic lifters that could not be adjusted and occasionally went into serious ticking mode due to oil starvation, which is also not fun.

p100 · March 2003

If you have a V6, there are two valve covers, four cams, two valve cover gaskets. The intake manifold sits on top of the rear valve cover and must be removed to get the rear valve cover off. And the intake manifold gasket must be replaced. The 4 cylinder engine is certainly more maintenance friendly. Do you need to remove the front engine mount on that one to get the timing belt on and off? Elimination of hydraulic valve adjusters took me by surprise - Mazda never advertised this. I had hydraulic valve lifters in my Protege before and very seldom I had any ticking noise coming from the lifters. I always used Mazda oil filters which supposedly have an anti-drain valve in them to keep oil from draining from the cylinder head when you shut off the engine.

zoomzoom626 · March 2003

Anyone done this? I would like to do it my self. Mine is 2000 626 LX-V6 with discs all around and no ABS. Also which brake fluid works best with these?
Thanks

p100 · March 2003

I have not done this on my 626 yet, but have done it on other vehicles before. You need to use fresh DOT 3 brake fluid. I do not think it matters much which brand, just make sure you buy fresh fluid in a sealed container. Never use brake fluid that has been sitting in an open container for some time because it is hydroscopic (will absorb moisture).

I prefer two man manual bleeding technique. I usually attach a piece of plastic tubing to a caliper bleeder valve and insert it into a bottle partially filled with brake fluid. Have someone in the car push down on the brake pedal and hold it while you open the bleed screw until the brake pedal sinks to the floor (tell them not to pump the pedal) and then close the bleed screw. I generally start with the caliper farthest away from the master cylinder. As you bleed, check the level in the master cylinder often and add fresh fluid as necessary. Repeat this process with the other calipers until you have purged the old fluid out and replaced it with fresh brake fluid. Brake fluid attacks car finish - make sure you wipe it off immediately if it gets on your car paint.

edpagan88 · March 2003

i took the car back to where it was fixed and i took the mechanic and the sales person for a ride.
they both heard the rattle in the back. the mechanic was puzzled since he replace the struts and checked the strut mounts, replaces the sway bar and checked the bushings and also checked the exhaust. the trunk was emptied and still the rattle persists. the manager is going to call a mazda rep t come look at the car if they can't find it they'll have to give me another car.
thanks again for your help.

lngtonge18 · March 2003

You shoudn't be suprised by Mazda no longer using hydraulic lifters on a number of their cars. Mazda had terrible well-documented problems with those lifters, specifically with the MPV and 929 3.0 V6, the Miata 1.6 and 1.8, and the 626 2.0. They were all known for loud ticking that sounded like there was something wrong with the engine. Nissan also dropped hydraulic lifters after serious problems with the 2.4 liter four cylinder in the Stanza and early 240sx. Honda doesn't use hydraulic lifters either. Mazda and Nissan should adopt Honda's simple valve adjustment procedure though (you simply turn a screw to change valve clearance. no need to mess with shims).

zoomzoom626 · March 2003

Just wondering does the mazda cars sold in California and other states that require 90K timing belt change have more durable timing belts then the cars sold in rest of the country where change interval is 60K?

slickdog · March 2003

white626,

My '00 LX-V6 also has some squeaking in the steering column while turning the wheel, but only when the interior is hot. Haven't challenged the dealer with it yet, but it's nice to know I'm not the only one experiencing it...

zoomzoom626 · March 2003

Just wondering does the mazda cars sold in California and other states that require 90K timing belt change have more durable timing belts then the cars sold in rest of the country where change interval is 60K?

zoomzoom626 · March 2003

I also experienced similar noise but it is inconsitent and it sounds more like rubbing in my car wich is also 2000 LX V6....

p100 · March 2003

The timing belt replacement interval for CA, NY, MA, RI, and several other states is actually 105,000 miles, with inspection at 60K and 90K miles. This information is in the 99 model owner's manual.
Somebody asked this question before and I remember reading the response that these belts are the same for all cars.

zoomzoom626 · March 2003

Doesn't that mean that timing belts are designed to last 105K? What are we doing then changing them at 60 instead just inspecting them? What other people on the board think about this issue?

How do you inspect timing belt on V6?

p100 · March 2003

You inspect the timing belt by removing the timing belt cover.

Mazda is not the only company with confusing timing belt replacement guidance. My 95 Nissan V6 pickup also uses a timing belt and the replacement interval is 105,000 miles according to the owner's manual. However, local Nissan service manager I talked to recommended replacement of the belt at 60K. (The belt replacement interval for older V6 models is 60K.) He stated that these belts are all the same. I asked if Nissan would repair my engine for free if the belt broke before 105 K miles. The answer was no because the vehicle was out of warranty. This is an interference engine and if the belt breaks, it will cause about $ 3000 worth of damage to the pistons and the valves. How do you like this response? I have about 76K miles on my truck and I am getting nervous about the timing belt.

The Mazda 626 V6 is a noninterference engine so there should be no engine damage if the belt breaks. Unfortunately, this is not the case with the four cylinder engine, which is an interference engine.

zoomzoom626 · March 2003

What I wonder then is are there any mazda owners from CA, NY, MA, RI who had their timing belts changed according to the maintenance schedule at 105K.

Due to the fact that my engine is non interference I think I will try to run beyond 60K. I do have one question: What are the things I should pay attention when inspecting timing belt? In other word what are indicators that is should be replaced?

p100 · March 2003

The inspection criteria are similar to those for the engine drive belts:

dryrot, cracks, tears, fraying, excessive wear, or any other signs of belt deterioration.

phroadrick · March 2003

I bought 2 remotes for my 99 626 on ebay for 9.99. If you decide to go this route I have the programming instructions for the new remotes and would be glad to share them with you. So you don't have to pay extra to have them programmed. The programming instructions sound a little wacky but by golly it worked.

phroadrick · March 2003

I don't get to check this message board as often as I would like so you can email me directly at: vansantf@usa.redcross.org

phroadrick · March 2003

Here are the instructions for programming new remotes. I know they sound wacky, but it really does work.

1. Sit in the driver's seat, driver's door open, all others closed.
2. Do this three times: insert key, turn to "on" position, turn to "off" position, remove key.
3. Push the driver's door ajar switch three times. Car will chime.
4. Push any button on the 1st remote twice. Car will chime.
5. Push any button on 2nd remote twice. Car will chime.
6. Wait three seconds. Press door ajar switch one time. Car will chime.
7. Remotes are now programmed.

Note: Any previous remotes will no longer operate on this vehicle.

I hope this helps.

white626 · March 2003

phroadrick
Thanks for the instructions, I saw them when checking board after being away for a few days. I think I may have found some on ebay, they are cheap, so I will give them a try.

slickdog
My steering noise also happens only when it is warm in the interior. My son says it sounds like a litter of mewling kittens. It is quite annoying, but with the temperature in the 60's now it has been kind of quiet. My warranty is long gone, so I haven't had a dealer check it. There was a post in the problems section, but there didn't seem to be any resolution.

slickdog · March 2003

Since we're finally coming out of winter in my area, I'm getting the annoying steering noise back for the first time in several months (I like the litter of mewing kittens analogy).

I've got some time left on my warranty, so I'm planning to get the car into the dealership so they can fix the aforementioned "rear-end tapping" sound which is getting worse for me as of late. Perhaps I'll ask them about the steering noise as well.

I'm also seeing tears in my *third* set of vinyl shift lever/parking brake boots, so I think the dealer and I are going to have words about that too. Those should not be tearing every winter simply because I drive my car in sub-freezing temperatures (I'm now nearly convinced that's the cause). They're either going to give me leather boots or find a way to stop the vinyl ones from tearing, else I'm going to call the regional service rep. looking for a solution. The dealer keeps telling me that he isn't seeing this problem on anyone else's 626, but that's not going to make me go away and stop complaining.

p100 · March 2003

Suggest you get leather boots and knob for your shifter and the parking brake. I have those in my ES V6 and they have not deteriorated at all in four years. And they look really nice. Mine are black and I am not sure what colors they are available in. The ES V6 also has a nice leather wrapped steering wheel that would look good even in a $ 70K car. This is one of the reasons why I bought an ES V6 - the LX V6 model had a cheap looking vinyl steering wheel and even cheaper looking vinyl shifter knob and boot.

slickdog · March 2003

Thanks, p100 - it's good to know that the leather is decent quality. However, I've already tried to get the leather boots as a warranty replacement, with no luck - the dealer tells me the cost difference between the vinyl and leather boots is too great for them to provide that sort of "upgrade" under warranty. I have even offered to make up the cost difference out-of-pocket, but the dealer seems unwilling to oblige - I would have to foot the entire bill. They probably figure I'll go away with my torn vinyl and leave them alone once I'm out of warranty. Perhaps I'll make another pitch for this solution when I go in for my next set of replacement boots. You're absolutely right about the vinyl stuff - it's poor quality.

skibry1 · March 2003

West-Central IL winters can get a bit rough and my
Doubleought 5spd boots have failed in several places.
So I can lend credibility to that statement.I'll have
to look into some leather replacements.Would that ES
wheel fit our LX?

slickdog · March 2003

skibry1, are you still under warranty? Let me know how you make out if your car makes it to the dealer before mine.

My dealer already spilled the beans on the fact that ES (leather) shift/park brake boots can be used on an LX w/vinyl (I think you can also order leather for an LX, no?), so I'd bet that the steering wheels are interchangeable as well. I've removed steering wheels on other vehicles before, and not only are they usually interchangeable between different trim levels of the same model, but many are also compatible with (or even the same as) different models of the same make.

p100 · March 2003

I have some minor vibration/roughness problems with my 99 Mazda 626 V6 at high speeds that appears to be comming from the axle CV joints. This vibration comes and goes and is not consistent. It is most pronounced when accelerating hard at high speeds and shows as slight shaking of the hood. I already had the axles replaced under warranty because the vibration was quite annoying at high RPM. The new axles eliminated that problem but after 35K miles they seem to begin to fall apart. I talked to several mechanics and was told that Mazda makes cheap CV joints and that I should not be surprised. Does anybody know of good quality aftermarket axles/CV joints that would fit this car? I am quite annoyed by poor quality of some of the critical parts in this vehicle. This car could be a great vehicle if the manufacturer had some decent quality standards.

maltb · March 2003

yeah, try getting GKN axles. They make them for a bunch of OEMs. Oh yeah, they make the 626 axles too.

skibry1 · March 2003

slickdog- The DoubleOught is out of warranty. Is it not a bit tricky to change wheels...what with that
bag and explosive charge ?!?

slickdog · March 2003

Yeah, plus you'd probably have to pay a mint just to get the leather wheel. My dealer claims the leather shift/park brake boots alone cost over $200!

p100 · March 2003

The retail price for the 99 ES V6 leather wrapped steering wheel is $ 400. (Source: Mazda dealer). The wheel does not come with an air bag so you have to reuse yours.

zoomzoom626 · April 2003

Can someone tell me which brand has better OIL, AIR and FUEL filter and why. I approaching the 60K mark and need to replace these. I heard some good things about Purolator PureOne(oil filter) but I also heard that filter is so densely packed that could restrict oil flow? What are your experiences with either brand?

maxx4me · April 2003

Use anything that fits. I buy pep boys filters. It does not matter if you replace it every 3000-3500 miles (and you should). I would switch over to a high mileage oil (as I have done) to keep the rubber parts working properly. The filter should not matter if you replace it with every oil change.

zoomzoom626 · April 2003

Forgot to mention that I use mobil 1 and run 10K drain intervals so good filtration is important as well as filter capacity.

maxx4me · April 2003

Hmmm, I'm running Mobil 1 in my new Vibe, but am still changing the oil every 5,000. I asked a lot of mechanics whether I could do the 10,000 thing, and all of them said don't do it. Have you had good luck changing so infrequently? I'm using one of the Purolator filters. Again, I've been told that just about anything on the market should get you up to the 5,000 mile mark, but no more. You are smart to ask about a special filter for the 10k change. I hope someone a lot smarter than me can give you good advice. Good luck my friend.

p100 · April 2003

I have used Purolator fuel filter in my 99 626 Es V6 with no adverse efects. I have used only Mazda oil filters to date. By the way does anybody know who makes these for Mazda? I have used regular Purolator oil filters for years in my 95 Nissan V6 pickup.

maltb · April 2003

zoomzoom626 · April 2003

I think that running Mobil 1 for 10K is quite fine(I have been doing it for 30K now). Actually I would call changing it at 10K a bit conservative. Mineral oil should be good for 5K without any problems while Synthetic should last 3 times that, easy. Here is interesting link regarding synthetic oil life: http://neptune.spacebears.com/cars/stories/oil-life.html

Mazda 626

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