Mazda 626 1997 4 cylinder transmission problem once the o/d off light came on. When I shift into reverse, sometime it does not move. After driving for a few minutes the car jerks and struggles with erratic shifting of gears. This is accompanied by an increase in the engine RPM and noise. Car still drives but may not be safe. Check engine light shows fault with transmission range switch.
1997 Mazda 626: check engine light
30 of the 358 complaints about the 1997 Mazda 626 describe check engine light.
- owner complaints
- 30
- of this car's complaints
- 8%
- typical repair cost reported
- $3,000
- typical mileage
- 89,000
- recalls
- 1
Is there a fix? There is 1 recall and 18 service bulletins for this area of the car. See below
Check engine light by model year
What owners say
I have a 1997 mazda 626 that the o/d light has begun flashing and the engine light has come on. After the o/d light comes on the transmission begins getting jerky. The error codes indicate a torque converter problem in the transmission. I have 99,500 miles on the car and had the transmission oil changed at 75,000 miles because I read that these cars have a history of bad transmissions. I called two mazda dealers and they told me these cars have bad transmissions and it will cost around $3,000 to replace.
The vehicle began shifting very roughly, then the overdrive started blinking and the vehicle ceased to shift, I was stuck in 3rd gear. There was a small "bang" in the engine compartment, then check engine light illuminated. I pulled over to a fuel station and opened the hood. There was transmission fluid all over the interior of the engine compartment, 1+ quarts. I could find no obvious leaks, but purchased some additional fluid and refilled what was lost. Since then whenever it is warm out or the car is driven for over an hour in temperatures above ~50 f, it shifts very rough and the od light and check engine light come on. I have since learned that this is a very common problem among 2.0l mazda 626's with an automatic transmission. They apparently overheat very easily. I have been told I am lucky that the transmission has not failed on me. I've taken it apart and cleaned it out several times. I also change the transmission fluid frequently. These above average maintenance routines are likely what has kept the transmission from failing altogether. The vehicle is barely tolerable to drive when it is having these problems as it will slam into the next gear hard enough to jerk the occupants forward or backward.
Lemon - this car has had problems since I bought it. Everything from transmission to computer to timing belts to power steering problems. At about 70,000 miles I had it fixed again under warranty and since then I've had to pay for all repairs. Last year it was the radiator I guess things wear out but it took mazda 2 tries to fix it. This year I got a check engine light for something called the idol air control valve and the power steering something or other. This sounds familiar and the symptoms are something I've experienced before. After replacing the idol air control valve it the problem didn't go away and I was told it would cost 3500 for a new transmission. I made the mistake of trying to fix it. I took it to aamco and I feel really bad now because after 3 tries they still haven't been able to fix the problem. They still have the car and I have no idea when it will be fixed not to mention it's cost a lot more than I expected to fix.
1)new car purchase aug 1997 - 5 miles;2)transmission replacement feb 1999~38,000 miles;3)transmission replacement dec 1999~57000 miles;4)informed at 130k miles that I needed another transmission ( with each transmission clearly having less than an average of 60,000 miles on it. In each case my o/d light flashed on the dashboard, immediately sending a signal to turn on the check engine light. I sent formal complaints to mazda, the dealership and since have sent complaints to the attorney general's office. I have learned of tsb # 0500502 (which you do not show on your site). Yesterday (07/25/2005) I learned that there have been several consumer complaints and today I learned of the federal safety agency. Since there are no set number of complaints needed before a recall is issued and considering the severity of this issue, why was a recall not issued? I sent a complaint letter to town north mazda (dealership where I purchased my vehicle) while looking for transmission repair facilities, I ran across this article and am out done by the blatant disloyalty and failure on the part of mazda/ford motors to stand behind its products via recall or some other means. Http://www.estreetjournal.com/mazda.htm
In feb. 2005 I purchased a 97 mazda 626 with 74000 miles on it. About 2 months later the check engine light came on. It started idling at 500-2500 rpms and had trouble switching gears. Around 75 MPH it would cut out and drop to 60 MPH before jerking back into gear. Last month my o/d off light came on and my car starting leaking transmission fluid. I had that fixed, had a new o2 sensor put in, and my o/d off light is still coming on. Now my overdrive doesnt work at all and I have trouble switching it out of low gears. I have been told I need a new transmission, after already putting a great deal of money into repairs. I have 84000 miles on it right now, and after seeing hundreds of other similiar complaints online, am outraged that mazda is doing nothing as far as a recall.
Viloent jerks and stalling of the transmission. O/d light flashes after driving for 45 minutes to an hour. The check engine light comes on also as a result.
The transmission failed at 80000 miles . The motor mounts , water pump,oxygen sensor , catalytic converter , got spoiled and the check engine light keeps blinking
I have a 1997 mazda 626. The transmission has been rebuilt since I bought the car (2002). I have since had to have the motor replaced and the transmission is acting up again. The o/d light is flashing off and on again as well as the check engine light. It also shifts roughly.
A month after we bougth this car we've had problems with the transmission. We've replaced two o2 sensors ($300.00 each) and the torque converter valve ($450.00). Check engine light stays on, stating problem inside transmissions. Now overdrive light comes on and blinks when it comes on and starts to blink this means the transmission is melting and your car will quit on you while your driving down the road. Also, when you press on the gas the RPM's top out but the speed doesn't increase. I had the gas pedel all the way to the floor board and the car had no power. Hopefully, this problem with the transmission failure will be resolved by you, since mazda see's nothing wrong with building cars that can possibly hurt or kill someone.
I have failed 2 times trying to type this letter of complaint. Well,I have a 1997 mazda 626 lx 4 cylinder,2 liter engine sedan.,the engine light stays on all thew time now. First time I took it back to granger in garden city,ga and they sent it to fairway fordmazda in abercorn st in savannah,ga. They kept it about 6 weeks and the engine light stayed off about 2 years. Then it started coming back on in february 2005,so I took it to a certified mechanic here in pooler,ga.he cleared the sensors,lasted about 1/2 day,tool\k it back,he said it was number 2 sensor,replaced it,lasted about a day and now it stays on all the time. Number 2 sensor was what it was the first time. I;m also expercing some jerky motion in this car and it could be the transmission. So I'm hoping that you will do something about these faulty problems with these cars,like recall them and repair them at no cost to the owners. [email protected].
97 mazda 626 at the local mazda/dodge dealer in jupiter fl just quoted me $3200 to put in an already rebuilt transmission because they do not rebuild transmissions and the one I currently have is gone. From what I have researched on the web this is an on going problem between mazda & the transmission that ford installs for the 626 a cd4e. My engine light has been on since the early on and even the dealer could not figure out how to turn it off. My wife and are original owners and I have all the service records of this vehicle. I feel this is a major problem that mazda must address with the long list of 626 owners and their transmission problems.
Service bulletins that may apply
- This service bulletin provides testing and charging procedures in order to promote proper battery...
- In support of the new MRT distribution, Mazda will ship to dealers a new Dual Purpose Diagnostic Leak...
- On some vehicles, a sulfur smell or 'rotten egg' odor may be noticed coming from the exhaust system
- Exhaust pipe gasket open end
- Summary to be provided on a future date.
- Evaporative emmissions and reciver adapters
- Subject regarding inspection procedure - water pump leak
- Information regarding piston standardization for vehicles within certain VIN ranges
Related recalls
Engine and engine cooling: engine
- What is wrong
- Vehicle description: passenger vehicles. An external spring in the timing belt tensioner can break and get caught in the timing belt.
- Risk
- This condition can result in possible engine stalling.
- Remedy
- Dealers will inspect the tensioner and replace it if necessary.
Recall number 98V206001 · Recall details
Questions about the 1997 Mazda 626 check engine light
Is check engine light a common problem on the 1997 Mazda 626?
30 of 358 owner complaints about the 1997 Mazda 626 (8%) mention check engine light. The model year with the most reports is 1997.
How much does it cost to fix check engine light on the 1997 Mazda 626?
Owners who mentioned a price put the repair at about $3,000 (median of 6 complaints that include a dollar amount). Costs vary with mileage, warranty and where the work is done.
Is there a recall or service bulletin for this on the 1997 Mazda 626?
There is 1 recall and 18 service bulletins for the same area of the car. Check them below with your VIN.
Other symptoms on the 1997 Mazda 626
Transmission failure 79Jerking 28Stalling 25Slipping 13Overheating 12Won't shift 7No deployment 6Engine failure 6Hesitation 6
VIN decoder
See the problems and recalls for an exact car
Buying a used 1997 Mazda 626?
Check the exact car before you pay: accidents, salvage or flood titles, odometer readings and previous owners.
Check its history