Mazda 626 overheating problems

Filed Jun 23, 2013 · Acceleration, Transmission · 117,000 miles · OK

Transmission overheated on the freeway, blew out temperature gauge and no longer shifted after that. Speed sensor stopped working. Had to get rebuilt transmission and transmission cooler and several other parts replaced. The repair only lasted 6 months before the transmission went out again. It just slipped gears and stopped shifting in the middle of the road.

Filed Oct 13, 2010 · Transmission · 167,000 miles · CO

Transmission downshifted while driving on the freeway. While trying to maintain speed to exit the freeway, the engine started to overheat. As soon as I was able to pull into the local gas station parking spot, the engine died. The transmission appears to need a rebuild.

Filed Apr 14, 2010 · Transmission · 50,000 miles · SC

Rough shifting, slipping ,rough idle, overheating transmission.

Filed Feb 23, 2009 · Transmission · 103,000 miles · NY

I have 103,000 miles. My transmission hasn't failed yet, which I now see I should feel lucky about. I have had all the other transmission issues I now find are common because mazda put too small an engine into this car. I have had the o/d light flash on and off, the transmission be jerky, check engine light on. (this has gone on for several years now) I was told by a dealer I needed a range sensor and an aftermarket transmission cooler. I thought I had a leak of transmission fluid but it's just spewing up from the transmission overheating. Every time they change the fluid it gets worse. Now I can see from what others say that my transmission will no doubt fail soon. I had to find this out by going online; no mazda repair shop ever told me any of this, until today when I was told that there was an "issue" with the 1998 transmission. Unbelievable. Mazda should have to do something since it's their design defect. I will never buy another mazda!!!!!!! Toyota, here I come.

Filed Jan 14, 2009 · Transmission · 146,545 miles · TX

I bought a 1994 used mazda 626 lx a little over a month ago for $1600.00. And I put another $500.00 in it getting 2 new front tires a complete tune up, and a complete brake job. I test drove it and it ran fine. I found out later after I bought the car in a few days while going up a steep hill here in austin, and put it in d2 a lower gear, and the transmission started slipping. So, at the top of the hill, I put it back in drive, and it worked ok. But sometimes is would take off very sluggishly after warming up. The hold light started flashing also. I fixed the hold light problem, but 2 weeks later, going on the highway, the transmission went completely our, right at a construction zone, with the concrete barrier walls on both sides. So fortunately, I managed to coast about another mile to the end of the construction zone and off the highway, onto the shoulder safely. I have just recently found out here online on these auto forums, that the 1994 mazda 626 lx automatic is a lemon. Lot's of people have complained about the cd4e ford transmission on the car. I honestly can't believe there hasn't been a re-call on them. I've only had the car a little over a month, and im out of around $2100.00 dollars on it. I having a hard time finding anyone around here that will work on it, at a fair price. I could repair it myself, with some help, but from what I've read, the whole car was a design flaw, in that the transmission was actually to small for the 626 body, and causes the transaxle to overheat after a while. And I didn't know you had to buy a extra cooling kit for the transaxle to keep it from overheating. I liked the car when I first bought it, but,man, I didn't expect all of these problems. That is about all I have.

Filed Dec 1, 2008 · Transmission · 120,215 miles · PA · fire

Transmission problems with the year of 98's transmissions made by ford. Transmissions have had multiple issues starting from shifting issues, transmission fluid overheating requiring more and more mazda 626's to have aftermarket transmission coolers installed, transmission overheating. This year that ford made this transmission has caused many people to often replace transmissions for this vehicle. You will see many people have replaced their transmissions 2 or 3 times within putting 150k on the vehicle. Please look into as I have had my transmission slip and completely not work, to getting rebuilt and now my o/d is now flashing, which requires me to install an aftermarket oil cooler for my transmissions, which does not come with the vehicle already. Transmission rebuild is costing over 2,000 dollars due to the unavailability of parts from the dealer and aftermarket suppliers. Please recall this transmission!!!!!! A mazda technical service bulletin exists for some 1998-2001 models. Tsb 05-005/02 deals with one specific circumstance: "after extended highway driving, the o/d off light is blinking and code p1783 is set (excessive atf temperature). Occasionally there will be overflow through the dipstick tube and harsh shifting. Mazda's recommended fix is to replace the radiator and to install an auxiliary cooler for the transmission." when the light goes on, it enters a fail-safe mode? (the epc solenoid opens up and brings line pressure up to 'max') ... The only catch is it raises the fluid pressure well beyond normal specs (it goes from 100 to 400 psi). Ford cd4e transmission http://www.answerbag.com/q_view/724066 - issues also with transmission.

Filed Nov 28, 2008 · Engine · 113,000 miles · NE

I bought the car in 2007 and from the start there were problems. The over drive light pops on and off, keeps overheating even after had full fluid flush, replaced old battery with new one and car continues to shut off, takes 10 min to start. I got it fixed in march of 2008 for the problems stated above and again in sept 2008 for same problems but with a different company. They said its because 2 out of the 4 cylinders are really low. If that's the case why didn't the other company advise me of that same problem. Now the car won't start. I have talked with other people with the same car nd they are having the same problem. The last serious issue was the car shut off while I was driving on the interstate with my 4 year old and 1 year old. I was lucky enough that I was able to pull over to side of road and restart it and go home.

Filed Sep 3, 2008 · Transmission · FL

The transmission gave out. 112,000 miles. I got the transmission replaced, and right after the warranty was over, the transmission gave out. The o/d light comes on, the car overheats, and it does not shift into 4th gear.

Filed Jul 14, 2008 · Engine · 162,000 miles · SC

Coolant reservoir on mazda 626 models has a design flaw. Our vehicle has required 4 of these since we've owned it. Each time, the part is no longer under warranty as it is over 12 months old. Failures occurred on 5/30/06 at 118k and again on 6/1/07 at 138k, and now on 7/11/08 at 162k. The problem is that they are manufactured with a seam on the bottom. The seam leaks and so coolant gradually leaks from the reservoir until you notice your vehicle slowly running hot. Since I watch may gauges closely, I always see when this is happening. Replacing coolant will prevent the engine from overheating but replacing the reservoir is always required. Locally this part costs $100. This does not include labor to remove/discard the old reservoir and to attach the new one. Our local mazda dealership has 50 of these in stock at any given time. Seems like a large inventory for a part. This item needs to be redesigned so that the seam is more durable or so that there is no seam at the bottom where the leaks keep occurring. Others not aware of this problem may have allowed their engines to overheat causing much more costly problems in their engines. We have been fortunate in that we have always caught it early and that we have a good mechanic not associated with a dealership but who is mazda certified.

Filed May 21, 2008 · Transmission · 108,000 miles · UT

I was driving from california to las vegas and my o/d light started to blink on and off but there were no other signs. All of a sudden my speedometer went to 0 and I was losing power and the engine was smoking. I had to pull over and stop in the middle of nowhere. Come to find out the transmission overheated and went out on me.