1998 Mazda 626 Engine And Engine Cooling:engine Problems

NHTSA component category: ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE · data through 07/12/2026

42Engine And Engine Cooling:engine complaints

9.7%Of all 434 complaints

#2Most-reported category

Source: U.S. NHTSA complaint data. Complaints are unverified reports from vehicle owners — a complaint is not a confirmed defect.

How engine and engine cooling:engine ranks on this vehicle

POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION278 · 64.1%

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE42 · 9.7%

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE:BELTS AND ASSOCIATED PULLEYS14 · 3.2%

POWER TRAIN13 · 3%

POWER TRAIN:MANUAL TRANSMISSION12 · 2.8%

Share of the 434 complaints citing each category; one complaint can cite several. Full breakdown on the 1998 Mazda 626 overview page.

What owners report

“MY 1998 MAZDA 626 DID NOT QUALIFY FOR RECALL #92007, ENGINE TIMING BELT TENSIONER, DUE TO "VEHICLE IDENTIFICATION NUMBER PROVIDED DOES NOT QUALIFY FOR THE…”NHTSA complaint 763196 — filed 06/18/2002

“MAZDA CORP STATES THAT MY VIN IS NOT 'ON THE LIST' BUT DEALER STATED THAT IT IS UNUSUAL FOR SPRING TO FAIL. MY VEHICLE FALLS…”NHTSA complaint 762473 — filed 05/30/2002

“VEHICLE STALLED AT 5 MPH. DEALER REPLACED A BROKEN TIMING BELT TENSIONER.”NHTSA complaint 8006921 — filed 04/04/2002

Excerpts are shortened and scrubbed of personal details; they are individual, unverified reports.

Engine And Engine Cooling:engine complaints by year filed

Frequently asked questions

Does the 1998 Mazda 626 have engine and engine cooling:engine problems?

Engine And Engine Cooling:engine is the #2 most-reported problem area on the 1998 Mazda 626: 42 of 434 complaints on file (9.7%). Complaints are unverified owner reports, not confirmed defects.

How many complaints does the 1998 Mazda 626 have in total?

434 complaints were on file with NHTSA as of 07/12/2026. Across all categories, 12 involved a crash, 5 involved a fire, 15 reported injuries, and 5 reported deaths.

What does NHTSA's engine and engine cooling:engine category include?

NHTSA assigns each complaint to standard component categories; this page reports the ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE category exactly as NHTSA defines and records it.

About this data — Complaint figures on this page are consumer reports submitted to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), a U.S. government agency. NHTSA does not verify individual complaints; a complaint is not proof that a defect exists, and counts reflect what owners chose to report, not confirmed failure rates. Recall information comes from official NHTSA safety recall campaigns; recall repairs are free at authorized dealers. Always check your specific vehicle by VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls. CarModelProblems.com is an independent site and is not affiliated with NHTSA or any vehicle manufacturer. Data through 07/12/2026.