Problems · NHTSA complaints

1998 Mazda 6 Series problems

Owners filed 434 complaints about the 1998 Mazda 6 Series with NHTSA between Jan 1998 and Jan 2018. The most-cited component is power train (312).

Complaints
434
Filed with NHTSA
Crashes
12
Reported by owners
Fires
5
Reported by owners
Injuries
15
People reported injured
Deaths
5
Reported to NHTSA
01 —By component

Complaints by component

One complaint can cite several components
  1. Power train312
  2. Engine and engine cooling81
  3. Equipment15
  4. Electrical system12
  5. Air bags11
  6. Vehicle speed control10
  7. Tires6
  8. Steering5
  9. Fuel system, gasoline5
  10. Seats5
  11. Seat belts4
  12. Structure3
  13. Engine2
  14. Service brakes, hydraulic2

Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.

Data from NHTSA Complaints API · synced Oct 28, 2026NHTSA vehicle page
02 —Trend

When complaints were filed

Does it get worse with age? Complaints per calendar year filed
View as table
Model yearComplaints filed per calendar year
19986
199918
200024
200137
200254
200374
200474
200553
200631
200724
200816
200911
20103
20114
20120
20130
20141
20150
20162
20171
20181

Mileage at failure isn’t a structured field in NHTSA complaint data, so we don’t chart it. Some owners mention it in their reports below.

03 —Owner reports

Top problems in owners’ words

Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first

Power train

312 reports1 crash2 fires
“SINCE OWNING THE MAZDA 626 I HAVE HAD A VERY BIG PROBLEM THE TRANSMISSION SLIPPING. IT WILL SLIP GOING INTO SECOND GEAR. IF ITS BELOW 60 DEGREES THE CAR WONT SHIFT INTO DRIVE UNTIL THE MOTOR GETS HOT ENOUGH. THE CAR IS LIKE THIS EVERY SINGLE DAY AND DOES IT EVERY TIME IT IS DRIVEN. ALSO THE INTERIOR LIGHTS WORK SOMTIMES ON AND OFF AND THE BACK WINDOWS WONT ROLL DOWN FROM THE DRIVER BUTTON”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jan 8, 2018Power train, Electrical systemODI 11061170

Engine and engine cooling

81 reports1 related recall
“TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 MAZDA 626LX. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT START AND AT TIMES WOULD STALL. APPROXIMATELY ONE YEAR AGO, THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE THEY REPLACED THE TIMING BELT. THE PROBLEM CONTINUED. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 198,000 AND THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 187,000. THE VEHICLE WAS AT THE DEALER AWAITING REPAIRS.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Feb 7, 2011Engine and engine coolingODI 10381062

Equipment

15 reports2 fires1 related recall
“TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 MAZDA 626. THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT HER RADIO WAS INOPERATIVE ACCOMPANIED BY A HEATING SENSATION. IN ADDITION, THE VEHICLE WOULD FAIL TO START. SHE CALLED THE MANUFACTURER IN REFERENCE TO NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 98V243000 (EQUIPMENT:ELECTRICAL:RADIO/TAPE DECK/CD ETC.), IN WHICH A REPRESENTATIVE STATED THAT THEY WOULD NOT ASSUME ANY RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE REPAIRS. THE CONTACT WAS REFERRED TO A DEALER. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 20,000 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 46,000.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Apr 27, 2009EquipmentFire reportedODI 10266809

Electrical system

12 reports1 fire1 related recall
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 MAZDA 626. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE FAILED TO START AND THE IGNITION FAILED TO RELEASE THE KEY. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 15V674000 (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM) AND STATED THAT THE PART NEEDED FOR THE REPAIR WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIR. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 173,735. PARTS DISTRIBUTION DISCONNECT.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Mar 30, 2016Electrical systemODI 10852555

Air bags

11 reports8 crashes
“WHILE DRIVING 30 MPH CONSUMER'S VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN A REAR END COLLISION WHICH CAUSED A CHAIN REACTION. UPON IMPACT, AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. DRIVER AND TWO OTHER PASSENGERS SUSTAINED MINOR INJURIES AND WERE TRANSPORTED TO THE HOSPITAL. VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION. *AK”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Apr 1, 2004Air bagsCrash reportedODI 10065450

Vehicle speed control

10 reports
“VEHICLE WILL STALL WITH NO WARNING. CHECKED VEHICLE, AND HAD THE IDLE SPEED CONTROL REPLACED. VEHICLE THEN STARTED IDLING AT 2000 RPMS, FLUCTUATING. DIAGNOSTIC INDICATED NEED TO REPLACE POWER-TRAIN CONTROL MODULE (PCM). VEHICLE WAS NOT PART OF RECALL NHTSA CAMPAIGN 97V228000 DUE TO VIN. PLEASE DESCRIBE DETAILS. *AK”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Sep 12, 2002Power train, Vehicle speed controlODI 8018467
Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Oct 28, 2026

Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.