Problems · by component

1999 Mazda 6 Series engine and engine cooling problems

48 owner complaints to NHTSA about the 1999 Mazda 6 Series cite engine and engine cooling, 15% of all 320 complaints for this model year. NHTSA also lists 1 recall on this component.

Complaints
48
15% of all complaints
Crashes
1
Reported by owners
Fires
2
Reported by owners
Injuries
1
Reported by owners
01 —Owner reports

What owners say about the engine and engine cooling

Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first
“THE MAZDA 626 TRANSMISSION IS NOT KNOWN FOR ITS RELIABILITY. IT FACT, THERE HAVE BEEN NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS ABOUT PROBLEMS ENCOUNTERED WITH THE MAZDA 626 TRANSMISSION. A COMMON PROBLEM ON THE VEHICLE IS THE FAILURE OF THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION. WHEN THIS FAILS, THIS MAY CAUSE THE OVERDRIVE LIGHT TO FLASH. OTHER PROBLEMS INCLUDE SLIPPING AND VIBRATION. NOT UNDERSTANDING WHY THERE ARE NO RECALLS ON THIS PRODUCT BEING THAT THIS HAS BEEN GOING ON FOR YEARS WHY IS MAZDA NOT LIABLE FOR THIS ISSUE....... *TR”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Aug 28, 2010Engine and engine cooling, Power trainODI 10352506
“TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 MAZDA 626. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 35 MPH, THE CONTACT HEARD A LOUD NOISE COMING FROM THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. A LOCAL MECHANIC STATED THAT THE EXTERNAL SPRING IN THE TIMING BELT TENSIONER FAILED AND DAMAGED THE ENGINE. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 00V134000 (ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE); THEREFORE, THEY WOULD NOT ASSUME RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE REPAIRS. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN REPAIRED AND THE MANUFACTURER DID NOT ASSIST. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 70,000.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled May 22, 2009Engine and engine coolingODI 10269722
“1. & 2.TIMING BELT TENSION SPRING BROKE, MAKING VEHICLE INOPERABLE & DAMAGING TIMING BELT. 3. WILL HAVE TO PAY FOR REPLACEMENT OF SPRING AND BELT AS WELL AS RELATED LABOR. OLD PARTS WILL BE AVAILABLE. NOTE: MAZDA ISSUED A RECALL IN 2000 FOR THIS PART ON SOME VEHICLES (CAMPAIGN 00V134000) , ONE GROUP OF VIN # WERE PROVIDED NHTSB AND THEN A CORRECTION WAS PROVIDED, BUT IT STOPPED SHORT OF THE # ON MY VEHICLE. SINCE THE VERY PROBLEM DESCRIBED IN THE RECALL HAPPENED TO MY VEHICLE, I BELIEVE MAZDA UNDERSTATED ITS RECALL. *TR”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Sep 9, 2008Engine and engine coolingODI 10241455
“TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 MAZDA 626. WHILE DRIVING 45 MPH, THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY LOST ALL POWER. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A MECHANIC AND HE STATED THAT THE INTERNAL SPRING IN THE TIMING BELT FAILED. THE FAILURE WAS SIMILAR TO THAT OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 00V134000 (ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE), HOWEVER, THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 72,000. UPDATED 01-15-08. *KB UPDATED 12/12/07. *JB”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Sep 14, 2007Engine and engine coolingODI 10203004
“DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHEN THE MANUFACTURER WAS CALLED, KNOWLEDGE OF RECALL # 00V134000 FOR THE TIMING BELT TENSIONER SPRING WAS DENIED, THEN, THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN ANY RECALL. THE VEHICLE HAD STALLED WHILE DRIVING 15 MPH. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT SERVICE MECHANIC WHO DETERMINED THAT THERE WAS DAMAGE TO THE TIMING BELT AND A BOLT THAT HAD BEEN SHEARED OFF. THE SUMMARY OF THE RECALL WAS SIMILAR TO THE STALLING OF THE VEHICLE.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Oct 16, 2006Engine and engine coolingODI 10170921
“DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE MAKING A TURN AT 20 MPH, THE VEHICLE STOPPED AND WOULD NOT MOVE ANY FURTHER. THE VEHICLE WAS PUSHED TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD, AND THEN TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT REPAIR SHOP. THE SHOP DETERMINED THE SPRING FOR THE TIMING BELT FRACTURED AND A NEW TIMING KIT NEEDED TO BE INSTALLED. THERE WAS A NHTSA RECALL, #00V134000, FOR THE ENGINE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL DUE TO THE VIN.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Aug 31, 2006Engine and engine coolingODI 10167156

Showing 6 of 48 reports. Read every report on NHTSA.gov.

Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Nov 11, 2026NHTSA vehicle page
02 —Related recalls

1 recall on this component

Engine and engine cooling: engine

Free remedy

VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES. AN EXTERNAL SPRING IN THE TIMING BELT TENSIONER COULD BREAK.

Engine and engine coolingReported May 9, 2000NHTSA 00V134000
Data from NHTSA Recalls API · synced Nov 11, 2026

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

Other 1999 6 Series problem areas