Reliability & 5-year cost of ownership — 1998 Mazda 626
NHTSA data on file today
The 1998 Mazda 626 has 6 NHTSA recall campaigns and 433 owner complaints on file as of . Recall data is refreshed daily from NHTSA.
Recall campaigns on file
- NHTSA #15V674000 Ignition Switch may Overheat NHTSA notice
- NHTSA #09E012000 FMVSS 108/AFTERMARKET COMBINATION LAMPS NHTSA notice
- NHTSA #05E065000 FUEL FILTER LEAKS NHTSA notice
- NHTSA #00V134000 MAZDA/TIMING BELT TENSIONER NHTSA notice
- NHTSA #98V243000 MAZDA/AUDIO UNITS NHTSA notice
- NHTSA #97V228000 MAZDA/ENGINE STALL NHTSA notice
Most-cited components in owner complaints
- Power Train 312 complaints
- Engine and Engine Cooling 81 complaints
- Equipment 15 complaints
- Electrical System 12 complaints
- Air Bags 11 complaints
- Vehicle Speed Control 10 complaints
Of the 433 complaints on file, 12 report a crash and 5 a fire; across all 433 complaints, owners report 15 injuries and 5 deaths (owner-reported, not verified by NHTSA).
Below average
Estimated 5-year repair + maintenance cost: $4,000–$8,000AI estimate — not from NHTSA data
The 1998 Mazda 626 has a below-average reliability rating due to a significant number of owner complaints, primarily related to the power train and engine issues. Recall data includes six campaigns, with several focused on the fuel and engine systems. Given the number of complaints and the types of issues, potential owners should be prepared for maintenance and repairs. However, specific failure data is limited.
Most-common failures
| Part | Typical mileage (AI estimate) | Cost range (AI estimate) | Frequency |
|---|---|---|---|
| power train | 60,000–120,000 miles | $800–$2,500 | very common |
| engine cooling | 70,000–110,000 miles | $400–$1,500 | common |
AI estimate — not from NHTSA data: the mileage bands and repair-cost ranges above. Get a written repair quote before you budget.
Scheduled maintenance to budget
Routine items every owner should plan for.
- Oil and filter changes
- Brake pad and rotor replacements
- Transmission fluid replacement
- Coolant system flush
- Timing belt replacement
- Engine air filter changes
Warning signs to watch for
Symptoms that signal a major upcoming repair.
- Transmission slipping or jerking
- Engine overheating
- Unusual engine noises
- Fuel odor inside vehicle
Generated by gpt-4o on from the NHTSA recall campaigns and owner-complaint counts on file for the 1998 Mazda 626 at the time. The rating is an AI assessment; cost and mileage figures are AI estimates, not NHTSA data.