In Feb. 2005 I purchased a 97 Mazda 626 with 74000 miles on it. About 2 months later the check engine light came on. It started idling at 500-2500 rpms and had trouble switching gears. Around 75 mph it would cut out and drop to 60 mph before jerking back into gear. Last month my O/D off light came on and my car starting leaking transmission fluid. I had that fixed, had a new O2 sensor put in, and my O/D off light is still coming on. Now my overdrive doesnt work at all and I have trouble switching it out of low gears. I have been told I need a new transmission, after already putting a great deal of money into repairs. I have 84000 miles on it right now, and after seeing hundreds of other similiar complaints online, am outraged that Mazda is doing nothing as far as a recall.

- Wayside, NJ, USA

1)new car purchase Aug 1997 - 5 miles;2)transmission replacement Feb 1999~38,000 miles;3)transmission replacement Dec 1999~57000 miles;4)informed at 130K miles that I needed another transmission ( with each transmission clearly having less than an average of 60,000 miles on it. In each case my O/D light flashed on the dashboard, immediately sending a signal to turn on the check engine light. I sent formal complaints to Mazda, the dealership and since have sent complaints to the attorney general's office. I have learned of tsb # 0500502 (which you do not show on your site). Yesterday (07/25/2005) I learned that there have been several consumer complaints and today I learned of NHTSA. Since there are no set number of complaints needed before a recall is issued and considering the severity of this issue, why was a recall not issued? I sent a complaint letter to town North Mazda (dealership where I purchased my vehicle) while looking for transmission repair facilities, I ran across this article and am out done by the blatant disloyalty and failure on the part of Mazda/Ford motors to stand behind its products via recall or some other means. www.estreetjournal.com/Mazda.htm

- Crowley, TX, USA

Transmission failure on 97 Mazda 626 automatic transmission after approx 15000 miles.

- Pueblo, CO, USA

I would like to E-mail your company an express my displeasure in my 1997 Mazda 626. My car has had transmission problems since 48,000 miles and my warranty would not cover this saying that they could not fix a problem they don't see. {ie: The transmission fluid boiled over and out a breather tube.} well that being said I now have 62,000 miles and the transmission is slipping more than ever. Now it seems to me with all the customer complaints on this transmission you should recall and or replace the transmissions free of charge as I''ve never done any thing to ruin this transmission. And $2500 dollars is a big chuck of change that should not have happened in the first place. Thank you, brad lorenz

- Pittsfield, MA, USA

Transmission has failed twice, at 91K and at 120K. Both times the symptoms were the same, and very similar to those of other 626 transmission failures; jerky shifting, shaking at idle, loss of certain gears, etc.

- Manhattan, KS, USA

Wife was driving 75 mph on turnpike when she experienced a sudden transmission failure. There was no blinking lights, no noise, no anything to alert her that there was a potential problem. It just quit. Additionally, she was nearly involved in a high speed rear-end collision. Luckily, the individual behind her swerved and missed her car. She coasted to the shoulder where she was, again, nearly hit. Once stopped, she was unable to get the car to do anything in any gear. I had to travel over an hour to get her. It was 97 degrees and she was out in the middle of nowhere without any shelter except for her crippled vehicle. By the time I arrived, she had been in the heat long enough to start experience muscle cramps from electrolyte imbalance. What is it going to take to get someone to take responsibility for these issues" if she would have been hit, Mazda would have had a lawsuit on their hands. Is this what it is going to take" someone just needs to "cowboy up" and take responsibility. Additionally, I found out today that it will cost about $2000 to fix. This is with a rebuilt transmission that supposedly has new parts and should not be subject to sudden failure like the oem transmissions (per the transmission supplier).

- Oklahoma City, OK, USA

Transmission problem a week after I bough the vehicle. Vehicles transmission was rebuit over 5 times within 10K miles.

- Watchung, NJ, USA

Viloent jerks and stalling of the transmission. O/D light flashes after driving for 45 minutes to an hour. The check engine light comes on also as a result.

- Mesquite, TX, USA

The transmission failed at 80000 miles. The motor mounts, water pump, oxygen sensor, catalytic converter, got spoiled and the check engine light keeps blinking

- Duluth, GA, USA

I have a 1997 Mazda 626. The transmission has been rebuilt since I bought the car (2002). I have since had to have the motor replaced and the transmission is acting up again. The O/D light is flashing off and on again as well as the check engine light. It also shifts roughly.

- Springfield, MA, USA

A month after we bougth this car we've had problems with the transmission. We've replaced two O2 sensors ($300 each) and the torque converter valve ($450). Check engine light stays on, stating problem inside transmissions. Now overdrive light comes on and blinks when it comes on and starts to blink this means the transmission is melting and your car will quit on you while your driving down the road. Also, when you press on the gas the RPM's top out but the speed doesn't increase. I had the gas pedel all the way to the floor board and the car had no power. Hopefully, this problem with the transmission failure will be resolved by you, since Mazda see's nothing wrong with building cars that can possibly hurt or kill someone.

- Mountain Home, AR, USA

I own a 1997 Mazda 626 ES V6. The first transmission failed at about 68000 miles, and now, at almost 200K miles, another is having problems. This is apparently a common problem, as I have found a number of websites with literally hundreds of complaints regarding the cars equipped with the cd4E automatic transmission. The first transmission I was told due to excessive heat. According to each of these websites discussed above, this is one of the common problems with this transmission. The problem we are having now is another apparently common issue. The O/D light will blink on and off continuously, and the car will shift from 3rd to 4th repeatedly while driving. My wife drives this car with three of our children daily, therefore, the problems deeply concern me, since some of the complaints on these sites involve the transmission locking up at freeway speeds. After speaking with the NHTSA, the rep informed me 335 complaints have been filed regarding this vehicle, with many of them for the same reason. All people who have complained on the above mentioned sites have been told by Mazda these problems are not Mazda's, but the consumers. According to most of my research, all 626 models from 1994 to 2000 are equipped with the faulty transmission, and being this is a Ford transmission, the Ford probes of corresponding years are affected as well. The first transmission was replaced, the old transmission is not available. The consequences of this failure were as follows: I missed four days of work due to this being our only vehicle at the time. My wife was the one driving, and was stranded on the side of state highway 101 with my son and infant daughter after the transmission stopped working altogether while driving at roughly 65 mph.

- Kelseyville, CA, USA

Mazda premature transmission failure at 90000. O/D light blinks and transmission overheats. Poor placement of transmission filter. This transmission is manufactured I believe from 95-2000 and many complaints have arose throughout all production years. All over the internet including a class action being filed in Michigan. I think it should be nationally filed. Dealerships are non responsive.

- Corsicana, TX, USA

Repeated transmission and motor mount problems /axles too.

- Rockwall, TX, USA

I have a 1997 Mazda, that I baught from my friend in 2001. It had a transmission breakdown when at had around 30K miles on it. Transmission was replaced by Mazda as it was still under warrenty. Now it has 112K miles on it and the overdrive light blinks. I was searching on the web to get some clue on the problem and I found plenty of people complaining about the same problem and replacing their transmission with thousands of dollars. My beleif is that there is a manufacturing defect on this vehicle. It should be fixed by the company and not cost the owners thousands of dollars. So far nothing dangerous has happened but it should be fixed before some thing happens.

- Owings Mills, MD, USA

I have had numerous transmission problems with my 1997 Mazda 626. I have reported it to Mazda Corp. And no action has been taken. My transmission failed for the first time in Aug. 2002, a ga Mazda dealer admitted that Mazda is aware that the this year make & model had transmission problems. Due to this admission my transmission was replaced and I split the cost 50/50 with the dealer. Now two plus years later, I am told today by a ca Mazda dealer that my transmission is going out again. The ca Mazda delaer also admits that this year make & model has a known transmission problem, but warrants that technically it is not the responsibility of the dealer to offer such information...but only to try to fix the problem at hand. They stated they were being nice by telling me to not put any more money into the car because it will probably only be a temporary fix and I may experience another transmission failure later. This is ridiculous that a major us car manufacturer can get away with selling a defective vehicle for this many years. Py perusing the internet I have found many complaints, and documentation showing that Mazda 626's ranging from 1994-2000 have known transmission problems. Yet Mazda dealers & car lots across the country are still able to sell these cars. It is not fair to the consumer, and it is not fair to those who value and depend on the auto industry to deliver safe and well engineered cars. Please look into this matter, how many more complaints will it take!!

- Pasadena, CA, USA

Transmission failure, motor mount failures, overheating problems. Brake line failure. Ever since I purchased my Mazda 626 used from a dealership I have had one problem after another. When I purchased the car it only had 63,000 miles. Mazda should be ashamed of the kind of cars they put out on the road.

- Houston, TX, USA

While driving 40 mph vehicle stalled. Consumer pulled over, and had the vehicle towed. Dealership was notified, but did not resolve the problem. The cause was not determined. Automatic transmission failed. The tires would spin but the vehiclewould not move. The consumer called every salvage and junk yard but no one had the transmission.

- Erlanger, KY, USA

The transmission is slipping either by overheating or bad transmission by Mazda, and my car only has 119,000 miles on it. I'd like to know when are they recall all the 626's and fix the problem, or I'll sue the company. This is so unfair that they stop making 626's, for what reason.

- Norristown, PA, USA

Transmission replacement on 1997, Mazda 626-this will be my third transmission in four years.

- Brookings, SD, USA