1997 Mazda 626 Power Train:automatic Transmission Problems

NHTSA component category: POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION · data through 07/14/2026

210Power Train:automatic Transmission complaints

58.7%Of all 358 complaints

#1Most-reported category

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

How power train:automatic transmission ranks on this vehicle

POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION210 · 58.7%

AIR BAGS:FRONTAL22 · 6.1%

Unspecified / other16 · 4.5%

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE15 · 4.2%

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE14 · 3.9%

Share of the 358 complaints citing each category; one complaint can cite several. Full breakdown on the 1997 Mazda 626 overview page.

What owners report

“INTERMITTENTLY VEHICLE JERKS/ SPUTTERS AND JUMPS OUT OF GEAR OR GETS STUCK BETWEEN GEARS. GEAR IS SHIFTED TO NEUTRAL FIRST BEFORE GOING INTO DRIVE. SERVICE…”NHTSA complaint 8007368 — filed 04/11/2002

“WHILE TRAVELING NOTICED ENGINE CHECK LIGHT FLASHING, SOON AFTER VEHICLE STARTED JERKING. DEALER HAS BEEN CONTACTED, CAN'T DUPLICATE. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION.”NHTSA complaint 8006150 — filed 03/21/2002

“WHILE DRIVING AT HIGHWAY SPEED VEHICLE STARTS TO JERK. ENGINE LIGHT AND OD LIGHT CAME ON. TOOK TO DEALER, AND DEALER INDICATED VEHICLE NEEDED NEW…”NHTSA complaint 8005177 — filed 03/08/2002

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

Power Train:automatic Transmission complaints by year filed

Frequently asked questions

Does the 1997 Mazda 626 have power train:automatic transmission problems?

Power Train:automatic Transmission is the most-reported problem area on the 1997 Mazda 626: 210 of 358 complaints on file (58.7%). Complaints are unverified owner reports, not confirmed defects.

How many complaints does the 1997 Mazda 626 have in total?

358 complaints were on file with NHTSA as of 07/14/2026. Across all categories, 17 involved a crash, 5 involved a fire, 27 reported injuries, and none reported deaths.

What does NHTSA's power train:automatic transmission category include?

NHTSA assigns each complaint to standard component categories; this page reports the POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION 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 07/14/2026.