6th Jan 2007, 10:14

Just bought a 1995 mazda 626 LX for $750.00 today and it has 120,719 miles, going over it and doing regular maintence tomorrow, anything I should look for specifically? Anyone please let me know your experiences with repairs and what not. Pleade post your response on this site, Thank You.

10th Jan 2007, 14:35

I picked up a very cheap 95 626 and the o/d off light started flashing after 3000 miles with the lurching from first to second. As I paid very little for this car I plan on driving it until it collapses. How far have people been able to drive with this problem until it dies?

27th Feb 2007, 07:58

I have a 95 Madza 626, and have it for about 3 years. Within the first 6 months of owning the car the transmission went out, we paid 2500 to get the transmission rebuilt. 3 months later the transmission went out again, and then 2 months after that it went out all over again. Yes the over driving light has something to do with it. But after the last time the transmission went out, we got smart to some of the problem.

THE OVER DRIVE LIGHT, YOU NEED TO TAKE HANDLE OUT THE GEAR SHIFTER AND COMPLETELY DISCONNECT THE OVER DRIVE BUTTON.

With this button being connect it causes the transmission to contenusly jump the gears from 4th to the over drive. Causing the transmission to go out.

Then after disconnecting that when the o/d light starts flash get somewhere and reset the battery to fix the computer. That's how my car has been going still.

When I bought the car it had 128,000 miles now it has 203,592 miles and still going.

1st Mar 2007, 07:51

I have a 1995 Mazda 626 LX 2.5l engine and ever since I bought it used it has had an overheating problem. I have replaced the radiator twice, all the hoses, belts, had the thermostat cut so that it is always open, replaced the water pump and timing belt. Had the pully's replaced to make sure they are pulling the belt around so that the water pump is actually working, replaced the fan/fan motor... I have used stop leak...everything, but the car still overheats. Used to, it would only overheat when I came to stop, then when would take off and drive it would go back (guess the wind kept the motor somewhat cool), now since replacing the water pump this past weekend, after driving for about 10 minutes it starts to creep its way over to the H, gets about 3/4 of the way there and steadily goes back and forth from almost H back to straight up Middle... heres something funny, when I come to a stop light, now instead of going H, it actually goes back to middle... This car is possessed. I think the only thing in over a year and half that I have not replaced is the Head Gasket/Block (whether it be warped or cracked), I hear its aluminium, meaning you can't take it and get it shaved or re-worked...I don't think this car is really worth all the money I have already put into it... I guess one think I can feel lucky about is that I do not have tranny problems like I have read... perhaps this car is just a lemon period..

Anyone have any ideas about this problem of overheating... oh yeah and for about the last 6 months, the check engine light is on, but no one can figure out why. Also when in idle, the car shimmy and shakes... I had my idle "turned up" but that has not helped... it acts like it wants to die on me...

14th Mar 2007, 13:31

I bought a 1997 Mazda 626 last July. I've been experiencing the same problems with the O/D light blinking with driving at highway speeds for a brief moment of time. This doesn't occur in the regular stop-n-go traffic. I've researched the problem with the error codes, especially P1741. I've not experienced any overheating or jerking, but I have noticed at times a 'CLUNK' that does make itself know when shifting to drive. I've purchased a new throttle position sensor (rockauto.com - cheapest price around) and will install this weekend, so I will post a follow up if the error still occurs.

In addition folks, read this site http://www.dustbury.com/626/trans.html. It may give some insights. Overall, we all know there's no cure to this problem, other than just getting rid of the car.

20th Mar 2007, 16:28

To the last poster -- please do post your experiences with putting in the sensor. I have a 1999 Mercury Cougar with the same joke of a POS transmission as in many automatic 626/Ford Probe/Ford Contour/Mercury Mystiques. I started having the flashing light and rough shifting just like everybody else.

The fact that people have replaced entire transmissions once, twice, even three times leads me to think the problem might be electrical and not the tranmission. At least that's what I'm praying. This car has only 69,000 miles on it and has been great until this problem.

I wonder if all of us stuck with these transmissions can get in on the lawsuit, not just 626 owners? It's absolutely outrageous that Ford continued to produce these terrible transmission for ten years! And they wonder why they're on the brink of bankruptcy.

23rd Mar 2007, 20:02

I have a Mazda 1996 626, And my comment is that it is the devil itself.

I have done many things: replacement of strut, clutch, and I am still working on the idle part.

I do know if you have a really charged up battery it runs just a little better.

For hand brakes, it's not the best; it will slide and it is very hard to maintain control while going. I have to use the E- Park to stop to keep going, at a stop light.

I am open to any suggestions, or answer to question through my experience with the Mazda 626 1996.

I do think that it is a bad idea to look at this car and call it a good car. I have many memories of digging in the dirt, and I have knee problems. It is my worst car ever, I hate it.

It's bad for business when I go somewhere. I drive an average 20-m 30-m a day and it's the roughest ride; the shocks bad because of a bent tie rode, idle socks to air filter housing. Valves I think might be because of a bad timing belt. I have experienced muffler falling off and replaced it with a home made exhaust; it was causing too much back pressure on the engine. I am redoing this system and it is looking down.

I cannot help the fact that I got screwed out of my Honda Civic for this unreal ungodly car. I really feel anybody who has owned this car is being in a real test of faith. Because I am not able to trade this car, I can't afford another car. I am a real employee at a job and a college student, and it's just hard.

E-mail at MCgallo@okstate.edu