21st Oct 2009, 11:17
I bought a 1997 626 manual trans in 1998 and it presently has 208,000 miles. I'm still driving on the original clutch. My clutch pedal also would stick about an inch. My mechanic "adjusted the clutch" during regular servicing and it's been fine for the last couple of years.
I too had the engine light go on when I needed to have it smogged. It was the catalytic converter, which I replaced. This is the only major repair I've ever had to make.
Problem today is my engine light came on yesterday - but is blinking rather than steady. Any ideas? O2 sensor? Thoughts?
8th Dec 2009, 20:37
Bought my 1997 Mazda 626 LX in 2000. It immediately at just 36 months old needed a transmission, and luckily I bought it with a warranty.
Now it happily has 175k. No smoke, no transmission slip, no problems. Except that the check engine light for emissions has been on since 2001. That's right! I live in Atlanta, GA and I have tried Mass Airflow Sensor, new catalytic converter, tried no 02 sensors, gas cap, spark plugs. I think I've tried everything. Even had my brother the Acura master mechanic look at it. He's given up. So, I hack my way to passing the emissions every year.
Sometimes, I get lucky and the light just happens to go off during the year. I run over and get the emissions tested then. Har har.
Weird how we most all have the same check engine issue.
10th Dec 2009, 09:52
Did you clean out the EGR ports, valve, vacuum line to the EGR boost sensor, and nipple for this vacuum line at the intake manifold? Refer to '98 Mazda Protege: "A lovely little runner." I suppose it's not much different for the 626.
3rd Feb 2010, 16:04
I too have a 1997 Mazda 626.. It has acceleration issues when going uphill. It also clicks when you accelerate. Sometimes when I start it up, it makes a loud screeching noise! Oh.. and the check engine light has been on since I purchased it 6 years ago.
When the engine runs hot, I add coolant to the overflow, and top the radiator off after the engine cools. After that, I can drive for 6 or 7 months before I have to add more! I haven't had to replace anything major on it. It's 13 years old, and I'm gonna drive it "till the wheels fall off!' LOL.
20th Jul 2010, 03:38
I bought a 97 Mazda 626 from my landlady's mechanic. Test drove it for a few days, now the check engine light is on. The car will be my temporary home come mid August. I pray it's not a lemon.
2nd Sep 2010, 17:54
My girlfriend purchased a 1997 Mazda 626 with 167k miles on it about 18 months ago, and it has given us fits for about the past 6 months or so.
Here is the breakdown:
The previous owner put in a new transmission, so that is fine.
We had that check engine light come on as well. We took it into two different shops, and they both hooked it up to a computer and it said a Power Control Module. It is positioned underneath the cup holders, and we were told that spilled drinks eat many of them. We ordered a rebuilt one from the factory, and it made the light turn off.
We have been through three water pumps so far, and I am installing a different manufacturer's pump tomorrow. I have found a Service Bulletin on it. It looks like this was a common problem with them. Has anyone else had a similar problem? What did you do to fix it?
The car started to die or shake horribly whenever you would approach a stop. I had a similar problem with a 3-Series BMW in the past, and it turned out to be a Mass Air Flow Meter. Since adding the new power control module, the car has yet to die at a stop, but it still does some shaking when the rpm's drop. So, I am guessing that the MAFM will end up being the culprit, and will have to be replaced.
Once I get the car back from the shop and I swap out the MAFM, we are selling the car as quickly as possible. Unfortunately, I don't have the heart to hide the problems we have had with it. No one will probably ever buy it...
Has anyone else had the shaking / dieing / rpm problem? Hope my input helps someone out there...
25th Oct 2010, 10:00
This is all very sad, yet very funny! My 1997 626 has about 180K miles and has had two transmissions. The current one is doing the "RPM rev and slam"! There is no way I will drive it like this, so I'm between fixing it again, or buying a new vehicle and hoping it is a good one (wish me luck)!
The transmission repair shop told me they no longer replace those transmissions, because they caused too many problems and made their repair shop look bad! The rough idle problem is supposedly a broken engine mount. We gave up on fixing the check-engine light back in 2002!
11th Dec 2010, 03:20
I have a 1997 Mazda 626 LX with 193,486 miles, and everything on the car runs great. I have a loud noise coming out of the front end, and I'm sure its not an exhaust problem, because it gets louder the faster I go, but no matter how much gas I give it, the sound stays the same. Sounds like something is rubbing??? Please help ASAP!!!
13th Dec 2010, 09:32
There are too many possibilities for that. Or there are not enough details in your description to narrow it down. Please, take it to a mechanic for proper diagnosis.
18th Dec 2010, 07:01
I've had my '97 626 LX for at least 8 years, and it was owned by another family member before that.
We had the on/off check engine light issue as well, and it was due to misfiring of a cylinder. My check engine light finally went away after I had a major job done including the EGR and tune-up. I have had so many repairs done to this car, including a large oil leak from the head. The car currently has a power steering leak and a leaking transmission pan. The car is great otherwise, just very expensive when it comes time to repair it.
I don't have all the clunking noises some of you have mentioned.. and to the person who has shaking - the only time I have experienced major shaking of the car, it was due to bad tires. I pulled off to look, and we discovered huge bubbles in the tires as well as a huge split. Needless to say, I stick with Toyos instead of the cheaper options.
23rd Jan 2011, 21:09
January 23 2011.
I have Mazda 626 1997; the problem with the rpm going crazy is the "neutral switch". It's on the top of the transmission, held by 2 screws. You replace that part, and the transmission is OK. Some mechanics call it the Governor.
When I bought this car, my friend spent 1200 in parts, changed the oxygen sensor, camshaft, etc.
The problem STARTS when you past the 40 miles, and the rpm goes crazy, the car starts bouncing. Also, when this sensor disconnects, the car does not start at all. Most of the mechanics DON'T know about that, some try to sell you an automatic transmission.
10th Jul 2011, 12:52
My 1999 Mazda 626 is kind of having the same problems; my engine sounds kind of loud, and shakes when I go over 30. The check engine light starts to flash. I'm yet to find out why.
19th Jan 2012, 08:45
You last 2 desperate ones, go to http://www.mazdaforum.com/forum/ and find the answers.
12th Oct 2009, 17:05
You will likely buy the Haynes manual. It should tell you the fluid specs. You can also ask the parts store to look it up for you.