Audited US model-year file

1998 MAZDA 626

Exact make, model and year evidence from official US sources. Recall campaigns, ODI investigations, complaint allegations and EPA estimates remain separate.

Model-year evidence is not a VIN check.

A campaign may cover only certain production dates, plants or equipment. A zero result here is not safety clearance. Use NHTSA’s official VIN tool for the individual vehicle.

Official VIN lookup ↗

01 · Safety actions first

6 NHTSA recall campaigns

Exact model-level NHTSA results for 1998 MAZDA 626. Campaign records are official safety actions; applicability to a particular car still requires its VIN.

01
NHTSA Recalls · US · received 2015-10-19

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:SWITCH

Campaign 15V674000
Summary

Mazda North American Operations (Mazda) is recalling certain model year 1989-1998 MPV, 1990-1995 323, 1990-1998 Protege, 1992-1993 MX-3, 1993-1995 929, 1993-1997 MX-6, and 1993-1998 626 vehicles. In the affected vehicles, grease applied to the contact points inside the ignition switch may become conductive and overheat.

Consequence

If the ignition switch overheats there would be an increased risk of a fire.

Remedy

Mazda will notify owners, and dealers will replace the ignition switch, free of charge. The recall began on December 17, 2015. Owners may contact Mazda Customer Experience Center at 1-800-222-5500, option#6. Mazda's number for this recall is 8715J.

02
NHTSA Recalls · US · received 2009-04-07

EXTERIOR LIGHTING

Campaign 09E012000
Summary

SABERSPORT IS RECALLING 16,270 COMBINATION CORNER AND BUMPER LAMP ASSEMBLIES OF VARIOUS PART NUMBERS SOLD FOR USE AS AFTERMARKET EQUIPMENT FOR VARIOUS PASSENGER VEHICLES. THESE HEADLAMPS FAIL TO CONFORM TO THE REQUIREMENTS OF FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 108, "LAMPS, REFLECTIVE DEVICES, AND ASSOCIATED EQUIPMENT." THESE LAMPS DO NOT CONTAIN THE REQUIRED AMBER SIDE REFLECTORS.

Consequence

DECREASED LIGHTING VISIBILITY MAY RESULT IN A VEHICLE CRASH.

Remedy

SABERSPORT WILL NOTIFY OWNERS AND OFFER A FULL REFUND FOR THE NONCOMPLIANT COMBINATION LAMPS. THE SAFETY RECALL BEGAN ON MAY 11, 2009. OWNERS MAY CONTACT SABERSPORT AT 1-909-598-7589.

03
NHTSA Recalls · US · received 2005-10-05

FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE

Campaign 05E065000
Summary

CERTAIN SPX FILTRAN FUEL FILTERS WITH A 45-DEGREE ANGLE INLET TUBE, MODEL 800F350-S1, SOLD AS REPLACEMENT FILTERS FOR 1993-1997 FORD PROBE,1993-2001 MAZDA 626 AND MX-6, AND 1983-1994 LOYAL, 3-DOOR COUPE, HATCHBACK, SEDAN, WAGON, BRAT, DL, GL, GL-10, RX, XT, AND XT6 PASSENGER VEHICLES WITH EFI OR TURBO ENGINES. THESE FILTERS ARE PACKAGED AS WIX, NAPA, AND CARQUEST BRAND FUEL FILTERS. CERTAIN SPX FILTRAN FUEL FILTERS WITH A 90-DEGREE ANGLE INLET TUBE, MODEL 800F300-S2, SOLD AS REPLACEMENT FILTERS FOR 19983-1994 SUBARU VEHICLES WITH EFI OR TURBO ENGINES. THESE FILTERS ARE PACKAGED AS WIX, NAPA, AND CARQUEST BRAND FUEL FILTERS. FUEL MAY LEAK FROM THE FILTER DUE TO NON-CONFORMING BRAZING WELDS WHERE THE INLET TUBE IS CONNECTED TO THE FILTER CAN.

Consequence

IN THE PRESENCE OF AN IGNITION SOURCE, A VEHICLE FIRE CAN OCCUR.

Remedy

SPX WILL NOTIFY ITS CUSTOMERS AND PROVIDE A FULL REFUND. THE RECALL BEGAN SEPTEMBER 27, 2005. OWNERS MAY CONTACT MR. CHRIS GREESON AT 704-869-3733 OR CONTACT THE WIX INFORMATION HOTLINE AT 800-949-6698.

04
NHTSA Recalls · US · received 2000-05-09

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE

Campaign 00V134000
Summary

VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES. AN EXTERNAL SPRING IN THE TIMING BELT TENSIONER COULD BREAK.

Consequence

THE BROKEN SPRING MAY GET CAUGHT IN THE TIMING BELT, RESULTING POSSIBLE ENGINE STALLING.

Remedy

DEALERS WILL CHECK THE TENSIONER INSTALLED AND REPLACE IT IF THE VEHICLE IS EQUIPPED WITH THE AFFECTED TENSIONER.

05
NHTSA Recalls · US · received 1997-12-17

FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:FUEL INJECTION SYSTEM

Campaign 97V228000
Summary

VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES. DUE TO A PROGRAMMING ERROR, THE POWERTRAIN CONTROL MODULE (PCM) INSTALLED CAN, UNDER CERTAIN DRIVING CONDITIONS, TRIGGER A SHIFT IN AIR-FUEL RATIO TO AN OVERLEAN CONDITION.

Consequence

THIS CONDITION CAN RESULT IN AN ENGINE STALL, WHICH COULD LEAD TO LOSS OF VEHICLE CONTROL AND/OR A VEHICLE CRASH.

Remedy

DEALERS WILL REPROGRAM THE PCM WITH THE CORRECT ENGINE CONTROL LOGIC.

06
NHTSA Recalls · US · received 1998-10-02

EQUIPMENT:ELECTRICAL:RADIO/TAPE DECK/CD ETC.

Campaign 98V243000
Summary

VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: IF THE VEHICLE IS OPERATED IN A HOT, HUMID ENVIRONMENT WITH THE WINDOW OPEN AND AIR CONDITIONER RUNNING, IT IS POSSIBLE FOR CONDENSATION TO ENTER THE AUDIO UNIT AND CAUSE A SHORT CIRCUIT.

Consequence

IF THE SHORT CIRCUIT OCCURS AT ONE SPECIFIC SET OF TERMINALS, THE SPEAKER CAN OVERHEAT AND IN SOME CASES, CATCH FIRE.

Remedy

DEALERS WILL AFFIX ALUMINUM TAPE OVER THE AUDIO UNIT TO PREVENT WATER FROM ENTERING.

02 · Owner allegations

438 NHTSA complaints

Counts are not adjusted for sales, vehicle age, mileage, publicity or reporting behavior. They are allegations, not defect findings or a reliability score.

Crash mentions
12
Fire mentions
5
Injuries reported
15
Most-reported component labels
POWER TRAIN314
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING81
EQUIPMENT15
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM12
AIR BAGS11
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL10
Complaints across nearby Mazda 626 model years

Totals for the same nameplate, scaled against its highest year here. They are not adjusted for how many were sold, how old they are, how far they are driven, or how much publicity a fault received — an older or better-selling year will usually carry more reports. This shows where the reporting sits, not which year is better.

  1. 3591996
  2. 3581997
  3. 4381998
  4. 3181999
  5. 2172000
  6. 1882001

A dash means NHTSA holds no complaint record for that exact year, make and model. See all 626 years with specs and fuel economy →

03 · Agency review

1 NHTSA ODI investigation

An investigation means ODI reviewed a possible safety issue for this exact model-year identity. Opening one is not a defect finding; closing one does not by itself clear a vehicle.

SQ98024
Closed 1999-09-10 · opened 1998-10-29

SPEEDOMETER INOPERATIVE

NHTSA source ↗

POWER TRAIN · Associated recall campaign 99I005000.

04 · EPA configurations

Fuel economy & specifications

FuelEconomy.gov records are summarized as ranges where this model name has multiple engines, drivetrains or trims.

EPA configurations
4
Combined economy
20–26 mpg/MPGe
City / highway
18–23 / 24–30 mpg/MPGe
Engine displacement
2–2.5 L
Cylinders
4–6
Fuel type
Premium · Regular
Drive
Front-Wheel Drive
Vehicle class
Midsize Cars
Annual fuel-cost estimate
$2500–4000

05 · Evidence strength

Exact identity. Explicit limits.

No opaque score. Evidence strength is expressed through source availability, exact match method, jurisdiction and honest empty states.

exact match

Recall campaigns

6 exact US model-year records in this bounded view.

exact match

Complaints

438 exact US model-year allegations; narratives and VIN fragments are omitted.

exact match

ODI investigations

1 exact US model-year action numbers in the approved import snapshot.

canonical only

Model aliases

Only the exact NHTSA vPIC model name is published; unverified aliases are not merged.

not published

Manufacturer ownership

No rights-reviewed official ownership record is joined to this exact model-year.

PUBLIC EVIDENCE PASSPORT

Identity, freshness and provenance.

The canonical URL is this file’s permanent public identifier. Source IDs and timestamps show exactly what was matched and when; they do not turn the evidence into a verdict.

Permanent public ID
https://modelyearfacts.com/vehicle/1998/mazda/626
NHTSA make ID
473
NHTSA model ID
5471
Match key
1998 · MAZDA · 626 · US
Live evidence requested
EPA publication catalogue
Complaint matrix snapshot
Imported safety snapshot
nhtsa-investigations · exact match

NHTSA ODI investigations

Action number, component, subject and open/close dates from the approved bulk import; long summaries omitted.

Open official source ↗
US-market boundary

Only NHTSA vPIC, NHTSA ODI complaints and investigations, NHTSA recalls and FuelEconomy.gov contribute to this vehicle claim. CPSC equipment notices are searched separately and never joined to vehicle fitment. UK MOT, Canadian, New Zealand and European records are not merged into this US claim.

06 · Research paths

Diagnose first. Confirm fitment.

These are transparent searches, not diagnoses or endorsed parts. Recall remedies come before purchases; exact part fitment requires VIN, trim, powertrain, production date and OE number.

Offers status: held

Awin US and R2 affiliate inventory are not published until a US programme, merchant and exact-fitment projection are approved. No offer currently has both merchant approval and exact vehicle fitment, so commercial links never count as evidence.