NHTSA Complaint #10185787 — 1998 MAZDA 626

WE ARE COMPLAINING ABOUT OUR 1998 MAZDA 626 BECAUSE THE TRANSMISSION FAILED WITH ONLY 76,691 MILES ON THE CAR. WE ARE THE ORIGINAL OWNERS, SO THAT MILEAGE IS CORRECT. THE TOTAL COST TO HAVE IT REBUILT WAS $2,222.87. HAD THIS HAPPENED ON THE HIGHWAY IN HEAVY TRAFFIC, THERE CERTAINLY WOULD HAVE BEEN A HORRIBLE ACCIDENT WITH SERIOUS, IF NOT FATAL INJURIES. WHEN WE LOOKED ON THE INTERNET, WE FOUND MANY OTHER PEOPLE COMPLAINING OF TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS. THE PROBLEM, WHICH MAZDA IS AWARE OF IS, IT THAT THEY PUT A FORD TRANSMISSION IN THE MAZDA 626, BUT THIS TRANSMISSION WAS MEANT FOR A SMALLER, LIGHTER CAR, WHICH IS THE REASON FOR THE OVERHEATING AND EVENTUAL TRANSMISSION FAILURE. THEIR BULLETIN TSB# 0500502.ADDRESSES THIS PROBLEM. MAZDA HAS REFUSED TO REPLACE THESE TRANSMISSIONS OR COMPENSATE OWNERS FOR THIS PROBLEM. SINCE THIS TRANSMISSION FAILURE HAPPENS VERY SUDDENLY, IT IS ONLY A MATTER OF TIME BEFORE SOMEONE IS GRAVELY INJURED OR KILLED IN AN ACCIDENT ON A BUSY HIGHWAY. PLEASE MAKE MAZDA DO THE RIGHT THING!*AK