1997 MAZDA 626 Equipment Problems

I HAD A COUPON FOR $14.99-OIL CHANGE AND TIRE ROTATION FROM FIRESTONE.COM. I BROUGHT MY CAR INTO THE SHOP...DID NOT ROTATE TIRES AND SAID THEY HAD NO COUPON. I WAS CHARGED MORE THAN THE COUPON. I RELUCTANTLY PAID THE BILL. I THEN DROVE TO LAKEVILLE, MN...ON MY WAY TO VISIT FATHER IN BATESVILLE, AR. I NOTICED A STRANGE SMELL AND ALMOST THE SAME TIME MY CAR POPPED OUT OF GEAR. SO I PULLED OFF I-35 AND CHECKED THE OIL. THE CAP WAS NOT ON CORRECTLY, (1 1/2 TURNS THEN IT WAS TIGHTENED) I CALLED FIRESTONE IMMEDIATELY TO REPORT THE CAP AND SMELL. MY DIPSTICK READ FULL...I WAS NOT ABLE TO CHECK THE TRANNY FLUID SINCE IT IS BELOW (MANUAL TRANSMISSION), BUT WAS ASSURED BY FIRESTONE THEY CHECK THE LEVEL WITH AN OIL CHANGE. LONG STORY SHORT...I HAVE HAD TO REPLACE MY OILPAN AND TRANSMISSION. NOW TODAY THERE IS NO FLUID...

LEMON - THIS CAR HAS HAD PROBLEMS SINCE I BOUGHT IT. EVERYTHING FROM TRANSMISSION TO COMPUTER TO TIMING BELTS TO POWER STEERING PROBLEMS. AT ABOUT 70,000 MILES I HAD IT FIXED AGAIN UNDER WARRANTY AND SINCE THEN I'VE HAD TO PAY FOR ALL REPAIRS. LAST YEAR IT WAS THE RADIATOR I GUESS THINGS WEAR OUT BUT IT TOOK MAZDA 2 TRIES TO FIX IT. THIS YEAR I GOT A CHECK ENGINE LIGHT FOR SOMETHING CALLED THE IDOL AIR CONTROL VALVE AND THE POWER STEERING SOMETHING OR OTHER. THIS SOUNDS FAMILIAR AND THE SYMPTOMS ARE SOMETHING I'VE EXPERIENCED BEFORE. AFTER REPLACING THE IDOL AIR CONTROL VALVE IT THE PROBLEM DIDN'T GO AWAY AND I WAS TOLD IT WOULD COST 3500 FOR A NEW TRANSMISSION. I MADE THE MISTAKE OF TRYING TO FIX IT. I TOOK IT TO AAMCO AND I FEEL REALLY BAD NOW BECAUSE AFTER 3 TRIES THEY STILL HAVEN'T...

I HAVE HAD NUMEROUS TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS WITH MY 1997 MAZDA 626. I HAVE REPORTED IT TO MAZDA CORP. AND NO ACTION HAS BEEN TAKEN. MY TRANSMISSION FAILED FOR THE FIRST TIME IN AUG. 2002, A GA MAZDA DEALER ADMITTED THAT MAZDA IS AWARE THAT THE THIS YEAR MAKE & MODEL HAD TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS. DUE TO THIS ADMISSION MY TRANSMISSION WAS REPLACED AND I SPLIT THE COST 50/50 WITH THE DEALER. NOW TWO PLUS YEARS LATER, I AM TOLD TODAY BY A CA MAZDA DEALER THAT MY TRANSMISSION IS GOING OUT AGAIN. THE CA MAZDA DELAER ALSO ADMITS THAT THIS YEAR MAKE & MODEL HAS A KNOWN TRANSMISSION PROBLEM, BUT WARRANTS THAT TECHNICALLY IT IS NOT THE RESPONSIBILITY OF THE DEALER TO OFFER SUCH INFORMATION...BUT ONLY TO TRY TO FIX THE PROBLEM AT HAND. THEY STATED THEY WERE BEING NICE BY TELLING ME TO NOT PUT ANY MORE MONEY INTO THE...

TRANSMISSION REPLACEMENT ON 1997, MAZDA 626-THIS WILL BE MY THIRD TRANSMISSION IN FOUR YEARS. *AK

IN ADDITION TO SMELLING GAS - THE RADIO AND ANTENNA DOESN'T WORK. NOW THE SUNROOF WON'T CLOSE ALL THE WAY. THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT COMES ON MORE OFTEN THAN NOT SINCE I HAD THE CAR. THE KEY SOMETIMES WON'T FIT INTO DOOR LOCK AND EVEN THOUGH THE CAR LOOKS BRAND NEW AND HAS BEEN WELL TAKEN CARE OFF - IT JUST SEEMS TO FALL APART. THE GLOVE COMPARTMENT LOCK FELL APART BUT THE BIGGEST THING IS THE SUNROOF WON'T CLOSE ALL THE WAY. THIS IS MY 3RD MAZDA AND I WILL NEVER BUY ANOTHER ONE.