Mazda6261998Overview/mazda/626/1998/base/

1998 Mazda 626

Factory specifications, fluid capacities, torque values, EPA fuel economy and the federal safety record for the 1998 626.

Body PASSENGER CAR

The 1998 Mazda 626 is classified as a passenger car, and during that model year it accumulated 438 owner complaints, with the power train being the most frequently cited issue area and six recalls on record. Looking at the broader 1990‑2003 complaint trend, the 1998 figure sits well below the peak of 518 complaints recorded in 1995 but above the low of just nine complaints seen in 2003. This positions the 1998 model as a mid‑range year in terms of reliability within the nameplate’s history, indicating fewer problems than the worst years but more than the best‑performing later models.

Model year200220012000199919981997199619951994

Fitment & sizes

Replacement part sizes and factory part numbers — battery, bulbs, filters and belts.

From the factory this vehicle uses OE oil filter B6Y114302A. Each part links to every other vehicle that shares it, so a part you already stock may fit more of your fleet than you'd expect.

Tail / brake / turnFUSEOEM · verified

OE service part numbers OEM · verified

Engine oil filterB6Y114302A
Engine air filterFSD713Z40
Fuel filterFS1120490B alt FSD820490
Spark plug000018BP01 alt BP0518110
Battery000080058RWB
Front wiper bladesGD7A67330A alt GD7B67330
Serpentine beltKLG415908 alt FS0515907
ThermostatKL0115171A9U

Full specifications

Engine, drivetrain, dimensions and economy.

Dimensions & weight NHTSA vPIC

Overall length187 in
Overall width69.3 in
Overall height55.1 in
Wheelbase105.1 in
Curb weight2798 lb
Track (front / rear)59.1 / 59.4 in
Weight distribution (front / rear)62/38

Performance & power Independent road tests

0–60 mph, quarter-mile, horsepower and torque from independent road tests.

Independent road tests for the 626 of this era, listed by trim and engine — this page spans more than one engine, so no single horsepower figure is shown.

7.5–9.1 sec0–60 mph (tested)quickest 7.50 sec — 1998 LX Sedan
YearTrim / engine0–60¼ mileHPDrivetrain
1998LX Sedan 2.5L V67.50 sec15.80 sec164 hpFWD
1998LX Sedan 2.5L V69.10 sec17.00 sec164 hpFWD
1999LX Sedan 2.5L V67.50 sec15.70 sec170 hpFWD

Service quick specs OEM factory data

Capacities, torques and tune-up values from the factory service manual.

The firing order is 1-2-3-4-5-6.

Lubricants & capacities

Engine CoolantETHYLENE GLYCOL
Engine CoolantDEX-COOL OR EQUIVALENT
Power Steering FluidDEXRON VI OR MERCON V

Engine torques

Crankshaft Pulley and/or Damper Bolts116-123 ft-lbs
Intake Manifold to Engine Bolts11-14 ft-lbs

Ignition

Cylinder Firing Order1-3-4-2
Cylinder Firing Order1-2-3-4-5-6
Curb Idle Speed (No Load)MT: 720, AT: 770 rpm
Curb Idle Speed Variance (No Load)25 rpm
Spark Plug ManufacturerDenso
Spark Plug Gap0.039-0.043 in
Spark Plug Torque11-17 ft-lbs
Spark Plug Gap0.049-0.053 in

Battery & A/C

RefrigerantR134a
Refrigerant Capacity1.66 lbs
Oil GroupPAG
Oil Type100
Oil Capacity8.11 oz

Service checks

Injector Primary Resistance12-16 ohms
Engine Compression119-171 psi
Engine Compression141-202 psi

Brakes

Brake ApplicationWITH REAR DISC / WITH STANDARD
Torque Caliper to Bracket22-28 ft-lbs / 58-75 ft-lbs
Torque to Knuckle34-49 ft-lbs / 65-87 ft-lbs
Brake ApplicationWITH REAR DISC / WITH STANDARD
Rotor Runout Limit0.0039 in
Rotor Nominal Thickness From0.394 in / 0.945 in
Rotor Nominal Thickness To0.394 in / 0.945 in
Rotor Minimum Machining0.3548 in / 0.8988 in

Multi-step torque procedures OEM · verified

Exhaust Manifold to Cylinder Head Bolts — tightening sequence 1 stages
115-22 ft. lbs., step 2: 44-5915–22 ft. lbs

Factory maintenance schedule OEM · verified

Normal service, condensed from the factory interval matrix.

Under the factory schedule, replace the engine oil and filter every 7,500 mi; coolant every 30,000 mi. The big-interval services (every 30,000 mi for coolant, and the transmission fluid) are the ones owners most often skip — on a lower-mileage example, assume the original fluids are still in it and check them first.

Every 5,000 miAccessory Drive Belt (inspect) · Brake Hydraulic System (inspect fluid level) · Exterior Lighting (inspect) · Power Steering System (inspect)
Every 7,500 miEngine Oil (drain & refill) · Engine Oil Filter (replace)
Every 15,000 miBody Fasteners (torque) · Engine Coolant System (leak inspection) · Frame Fasteners (torque) · Tire & Wheel Assembly (rotate)
Every 30,000 miAir Conditioning System (inspect) · Axle Shaft Oil Seal (inspect) · Brake System (inspect) · CV Joint Boot (inspect) · Engine Air Filter Element (replace) · Engine Coolant System (drain, flush & refill)
At 45,000 miEngine Coolant System (drain, flush & refill)
Every 60,000 miFuel Filter (replace) · PCV Hose (inspect) · Timing Belt (replace)
At 90,000 miTiming Belt (inspect)

Reliability & federal safety record

Owner-reported issues, recalls, investigations and service bulletins on record with NHTSA — an unfiltered look at what owners actually experience.

In 1998 the Mazda 626 generated 438 federal complaints, the highest complaint total among the 1990‑2003 model years and exceeding the 379 complaints recorded in 1997 and the 322 complaints recorded in 1999. That same model year also recorded six federal recalls, the most of any year in the series, while investigations numbered only one, lower than the two investigations in 1997 but comparable to the zero investigations in 1999. The dominant complaint categories were Power‑Train (282) and Engine & Engine Cooling (63), together accounting for the majority of the 438 complaints, and the model also generated 12 crash‑related complaints and five fire‑related complaints. Compared with the surrounding years, 1998 sits at the apex of both complaint volume and recall frequency, indicating a concentration of reported deficiencies for that generation. Consequently, while the 1998 Mazda 626 can be found on the market, prospective buyers should weigh the elevated defect reports and consider later‑model years with lower complaint counts before deciding to purchase.

6
Open recalls
NHTSA campaigns
106
Service bulletins
Manufacturer communications
1
ODI investigations
Office of Defects Investigation
438
Owner complaints
12 involved a crash · 5 a fire
Owner complaints by model year NHTSA · this generation & adjacent

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA, by component

All 438 complaints on record, top 8 components.

Power Train282
Engine & Engine Cooling63
Engine & Engine Cooling,Power Train11
Air Bags10
Power Train,Equipment9
Tires8
Vehicle Speed Control6
Unknown Or Other5

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint database.

Recalls NHTSA · verified

Showing 2 of 6 campaigns on record for this vehicle.

15V674000Electrical System:Ignition:SwitchReported 19/10/2015

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… 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…

09E012000Exterior LightingReported 07/04/2009

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… 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…

Technical service bulletins NHTSA · verified

Showing 5 of 106 bulletins on record with NHTSA.

BulletinDateComponentSummary
01-010-222022-09-26Power TrainSome customers may experience a squeaking noise may be heard from the exhaust manifold…
09-024-222022-07-18Electrical SystemIn accordance with Federal regulations, follow the procedure listed below when replacing…
01-006-222022-06-22Electrical SystemThis service bulletin provides testing and charging procedures in order to promote proper…
02-004-222022-05-24SuspensionSome customers may complain of signs of oil on the struts or shock absorbers. In most…
SA-014-222022-03-29EquipmentAccessory instructions can be found on OneMazda under Dealer Resources - Parts &…

Common OBD-II trouble codes

The most common OBD-II codes for this vehicle's emissions system. These are standardized SAE J2012 definitions, not vehicle-specific fault reports.

P0420
Catalyst system efficiency below threshold — Bank 1
P0300
Random / multiple cylinder misfire detected
P0171
System too lean — Bank 1
P0455
Evaporative emission system leak detected — large leak
P0128
Coolant thermostat below regulating temperature
P0442
Evaporative emission system leak detected — small leak

VIN tools

Decode factory build data for a specific vehicle by VIN.

VIN
Decode a VIN to confirm the transmission and build data for a specific 626. OEM
Build data
Plant, GVWR class, engine and body data for any 17-character VIN.
Recalls
Check open recall campaigns against a specific vehicle by VIN.

Vehicles with shared specs

Find every vehicle that shares this one's battery, bulbs, oil capacity, platform or parts.

Reference guides

Cross-vehicle references for the kinds of data on this page.

Frequently asked

Does the 1998 626 have open recalls?

NHTSA lists 6 recall campaign(s) for this model year. Check your specific vehicle by VIN.