Two problems related to service brakes have been reported for the 1997 Mazda 626. The most recently reported issues are listed below.
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.
1997 Mazda 626 his car continues to have transmission problems. All of the problems are intermittent. Occasionally the car will not accelerate even when the rpm's climb. The automatic transmission shifts hard, it slams from gear to gear especially when shifting up a gear. Overdrive slips in and out, the overdrive light flashes when the overdrive slips. There is one isolated incident on a long highway trip where the car would not go above 45. It started to smoke and so I pulled over and shut off the car. I still have not figured out where the transmission fluid came from but when I looked under the hood there was fluid everywhere, as if about a quart of fluid had been sprayed or burst.