The 1988 Mazda 626 has 4 recalls, the most serious involving fuel tank straps that may not be properly tightened, allowing them to rub against the tank until the protective coating wears through and the tank eventually develops a hole and leaks fuel.
On the brake side, the rear brake shoes can work loose from the wheel cylinder piston groove, damaging the dust boot and letting water and grime into the cylinder. Over time this corrodes the piston and reduces rear braking effectiveness, meaning the brakes may not respond as expected when stopping. There is also a door handle concern: the outer front door handles can crack at the point where the handle connects to the latch rod, allowing the rod to fall inward into the path of the window glass. Lowering the window can then press on that rod and push the door open while the vehicle is in motion, as long as the door is unlocked. In cold weather below about minus 18 degrees Celsius, frost can build up inside the throttle body during long highway drives, causing the accelerator pedal to feel unusually heavy and the throttle to return unevenly when the driver eases off the gas.
