NHTSA Owner Complaint Log
This page lists owner-reported complaints filed with NHTSA for the 2004 Mazda RX-8. Complaints are unverified consumer reports submitted to NHTSA and do not by themselves prove a defect or defect rate.
Data synced from NHTSA on May 4, 2026
WHILE DRIVING THE CAR, THE POWER STEERING HAS REPEATEDLY FAILED. THE MAZDA DEALER SAID THE PROBABLE CAUSE WAS THE STEERING CONTROL MODULE, HOWEVER THEY WOULD NOT GUARANTEE CHANGING THE PART ( $1600 DOLLARS PARTS AND LABOR ) WOULD FIX THE PROBLEM. THIS IS A COMMON DEFECT IN THESE CARS. THE CAR WAS PURCHASED IN OCTOBER 2010. *TR
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 MAZDA RX8. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE ENGINE WAS LEAKING OIL WHICH CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO NOT START. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER WHO STATED THAT THE ENGINE BURNED DUE TO NEGLECT AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE CONTACT CALLED THE MANUFACTURER WHO OFFERED NO ASSISTANCE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 94,000. UPDATED 03/31/11*LJ UPDATED 12/28/2011 *LN
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 MAZDA RX-8. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FRONT DRIVERS SIDE TIRE WAS BEING REPLACED BY AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHEN THE MECHANIC STATED THAT THE FRONT DRIVERS LOWER CONTROL ARM WAS CRACKED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER, WHERE THE DEALER STATED THAT THE RECALL ASSOCIATED WITH NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 05V325000 (SUSPENSION: FRONT: CONTROL ARM: LOWER BALL JOINT) WAS CLOSED AND THE REPAIRS WOULD BE COVERED UNDER A WARRANTY PRICE. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 49,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 50,000.
MY POWER STEERING LIGHT COMES OFF AND ON RANDOMLY. WHEN THE LIGHT COMES ON MY POWER STEERING DOES NOT WORK, WHICH IN MOST CASES I AM ALREADY ON THE ROAD AND THIS IS VERY UNSAFE. THE POWER STEERING COMES AND GOES, SOMETIMES IT LAST FOR A COUPLE DAYS BEFORE IT TURNS OFF BUT MOST OF THE TIME IT DOES NOT WORK AT ALL. I HAVE ALREADY TAKEN IT TO THE DEALER AND THEY SAY ITS THE RACK, WHICH I SPENT OVER $1000 TO REPLACE AND IT STILL DOES NOT WORK. I HAVE ABOUT 15 FRIENDS WITH THIS SAME CAR AND THEY HAVE ALL HAD THE SAME ISSUE. MAZDA NEEDS TO FIX THIS BEFORE A WRECK HAPPENS WHEN SOMEONES POWER STEERING GOES OFF WHILE THEY ARE DRIVING 70 MPH DOWN THE INTERSTATE. *TR
THE FAULTY OIL INJECTOR RELEASES EXCESS OIL AND AS A RESULT DROWNS THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER AND SPARK PLUGS. BECAUSE OF THIS THE CAR EATS THROUGH SPARK PLUGS AND WHEN RUNNING AT A LOW RPM THE CAR WILL SHUT DOWN WHICH HAS HAPPENED ON NUMEROUS OCCASIONS AND IN THE MIDDLE OF TRAFFIC. WITH THIS KNOWLEDGE MAZDA PUT OUT A RECALL (4206F) TO REPLACE THE SPARK PLUGS, CATALYTIC CONVERTER, AND PERHAPS EVEN THE ENGINE. MY CAR WAS TESTED AND THE LOCAL DEALERSHIP FOUND THAT IT FALLS WITHIN THE RECALL. MAZDA HEADQUARTERS ISN'T HONORING THE RECALL OR THE DEALER'S FINDINGS AND IS SAYING THAT IT IS A MAINTENANCE ISSUE AND WILL THEREFORE NOT REPLACE OR REPAIR ANYTHING. *TR
THE CLUTCH PEDAL ON MY 2004 MAZDA RX8 STARTED MAKING A NOTICEABLE SQUEAKING NOISE CONSTANTLY FOR ABOUT 3 WEEKS. AT ONE POINT WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE AT AROUND 50 MPH, IT MADE A LOUD CRACKING SOUND AND I NOTICED THE CLUTCH PEDAL BECAME IMMEDIATELY LOOSE WHICH MADE IT DIFFICULT TO CONTROL THE GEARS. IT CAUSED THE CLUTCH PEDAL TO STOP WORKING AND THUS IMPEDING MY ABILITY TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE AND CONTROL ITS SPEED. THE CONSEQUENCE OF THIS FAILURE COULD OF CAUSED AN ACCIDENT IF THE VEHICLE WAS TRAVELING AT A HIGHER SPEED AND/OR ON THE HIGHWAY. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 MAZDA RX8. THE CONTACT STATED THE COVER FOR THE AIR BAGS WAS BEGINNING TO FRACTURE ALONG THE BRACKETS. THE DEALER INSPECTED THE VEHICLE AND CONFIRMED THAT THE AIR BAG BRACKET WAS FRACTURING BUT WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 40,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 43,000. UPDATED 03/29/11 *BF UPDATED 05/04/11
I OWN A 2004 MAZDA RX8 WITH MANUAL TRANSMISSION. I HAD MY CLUTCH PEDAL BREAK WHILE DRIVING. I ORIGINALLY THOUGH OF IT AS AN ISOLATED CASE DUE TO A BAD COMPONENT. I HAD THE CLUTCH REPLACED AT MY OWN COST BUT THIS PART HAS BROKEN AGAIN TODAY. WHILE SEARCHING FOR COMMON ISSUES I HAVE FOUND QUITE A FEW OTHER PEOPLE REPORTING THE SAME PROBLEM. THIS PART BROKE WHILE DRIVING ON A LOCAL ROAD BUT THIS CAME WITH NO WARNING. HAD THIS HAPPENED ON A BUSY STREET OR THE HIGHWAY IT MAY HAVE BEEN A DIFFERENT ISSUE. THIS PART SEEMS TO BE OF VERY POOR QUALITY AS IT HAS BROKEN FROM THE SAME PLACE AGAIN. *TR
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 MAZDA RX8. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 20 MPH HE DEPRESSED THE CLUTCH AND HEARD A LOUD POPPING NOISE BEFORE STOPPING THE VEHICLE. WHEN HE ATTEMPTED TO ACCELERATE FROM THE STOP POSITION HE REALIZED THAT HE HAD TO DEPRESS THE CLUTCH ALL THE WAY TO THE FLOOR IN ORDER FOR IT TO ENGAGE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO HER RESIDENCE WHERE HE NOTICED THAT THE CLUTCH PEDAL HAD DETACHED FROM ITS HINGE. THE VEHICLE WAS EXAMINED FOR THE CAUSE OF FAILURE, AND IT WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 51,500.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 MAZDA RX8. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE ENGINE WAS EXHIBITING A DECREASE IN POWER AND WAS SPORADICALLY SLOW TO START. THE DEALER ADVISED THE CONTACT THAT THE ENGINE HAD LOW COMPRESSION AND WOULD NEED A MOTOR REPLACEMENT. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED AND THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE DEALER DENIED THE REPAIR UNDER AN EXTENDED WARRANTY. THE MANUFACTURER ADVISED THE CONTACT THAT THEY WOULD CONSULT WITH THE DEALER AND CONTACT HIM AT A LATER DATE. THE MANUFACTURER OFFERED NO FURTHER ASSISTANCE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 99,130.
I WAS PULLING OUT ON A MAIN STRETCH OF ROAD WITH BUSY TRAFFIC AS I PUSHED IN THE CLUTCH ON MY 2004 MAZDA RX8 THE CLUTCH PEDAL ASSEMBLY BROKE AND I COULD NOT GET THE CAR INTO GEAR. I PAID 400+ DOLLARS TO GET THE CLUTCH PEDAL ASSEMBLY REPLACED AND RAN FOR ABOUT 20,000 MILES AND NOW THE TRANNY WILL NOT ENGAGE AGAIN. *TR
VEHICLE CAN TURN LEFT ON ITS OWN WITH A FAULTY POWER STEERING RACK AND/OR CONTROL MODULE. *TR
MY 2004 MAZDA, HAS 60K MILES ON IT. ALREADY HAVE HAD ENGINE FAILURE, LEAVING ME STRANDED ON A BUSY HIGHWAY. EXPERIENCED ISSUES WITH THE HEAT SHIELD AND SENSORS. NOW MY CLUTCH PEDAL BRACKET IS APPARENTLY BROKEN, IT STARTED OFF SQUEAKING LOUDLY AND EMBARRASSINGLY. SOUNDED LIKE IT NEEDED SOME WD40 OR SOMETHING, ALSO LEANING INWARD TOWARD THE BRAKE, CAUSING ME TO SOMETIMES INADVERTENTLY DEPRESS THE BRAKE ALONG WITH THE CLUTCH. IT SOON AFTER COMPLETELY BROKE, DEPRESSING NEARLY TO THE FLOOR AND LEAVING ME STRANDED ONCE AGAIN ON THE EXPRESSWAY. I KNOW I'M NOT DRIVING A BMW/AUDI/MERCEDES ETC. BUT I'M ALSO NOT DRIVING A KIA, YET MY ROOMMATES KIA HAS FAR LESS PROBLEMS AND ISN'T LEFT WITHOUT A CAR NEARLY AS OFTEN AS I AM. *TR
THE PEDAL ASSEMBLY STAR MAKING NOISE WHEN YOU DEPRESSING THE CLUTCH. CAUSING THE PEDAL ASSEMBLY BROKE AND MAKE DON'T ENGAGE . *TR
ON SUNDAY SEPTEMBER 5TH @ APPROX 5:30PM, I WAS DRIVING ON A LOCAL ROAD. DEPRESSED THE CLUTCH PEDAL BEFORE SHIFTING GEARS. IMMEDIATELY AFTER THE PEDAL WAS FULLY DEPRESSED, I HEARD SOMETHING BREAK. I PULLED OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. FROM THAT MOMENT ON, I WAS NOT ABLE TO PUT THE CAR INTO GEAR. UPON FURTHER INVESTIGATION BY MYSELF, I HAD FOUND THAT THE METAL BRACKET WHICH SECURES THE CLUTCH PEDAL, HAD SPLIT/CRACKED. THIS MADE THE CLUTCH PEDAL LOOSE AND IT WAS NO LONGER IN PROPER ALIGNMENT (WAS ABLE TO MOVE THE CLUTCH PEDAL WITH MY FOOT OR HAND LATERALLY A FEW INCHES.) DUE TO THE NATURE OF THIS FAILURE, I WAS UNABLE TO PUT THE TRANSMISSION IN GEAR (EVEN WITH CLUTCH PEDAL FULLY DEPRESSED).....THIS MADE THE CAR INOPERABLE. THE ENGINE WOULD START WITH THE CLUTCH FULLY DEPRESSED AND THE IGNITION TURNED TO THE START POSITION, BUT THE CLUTCH WOULD NOT ALLOW ME TO PUT THE TRANSMISSION INTO ANY GEAR. *TR
I OWN A 2004 MAZDA RX-8. AS I WAS TURNING RIGHT IN SECOND GEAR, I DEPRESSED THE CLUTCH PEDAL AND THEN HEARD A LOUD SNAP. THE PEDAL ASSEMBLY IS NOW VERY LOOSE AND NOT WHAT I WOULD CONSIDER STRUCTURALLY SOUND. WHEN I GOT HOME, I NOTICED THAT THE LEFT SIDE OF THE CLUTCH PEDAL BRACKET HAD SNAPPED. THIS HAS CAUSED THE PEDAL ASSEMBLY TO EASILY MOVE FROM LEFT TO RIGHT. *TR
CLUTCH PEDAL ASSEMBLY SNAPPED OFF AT ONE OF THE WELD POINTS. THE WELDS ARE TOO WEAK AND THE METAL IS TOO THIN. THIS IS HAPPENING TO EVERYONE WHO OWNS AN RX8. MY CAR IS A 2004 WITH 56K MILES. I AM AN OLDER MALE AND MY CAR IS DRIVEN VERY SENSIBLY AND WITH NO ABUSE. PLEASE DO NOT WAIT FOR SOMEONE TO BE SERIOUSLY INJURED OR KILLED BEFORE MAZDA IS REQUIRED TO RECALL AND PROPERLY UPGRADE THESE CLUTCH PEDALS. I HAD TWO SMALL KIDS IN THE CAR AND THANKFULLY WAS ABLE TO GET OUT OF HARMS WAY WHEN THE PEDAL SNAPPED. *TR
DRIVING DOWN THE HIGHWAY AND VEHICLE LOST ENGINE COMPRESSION IN TRAFFIC. ALMOST WAS REARENDED. *TR
I OWN A 2004 MAZDA RX-8. I NOTICED THERE WAS OIL LEAKING FROM THE VEHICLE WHILE IT WAS PARKED IN MY DRIVEWAY. I TOOK IT TO A MAZDA DEALERSHIP TO BE REPAIRED. THE OIL HOSE WAS BADLY CORRODED AND RUSTED, CAUSING IT TO LEAK OIL ONTO THE TIRES, BRAKES, AND ROAD. THE OIL HOSE AND GASKETS HAD TO BE REPLACED WITH NEW PARTS, COSTING OVER $600.00. MAZDA CANADA HAS RE-CALLED THE OIL HOSES ON THE RX-8 IN CANADA BECAUSE ROAD SALT WAS TENDING TO CAUSE CORROSION OF THE OIL HOSE. HOWEVER, MAZDA USA REFUSES TO RE-CALL. *TR
DURING A STOP AT A TRAFFIC LIGHT, I TRIED TO ENGAGE INTO 1ST GEAR, STEPPING ON THE CLUTCH AS USUAL, AND ALL OF A SUDDEN, I HEARD A LOUD "POP" COMING FROM UNDERNEATH THE CLUTCH, AND ALSO FELT THE CLUTCH PEDAL HAS DROPPED TO THE FLOOR AND I COULD NOT ENGAGE INTO ANY GEAR, I PUT MY HAZARD LIGHTS AND FORTUNATELY I WAS ABLE TO FORCE IT INTO 1ST GEAR AND MANAGE TO DRIVE HOME, THE PART HAS NOT BEEN REPLACED AS IT WAS JUST HAPPENED ON AUG 20 AROUND 11:00 PM. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 MAZDA RX8. THE CONTACT WAS ATTEMPTING TO CHANGE A TIRE WHEN THE BALL JOINT FRACTURED IN HIS HAND. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A LOCAL REPAIR FACILITY WHERE REPAIRS WERE MADE TO THE BALL JOINT. THE MANUFACTURER ADVISED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS SERVICED BY THE PREVIOUS OWNER UNDER NHTSA RECALL CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER: 05V325000 (SUSPENSION LOWER BALL JOINTS) IN 2005 AND WOULD NOT PROVIDE ANY ASSISTANCE. THERE WERE NO FURTHER REPAIRS. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 110,683.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 MAZDA RX8. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 50 MPH WHEN THE CHECK ENGINE WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE DEALER ADVISED THAT THE SHUTTER VALVE WOULD NEED REPLACING. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 74,800 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 74,820.
I WENT TO START MY VEHICLE AS I PUSHED THE CLUTCH PEDAL IN AND TURNED THE KEY IT STARTED BUT WHEN I RELEASED THE PEDAL IT STAYED HALF WAY DOWN AND MOVED TOWARDS THE RIGHT, RESULTING IN POOR SHIFT QUALITY AND A WEAK CLUTCH. *TR
MY 2004 MAZDA RX-8'S CLUTCH PEDAL BRACKET HAS BROKEN. I TOOK MY VEHICLE IN TO MY LOCAL MAZDA DEALERSHIP FOR SOME CLUTCH PROBLEMS I HAVE BEEN HAVING WITH THE CLUTCH NOT ENGAGING OR DISENGAGING PROPERLY AND THE FIRST THING THEY LOOKED AT WAS MY CLUTCH PEDAL BRACKET. IT TURNS OUT THAT THIS IS WHAT WAS CAUSING ALL OF MY PROBLEMS. THE BRACKET THAT HOLDS THE CLUTCH PEDAL ASSEMBLY TO THE FIREWALL BROKE ALONG THE WELDS FROM THE MANUFACTURER. THE TECH TOLD ME IS A VERY COMMON PROBLEM WITH 04 RX-8'S AND IT IS USUALLY MISDIAGNOSED AS A CLUTCH FAILURE. THIS IS A REALLY BIG PROBLEM AS THE BRACKET BRAKING CAUSES THE CLUTCH TO NOT FULLY ENGAGE OR DISENGAGE WHICH LEADS TO PREMATURE CLUTCH FAILURE AND CAN ALSO BE AS EXTREME AS THE CLUTCH PEDAL COMPLETELY BREAKING OFF AND OBVIOUSLY THAT WOULD BE A SERIOUS SAFETY HAZARD. I HAD TO HAVE MY CLUTCH REPLACED AS WELL DUE TO THE EXTRA WEAR CAUSE BY NOT FULLY ENGAGING AND DISENGAGING. MY CAR HAS EVEN STALLED IN INTERSECTIONS AFTER A LIGHT TURNS GREEN BECAUSE THE CLUTCH WOULD FULLY ENGAGE TO SHIFT INTO 1ST PROPERLY. *TR
LOSS OF POWER STEERING. RESTART ENGINE OK. HAPPENED TWICE AGAIN SINCE THEN, SAME SOLUTION. *TR
CLUTCH PEDAL BROKEN WHILE DRIVING ON HIGHWAY. ASSEMBLY SNAPPED AT HIGHWAY SPEED. *TR
1. NORMAL DAILY DRIVING RESULTED IN CLUTCH FAILURE. 2. HEARD A "POP" WHILE DEPRESSING CLUTCH PEDAL AND CLUTCH BECAME "SPONGY". SINCE THEN IT AS CONSTANTLY OCCURRED AND NOW THE CLUTCH WILL NOT RELEASE. IT HAS ALSO BEEN DIFFICULT TO GET THE SHIFTER INTO GEAR. CLUTCH PEDAL BRACKET HAS COME APART AT ONE OF THE WELDS. 3. NOTHING HAS BEEN DONE YET TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM, BUT I WILL HAVE TO REPLACE THE CLUTCH PEDAL ASSEMBLY WITH A REINFORCED ONE TO FIX THE ISSUE. *TR
UPON NORMAL CLUTCH OPERATION WHILE DRIVING, A LOUD SNAP WAS HEARD AND THEN THE CLUTCH PEDAL STOPPED FUNCTIONING CAUSING ME TO BE UNABLE TO CHANGE GEARS. ONCE STOPPED, THE CAR WOULD START AGAIN BUT THE CLUTCH PEDAL WOULD NOT ALLOW ME TO PUT THE CAR IN GEAR. THE PEDAL WAS NOW MOVING TOWARDS THE RIGHT WHEN STEPPED ON. UPON INSPECTION IT APPEARS THAT PART OF THE PEDAL BRACKET HAD SNAPPED AND CAUSED THE CLUTCH TO MALFUNCTION. I HAD TO TURN OFF THE CAR AND PUT IT IN FIRST GEAR, THEN RESTART THE CAR IN ORDER TO DRIVE IT. I GOT IT HOME SAFE AND THEN TOWED IT TO THE NEAREST MAZDA DEALERSHIP AND SPENT $310 ON A NEW CLUTCH PEDAL. IF I WAS ON A BUSY ROAD I WOULD HAVE HAD AN ACCIDENT. I HAVE THE BAD PART IF YOU WANT IT FOR INSPECTION! *TR
I OWN A MAZDA RX8 AND I HAVE HAD SO MANY PROBLEMS WITH IT, I WOULD COME TO A STOP AND IT WILL STALL, CAN'T START IT BACK UP AND HAVE TO HAVE IT TOWED TO THE SHOP. I WILL DRIVE IT TO THE STORE AND COME BACK OUT TO LEAVE AND IT WILL NOT START, HAVE TO HAVE IT TOWED. HAVE HAD THE ENGINE REPLACED ONE TIME ALREADY AND IT STILL HAS ALL THE SAME PROBLEMS. I CAN NOT DRIVE IT NOW BECAUSE IT IS COMPLETELY DEAD AND WILL NOT START IT HAS BEEN IN THIS CONDITION FOR ALMOST A MONTH. MAZDA MOST OF THE TIME SAYS THEY CAN NOT DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM AND AS SOON AS I LEAVE MY CAR WOULD BREAK DOWN ON THE WAY HOME. IF YOU GO TO THE WEB SITE HTTP://FORUMS.AUTOMOTIVE.COM/70/6305605/MAZDA/RX-8-LAWSUIT/PAGE4.HTML YOU WILL SEE THAT THIS CAR IS JUST A DEATH TRAP AND SO MANY PEOPLE ARE HAVING ALL THE SAME PROBLEMS WITH THIS CAR THAT I AM. PLEASE DO SOMETHING ABOUT THIS. I AM NOT A WEALTHY PERSON AND CAN NOT AFFORD TO BE TAKEN ADVANTAGE OF LIKE THIS. I PAID $23,000 FOR THIS CAR AND IT IS COSTING ME AN ARM AND A LEG TO KEEP IT RUNNING. I DO NOT OWN ANOTHER CAR. *TR
THE CLUTCH PEDAL BRACKET BROKE WHEN DEPRESSING THE CLUTCH PEDAL. *TR
MAZDA 2004 RX-8. CLUTCH PEDAL BRACKET SNAPPED. LUCKILY I WAS STARTING THE CAR WHEN IT BROKE. HAD THIS HAPPENED WHEN I WAS MOVING, I MAY NOT HAVE BEEN ABLE TO SLOW DOWN SINCE THE CLUTCH PEDAL NOW MOVES SIDEWAYS AND CAN INTERFERE WITH THE BRAKE PEDAL. *TR
MY 2004 MAZDA RX-8 ONLY HAS 53,000 MILES ON IT AND IS AGAIN IN THE SHOP DUE TO MANUFACTURER-RELATED ENGINE FAILURE. THIS IS THE SECOND TIME IN LESS THAN 1 YEAR I'VE BEEN LEFT STRANDED IN HAZARDOUS CIRCUMSTANCES BECAUSE OF ENGINE FAILURE. I'VE ALSO EXPERIENCED POWER STEERING FAILURE AND LOSS OF ENGINE COMPRESSION/ENGINE MISFIRES WHILE DRIVING ON MULTIPLE OCCASIONS. AS A RESULT, I'M BECOMING INCREASINGLY CONCERNED FOR MY SAFETY, AS WELL AS FOR THE SAFETY OF OTHERS WHO OWN/OPERATE THIS TYPE OF MAZDA VEHICLE. PLEASE CONSIDER ORGANIZING A CLASS-ACTION LAWSUIT AGAINST MAZDA TO HOLD THEM ACCOUNTABLE FOR PUTTING MANY VALUABLE LIVES AT RISK. *TR
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 MAZDA RX-8. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE IGNITION CYLINDER ON THE VEHICLE MALFUNCTIONED. THE ENGINE WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 55 MPH AND THE VEHICLE STALLED. AN EXCESSIVE AMOUNT OF SMOKE WAS ALSO BELLOWING FROM UNDERNEATH THE VEHICLE. THE DEALER STATED THAT RAW GAS WAS BEING DUMPED INTO THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER WHICH CAUSED A FIRE TO OCCUR IN THE WIRING HARNESS. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER AND WHO STATED THAT THE WIRING HARNESS AND THE IGNITION CYLINDER NEEDED TO BE REPLACED AT THE OWNERS EXPENSE. THE DEALER CALLED THE MAZDA DISTRICT REPRESENTATIVE TO DISCUSS THE FAILURE AND THEY STATED THAT THERE WAS NOTHING THEY COULD DO. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. MAZDA FILED CASE NUMBER 130341420 REGARDING THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 43,358.
I HAVE A MAZDA RX-8 2004 I DISCOVERED THAT MY CLUTCH PEDAL BRACKET HAD BROKEN AWAY FROM FIREWALL AND HAS CAUSED A SAFETY ISSUE AS SUCH IF IM DECELERATING I CANNOT TAKE IT OUT OF GEAR THUS COULD CAUSE A SERIOUS ACCIDENT OPPOSITE FOR ACCELERATING AND THE INABILITY TO GO INTO ANY GEAR OR REVERSE. IM IN THE MILITARY AND UPON MY SUPERIORS ORDERS AM NO LONGER ALLOWED TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE UNTIL REPAIR WHICH IS MY ONLY TRANSPORTATION. THIS IS NOT PART OF REGULAR MAINTENANCE. *TR
NHTSA ACTION NUMBER : PE09045 AS INDICATED IN THE ABOVE COMPLAINT, MY CLUTCH PEDAL ASSEMBLY SNAPPED THIS WHILE DRIVING. I DEPRESSED THE PEDAL, HEARD A LOUD POP AND THE PEDAL BECAME PERMANENTLY DEPRESSED WITH THE LACK OF ABILITY TO ENGAGE GEARS IN A SAFE MANNER. I CALLED THE DEALERSHIP AND THEY STATED THAT THIS IS A NORMAL WEAR ISSUE AND I AM OUT OF WARRANTY. THE VEHICLE HAS 60,000 MILES ON IT AND HAS NOT BEEN DRIVEN HARD FOR THE PERIOD THAT I HAVE OWNED IT. I WAS ABLE TO FORCIBLY SHIFT GEARS AND MAKE IT HOME AFTER THE INCIDENT. THIS SEEMS LIKE AM EXTREMELY DANGEROUS SITUATION FOR ANY DRIVER IF THE CLUTCH WERE TO MOVE UNKNOWINGLY BEHIND THE BRAKE AND HINDER THE ABILITY TO STOP. *TR
2004 MAZDA RX8 MANUAL TRANSMISSION. THE CLUTCH PEDAL BRACKET HAS RIPPED AT THE UPPER OUTBOARD BOLT TO FIREWALL. THE CLUTCH PEDAL RETURN SPRING INBOARD RETAINER CLIP HAS BROKEN OFF,OUTBOARD CLIP IS INTACT BUT HAS MULTIPLE FRACTURES. THE RETURN SPRING HAS WORN INTO THE BRACKET ABOUT 7 MM. VEHICLE OWNER STATED THERE WAS A SNAP LIKE NOISE AND THE PEDAL FELL TO THE FLOOR. THE VEHICLE LOST ITS ABILITY TO SHIFT. I HAVE VERIFIED THAT THE VEHICLE WILL NOT SHIFT INTO ANY GEAR.. UNLESS YOU HAVE IT IN FIRST WHEN TRYING TO START IT. EVEN WITH CLUTCH PRESSED IN, THE STARTER WILL FORCE THE VEHICLE FORWARD. THE BRACKET TO FIREWALL TEAR IS ABOUT 3 INCHES LONG. *TR
POWER STEERING FAILURE. *TR
EVERYTHING STARTED FINE. WHILE DRIVING MY CLUTCH PEDAL FAILED ON ME AND I WAS UNABLE TO PROPERLY MANEUVER THE VEHICLE. CLUTCH PEDAL STICKS TO THE GROUND AND THE GEARS GET STUCK AND I HAVE TO RIP THEM OUT. IT HAPPENED ONCE, BECAUSE NOW THE CAR IS INOPERABLE. TO CORRECT THE FAILURE I'M GOING TO REPLACE CLUTCH PEDAL BRACKET ASSEMBLY AND POSSIBLY AN NEW CLUTCH ALTOGETHER. *TR
THE CLUTCH PEDAL BRACKET IN MY RX8 CRACKED. I WAS IN CITY TRAFFIC WHEN I HEARD A SNAP AND MY CLUTCH PEDAL BECAME MUCH LOOSER. ABOUT TWO WEEKS LATER I HEARD ANOTHER SNAP AND COULD BARELY SHIFT MY CAR AT ALL. IT CAUSED ME TO STALL IN THE MIDDLE OF A BUSY INTERSECTION. UNABLE TO MOVE OR START MY CAR. *TR
THE CLUTCH PEDAL ASSEMBLY HAS BROKEN CAUSING THE CLUTCH TO BE COMPLETELY DEPRESSED FOR THE CLUTCH TO ENGAGE. THIS HAPPENED AFTER NORMAL DRIVING CONDITIONS. THE REPAIR CONSISTED OF INSTALLATION OF A NEW ASSEMBLY. IF THE ASSEMBLY FAILED WHEN BROKEN THE CAR MAY NOT HAVE BEEN ABLE TO BE PUT IN GEAR RESULTING IN AN ACCIDENT. *TR
MY CLUTCH ASSEMBLY ON MY 2004 MAZDA RX8 JUST SNAPPED TODAY AS I WAS DRIVING. ITS IS THE SAME ISSUE THAT CAN BE FOUND IN NHTSA ACTION NUMBER PE09045. *TR
MY MAZDA RX8 DRIVERS DOOR LATCH BECAME DEFECTIVE. YOU CAN'T OPEN THE DOOR UNLESS YOU CLIMB OUT THE PASSENGER SIDE. A LOT OF MAZDA RX8 OWNERS HAVE HAD SIMILAR COMPLAINTS. YOU CAN GO ON RX8CLUB.COM AND SEE FOR YOURSELF. I HAVE BROUGHT IT TO MANY PLACES TO TRY TO HAVE IT FIXED AND NO ONE CAN DUE TO THE DESIGN OF THE DOOR. IF I WAS INVOLVED IN A ACCIDENT THERE WOULD BE NO WAY FOR ME TO ESCAPE THE VEHICLE. THIS IS VERY DANGEROUS AND I HAVE CALLED MAZDA TO COMPLAIN AND THEY ESSENTIALLY LAUGHED AT ME AND SAID I WAS ON MY OWN. IF I HAD ENOUGH MONEY I WOULD SUE THEM BECAUSE I HAVE A LEGITIMATE CASE. PLEASE KEEP IN MIND THAT THIS HAS EFFECTED HUNDREDS OF MAZDA RX8 OWNERS AND I AM NOT THE ONLY ONE. PLEASE INVESTIGATE THIS! SOMEONE IS GOING TO BE SERIOUSLY INJURED OR KILLED DUE TO THE FAILURE OF THE LATCH SYSTEM AND THE DESIGN FLAW THAT PREVENTS YOU FROM FIXING IT WITHOUT RIPPING THE DOOR OFF! *TR
CHECK ENGINE LIGHT COMING ON AFTER A FUEL FILLUP GO OFF AFTER DRIVEN PROBLEM STARTED LATE 2005 EARLY 2006 IN AND OUT OF SHOP CLEARED CODES REPLACED FUEL CAP, UPPER INTAKE, VACUUM PUMP, LATE 2007 THEY CLEARED CODES CLAIMED TO HAVE TIGHTENED A LOOSE CAP, AND STATED IF IT CAME BACK ON WILL NEED FUURTHER DIAGNOSES AT ADDITIONAL COST. I HAVE 8 INVOICES RANGING FROM PROGRAMMING PCM CLEARING CODES ONE FROM 2006 PRINTED ON THE INVOICE, CUSTOMER STATES CAME BACK ON SAME NIGHT SEEMS TO COME ON AFTER FILLUP. THAT WAS WHEN THE VEHICLE HAD LESS THAN 40,000 MILES. NOW THE FUEL GAUGE STOPPED WORKING AND THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT IS ON CONTINUOUSLY, AND IT WONT PASS STATE INSPECTION. NOW ITS BEEN DIAGNOSED AS A FUEL SENDING UNIT COSTING OVER $600.00 THE PART IS ORDERED AND I INFORMED THEM THAT I WANTED ALL OLD REPLACED PARTS. *TR
UNDER NORMAL DRIVING CONDITIONS THE MAZDA RX8S(2004) CLUTCH PEDAL ASSEMBLY CRACKS THUS CAUSING THE CAR TO BE UNDRIVABLE. *TR
THE CLUTCH PEDAL ASSEMBLY SNAPPED ON MY 2004 MAZDA RX8 FOR A SECOND TIME YESTERDAY. THIS IS VERY UNSAFE CONSIDERING THE FACT THAT WHEN IT BREAKS, THE CLUTCH PEDAL ITSELF CAN MOVE HORIZONTALLY AND GET LODGED UNDER THE BRAKE PEDAL CAUSING THE DRIVER NOT TO BE ABLE TO STOP THE VEHICLE. THERE'S POST AFTER POST IN DIFFERENT FORUMS AROUND THE NET THAT DESCRIBING THE SAME THING HAPPENING TO OTHER PEOPLE (EX. HTTP://WWW.RX8CLUB.COM/SHOWTHREAD.PHP?T=178486&HIGHLIGHT=CLUTCH+PEDAL). SOMETHING NEEDS TO BE DONE ABOUT THESE PEDALS BEFORE WE HAVE ANOTHER TOYOTA TYPE OF INCIDENT ON OUR HANDS. *TR
I SLOWED TO LET THE CAR INFRONT TURN. WHEN I PRESSED THE ACCELERATOR AGAIN, A BIG CLOUD OF WHITE SMOKE CAME OUT THE EXHAUST AND THE ENGINE COMPLETELY DIED. I WAS ABLE TO PUSH IN THE CLUTCH AND COAST INTO A FIRE DEPARTMENT. I TRIED TO RESTART THE CAR ONCE STOPPED BUT IT WOULDN'T RESTART. I COULD SMELL OIL COMING FROM THE CAR WHILE TRYING TO START IT WHICH LEADS ME TO BELIEVE THAT THE OIL SEAL IS BLOWN. ONCE TOWED TO PEARSON MAZDA, I WAS TOLD THAT THE CAR NEEDED TWO COILS AND SPARK PLUGS. ONCE THOSE WHERE REPLACED, THE CAR STILL DIDN'T RUN CORRECTLY SO A COMPRESSION TEST WAS DONE IN WHICH IT WAS FOUND THAT THERE IS NO COMPRESSION ON THE REAR ROTOR AND THE MOTOR WOULD HAVE TO BE REPLACED. ON FRIDAY THE FOURTH, THREE DAYS AFTER THE INITIAL INCIDENT, I WAS TOLD THAT MAZDA WOULDN'T COVER THE MOTOR UNDER WARRANTY BECAUSE THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER WAS HOLLOWED OUT. NOW ANYONE THAT KNOWS ABOUT CARS KNOWS THAT A HOLLOWED CAT WON'T CAUSE AN OIL SEAL TO GO ON A MOTOR. IT HAS BEEN DOCUMENTED MANY PLACES ON THE INTERNET WERE THESE MOTORS LAST AS LITTLE AS 20,000 MILES AND HAVE TO BE REPLACED. MAZDA DOESN'T WANT TO TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR A DEFECTIVE PRODUCT. IT HAS NOW BEEN TWO WEEKS AND MAZDA STILL HAS NOT RESPONDED TO MY MANY CALLS TO GET THIS REVERSED. *TR
NO EVENTS LEADING UP TO FAILURE. WAS DRIVING HOME FROM WORK TONIGHT AND WHEN I DEPRESSED THE CLUTCH PEDAL TO SHIFT I HEARD A LOUD SNAP. CAR WAS STILL DRIVABLE BUT THE CLUTCH PEDAL FELT LOOSE AND THERE WAS PLAY FROM SIDE TO SIDE. WHEN HOME DISCOVERED THAT THE CLUTCH PEDAL BRACKET HAD BROKEN ON ONE SIDE AND WAS NOT HOLDING THE PEDAL SECURELY IN PLACE. NO REPAIR DONE YET TO FIX THE PROBLEM. CAR IS NOT IN USE AT THIS POINT DUE TO SAFETY CONCERNS. *TR
THE CLUTCH PEDAL ON MY VEHICLE SUDDENLY BEGAN TO HAVE VERY LITTLE RESISTANCE WHEN PUSHING IN THE PEDAL ON FRIDAY MAY 28TH, 2010, WHICH LEAD ME TO BELIEVE I WAS GOING TO NEED TO BUY A NEW CLUTCH FOR MY VEHICLE SOON. THE PREVIOUS DAYS THOUGH, THE PEDAL WAS FUNCTIONING PERFECTLY FINE, AND THERE WAS NO SLIPPING OR PROBLEMS SHIFTING GEARS. THE NEXT DAY, ON THE 29TH, AFTER ABOUT 5 - 10 MINUTES OF DRIVING, THE PEDAL BECAME COMPLETELY NONRESPONSIVE AND COULD NOT BE DISENGAGED ONCE IT WAS PRESSED INTO THE FLOOR. I HAD TO PULL OVER IMMEDIATELY AND HAVE THE CAR TOWED. UPON A $100 INSPECTION BY A LOCAL MAZDA DEALERSHIP, THE CLUTCH AND RELATED COMPONENTS (MASTER, SLAVE, PRESSURE PLATE, FLYWHEEL, BEARINGS, ETC) WERE FINE, BUT THE CLUTCH PEDAL HAD FAILED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. I WAS HAPPY TO HEAR THAT I DID NOT HAVE TO REPLACE THE ENTIRE CLUTCH SYSTEM, BUT I WAS CHARGED FOR A BRAND NEW CLUTCH PEDAL, AND I FEEL THE ORIGINAL WAS DEFECTIVE AND SHOULD NOT HAVE SIMPLY FAILED AS IT HAD FOR NO REASON. *TR
2004 MAZDA RX-8 PASSENGER SIDE SUN VISOR SLIPPED AT THE SEAMS AND DROPPED AND WOULD NOT STAY BACK UP. THIS IMPAIRED MY VISION WHILE DRIVING MAKING SEEING OUT THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE CAR THROUGH THE FRONT MINIMAL. I HAD TO HOLD IT UP WHILE MAKING TURNS OR CROSSING ROADS WITH TRAFFIC ARRIVING FROM THE RIGHT. I COULD NOT REPAIR THE VISOR AND HAD TO REMOVE IT IN ORDER TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE SAFELY. *TR
2004 MAZDA RX-8 CLUTCH BRACKET SNAPPED OFF WHILE DRIVING ON 3RD GEAR NOT LETTING ME TO CHANGE GEARS AT ALL. CAR WAS UNABLE TO OPERATE. THANK GOD I WAS IN A RESIDENTIAL AREA BECAUSE IF I WAS ON A FREEWAY, THAT WOULD HAVE BEEN A LOT MORE DANGEROUS. A CLUTCH PEDAL SHOULD NOT BREAK UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCE AND IT CLEARLY SHOWS A DEFECT ON THE MANUFACTURER OF THE CERTAIN PARTS. *TR