2005 Mazda RX-8 Lighting Problems

MOST MODELS OF THE 2005 RX-8 ARE EQUIPPED WITH HID HEADLIGHTS. IN ORDER TO PREVENT ACCIDENTS, THE HEADLIGHTS HAVE A "CUTOFF" THAT PREVENT BLINDING ONCOMING DRIVERS, WHICH I UNDERSTAND IS REQUIRED BY LAW. THE HEADLIGHTS ON THIS VEHICLE HAVE AN AUTOLEVELING FUNCTION WHICH IS SUPPOSED TO LEVEL THE HEADLIGHTS AT THE PROPER HEIGHT DEPENDENT ON THE POSITION OF THE CAR'S SUSPENSION. THE HEADLIGHT LEVELERS ARE CONTROLLED BY TWO SENSORS, ONE ON THE DRIVERS SIDE FRONT AND ONE ON THE DRIVER SIDE REAR WHEEL HUB, CONNECTED TO THE SUSPENSION COMPONENTS. THERE IS A KNOWN DEFECT WITH THESE SENSORS WHICH CAUSES THE HEADLIGHT LEVELERS TO MALFUNCTION, AIMING THE HEADLIGHTS EITHER TOO LOW (WHICH CAN CAUSE AN ACCIDENT IN THE RX-8) OR TOO HIGH (WHICH CAN CAUSE AN ACCIDENT BY BLINDING ONCOMING TRAFFIC). THERE IS AN ELECTRICAL CONNECTOR LOCATED BENEATH THE CAR AT EACH SENSOR THAT MOISTURE CAN GET INSIDE, CAUSING CORROSION. THIS CAUSES THE SENSORS TO FAIL AND THE HEADLIGHTS WILL AUTO-AIM THEMSELVES IN ANY ORIENTATION, AND THIS CANNOT BE OVERRIDDEN...I KNOW, I HAVE TRIED REPEATEDLY TO MANUALLY RE-AIM THEM MYSELF. MANUALLY RESETTING THE HEADLIGHTS WILL ONLY CAUSE THE HEADLIGHTS TO MIS-AIM THEMSELVES AGAIN WHEN THE CAR IS RESTARTED AND THE SENSORS RETURN FAULTY SIGNALS. CURRENTLY, MY HEADLIGHTS ARE AIMED FAR TOO HIGH FOR ONCOMING TRAFFIC AND I ROUTINELY GET "FLASHED" BY OTHER DRIVERS. DRIVING MY CAR AT NIGHT IS UNSAFE FOR MYSELF AND OTHER DRIVERS DUE TO THIS DEFECT. AS PREVIOUSLY NOTED, THIS IS A KNOWN ISSUE AND THERE HAVE BEEN APPARENTLY ENOUGH COMPLAINTS ABOUT IT THAT MAZDA HAS ISSUED A TECHNICAL BULLETIN ON THIS DEFECT, AND THE LEVELERS HAVE BEEN RE-ENGINEERED TO USE MORE HEAVY-DUTY CONNECTORS. I WOULD URGE THE NHTSA TO EVALUATE THIS ISSUE AND COMPEL MAZDA TO ISSUE A RECALL FOR THIS DEFECT ASAP. THANKS FOR YOUR ATTENTION! LINK TO TECHNICAL BULLETIN: HTTP://WWW.FINISHLINEPERFORMANCE.COM/PDF/RX8/BULLETIN/09-008-07-1729A.PDF. *TR

WATER LEAKS INTO THE REAR TAIL LIGHT ASSEMBLIES. CORROSION AFFECTS THE OPERATION OF THE TAIL LIGHTS, TURN AND STOP SIGNALS. MAZDAUSA CLAIMS THIS IS "NORMAL". *TR

I PURCHASED AN 05 MAZDA RX8 IN JAN OF THIS YEAR. SEVERAL WEEKS AGO, I WAS INFORMED BY OTHER DRIVERS THAT MY DRIVER'S HEADLIGHT CAUSES THEM A DISTRACTION BECAUSE IT GLOWS BRIGHTER, AS IF THE HIGH BEAM HAS COME ON. I HAVE SEEN THIS MYSELF WHEN I DROVE ANOTHER CAR IN FRONT OF MINE. I TOOK THE CAR INTO SERVICE AT THE LOCAL MAZDA DEALER AND WAS INFORMED THAT THE LIGHT IS FUNCTIONING PROPERLY BECAUSE THE OTHER CAR ON THE LOT DOES IT ALSO." I BELIEVE THIS ISSUE NEEDS TO BE LOOKED INTO BECAUSE IT IS A SERIOUS DISTRACTION AND CAN CAUSE AN ACCIDENT. FROM A DRIVER LOOKING BACK AT THE RX8 THROUGH THE REAR VIEW MIRROR IT LOOKS AS IF SOMEONE IS SHINING A SPOT LIGHT ON THEM. THIS IS A DISTRACTION THAT CAN LEAD TO A VEHICLE ACCIDENT. THIS IS VERY SERIOUS AND I CAN'T SEEM TO GET ANYONE TO LOOK INTO THIS SITUATION. IF THERE IS ANYONE YOU CAN SUGGEST THAT I SPEAK WITH, PLEASE LET ME KNOW.