Mazda RX-8 Complaints

784 consumer complaints on file.

#10233359July 7, 2008
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM
I BOUGHT A 2004 MAZDA RX8 BRAND NEW IN EARLY 2005 FROM THE DEALER. I HAVE HAD TO HAVE IT TOWED IN FOR REPAIR OVER 10 TIMES. THEY HAVE TRIED TO FIX IT EACH TIME. THEY EVEN HAD TO REPLACE THE ENGINE AFTER ONLY 23,000 MILES. NOW LOOKS LIKE I WILL NEED ANOTHER ENGINE. THEY HAVE HAD NUMEROUS RECALLS ON IT. IT HAS STALLED ON ME BEFORE BUT THE OTHER DAY IT ALMOST COST ME MY LIFE. IT STALLED DUE TO HOT WEATHER WITH ON COMING TRAFFIC. I NEARLY HAD A HEAD ON COLLISION. AFTER DOING SOME RESEARCH I FIND THAT IT HAS YET MORE RECALLS ON IT FOR SAME PROBLEM OF STALLING. THIS IS A VERY UNSAFE CAR. I READ ON DIFFERENT FORUMS OF ALL THE HORROR STORIES OTHERS ARE HAVING WITH SAME PROBLEMS. THE DEALERSHIPS ARE TRYING TO SAY THERE IS NO PROBLEM OR THAT ITS SOMETHING WE DID AND TRY TO CHARGE US TO REPAIR THEIR DEFECTS. SOMETHING HAS GOT TO BE DONE BEFORE PEOPLE ARE KILLED. I NOW FIND OUT THAT NO ONE WANTS TO TAKE IT IN ON TRADE FOR FAIR VALUE. MAZDA SOLD THIS CAR BEFORE IT WAS READY FOR PRODUCTION AND THEY SHOULD BUY IT BACK AT FAIR VALUE. THEY NEED TO GET THEM OFF THE ROAD BEFORE ITS TO LATE. PLEASE HELP PUT PRESSURE ON THEM TO DO WHAT'S RIGHT. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10232284June 25, 2008
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM, FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE
THE 2004 RX8 HAS INTERNAL SEALS FAIL PREMATURELY. THIS CAUSES THE ENGINE TO "BLOW" BY A LOSS OF COMPRESSION IN ONE OF THE TWO ROTOR CHAMBERS. THE PROBLEM BEING THE CAR WITH STILL RUN WITH HALF POWER. I CONTINUED TO DRIVE TO FIND HELP OFF THE HIGHWAY. THE ROTOR THAT IS NOT WORKING IS DUMPING GAS INTO THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER. BY THE TIME I PARKED, I COULD SMELL BURNING FIBER AND PLASTIC AND THE EXHAUST SHOT OUT SEVERAL LARGE CHUNKS OF RED HOT CERAMIC MATERIAL. THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER WAS BRIGHT ORANGE AND THE ENTIRE UNDERSIDE OF MY CAR IS MELTED. LOOKING ON INTERNET UNDER "2004 RX 8 ENGINE FAILURE" I HAVE SEEN SEVERAL OTHER STORIES WITH SIMILAR RESULTS BUT WORSE. IS IT POSSIBLE THAT THE FUEL TANK COULD EXPLODE WITH SUCH HEAT SO NEAR IF YOU CONTINUED TO DRIVE. THIS HAPPENS ANYWHERE FROM 12,000 MILES TO 100,000 MILES AND BEYOND. MAZDA KNOWS OF THE ENGINE DEFECT AND HAS EXTENDED THE WARRANTY ON THE MOTOR AS OF MAY 2008. MY CAR IS AT HANCOCK MAZDA IN DALLAS. THEY SAID DAMAGE AMOUNTED TO $9,500.00 FROM HEAT. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
Yes
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10229838June 3, 2008
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
I HAVE A 2004 MAZDA RX-8. THREE TIMES WITHIN THE LAST SIX MONTHS (SINCE DECEMBER 2007) I HAVE HAD TO HAVE THE CAR TOWED TO THE DEALER BECAUSE ALTHOUGH THE CAR WOULD START, IT WOULD NOT "CATCH" AND FIRE UP. THE DEALER SAYS THAT IT IS A PROBLEM PARTICULAR TO THE 2004 RX-8 (NO OTHER YEAR OF THIS MODEL HAS THIS PROBLEM). THEY SAID THE ENGINE GETS FLOODED IF THE CAR ISN'T RUN "HOT" FOR AT LEAST 1/2 HOUR (LIKE IT CAN HAPPEN IF I JUST RUN TO THE GROCERY STORE AND BACK). THEY SAID THIS IS A RECURRING PROBLEM WITH THE 2004 RX-8. IF THIS IS A HUGE PROBLEM, WHY HASN'T THERE BEEN A RECALL TO REPAIR IT? IT COSTS ME OVER $150 EACH TIME IT HAS TO GO IN, NOT TO MENTION LOST HOURS AT WORK BECAUSE MY CAR WON'T START. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10227914May 15, 2008
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
I BOUGHT MY 2004 RX-8 USED WITH 48,000 MILES ON IT. ONE MONTH AFTER PURCHASING THE ENGINE STARTED TO RUN ROUGH, ESPECIALLY NOTICEABLE WHILE AT A STOP LIGHT OR SITTING AT AN IDLE. WAS TOLD I HAD A COMPRESSION VARIANCE IN THE ENGINE AND THAT IT WOULD HAVE TO BE REPLACED. UNDISCLOSED TO ME AT THE TIME OF PURCHASE WAS THE FACT THAT THIS CAR HAD ALREADY HAD THE ENGINE REPLACE PREVIOUSLY. I NOW HAVE A CAR THAT IS ON ITS 3RD ENGINE IN 52,000 MILES. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10224287April 12, 2008
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING, ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
I PURCHASED MY VEHICLE ON 12/5/06 AT RUSSEL MAZDA IN CATONSVILLE, MD. VERY SATISFIED WITH THE LOOK OF THE VEHICLE AND HAVING NO PRIOR KNOWLEDGE THE VEHICLE I MADE MY DECISION TO PURCHASE. SEVERAL OF MY FAMILY MEMBERS OWN MAZDA?S AND BELIEVE IN YOUR VEHICLES BUT NONE OWN THE RX-8. ON 1/4/07, AFTER MOVING A SHORT DISTANCE TO PARK THE VEHICLE, THE VEHICLE WOULDN?T RESTART 5 MINUTES LATER. VEHICLE HAD TO BE TOWED BACK TO RUSSEL MAZDA IN CATONSVILLE FOR SERVICE. DEALER STATES ?NO START CONDITION. CAR TOWED IN. CUSTOMER HEARS A WHINING SOUND FROM UNDER THE HOOD WHEN TRYING TO STAR ENGINE. ENGINE DOES NOT TURN OVER, ?POSSIBLE STARTER?. CAR FLOODED, DE-FLOODED CAR AS PER BULLETIN #01-048/06XXB479R1//.3 ? PROCEDURE ?A? ONLY. AFTER BELIEVING THIS PROBLEM WAS RESOLVED, I ASSUMED EVERYTHING WAS OK. TO NO AVAIL, ON APRIL 4, 2008, DUE TO AN EMERGENCY, ONCE AGAIN I HAD TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE A SHORT DISTANCE. AFTER PARKING VEHICLE AT HOME FOR 2 DAYS DURING A SHORT ILLNESS, I WENT TO START VEHICLE TO GO TO WORK VEHICLE WOULDN?T START. ?DE-JAVU?! I WAITED A FEW MINUTES AND TRIED TO START VEHICLE AGAIN. AFTER THAT, I HAD TO CALL OUT OF WORK ADVISING THEM OF CAR TROUBLE. I THEN WAITED 4 HOURS TO TRY STARTING AGAIN, STILL NO START. I CALLED THE CASTLE FORD/MAZDA IN BELTSVILLE WHO ADVISED ME TO TOW VEHICLE IN. ONCE UNIT ARRIVED, AFTER ONE WEEK OF WAITING FOR RESULTS OF DIAGNOSIS, VEHICLE WAS FLOODED AGAIN. THE DEALER GAVE ME AN INITIAL REPAIR ESTIMATE OF $850.00. I WAS ABLE TO HAVE THEM LOWER THAT AMOUNT TO $650.00. MY TRUST IN MAZDA?S PRODUCTS HAS TRULY BEEN TARNISHED. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10223653April 8, 2008
POWER TRAIN:CLUTCH ASSEMBLY:PEDAL/HAND LEVER(MOTORCYCLE)
CLUTCH PEDAL SUPPORT BRACKET FAILED. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10221091March 13, 2008
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
I HAVE A 2004 MAZDA RX 8. THE ENGINE HAD TO BE REPLACED AT 11,000 MILES DUE TO LOW COMPRESSION AND OTHER ISSUES. 10,000 MILES LATER I AM GETTING THE SAME SYMPTOMS IN THE NEW ENGINE. MY DEALER IS GREAT, BUT THE CAR IS A LEMON. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10219144February 25, 2008
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE
MY MAZDA RX-8 HAS STALLED MANY TIMES WHILE AT A TRAFFIC LIGHT AND WHILE GOING ON TRIPS ON THE INTERSTATE AND ALL OF A SUDDEN IT WOULD LOSE POWER AND STALLS AND I WOULD HAVE TO PULL OVER AND START IT AGAIN WHICH IT WOULD TAKE A FEW MINUTES BEFORE IT WOULD START. I HAVE HAD MY MAZDA TOWED FROM MY HOUSE TO THE DEALER BEC IT WOULD NOT START AND I WAS TOLD THAT IT WAS FLOODED. NOW IT WON'T START AGAIN AND IT IS REALLY FRUSTRATING AND STARTING TO WORRY ME HOW DANGEROUS IT IS DRIVING MY MAZDA. I HAVE HAD MY MAZDA FOR A YEAR NOW AND THE ONLY TIME I DRIVE IT IS WHEN I GO ON A LONG TRIP OR TO GO SHOPPING AND MOSTLY ON WEEKENDS OR AFTER I GET OFF FROM WORK. I WOULD LIKE TO HAVE THIS RESOLVE SO THAT I WON'T GET HURT OR SOMEBODY ELSE WILL GET HURT BEC OF THIS. I UNDERSTAND THAT MAZDA RX-8 HAD A RECALL ON FUEL SYSTEM I JUST WONDER IF THIS WAS TAKEN CARE OF FOR THIS CAR. THE DEALER TOLD ME THE CAR IS FINE AND TO MAKE SURE TO WARM IT UP BEFORE YOU SHUT THE ENGINE DOWN ,I HAVE DONE THAT AND NOW MY MAZDA WILL NOT START AGAIN. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10218965February 23, 2008
POWER TRAIN:CLUTCH ASSEMBLY:PEDAL/HAND LEVER(MOTORCYCLE)
CLUTCH PEDAL STARTED SQUEAKING, CLUTCH PEDAL BRACE BROKE AND CAR WON'T GO INTO GEAR AT ALL, ORDERING A NEW CLUTCH PEDAL. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10216896February 4, 2008
POWER TRAIN:MANUAL TRANSMISSION:FLOOR SHIFT ASSEMBLY
MY CLUTCH PEDAL BRACKET BROKE AT THE WELDS WITH 60K MILES ON MY CAR. MY CAR IS BONE STOCK. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10216281January 28, 2008
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
I AM THE ORIGINAL OWNER OF A 2004 RX8. MY ENGINE FLOODS REGULARLY, I AM AFRAID TO VALET MY CAR DUE TO THIS CONSTANT PROBLEM. MY DRIVER'S SIDE VISOR FAILED, I HAD TO REPLACE OUT OF POCKET, NOW THE DEALER IS SAYING MY CAR HAS LOW COMPRESSION AND SUGGEST I TRADE IT IN AS SOON AS POSSIBLE. THEY DO NOT WANT TO REPLACE MY ENGINE AS I AM OVER THE WARRANTY PERIOD. THIS IS MY FIRST AND LAST MAZDA. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10216229January 27, 2008
VISIBILITY:DEFROSTER/DEFOGGER/HVAC SYSTEM, VISIBILITY:DEFROSTER/DEFOGGER/HVAC SYSTEM:WINDSHIELD:ELECTRICAL HEATING ELEMENT
THE HEATER CONTROL UNITS ARE FAILING ON MAZDA RX8. WHEN DRIVING THE AIR GOES HOT TO COLD BACK AND FORTH. IF YOU MOVE THE KNOB BACK AND FORTH YOU CAN GET YOUR HEAT BACK. I HAVE HAD WINDOWS FOG UP BECAUSE THE HEAT HAS GONE OUT. I HAVE CONTACTED MAZDA AND THEY WILL NOT ADDRESS IT. I AM NOT THE ONLY PERSON THIS AFFECTS. IF YOU DO A SEARCH ON RX8CLUB.COM YOU WILL SEE ALL THE FAILURES. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10215345January 18, 2008
POWER TRAIN:CLUTCH ASSEMBLY:PEDAL/HAND LEVER(MOTORCYCLE)
VEHICLE'S CLUTCH BRACKET ASSEMBLY BROKE AT TWO SEPARATE WELD POINTS MAKING THE VEHICLE INOPERABLE. PRIOR TO CHRISTMAS, 07, I BEGAN NOTICING A VERY LOUD SQUEAK UPON DEPRESSING THE CLUTCH PEDAL. IN RESEARCHING THIS, IT APPEARS THAT THIS WAS SYMPTOMATIC OF THE FIRST WELD SPOT FAILING. I BEGAN NOTICING AN INABILITY TO PULL THE CAR OUT OF GEAR. THE SHIFTER WOULD NOT BUDGE, EVEN WITH THE CLUTCH PEDAL FULLY DEPRESSED TO THE FLOOR BOARD. THIS PROBLEM WAS MOST SEVERE AT VEHICLE START UP. UPON STARTING THE CAR, IT WAS IMPOSSIBLE TO PUT THE CAR INTO ANY GEAR. TO MAKE THE CAR DRIVABLE, THE VEHICLE HAD TO BE STARTED WITH THE CLUTCH PEDAL DEPRESSED, AND THE CAR ALREADY IN 1ST GEAR (WITH THE VEHICLE OFF, IT WAS VERY SIMPLE TO GET THE CAR INTO ANY GEAR). I TOOK THE VEHICLE INTO MY LOCAL MAZDA DEALER TWO DAYS AFTER THE PROBLEM BEGAN. THEY ADVISED ME THAT MY PROBLEM SOUNDED AS IF IT WAS DUE TO FAILURE IN THE HYDRAULIC SYSTEM. I HAD ADVISED THEM THAT I HAD READ ABOUT PROBLEMS WITH THE CLUTCH BRACKET, AND THE CLUTCH PEDAL ALIGNMENT. I QUESTIONED WHETHER I HAD TOO MUCH FREE PLAY, AND NOT ENOUGH CLUTCH STROKE. THEY HAD THE VEHICLE FOR THE DAY AND ADVISED ME BY PHONE THAT THE HYDRAULIC SYSTEM WAS FULLY FUNCTIONAL. MY CLUTCH PEDAL ALIGNMENT WAS OFF AND THEY MADE ADJUSTMENTS. WITH REGARDS TO THE NOISE I WAS HEARING UPON DEPRESSING THE PEDAL, THEY SAID IT WAS NORMAL. UPON RECEIVING MY CAR, ALL THE PROBLEMS APPEARED TO HAVE BEEN RESOLVED. THE NOISE WAS GONE, THE CAR WAS SHIFTING LIKE IT HAS SINCE OWNING THE CAR. A NIGHT LATER, LESS THAN 20 MILES LATER, UPON MAKING A SHIFT FROM 1ST TO 2ND GEAR, I HEARD A VERY LOUD SNAP AND THE CLUTCH PEDAL DISAPPEARED FROM BENEATH MY FOOT. THE CLUTCH BRACKET HAD SNAPPED (A BREAKAGE AT A SECOND WELD SPOT) AND NOW WAS NO LONGER ATTACHED TO THE CAR. THE CAR RETURNED TO HAVING THE SAME DIFFICULTIES WITH REGARDS TO SHIFTING. MAZDA WOULD NOT COVER THE REPAIR AS A SAFETY DEFECT, INSISTING THAT IT WAS DRIVING ABUSE AND NOT A DESIGN FLAW. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10213693January 4, 2008
POWER TRAIN:CLUTCH ASSEMBLY:PEDAL/HAND LEVER(MOTORCYCLE)
DRIVING ON HIWAY AT 65MPH I WAS PUSHING IN CLUTCH PETAL TO CHANGE GEARS AND HEARD LOUD POP COME FROM CLUTCH PETAL. I WAS STILL ABLE TO CHANGE GEARS BUT AFTER INSPECTING THE PETAL THE MOUNTING BRACKET ON THE LEFT SIDE HAD BROKE OFF AND THE PETAL BENDS TO THE RIGHT SIDE. *CN
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10213547January 3, 2008
POWER TRAIN:CLUTCH ASSEMBLY:PEDAL/HAND LEVER(MOTORCYCLE)
MY MAZDA RX-8 HAS A MANUAL TRANSMISSION, AND THE CLUTCH BRACKET JUST BROKE OFF FOR NO SPECIAL REASON. IT IS TO MY UNDERSTANDING THAT UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES THESE COMPONENTS SHOULD NOT BREAK. MAZDA DID FIX IT FOR ME. FUNNY THING IS MAZDA TECH LINE SAIDS THIS IS A *ONE TIME WARRANTY REPAIR* ONLY. THIS CLUTCH BRACKET PROBLEM IS A VERY WELL KNOWN ISSUE IN THE RX-8 COMMUNITY, BUT MAZDA JUST KEEP REPLACING BROKEN BRACKETS AND WAIT FOR USER'S WARRANTY PERIOD IS OVER. I JUST DO NOT UNDERSTAND WHAT DO MAZDA MEAN BY "ONE TIME REPAIR" ONLY. WHAT I CONCERN NOW IS THAT. WHAT IF THE CLUTCH BRACKET BREAKS WHEN IM DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY AT 50 MILES AN HOUR? IT WILL NOT BE FUNNY AND I MIGHT JUST DIE. ANOTHER THING IS THAT, MAZDA ALWAYS TRY TO BLAME IT ON AFTERMARKET PARTS FOR THEIR OWN FAILURE. THERE SHOULD BE A LOT OF RX-8 USER COMPLAINING ABOUT THIS CLUTCH BRACKET ISSUE. PLEASE CHECK.*CN
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10213523January 2, 2008
POWER TRAIN:CLUTCH ASSEMBLY:PEDAL/HAND LEVER(MOTORCYCLE)
I AM A MEMBER OF A MAZDA RX8 WEBSITE. 25% OF OUR MEMBERS HAVE HAD THEIR CLUTCH PEDALS SNAP OFF AT A WELD POINT. MNAO HAS TOLD ALL OF US THAT THIS IS NOT SOMETHING TO WORRY ABOUT AND IT HAS ALREADY BEEN FIXED WITH A NEW BRACKET. THE PROBLEM IS THAT THESE NEW BRACKETS ARE ALSO SNAPPING AT A WELD POINT.*CN
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10213866December 27, 2007
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE
2005 MAZDA RX8 WITH FUEL LEAK AND GASOLINE FUMES. CONSUMER STATES THAT SHE WILL NOT PARK THE VEHICLE IN THE GARAGE BECAUSE OF FEAR THE HOUSE WILL CATCH FIRE. SHE STATES THE FUMES ARE HEAVY AFTER FILL UPS. *KB THE CONSUMER STATED THE GAS LEAKAGE HAPPENED AFTER EACH REPAIR ATTEMPT. *JB
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10212555December 22, 2007
POWER TRAIN:CLUTCH ASSEMBLY
CLUTCH PEDAL BRACKET BROKEN TWICE! THE CLUTCH PEDAL BROKE ABOUT 2 MONTHS AGO, SO I TOOK IT TO MAZDA AND THEY FIXED IT. ABOUT A MONTH LATER, IT BROKE AGAIN. I HEARD THE TELL SIGNS BECAUSE IT STARTED SQUEAKING AGAIN AS IT DID THE FIRST TIME AND NOW ITS SQUEAKING AGAIN! *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10210694December 3, 2007
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
1) CAR OFTEN STALLS/WON'T START 2) ENGINE CRANKS AND WON'T START/ HAD TO TAKE IT TO A SHOP MANY TIMES 3) DEALER SAYS "ENGINE FLOODED" AND REPAIRED. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10209915November 26, 2007
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 MAZDA RX8. THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT START AND THE DEALER STATED THAT THE FAILURE WAS DUE TO THE ROTARY ENGINE. THE DEALER STATED THAT THERE WAS NO REMEDY, BUT ADVISED THE CONTACT TO PRESS THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL BEFORE STARTING AND SHUTTING OFF THE ENGINE. THE NUMBER OF CYLINDERS WERE UNKNOWN. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 48,000 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 51,200.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0

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