Mazda RX-8 transmission problems
80 complaint narratives mention transmission terms.
Key facts
783 owner complaints analyzed
14 distinct recall campaigns
65,109 mi median reported failure mileage
Scope: 2004 to 2011 model years. Data snapshot: . 624 complaints include usable failure mileage.
Transmission and shifting evidence
80 of 783 complaints match this topic (10.2%). The keyword filter can include complaints that mention a transmission without reporting its failure. View matching rules.
Owner report 10075657 · 2004-06-03 (June 3, 2004)
WHILE DRIVING AT 55 MPH, THE MANUAL TRANSMISSION CLUTCH FAILED. DEALER INDICATED THE CLUTCH WAS MISUSED. *NM
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10075657 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10096214 · 2004-10-22 (October 22, 2004)
I RECENTLY PURCHASED A MAZDA RX8 6 SPEED (5/11/04). THIS CAR HAS HAD MORE PROBLEMS THAN I CAN EXPLAIN IN A SHORT MESSAGE. ABOUT A MONTH AFTER PURCHASING THE VEHICLE IT WOULDN'T START ONE MORNING. I LATER GOT IT STARTED AND TOOK IT IN TO THE DEALER. THEY DID A FLASH UPDATE ON MY PCM AND EVERYTHING WAS FINE AFTER THAT. APPROXIMATELY THREE MONTHS LATER I BEGAN HAVING TROUBLE WITH MY TRANSMISSION. I WAS ON VACATION IN CARLISLE, AR WHEN THE CAR BROKE DOWN THE FIRST TIME (8/9/2004). MY CAR WAS TOWED IN TO NORTH POINT MAZDA IN NORTH LITTLE ROCK, T…
Owner-reported narrative. 11,960 miles reported. Look up ODI 10096214 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10137534 · 2005-09-25 (September 25, 2005)
I OWN A 2004 MAZDA RX8. I HAVE 24,700+ MILES & NO PROBLEMS UNTIL NOW. 8 MONTHS AGO, I CAME TO MARIN, CA. TO WORK ON CONTRACT. AS THIS CONTRACT IS LONG TERM , I BROUGHT MY VEHICLE FOR TRANSPORTATION. 2 MONTHS LATER, I BEGAN TO NOTICE THE ODOR OF CLUTCH BURN, RARELY & WITH NO REASON. I WAS DUE FOR AN OIL CHANGE, SO I MADE AN APPT. WITH MARIN MAZDA. THIS WAS WHEN I MET JOHN LAUSTER, MARIN MAZDA'S SVC. MGR. DURING MY 1ST VISIT THEY WERE UNABLE TO FIND A PROBLEM, AND SAID EVERYTHING WAS OPERATING. 3 MONTHS LATER, I EXPERIENCED IT AGAIN AND BROUGH…
Owner-reported narrative. 247,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10137534 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10158337 · 2006-05-26 (May 26, 2006)
MAZDA RX-8'S HAVE SEVERAL DOCUMENTED CASES OF WHAT THE DEALERSHIPS REFER TO AS "EXPLODING CLUTCHES". IT SEEMS A MANUFACTURERS DEFECT CAUSES THE CLUTCHES TO FAIL PREMATURELY (5-20K MILES) LOCKING THE TRANSMISSION IN GEAR. THIS HAS HAPPENED TO A FEW INDIVIDUALS AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS WHERE THE INABILITY TO SHIFT THE TRANSMISSION CAN BE FATAL. MAZDA AND ITS DEALERS HAVE IGNORED CONSUMER COMPLAINTS ABOUT THIS MATTER. I'M HAVE COMPILED AND CONTINUE TO COMPILE DOCUMENTATION INDICATING THAT THIS IS FAR FROM A FEW ISOLATED EVENTS. *JB
Owner-reported narrative. 16,279 miles reported. Look up ODI 10158337 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10177869 · 2007-01-05 (January 5, 2007)
ENGINE FAILURE, AFTER DRIVING SHORT DISTANCES ENGINE DOES NOT ALWAYS WANT TO RESTART; DURING TIMES OF SITTING IN TRAFFIC, CAR WILL IDLE ROUGHLY AND SPUTTER, SOMETIMES DIE AND WON'T IMMEDIATELY RESTART; CAR HAS DIED WHILE ATTEMPTING TO START OUT INTO TRAFFIC; TRANSMISSION DOESN'T CHANGE GEARS PROPERLY... I HAVE HAD MY CAR SINCE FEB. 04 AND IT HAS BEEN SERVICED OVER A DOZEN TIMES FOR ENGINE FAILURE AND TRANSMISSION ISSUES ALONE. IT HAS HAD A NEW TRANSMISSION, LINKAGE, GEAR BOX, STARTER, BATTERY, AND THEY ARE CURRENTLY PUTTING IN THE 2ND REPLACEM…
Owner-reported narrative. 15,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10177869 at NHTSA ↗